Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

October 5, 2012 By 10 Comments

Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas and Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Do you know how easy it is to make enchilada sauce?  

It’s super easy.  It’s like you probably have all the ingredients on hand kind of easy.  Best part?  You can make it in a snap.    

If you make enchilada sauce you kind of need enchiladas to go with it, right?

This is an easy black bean and rice recipe that keeps in theme with most ingredients already on hand.  

These tasty and filling enchiladas make for a quick weeknight meal and will quickly become a family favorite!
Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas and Homemade Enchilada Sauce

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Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Serves 6

Ingredients

    For Enchilada Sauce:
  • 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • For Enchiladas:
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 15.5 oz. can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1/2 cup chunky salsa
  • 2 cups Mexican cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce (recipe above)
  • 10 6" flour tortillas

Instructions

    For Enchilada Sauce:
  1. In a small bowl stir together tomato sauce, water, chili powder, tomato paste, garlic powder, salt and cumin until blended and set aside.
  2. Heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir in flour until flour dissolved. Gradually whisk in tomato mixture. Reduce heat to low and stir until sauce thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
    3. For Enchiladas:
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray non stick cooking spray on a 9"x13" casserole dish and set aside.
  4. In a large bowl combine rice, black beans, corn, salsa, 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce and 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Stir until combined.
  5. Divide mixture between each tortilla. Wrap each tortilla and place seam side down in casserole dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Makes 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce

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Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas and Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Filed Under: dinner, mexican, recipes, sauce

Vegetable Pad Thai

June 4, 2012 By 13 Comments


Have I mentioned how much I love Thai food before?

I think when I shared my Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce I declared my love for Thai food.  Unfortunately I don’t get to enjoy it as often as I would like.  Mr. Mother Thyme is not a big fan of Thai food (he is totally missing out) and our local Thai restaurant has closed, so getting my fix of Thai food when the craving strikes means whipping it up myself.

One reason many of us opt for ordering take out opposed to making it ourselves is pure convenience.  You can call an order in while on the way home from work or after picking the kids up from baseball practice.  When you get home open the containers, gather around the dinner table and dig in.  

I like no fuss meals; especially this time of year.  And if I can create it easily at home, know exactly the ingredients I am putting in the food and it tastes just like I ordered it then that is my kind of meal.  And let’s face it, cooking at home definitely helps the pocket book as well.  

So create take out night at home but make it yourself.  Make up fun little menus like you are ordering out.  Its fun, easy and you would be surprised how quickly a meal can come together and taking just about the same amount of time as calling in an order and running to pick it up.   

What is your favorite take out dish?






Vegetable Pad Thai

Serves 4

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Sriracha hot chili sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large eggs, beaten
8oz wide rice noodles(Banh Pho), cooked per package instructions
1/2 cup scallions, sliced
8oz  fresh bean sprouts
1/3 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Lime wedges for serving 


Directions:

In a small bowl stir soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, Sriracha hot chili sauce and rice vinegar until blended and set aside.

Heat vegetable oil  in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add minced garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds and pour in eggs.  Cook and scramble eggs until set.  Reduce heat to low and add in noodles, pour prepared sauce over noodles and toss with noodles and eggs until coated.  Add in scallions and toss again.  Remove from heat.  

Serve warm, topped with bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, chopped cilantro and a lime wedge.  


Filed Under: dinner, Thai

Ravioli with Prosecco Cream Sauce

April 27, 2012 By 14 Comments


It’s here!  The Prosecco Cream Sauce I raved about having when I featured my recipe for Arugula Pizza.  I know you have been eagerly waiting in anticipation for this recipe, right?  I sure have.  This sauce is inspired by my favorite dish Lobster Ravioli with Prosecco Cream Sauce that I have almost every time we go to our favorite Italian restaurant Mangia.   

This sauce is so incredibly simple to make but the flavor is phenomenal.   This sauce is so good I want to drink it;  but instead I’ll just enjoy the rest of the Prosecco that is left in the bottle while preparing this meal.  This sauce pairs nicely with a pasta like ravioli or if you can find a lobster or seafood ravioli even better.  I wouldn’t suggest it with a meat or italian sausage ravioli; keep it with cheese, spinach or seafood and you’ll be wanting seconds. 

And how perfect would this meal be if you are entertaining a small gathering, like maybe one or two other couples?  Not only is is so simple but it smells amazing when its cooking and your guests will think you took a lot of time to prep this.   All you have to do is make the sauce; toss in some ravioli and serve with a beautiful salad and fresh bread.  Voila!  Dinner is served.  

If you like Prosecco as much as I do;  check out my Meyer Lemon Prosecco with Limoncello or my Drinks Pinterest board where I have many Prosecco cocktails I am eager to try.

Don’t forget to check out the Wilton giveaway.  You can enter HERE until May 2, 2012.  


Ravioli with Prosecco Cream Sauce

Ingredients
1 pound frozen or store bought ravioli  (cheese, spinach or seafood) cooked per package instructions 
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup (half pint) heavy cream 
1/2 cup Prosecco*
1 teaspoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish
Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)


Directions
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant; about 1 minute.  Stir in heavy cream; Prosecco and tomato paste.  Bring to a low boil, stir and reduce heat to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Serve sauce over ravioli and top with fresh grated cheese, fresh parsley and cracked pepper.  

*Depending on taste you may want to start with only adding in 1/4 to a 1/3 cup of Processo and increasing a tablespoon at a time until desired.




Filed Under: dinner, entertaining, pasta, sauce

Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts and Lemon Butter

April 10, 2012 By 13 Comments
Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts and Lemon Butter | www.motherthyme.com

I have a love hate relationship with Brussels sprouts.  How about you?

Lemon Butter meet Brussels sprouts.  Oh yes!  

Mr. Mother Thyme who is not Mr. Vegetable surprisingly loves Brussels sprouts.  I on the other hand who loves vegetables would not pick them as my first vegetable of choice;  until recently, very recently lets say until I made this dish recent.  The Brussels sprouts tossed in this lemon butter sauce is pure perfection.  I have also come to the conclusion that I enjoy Brussels sprouts steamed.  They are rather tender once steamed and almost melt in your mouth.  

Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts and Lemon Butter | www.motherthyme.com

Toss these tender little Brussels sprouts along with pasta and freshly grated cheese and you have a course that is refreshing and very easy to prepare.  

This dish can also be prepared with any type of pasta or even cooked alone just as a side dish without the pasta. 

Do I even dare say I could eat an entire bowl of these alone without my beloved pasta?  Absolutely!  

Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts and Lemon Butter | www.motherthyme.com

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Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts and Lemon Butter

Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts and Lemon Butter

Ingredients

  • 13.25oz box whole grain or whole wheat spaghetti (or any preferred pasta) cooked al dente
  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts cleaned, stems removed and cut lengthwise
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1/8 teaspoon herbs de provence
  • 1/2 cup pasta water reserved
  • Salt and pepper
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Steam Brussels sprouts seasoned with a pinch of salt covered for 8-10 minutes until tender, set aside.
  2. In a large skillet heat butter and olive oil over medium heat until butter has melted.
  3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in lemon juice, zest and herbs de provence and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add in Brussels sprouts and toss to coat.
  5. Add in cooked spaghetti and toss with Brussels sprouts.
  6. Add in reserved pasta water and toss.
  7. Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and top.
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Filed Under: dinner, pasta, vegetables

Penne with Vodka Sauce

March 9, 2012 By 12 Comments

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Pasta is by far one of my favorite foods to eat.  I would much rather have a big bowl of pasta than meat and honestly I am not much of a meat eater;  quite different from my husband who could devour a sirloin everyday if he had it his way.  Sometimes it comes down to the battle of the meals when planning our dinners.  So I try to find a happy medium where I give him his meat on certain days and in turn I make my pasta.  

I love all varieties of pasta and I actually find it a bit shocking that I haven’t shared more pasta recipes.  I love everything from red sauces, to basil pesto, to simple pasta dishes tossed in olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and cheese.  I could go on and on about all the varieties of pasta I love but if I were to name probably one of my favorites it would have to be Vodka Sauce.  

I first fell in love with Vodka Sauce at Joe’s Pasta Garage, a cute little restaurant in Skaneateles;  the same town where I discovered by love of Blueberry Scones and Rosemary Focaccia.   We would go there frequently and I would always order their Vodka Sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts.  It was fabulous.  

Since then Vodka Sauce has always been a special pasta dish for me.  I always think of Vodka Sauce to be a pretty and elegant pasta dish.  Being made with cream I usually try to stay away from creamy sauces but in moderation and watching (or trying to watch) my portion control enjoying this delicious Vodka Sauce is a treat.

Making vodka sauce is extremely simple.  If you find yourself venturing down the pasta sauce aisle and grabbing a jar of vodka sauce try making this recipe instead sometime.  Once you try the homemade version, you will never pick up a jar of sauce again.  It is so fresh and you can control the ingredients you put into the sauce.  

The best part is this sauce only requires a few simple ingredients and doesn’t take that long to make.  While you are boiling water and cooking the noodles you can pretty much have this sauce done.  I often double a batch and freeze half so I have a batch in the freezer to thaw if I am in need of a quick dinner to toss together.   Toss with whole wheat penne pasta noodles, top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a delicious and dinner is ready to serve.  


Penne with Vodka Sauce

Ingredients
1lb whole wheat penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup heavy cream
3-4 tablespoons vodka
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
Fresh chopped parsley (for garnish, optional)

Directions
In a large pot add water with a few pinches of salt and bring to boil.  Add pasta and cook until al dente.  Drain pasta and set aside.

Warm olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Stir in crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, vodka, salt and pepper.  Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to a low.  Stir and cover to simmer for 20 minutes.  

Season sauce with additional salt and pepper if needed.  Toss pasta with sauce and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley.  

Notes-
You can omit the vodka and make this as a Tomato Cream Sauce.  


Add in cooked chopped Italian Sausage.  


Filed Under: dinner, pasta, sauce, tomatoes

Turkey Meatloaf

March 7, 2012 By 6 Comments
Turkey Meatloaf

I was recently flipping through my first recipe book I created nearly twenty years ago.  It was fun looking back to see what recipes I was starting to gather.  The pages are filled with torn magazine clippings and many recipe cards from my mom.   One recipe I stumbled on was her recipe for meatloaf.   I took that special recipe for my moms meatloaf, tweaked it just slightly and created a delicious turkey meatloaf that is full of flavor.

I love cooking with turkey.  Comparably lean ground turkey is very similar in calories and fat than lean ground beef such as sirloin, but if you compare ground turkey to a 80/20 ground beef well, ground turkey is definitely a better choice.  After adding spices and seasonings to ground turkey as you would to ground beef the end results are very similar.  If you have never cooked with ground turkey before I definitely encourage you to give it a try.  Cooked the right way can make for a variety of delicious dishes.  I use ground turkey in everything from turkey burgers to meatballs and even in tacos.  

I don’t just lean towards cooking with ground turkey because it is lower in fat, even though that is one of the reasons.  I also prefer the flavor of it.   

Using ground turkey in this recipe makes for a moist and delicious turkey meatloaf that is Mr. Mother Thyme (aka Mr. Meat and Potatoes) approved.  

Enjoy!

Turkey Meatloaf

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Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds lean ground turkey
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 medium sweet onion, diced
  • 2 celery ribs, diced
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
    • For Glaze
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard
  • dash of Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (expect glaze ingredients) and gently mix until combined.
  3. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place mixture in loaf pan and form to fit pan. (Optional- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn loaf pan upside down onto parchment paper to remove loaf. Cook loaf on parchment lined baking sheet).
  4. Bake for 1-1 hour and 15 minutes until internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees F. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
    5. Glaze
  5. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until blended. Brush on meatloaf about 20-25 minutes after meatloaf has been cooking.
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Turkey Meatloaf
Filed Under: dinner, light and healthy, turkey

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Pulled Pork Fajitas

March 5, 2012 By 10 Comments

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Tender pork slowly cooked in a sweet and tangy teriyaki marinade in the crock pot then shredded and served in fajitas.  Can dinner get any better?

This is one of those delicious dinners that is perfect for a busy weeknight.  In the morning quickly brown the pork, which is completely optional.  I always have done that;  especially with beef and pork.   Then place the browned pork in the slow cooker along with sliced peppers, onions and an easy to whip up teriyaki marinade.  To save time, slice the peppers and onions the night before and store in a container.  This can also be done with the marinade.  When ready to assemble, all the prep work is ready to go.

Now its time to let the slow cooker do the work.  I love using my slow cooker.  I use it several times a week.  Nothing beats having dinner ready to go early so I can go about my day not worrying that I need to get dinner ready in the evening.

Once the pork is ready and shredded remove and place in a large bowl.  Serve with warmed fajitas, some shredded cheese and another other desired garnishes for a simple and delicious dinner.


Slow Cooker Teriyaki Pulled Pork Fajitas

Ingredients
2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin or pork roast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon (2-3 cloves) garlic, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 large sweet onion, sliced
1-2 green peppers, sliced
1/2 cup pineapple chunks (optional)
8-10 flour fajitas
1 1/2 cups shredded monterey cheese (garnish)

Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Season pork with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder and brown all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.

In a small bowl combine soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, garlic, brown sugar and stir until combined.

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.  Place onions and green peppers in slow cooker.  Place browned pork on top and pour marinade on top of pork followed by pineapple chunks (optional).

Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.  Remove pork from slow cooker and place on cutting board.  Shred pork using two forks to pull about.  Place shredded pork back into slow cooker and stir to coat with marinade, onions and peppers.  Turn to warm/low and let shredded pork absorb the marinade for another 30 minutes.

Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Place desired amount of pork mixture on a warmed fajita.  Top with cheese and serve or serve over rice.


Filed Under: crock pot, dinner, pork

Chicken Gyro Salad with Tzatziki Dressing

March 2, 2012 By 11 Comments

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To conclude my unofficial Greek yogurt recipe week I thought I would serve a delicious Chicken Gyro Salad.


This salad has all the tasty components that make for a fabulous chicken gyro without all the mess and less calories.  The salad includes fresh romaine lettuce with feta cheese, pitted kalamata olives, juicy grape tomatoes, slice red onion, chopped chicken tossed in a low fat Greek yogurt tzatziki dressing that is light and creamy.

The tzatziki dressing is one of my favorites.  It also is delicious tossed with some fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion.   The refreshing cucumber really completes this simple to make dressing.   

Top this salad with sliced pita strips and lunch or dinner are served.

Today is the last day to enter the Chobani Champions Giveaway!  Click HERE to enter.  Giveaway ends tonight at 11:59pmEST!  



Chicken Gyro Salad with Tzatziki Dressing
Click here for a printable version


Ingredients
For salad
7oz (about 1 head or 1 bag) chopped romaine leaves
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped (rotisserie chicken works great)
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/3 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1/3 cup red onion, sliced
1-2 pitas sliced into strips


For dressing
1 1/2 cups (12 oz) plain Greek yogurt 
1 cup seedless cucumber peeled and chopped or seeded cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon (1/2 lemon) fresh lemon juice 
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon (1-2 cloves) garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
For dressing-
In a food processor combine Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and mix until creamy.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside


In a large bowl combine all salad ingredients.  Toss with dressing or serve on the side.  


Western New York Moms-

Mothertime Marketplace, WNY Biggest Seasonal consignment sale event will be held at the Hamburg Fairgrounds, March 16-18th, 2012 from 10a- 3pm. On March 17th, they will be hosting a kid’s day celebration with balloons, face painting and treat bags. 

Western New York bloggers will be there to help celebrate the sale’s 5 year anniversary by providing your kids with games, prizes and a fun give away for the parents!

I along with Frugal Buffalonian and  Our Real Deal  have teamed up with Mothertime Marketplace to bring 4 lucky winners a chance to enter the sale on Friday or Saturday.  Just go to any of these websites to enter our contest! Give away runs from March 2- March 9th. Good luck and don’t forget to stop by on Kid’s day and check out what our blogs are all about while your kids play!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: chicken, dinner, lunch, salad, salad dressing

Slow Cooker Pork Ragu

February 15, 2012 By 32 Comments

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I am pretty traditional when it comes to serving dinner at the table or any meal as a matter of fact.  I like for us as a family to enjoy dinner together.  It is one time during the day that we can come together and enjoy a good meal.  Sure the kids are sometimes more interested in feeding their food to the dogs or would rather be running around but for me it’s about family time.  Ten or twenty minutes with no TV, cell phones or laptops.  It is just family, food and conversation.  

When I was growing up I remember sitting at the kitchen table and not being excused until all my food was finished.  I even remember like it was yesterday when I didn’t finish my peas and my mother made me sit at the table which felt like hours until all my peas were gone.  I’m sure I finally finished them or I still may be sitting at that table.

I want my young kids to grow up with those traditional values and know that meals are at the table, even if it means sitting at the table until they eat all their peas.  Sure before we had kids Mr. Mother Thyme and I would curl up on the couch and eat dinner from time to time.  There was even a time when I actually went to an office and worked all day.  I would  come home late from work leaving the weeknight cooking duties to Mr. Mother Thyme.  Then I got lucky when we moved from Florida up North and I worked from home.  I could multi-task by hunting down promoters, booking flights for DJ’s, instant messaging my boss and stirring a pot of soup, or whatever I was cooking that day all at the same time. 

During hectic days, or just a lazy curl up on the couch let dinner simmer kind of days I always love relying on my trusty old crock pot.  For this Pork Ragu I prefer cooking it in my crock pot which provides for such tender pork.  After browning the pork which I tend to do with most meat before putting it in the crock pot, I top it with tomatoes, herbs some vegetables a splash of wine and broth and let it slowly cook all day.  A thick hearty noodle such as pappardelle or a rigatoni is the perfect compliment to this very simple and rustic dish.  

Perfect for an enjoyable dinner around the table with the family.


Slow Cooker Pork Ragu


Serves 4-6

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 pound boneless pork loin 
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup grated carrots
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt plus additional for taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper plus additional for taste
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves (or freshly chopped rosemary)
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves (or freshly chopped thyme)
1 bay leaf
Splash of red wine
1 package of Pappardelle, fettuccine or rigatoni

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat.  Season pork loin with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, rosemary and thyme.  Brown all sides or pork, about 3-4 minutes per side.  Spray non-stick cooking spray inside crock pot.  Place pork inside crock port.  Top pork with crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, onions, carrots, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, a splash of red wine and a dash of salt and pepper.  


Heat on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.  


When pork is cooked, using two forks roughly shred pork into large pieces.  Remove bay leaf and place pork back into sauce, season with additional salt and pepper for taste.  Turn heat to simmer/warm for an additional 30 minutes.  


Meanwhile boil a large pot of salted water on stovetop.  Bring pasta to boil per package directions.


Toss pasta with pork and serve warm with top with fresh cheese and chopped fresh parsley.  


Shared on:  Jennifer Cooks {Fusion Fridays}

Filed Under: crock pot, dinner, pasta, pork

Arugula Pizza

February 10, 2012 By 16 Comments

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There is a local Italian restaurant that we love.   Last Friday Mr. Mother Thyme and I had a much overdue date night.  It seems anytime we get a chance to go out for dinner we always go there.  We just love the ambiance and the food that we go back every chance we get.

We had a lovely dinner.  I ordered my usual Lobster Ravioli that is topped with a delicious prosecco cream sauce (I am working on a recipe for that) which is just fabulous.  As full as I get from ordering an appetizer and salad I seem to always have room to eat this entire dish.

Our first course was a delicious Arugula Pizza which was on the specials menu for the evening.  It was fantastic.  A thin crust pizza with prosciutto and goat cheese and topped with fresh arugula.  I could have just eaten that and been satisfied.

I enjoyed the Arugula Pizza so much I recreated it.  This is so similar to the one we enjoyed at the restaurant;  perfect for a weeknight dinner.  

In my recipe I used a simple store bought pizza dough.  I make my own pizza dough often but for this I wanted to use a thin crust premade dough which really worked well, plus saves a little time.   I topped the crust with a simple arugula pesto, shredded mozzarella, chopped prosciutto, sun dried tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese.  Once the pizza is baked, I sprinkle with fresh baby arugula leaves and drizzle with a balsamic reduction.

Simply delicious.


Arugula Pizza

Ingredients
1 11oz package of Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza Dough tube 
1 teaspoon cornmeal
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup arugula pesto (recipe below) 
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup prosciutto, chopped (about 2-3 slices)
1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
4oz goat cheese
1 1/2 cup baby arugula leaves
Dash of fresh ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Roll out dough to a 11″x14″ on a greased dark or non-stick baking sheet.  Sprinkle bottom of dough with cornmeal and bake crust in a preheated oven for about 5 minutes.

Add balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan over medium low heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally until liquid reduces in half, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.  

Spread pesto on crust.  Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, chopped prosciutto, sun dried tomatoes.  Crumble goat cheese on top and sprinkle with a freshly ground black pepper.

Bake in oven for an additional 8-10 minutes until crust is golden brown.  

Let cool slightly.  Top with baby arugula leaves and drizzle with balsamic reduction.  

Arugula Pesto
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups baby arugula leaves
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped or shelled walnuts (or pine nuts)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (1-2 cloves)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions
In a food processor combined arugula leaves, Parmesan cheese, walnuts and garlic and chop until combined and arugula leaves are chopped.  With food processor running, stream in olive oil until creamy.  

Filed Under: appetizers, dinner, entertaining, main course, pesto, pizza