Better than Papa John's Pizza

As you can see, I have been fully utilizing my bread machine lately. Better use it while I still can. My big Board exams are set  for June 21st and by the end of this week, I might have to take a full time  break from blogging. It will miss blogging a lot, especially since I just started having a good flow with it. Anyways, back to the spotlight of the night. I made my first homemade pizza!  

 The crust I had made ahead of time with the bread machine thru a recipe I found online. The crust turned out thick, chewy with a definite crispiness to it. If you like a slightly crispy crust, then this recipe is just for you! The assembly was the fun part. We put sausages, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms and basil over a homemade tomato sauce and generously sprinkled mozzarella cheese over it. 

It always taste better when it's homemade. I can't agree with it more! 

Homemade Pizza Sauce （updated
1 can of Herinz tomato sauce
2 tbsp of tomato paste 
1 fresh tomato, sliced
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp of dried basil
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt 
2 cloves of garlic, minced
sugar (adjust as needed)
water (adjust as needed)

1. Heat up your frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil/ canola oil.
2. gently fry the garlic until fragrant.
3. throw in your tomatoes, tomato sauce, paste, seasoning, basil.
4. Bring it to a boil.
5. Turn the heat down to a simmer and add salt and pepper.
6. When the sauce has thickened, taste and adjust with sugar
7. Use 1-2 tbsp on a 9 inch pizza. 
8. Freeze the rest for your next awesome pizza!
p.s. if you want more tomato flavors, feel free to add more tomato paste and adjust consistency with hot water. 




What are your favorite pizza toppings?

A Twist to the Marsala Chicken

Bored of using the same ol' recipe for Chicken Marsala? This smooth and creamy twist to a classic dish is enhanced by adding mascarpone cheese. Serve over Fettuccine and a sprinkle of parsley. Enjoy with a glass (or two) of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir :)

Recipe can be found  here on Food Network with Everyday Italian.

Italian Seafood Stew + Foodie Blogroll!

All chefs have a Muse. I might be an amateur cook but my inspiration comes from the one person who has  bestowed me with the love of cooking and the genes to do so.

My father, the hero.

Whenever I'm at a lost when dinner time rolls around, I think back to the many dishes my dad has improvised over the years. Tonight was no different. My father's latest rendition of an Italian Seafood Stew left many mouths-a-watering at the New Year Eve's potluck dinner. With a little extra help by Giadia from Food Network, I was able to create my own special version. I added Tilapia ( any white fish will do), fresh shrimps and some mussels from the frozen section (which was pretty good surprisingly). Complemented by seafood stock (available from any supermarket), fresh tomatoes, parsley, mushrooms and lots of dried herbs, Jerry and I sopped up the stew with toasted rustic bread from the bakery.

Thank you daddy dear :)

Everyday Italian with SweetP

I might not be the next Food Network chef but I sure know how to adapt a good recipe when I see one. I was lazing in front of channel 62 the other day while thinking of a healthy but yummy meal for dinner when Everyday Italian came on with Giada De Laurentiis in her usual cleavage baring top and glistening smile. She had just returned from a spa in AZ and introduced two healthy dishes with a touch of Italian: Pork chops stuffed with sundried tomatoes, spinach and goat cheese as well as an Italian traditional 'bread' salad called Panzanella with artichokes and fresh tomatoes. I hurried to the supermarket and bought all the ingredients home.

Dinner was as scumptious as I imagined it to be. The flavors were new and refreshing, with a hint of Greek with the added olives and basil to the salad. I substituted the goat cheese for a less offending feta cheese and the result of the pork chops were amazing. I just can't get over how good it tastes! Giada proves shes right once again!


Pork Chops w/ SunDried Tomatoes and Spinach Recipe (adapted from Food Network)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
• 1 (10-ounce) bag of frozen spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme ( I used Italian seasoning)
  
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) feta cheese
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat cream cheese
• 4 (4-ounce) center-cut pork chops/pork loin
  
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400F.

Warm the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until combined, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the feta cheese and the cream cheese. Stir to combine and set aside.

Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the thickest portion of the pork chop. Stuff each pocket with 1/4 of the spinach and sun-dried tomato mixture and close the pork around the stuffing. Season the outside of the pork with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard.

Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the pork. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to the oven (400F) and bake for 10 more min. Add the chicken broth mixture to the skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as the chicken broth simmers. Reduce the broth by half to make a light sauce, about 8 minutes. Spoon some sauce over the pork before serving.

Recipe for the Artichoke and Tomato Panzanella can be found here.

I leave you with a picture of Mr. Binky. He is a true glutton.