Napa Farmhouse 1885™

I "retired" from the corporate world a couple of years ago because I wanted to experience a real life after years of 80 hour work weeks and constant travel. A year later I realized that I was having a really good time, was always busy (how did i ever fit in a job??) and needed a creative outlet to share my experiences. Now I split my time between California and New Mexico but, wherever I am, I write about delicious, fresh, local, organic/sustainably grown food.

Showing posts with label brussels sprouts. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Six Pizza Recipes For Your Academy Awards Party

Pizza is one of my favorite foods. I love classic and unusual toppings and love to serve an array of different combinations at parties. A buffet filled with a large salad, 4-5 different pizzas, plenty of red wine and dinner is served. Today I decided to share some of my favorite pizza recipes. Which ones will you try?

Tostada Pizza

(makes one 14 oz pizza)

I love pizza. I love Mexican food. Why not combine the two? I am one of those people who loves cold crisp salads piled on hot foods. Like salad on top of my pizza. I often order tostadas in Mexican restaurants. So...viola... Tostada Pizza. Thin crispy crust, fried beans, melted cheese, romaine lettuce tossed with ranch dressing, and traditional taco toppings such as chopped onions, shredded cheese, salsa, and olives. The final touch is crushed corn tortilla chips. So very good! I think this is going on my Academy Awards party menu this Sunday.

I/2 pizza dough recipe (homemade or store bought)

1/2 cup refried beans

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup torn romaine lettuce

1-2 tablespoons ranch dressing

2 tablespoons kalamata olives, chopped

1/4 cup crushed corn tortilla chips

chopped red onion

salsa

sour cream (if desired)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add dough ball to lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll into a 14-inch circle. (It does not have to be perfect. A rustic look is more authentic.) Roll the dough up around the rolling pin to make it easier to move. Unroll the dough onto a pizza stone or baking sheet which has been lightly oiled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with coarse cornmeal. (the cornmeal adds a delicious flavor and helps ensure the pizza dough will not stick to the pan.) Spread beans over pizza dough. Sprinkle 1/2 of cheese over beans. Bake in preheated oven 15-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from oven.

Toss lettuce with ranch dressing. Top with remaining cheese, olives, and tortilla chips. Add onion, salsa and sour cream as desired. Cut into wedges and serve.

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Spicy Pizza with Garlic Confit & Pesto

I discovered this pizza at an Italian restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico a few years ago and decided I needed to recreate it for myself. Very thin crust spread with a smidge of very flavorful tomato sauce and fresh buffalo cheese, topped with garlic confit, roasted jalapeno peppers and then drizzled with olive oil and basil pesto. So delicious. This one is a keeper!

1 head garlic
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 small jalapeno pepper, diced
1/2 white onion, diced
1 750 g (26.46 oz) box Italian chopped tomatoes (I like the Pomi brand)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 14 inch pizza crust (dough recipe here) or high-quality store-bought
8 oz buffalo mozzarella, sliced
basil pesto (recipe follows)
sea salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Peel garlic from head and place in a medium saucepan. Cover with 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, a pinch each salt and pepper and the red pepper flakes. Heat over medium-low heat for 45 minutes or until the garlic is very soft and spreadable. Let cool in the oil. Set aside.

Add jalapeno to pie plate and roast in oven 5 minutes or until soft. Do not let brown. Remove from oven and set aside. Do not turn off oven.

Saute onion in 1 tbsp olive oil in medium saucepan until translucent. Add tomatoes, oregano and a small pinch each salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes or until slightly thickened. Set aside.

Assembly:
Add dough ball to lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll into a 14-inch circle. (It does not have to be perfect. A rustic look is more authentic.) Roll the dough up around the rolling pin to make it easier to move. Unroll the dough onto a pizza stone or baking sheet which has been lightly oiled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with coarse cornmeal. (the cornmeal adds a delicious flavor and helps ensure the pizza dough will not stick to the pan.) Prick dough with a fork all over and bake 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread 1 1/2 cups prepared tomato sauce over dough. Cover with mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with the jalapeno and drizzle pesto over pizza. Top with the garlic confit and place pizza in preheated oven. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from oven and drizzle a little of the oil from the confit over the pizza. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Pesto
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cut into 2 pieces
2 garlic cloves
1 fresh red cayenne pepper (or other fresh hot red pepper), seeded
5 cups basil leaves (packed)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Toast pine nuts in a skillet until just beginning to brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Add cheese to a food processor fitted with the chopping/mixing blade. Process until cheese is grated. Add cooled pine nuts, garlic and red pepper and process until all ingredients are finely grated. Add half of basil leaves, and 1/4 cup olive oil and process until smooth but with a bit of texture. Add remaining basil, remaining olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Process until well mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

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roasted brussels sprouts & peppers pizza

Here are four more pizza recipes that have been crowd pleasers for years at my house:

It is Pizza week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast roundup. Do you have a favorite pizza recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

Feed Me Phoebe: Easy Mexican Breakfast Pizzas with Avocado
Creative Culinary: Pear, Gorgonzola and Hazelnut Pizza with Mixed Green
The Lemon Bowl: 5-Ingredient Chicken Pesto Pizza with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Homemade Delish: Superb Pizza
Daisy at Home: Pizza Panini
Healthy Eats: 5 Smarter Ways to Eat Pizza at Home
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Six Pizza Recipes For Your Academy Awards Party
In Jennie's Kitchen: Best Pizza Recipes
Taste with the Eyes: Pretty Smoked Salmon Pizza with Chive Blossoms
FN Dish: 5 Ways to Eat Pizza for Breakfast

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove

napa farmhouse 1885

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I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos." Please visit and let me know what you think.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Pesto Pizza

Brussels Sprouts or Brussel Sprouts? Which is correct? Actually, Brussels is the answer. According to Grammarist:

Brussels sprouts—the variety of cabbage with a stout stem and a budlike head of tightly folded leaves—are named after the city of Brussels. The modern version of the plant was originally grown primarily in the area of Northern Europe now known as Belgium, of which Brussels is the capital. In the name of the cabbage, Brussels is usually capitalized like the name of the city, though some publications don’t capitalize it.

However you pronounce it, Brussels sprouts are delicious and one of my favorite vegetables. (I just learned that you are supposed to capitalize Brussels...who knew?) One of the best ways to prepare is roasting. It sweetens and caramelizes the sprouts. And adding pesto, sweet onion, and cheese? Heaven! This pizza recipe demonstrates the deliciousness of this fact. Enjoy.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Pesto Pizza

(makes one large pizza)

1/2 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half (quartered if very large)

extra virgin olive oil

1 cup basil pesto, purchased or try this recipe
3 oz mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1 sweet white onion, chopped

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, shredded and divided

1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

sea salt

black pepper

prepared pizza crust (recipe below) or best quality purchased dough

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread Brussels sprouts in the bottom of a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over sprouts and sprinkle with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast in preheated oven for approximately 25 minutes or until the sprouts are very tender and beginning to caramelize. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Set aside

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Using a pastry brush, cover the bottom of pizza crust with 2 tablespoons olive oil including the "naked" crust edges. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over oil. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until light golden brown.

Remove from oven and spread the pesto over the crust. Place the mozzarella over the pesto and scatter the Brussels sprouts including any oil from the pan, the onion, the remaining Parmigiano and the pepper flakes over top. Add back to the oven and bake an additional 7-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and crust is deep golden brown.

Remove from oven, cut into serving pieces and serve immediately.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Pizza Crust

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
pinch sea salt
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour

Add the water to the bowl of an upright mixer and sprinkle yeast over the top. Using the paddle attachment, mix until yeast has dissolved. Add salt, olive oil, and honey and mix to combine. Add the white flour and process just until incorporated. Add the whole wheat flour and process until incorporated. Process an additional minute until the dough has formed into a ball. Do not over mix. Remove the dough from bowl, form into a smooth ball and place in an oiled bowl. Turn the dough a few times to ensure it is totally covered in oil, cover the bowl with Saran wrap and place in a warm area. Allow to rise until doubled in size, 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove the dough from bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out dough in a free form circle. The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick. Place on pizza stone or baking sheet that has been lightly oiled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with coarse cornmeal. (the cornmeal adds a delicious flavor and helps ensure the pizza dough will not stick to the pan.)

Set aside until needed.

It is Brussels Sprouts week at Food Network's Fall Fest roundup. Do you have a favorite Brussels sprouts recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

Feed Me Phoebe: Quinoa Brussels Sprout Gratin with Smoked Cheddar
Homemade Delish: Brussels Sprout and Bacon Pizza
Creative Culinary: Fried Brussels Sprouts with a Sriracha and Honey Glaze
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Pesto Pizza
Red or Green: Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad With Avocado & Pomegranate Seeds
Taste with the Eyes: Brussels, Bacon, Balsamic
TasteBook: Lemony Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Healthy Eats: 6 Ways to Never Get Bored of Brussels Sprouts
The Mom 100: White Bean and Roasted Cauliflower Spread with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts
FN Dish: The Only 5 Brussels Sprouts Dishes You'll Need This Season

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove

napa farmhouse 1885

Promote Your Page Too

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos." Please visit and let me know what you think.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Empanadas with Mustard Sauce

My friends Lili and David had a housewarming party a few weeks ago. Lili was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and moved to the U.S. as a child. Her party menu reflected her roots and consisted of:

Classic Argentine Empanadas — beef with Chimichurri Sauce
Spinach Cheese Empandas - spinach and mozzarella,
Southwestern Empanadas - sweet potatoes and black beans
Kale, Carrot, and Avocado Salad
Alfajores - butter cookies with dulce de leche filling

How good does that sound? Everything was delicious. I complimented her on the empanadas and asked for her recipes. She kindly shared her favorite secret for easy empanadas...purchased dough! She told me that many people in Argentina now buy their dough instead of making from scratch because there are multiple, high-quality manufacturers producing delicious, light and flaky dough. She then gave me three packages of Goya brand Tapas para Empanadas (dough for turnover pastries), which she buys in bulk from a favorite store when she visits Texas, and invited me to develop recipes of my own. What a fun project!

Empanadas are like hand pies. Round discs of dough stuffed with savory or sweet fillings, folded in half, crimped to keep everything encased in the dough and then fried or baked. Frying is more traditional, but Lili recommends baking for taste, ease and health. It is also easier to make large quantities for parties if you are baking versus frying the empanadas. They are perfect for appetizers or first courses. Paired with a salad they make a satisfying lunch or light supper. Add a sweet filling and dessert is served. (I am going to experiment with a salted caramel apple version.)

I came up with many different options...anything that would be good in a sweet pie, of course, would be good and classic tamale, egg roll, dumpling, turnover, calzone and samosa recipes are a good start. (Isn't it interesting that just about every culture has a version of a filled fried dough recipe?). Today I imagined a filling of roasted Brussels sprouts with caramelized onions, garlic and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese paired with a mustard dipping sauce. We loved the result...this recipe is a keeper. I think Lili would be proud...

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Empanadas with Mustard-Cream Sauce
(makes 12)

1/2 lb Brussels sprouts

2 cloves peeled garlic

extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

grey salt

freshly cracked black pepper

excellent quality balsamic vinegar
2 shallots, peeled
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano, shredded
1 package (12 units) frozen empanada dough circles. (Lili suggests the Goya brand)
1 egg
mustard sauce, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash Brussels sprouts and remove the tough outer leaves. Remove stems and cut sprouts lengthwise into thin slices (about 1/4 inch thick). Slice garlic cloves lengthwise as thinly as you can. Spread Brussels sprouts and garlic in the bottom of foil parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over vegetables...enough so everything is well coated...and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast in preheated oven for approximately. 30 minutes or until the sprouts are very tender and well caramelized. Remove from oven and drizzle with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Set aside. Do not turn off oven.

While sprouts are roasting, add shallots and green onions to small skillet along with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Saute over medium-low heat for 7-10 minutes, or until caramelized. Pour shallot-onion mixture into Brussels sprouts pan and stir to combine.

Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Add the egg to a small bowl with 1 tablespoon water. Whisk to create an egg wash. Open package of empanada dough and remove one sheet. Add approximately 1 tablespoon Brussels sprouts mixture and 1 teaspoon Parmigiano cheese to the center of empanada dough. (Do not over-stuff or you will not get a clean seal.) Fold in half and brush top with egg wash. Pinch sides together and crimp closed by pushing down sides with tines of a fork. Ensure edges are sealed. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough equally dividing between the 2 baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes. Rotate baking sheets and bake an additional 8-10 minutes or until empanadas are dark golden brown. Serve immediately with mustard-cream sauce.

Mustard Cream Sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
sea salt
pepper

In a small saucepan, saute shallot in olive oil over medium heat until soft and just beginning to caramelize. (about 3 minutes. Reduce to low and add vinegar, cream and mustard. Increase the heat to high and stir sauce until small bubbles form. Reduce the heat and simmer 7 minutes or until sauce is reduced in half. Stir in parsley, tarragon and a 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve in a small bowl alongside the empanadas.

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