Sausage & Pepper Stromboli

 

If you've never eaten a stromboli before think cinnamon rolls. It's a rectangular pizza minus the sauce, rolled up, baked, and then sliced into pinwheels. It's a cross between a pizza and a calzone; the best of both worlds. You can use pizza toppings or be more creative; clean out your fridge of leftovers and veggies in need of using up. The possibilities are endless. Layers of salami, prosciutto, and provolone with sauteed green peppers. Chicken, spinach, sauteed mushrooms, and Gouda. Roasted vegetables and cheese. Meatballs and mozzarella. Cheesesteak(!). This one happens to have Italian sausage, peppers, onions, garlic, and lots of mozzarella encased in a crispy crust with a tender inside. A classic and absolutely delicious combo.

Sausage & Pepper Stromboli

(by Reeni)

1 pound Italian sausage, ground or links

1 bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, whole, peeled

Olive oil

1 pound pizza dough

16 ounces Mozzarella, shredded

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon water

Tomato sauce, for serving

Parmesan, fresh grated, for serving

1. In a large skillet over medium heat cook the sausage. If using links slice them lengthwise and peel off the casing. Break apart the sausage as it's cooking. Once the sausage is cooked through remove to a bowl and set aside. Leave a tablespoon or two of grease in the skillet and add the peppers, onions, and garlic, cook over medium-low heat until tender. Once the vegetables are tender remove the garlic cloves to a cutting board. Sprinkle with salt and using the flat side of a knife smash it into a paste. Add it back to the veggies, allow it time to reheat and mix it evenly throughout. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Roll out the pizza dough on a rectangle of parchment. Sprinkle with flour. Roll out to a 12x14 rectangle. Lay the pepper mixture evenly across the dough leaving a 1-2-inch border all the way around. Follow with the sausage, then the mozzarella.

4. Make an egg wash by beating an egg yolk with a tablespoon of water. Brush over the 1-inch border. Start at one end of the rectangle and roll the dough length wise. Press the ends together and tuck under. Move carefully to baking sheet, seam side down, trim off some of the parchment if needed. Brush the top with egg wash.

5. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top. Serve with tomato sauce.

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I  have a guest post on Megan's Munchies!


Sausage & Pepper Stromboli

Paw It Forward

Moon the Kitchen Cat received a generous box of goodies in a Paw It Forward Giveaway. Angel, Isabella, and Sadie along with their Mom, Sharla of Beaded Tail sent him a box chock full of toys and treats. Moon has been having so much fun playing with his catnip toys and eating his treats. They are all his favorite kinds! 








Now it's Moon's turn to Paw It Forward. If you have a cat(s) and you want to play along just leave me a comment telling me their name(s) and their favorite treats. You must also be willing to keep Paw It Forward going by having a giveaway yourself. I'll pick a winner by random generator this weekend.


 

Moon sends a tremendous thank-you and big hugs to Angel, Isabella, Sadie and Sharla!

How to Make the Best Barbecue Meatloaf

This is a sinfully delicious meatloaf recipe. That's not a word you expect to see before the word meatloaf but just describes it perfectly. It's been kind of a secret I've never shared with anyone before. I decided it's too good not to share. It's just meatloaf. Unbelievably good meatloaf. The best meatloaf. Ever.

Spaghetti Squash w/ Lemon Garlic Sauce & Ricotta

Last winter was the first time I can remember ever eating Spaghetti squash. Mom and Dad both said they didn't like it which is probably why I don't have any memories of eating it. I've heard a lot of people claim that it tastes just like the real thing. But I disagree. It's a healthy and delicious alternative and it mimics spaghetti strands. But that's as far as the similarities go. What it lacks is taste. What it has is texture. When cooked to 'al dente' it is firmer than spaghetti and kind of 'pops' between your teeth. What this also means is if you want your family to eat it you have to really jazz it up with flavors they like in order for it to have appeal.


This is a really simple and quick sauce bursting with the flavors of sunshine. Sauteed garlic and lemon peel are combined with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, a bit of butter, and fresh, peppery basil to make a bright and zesty sauce. A generous amount of Ricotta is spooned over the top - the icing on the cake and the key to really putting this over the top. I promise your family will eat their veggies and love them! Now that I've discovered spaghetti squash I can't imagine not eating it on a steady basis during the cooler months. It makes the perfect side dish for just about any kind of meat, although I could eat it all on its own and be satisfied. As for Mom and Dad? They like it now!





This is truly one of nature's wonders. A squash that starts it's life looking like any other squash on the block, but with a secret. I wonder which came first? Spaghetti squash, the vegetable, or spaghetti noodles, the grain?






Spaghetti Squash w/ Lemon Garlic Sauce & Ricotta
(by Reeni)

1 Spaghetti Squash, about 4 pounds
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Lemon Peel
1/3 cup Lemon Juice
Sea Salt and Fresh Pepper
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Fresh Basil, chopped
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
Parmesan, fresh grated for serving

Preheat oven to 375.

Slice the squash in half lengthwise. Place cut side down in a baking dish. Fill with water about 1/2 way up the side of the squash. Roast for about 45 minutes to an hour or until squash is tender. Check by poking it with a fork. Set aside and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

While the squash is cooling make the sauce. Saute the garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil over low heat until tender and fragrant. Add the lemon peel and saute for a minute or two. Add olive oil, lemon juice and season generously with salt and pepper. Whisk and bring to a simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add butter and bring back up to a simmer. Remove from heat. Whisk in basil. Taste and re-season if needed.

Use a spoon to scrape the seeds from the squash. Pull a fork through the squash lengthwise to shred the squash into strands. Leave the strands right in the squash as a serving vessel or remove to a large serving bowl.

Pour the lemon sauce evenly over the squash. Dollop the top with Ricotta. Serve with fresh Parmesan.


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Chickpea and Spinach Patties with Hummus, Feta Cheese and Tomatoes

Crispy, spicy, deep-fried chickpeas are one of my favorite things to eat in the whole world: I heart Falafel. This Chickpea and Spinach recipe is inspired by them. These are pan-fried in a lightly greased pan and are healthier than traditional deep-fried falafel.

A Triple Delight: Cauliflower Romano & Garlic Soup

This intensely flavored soup gets it's richness from garlic paste and Pecorino Romano cheese. They melt right into the broth and fresh cauliflower is pureed to help thicken it. The end result is smooth, dense, and creamy like liquid velvet. My Mom asked is there pasta in there? And my Dad asked if there was meat in it. Neither was needed. We happily lapped it up for dinner and were justly rewarded by it's heavenly taste and satisfying warmth in our tummies.


What do you top a garlicky soup with? More garlic of course! Thick and crusty garlic bread was a tasty topper to soak up the indulgent broth.




Cauliflower Soup
(by Reeni)

1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup carrot, minced
2-3 tablespoons Olive oil
Sea salt and fresh pepper
6-7 large cloves garlic
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried
5 cups Cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk
1 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, shredded, plus extra for serving
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for serving
Garlic bread

Saute the onion and carrot in a large sauce pan or soup pot with the Olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Smash the garlic cloves using a large knife or a mallet on a cutting board. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt. Using the flat side of a large knife mash it repeatedly until it forms a paste.

When the onion and carrot are tender add the garlic paste. Saute for a minute or two. Add butter, melt, add thyme, parsley, and flour. Continue cooking for about two more minutes while stirring. Add cauliflower and broth. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Turn off and remove from heat. Let cool for ten to fifteen minutes.

Remove two cups of the soup and puree in a blender or with a hand blender. Add back to soup along with cream or milk. Bring back to a simmer. Add Romano and stir until melted. Turn off heat. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, Romano cheese, and garlic bread.

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I'm sending this off to Deb of Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper(Soup, Salad, & Sammie) Sunday round-up.

I want to thank Jen of My Kitchen Addiction for sending me these cute little pinch pots and this lime cutting board for my entry in BSI: Lime. As if that wasn't enough Jen also baked my entry - Lime Banana Coconut Cake and featured it along with a short Q&A. If you haven't visited her go over and say hi and check out her fresh and fabulous recipes. Thanks again Jen!

A Grocey Gift Card Giveaway!

MyBlogSpark and General Mills gifted me with two Stop & Shop Grocery cards, one for myself and one to giveaway to my lovely readers. It is to celebrate the back to school event taking place in Stop & Shop stores September 4th - 10th.

General Mills and Stop & Shop are teaming up to give families a great way to stock up and save, as they gear up for back to school. Here’s why shoppers should shop at Stop & Shop’s big Back to School Event.

1. Great sale pricing on the participating General Mills brands:
Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Reeses Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cookie Crisp Sprinkles, Cookie Crisp, Fruit Snacks, Old El Paso Dinner Kits, Pillsbury Strudel, Pillsbury Scrambles, Green Giant Boxed Vegetables, Yoplait Yo-Plus Multi-Pack, Fiber One Yogurt Multi-Pack, Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookies, Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, Pillsbury Sweet Rolls and Yoplait Delights


2. Additional savings for you or your school, depending on which Stop & Shop location you shop
If your Stop & Shop store sells gas

* Buy four (4) participating General Mills items and you’ll automatically earn 100 points on your Stop & Shop card

* For every 100 points earned, you'll save 10¢ per gallon of gas (Please note: Total discount cannot exceed price per gallon)

* Just swipe your Stop & Shop Card at the pump to redeem your Gas Rewards

If your Stop & Shop store doesn’t sell gas

* For those Stop & Shop locations without gas stations, don’t worry – you’re not left out of the savings – if you buy five (5) participating General Mills products, you will receive 20 Bonus Box Tops for your school


If you would like to be entered to win a $10 gift card leave a comment telling me your/or your kids favorite snack. For an extra entry twitter it and leave me a separate comment.

Ends Tuesday at Noon Eastern Time.

Baked Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

This is an unbelievably delicious recipe for baked enchiladas. I prefer enchiladas this way over the traditional stove-top style. Baking them like a casserole magically transforms them into an extra special dish to produce what I can only call serious comfort food. 

Tender chunks of chicken make up the base of this tasty filling along with a spicy green chile sauce, extra sharp cheddar, sour cream, and a generous amount of fresh cilantro(sub parsley if you don't like cilantro). The filling is rolled up in flour tortillas, drowned in green chile sauce, mountains of cheese and then baked off. The green chile sauce is super creamy made with equal parts chicken broth and sour cream, and for heat, my favorite - Chipotle peppers. My Chipotle peppers were huge, the biggest I've ever seen. I used two and it was plenty spicy. If your unsure of the heat start with one and taste the sauce, you can always add another in. If it's too spicy mix extra sour cream into the sauce to cut the heat a bit. This is perfectly fine made with just the timid flavor of green chiles all on their own if you prefer. But I say bring on the heat!

Baked Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

(by Reeni)

4 cups Chicken, boneless, skinless, cooked and cut into bite-size hunks

2 + 1/2 cups Extra Sharp Cheddar, shredded

1/4 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried

1/2 cup Sour Cream plus additional for serving

Salt and pepper

8-10 taco size flour Tortillas

Green Chile Sauce:

1/2 Yellow Onion, diced

1 tablespoon Canola oil

2 tablespoon Butter

2 tablespoon Flour

1 and 1/2 cups Chicken Broth

1 small can Green Chiles

1 - 2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo, seeds scraped out, minced*

1 + 1/2 cups Sour Cream

1. In a medium saucepan saute the Onion in the oil over medium-low heat until soft. Push the Onions to one side and add the Butter and Flour. Whisk together and cook for three minutes. Slowly whisk in Broth. Add Green Chiles and Chipotle (adjust the amount according to your heat preference). Bring to a slow simmer and continue to simmer about five minutes, whisking occasionally. Add the Sour Cream, whisk until melted and incorporated. Remove from heat.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with baking spray and put a thin layer of Enchilada sauce in the bottom.

4. To a large mixing bowl add the Chicken, 1 cup Cheese, Cilantro, ½ cup Sour Cream, 1 cup Green Chile Sauce, dash of salt and pepper, and mix well.

5. In a skillet heat the Tortillas one at a time over medium heat about 30 seconds on each side.

6. Put a 1/2 - 2/3 cup of the Chicken mixture into the middle of each Tortilla, one at a time. Roll and place in pan. Repeat until all the Chicken mixture is used up. Pour the rest of the Green Chile sauce over the top. Sprinkle the remaining Cheese evenly over top.

7. Bake 20-25 minutes until bubbly throughout. Let set for five minutes before serving. Serve with Sour Cream and Avocado.

*Chipotles are optional.

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This will be the best mess you ever ate!



Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas