Obsessed | 20something cupcakes

Archives For Obsessed

make-your-own pizza party.

March 3, 2011 — Leave a comment

You’ve already heard me wax poetic on the subject of homemade pizza night.

And while Daniel and I do consider ourselves as the only guests enough to constitute calling it a party, there’s no doubt that the old adage “the more, the merrier” also applies.

We’ve been wanting to host a make-your-own pizza party for some time now, but I never could quite figure out how to do it with just one lonely pizza stone. The solution? This great new pizza dough recipe I recently discovered that makes perfectly thin and crispy crust in a baking sheet. Brilliant! Lord knows I’ve got plenty of those.

I found the pizza dough recipe through this fabulous three-cheese pizza recipe with pancetta and mushrooms, which I’ve adapted below. I doubled it and added more toppings (arugula and Prosciutto – feel free to add your own favorite ingredients) to make 4 pizzas, serving 6-8 people (which for us was more like 4-6 – ha!).

Everyone had so much fun getting in the kitchen and playing chef. I loved it because I had everything prepared in advance, and thus had plenty of time to enjoy with our guests.

Get all of your cheese-shredding and sauce-making done earlier in the day, and then bring them out before guests arrive.

Same with the preparation of the toppings.

{Though you may want to let guests know that the pancetta is a topping and not an hors d’oeuvre – note the half-eaten bowl of it in the back!}

Our friends couldn’t believe how easy it was to make homemade pizza – and you won’t either! As long as you give yourself a little time to make the dough in advance and get your prep work done, you’ll be spending minimal time in the kitchen.

{Leaving maximal time for cocktailing}

Happy pizza-making!

Three-Cheese Pizzas with Assorted Toppings

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis via Bon Appétit

Pizza dough {double recipe below to make 4 pizzas}

2 1/2 cups marinara sauce {store-bought or homemade}

2 cups coarsely grated Fontina cheese

2 cups coarsely grated mozzarella cheese

1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 (8-ounce?) package sliced baby bella mushrooms

6 ounces thinly-sliced pancetta (Italian bacon), coarsely chopped

2 cups arugula

6 ounces Prosciutto, torn or chopped into large pieces

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

First, prep your ingredients. Get your cheeses grated (I recommend using a food processor) and set aside. (I grate my own Fontina and Parmesan and typically buy the mozzarella pre-shredded – if I use fresh, I will slice it rather than shred it.) If you’re making your marinara, do that ahead of time and set aside.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add pancetta and sauté until crispy. Remove to a paper towel to drain, leaving rendered fat in the pan. Add mushrooms to the pan, season with salt, and sauté until the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned. Set aside.

When you’re ready to make your pizzas, reheat oven to 475°F. Line 4 large baking sheets with parchment. Divide dough into four equal pieces. Roll each onto a lightly floured surface to form a 13 1/2 x 8 1/2-inch (approximately!) rectangle. Transfer to baking sheets. Spread marinara sauce over each pizza, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cheeses and preferred toppings (except for the arugula, which should be added after baking) on top. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake pizzas until brown on bottom and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Cut each pizza crosswise into rectangles and enjoy!

Pizza Dough

From Giada De Laurentiis via Bon Appétit

3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 cups (or more) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Pour 3/4 cup warm water into small bowl; stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Brush large bowl lightly with olive oil. Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons oil; process until dough forms a sticky ball. Transfer to lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is very sticky, about 1 minute. Transfer to prepared bowl; turn dough in bowl to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Roll out dough according to recipe instructions. (Start in center of dough, working outward toward edges but not rolling over them.)

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Let come to room temperature before proceeding.

french women don’t get fat.

February 27, 2011 — 2 Comments

We’ve all heard it before. But what is the real secret of the mysterious French woman? You know – the one who takes pleasure in rich custards, luxurious foie gras, countless pastries and croissants, and basically anything her heart desires?

I’ll give you a hint. There is a phrase above that’s part of the answer.

“Who takes pleasure.” That is part of the secret, the elusive mystery behind it all. And it’s really nothing new.

We’ve talked here about portion control. Yes, portion control is also part of the solution. In fact, I really like Mireille Guiliano’s (writer of the book who started it all) “50 Percent Solution,” where she suggests women should ask themselves, “If I were to eat half of what’s being offered to me right now, would I still be satisfied?” Sometimes the answer is no, but more often than not, it’s yes.

If it’s not possible, then you continue to ask yourself the same question when you’ve already eaten half. So you eat half of your meal, then you ask yourself, “Can I eat half of what’s now left and be content?” The theory is that if you continue to break it down this way, you’ll never end up eating your entire plate. While the word “never” may be a misfit in this sentence, I understand the theory, and I bet it works much of the time. The reason is that it’s forcing you to slow down and really think about what you’re eating.

But the other part – the pleasure part. This is the larger part, I believe, of the real reason French women don’t get fat. Because when you start to truly take pleasure in your food, the portion control falls naturally into place.

Instead of mindlessly scarfing down your food, savor it. Focus on each flavor, each texture. Chew slowly. And if you’re going to savor it, that means it has to be good. French women certainly aren’t getting down with McD’s.

Mireille suggests that one should eat with all five senses in order to truly appreciate one’s food and feel satisfied. I love this quote: “Just as they have an uncanny knack for using the same scarf to create a different effect by draping it over the head, neck, shoulders or waist, in the kitchen, they master a few basic preparations, and leave the rest to improvisation, the art of tweaking an old stand-by into seeming different. They do it by slightly altering the preparation or seasoning, by turning what is usually an entrée into an appetizer, or by transforming lunch left-overs into something rather different for several later meals.”

French women have that knack for style, not only in fashion but with food as well. Love that.

I haven’t yet read Mireille’s book, but it’s hard to feel the need to as her website is so full of great information. If any of this interests you, I strongly suggest spending some time with it. She has so many great tips on a variety of subjects, and I love the fun facts about French culture and life she throws in.

Here’s a favorite manifesto: French women typically think about good things to eat. American women typically worry about bad things to eat.

Food for thought!

Has anyone read the book? I’d love to know what you think.

In Obsessed february in france, healthy lifestyle, the no-diet diet

julia child’s french onion soup.

February 26, 2011 — 3 Comments

Growing up, I was very close to my grandmother, and one of my favorite memories involve the most adorable French bistro we used to lunch at on the weekends.

Le Petit Jardin, translating to “the little garden,” felt like something out of a fairy tale for me. It was tiny, it was authentic, and eating there felt special. I think this may have been the start of where my love affair with all things French began. I remember when my grandmother went to France when I was very young, and I was so excited when she brought me home the most fabulous gifts, including a book from the Louvre that I could never put down. When I had to pick a foreign language to learn in the third grade, the choice was easy: Français, s’il vous plaït. I’ll never forget – my favorite shirt that I simply had to wear the first day of school was from this little white tee that had giant purple polka dots all over, and the word “Bonjour!” was printed right above each dot.

I was already obsessed. With a place I’d never been, and truthfully couldn’t have known much about, but something about it just mesmerized me. I went on to take French for another eight years, and I was considered fluent in high school, at which point I’d taken it as far as I could. I’ll never forgive myself for not continuing to take in college. When I did finally go to France after graduating college, I could get myself around, but I’d love to be fluent again. There’s always the Rosetta Stone, right?

So, in memory of my grandmother, who shaped who I am in countless ways and who I think of everyday – I bring you one of our favorite French dishes: Onion soup.

Because if there was something my grandmother loved to eat more than chocolate, it was cheese. (Yes, I clearly inherited this from her as well.) There was nothing better than all of that crispy, crunchy layer of golden-brown cheese we’d get on the top of our French onion soup.

C’est magnifique!

Soupe a’ l’Oignon

From Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking via Smitten Kitchen

1 1/2 pounds or about 5 cups of thinly sliced yellow onions
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon oil
A heavy-bottomed 4-quart covered saucepan
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar (helps the onions to brown)
3 tablespoons flour
2 quarts boiling brown stock, canned beef bouillon, or 1 quart of boiling water and 1 quart of stock or bouillon
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons cognac
Rounds of hard-toasted French bread Gratinéed with Cheese (see recipe below)

Cook the onions slowly with the butter and oil in the covered saucepan for 15 minutes.Uncover, raise heat to moderate, and stir in the salt and sugar. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes stirring frequently, until the onions have turned an even, deep, golden brown. Sprinkle the flour and stir for three minutes.

Off heat, blend in the boiling liquid. Add the wine and season to taste. Simmer partially covered for 30 to 40 minutes of more, skimming occasionally. Correct seasoning. Set aside uncovered until ready to serve. Then reheat to a simmer. Just before serving, stir in the cognac. Use following instructions for a baked cheese top.

Soupe a’ L’Oignon Gratinée {Onion Soup Gratinéed with Cheese}

The preceeding onion soup
A fireproof tureen or casserole or individual onion soup pots
2 ounces Swiss cheese cut into very thin slivers
1 tablespoon grated raw onion
12 to 16 rounds of hard toasted French bread
1/2 cups grated Swiss, or Swiss and Parmesan cheese
Olive oil or small bits of butter for topping

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Bring the soup to the boil and pour into the tureen or soup pots. Stir in the slivered cheese and grated onion. Float the rounds of toast on top of the soup, and spread the grated cheese over it. Sprinkle with the oil or butter. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven, then set for a minute or two under a preheated broiler to brown the top lightly. Serve immediately.

In Obsessed february in france, french recipes, julia child, soups

croque monsieur.

February 12, 2011 — 4 Comments

To say that this is the ham and cheese sandwich of all ham and cheese sandwiches would still not be enough.

I’ve been dying to make it for such a long time. Seeing it on “It’s Complicated” with Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin (great movie, by the way) reminded me of my plans to make the French bistro classic at home.

The idea of it is just everything I could ever want for two pieces of bread.

To start, there’s tons and tons of melty Gruyère – which is one of my absolute favorite types of cheese. A thick, rich Béchamel sauce loaded with even more Gruyère is poured right over the sandwich before it gets covered in cheese; then, off it goes into the oven where the top gets broiled to a golden-brown perfection. This is the beauty of the sandwich: Whereas a regular grilled cheese holds its namesake ingredient in its middle, here the cheese is mostly on the outside, lending itself to that crispy-crackling we all love so much. And yes, there’s ham too – and though it’s not the star of the show, it does add a nice saltiness that contrasts with the mild nuttiness of the cheese.

Where does the name come from? Well, croquer means “to crunch or crisp”, and monsieur means “mister”, but that’s about as far as the explanation goes. No one is exactly sure where it originated, but it’s been a mainstay on the menus of countless French cafés for decades. It’s frequently made on the stove in a frying pan, like many French recipes. I do like, however, that Ina’s version below uses the oven – it’s simple and easy to clean up. Traditional versions may not include a Béchamel, and are thus more similar to a classic grilled cheese. You can also add a fried or poached egg on top, and you have yourself a croque madame – which sounds pretty incredible, as a fried egg improves just about anything in my book.

Be sure you don’t use too much cheese inside the sandwich, or it won’t melt properly; most of the cheese, as mentioned above, should go on top of the sandwich. Also, you need to make sure your Béchamel covers all of the edges of the bread so that when it goes under the broiler, the edges don’t burn like mine did.

Serve with a simple green salad and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and I’m in heaven as far as lunch goes.

Or dinner, for that matter.

Croque Monsieur

From Ina Garten

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyère, grated (5 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Dijon mustard
8 ounces ham, thinly sliced {I used Black Forest}

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyère, and the Parmesan and set aside.

To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.

Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyère. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Makes 8 small sandwiches, depending on the type of bread you use.

In Obsessed february in france, french recipes, gruyère, ina garten, lunching, sandwiches

pan bagnat.

February 3, 2011 — 5 Comments

My first thought as I bit into this beautiful sandwich?

Oh. My. God.

I am in love with this sandwich. I could eat it every day. Or, at least, every weekend.

There’s something very special about pan bagnat. First of all, it’s a salade Niçoise sandwiched between two halves of a French loaf. How can you go wrong? You’ve heard it before – it’s my absolute favorite salad, and though you can make one in any number of ways, here I opted to take the classic approach.

The sandwich gets its name from “pan banhat,” which means “wet bread” in the Provençal dialect spoken in and around Nice. The bread is wet because the salad is doused in any combination of olive oil, lemon juice, and vinegar before it is placed in the bread. The bread then soaks in all of the moisture, swelling up with all of those delicious flavors. Lastly, the sandwich is pressed, causing all of those salty, briney, and undeniably fresh flavors to meld together one last time.

I took a few liberties with the recipe I used below, and you can feel free to do the same. That’s what I love about this sandwich: It can be tweaked endless ways. You could use arugula leaves instead of the basil – though I don’t know if I’d recommend it, as I really loved the basil – and many opt to add bell pepper.

It’s light, yet totally satisfying – and quite elegant, as far as sandwiches are concerned. I can’t wait to re-create this masterpiece of Provençal flavors all summer long.

Bottle of preferred rosé NOT optional.

Pan Bagnat

Adapted from Bon Appétit

1 1-pound loaf French bread, unsliced {either a long one, or you could use a circular French boule – though you may need two depending on how big they are}
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup basil leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
2 6-ounce cans tuna packed in olive oil, undrained
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pitted assorted brine-cured olives {I used tiny Niçoise olives and left them whole}
1/2 cup chopped red onion
Juice from half a lemon
Splash red wine vinegar
2-3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

Slice bread in half lengthwise. Using hands, remove interior of loaf – just like “scooping” a bagel. Brush interior of both halves with olive oil and line with basil leaves.

Combine undrained tuna, tomatoes, olives, onion, lemon juice, and vinegar in a bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture evenly into bottom bread shell. Top mixture with eggs, cover with top half of bread and wrap tightly with plastic. Top the sandwich with a heavy baking pan and place heavy cans inside to weigh it down. Let stand at least 20 minutes.

Unwrap pan bagnat and cut into slices. Place on platter, garnish with basil sprigs, and serve.

In Obsessed february in france, french bread, french recipes, lunching, sandwiches

mushroom + brie omelet.

December 20, 2010 — 1 Comment

They say making an omelet is the true test of a chef.

And I get that, because omelets are a tricky thing. I’ve personally never been one to follow the instructions very well. The part where you’re supposed to “stir gently” until the bottom sets…that’s where I usually screw it up. I never want to stir – I just want to let it sit and cook until it gets nice and golden (read: burnt) and then flip it on over.

With this omelet, however, I had to go for it. Mushrooms and Brie call for best efforts, in my opinion – so that’s what I gave it. The results were pretty fantastic. Not perfect, but a huge improvement. The one thing I found a little different about this omelet was that the filling was added to the top rather than placed inside of the folded eggs. For me, this totally added to the beauty of the presentation, as those luscious mushrooms and perfectly melted Brie weren’t designed to be hidden.

Mushroom + Brie Omelet

Adapted from Food & Wine

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 shallot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 large eggs {I used 6 whole eggs, and 1 cup egg whites}
2 tablespoons milk
4 ounces Brie cheese with rind, cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Preheat the broiler and position a rack 8 inches from the heat. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and shallot, season with salt and pepper and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the butter and keep warm.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and a pinch of salt and pepper. If you want to substitute egg whites for part of the recipe, 1/4 cup egg whites is equal to approximately one egg. In a large nonstick skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the eggs and cook over moderate heat, stirring gently, until the bottom is set but the eggs are still soft in the center, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold the omelet into thirds and slide onto a heatproof platter.

Pour the mushrooms over the omelet and top with the cheese slices. Broil for about 30 seconds, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve right away.

In Obsessed, Weekend Brunch

the ultimate {brunch} pizza.

December 10, 2010 — 1 Comment

This pizza is a total game-changer.

We all know how delicious homemade pizza is, but once you try this – there may be no going back.

To pepperoni or mushrooms, that is.

Now whenever I think of making pizza at home, all I can think about is eggs. And bacon. Scallions, and shallots. Lots of fresh herbs. These are the things my homemade pizza dreams are made of.

If the idea of eggs on a pizza doesn’t thrill you off the bat, you have another thing coming. Something huge. Because if you’re anything like me – as in you love breakfast, you’re obsessed with pizza, you sometimes eat pizza for breakfast, or frequently…just sayin’ – you will find true love in this pizza. It’s the best of both worlds, sure – but I don’t even feel that’s saying enough. You must taste it to believe it.

Daniel was staring at me so intently with such a crazed look on his face while devouring this pizza; the pizza seemed to be driving him mad, but in a good way – the type of madness that one associates with being crazy in love. Yes, he was madly in love with a pizza. A breakfast pizza. And of course, I heard a lot of, “this is the best thing I’ve ever eaten,” {I know, we’ve all heard that one before} and even more of, “people would travel miles and miles for pizza like this.”

I have to say, I couldn’t argue – not even with a mad man.

Breakfast Pizza

Recipe via Smitten Kitchen, adapted from The Big Sur Bakery

Makes 2 (12-inch) pizzas. What you will need: an electric mixer for the dough (though you could go old-school if you wanted), a pizza stone and peel (though again, you could probably use a good ol’ sheet pan and just make it into a rectangle), some time the night before to make the dough, and perhaps a bottle of champagne for enjoying while cooking, as well as serving – it’s pretty magical with the pizza. Though I found these toppings to be perfectly outrageous, you surely could switch it up to your tastes, or what you have on hand.

1/2 teaspoon dry active yeast
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons bread flour, plus more for dusting
Kosher salt
6 strips bacon
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 cups grated mozzarella
6 large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced chives
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced

The night before, prepare the dough:

Place 3/4 cup lukewarm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle in the yeast, stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt and mix on low for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes, then increase the speed to high and mix until a smooth dough forms, about 2 minutes more. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide into two equal pieces and form each half into a tight ball. Place on a large floured sheet pan, place the pan in a plastic garbage bag, tie the bag loosely and refrigerate overnight.

One to two hours before baking, place the dough in a warm spot. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and set a pizza stone on it. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees 30 minutes before you are ready to bake the pizza.

Prepare the dough and toppings:

Fry the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Cool on a paper-towel-lined plate; roughly chop.

Dip your hands and a ball of dough into the flour. On a lightly floured countertop, pat the dough into a disc with your fingertips, then drape the dough over your fists and carefully stretch it from beneath to form a 12-inch circle.

Generously dust the surface of a pizza peel or large inverted sheet pan with flour and place the stretched dough on it. Sprinkle the dough with half of the Parmesan, mozzarella and bacon. Crack 3 eggs over the top and season with salt and pepper.

Bake the pizza:

Shake the pizza peel slightly to make sure the dough is not sticking. Carefully lift any sections that are sticking and sprinkle a bit more flour underneath, then slide the pizza directly onto the baking stone in one quick forward-and-back motion. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. When the crust is golden, the cheese is melted and the egg yolks are cooked, use the peel to transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Sprinkle half of the parsley, chives, scallions and shallot on top. Let cool for 2 minutes, slice and serve immediately. Prepare the second pizza in the same way.

In Main Dishes, Obsessed, Weekend Brunch bacon, eggs, i heart breakfast, pizza, smitten kitchen obsessed

sangria + tapas.

November 10, 2010 — 7 Comments

Do you ever feel like you have *a ton* of favorite things?

I do.

I tend to get obsessive over the things I love. Instead of saying, “I really enjoy sangria and tapas,” I feel it’s necessary to tell you that sangria and tapas is basically my favorite thing in the world.

And the thing is, I mean it. Don’t you worry about the fact that a good antipasti platter, the perfect margarita, and all things truffle are also my favorite. They still are.

Isn’t there enough love to go around? I don’t want to have just one favorite thing. Especially not when discussing food. Or cocktails.

Because, you know… Food and cocktails are my favorite.

Lucky for me, Daniel shares the same love of tapas and sangria as I do. And while we love going out to our favorite little Spanish restaurant for plate after plate of Spanish meats and cheeses, we’ve since discovered how very easy and perfect it is to create an equally delicious {albeit more simple} spread at home.

And you’ll be amazed at just how simple it is to throw together. Sangria is pretty difficult to screw up, and I think it’s fun because you can customize it according to your tastes, adding your own favorite fruits, and making it as sweet {or brandy-soaked} as you’d like. Remember, the longer you can make it ahead of time the better – that way, the fruit has time to soak up all of the brandy and wine.

The tapas are no more difficult; you can purchase most of your Spanish-themed goodies from the local deli or specialty foods shop. Just grab a block of Manchego, some Serrano ham, a few pre-marinated olives, and a container of Marcona almonds and you’re more than good to go (Whole Foods should carry it all). The marinated chickpea salad is just as easy; you likely have all of the ingredients already in your pantry, give-or-take the fresh herbs and scallions.

Perfect Sangria

A bottle of good Spanish red wine
Brandy {we used Spanish-brand Fundador}
Club soda or sparkling water {we used lime-flavored Pellegrino}
Sugar
Fruit of your choice (we used apples, pears, oranges, lemons, limes, and grapes}

Chop fruit into bite-sized pieces. If you’re using citrus fruits, I recommend peeling some of the oranges and sectioning them so you can eat the fruit as you’re drinking, whereas lemons and limes can simply be sliced with the skin left intact.

Place fruit in a pitcher – I like to use a glass one. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons {more or less, depending on how sweet you like it} over the fruit, and add a good pour of brandy to the pitcher. No need to overdo it, because you can always add more later. Let the fruit soak up some of that goodness from the brandy and sugar for a few minutes, and give it a nice stir.

Pour bottle of wine and about a cup or so of club soda into the pitcher. Give it a stir and a taste; add more brandy/club soda/sugar as necessary.

Tapas Plate

A nice loaf of country bread
Extra-virgin olive oil
Assorted marinated olives
Marcona almonds
Manchego cheese, broken into chunks
Marinated chickpea salad, recipe below

Marinated Chickpea Salad

Adapted from Real Simple

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 scallions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and black pepper

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Still hungry? Stay tuned for the next piece of this Spanish-themed pie… Paella!

In Cocktails, Dinner Party Worthy, Obsessed, Starters sangria, spanish, specialty cocktails, tapas, Theme Lover

our first homemade pizza night.

October 26, 2010 — 3 Comments

My favorite way to spend a Friday night is a pizza party. An adult one. With lots and lots of red wine.

That’s right. I said Friday night.

Call it what you want, but I’ll take a pizza party at home over a night out at the bar any time of the week. Particularly if there’s lots of red wine involved.

And so, this was our very first pizza party – homemade crust and all. In my {slightly neurotic} opinion, those Boboli crusts are for the birds. Homemade pizza night means just that: It’s all got to be homemade. That means dough and sauce. But don’t be afraid, my dears, because they’re both actually quite simple to make. The only tricky part, and it’s not even that tricky, is that you have to give yourself ample time to let the dough rise – about one hour.

You know what that means. More time for red wine-drinking.

So grab your favorite glass, fill it up, and let’s make some pizza. To start, here’s the super-simple crust. Did I mention it’s made with whole wheat flour? That makes it…you know, healthier. We can pretend we’re eating less calories now.

Like I said, this was my first attempt at pizza dough, and certainly not the last. I enjoyed it, though I have since made other crusts that I’ve enjoyed more {continue to stay on the lookout for a breakfast pizza that’s sure to majorly knock your socks off}. It is definitely a thicker dough, and I tend to prefer a thinner, crispier crust.

Some things that may make your life easier: a stand mixer, and a pizza stone. Don’t worry, though – you can live without. If you don’t have a circular pizza pan, you can use one of your cookie sheets and make a rectangular pizza. And if you’re feeling particularly lazy, you can buy pre-made pizza dough from your grocery store. They usually have it both in the freezer and in the bakery.

Pizzeria Style Semi-Whole Wheat Crust

via Sweet & Savory

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/3 cups warm water
1 package yeast
1/2 teaspoons salt

Combine water and yeast and let sit for a few minutes. Stir in salt and flour and mix on medium high for 5 minutes. I used my Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook. Drizzle in olive oil while it is mixing. When soft and elastic, remove from bowl and cover with more olive oil. Put back in the mixing bowl, cover with a dish towel and let it rise for 1 hour.

{Re-fill glass of wine here}

After it has risen, punch down and divide in half, to make two pizzas. With oiled hands stretch dough to cover pizza pan. Keep pressing with your fingers until it covers the pan.

And now for the sauce. It’s super-easy. There’s just no reason to buy the jarred stuff.

Pizza Sauce

via Big Girls, Small Kitchen

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 can crushed tomatoes, or whole tomatoes pureed in a food processor
6 basil leaves, coarsely torn
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of red pepper flakes

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, saute the garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil until fragrant, about 1 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced to about 2 1/2 cups. Add the basil, and season sauce with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes more, then turn off the heat and cool to room temperature. (You can make this 3-4 days in advance).

Makes about 2 cups sauce. If you have any leftover, you can always freeze it for next time.

And now, for the fun part. The toppings!

Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella, Sopressata, and Basil

1 ball pizza dough
3/4 – 1 cup pizza sauce
1 lb fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
6 oz sopressata or other Italian cured meat, thinly sliced
10 basil leaves

Pizza with Mushrooms, Shallots, and Scallions

{pictured in first photo}

1 ball pizza dough
3/4 – 1 cup pizza sauce
6 oz (3/4 cup) shredded whole milk mozzarella
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
3 scallions, chopped into large pieces
1/2 – 3/4 cup sauteéd mushrooms {7-10 minutes over medium-high heat in a bit of olive oil}

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. We made the pizzas one at a time so that we could enjoy each one right out of the oven. Spoon the sauce lightly over your first prepared dough and spread evenly across the top, almost reaching the edge of the crust. Add your cheese and toppings.

Pop the pizza into the oven {preferably on a baking stone} and bake for about 10-15 minutes, until the cheese starts to brown. Remove and let it chill for a minute, then slice, serve, eat, and repeat.

Go ahead, have another glass of wine. I’m not judging.

In Main Dishes, Obsessed mozzarella, mushrooms, pizza, pizza dough, pizza sauce, shallots, soppresata

fantasy friday: victoria beckham fall 2010.

October 22, 2010 — 5 Comments

I think if I were a fashion designer, my clothes would look like those designed by my number one style icon.

And it’s not just because I find her to be the chicest, most glamorous woman ever to exist. It’s really about the clothes. They’re everything I could ever ask for. Perfectly simple and sleek, with just the right combination of classicism and edge.

We’re all familiar with her masterfully-created sheath dresses that give a new meaning to the word body-con, but this season she really kicked it up a notch. She took that impeccable fit and construction she does so well and added to it the most interesting twists and drapes. Of course, I loved her use of the color of the color of the season {it’s red, in case you’ve been hiding in a hole somewhere} and I was equally mesmerized by the addition of sparkles and shine to the line.

There’s no doubt she knows how to style a collection, but this one has to be one of my personal favorites. The shoes are everything. And I’m feeling those round sunnies in a very big way.