Smells Like Home — A Collection of Favorites from a Kitchen-Savvy New Englander

Steak, Shaved Asparagus, and Gorgonzola Pizza

May 15, 2012 · 3 comments

Lately, I feel like my brain has been working in overdrive. Since moving, I’ve been working on changing a few things around here. Where dishes used to sit in the sink for a day (or two…ok, I’m being generous here), a little extra conscientiousness and some rubber gloves go a long way. Laundry gets folded within 2 days of being washed. My commute is an extra 10 minutes in the morning now and I’m busting my butt every morning to get to my new job on time. I’m chronically late for just about everything in my life and frankly, I’m tired of feeling like I’m always stopping to catch my breath, literally and figuratively.

I hate my shortcomings. I know I’m not a fabulous “housewife” but I know I’m able to make lots of other contributions to our little family aside from just my paycheck. Like this pizza. Thinly sliced flank steak, shaved asparagus, crumbled Gorgonzola, and a béchamel sauce base. It’s pretty much the best [non-breakfast] pizza we’ve eaten in ages. And it really came about because in my typical frazzled manner one morning a few weeks ago, I forgot to take the pork chops out of the freezer for dinner. I called Kyle at home to take them out (he was off from work that day) and I came home that afternoon to find thawed flank steak. Silly boy.

So out of my stewing about the flank steak not being pork chops, I wrapped my brain around the idea of this pizza. And since I’m not one to toot my own horn [too often], I’ll just say that you’ll thank me after making this. Set atop your favorite pizza dough (this is ours – I really need to blog this recipe), you’ll love how the ingredients all come together almost as if it’s a dinner at a pricey steakhouse. The flank steak is tender, the fresh asparagus adds a little bitterness, the Gorgonzola (and some mozzarella) melts all over just like a decadent Gorgonzola sauce over filet mignon, and the béchamel sauce base is rich and silky. Basically, it’s perfection.

Steak, Shaved Asparagus, and Gorgonzola Pizza
source: Smells Like Home original, sauce adapted from Spinoccoli Pizza

Ingredients:

For the bechamel sauce:

1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

For the pizza:

1/2 batch pizza dough
8 – 10 oz flank steak, cooked medium and sliced thin across the grain
6 asparagus stalks, shaved lengthwise with a vegetable peeler
3 oz crumbled Gorgonzola
6 oz mozzarella, shredded
Cornmeal

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F with a clean pizza stone on the center rack of the oven for 30 minutes.
To make the bechamel sauce: Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Whisk in the milk until no lumps remain. Toss in the garlic and bring the milk to a simmer, stirring frequently until it begins to bubble and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the garlic and off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
To assemble the pizza: Once the stone is properly heated, roll the pizza dough out to a 14-inch circle on a well-floured surface. Sprinkle some cornmeal on a pizza peel or wood cutting board and transfer the dough round to the peel or board. Spread the sauce out over the pizza and sprinkle on half of the mozzarella cheese. Lay the steak on the cheese in one layer, spread the shaved asparagus out over the steak, sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella, and add the Gorgonzola. Remove the stone from the oven and sprinkle some cornmeal on the stone; carefully transfer the pizza to the stone. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Allow the pizza to cool on the stone for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

{ 3 comments }

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Pizza

May 9, 2012 · 9 comments

In 1988, my parents bought a boat. Overall, the boat served us well (in spite of all the money they sunk into it, no pun intended – you know how having a boat goes) and we spent many a weekend for the better part of 10 or 12 summers crammed into my parents’ 25-footer at our favorite little beach on Fire Island. Like camping, feeding a family on a small boat requires a good bit of planning; refrigeration is limited (think dorm-size fridge) or sometimes non-existent except for ice in coolers and if the beach/marina you’re staying at even has water available, your hook-up is done through a garden-like marine hose plugged into the side of the boat. Our showers were made possible by a sun shower that we’d let heat up on the dock all day then hang up on a nail in one of the stalls of the public bathroom to wash away the sand, salt, and sunscreen.

In a semi-distant but totally comforting way, this bacon, egg, and cheese pizza reminds me of Sunday mornings at the beach. For the most part, my mom packed food for breakfast – our electric griddle was king – but on a rare Sunday, after giving in to our pleading and whiny voices (dad included), she would allow my dad (as we were always on a budget) to hit up the snack bar for freshly made-to-order egg sandwiches. He practically floated down the dock on the smell of cooking bacon and sausage wafting over the marina like a cartoon character drawn to his favorite food. Those sandwiches were rare, special, and so satisfying.

This breakfast pizza, being all of those sentiments, admittedly was Kyle’s idea. He gets me. He knows that I find it virtually impossible to find a decent freshly made egg sandwich sandwich (i.e., not microwaved – gross) anywhere near our home. This pizza idea is the brainchild of observing my frustrations all these years and it encompasses all that I [we] love in an excellent egg sandwich. Plus? It’s pizza. So yeah, two of my favorite foods wrapped up in one little package. Like I said, he gets me.

As with any pizza or egg sandwich, feel free to add whatever toppings you want. We went for bacon, Monterey Jack, sautéed onions and peppers, and a whole bunch of fresh herbs. The key to this pizza is to make sure you push the pizza dough up the sides of a baking sheet so that the beaten eggs have a place to stay. It’s almost like making a quiche in that you don’t want the eggs leaking under the crust, else they will make it soft and difficult to remove from the baking sheet. Use a well-seasoned baking sheet if you have one and sprinkle on a little cornmeal before you put the dough down – don’t skip this step. The end result is a something magical: fluffy eggs, salty bacon, tons of freshness from the herbs, crispy pizza crust. It’s pretty much the perfect breakfast pizza and because we made a whole sheet pan of it, we had plenty of leftovers for breakfasts later in the week. I can see this being a great Mother’s Day breakfast project with a kitchen full of kids or even a quick through-together breakfast-for-dinner kind of meal during the week. Either way, this breakfast pizza is a big winner here: it evokes great memories for me and fills our bellies at the same time.

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Pizza
source: Smells Like Home original recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 batch pizza dough (we always use this recipe)
Cornmeal
6 eggs, beaten with 1 tsp water
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 strips bacon, cooked crisp and broken into 1-inch pieces
1/2 large onion and 1/2 bell pepper, sliced and sauteed in olive oil until soften, about 8 minutes
2 green onions/scallions, white and light green parts only, sliced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, stems removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Sprinkle a little cornmeal on the bottom of a 12″ x 18″ baking sheet. Roll or stretch the dough out to an approximately 14 x 18 inch rectangle (the dough will be thin so take care not to rip it). Drape the dough into the pan, stretching it out to and up the sides of the pan. Using a fork, prick the dough 10 or 12 times to reduce bubbling when baking.
Carefully pour the eggs over the dough (don’t let the eggs overflow), scatter half of the cheese, then the bacon, peppers and onions, and the remaining cheese. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Sprinkle the herbs over the hot pizza before slicing and serving.

{ 9 comments }

Queso Fundido with Chorizo

May 3, 2012 · 13 comments

Before seeing queso fundido posted here and there around the interwebs in the past few months, I don’t ever remember previously coming across it. Not on a restaurant menu or in a cookbook, in magazines, or on blogs. And even though the recipe was completely new to me, I knew I’d love it. I mean…it starts with queso and damn, I know that means cheese. I have no idea what fundido means but doesn’t it sound like a happy word?? (Actually, according to my Google search – go figure – it means molten or melted.)

And omgosh, this is a happy cheese dip. Smoky chorizo (thanks for the suggestion, Annie!) is mixed in with handfuls of cheese and more of the usual Tex-Mex suspects: onion, tomato, jalapeño, and cilantro. The chorizo actually cuts through all the cheese and adds a bit of needed “heft” to the dip. It’s a glorious combination of ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to pull together. And it was gone almost as quickly. Along with nearly an entire bag of chips. Salads really do pay off when dinner looks like this one. Our dip did turn out just a little runny and I’m pretty sure it’s because of the excess liquid from chorizo so make sure you drain it off before adding the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño. But honestly, this didn’t detract from the cheesy goodness at all. The recipe calls for “Mexican melting cheese” (see the recipe below) of which I could not find during my change-of-dinner-plans-on-whim grocery store trip, though I’m sure stores like Whole Foods or ethnic food marts definitely carry one of them. If you’re still planning out a menu for Cinco de Mayo on Saturday, add this one to it…otherwise, it works just as perfectly with a beer for dinner in front of the baseball game on a random weeknight.

Queso Fundido with Chorizo
source: adapted from Rick Bayless in Fine Cooking and Fiesta at Rick’s via Annie’s Eats

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive or canola oil
2 chorizo links (about 6 oz total), 1/2-inch diced
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 large jalapeño or 2 large serranos, seeded and diced
3 tbsp tequila (optional – we forgot to add it)
8 oz Mexican melting cheese like Chihuahua, quesadilla or asadero (or a combination of Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar)
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

Heat the oil in an 8- or 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes; drain off most of the liquid. Add the tomato, onion, and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften and brown, about 7 minutes. Add the tequila (if using) and cook, stirring, until reduced to a glaze.
Sprinkle in the cheese. Stir slowly and constantly until just melted then stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately in a warm dish with chips for dipping.

{ 13 comments }

Baked Chicken Burritos with Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce

May 1, 2012 · 7 comments

I start off most of my mornings with a cup of coffee. Sometimes I make it at home. Sometimes it’s on the run on the way to work or on the way home from the gym, which happens before work and usually involves a LOT of rushing around. But it’s part of my routine and even though I look like a whirling dervish most mornings on my way out the door (like this morning when I dropped my laptop in an effort to muscle my way through the door at 6:30am with my purse, work bag, gym bag, and laptop bag strung over my arms), I’m happy with my little routine.

My afternoon routine is much more serene. Come home, make dinner, relax…except on Tuesdays and Thursdays when I meet with my trainer at 4:00. By the time I pull myself into the house, it’s all I can do to move. She’s insane. So it’s those nights where throwing a simple meal together or reheating leftovers works best. These baked burritos serve both purposes. On the table in about half and hour and filled to the brim with Tex-Mex-y ground chicken and black beans, this meal rejuvenates my weary body. The sour cream-poblano sauce is spicy and cool at the same time and it’s a genius sauce since it reheats perfectly for leftovers. And speaking of leftovers, these burritos reheat like champs. The recipe yields 4-5 large burritos so you can bake all of them then reheat leftovers quickly in the microwave and throw them in the oven to crisp up the tortillas. It’s pretty much my favorite meal from over the past few weeks and I may even make a big batch this weekend to have in the freezer at the ready on those crazy kinds of days.

Baked Chicken Burritos with Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce
source: adapted from Elly Says Opa!

Ingredients:
For the burritos:

1 tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 lb ground chicken
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water or beef broth
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 tsp brown sugar
Kosher salt
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
4-10 whole wheat tortillas, depending on size (4 for burrito-sized, more for soft taco or fajita sized)
Cooking spray

For the sour cream-poblano sauce:

2 poblano peppers
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2/3 cup chicken broth at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream (light is fine) or non-fat Greek yogurt
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF and spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
To make the burritos: Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and then add the oil. Once hot, add the onions and cook for 3-5 minutes until they begin to soften. Place the ground chicken in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned. (At this point, drain any excess fat if necessary/desired). Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 30-60 seconds before adding in the beans. Add the water or broth, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, brown sugar and salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon). Reduce heat and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Place 2 tablespoons of the cheese at the end of each tortilla (depending on size) and then spoon some of the beef and bean mixture over the top. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla in, and then roll the tortilla up, from the end closest to you, to the top. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet and lightly spray the tops of the burritos with cooking spray. Bake for about 20 minutes, until tortillas are golden brown and crispy.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Place the poblanos directly over a gas burner. Using tongs, turn occasionally until skin is blackened on all sides. Place in a bowl and top with plastic wrap or a clean towel, until cook enough to handle. (Alternatively, you can roast the peppers under the broiler until all sides are well-charred.) Peel the peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and dice them.
Heat a small sauce pan over medium heat and melt the butter; stir in the flour and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and then the diced poblano; continue to simmer, whisking frequently, until thickened. Stir in the sour cream/yogurt and warm through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the sauce over the baked burritos.

{ 7 comments }

American Sandwich Bread

April 24, 2012

Is there nothing more satisfying than a warm loaf of freshly baked homemade bread? Not in my book and apparently, not according to so many of you who entered the KitchenAid Mixer giveaway last week and told us that the first thing you would do with said mixer is make homemade bread. Well folks, [...]

10 comments Read more!

Healthy Turkey Tacos

April 20, 2012

Tacos were pretty much an every-week staple at my elementary school growing up. And I remember this being a crazy popular lunch day but I don’t remember eating them at school. In hindsight, my brother and I were lucky kids; our mom was a work-at-home mom (almost unheard of in the 80s) and she had [...]

7 comments Read more!

[CLOSED] KitchenAid 6qt Stand Mixer Giveaway

April 17, 2012

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. Can you believe that we’re celebrating 5 years of blogging here at Smells Like Home today?! FIVE YEARS. Five years of sharing my favorite recipes, kitchen adventures, and photos (if you want a laugh, check out the archives) with you. Five years of reading your awesome comments and visiting so [...]

656 comments Read more!

Tomatillo Chicken Fajitas

April 13, 2012

Last summer, I fell head over heals in love with salsa verde. Like, so in love that tomato salsa could never again compare. I was relatively new to using tomatillos and I was floored by how pan roasting them imparted such a smoky sweetness to the salsa. Add some garlic and a big handful of [...]

7 comments Read more!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Ice Cream

April 10, 2012

Some things in life are worth waiting for. Warm towels from the dryer on a cold winter morning. Baseball season after 5 long months of off-season blues. Hydrangea bushes with bright blue blooms in late June. Oatmeal raisin cookie ice cream. Oh my goodness, where has this ice cream been all my life? Actually, I’ve [...]

13 comments Read more!

Pasta Bolognese

April 6, 2012

Grill update: The grill has arrived. The grill is still standing, boxed and in pieces, in the driveway. Sanity update: Crazy. Seriously, I can’t wait for this grill to be put together! Today is the day though, when Kyle has a full morning off to fuss with putting it together. He’s already requested christening it [...]

1 comment Read more!

← Previous Entries