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October 2, 2013July 8, 2016

Homemade Rustic Pizzas: Chicken, Garlic, Spinach & Sundried Tomatoes :: Pepperoni, Ham, & Sauteed Veggies

Pizza is probably one of my most favorite things on the planet. Seriously. Who can resist that crispy crunchy crust topped with melted gooey cheese and fresh, savory baked toppings? A pizza is a creative endeavor that is only limited to your imagination. The pizza dough is like a blank canvas just waiting for the artist to paint a masterpiece on.

Speaking of dough, you can certainly take a stab at making your own – here is a basic pizza dough recipe that’s easy enough to make. If you don’t want to bother making your own and want to save time, you can use pre-made refrigerated pizza dough from the grocery store (I get mine from Fairway stores, or you can try Pillsbury pizza dough which is inexpensive and easy to use. They even have Artisan, thin and gluten-free crusts now which is kinda cool.)

I made these rustic pizzas the other day in an attempt to use up some fresh veggies, pizza dough and ingredients from my kids cooking show I taped last week – we made all kinds of fun pizza on set but i couldn’t bear to waste the leftovers!

So here’s how easy these babies are to make…I divided the pizza dough and patted out the dough on to pizza pans to make four rustic pizzas – one of them topped with sauteed garlic, spinach, olive oil, savory chicken, sun dried tomatoes and plenty of mozzarella gooey cheese. The other one I made with sauteed bell peppers in different colors, broccoli, pepperoni, ham, tomato sauce and two gooey cheeses – mozzarella and muenster, great for melting. The trick to a great pizza in my experience is to saute your veggies in some olive oil and garlic BEFORE you put them on the pizza (the chicken too!). This gives them a deeper flavor and keeps them from drying out in the oven when you bake the pizzas. Throw them in a preheated oven on 400 degrees for about 15-17 minutes, let them cool on a baking rack for about 5 minutes, and then top them with some fresh torn basil, some extra parmesan cheese and pepper flakes and you’ve got some serious deliciousness going on.

Chicken, Spinach, Garlic and Sundried Tomato Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2-4

This is a tasty and healthy pizza made with sauteed garlic and spinach, red pepper flakes, sauteed chicken breast, sundried tomatoes and Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients

1 package refrigerated pizza dough (or handmade)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 package fresh spinach, chopped
6-8 thin chicken cutlets, cut into 1" chunks
1 tablespoon seasoned salt or poultry seasoning
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, julienned (thin strips)
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Divide pizza dough in half and shape into two oval or rectangular pizzas on a greased pizza pan.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese on to the base of each pizza dough.
Heat an additional tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan and saute minced garlic and red pepper flakes for about a minute.
Add chopped spinach and stir. Saute together for another 3-4 minutes until spinach starts to wilt.
Remove spinach garlic mixture from pan and set aside in a mixing bowl.
Heat additional 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same pan, add seasonings and saute the chicken for approximately 8 minutes until golden brown. Remove pan from heat.
Top pizza crusts with spinach-pepper-garlic mixture, sundried tomatoes and sauteed chicken (divided into equal portions for both pizzas).
Top both pizzas with shredded mozzarella cheese and place pizza pan in oven.
Bake for 15-17 minutes until cheese starts to get bubbly and golden brown.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/10/homemade-rustic-pizzas-chicken-spinach-garlic-sundried-tomato-pizza-pepperoni-ham-sauteed-veggie-pizza/

Pepperoni, Ham, & Sauteed Veggie Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2-4

This is a healthy and hearty version of classic pizza made with sauteed garlic, bell peppers and broccoli with diced ham and pepperoni topped with gooey mozzarella and muenster cheese.

Ingredients

1 package refrigerated pizza dough (or handmade)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup orange bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup yellow pepper, diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 cup tomato sauce or puree
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup pepperoni, chopped
1/4 cup ham, chopped
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Muenster cheese, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon garlic salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Divide pizza dough in half and shape into two oval or rectangular pizzas on a greased pizza pan.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan and saute minced garlic for about a minute.
Add diced bell peppers, chopped broccoli, salt and pepper and stir. Saute together for 5-7 minutes until vegetables get tender and soft.
Remove pan from heat.
In a small mixing bowl, mix together tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and garlic salt to make tomato sauce for pizzas.
Top pizza crusts with tomato sauce, pepperoni, ham and sauteed vegetables (divided into equal portions for both pizzas).
Top both pizzas with shredded mozzarella and muenster cheeses, sprinkle with garlic salt and place pizza pan in oven.
Bake for 15-17 minutes until cheese starts to get bubbly and golden brown.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/10/homemade-rustic-pizzas-chicken-spinach-garlic-sundried-tomato-pizza-pepperoni-ham-sauteed-veggie-pizza/

***Stay tuned for my new cooking show – Cooking with Color 4 Kids© airs live on Oct 26th at 9:30 am EST on cable TV in NYC!!

Channels: Time Warner 34/ Cablevision 67/ RCN 82/ Verizon 42 and the Internet: Channel 1
BCAT TV Network cablecasts in all five boroughs of NYC on Verizon FIOS cable.

If you don’t live in NYC and want to watch the show live online on 10/26, please use this link and watch Channel 1:
http://bricartsmedia.org/community-media/watch-brooklyn-public-network

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM THE PILOT TV COOKING SHOW TAPING

June 3, 2013August 25, 2021

Spinach Artichoke Ricotta Pizza with Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Crust

Summer has quickly arrived and it’s that time of year again to shed a few pounds and hit the beach. I’ve decided to muster up some will power and started experimenting with a low carb diet with grand visions of lazy days on the beach in that bikini I need to fit back into. The bad news is whenever I decide to go on a diet, my brain automatically starts thinking about all the evil foods I CAN’T eat – pizza being one of the first things I start craving.

I decided to make a low-carb pizza using a parmesan garlic cauliflower crust. It sounds weird, but it’s absolutely delicious and healthy and a great substitute for traditional pizza dough when you want a healthier option to cut some carbs out of your diet (while satisfying your cravings for pizza which are absolutely NOT allowed when you’re doing low carb!) I’m absolutely in LOVE with spinach artichoke dip and thought I would make a lighter version mixed with some fresh ricotta, garlic, onion and parmesan cheese to top the pizza.

I found a gorgeous head of bright yellow Carnival cauliflower and simply shredded and chopped it into a fine crumble (you can also do this in a food processor or blender). Then I chopped up some garlic and threw them both in the microwave for about 8 minutes, then drained and let cool.

You simply need to mix in some grated parmesan cheese (or any other shredded cheese you like), an egg, garlic, dried minced onion, herbs de Provence (or dried oregano or basil), a few sesame or chia seeds (optional), some yeast, almond flour and sea salt and black pepper. Then pat the mixture on to a greased pizza sheet or Silpat mat, then bake for about 10-15 minutes until the crust is lightly golden brown.

In the meantime, to make the luscious (and healthy) spinach, artichoke and ricotta topping – simply sauté the spinach with some garlic and olive oil, mix in some chopped up artichoke hearts (precooked), fresh minced garlic, ricotta cheese and shredded parmesan cheese, then top the pizza crust spreading the mixture in an even layer. Top with some additional shredded cheese (I used sharp white cheddar but you can use mozzarella or Monterey jack or any other cheese you like that melts well), and then scoop some light and fluffy ricotta cheese on top of the mixture and bake for another 7-10 minutes until the cheeses are melted and bubbly.

In my experiment I found that you shouldn’t spread the pizza crust out on the pan too thin, as it is more fragile than a traditional dough crust and needs to be a bit thick to hold up the ingredients. So try to keep the crust about ¾” to 1 inch thick evenly all around to the edges or it will burn.

Also, let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes or so before slicing it. Top with additional salt and pepper, red pepper flakes if desired, and grated parmesan cheese.

Devour. Repeat.

Preheat the oven to 425. Prepare the cauliflower crust ingredients and pat down on a greased pizza pan.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 10-15 minutes until it starts to get golden brown around the edges.

Top pizza crust with spinach artichoke mixture, shredded cheese and ricotta. Bake for another 10 minutes.

Let pizza cool down for 5-10 minutes and cut into slices.

Garnish with additional salt and pepper, parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

Devour.

Repeat.

Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Crust

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 6 (or 1 large 9-10\" pie)

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower (about 2 ½ cups shredded)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large egg
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons almond flour
1 teaspoon sesame or chia seeds
½ teaspoon herbs de provence (or dried basil or oregano)
½ teaspoon dried minced onion
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425.
Grease a 9-10” round pizza pan or place Silpat mat on a rectangular baking sheet.
Shred and chop cauliflower into fine crumbles (either by hand with a large Chef’s knife or with a food processor).
Mince the garlic and add to the cauliflower in a microwave-safe large bowl.
Microwave covered with plastic wrap for about 7-8 minutes.
Uncover, drain and let cool for about 5-10 minutes.
Add the next nine ingredients and mix together well.
Bake the crust for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove the crust from oven and set aside.

Notes

In my experiment I found that you shouldn't spread the pizza crust out on the pan too thin, as it is more fragile than a traditional dough crust and needs to be a bit thick to hold up the ingredients. So try to keep the crust about ¾” to 1 inch thick evenly all around to the edges or it will burn.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/06/spinach-artichoke-ricotta-pizza-with-parmesan-garlic-cauliflower-crust/

Spinach & Artichoke Ricotta Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 6 (or 1 large 9-10\\\" pie)

Ingredients

1 parbaked cauliflower crust (see attached recipe above)
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 package frozen spinach, defrosted (or 1 bag fresh baby spinach)
1 package frozen artichokes, defrosted (or 1-14 oz can, drained)
1-15 oz container ricotta cheese, divided in half
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup white cheddar cheese (can sub Monterey jack or mozzarella), shredded
dash of red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-low heat.
Place the spinach in a large microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cook for about 8 minutes on HIGH.
Mince the shallots and garlic cloves and drain the spinach (pressing out extra liquids).
Add one tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the shallots for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
Add the additional tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the spinach for another few minutes, mixing all ingredients together. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
Microwave the artichokes in a large microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cook for about 5-6 minutes on HIGH and drain. (if using canned artichokes, simply drain).
Chop the artichokes up into small pieces and place into a large mixing bowl.
Add half of the container of ricotta cheese, 1 cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and mix well.
Stir in the spinach, shallots and garlic mixture.
Drizzle or spray some olive oil lightly on to the parbaked cauliflower pizza crust.
Spread the spinach, artichoke and ricotta mixture evenly over the crust.
Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes and scoop out a few large tablespoons of ricotta cheese and place on top of the pizza.
Bake at 425 degrees for another 7-10 minutes until the cheeses are melted and bubbly and the crust edges are light golden brown. (Watch crust edges to make sure they don't burn).
Remove pizza from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.
Slice into wedges (or squares if making rectangular pizza) and top with additional red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese.

Notes

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/06/spinach-artichoke-ricotta-pizza-with-parmesan-garlic-cauliflower-crust/

More pizza recipes you might enjoy:

Two Peas and Their Pod Spinach Artichoke Pesto Pizza

Real Simple Spinach and Artichoke Pizza

Gluten Free Spinach and Artichoke Pizza Better Batter

Recipe Girl’s Hawaiian Cauliflower Pizza

Closet Cooking’s BBQ Chicken Cauliflower Crust Pizza

April 16, 2013July 16, 2022

Garlicky Greens and Beans with Sausage

On a recent trip up to Rochester, I had the pleasure of discovering a lovely little Italian place called the Mona Lisa Café. My mother and I stopped in there on a whim one afternoon for a cappuccino, but after entering the café and seeing all the delicious pastries and gelato and enticing smells of amazing food, we decided to stay for lunch instead.

We sat at a table by a large window and enjoyed a glass of wine while perusing the menu. At first we thought we would just split an appetizer, but there were just too many tasty choices on the menu to settle for just one item. We opted for a delicious Italian Panini and their amazing Greens and Beans appetizer made with escarole and cannelloni beans sautéed with heaps of garlic, savory Italian sausage, white wine, olive oil and bread crumbs topped with Parmesan cheese. WOW. Best thing I’ve ever tasted! I loved this dish so much I was inspired to recreate it at home, and my own version of Garlicky Greens and Beans with Sausage I now present to you. Delicioso!

Garlicky Greens and Beans with Sausage

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Serving Size: 4-6

Ingredients

2 cups Fingerling potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters or chunks
1 1/4 pound sweet Italian sausage (may use chicken or turkey sausage if you prefer)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 garlic cloves, sliced or chopped fine
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 large bunch of greens (I used collards, but you can use spinach, kale, escarole, or mustard/turnip greens)
1 can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for garnish
Crusty bread or garlic bread, for dipping

Instructions

Rinse and drain potatoes, cut into quarters or chunks, depending on the size.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook potatoes for about 10-12 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
At the same time, add 1/2 inch of water to a large saute pan over medium heat. Add sausages to and cover with a lid, simmering for 10 minutes (without turning). Remove the lid, turn sausages over, and cook for another 5 minutes until almost cooked through.
Meanwhile, measure out your liquids and dry seasonings and set aside.
Chop the garlic.
Wash the greens well and drain. Remove and discard the veins and stems, cutting leafy green parts off on either side into 1-inch strips.
Remove sausages from pan and cut into coin-sized chunks. Drain fat from pan and wipe down.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil into the same pan and return to medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute while stirring often, for about 1 minute being careful not to burn garlic.
Add additional 3 tablespoons of oil and start sauteing greens by the handful until they are just starting to wilt.
Add cannellini beans, sausage, potatoes, broth, water and minced onion; bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer on low for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Remove lid, add 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, and let simmer for another 5 minutes or so until the liquid reduces a little (you can simmer it down longer if you like a thicker stew or add more broth/water if you like a thinner stew).
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the Greens and Beans in large bowls topped with shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and crusty bread for dipping in the broth.
Delicioso!

Notes

Substitute sweet Italian sausage with chicken or turkey sausage or omit all together and adjust water/broth down to 2 cups if you prefer a vegetarian dish.

Mona Lisa Cafe uses breadcrumbs and white wine in their dish which I omitted in my version because of the starch from the potatoes and adding a splash of white wine vinegar which gives it a nice tangy flavor to the broth. Feel free to experiment by topping it with toasted breadcrumbs and using some wine in place of the water in my recipe, but you'll need to adjust the amount of liquids down if you omit the potatoes from the dish so it's not too watery/brothy. The consistency should be of a nice light stew with a balance between the meat and vegetables and the broth.

Serve with a dry white Italian wine such as Pinot Grigio and crusty bread for dipping up the broth.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/04/garlicky-greens-and-beans-with-sausage/

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Italian Sausage and Kale Soup

White Bean and Escarole Soup with Meatballs

Sausage and Bean Soup with Pasta

All photographs, copy and content on this post and website are copyright © 2010-2016 Kristen Hess Styling & Photography and The Artful Gourmet. Please do not use, share or distribute in any way without my expressed permission granted or at least with a link back to my original blog post with credit to me. Thanks!

March 1, 2013December 21, 2014

Parmesan Garlic Shells with Spinach, Zucchini and Ham

This is a super easy and tasty dish that I whipped up one night with some of the ingredients I had on hand. It’s a light and savory pasta dish made with large shell pasta, sauteed spinach, zucchini and ham with garlic and a creamy parmesan alfredo sauce, with a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Perfect dish for a weeknight dinner, with some crusty French or Italian bread, a green salad and glass of wine. You can also substitute whole wheat pasta in any shape or size you please. Cooked diced bacon or prosciutto are also delicious in place of the cooked ham. If you want to experiment with the veggies, try broccoli or peas or yellow squash, what ever your heart desires!

Parmesan Garlic Shells with Spinach, Zucchini and Ham

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4-6

Ingredients

1 bag of medium-large shell pasta (fresh or dried)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thin and halved
1 bag of fresh spinach (leaves), chopped
1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 cup of cooked Virginia ham, diced (can sub cooked prosciutto or bacon)
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
PARMESAN GARLIC SAUCE:
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons flour
Sea salt, to taste
1 cup low-fat milk
2 tablespoons neufchatel or cream cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
1 green onion, sliced for garnish

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta shells and cook according to package directions until al dente (about 8 minutes dried, 3 minutes fresh). Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a medium-large saute pan and add zucchini. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste and cook for about 8-10 minutes until zucchini is soft. Add 1 tablespoon of garlic and saute for another minute or so until garlic starts to brown. Remove zucchini-garlic mixture from saute pan and set aside in a medium-large mixing bowl.
Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the saute pan and heat for a minute or so. Add the fresh chopped spinach, salt and pepper to taste, and red pepper flakes, stirring through. Saute spinach about 3-5 minutes until wilted. Add the cooked diced ham and saute another few minutes until browned. Remove spinach and ham from saute pan and add to cooked zucchini in mixing bowl.
To make the Parmesan Garlic Sauce:
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the garlic and cook until soft and lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Add in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, another minute.
Whisk in the milk, a sprinkle of sea salt and cook, whisking constantly, until just thickened, about 3 minutes.
Add the Neufchatel and parmesan cheese; whisk until melted, about 1 minute.
Combine the cooked pasta shells, 1/2 cup cooking water from pasta, sauteed zucchini, spinach and ham to the alfredo garlic sauce, stir thoroughly to mix ingredients for another minute or so.
Sprinkle additional salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste into the pasta mixture. Remove from saute pan and place in a large serving bowl. Top pasta with chopped fresh parsley and green onions, and top with more parmesan cheese to taste.
Serve the pasta with some crusty bread, a green salad and glass of wine.

Notes

You can also substitute whole wheat pasta in any shape or size you please. Cooked diced bacon or prosciutto are also delicious in place of the cooked ham. If you want to experiment with the veggies, try broccoli or peas or yellow squash, what ever your heart desires!

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/03/parmesan-garlic-shells-with-spinach-zucchini-and-ham/

Other Recipes you may enjoy:

Smitten Kitchen’s Pasta with Garlicky Broccoli Rabe

Spinach and Artichoke Pasta

Pioneer Woman’s Pasta Primavera

What Katie Ate’s Conchiglia with Mushrooms and Parmesan Cream Sauce

Recipe Girl’s Spaghetti with Cremini Mushrooms, Lemon & Thyme

In Jennie’s Kitchen Pasta Carbonara

February 12, 2013September 21, 2018

A lighter and healthier classic comfort food: Vegetable Lasagna

Lasagna is one of my favorite comfort foods to indulge in during the Winter time, but as soon as Spring is approaching, I like to lighten up this classic recipe by substituting lots of fresh vegetables like mushrooms, carrots, zucchini and spinach in place of the ground beef or sausage that is used in the heavier, more fat-laden traditional Lasagna recipes. It still incorporates a traditional red marinara sauce and uses lightened up cheeses to give it great flavor, but somehow I feel a little less guilty taking a big bite of this yummy dish made with fresh sautéed vegetables to satisfy my comfort food fix. Goes great paired with a green salad tossed in a light Italian dressing with a glass of light red or white wine, such as a Pinot Noir or Pinot Grigio.

A lighter and healthier approach to the classic comfort dish Lasagna

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Yield: 10-12

Ingredients

12 lasagna noodles
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup mushrooms, chopped fine
1 cup zucchini, chopped fine
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped fine
1 cup carrots, chopped fine
3 cups marinara sauce (homemade or prepared)
1 cup Ricotta cheese
1 cup low-fat Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 cup low-fat or 2% Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh basil leaves or parsley, torn for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Boil salted water in a large pot. Add lasagna noodles and cook according to package directions, drain, separate and set aside.
Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil on low heat in a large skillet. Cook onion and garlic for three or four minutes and place into a separate bowl. Add another tablespoon of oil to skillet and cook mushrooms, zucchini, spinach and carrots about 5-10 minutes until tender and add to onion and garlic mixture. Add one cup of the marinara sauce to the vegetables and heat through.
Spread one cup of the remaining marinara sauce into the bottom of a 13x9 glass greased baking dish and layer with half of the noodles, vegetables and ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with half of the Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Repeat with another layer of marinara sauce, noodles, vegetables and ricotta cheese, sprinkling with remaining cheeses, salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes, cut lasagna into squares and top with fresh basil or parsley. Serve with a green salad and glass of light red wine.

Notes

Recipe can be made ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator before baking. Can also be kept in the freezer tightly wrapped and reheated in the microwave for leftovers. For a Vegan version of the recipe: omit ricotta cheese and use Vegan soy-based cheese in place of the Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/02/a-lighter-and-healthier-classic-comfort-food-vegetable-lasagna/

October 3, 2012June 29, 2020

Spinach, Cheese & Green Onion Pie with Dill and Fines Herbes

There’s nothing better than a fresh baked pie on a dreary, Fall day. I decided to make a savory pie (quiche) with some fresh spinach, green onions, garlic, dill, Fines Herbes, eggs, milk, Parmesan and Sharp White Cheddar cheese I had on hand. So easy, and the perfect comfort food to warm you up on a gray day like today.

I used store-bought frozen pie crusts to save time and make my life easier, but if you’re in the mood to make your own pie crust, here’s a great basic recipe by Martha Stewart. If you’re into gluten-free, check out this pie crust recipe by Bea Peltre of La Tartine Gourmande. You can also make or cut the dough into smaller mini pies or use this recipe filling for a 9-inch tart if you prefer. This is a vegetarian recipe, but would also be fantastic with a little bit of crispy bacon or prosciutto and asparagus or broccoli if you’re not a spinach fan. You can also substitute Gruyere or Fontina cheese in place of the shredded White Cheddar if you like. Serve with leafy greens tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette and a latte or glass of white wine, and you’ve got a fantastic brunch! Enjoy.

Spinach, Cheese & Green Onion Pie with Dill and Fines Herbes

Rating: 41

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 6-8

Ingredients

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell (or handmade pie dough)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, sliced thin
1- 5 ounce package fresh baby spinach leaves
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 teaspoon dried Fines Herbes
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg (a few sprinkles)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups shredded White Sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Let frozen pie shell defrost and place in a 9 inch pie pan.
Heat oil and butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute spinach for a few minutes until wilted. Add minced garlic and green onions and saute for another minute or so. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs with milk, herbs and seasonings. Add Parmesan cheese to egg mixture and stir well.
Place the spinach, garlic and onion mixture over the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle grated Cheddar cheese over the top. Pour egg, milk and herbs mixture over the cheese, spreading evenly inside the pie crust.
Bake pie in oven for 45 minutes until eggs are firmly set and crust is browned. If crust edges start browning too quickly, cover them with some foil half way through.
Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool and firm up for 10-15 minutes.
Slice into wedges and serve with a green salad.

Notes

*Alternative Recipe Suggestions: Add some crispy bacon or prosciutto to the quiche, substitute Gruyere or Fontina for Cheddar, or use asparagus or broccoli instead of spinach.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/10/spinach-cheese-green-onion-pie-with-dill-and-fines-herbes/

Other Spinach Pie Recipes you might enjoy:

Paula Deen’s Crustless Spinach and Cheese Quiche

Williams Sonoma Spinach and Feta Quiche

Martha Stewart Spinach and Gruyere Quiche

May 4, 2012November 29, 2020

California Dreamin’ :: Chicken, Wild Mushroom & Fontina Cheese Lasagna

On a recent trip to San Diego with a group of friends, we made an awesome dinner one night, and definitely one to remember. We rented an amazing house right on the ocean at Mission Beach that had gorgeous views of the sunset – –

a huge round disk of bright orange, yellow and red hues sinking into the horizon – absolutely breathtaking..

My friend (Paula) showed up with a delicious recipe for Chicken, Spinach & Wild Mushroom Lasagna (by Daniel Boulud) which was an amazingly creamy, savory dish to die for! The lasagna is made with a creamy base of sauteed celery and onions, white wine, nutmeg, flour and cream mixed with fresh spinach, wild mushrooms (we used Chanterelles but you can use any mix of wild mushrooms you prefer) and chicken breast. We topped off the lasagna noodles and chicken and mushroom mixture with several gooey layers of Fontina and Parmesan cheese, and baked it into a bubbly pot of goodness in the oven.

We served it with some Parmesan-Garlic Crostini and a green salad, and of course a few bottles of white wine to accompany. Daniel Johnnes, wine director of Daniel Boulud’s restaurants suggests choosing a wine from the Campania region of Italy, such as the 2009 Fiano di Avellino from Feudi di San Gregorio ($19). An alternative is Occhipinti SP68 IGT Sicilia Bianco 2009 ($26). Both of these choices are medium bodied with bold flavor and a soft texture.

**Note*** Men should definitely stay out of a female-dominated kitchen to avoid a big noodle slap when making a dish as good as this! Enjoy 🙂

Oh, and don’t forget the rooftop with great friends and an amazing view to top it all off. We had such an awesome time I’m already planning my next visit back to this gorgeous beach..

Until then, I’ll just keep dreaming about that fiery red glowing sunset… 🙂

California Dreamin’ :: Chicken, Wild Mushroom & Fontina Cheese Lasagna

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 10-12

Ingredients

5 tablespoons EVOO
2 medium onions, diced fine
2 celery stalks, diced fine
1 pound wild mushrooms (chanterelles, black trumpet, hen of woods), trimmed and washed, roughly chopped
1/2 pound spinach leaves, torn and washed, no stems
4 tablespoons butter, plus extra grease to pan
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups milk
1/2 bunch Italian parsley leaves, chopped
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
16 dried lasagna noodles
1 pound of Fontina cheese, diced or cut into medium-thin slices
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Prep all vegetables (chop onions, celery, spinach, mushrooms, parsley), cut up chicken and pat dry.
Measure out all wet and dry ingredients (wine, cream, milk, flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper, grated Parmesan).
Cut Fontina cheese into small dice, or medium-thin slices for layering.
Sauté celery and onions with salt and pepper over medium-low for 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add mushrooms, cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add spinach, salt and pepper, cook until wilted and mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat and reserve.
Add butter to same pot, adjust heat to medium. Season chicken on all sides with salt and pepper, add to butter. Cook stirring 6 minutes until chicken is browned. Add wine, simmer until almost reduced. Sprinkle flour over the chicken and cook, stirring for 5 mins, allowing flour to coat the chicken and absorb the liquid.
Gradually stir in cream and milk, scraping pot, stirring with a whisk to break up cooked flour. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, allow liquid to thicken. Reserve 1 cup of liquid and remove pot from heat, add cooked mushroom and spinach mixture. Add parsley, season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
Cook lasagna noodles 8 mins in salted water. Drain and rinse in cold water. Toss with 2 tablespoons EVOO.
Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9x13 baking pan. Layer 4 noodles on bottom. Top with 1/3 chicken mixture and 1/3 Fontina cheese. Repeat layers twice, finish with layer of noodles. Spread reserved sauce over noodles and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. (can put in fridge or freezer at this point, tightly covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap).
Cover with foil or lid and bake for 30 minutes. Increase heat to 400 degrees and remove foil and cook until golden brown and bubbly, another 10-15 mins.
To make the Parmesan Garlic Crostini:
Slice a loaf of Italian bread into 1/4-1/2 inch slices and drizzle with olive oil, shredded Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown and crunchy.
Sprinkle the lasagna with chopped parsley, some extra grated cheese if desired, and serve with the parmesan garlic crostini.

Notes

Serve with a leafy green salad with a vinaigrette dressing, some crusty garlic bread and a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.

The lasagna can be made a day ahead to save time, just keep it tightly covered with plastic wrap of foil and pop it in the oven when ready to bake.

Freezes well too - wrap in plastic and foil in individual portions and reheat in the microwave or oven.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/05/california-dreamin-chicken-wild-mushroom-fontina-lasagna/

Mission Beach on Dwellable

February 15, 2012September 21, 2018

A LOVE-ly Spinach, Artichoke & Ricotta Tart

With all the cooking I’ve been doing lately, I’ve decided to mix it up and experiment with some baking. I’m obsessed with savory tarts and quiches – perfect comfort food for this cold Winter we’re having in New York. I also haven’t played with puff pastry too much, so I though a free-form Spinach, Artichoke & Ricotta tart would be fun to make for my sweetie on Valentine’s Day.

This recipe is fairly easy to make and healthy with all the veggies loaded on top. The light and creamy ricotta base has lemon zest, thyme and fines herbs to give it a bright, fresh flavor. It’s topped with sautéed fresh spinach and artichokes with a little bit of garlic and chile flakes, and I also used a combination of two flavor-infused oils by Tavern Direct – one with Lemon and Pepper, and the other with Chile Pepper and Garlic to give it a little more kick. You could also substitute the veggies with some zucchini and yellow squash and some shallots or sweet potato with bacon and kale. The tart is topped off with four shredded Italian cheeses, then baked to a flaky, golden brown perfection. I used a frozen puff pastry, which is convenient to use, but if you prefer you can make your own puff pastry dough, which is a bit more time and effort but delicious all the same – Martha Stewart has a great recipe on her site. This scrumptious, savory tart is great served with a green salad and a crisp glass of white wine.

Ingredients

1 15 oz container Ricotta cheese
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tbsp fines herbes, dried
1 egg yolk
Rind of 1 lemon, finely grated
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp garlic, finely minced
2 tbsp olive oil (can substitute lemon, garlic or chile-infused oils for more flavor)
3 handfuls fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 pkg frozen artichokes, drained and chopped into large chunks
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes (add more or less to adjust heat)
1 puff pastry sheet
1 cup shredded Italian cheeses (Fontina, Parmesan, Romano, Mozzarella)
Kosher or Sea Salt, to taste
Fresh ground garlic and black pepper seasoning, to taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, thyme, fines herbes, lemon rind and egg yolk until smooth. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add artichokes and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add spinach and saute until it begins to wilt, another 1-2 minutes. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes and saute 1 additional minute. Remove from heat, cover with saucepan lid and set aside.

Roll out pastry dough and sprinkle with a little bit of flour. Score around the edges with a sharp knife to make a 1 inch border and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Melt the butter and minced garlic on the stove or in the microwave for about 1 minute. With a pastry brush, coat the entire pastry sheet with the garlic butter.

Spread the ricotta mixture within the border on to the pastry sheet.

Top with spinach, artichoke, garlic and red pepper topping.

Scatter the grated cheeses over the entire tart and season with salt and pepper or garlic pepper seasoning to taste.

Place the tart in the oven and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes until pastry is golden brown and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack for about 5-10 minutes.

Slice and serve warm with a green salad and a glass of crisp white wine. Delectable.

Serves 6.