March, 2015 | The Artful Gourmet :: Food Stylist | Photographer | Blogger

March 28, 2015March 15, 2023

Seriously Delicious Taco Pizza

I’ve been on a spicy food kick lately. Maybe it’s the pseudo-Spring weather. Or maybe I’m just addicted. I decided to make a fun twist on pizza and make a seriously delicious Taco Pizza. Yes, TACOS. And PIZZA. All baked into a bubbling pile of goodness. This Taco Pizza is the easiest thing to make, and the best tasting thing on the planet. Like a fiesta in your mouth.

I had a bunch of Pillsbury Crescent Dough in the fridge, as well as a ton of fresh ingredients I wanted to use up. Yes, I could have made Nachos. Or Burritos. Or Enchiladas. Or even a Taco Salad. But why not make a Taco Pizza? It was Friday after all. And Fridays are made for FUN FOOD, arent’ they?

The crust is super buttery and flaky and a delicious canvas for this Taco Monster creation.

The pizza is topped with all the goodies you would make tacos with – salsa, ground beef, taco seasoning, black beans and onions,

with a layer of fresh veggies like black olives, tomatoes, jalapenos; and of course plenty of shredded cheddar cheese.

Just layer all the goods on the dough, pop it in a 375 degree oven and bake for about 13-16 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is melty-ooey-gooey.

Then, top it with some chopped cilantro, a few dabs of sour cream and some wavy corn chips for extra crunch.

Serious YUM. And perfect for a Friday afternoon. With a margarita or two, of course. 🙂

Seriously Delicious Taco Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 1-2 slices/squares

A seriously delicious Taco Pizza made with ground beef, tomatoes, jalapenos, olives, black beans and cheese, topped with sour cream, cilantro and crunchy corn chips baked on a crescent dough crust.

Ingredients

2 cans (8 ounce) Pillsbury crescent dough
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped (or 1 tablespoon minced dried onion)
1 package taco seasoning
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed
1 cup chunky salsa
10-12 cherry or plum tomatoes, halved
1 jalapeno, sliced
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup wavy corn chips, for garnish
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, for garnish
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Separate dough into 2 long rectangles and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press perforations to seal into one large rectangle of dough. Repeat for second pizza.
In a large skillet, saute ground beef, onions and black beans until cooked through and meat is no longer pink. Drain grease, and add taco seasoning and 1/4 cup of water, mix together well and keep warm, covered.
Prep the veggies and pizza topping ingredients.
Layer the dough with the salsa, 1/2 cup for each pizza.
Top dough with the taco beef and bean mixture, olives, tomatoes, jalapenos and shredded cheese on both sheets.
Bake for 13-16 minutes until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown.
Garnish pizzas with corn chips, sour cream and fresh cilantro.
Cut each pizza into 6 squares and serve hot.

Notes

You can also substitute shredded chicken, ground chicken or turkey or pulled pork for the ground beef. A regular pizza dough crust can also be used in place of the crescent dough.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2015/03/seriously-delicious-taco-pizza/

All recipes, photographs, copy and content on this post and website are copyrighted © 2010-2015 by Kristen Hess/The Artful Gourmet. Please do not use, share or distribute this content in any way without expressed permission from me first.

March 27, 2015May 10, 2015

Indian Burgers with Curry Cilantro Slaw & Peanut Satay Yogurt Sauce

I recently did a food styling project for Morningstar Farms to promote some of their new products to local food editors in NYC, and one of them I got to sample and loved was their Spicy Indian Veggie Burger. I’m not normally a fan of frozen food products and I’m definitely not a Vegan, but I was really impressed with the flavor and texture of these, and decided to make a delicious Curry Cilantro Slaw to go with it along with a Peanut Satay Yogurt Sauce for topping served with some Grilled Pita.

The Indian Veggie burgers have organic red lentils, chickpeas, carrots, potatoes, peas, bell peppers, coconut cream and curry seasonings in them, and are 100% vegan. They are super easy to cook too – I just cooked them for about 10 minutes in a sauté pan, but they could also be grilled or microwaved. The best part is they are only 130 calories and have lots of protein in them so they’re healthy and a great vegan/vegetarian option when you’re seeking lighter fare.

My Curry Cilantro Slaw is super delicious as a topping and side salad with grilled pita bread (or you could stuff it all into the pita, or Naan bread if you wish). The slaw has purple and white cabbage, carrots, celery, honey, olive oil, cilantro, golden balsamic vinegar, and some indian spices such as black sesame seed, cumin seed, curry powder, and indian red pepper to give it a little kick, then topped with toasted crushed peanuts for some extra crunch.

The best part? My Peanut Satay Yogurt Sauce – made with Greek yogurt, satay seasoning, and some peanut butter with a little dash of Indian red pepper. The creamy sauce goes perfect on the burgers and cools the heat and has a delicious peanut-y savory taste. You can find satay seasoning online at Penzey’s (the brand I use) or on Amazon – it has a gorgeous blend of spices such as salt, brown sugar, garlic, onion, coriander, shallots, ginger, turmeric, paprika, galangal, cayenne and lemongrass..so good! And of course you could substitute any nut butter you wish for the sauce – cashew, sunflower, or almond butter would be great too.

And of course if you are feeling adventurous and have the time to make your own Indian burgers from scratch, I found a great recipe from Whole Foods which would be great with the Curry Slaw and Satay Yogurt Sauce as well. You could also serve this with some curry chicken, spiced beef or lamb burgers, or even spicy grilled fish and it would be equally delicious!

Also, just a heads up – this recipe feeds a crowd (about 6-8 people). If you’re only serving a few, just cut the recipe in half (or quarter it if you’re dining solo!) Enjoy.

Indian Burgers with Curry Cilantro Slaw & Peanut Satay Yogurt Sauce

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 6-8

Serving Size: 1-2 burgers with 1 piece of pita, 1/2 cup of slaw,

Spicy Indian veggie burgers, served with a Curry Cilantro Slaw and Peanut Satay Yogurt sauce served on grilled pita bread.

Ingredients

Curry Cilantro Slaw:
2 tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar
Juice from 1/2 fresh lime (about 2 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon Indian black sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon indian red pepper
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
8 cups shredded coleslaw (cabbage and carrots)
1 cup diced celery
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted and crushed
Peanut Satay Yogurt Sauce:
1-17.6 ounce container Greek yogurt
4-5 tablespoons Peanut Butter (or Almond, Cashew or Sunflower butter)
2 tablespoons Satay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Indian red pepper
Spicy Indian Burgers:
8 frozen Spicy Indian Burgers (2 packages) (Morningstar farms)
8 slices pita bread or naan bread

Instructions

Curry Cilantro Slaw:
In a large bowl, mix together the vinegar, lime juice, honey, olive oil and seasonings.
Add coleslaw mix, celery and cilantro and mix together well.
Heat a small saute pan over medium heat and toast the peanuts until lightly browned.
Remove from heat and let cool, crush into small pieces and add to the coleslaw, reserving a small amount for topping the burgers.
Cover and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to let flavors meld.
Peanut Satay Yogurt Sauce:
Place all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir together.
Cover and set aside in the refrigerator while preparing Indian burgers and grilled pita.
Spicy Indian Burgers:
Heat a large saute pan over medium heat.
Spray cooking oil on each side of the burgers and cook for about 10 minutes, turning half way through until golden brown.
Cook burgers in batches and set aside.
Spray a little more oil on the pita or naan bread and cook until lightly browned, for about 2-3 minutes, turning to cook both sides.
Serve the burgers hot with grilled pita bread topped with Peanut Satay sauce, and Curry Cilantro slaw on top or on the side as a salad (or stuff it all inside the pita or naan bread).
Serves 6-8.

Notes

- You can also substitute any nut butter (cashew, almond, sunflower seed) for the Satay Yogurt sauce. - The slaw and yogurt sauce would also be equally delicious on grilled spicy chicken, beef or lamb burgers or spicy grilled fish. - If you're serving only 2-4 people, cut the recipe in half.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2015/03/indian-burgers-with-curry-cilantro-slaw-peanut-satay-yogurt-sauce/

Note: I was not compensated for this post, I simply loved this product and thought it was worth a shout out! All opinions are my own.

March 24, 2015November 21, 2016

Tavern on Jane unveils a new menu and revamped space in the West Village NYC

Tavern on Jane is a quaint restaurant and bar in the West Village on the corner of Eighth Ave and Jane Street, a fun, cozy space I visit often, and a gathering place where everybody does know your name. I recently did a photo shoot for the owner Michael Stewart of their new revamped space and some of their hot food items on their newly redesigned menu.

They have always had amazing food, but I have to say their new lineup is super tasty and you have to see the new burgers they have on the menu now!

They also have some fantastic new dishes like the Beer Battered Fish and Chips; Short Rib and Butternut Squash Risotto; Steamed Mussels; Beet, Arugula and Citrus Salad and so much more. Delicious, high-end comfort food and the portions are unreal.

They also have a new Executive Chef, Josh LaBadie, who has brought a variety of new flavors and inspiration to the restaurant from his seasoned experience at top NYC restaurants including Terroir, Central Park Boathouse, and Capitale Grille.

Check out the photos I shot of their newly redesigned space and delicious new items on the menu below. And definitely stop in for a burger and a beer, or for a nice intimate dinner with friends in their back room, fireplace and all. You’ll surely be welcomed by Mr. Stewart and his friendly staff, and most likely will be back for more. Again and again.

Bacon Cheeseburger

Turkey Burger

Creekstone Burger

Charleston Burger

Burgers

Tavern on Jane Bar

Tavern on Jane Bar

Tavern on Jane Dining Room

Tavern on Jane Back Dining Room

Beet Arugula Orange Salad

Fish and Chips

Steamed Mussels

Homemade Pappardelle

Pork Chop

Short Rib Risotto

Brownie Sundae

Tavern on Jane

31 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10014

212.675.2526

www.tavernonjane.com

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March 24, 2015March 24, 2015

Cooking with Color 4 Kids TV Show wins ‘B Healthy’ B FREE Award

It gives me great pleasure to tell you that my Cooking with Color 4 Kids cooking TV show was selected as an honoree for this year’s BRIC B Free Awards, and was a finalist of three for the award. We didn’t win the overall category but we DID win “Outstanding Program Feature/Segment” for the “B Healthy” category which was quite the honor!

BRIC’s second annual B Free Awards took place Saturday, March 21, 2015 at BRIC Arts | Media House to celebrate the diversity and excellence in Brooklyn Free Speech television programming. David Hillman, my Producer and Co-Creator and I had a great time at the awards show and met other honorees and award winners on the red carpet at the after party. Congratulations to all and a big thanks to BRIC, our production crew and everyone that has helped make our TV show a reality and success. #DREAMBIG 🙂

WATCH THE SPRING 2015 EPISODE BELOW!

SPRING 2015 EPISODE

For my new Spring 2015 episode, I came up with some great recipes that celebrate the vibrant light and bright colors of Spring: greens and yellow, red and pink, blue, etc.

I made three colorful and healthy recipes including Ham, Cheese, Asparagus and Spinach Quiche with a Quinoa Crust, a Spring Mixed Berry Salad, and Black Bean Raspberry Brownies for dessert.

Spring Berry Salad

Black Bean Raspberry Brownies

On set with film crew

On set getting ready to shoot

Ham, Spinach & Asparagus Quiche w/ Quinoa Crust

We also included some fun video footage from the South Beach Wine and Food Festival in Miami this past February, and interviewed some kids and cooking instructors at one of the local HealthCorps after school cooking programs at a high school in Brooklyn.

March 21, 2015March 21, 2015

Roadtrip! Food, Cocktails & Rodeo fun in Houston Texas

One of my favorite things to do in the world is traveling – especially with my group of awesome girlfriends. We usually do a few group trips a year as we all live in different parts of the country: Nashville, NYC, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, Georgia, LA..etc.

We decided to do a road trip to Houston, Texas this time around for a fun weekend of awesome food, cocktails and a trip to the annual Houston Rodeo! What a blast we had! I have to admit I’ve never been to a rodeo before but it was truly impressive watching those cowboys riding bulls and cowgirls racing around the rodeo field.

We even got to see the country star Billy Currington perform live, fireworks and all!

Another fun experience was the Pedal Party around the Montrose area of Houston – there was 15 of us on this big mobile beer wagon with music, a tour guide, bartenders, lots of beer, and we pedaled our way around this fun neighborhood bar hopping and drinking, eating…and drinking some more…

..so much fun!!!

Of course one of my missions on any trip is finding amazing food in each town we visit – and we had plenty of it! We had a truly delicious brunch at Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette – a great place with an outdoor patio and great food!

I got to meet Executive Chef Travis Lenig which was a delight. We ordered a feast fit for a king and his crew! Lobster Mac & Cheese, Buffalo Mac & Cheese, fresh Gulf oysters, pitchers and pitchers of Mimosas, Bourbon Maple Bacon, Eggs Benedict, Southern Biscuits, Tuna Tartare, Homemade Bacon Jam, Crispy Fish & Chips and were treated to Coconut Cream Pie and Bourbon Bread Pudding for dessert, compliments of the house! Click here to check out their awesome menu.

Gulf Oysters

Tuna Tartare

Amazing Brunch!

Bourbon Maple Bacon

Lobster Mac & Cheese

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Salmon Eggs Benedict

Crispy Cod Fish & Chips

Mimosas Galore

Eggs Benedict

Crispy Fries

Crispy Cod Fish Sammie

Chef Travis & Jackie

Bacon Jam

Bourbon Bread Pudding

Coconut Cream Pie

Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette

Our awesome autographed menu

Gosh we are a spoiled crew. And we laughed our heads off with great conversation and autographed the menu (as we always do on our girls trips) for a fun keepsake. Such an awesome restaurant sitting outside on the patio in the sunshine and excellent hospitality and service..highly recommend a visit there if you’re ever in Houston!

We also decided to cook for St. Patty’s Day at my friend Pam’s house – I made a delicious Irish Stout Beef Stew, (click here for the recipe!)

a lovely fresh salad with greens from her garden, along with some Sourdough bread and red wine (and Guinness Stout!) to accompany…

with Butterfinger Pie for dessert! O.M.G. How delicious that was with a warm chocolate fudge sauce on top! YOWZA.

Such a great group of girlfriends and it was awesome making new friends too in the friendly state of Texas! Next on the map? The Hamptons in July and Austin in October! Stay tuned!

Check out more fun photos below from the trip!

Irish Stout Beef Stew Recipe

1 cup seasoned pan-searing flour
4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 pounds boneless chuck beef or sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large onions, sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 bottles Irish stout beer (like Guinness)
1 14-ounce can low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste, mixed with 1/4 cup of water
2 cups baby carrots or large carrot chunks
6 Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered into chunks
4-5 turnips, cut into large chunks
¼ cup corn starch or roux thickener and water slurry (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Sourdough or Irish Brown Bread and butter, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium-high heat in a large cast iron enamel braising pan or Dutch oven.

Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes, dredge with seasoned pan-searing flour and brown in 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add sliced onions to the pan along with another 2 tablespoons of canola oil and saute for about 5 minutes until tender. Add the 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and saute another minute.

Add Guinness beer and cook with onions for a few minutes, stirring and scraping pan to loosen the brown bits. Add the beef broth and cook for another few minutes.

Return the seared beef to the pot, add the tomato paste mixture, baby carrots, potatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil.

Cover and place the pot into the oven and let the goods simmer for about an hour. Remove from oven, stir and reduce heat to 300 degrees. At this point, if the stew is not thick enough for your liking, add a slurry of starch or roux thickener mixed with some water (about 1/4 cup) into the stew and stir well throughout. You can also smash a few of the potatoes to thicken it up a little bit.

Add the turnips and place the stew pot back in the oven to braise for another 30 minutes to an hour.

Let the stew cool on top of the stove uncovered for about 15-20 minutes to let it thicken. Serve with Sourdough or Irish Brown Bread and butter with a fresh green salad and a glass of Guinness Stout or red wine.

Serves 6-8.

March 21, 2015July 20, 2020

Cocktails for Spring!

Now that Spring has officially arrived, I’m looking forward to warmer weather and sunny skies. If only the blizzards would stop in NYC! I’ve rounded up a few great cocktail recipes for Spring that I think you’ll enjoy – perfect for lounging around on the patio with some small bites and a group of friends. The cocktails are made with Bulleit Rye, Crown Royal Regal Apple, and the new Captain Morgan Grapefruit Rum. Not a spirits drinker? I also included a wine spritzer recipe with the recently launched Chateau La Paws Chardonnay, an offering for wine lovers that gives back to rescue dogs. How cool is that?

Now, snow snow, go away – come again another day! Enjoy. 🙂

Bulleit Rye Smash

1.25 oz. Bulleit Rye
1 oz. simple syrup
3 wedge(s) lemon(s)
3 piece(s) mint sprig
3 dash(es) bitters

In an ice filled shaker combine all the ingredients. Shake vigorously. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Golden Delicious

1.5 oz. Crown Royal Regal Apple
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
1 Dash angostura bitters

Add ingredients to high ball. Top with ginger ale and lemon garnish.

Palomaloha

1.5 oz. Captain Morgan Grapefruit Rum
Juice of ½ lime
Grapefruit soda to top

Fill tall glass with ice. Pour in Captain Morgan® Grapefruit Rum, lime juice and grapefruit soda. Garnish with grapefruit wedge.

Spritz Tzu

3 oz. Chateau La Paws Chardonnay
1 oz. Elderflower Liqueur
2 oz. Club Soda
Lemon Twist
Fill rocks glass with ice. Pour in Chateau La Paws Chardonnay, elderflower liqueur and club soda. Garnish with lemon twist.

Get more great Spring Cocktail recipes online!

www.bulleit.com
#bulleit

www.crownroyal.com
#regalapple

us.captainmorgan.com
#captainmorgan