Foodie Friday: Spinach Pesto

A couple weeks ago I made my very 1st spinach pesto...and I fell in love. Like, how on Earth did I go without such a delectable thing. Seriously, the stuff is devine. Actually, it's better than devine. It may be close to Heaven on Earth!! My next 34 years will absolutely positively include this yumalish necessity...at least once a month!!

I made another batch tonight, took out a bottle of some Door County Wine, put on some soft music, lit Nana's candle and enjoyed the pink roses I picked up today and put in the vase we filled with pink roses last year for Mother's Day. It makes me smile thinking of her and how much she loved pink roses.

Here's the recipe I used as a guideline for this yummo necessity. I say guideline because I never follow a recipe to a T... cuz I'm a rebel like that.

Spinach Pesto
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed well (I used fresh spinach)
1 cup fresh parsley
2/3 cup freshly grated parmesean cheese
1/2 cup walnut pieces, broken (I omitted this)
4 flat anchovy fillets (again, I omitted this yuckoid ingredient)
2 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste ( I used 4...we like garlic and we are frim believers in garlic)
2 TBSP basil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground fennel seed ( I omitted this because we didn't have any on hand)
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup olive oil (the first time I made this I used the one cup and it seemed to be a bit much. In tonight's batch I cut it down to 3/4 cup and it was superbaliffic!!!

In a food processor, using steel blade, blend spinach, parsley, cheese, nuts, anchovies, garlic, basil, salt, pepper and fennel seed until smooth. With motor running add olive oil in a steady stream. Makes about 2 cups. Keeps for a week or so in the refrigerator and may be frozen.

Make this!! It's phenomenal on top of chicken. That's what we did the first time. This time I just made up some angel hair pasta and served it on that. This stuff is totally awesome on crackers too.

Foodie Friday: Pizza Crust

It seems we never get a picture of what we make anymore. The fact that it doesn't stay on our plate that long is a good thing. The recipe I'm going to share is for pizza crust. We like homemade pizza with a thin, crispy crust. Ken gets the credit for this recipe. He found it online and then made his own adjustments and additions which gave us the best crust. Ever. This is a no rise crust and if rolled thin enough, you will have two crusts. One for now, one to freeze for a later date...unless you're really hungry or have a big family.

.25oz packet active dry yeast
1/4tsp sugar
3/4 cup 110 degree water
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2tsp salt
Garlic powder
cornmeal

Dissolve yeast and sugar in water, allow to rest for 8 minutes

In a separate bowl : combine flour and salt

Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture and mix with a heavy spoon.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 2 minutes

If you want a very thin crust split the dough in two. If you prefer a more hand tossed crust use the whole thing. We like a thin crispy crust so we split the dough & freeze the other half for a later time.

working from the edges to the center, press dough into a 12 inch circle. We even use a floured rolling pin to get it thin and even

lightly grease the pizza pan, sprinkle lightly with cornmeal and place dough on top. Sprinkle lightly with garlic powder. (we believe everything tastes better with garlic)

Spread sauce over crust (we use our homemade, home canned stuff) and top with toppings

Bake at 500 degrees for 8-12 minutes, or until edges are golden.

ENJOY =)

Foodie Friday: Cranberry, walnut, poppyseed salad

Are you tired of the same old tossed salads with non nutrient rich iceberg lettuce? If so, you've gotta try this!! As most of my friends know, Ken & I frequent our local deli. I usually get the chicken, cranberry, walnut poppyseed wrap. Oh, folks, I'm telling you...it's delish. Ken dared me to change it up one day so I had the sandwich in salad form at the deli. Holy taste bud bliss!! I'm sorry Ranch Dressing, but you have been replaced!!

I'm not going to run to the deli each time I want a salad. I eat at least 1 salad per day and it's so doable to make it at home. In fact, you're kinda nuts to go out an purchase salads when they can be made inexpensively right at home. We don't purchase the bagged crud either...unless it's on a really good sale. Instead, we purchase a nice head of romaine, some spinach (which when out of season comes in a bag) a head of iceberg (yeah the nutrient-less stuff), carrots, you name it. It all gets tossed in a big honkan bowl & put in the fridge.

So, back to this particular salad...you can cut everything up and put it in a bowl or cut as you need. I like having the leafy greens cut up and in a bowl readily accessible.

You'll need:

Spinach
romaine
iceberg lettuce, or green leaf lettuce is fab too
dried cranberries (referred to as Craisens. They can be found in the same aisle as chocolate chips...by the nuts)
halved or chopped walnuts
Cucumbers
Poppyseed dressing (I use Kraft)
Cesar croutons

It's pretty self explanatory how to make a salad. Cut up the greens, cukes, sprinkle with a handful of dried cranberries, walnuts, and croutons. Add a bit of poppyseed dressing....then escape to taste bud bliss. The deli puts tomatoes and chicken salad on theirs. I despise raw tomatoes with a passion and just haven't made chicken salad to add to mine. Remember, I'm on a quest to lose 50lbs.

This salad is especially tasty while sitting on the patio outside in the sunshine, as your clothes dry on the line. It is also delish while sitting in your jammies, curled up on the recliner. =)

Foodie Friday: Pear Smoothie

This was just so darn good that I didn't even get a picture, but I had to share. After an awesome 8 mile bikeride I made myself what I believe to be the closest thing to Heaven on Earth.

1 pear cubed
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
honey (to taste)
splenda (to taste)

Blend it all in the blender for a couple minutes. You may want to add a little skim milk to thin the mixture if you plan on drinking it with a straw. Freezing this mixture is also pretty super fab. Last week I blended peaches, pears and bananas in yogurt & put it in the freezer.

Foodie Friday: Soft Pretzels

Recently my new blog friend Melanie posted this recipe over on her blog. I whipped up a batch last week & let me tell you!! We will never, I mean NEVER go back to purchasing frozen soft pretzels...ever. Get my point? If I were you, I'd be bop myself over to her post at http://thedyingartofkeepinghouse.blogspot.com/2010/02/frugal-friday-make-your-own-pretzels.html for the recipe. Make yourself a batch of these for the weekend. Heck, who says they have to be for the weekend. If you are like Ken & myself they will not even last through the weekend!!

I dunked mine in cheese, had them warm with butter, plain, salted and I bet they'd kick all sorts of butt with cream cheese. The possibilities are endless folks!! Enjoy your weekend & do something fun with your loved ones.

Foodie Friday: Rhubarb Dream Bars

We like to try new recipes & often times I share them. I got word from several people on my facebook and other friends that I should start some sort of recipe sharing group. I gave it some thought & really don't know how it would work as far as allowing others to post their recipes in a fashion that all the members would be able to see them. So, for now I'm gonna do what I'll call "Foody Friday" each Friday on this here blog & see how it goes. Who knows, maybe it'll lead to Sunday's Supper, Meatless Mondays, Tasty Tuesday, What we're making Wednesday, and of course Thirsty Thursday. Without further adieu I give you my very 1st Foody Friday recipe:

Rhubarb Dream Bars

1 cup flour

5Tbsp powdered sugar

1/2 cup oleo

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp salt

2 cups rhubarb, cut small

Blend flour, powdered sugar, and oleo. Press into ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Don't let cool.

Beat eggs, sugar and flour and salt. Stir in rhubarb. Spoon over crust. Bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

This recipe is taken from the "Favorite Recipes of Immanuel Luthern Church, 1988" book. The recipe was submitted by Marlene Ehle. I have no clue who she is or was but thank her from the bottom of my heart/belly.

We had ours while it was still hot over Homemade Vanilla Custard that my dear hubby made. Hence it's messiness & lack of looking anything like a bar. This was delicious!! Thank goodness I had enough smarts to harvest our rhubarb and put some in the freezer. I'm interested as to what you've all got cooking in your homes. Whether it be snacks, breakfast, lunch or dinner. We all need to eat so we might as well share some recipes & make some foody friends along the way.