Pizza on the Grill!

Ahh spring is FINALLY here!! Along with the random bursts of amazingly nice weather we've had here in Baltimore recently, you know how I know when springtime has officially graced us with its presence? When asparagus starts popping up at the farmers' market (marking the start of the growing season, yesss!) and I have the sudden urge to be outside and grill everything. Both of these things hit me at once last weekend when I bought my first bunch of asparagus at the market and then had a spontaneous barbeque with my roommates on a gorgeous warm evening - amazing! I decided to try something that I had only ever seen Bobby Flay do on the Food Network and never tried myself, and that is: cook a pizza right on the grill! Who knew you could just oil up the dough, throw it right on the grill, cook for a few minutes on each side and then top with your favorite pizza toppings? So easy and brings pizza to a whole new level of deliciousness. I cheated a bit and used Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough and just kept my toppings simple and seasonal with mozzarella cheese and local mushrooms, scallions and asparagus. What could be better than sitting outside on a gorgeous spring night, grilling some food and sipping some cocktails with friends?

ASPARAGUS AND MUSHROOM PIZZA ON THE GRILL

Ingredients
Whole wheat pizza dough (store bought or make your own!)
Olive oil and a bit of flour for rolling out the dough
1 can of crushed organic tomatoes (or pizza sauce)
Shredded organic mozzarella cheese
Mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced thinly
Asparagus, washed and chopped
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
Salt/pepper and other herbs (basil, oregano)

Directions
1. Turn the grill on to medium-high.
2. Gather the sauce and cheese, and prepare your toppings so they are ready to go.
3. Roll out the dough using some flour until it's pretty thin; brush top side with some olive oil.
4. Throw it right on the grill with the oiled side down. Brush the top side with oil.
5. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the bottom has some nice golden brown grill marks, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
6. It's easiest to take the dough off the grill really quickly at this point to throw on your sauce, cheese and toppings. Once everything is on, put the pizza back on the grill and cook until the cheese is nice and brown and bubbly.
7. Carefully slide it off the grill, slice it up, serve it up, grab yourself a beer or cocktail and enjoy!

 

Herb Crusted Salmon, Sauteed Mushrooms, and Roasted Broccoli

After my nice, relaxing (and too short) month-long winter break, I am now slowly and reluctantly getting back into the hectic routine of being a full-time student with a packed schedule of classes, work and homework. It's pretty crazy, but I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't love it!  And the funny thing about adding blogging into the mix, which I've learned after a few months now, is that I keep up with my blog posts more while in school when I have a hundred other things going on than while on breaks when I have nothing better to do. Funny how that works out. So anyway, these are a string of three recipes that I have saved up from a few weeks ago that make up a fantastic meal, or also taste great on their own.

HERB CRUSTED SALMON

I am a huge salmon fan and there are countless ways to prepare and enjoy this meaty fish.  Salmon is so versatile and tasty, not to mention full of omega-3 fatty acids, the really important, heart-healthy "good" fats. When buying salmon, it is best to look for wild-caught Alaskan Salmon (pretty much any type) or U.S. farmed Coho or Silver Salmon, which are the most sustainably caught options, according to Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sustainable Seafood Guide (click here to read more; they also have an iPhone app!). I bought a medium-sized frozen filet, thawed it out, brushed on some dijion mustard, and coated with a simple herb and panko bread crumb topping, then broiled it for about 15min or so. Delicious!

Ingredients: 

1 medium salmon filet, or 2 smaller filets, thawed

Dijon mustard

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (regular bread crumbs work too)

2 tsp. olive oil

fresh or dried herbs (basil, thyme, parsley)

salt/pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to broil.

2. Coat the salmon with a thin layer of dijon mustard. 

3. Combine the bread crumbs, olive oil, herbs and salt/pepper in a small bowl and then it spread over the salmon filet and press down lightly. 

4. Broil the salmon for about 15min or so, checking frequently until almost cooked through and browned on top.  Serve and peel back the bottom layer of skin before eating. Enjoy!

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS AND ONIONS

Next up- a really simple and classic side dish that I love making during these cold winter days.  I know some people are picky about mushrooms, but not me - I enjoy any kind of mushroom prepared any way. Mushrooms are so earthy and hearty (a great meat substitute!), and they are extremely low in calories, high in fiber, and packed full of all sorts of beneficial minerals.  Sauteeing mushrooms with some garlic, onions and herbs is one the quickest, easiest, and most delicious way to enjoy these magnificent fungi! 

Ingredients

1 tblsp olive oil

1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic, minced

1 large onion, thinly sliced

~2 cups organic crimini mushrooms, sliced (or any kind of mushroom)

salt/pepper

herbs: thyme, rosemary and sage are my favorite with mushrooms!

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet, add garlic and onions over medium heat.

2. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring frequently.

2. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper and herbs and continuing cooking until the mushrooms are soft and dark brown, another 5 minutes or so. Enjoy!

ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH GOAT CHEESE

Roasting is one of my favorite cooking methods when its cold outside because of its warming effect on the body and because of how fantastic it makes my house smell (unless I burn something, of course, which happens from time to time). Broccoli is usually a favorite vegetable among people (which is awesome since broccoli is a cruciferous, anti-oxidant-packed, cancer-fighting vegetable), but most people don't typically think of roasting it. Well, if you've never tried roasted broccoli before, then you are definitely missing out! Top with some goat or feta cheese and you've got a great little side dish to complete this colorful and nutrient-packed meal! 

Ingredients:

2 heads of broccoli (about 2 cups, chopped)

Olive oil

Salt/Pepper

Goat or feta cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Chop the broccoli into bite size pieces and spread onto a cookie sheet.

3. Lightly coat and mix with olive oil, salt and pepper. 

4. Roast for about 25-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is golden brown and slightly crispy.  ENJOY!

Slow Cooker Chicken Soup

Slow cookers are the best. There is nothing better than throwing a bunch of things into a pot in the morning and then coming home to a house that smells wonderful and dinner ready to go.  I had these two bone-in chicken pieces (a breast and a thigh) in the freezer from a local Maryland farm and some leftover mushrooms and broccoli, so I figured I would throw everything together to make a soup! It's that time of year again for soups and thank God because soups are just so good for the soul. This one is a full meal in and of itself with chicken, brown rice and vegetables.  The brown rice and vegetables add plenty of nutrients and fiber, and the chicken gives it that extra boost of protein to complete the meal. It's hearty, but not heavy and it will make you feel all warm and cozy inside. Add a glass of white wine, kick your feet up and call it a night! Feel free to get creative and use whatever you have on hand- the possibilities are endless! Here's what I did:

White Wine, Garlic and Herbed Chicken and Brown Rice Slow Cooker Soup with Mushrooms and Broccoli

Marinade:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

About 1/2 bottle white wine (and save the other half to drink with dinner!) 

Rosemary and thyme (I used fresh, but dried works too)

Salt/pepper

Soup:

2 mixed pieces of bone-in, skin-on chicken (preferably local/organic)

Water (Or Chicken/Vegetable stock for more flavor)

2 cups chopped broccoli

1-2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used crimini)

1 medium onion

1-1.5 cups brown rice

More rosemary and thyme

Salt/Pepper to taste

1. Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade, pour over the chicken in a container or plastic bag and refrigerate over night (or at least 4-6 hours)

2. Place the chicken and leftover marinade in the slow cooker, fill the pot about 3/4 full with water (or stock)

3. Set on high for about 3-4 hours, until chicken falls off the bone. 

4. Take the chicken out, and set aside until cool enough to pull the meat off the bones. Put the shredded meat back in the pot once you can get it off the bones. 

5. Meanwhile, put all the vegetables and brown rice in the pot and cook on high for another hour or two until vegetables are soft and the rice is cooked. 

6. Add any additional salt/pepper to taste and top with some more herbs or parmesan cheese, if you'd like. ENJOY!