arugula

Arugula Salad With Shaved Parmesan Three Ways

October 18, 2018

The fresh bite of this arugula dinner salad with a simple lemon dressing and shaved Parmesan is made three ways for three easy salad recipe ideas to go with any dinner’s main course meal.

Choosing a main course dinner idea is pretty easy to do. But when it comes to rounding out the meal with some extra plant nutrition, it can add another layer of what-to-make-wondering to your meal planning.

That’s why I depend on a few simple recipe ideas for side salads and dressings that are easily customized to dress up or dress down, depending on what extra ingredients I have on hand.

That’s why this easy 5-ingredient arugula salad recipe with big flakes of salty parmesan is often where I get my start.
continue to the recipe… about Arugula Salad With Shaved Parmesan Three Ways

BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado

June 19, 2018

This easy, creamy BLT pasta salad recipe is loaded with healthy tomatoes, arugula, and avocado, plus crispy bacon that’s all topped with a super simple-to-make Ranch-style dressing made with mayo and Greek yogurt.

You could say my collection of pasta salad recipes here on the blog are my children, and just like any mother of kids, it’s nearly impossible to choose just one as my most favorite. But, if you’re a fan of a creamy pasta salad, or an ultra simple-to-make pasta salad that’s loaded with healthier goodness (plus bacon!), this pasta salad is for you.

Once the garden tomatoes come into harvest, BLT sandwiches are a staple at our house. And the only thing that makes them even better is adding avocado for them to become BLATs. Bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwiches that are now a BBQ pasta salad staple.

So when my daughter requested I make a pasta salad that included her beloved bacon in the BLT mix, avocado was an obvious addition to make.

continue to the recipe… about BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado

Truffled Mushroom Pizza

May 22, 2018

A simple mushroom and cheese pizza gets an upscale twist with truffled mushrooms and a light arugula salad topping one of the easiest homemade pizza doughs you can make.

I’m pretty sure we can all agree that pizza is the quintessential meal. It crosses all boundaries and pleases people of all ages and gender. And with nearly every culture cultivating its own version of the classic pizza pie, it doesn’t matter if you’re a drunk at 2 a.m. college student, a family ordering it for Friday night, or a high society maven who serves it as a dainty appetizer, if you like food it’s likely you’re a pizza pie fan.

Making pizza at home is one of life’s simple pleasures. At home you have complete control of what tops your pie and make it your choice to keep it super simple, or load on all the fixins’. Mushroom and cheese pizza is always a favorite of mine. I like to keep my pies simple, but simple certainly does not mean boring.

Sure, I like my mushroom pizza topped with simple ingredients, but I like my ingredients fancied up with an upscale twist.

Say hello to my truffled mushroom pizza.

continue to the recipe… about Truffled Mushroom Pizza

Tuscan Tuna and White Bean Salad

May 15, 2018

Quick and easy to make for lunch or even a light dinner, this healthy Tuscan salad puts high protein front and center with chunks of albacore tuna and white beans tossed with arugula and more Mediterranean flavors.

It’s not every day that a salad wakes me from a dead sleep. But this morning, this one did. Not because I was hungry—because I wasn’t—but because I sleepily woke to the words, sentences, and phrases for this blog post forming in my head.

Why I didn’t write it all down at that moment instead of rolling over and going back to sleep is a choice I’m regretting now.

But this salad? There’s absolutely nothing to regret about this salad, nothing at all.

How to Make a Healthy, No-Mayo Tuna Salad

This easy, all-in-one-meal, tuna salad is made with simple ingredients and pantry staples to create a lunch that’s totally fresh and filling.continue to the recipe… about Tuscan Tuna and White Bean Salad

Arugula Salad with Pesto Shrimp, Parmesan and White Beans

April 2, 2018

This Mediterranean-inspired arugula and pesto shrimp salad is not only super simple to prepare ahead of time for lunch, but because you can meal prep it straight from your pantry and freezer, it’s incredibly easy to make on the fly, too.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

Breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day.

Dinner. That’s when families come together.

But lunch? Ugh. Who has time to actually make and enjoy lunch?

Preparing a healthier, real good, real food lunch instead of grabbing your mid-day meal at the drive-thru or the food court—or worse, skipping it all together—is probably one of the biggest hurdles of completing our goals of a healthier day.

Because who hasn’t totally derailed their plans of “this week is the week I’m totally going to stick to the plan” and suddenly the day’s in-between-gaps get filled, appointments and projects and schedules and commitments all roll over and blanket one another, and it’s just that much easier to pick up some lunch instead of make up some lunch.

This is exactly why getting into the habit of shopping ahead of time for your weekly eating plan, adding a few quality ingredients to your freezer and pantry, and doing a bit of easy meal prep at the beginning of the wekk is more important than ever. Because is can all be in the plan, man!

Real Food Ingredients

A big part of my product choices are those that are part of my real good, real food eating plans. Whole foods with minimal or no processing, no added antibiotics, and great, fresh, quality is key. But only at a price point I feel good about.continue to the recipe… about Arugula Salad with Pesto Shrimp, Parmesan and White Beans

Citrus Shrimp and Avocado Salad

July 19, 2017

This simple but totally flavorful salad makes the perfect meal-prep meal for lunch or dinner thanks to pan-seared citrus-flavored shrimp, creamy avocado, and the crunch of sliced almonds.

I grew up with a mother who 99% of the time ordered two things when we ate out at finer dining establishments. It was like she didn’t even need to look at the menu, yet she always did and still does.

So when it’s my mom’s turn to answer the usual round of “what are you going to have?” question because we all want to be 100% sure we’re ordering just the right thing on the menu, my husband and I always share a knowing grin when we hear her reply, “Oh, I think I’ll try the shrimp. Or maybe the scallops.”

My mom. She’s predictable that way. And to prove we share the same DNA, I unapologetically share her menu choosing tendencies. Man, I LOVE shrimp!

That’s why when I made my friend Robyn’s Pan-Seared Citrus Shrimp I was totally stoked there were leftovers to be had, because that meant that both of these recipes become the perfect solution for weeknight meal planning that turns into weekday salads.

So we can thank my leftovers for inspiring this ridiculously easy and delicious Citrus Shrimp and Avocado Salad that my mom would totally approve of.continue to the recipe… about Citrus Shrimp and Avocado Salad

How to Make a Stunning Caprese Salad Platter

July 17, 2017

Laying all your favorite caprese salad ingredients—like burrata cheese, marinated mozzarella balls, tomatoes and fresh stone fruit—out on a platter instead of layered in a bowl makes this self-serve salad or appetizer the easiest way to choose all your favorite bites.

It’s like everyone’s favorite cheese board mated with all the best caprese-inspired ingredients, and they had a baby. Pass around the cigars, because the caprese salad platter has arrived.

It’s all to common to spy an amazing salad loaded with all of the good stuff, only to dig in, all the good stuff shifts, and then falls to the bottom of the bowl and you’re left diving for that coveted mozzarella ball.

That’s why salad platters have become my new go-to salad serving solution, so you can serve larger portions of each of the ingredients—because my favorite cream-filled burrata cheese isn’t all that chopping friendly—rather than bite-sized bits of bites.

I first shared this salad platter trick with this Ultimate Italian Salad Platter. When you serve this salad family-style in the middle of the table, everyone can add “just a little more” and choose their favorite ingredients, and then nibble at the leftovers until the entire platter is picked clean because it’s just too good to stay away.

ABOUT THE RECIPE

This salad platter is less of a recipe and more an assemblage of toppings. Feel free to adapt and switch up according to your tastes and favorites, or simply by whatever you might happen to have on hand for those unexpected, but totally welcome drop-ins.

Traditional caprese flavors dominate this salad platter with a few sweet bites of fruit tossed in. A few fresh fruity ingredient options are:continue to the recipe… about How to Make a Stunning Caprese Salad Platter

Roasted Tomato and Burrata Caprese Salad

April 7, 2016

The sweetness from just-picked garden tomatoes is hard to find year round, so I roast my tomatoes on a foil-lined sheet pan to give them an irresistible candied flavor in this summery caprese salad.

I created this recipe in partnership with Reynolds Wrap as part of their Endless Table series (have you seen their stunning Instagram account yet? Tip: Look at it in grid view!) because I want to share one of my kitchen secrets with you, the secret that produces some of the freshest salad flavors that, SURPRISE! are thanks to your oven!

Caprese salad is probably my hands down, most favorite, go-to salads…ever.

I’ve made it with avocado. I’ve made it with cantaloupe. I’ve made it with quinoa. I’ve made it as a spiralized zucchini salad and of course I’ve made it traditional style with burrata and summer’s best heirloom tomatoes because what bone fide cheese lover (me!) doesn’t love burrata (I do!).

But there’s just one issue I have when it comes to making my favorite versions of caprese salad.

Flavorless tomatoes.

We’ve all been there. Tomatoes are out of season but you still have a craving for that juicy, sweet bite. You disregard your better intuition and after making that first slice with the knife, you whimper a bit after discovering you’ve been duped by that shiny red tomato’s outside, revealing a dry, flavorless inside.

That is when my caprese love goes swiftly downhill.

But I have the key to enjoying sweet tomatoes all year round, and all it takes is a scattering of tomatoes on a sheet pan lined with Reynolds Wrap to get the sweet job done.

continue to the recipe… about Roasted Tomato and Burrata Caprese Salad

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

December 17, 2015

This healthy vegetarian quinoa salad makes for a simple lunch or dinner, thanks to staples like roasted red bell peppers, kalamata olives and feta from your fridge and pantry.

I get that feeling. I look at my watch. Scratch that, I look at the clock on my iPhone—after annoyingly plugging in my 4 number password twice because I have bubblethumbs—and realize, CRAP! It’s lunch!

Now what?

If I’m not going out to lunch with my husband (we’re pretty good at day-dating) you’ll find me in the kitchen adding odds and ends from the pantry and fridge for a cobbled together salad of leftovers, canned beans and anything with a pucker.

Where this salad may have started off without much of a thought in serving up me, myself and I for a one-on-one lunch, it proved its worth in spades when I pulled it out of my recipe hat and made it for a lunch to serve 16 food bloggers.

It’s a good one for that.

continue to the recipe… about Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Grilled Flatbread with Peaches and Arugula Pesto Plus 10 Flatbread Recipes to Make Now

July 8, 2015

Store bought flatbread is the base to summer’s favorite flavors: juicy grilled peaches and a bright pesto that make for a fast appetizer or main meal.

Once in a while this gal’s gotta let her man take over the reigns in the kitchen. Actually, I ask and I plead. He is usually more than happy to abide.

Earlier in the day we’d gone to lunch and he’d helped me with some brainstorming for new recipes for a project I’m working on. More on that soon (it’s gonna be good!). Once we got home, his creative juices were still going strong so I put his creative foodie cravings to task.

“What should we make with this arugula pesto?” I asked.

Apparently, like me, he’s been feeling the gravitational pull toward eating seasonal, and he went straight for the peaches.

continue to the recipe… about Grilled Flatbread with Peaches and Arugula Pesto Plus 10 Flatbread Recipes to Make Now

How to Make Arugula Pesto

July 6, 2015

This twist on pesto subs arugula for traditional basil to make a bright, peppery addition to pasta, chicken, fish or steak.

I’m a basil fiend. In turn, my leafy herbed passion goes hand in hand with pesto. I mean, is it even summer without it?

But when I discovered a fresh crop of arugula at the farmers market, my basil obsession took a detour. And I happily followed.

This fresh, peppery switcharoo to the sweeter basil style variety makes a damn fine addition to countless dishes. Pasta? Naturally. Veggies? Load it on. Chicken? Lather it in the middle of a chicken breast with some melty cheese and a slice or two of prosciutto and bam! Dinner is served.

continue to the recipe… about How to Make Arugula Pesto

Garlic and Herb Gnocchi Salad and Better Blog Retreat 2014

November 6, 2014

A few weeks ago I gathered with a group of blogging friends for a weekend at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, UT. The purpose? To kick off our shoes and cozy up on the couches to learn from one another in an easy and relaxed setting. It’s the best way to conference in my book.

Even with the constant drone of tweets, Instagrams and Facebook updates, not to mention our actual blog posts, you’d think we’d all be totally in tune with one another. But working in a virtual space makes it hard to connect with peers. While I could tell you a lot about what’s going on in each of my blogging friend’s lives, there’s nothing better than connecting in person.

Thats why Maria and I assembled a group of bloggers to spend the weekend at a lovely mountainside Deer Valley home where we could all hang together and talk about new ways to better our blogs, our businesses and share ways to find balance between work and our personal lives. Because when your business is on 24 hours a day, you have a tendency to be too.

Today I’m sharing some of the highlights of what I learned at the retreat with you. For my fellow food bloggers, I hope you’ll find it helpful. And for non-food bloggers, I think you’re going to love this Garlic and Herb Gnocchi Salad I’m sharing at the end of this post. It’s a win win either way!

continue to the recipe… about Garlic and Herb Gnocchi Salad and Better Blog Retreat 2014

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Herbed Ricotta

July 22, 2014

It’s mid-summer and I am soaking it in. Even my numbed-by-pain-killers-broken-wrist can’t dull the memories in my post-week-at-the-beach-where-did-the-humidity-go-summer-lovin-skin. It’s what summer’s all about and I have the tan to prove it.

With just 2 more weeks of July we’re narrowing down to the final 2 recipes for FoodieCrush Grilling Month. Break out the ticker tape because this week it’s a parade of a veggies on the grill.

So far this month we’ve sharpened our grilling skills with recipes for Grilled Pork Chops with Spicy Balsamic Grilled Peaches and headed to the sea for a bite of Grilled Swordfish with Smoked Paprika and Herbed Fruit Salsa. This week we’re circling back to dry land and the farmer’s market to take advantage of summer’s opulence.

Too often we get caught in our tried and true methods of steaming, baking and sautéeing when it comes to cooking veggies. But it’s summer, time to shake things up by biking rather than driving, wearing short shorts instead of maxi skirts and smiling extra sweetly at the cute barrista who always gets your name right…just because you know you can.

And when it comes to cooking, it’s time to break out of the expected because it’s summer and the grill is where the flavor. is. at.

continue to the recipe… about Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Herbed Ricotta

Avocado Caprese Salad Plus 5 Crunchy Avocado Salads

May 19, 2014

We all know avocados are a fruit, not a vegetable, right? And we’ve come to realize avocados make salsas infinitely better by adding a touch of creaminess for the dipping.

But crunchy? Avocados are wha, wha, what? Crunchy?

Okay, maybe avos themselves don’t possess that potato chip crunch, unless of course it’s deep fried and made into a taco. Now that’s got some munch.

Caprese salads on the other hand are smooth. They’re the cool kids in school. Creamy mozzarella slices paired with the freshest of juicy tomatoes.

So when another smooth operator like the avocado slides on in, it’s time for a little texture. Welcome to class Mr. spicy arugula.

continue to the recipe… about Avocado Caprese Salad Plus 5 Crunchy Avocado Salads

Berry With Arugula and Prosciutto Pizza

April 9, 2014

This light and easy-to-make pizza is topped with salty prosciutto, juicy strawberries, and raspberries, creamy ricotta, and fresh arugula, and is perfect for warm spring or summer brunches or dinners!

Pizza. It’s what’s for dinner. Although in this case, it could be mistaken for breakfast. And definitely lunch. Ah heck, let’s not let any of our favorite feasts feel left out. Brunch, you’re invited too.

A doughy base. That’s always a good start. I like this recipe from Ina. But I’m not ashamed to buy it from the store either. Whole Foods and Trader Joes are great places to start. In fact, after hitting the grocery store for the goods for this pizza I nearly stayed on the freeway and skipped my exit so I could detour to the closest Whole Foods for store bought dough-soon-to-be-crust instead of making my own.

But I told myself to buck up and just go home and get cooking.

So I did. And then came the case of the missing dough hook.

continue to the recipe… about Berry With Arugula and Prosciutto Pizza

Kennebunkport Lobster Grilled Cheese and Grilled Cheese Academy Contest

March 31, 2014

It’s no secret around here that I’m a big fan of cheese. Whether it’s in gooey sandwiches like this one or mixed into salads like this one or in cheesy chorizo dips too.

I love cheese.

And thus, my lust of cheese makes it even more exciting that once again this year I’ll be a judge for the 2014 Wisconsin Cheese Grilled Cheese Academy’s Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown.

Last year I traveled to Madison, WI where I judged the Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown and ate an amazing assortment of cheese in between buttered bread.

Eating 15 grilled cheese sandwiches in one sitting? Sure, sign me up.

continue to the recipe… about Kennebunkport Lobster Grilled Cheese and Grilled Cheese Academy Contest

Arugula and Prosciutto Egg Benedict with Blender Hollandaise Sauce

September 10, 2013

Why is it there are some recipes that are justifiably deemed for brunch? Take for example the egg benedict, or more specifically my Arugula and Prosciutto Egg Benedict.

This isn’t a dish one would much consider ginning up on a Wednesday morning when the alarm didn’t go off (why does it always seem like it happens on a Wednesday?) and you’re prying the covers off of your sleeping daughter who pulls the perfect caterpillar move to create the tightest of duvet cocoons all the while racing the clock to not miss the first school bell because why didn’t anyone make her lunch the night before??

No, that’s the day for a microwave egg and veggie bagel sandwich.

Which is why I suppose those restful weekend lallygag brunches are indeed all of what they’re cracked up to be.

A few weekends ago I upped the ante on the traditional egg bene because the simple ham just wasn’t putting the lock in my blocks. Maybe that’s why I make this salmon and bagel egg benedict so often.

But with a blender just begging to be used for something other than the weekend’s margaritas, we put the breakfast making skills to work by adding a few Italian flavors to the traditional benedict.continue to the recipe… about Arugula and Prosciutto Egg Benedict with Blender Hollandaise Sauce

Goat Cheese Stuffed Fig, Melon and Prosciutto Salad

August 29, 2013

The journey that led me to this simple Goat Cheese Stuffed Fig, Melon and Prosciutto Salad was just the ticket to a little mental time out.

Yesterday morning I drove up the canyon toward my photo shoot destination. The radio signal weaved in and out as it typically does, making the radio music that served as unacknowledged background filler a total distraction to the much louder brain noise churning through my head as I catalogued my mind’s daily to-do list.

I realized I hadn’t been hearing the tunes at all when the crackle was nearly as annoying as the same 23 songs I hear whenever Smudge and I are in the car together.

Our musical conversations tend to go something like this, “Mom, can you put it on 6?” and we listen to Taylor Swift belt out the blues about some bad-boy boyfriend she can’t seem to hold onto. “Mom, can you change it to 5?” and we hear Bruno Mars in his big-brimmed hat cry about being locked out of the pearly gates.

Heaven forbid One Direction or the Cups song comes on for the 9,374th time this month. Total freak-out ensues. And I must admit, I totally egg it on.

But yesterday I needed a break. A break from the chatter, a break from the radio and a break from the noise that was inside my head. So I turned off the tunes, or lack thereof, and practiced a little car meditation. As my engine wound up as it climbed the hill to the summit, I worked on my mind winding down.

continue to the recipe… about Goat Cheese Stuffed Fig, Melon and Prosciutto Salad

Stetson Chunky Potato Salad

June 13, 2013

If I had my druthers—which I often do—I’d skip the traditional main protein (chicken or meat) and instead go for a selection of side dishes. I’d much rather have a taste of this and a bite of that, a smattering of tastes to satisfy my undecided thanks to so many options cravings.

When I shared my Roasted Potato Salad with Bacon Dressing recipe I mentioned I’d be sharing a few new recipes with you this summer. Potato salad is one of my all time favorites, and lucky for me, there are plenty of options out there. Mayonnaise based, olive oil based, some with pickles, some with herbs and more, more, more. I may never run out of recipes and flavor combinations to try.

continue to the recipe… about Stetson Chunky Potato Salad

Burrata and Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Salad

March 28, 2013

I like pretty things. Guilty as charged.

I’d have to guess that most of us in the world do. Am I right or am I right? Who wouldn’t rather gaze at a burgeoning, flowering garden of spring tulips than a pile of sheet metal covered in dust? Well, unless the light is just right and we’re being all ultra edgy and hip and arty. Then the sheet metal would probably win.

Being a fan of ‘the pretty’ more often than not inspires me to take the longer route, whether it be by car or on foot. I avoid the drab and make time for the fab. And why shouldn’t I?

I realized this the other night when I was driving home from teaching my university kids. It was 10:45 p.m., it was dark, and true to every Tuesday night for the past few years, I jumped off of the freeway one stop before my exit and took the old highway road that winds along the base of the mountains and headed toward home.

The funny thing is the freeway sits right next to the old highway road, divided only by a steep hill. Ah, but that hill affords the most beautiful, 4 mile unobstructed view of the valley below and the mountains beyond plus a gander at the downtown skyline. It doesn’t matter which time of year it is, or even when it’s pitch dark, I still take that extra 10 minutes to get home because its just that much more…inspiringly pretty.continue to the recipe… about Burrata and Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Salad

Pickled Strawberry with Roasted Beet Salad and a Recipe Contest

August 1, 2012

I mean seriously. This salad is sweet. Seriously sweet.

But, really, how sweet is this girl?

How much can we possibly love our little babes, especially in those unscripted moments of pure, sweet bliss, savoring the moment and creating our earliest memories of where food comes from.continue to the recipe… about Pickled Strawberry with Roasted Beet Salad and a Recipe Contest

Chicken Sliders with Pasilla Peppers and Chipotle Ketchup

July 31, 2012

I’m like my mom this way. I love a good burger.

On our summer trips to visit my Grandma in San Francisco, my dad would make a huge bed in the back of the Suburban and my sister and I would travel the 600 miles there and 600 miles back sprawled out in the lap of luxury on a 6 inch styrofoam bed, surrounded by magic markers, books and games.

Our road trips were pre-seatbelts, pre-DVD, pre-books on tape and even pre-VHS or Sony Walkman. Raise your hand if you’re wondering what those are. Oh my, oh my, oh my..continue to the recipe… about Chicken Sliders with Pasilla Peppers and Chipotle Ketchup

Turkey and White Cheddar with Caramelized Onion & Grape Grilled Cheese

April 6, 2012

Hallelujah and haul out the tambourines. It’s National Grilled Cheese Month!

Grilled cheese. A brilliant choice by whoever is the event-of-the-month designator. Wouldn’t that be an awesome assignment? Deciding what is worthy of a whole month of celebrating? Job envy. Kinda like the guy that gets to choice the names of wall paint colors.

A whole month to say its okay and perfectly reasonable to eat grilled cheese every day.

I first discovered Grilled Cheese Month thanks to Clementine Bakery in West Los Angeles. Every April they celebrate the entire 30 days with 15 grilled cheese specials that make you say, “Whoa, I gotta get me some of that.”

From the Philly Cheespaocalypse to the Cuban Sandwich Crisis, these sandwich makers know how to put a spin on the traditional grilled cheese.

For the month of April I’ll be sharing my ode to the grand grilled cheese. Each week I’ll feature a cheesey compilation—pure melt-worthy goodness between golden pieces of toasty bread. Week one starts now.

Turkey and White Cheddar with Caramelized Onion & Grape Grilled Cheese

Celebrating Grilled Cheese Month with a recipe for Turkey & White Cheddar with Caramelized Onion and Grape Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion sliced
12-15 red seedless grapes
1 tablespoon sage slivered
1 pound turkey deli meat shaved
2 cups white cheddar cheese grated
1 cup arugula leaves
8 slices sourdough bread
salt and pepper

Instructions

In a medium skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter and vegetable oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until semi-transparent and caramelized. Add grapes and sauté for 5 minutes more. Add sage and remove from heat.
Heat a skillet on medium. Butter one side of each piece of bread. On unbuttered side of 4 slices of bread layer 1/4 cup cheese, onion and grapes, 1/4 portion of turkey, 1/4 portion of arugula leaves and 1/4 cup more cheese. Place slice of bread on top, buttered side up, and grill in skillet until bread becomes golden. Flip sandwich once and cook until cheese melts and bread becomes golden. Cut in half and serve hot.

Thanks for reading and please keep in touch. Subscribe to Foodie Crush and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest and check out Foodie Crush magazine and Cookie Cravings cookbook.

Caprese Sandwich with Arugula and Olive Spread

August 26, 2011

Summer means beach. And beach means sandwiches. And the ultimate beach sandwich go-to-spot is an Italian deli in Santa Monica, where if you’re a local, you know to arrive by 10:30 a.m. or you’ll be waiting in a line that goes out the door, giving you plenty of time to check out the beautiful-people-that-know-they-are and peruse the imported Italian oils, pastas and anchovies.

A Santa Monica institution, Bay Cities, serves The Godmother, their signature sandwich loaded with genoa salami, mortadella, coppacola, ham, prosciutto and provolone, and my husband’s favorite when it’s with “the works.” But I’m satisfied with a bite of my husbands sandwich—he’s quit complaining about my “bites” after all these years.

For me its all about the fresh mozzarella and so I go for the Caprese. Fresh and simple and hopefully I’ll still look okay in my swimsuit.

We’re not at the beach anymore but I’m still a sucker for fresh mozzarella—not the kind in the package, you need a great buffalo variety or one soaked in water— fresh sliced tomatoes and basil. But on my version I like to add a slathering of kalamata olive spread (Trader Joe’s is my go-to), fresh fruity olive oil, bold balsamic vinegar and spicy arugula.

I’ve become less of a ground pepper fan in the past few years, but this is one dish I don’t chintz on. And the bread. It’s really all about the bread. Grocery store varieties just don’t cut it, so a trip to the farmer’s market or a local bakery is always in order.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

Caprese Sandwich with Arugula and Olive Spread

Fresh tomatoes and mozzarella cheese make this sandwich Recipe a summer time favorite.

Ingredients

2 slices sourdough or other sturdy bread like a foccacia
2 thick cut slices of fresh buffalo mozzarella
2 thick slices of tomato
1/2 cup arugula leaves
1 -2 T olive spread
fruity olive oil
balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Spread the olive spread on the bottom slice of bread. Drizzle olive oil on top slice of bread. Load on tomato slices, mozzarella and arugula. Drizzle balsamic on top of arugula and more olive oil if desired. Salt and pepper. Eat.

If you’re looking for a variation on the traditional tomato/basil combo, check out these inventive ideas from some of our favorite foodie bloggers, get slicing and start eating.

photo > Big Girls Small Kitchen

Based on a revered sandwich Phoebe discovered at the Martha Vineyard eatery Slice of Life, her and Cara’s Big Girl Small Kitchen‘s Fried Multicolored Tomato BLTs with Basil-Chive Mayo is an ingenious way to use up those not-quite-ripe-but-can’t-bear-to-let-them-go green tomatoes, and a sure way to keep summer in your sights.

photo > Love & Olive Oil

With the contrast in colors of green zebra tomatoes, red heirlooms and purple-ey kalamatas complementing the crusty sourdough and perfectly creamy and white goat cheese, you can see where the artist in Lindsay came to play in Love & Olive Oil ‘s Toasted Tomato, Basil and Goat Cheese Sandwiches. Oh my, it looks good enough to eat.

photo > Lucullian Delights

Living my dream as she cooks and photographs while living in idyllic Italy (my dream’s version of Under the Tuscan Sun is minus Diane Lane thank you) Ilva marries Italian with an asian-inspired wasabi spiked avocado in Lucullian Delights Summer Sandwich with White Beans and Cherry Tomatoes on Avocado and Wasabi Butter.

photo > The Lonely Bean

Now this is a simple spin on caprese I’ve never thought of. Sauteéd shitakes drizzled with aromatic and dee-vine truffle oil? Claire is a visionary with The Lonely Bean‘s Sherry Sauteed Shiitakes with Goat Cheese, Arugula, Tomato and Truffle Oil (cue spooky voice) I see the future, and this sandwich is miiiiiinnnnne.

And if you’re hanging around the house this weekend and thinking, “Hey! I want to bake!”, make it a holiday cookie and submit it to our 50 Best Holiday Cookie Recipes. Submit your holiday cookie by September 1 .

Thanks for reading. If you liked this post, please subscribe to foodiecrush and follow me on twitter, Facebook and Pinterest

BLT Panzanella Plus 5 New Spins on Panzanella

August 9, 2011

Tomatoes, vinegar, pucker. I’m craving salty and fresh. And maybe a little smokey. But not your typical light-lunch salad, something with some girth.

I’m thinking summertime and fresh tomatoes, and that crusty bread from my new favorite find at the farmer’s market. I’m calling for summertime panzanella.

But not the typical panzanella, I’m creating a version of my summertime favorite sandwich, the BLT. A hipped-up version of the traditional BLT— with smokey thick pancetta, spicy arugula and a few sour notes from pickled capers. And of course I have to add in some crunchy cucumbers to satiate my husband’s salad desires.

Here’s my new fav version, and then try some of the spins on the classic below.

BLT Panzanella

Ingredients

4 medium tomatoes chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large cucumber seeded and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cups arugula
2 T capers
1/2 lb pancetta cubed
2 cloves garlic
3 cups day-old crusty white bread french or ciabatta, cubed
3 T olive oil
2 T champagne or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup basil slivered
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, capers, basil and arugula.
Over medium heat, brown pancetta in a frying pan. Remove pancetta from pan and retain 2 T of rendered fat. Smash garlic cloves and place in frying pan with pancetta fat, cook for 3 minutes until garlic is lightly browned. Remove from pan and discard. Add cubed bread to pancetta fat, mix and lightly toast. When toasted, add bread and pancetta tomato mixture. Mix olive oil and vinegar until emulsified, add salt and pepper to taste and dress. Serve immediately.

photo > Five and Spice

Five and Spice‘s heartier Winter Panzanella brings together beets, kale, squash and apple tossed with a maple-mustard-balsamic vinaigrette and with Emily’s addition of cubed smokey mozzarella, it’s a super satisfying meatless main meal.

photo > The Other Side of 50

This recipe is one that just might make me want to give brussels sprouts another try. Topped with an apple vinaigrette, The Other Side of 50‘s tangy combo of radicchio and brussels sprouts is crisped up with salty bacon bites and crunchy, herby croutons in Panettone Panzanella with Bacon and Brussels Sprouts

photo > The Hazel Bloom

Karen’s love for tomatoes and mozzarella inspired this twist on panzanella with The Hazel Bloom‘s Caprese Panzanella , a basic ingredient list that lets the veggies, bread and balsamic shine. Or as she calls it “non-soggy nirvana in a bowl.”

photo > Happy Yolks

Contrasting the sturdier ingredients most often found in panzanella, Happy Yolks Spring Panzanella brings a more delicate flavor to the dish with the likes of leeks, peas and fennel thanks to Kelsey & Shaun’s healthy and fresh CSA box.

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Strawberry Watermelon and Feta Salad

May 11, 2011

Strawberries. Watermelon. Arugula. Feta.

Sweet. Sweet. Bitter. Tang.

This super simple salad with somewhat oddly paired ingredients melds so perfectly together that it creates a total flavor explosion. And it tells every one of your senses: baby, summer is on it’s way. Strawberries. Watermelon. Yum.

With some easy chopping and zero time in front of the stove, this salad is a cool side to a spicy main like BBQ ribs or Thai skewered beef. Add a bit sliced grilled chicken for some protein and bang, you have a main course or double the recipe and you’ll have a great pot luck that will stun Aunt Audrey at the family reunion.

5 from 3 votes
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Strawberry Watermelon and Feta Salad

Ingredients

3 cups seedless watermelon chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

3 cups strawberries sliced

1/4 red onion sliced very thinly

4 cups spicy arugula

3/4 C fresh basil chiffonade (optional)

1/2 C crumbled feta cheese or more to taste

1/3 C fruity extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 T balsamic vinegar

1 tsp agave syrup or to taste

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl, gently combine first five ingredients. Mix together olive oil, vinegar and agave and taste for sweetness and dress strawberry mixture. Top with feta cheese, salt and pepper and serve.

And for a few more strawberry watermelon combo flavor explosions, check out these food blogger’s delicious recipes.

photo > Trissalicious

Luscious layers of almond dacquoise, rose scented cream, sweet berries and pistachios that make up Trissalicious’ Watermelon Strawberry Cake with Rose Scented Cream is a totally impressive gluten free dessert for any special dinner party and Trissa promises it’s surprisingly easy to make.

photo > Doughmesstic

Paired with brown sugar and ginger toasted tortillas, Doughmessitc‘s watermelon and strawberry salsa gives a sweet alternative to the standard chips and salsa.

photo > American Yogini

American Yogini‘s dairy free, raw and vegan Watermelon and Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream uses ground cashews to create a milky alternative and a touch of agave nectar to sweeten up the fruit flavor.

Do you have a favorite melon/berry combo recipe from a foodie blogger? Let’s hear about them!

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