Summer Pizza, Two Ways.

Yes, I'm cooking again post-baby.  Have been for awhile now, and it's easier than I feared.  I realized that I haven't shared a recipe in a LONG time and wanted to share some easy-peasy, yummy summer pizzas.

We love pizza around here, but I struggle with the crust.  In theory, I would make the dough from scratch.  But that's a little impractical right now with a new bambino, a three-year old, and a super-busy hubby.  I have tried a handful of homemade recipes and they never seem to come out quite right.  I'm going to keep trying though because we are working to eliminate processed foods from this house as much as possible (I will NOT be making condiments, etc! -- more to follow on this nutritional endeavor).  For now, I stick with store-bought doughs.  I love, love, love the refrigerated pizza dough that Publix sells in the bakery -- the whole wheat and white are both fabulous.  I also love the convenience of Pillsbury canned dough and Bobolis. 

Rosemary Chicken Pizza
Best with either Pillsbury or Publix dough -- would also be great with a good homemade dough...needs to be pretty thin crust.  After pre-baking dough as directed, spread thin layer of fig preserves.  Top with diced, grilled chicken; crumbled bacon; fresh rosemary; and blue cheese.  Bake as crust directs and enjoy!

Club Sandwich Pizza
This is great on a Boboli, though I've also made on homemade dough.  In a mixing bowl, mix together a cup of diced turkey, a couple slices of bacon crumbled, two green onions diced, and just enough mayo to lightly coat the turkey mixture.  Spread the turkey mixture on pizza dough.  Top with one tomato diced and sprinkle on cheddar cheese to your liking.  Bake as crust directs and enjoy!

Pioneer Woman Meet Dr. Seuss.

I love the Pioneer Woman.  I don't have her cookbook, but love to search for recipes on her website.  I loved her book, and I enjoyed her television show (though it hasn't been on the past couple weeks...cancelled already?).  She made a quick, easy breakfast on her show that she called egg in a hole.  Basic concept: cut a hole out of a piece of bread.  Butter the bread.  Fry an egg in the hole. 

I've been trying to get Fawn to eat eggs since he was old enough.  With.  No.  Luck.  (I don't really care that he doesn't like them, they are just such a good, easy protein to have around that it would be helpful for the short-order cook to have another option.)

Fawn currently loves Green Eggs and Ham.  We have two versions -- the original and the lift-the-flap version.  Many a night he suggests that both be included in the nightly books.  Of course, I oblige. Buck on the other hand hides the Dr. Seuss books on the nights he is in charge of bedtime.

So, I attempted to feed Fawn a green egg in the hole.  I let him help with the food coloring (he picked neon green instead of kelly green, but you get the idea) and we scrambled the egg up before we poured it in the hole.  It wasn't a huge success, but a very good baby step.  And, he had a huge smile on his face.

Chicken Soft Tacos.

Buck loves soft tacos.  If your family does too, I've got the easiest recipe for you -- so easy it shouldn't even be called a recipe, but simply "instructions".  And, it cooks in my favorite kitchen invention, the crock pot.  But it's great because it's a pretty quick crock pot recipe.  I started these yesterday when Fawn woke up from his nap and turned the crock pot off about two hours later when we came inside from playing in the sandbox, riding four wheelers, and playing baseball in the yard.

You need:
chicken -- either boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders (I use chicken tenders because not only do they take less time, I think they are much easier to shred) (For those bargain shoppers out there, Piggly Wiggly puts their chicken tenders on sale for $1.99/pound every few weeks -- what a deal!)
can of Rotel
packet of taco seasoning

Turn your crock pot on low heat.  Put chicken in crock pot and spread out.  Pour can of Rotel (juice and all) onto chicken.  Sprinkle with taco seasoning.  Use a spoon to mix the taco seasoning with the Rotel as best you can (doesn't have to be perfect!).  Test the chicken every hour or so to see if it's done.  When cooked through, use two forks to shred and then stir back up with the seasoning.

Great in soft tacos or on nachos!  Enjoy!

Mommy Lunch.

No, I'm not talking about "ladies who lunch."  Though that is a nice fantasy about life as a (mostly) stay-at-home mom, I'm thinking that's not even a viable option until one has school-age kiddos.  I mean between the nap schedule and the difficulties horrors of taking a toddler out to eat, Fawn and I rarely make an appearance at lunch with friends.

So, we either eat at home or pack a picnic for the park, zoo, pool.  Let me tell you, I've had my share of sandwiches in the last two and a half years.  I've been trying to expand my lunch food the past couple months and wanted to share my ideas.  The criteria: 1. easy, 2. quick to prepare, 3. semi-healthy, 4. yummy.

Banana and PB Burrito
You need: a large tortilla, peanut butter, a banana, granola, vanilla yogurt, and honey.  Spread the tortilla with a thin layer of peanut butter.  In a bowl combine, sliced banana, granola, vanilla yogurt to coat banana and granola mixture, and a squirt of honey.  Place banana/granola mixture on peanut butter-topped tortilla, wrap up like a burrito and enjoy!  These stay together great for a picnic if you wrap tightly with aluminum foil.  I'm sure these would be great with some berries thrown in too!

Greek Yogurt Parfait
You need: plain Greek yogurt, granola, a lot of berries, and honey.  In a bowl layer equal parts yogurt and berries.  Top with granola and a squirt of honey.

Hummus Tostada
You need: a tortilla, hummus, salad greens, tomatoes, lemon juice, balsamic or other Italian vinaigrette, and taco sauce.  Make dressing by combining 1/4 cup of taco sauce with 2 T of vinaigrette and 1 t of lemon juice (this will make plenty for multiple meals).  Broil tortilla in oven until crisp on one side, flip and repeat.  Top tortilla with hummus.  On top of hummus make a big salad with the lettuce and tomato.  Drizzle on dressing.  If you want to make this "to go", skip the broiling step and wrap it all up like a veggie burrito.

Pepper Burrito
You need: a tortilla, hummus, and sliced green, yellow and red bell peppers.  Spread hummus on the tortilla and fill burrito with as many pepper slices as will fit.  Wrap up and enjoy!

Okay, I know there were a lot of ingredient repeats (I'm a creature of habit!) -- but this is what I've been enjoying on these hot summer days for lunches.

Crock Pot Chicken.

This is my at-home version of a rotisserie chicken.  While not quite as quick and easy, it's pretty darn close.  And, if I do say so myself, much tastier.

whole chicken
olive oil
salt and pepper OR seasoning of your choice (I use a salt and pepper blend that also has onion powder, garlic powder, and celery seed)

Rinse chicken, and pat dry with paper towels.  Place in crock pot.  Drizzle with olive oil and then salt and pepper or seasoning of your choice.  (I apply the seasoning with a heavy hand since I discard the skin after cooking.)  Cook for approximately 5 hours on low heat.  Enjoy!

The meat will literally fall off the bones, so this is perfect if you want to make chicken salad or need shredded chicken for a casserole.  It's also great plain or on buns for sandwiches.  Got to love the crock pot!

Homemade Popsicles.

Fawn loves popsicles -- one of our favorite ways to pass the time between Fawn's dinner time and Buck's arrival at home is to sit on the front porch and eat a popsicle (while counting cars, looking for birds and squirrels, and anticipating the arrival of Fawn's hero, of course).  And, Fawn loves to cook -- especially if it involves a loud appliance (my stand mixer, food processor, and blender are all sufficiently noisy to excite him).  Enter, the homemade popsicle.

1 cup yogurt (plain or vanilla -- if you use plain you will likely need to add some confectioner's/powdered sugar to the end product to sweeten)
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup frozen berries

Combine in blender and blend.  Makes 4 popsicles.  Super-easy, super-fun activity, and pretty healthy snack.  It was a huge hit in our house.

Messy face, happy boy.

Super Salad Dressing.

And this is how I got my two-year old to eat salad (seriously, I'm not making this up -- Fawn inhaled spring mix with a little of this on top):

In a jar with a lid, combine:

5 T olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 t Dijon mustard
1 t sugar
1 t soy sauce

I located this recipe in a family cookbook and it's now my go-to vinaigrette.  Enjoy!

Big Buck Pie.

It has been forever since I posted a recipe -- so here's a Buck and Belle original that all three of us enjoyed last week.  For me, it's wonderful to make a meal that makes everyone happy (and full) instead of running around the kitchen like a short-order cook.

We call it "Big Buck Pie" -- you can call it Venison Quiche.  Yes, you read that correctly.  If you know me, you might think I'm not the type to embrace wild game.  You're right (in fact, one of my dad's most favorite family stories is how he tricked me into eating a venison burger when I was a child -- still not funny, dad).  But, I'm really trying to experiment and be open-minded because it's so healthy and FREE!  In fact, Buck and I are the modern-day hunter/gatherer family.  He hunts (or fishes) for the meat and I gather the rest of the ingredients at our neighborhood Publix.

Of course, you could make this with ground beef or sausage (but if you've got ground venison in your deep freezer that's begging to be eaten give it a try).

1 pound ground venison
4 eggs
1 package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
8 oz mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 pie crust

Brown ground venison in Italian seasoning to taste (we love Mr. P's, but any will do).  Drain excess fat.  Beat eggs and combine all ingredients.  Pour mixture into pie crust (it will seem very full -- it's a hearty quiche, but won't overflow).  Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Great for a light dinner or brunch.  Enjoy!

Blueberry Pudding.

Yep, you read it correctly.  Blueberry pudding -- as in banana pudding with a twist.  I love banana pudding, but wanted to mix things up a bit.  A few years ago I started making this, and we love it.  Give it a try -- or experiment with your own winning combination.  The concept is this -- replace the fruit (banana) with another fruit, and the pudding flavor (vanilla) with a different flavor.  See what you come up with. 

The blueberries in the south are absolutely delicious for so many of the warm months, and they are one of my favorites.  What to pair with blueberries?  Lemon, of course.  I'm a sucker for all things citrus.  (Citrus and sour were the only ways I survived the horrendous morning all day sickness I had when pregnant with Fawn.)  Now go to town.  Choose your favorite banana pudding recipe (traditional Nilla Wafers and whipped cream -- or Chessman cookies with cream cheese a la Paula Dean) and substitute with your fruit and pudding flavors. 

A great spring and summer treat!

Black Bean and Corn Wraps.

Buck has this thing about food temperature with respect to outside temperature.  When it's cold outside, making a menu for the family is easy because anything is fair game.  When the weather turns warmer though, Buck prefers cold food over hot food.  It's an interesting theory, and while I could eat soup any day of the year, I attempt to include cold food as much as possible into our menu as the weather warms to please sweet Buck.  So, here's a super-easy cold meal that is actually very healthy.


Combine:

3 scallions, sliced
1/4 of a red pepper, chopped
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
cilantro (either 1/4 C fresh chopped or 1 T of the refrigerated cilantro paste)
2 T olive or canola oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1/2 t garlic salt
1/4 t ground black pepper

Serve in tortillas with sour cream and shredded cheese.  (You can also add some shredded chicken if you prefer some meat.)

Enjoy!

Belle's Shrimp and Grits

After mentioning shrimp and grits in yesterday's post, I thought I might as well share the recipe.  It's super quick and easy -- one that I can start after putting Fawn to sleep and still get on the table by eight.  I used to make shrimp and grits out of the Food For Thought cookbook (the Boursin Shrimp and Grits).  It's a great cookbook, and the Boursin Shrimp and Grits are fabulous.  But, over the years, I've made some tweaks to fit our tastes and everyday budget.

For Two.

Cook the grits first -- use your favorite kind (if I've got the time, I use slow cooking like McEwen & Sons but last night I just went with good ole' five-minute grits).  I always make enough grits for four servings -- this way I've got some leftover grits for breakfast or to add as a side another night for dinner.  In terms of the liquid you cook your grits in, they will be MUCH creamier if you add some milk, half and half, or cream.  I try to do 2/3 water to 1/3 dairy (last night I used half and half because I had some that's about to expire).  Beware: with the dairy the liquid becomes very foamy and likely to boil over creating a mess!  After grits have cooked, leave burner on low and add half of a carton of garlic herb or chive and onion cream cheese.  Stir to melt.  The cream cheese is a significantly cheaper alternative to Boursin cheese and the taste is very similar.

For the shrimp -- saute 3/4 pound peeled shrimp in 1 T of olive oil, 1 T of white wine, 1/2 t thyme, salt and pepper to taste.  Serve the grits topped with shrimp, then prepare sauce in pan you used to saute shrimp.  Add some white wine (maybe 1/2 C) and deglaze pan/let about half of wine evaporate.  Remove from heat and whisk in about 2 T butter until sauce is thick.  Then pour on shrimp and grits.  Hope you enjoy!

The New Artichoke Dip.

I love artichoke dip as much as the next gal -- I can basically eat my body weight in it.  But, I have to say I overdo it a little (like when you play a song so much you don't enjoy it anymore).  I scoured my cookbooks looking for a new favorite dip recipe.  This hot onion dip is from a family cookbook created by Buck's aunt and it doesn't disappoint.


6 to 8 ounces of frozen chopped onions (I use half a bag)

12 ounces of cream cheese, softened (that's 1 1/2 blocks)
1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Corn chips

Thaw the onions -- while the onions thaw let the cream cheese sit out to soften (the softer the easier!).

Then dump the onions out onto paper towels and roll them to squeeze out excess moisture.

Stir together onions, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and mayo (I highly recommend reusing the same bowl the onions just came out of -- efficiency people!).

 Put in a baking dish and bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

This is pre-baking...there's no post-baking photo (oops!) -- this dip is SO GOOD it was eaten before I got my camera out again.  Serve with corn chips!

For optimal deliciousness, you also need a really cute sous chef (aka Fawn).

Cheesy Sweet Potato Fries.

Fawn is a pretty good eater, but can be quite challenging.  Right now our enemy is veggies -- he will eat all the fruit you offer, but getting a veggie down him is difficult.  I love getting food ideas from my mommy friends -- they are always helpful and encourage me to try something new with the boys in my house.  So, I'm passing my ideas and small successes along as well. 

Fawn used to love sweet potatoes when they came out of my food processor in the pureed form.  After we transitioned to true solids, though, he hasn't been a huge fan.  The below recipe (which I derived from a recipe I found for sweet potato skins) was a success:

three small sweet potatoes cut into french fry shape
cooking spray
paprika
sea salt
grated Parmesan cheese (the stuff out of the can -- don't judge, kids LOVE)

Preheat oven to 425 or 450.  Lightly coat sweet potatoes with cooking spray so they don't stick to cookie sheet, sprinkly with sea salt,  and roast for 20 minutes or so -- until cooked through but not too brown.  Remove from oven, turn oven down to 400.  Flip/stir sweet potatoes and push as close together as possible on your cookie sheet (so there are as few gaps as possible).  Sprinkly lightly with paprika and Parmesan cheese and pop back into oven for 5 minutes -- until cheese is melted.  Enjoy!

John Deere Tractor Party.

A few weeks ago, I asked Fawn what kind of birthday party he wanted.  I think deep down I was expecting a blank stare or something along the lines of "a presents party Mommy."  But no.  Fawn's answer:  "John Deere Tractor birthday party Mommy."  I confirmed what I had heard (just in case my mind was playing tricks on me), but I heard Fawn correctly.  In his mind, he was having a John Deere Tractor birthday party.  While I have to admit that if I had my way we would have somewhat of a repeat of the first birthday (super-cutesy invitation, polka dots, fun balloons, pastels), I felt that I owed it to Fawn to embrace his vision for his second birthday.  (And, I really don't want to turn into one of those parents who asks their child their opinion and then totally disregards it -- if I'm dead set on a certain way I simply don't present my toddler with an option.)

Why John Deere Tractor you ask?  Well, there are lots of John Deere toys out now -- and we are the proud owners of a handful of tractor toys.  And, Fawn is obsessed with farms and farm equipment.  He's only made one trip to Buck's farm, but was in awe -- huge, saucer eyes, gaping mouth awe (especially at the tractors).

So, what's a mom to do when faced with the prospect of a slighty tacky, yet right on the money birthday party?  Head to Party City, of course.  And Buck and I lucked out -- all the John Deere items were on clearance (because, according to the store manager, "people around here want classy parties" -- thanks for that, really).  Needless to say, we walked out of Party City with invitations, thank you cards, party hats, plates, napkins, forks, and farm animal candles for the cake, for less money than we spent last year on invitations!


And, the cake -- of course, the cake.  Fawn was specific about the cake as well -- only chocolate chip for him (Fawn loves anything with chocolate chips -- cookies, muffins, waffles, pancakes, and now cake).  There's nothing I love more than a homemade birthday cake.  I know that store bought cake often tastes better (and most definitely looks better) than homemade.  But, to me, nothing says love and Happy Birthday like a homemade cake.  My mom always made me a homemade cake.  In fact, I cannot remember ever having a store bought cake.  And, I want to do that for Fawn.  I'll fill you in on a secret -- I'm not a baker.  I love to cook, not so much to bake.  So, when I say homemade I mean start from a box.  I spiced it up a bit -- added a box of instant vanilla pudding mix to the cake mix before adding the wet ingredients -- then added a cup of sour cream and chocolate chips at the end.  Still easy (no sifting!), but so tasty.  I made buttercream frosting -- yummy -- and decorated the top of the cake with farm animal candles and a toy John Deere Tractor I bought at Walmart.  It was a fantastic cake, if I do say so myself.  And, most importantly Fawn LOVED it!

I also scored some equally tacky John Deere material at the local fabric store -- along with a much more traditional coordinating green stripe.  I made Fawn a pair of pull-on pants from the striped material and used the John Deere fabric to make an applique for a t-shirt.  Total cost of birthday outfit -- about $10 (including t-shirt).  And, I'm sure Fawn will wear it again (I may even recycle the pants for a cute St. Patrick's Day outfit).

And then there were the decorations.  There were balloons (yellow and green of course), signs and pictures.

We invited Fawn's family (he's got four grandparents, six aunts and uncles, and two great grandparents who can get out and about all in his hometown -- lucky fellow) -- and served Fawn's guests parmesan onion dip with Fritos, Buck's famous turkey chili, and cheddar cheese biscuits.  It was an evening of fun and fellowship (and lots of presents of course).  I know Fawn will soon reach an age where he wants friends to join in his birthday celebrations, but for now it's just us -- our precious cocoon of a family.  A huge thank you to them (and to dear Buck who cleaned up the mess) for making the day so special for Fawn (and me too!).  It exceeded all expectations!