Pizza, Pizza..... again.

One of the many things my mother taught me was to use coupons.  Make money off of what you buy.  Refunding.  Whatever you might call it - just be smart with your money and if you have a coupon AND the item is on sale, BUY IT!

Well, upon my return to the United States, I decided to try and use coupons from time to time.  I don't do it all the time, but try my best.  Because I got addicted to the fuzzy carbonated beverages in Mexico, I've been buying a lot of coke and Rootbeer.  I knew that my mom always saved the "codes" that are under each bottle cap or are printed on the inside of the cardboard box, so without even know what those codes did, I started saving them.  When my mom came to visit in March 2012, we finally entered those codes into the computer and started using those points that came with the codes!  After browsing the rewards system, I decided on getting free 1 year magazine subscriptions.  I am now getting the monthly magazine to "Cooking Light" -- for free!!!  WIN!

This recipe comes from the latest edition of Cooking Light.  I did it basically to the "t" as stated in the recipe.  Enjoy!

Grilled Vegetable and Cheese Pizza

mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
red bell pepper
zucchini, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices (I LIKE cutting it diagonally!!  Never done before!)
red onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
salt
pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
pizza dough (or pita bread, as I did)
fontina cheese (or parmesean, as I did)

1.  Combine mushrooms, garlic, red bell pepper, zucchini, onion, and EVOO in a bowl.  Toss to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Use grill or saute in heated pan until vegetables are tender-crisp.

2.  Place dough on grill or place dough in preheated oven (400F) and warm through, roughly 2 minutes each side.

3.  Sprinkle shredded cheese on dough.  Arrange vegetables over cheese.  Sprinkle again with cheese.  Heat until cheese melt. 

Bon appetit!!

I don't have a grill so I'm still doing all this work in the kitchen, using stovetop and oven.  It still tastes amazing!  I made this again tonight and forgot the crushed red pepper flakes -- I missed them!!  They make a difference in the taste. 

And I know that I suggested a lite pizza recipe earlier this year.  Today's recipe is very similar to that one but I do prefer this one.  There is something about the red sauce on pizza that makes me not too fond of pizza, but this recipe without any type of sauce is perfect for me!  And it still has that pizza taste to it!  Enjoy.

Worth the money

I always wondered about the really expensive bottles of extra virgin olive oil when I would be at the grocery store.  I wondered if it REALLY made a difference.  When I was cooking 5-6 nights a week while in Mexico, I went through a ton of EVOO so I never even thought about buying the expensive stuff.  I always bought the Walmart brand or Kroger brand of EVOO.

Well, I finally decided to see if it was worth it to buy the expensive stuff.  I don't cook as often as I would like anymore so I wanted to just try ONE bottle. 

The difference was immediate and HUGE!  I'm never going back to the base level of olive oil.  Many recipes taste very different -- just so full of flavor, especially sauted vegetables and my homemade pesto. 

I've included a picture of the bottle that I chose -- I'm already on my 3rd bottle.  So much for just one......  Maybe one day I'll get an even more expensive bottle!  I don't remember exactly the price of this brand, but it was around $15 for 12-14 ounces or so.... This bottle is the bigger size of 25 oz. 

Closely related

I've started experimenting with a vegetable that is closely related to spinach:  kale.  I've found that you can treat kale in similiar ways as you treat spinach.  One of the recipes that I've successfully made was a sauteed kale.  You will find that recipe below.

Sauteed Kale

EVOO
3 cloves garlic, smashed
a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes
2 bunches kale, stems removed and cut into 1/2 inch lengths (remember that kale shrinks just like spinach does, so it might seem like a lot at first)
salt
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1. Coat a large saute pan with EVOO and add the garlic cloves and crushed red pepper.  Bring the pan to a medium heat and cook the garlic until it gets golden and very aromatic.  Don't let it burn!! Remove the garlic and discard.  You are simply seasoning the oil and pepper flakes.

2. Add the kale and stir to coat with the oil.  Season with salt and add the chicken stock.  Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. 

3. Uncover and stir to make sure the kale is cooked evenly.  Let the liquid evaporate.  Sprinkle with sherry vinegar at end.

4. Serve immediately.  Tastes best when it is HOT!

All of this kale yielded......

This much kale after it was cooked.

My dearest Sister:

My dearest Sister:

You might be the only person to view my blog and constantly request that I blog more recipes.  I shall grant you your wish.

Sincerely,
Your Little Sister