Spinach-Feta Pizza

Yum! I loved this recipe. When I saw Rachael Ray whipping this up on her talk show, I knew I would be making it soon! I made a few changes- I used whole wheat tortillas for crusts instead of pizza crust. This saves on calories and we really like thin, crispy crust anyway. I also used grape tomatoes and baked them with the pizza instead of adding them at the end.

Spinach-Feta Pizza
3 T. olive oil
1 whole wheat pizza crust (I used 3 whole wheat tortillas)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bunches spinach
salt and pepper to taste
nutmeg to taste
1 c. feta
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella
1 pint cherry tomatoes

Brush crust with olive oil and bake until light brown (skip this step if using tortillas). In large skillet saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. After about 3-4 minutes, add spinach and cook until wilted. Spoon spinach over crust. Top with feta, tomato halves and mozzarella. Bake at 450 until cheese is bubbly.

Peanutbutter-Coconut-Chocolate Chip cookies

I wonder how many different cookie recipes I’ve made through the years?!?!?!?! I got my first cook book in 1st grade and have been baking and cooking since! In grade school I won a purple (or was it blue?) ribbon for my chocolate mint cookies. In 5th grade my science experiment was “Butter vs. Margarine”. We made chocolate chip cookies for our scientific taste test.

Well today I sought out to create my own cookie recipe. When cooking, it is very easy to create a new recipe successfully. When baking, it is a little more difficult. You have to have the correct ratio of ingredients or the cookies will be too flat, too cakey or worst of all…taste bad! Baking is a lot like a science experiment. I am very pleased to say that the cookies turned out AMAZING!

Peanut Butter*Coconut*Chocolate chip cookies

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

3/4 c. unsweetened, shredded coconut

1 1/4 c. flour

1 c. chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 325. Combine butters and cream. Add sugars, cream. Add egg and vanilla, combine. Add dry ingredients and mix. Add chocolate chips and fold in.

Bake for 8-12 minutes until golden brown.

I make cookies a lot. BUT-when I do make them I usually only bake one batch. This way I can roll the remaining dough into balls and freeze them for the next time we have unexpected guests

White Bean Dip with Pita chips

Another great recipe from the Everyday Italian book! The chips were especially good.

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips
4 pita breads, split horizontally in half (I used whole wheat)
2 T. plus 1/3 c. olive oil
1 t. dried oregano
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/4 t. pepper
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. loosely packed, fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used 1 T. dried)
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove

Preheat oven to 400. Cut or tear pita into wedges and arrange over baking sheet. Brush with 2 T. oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Bake 8 minutes turn over and then bake an additional 8 minutes or until crispy and golden.
Meanwhile combine beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic 1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper in bowl of food processor aand pulse. Gradually add remaining oil. Pulse and serve with chips.

White Bean and Tuna Salad

I am working my way through the cook book, Everyday Italian, by Giada DeLaureniis. This recipe was great because it was all ingredients most people will have on hand. This would be great alone, on salad greens or even in a wrap or sandwich.

White Bean and Tuna Salad
2 (6 oz.) cans tuna packed in olive oil
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium red onion, sliced
6 T. red wine vinegar
*optional-grape tomatoes and fresh basil leaves

Combine ingredients in bowl and serve!

Greta and Miles rating: They both really liked this.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars

For the past 2 years my Mother has done an awesome job in selecting cook books as Christmas presents. This year it was Ania Catalano's Baking with Agave Nectar. I am having so much fun working through this book! This latest recipe was very, very good. I highly recommend these bars, and if you haven't yet used agave nectar as a sweetener, give it a try. You will be pleasantly surprised!

Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars
CRUST:
1/2 c. unsalted butter or non-hydrogenated butter substitute (I used coconut oil)
1 1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour
pinch of sea salt
FILLING:
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 c. light agave nectar
2 t. vanilla extract
2 T. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 t. sea salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed (I used 2 very large)
3/4 c. walnuts (I omitted)
1 c. grain sweetened chocolate chips or carob chips
1 c. dried, unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make crust use electric mixer or pastry blender to cream butter flour and salt. Press lightly into 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.
To make filling add filling ingredients together and pour over crust. Bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool , then cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

I searched everywhere for ideas for spring rolls. I pretty much came to the conclusion that you can fill them with whatever you like! These were delicious. The dipping sauce must be what people eat in heaven!! Enjoy, but keep in mind you can easily change these up with different veggies to suit your own taste.

Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

For the rolls:
cellophane noodles
6-8 sheets of rice paper
3/4 cup carrots, thinly sliced
3/4 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
splash of lemon juice
splash of soy sauce
fresh spinach


Prepare noodles as directed on packaging. Combine carrots and cucumbers in a bowl and toss with a little lemon and soy sauce. Soak rice paper in shallow dish of water for about 10-15 seconds or just until starting to soften. Only soak and fill one at a time. Place desired amount of spinach leaves on paper. Top with about 3 T. of carrot/cucumber mixture. Roll tightly like a burrito. Chill slightly in fridge. Slice in half to serve.

Peanut sauce

4 T. creamy peanut butter
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T. water
2 T. Olive oil
3 T. Soy sauce
1/8 t. fresh ginger, finely grated
1 T. plus 1 t. honey

Whisk all ingredients together and serve along side spring rolls in ramekins.

Cinnamon Cheesecake Squares

I found this recipe on the blog The Obsessive Cook. Tracey gave this recipe rave reviews and I knew I had to try it! She was right- these are delicious and everyone that tried these agreed. I will be making this again for sure! The coolest part of this recipe is that I know Tracey in real life. Go check out her blog :)

Cinnamon Cheesecake Squares
2 pkg. crescent rolls (I used reduced fat)
2 pkg. cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
1 T. vanilla
1 c. plus 1/2 c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1/2 c. butter, melted

Cover bottom of greased 9x13 pan with 1 pkg. crescent rolls. Combine cream cheese with vanilla and 1 c. of sugar. Spread over rolls. Cover cream cheese mixture with second pkg. of crescent rolls. Drizzle melted butter on top. Combine 1/2 c. sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over butter. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Cool and chill to serve.