Sometimes, cooking with kids is all about teaching them measuring, mixing and knife skills. We do this a lot. The kids and I talk about the different measurements we use and measure things out together. They are often the ones to whisk-shift dry ingredients for me or to stir together whatever needs stirring. But cooking with kids isn’t just about learning. It’s about having fun in the kitchen too. So other times cooking with kids is about letting go. I don’t do that nearly enough.

But I try. Last Friday, I’d been thinking of ordering a pizza all afternoon, but with the holiday season here and our budget already strained I just couldn’t justify spending the money. So, I did the next best thing: making homemade English muffin pizzas with the kids. Actually, Will and Paige did most of the doing and I just handled the oven, the hot tray and laying out the toppings.

See how happy they are? And they hadn’t even started doing anything yet. They love being in the kitchen and having a hand in whatever we’re eating. But they love it even more when they are super-hands-on for a meal, as with these English muffin pizzas.

With a simple, flexible ingredients list and a super-fast cooking time, these pizzas are perfect for an any-night treat. Of course, being easy doesn’t hurt either. Read the rest of this entry…

When Will stepped off the bus today, I was shoveling the mush at the end of my driveway (courtesy of the kindly town plows!) for the fourth time today. “Guess what, Mommy?” he asked. “What, Wills?” I answered. “I am going to go down to the house and get my snow stuff on and go right outside to play,” he answered. And off he went.

A few minutes later, I followed. And sure enough, when I stepped inside our hall, there were Will and Paige preparing for some fun in the snow. And who am I to say no to outdoor play? So off they went (I went outside too … there was still more shoveling to be done).

I love that my kids love to play outside. I love that they love it so much that they will take initiative and get themselves ready and out the door. And I love that they love to play outside together. I swear, sometimes Paige just waits for Will to come home to have that special play time together. I hope that never changes.

Tonight’s dinner was a Puffy Prosciutto and Tomato Pizza. Why is it puffy? Well, if you poke holes in the dough with a fork before adding the toppings, the center of the pizza doesn’t puff up … but if you skip that, you get this fabulously bready pizza that’s filling, firm and flavorful. This particular pizza uses diced tomatoes instead of pizza sauce, which is a practical thing … not only are the diced tomatoes sweet and lovely, but instead of only using a partial can of sauce, you use a whole (cheaper) can of diced tomatoes. (Remember, it’s winter here, so fresh aren’t really an option.) And the salty prosciutto is a lovely contrasting flavor … Yum.

Have a lovely weekend! Read the rest of this entry…

Readers, I promised you a great post and here it is … Please welcome Chris from Mele Cotte, who is guest posting for me today with a recipe for this delicious Pasta Pizza. Doesn’t that look incredible?!?

There are so many wonderful blogs out there. I am always amazed at the many new ones, how seasoned that are, as the entire “brandings” look as though the foodies behind the computers are anything but professionals. Then, I reflect my early years some four years ago. I was so green, in all aspects, from reading blogs prior to starting my own, my own posts, recipes, and the pictures. (Oh, those terrible cell phone pictures…ha! ha!)

Even so, I was diligent in keeping up with reading my favorites blogs. One of the first blogs I came across was, in fact, Cucina Bella. In the Bloglight (not in existence anymore) spotlighted Sarah in all her fabulousness. A month later, I began Mele Cotte, and continued reading and bookmarking Sarah’s recipes.

It wasn’t until I had the opportunity to work with her and Cate on the Well Fed Network that I got to “know” her (virtually) a little better. While she and I have yet to meet personally, I can’t help but I think of her like Sandra Bullock. You know Sandra is every bit as fabulous as she appears both on and off screen. And, that’s how I imagine Sarah – not only an amazing (professional) writer, but just as genuine in real life as she is on Sarah’s Cucina Bella. So naturally, when she put out the call for guest posters, I emailed immediately. Me! Me! It would be my privilege to write for Sarah!

Once it was set, I pondered. What I would write about that represented Sarah’s Cucina Bella well, and with respect? With Sarah’s Cucina Bella’s great balance of sweet and savory deliciousness for the adult and young palate, I really like that the posts targeted for families/kids treat the foods with reverence. The flavor profiles remind parents, and demonstrate to the kids, that it’s okay it is never too early to season a sophisticated appetite. Therefore, I wanted this post here today to portray the same. Hopefully, I will do Sarah’s Cucina Bella justice.

Have you been able to catch any of the new line up of the Cooking Channel? Has it been picked up by your local cable company? Luckily, Atlanta began running it and I was glued to the new, fresh shows on Memorial Day. Simultaneously, while reveling in its back to basics non-celebrity-like appeal, I participated in several tweet exchanges about the various shows, and noted recipes I wanted to try along the way. One specific recipe that made me lift by eyebrow was simple, yet (it seemed) tasty. In fact, it was reminiscent of a dish my mom whipped when I was younger, potato and egg pie; a dish I have always had difficulty replicating.

The chef, David Rocco brought a refreshing face to his Italian cooking; I am not sure what it is, exactly. Maybe his appeal was that he was in Naples. Maybe it was because he cooked with the fervor of my grandma. I don’t know. What I do know is that I bookmarked several recipes Dolce Vita recipes, including his Pasta Pizza.

Who doesn’t have left over pasta after a meal at home? Okay, me, but that’s only because I don’t eat pasta much anymore. Nonetheless, as an Italian girl, I loved how easy the Pasta Pizza recipe looked while being cooked on my TV screen. I thought, “I am ready”. Ready for what? Ready to try the “flip” technique again that has been the bane of my failed attempts as I unsuccessfully completed mom’s potato and egg pie. Luckily for me, and kudos to David, I flipped successfully.

I did tweak the recipe from its original specifications, adding my own Mele Cotte spin, and was delighted with the end result. Woot! Woot! Should you choose to try this recipe, which is extremely adaptable for any palate, I bid you a happy and healthy consumption. Finire di mangiare!

Sundried Tomato Pasta Pizza
Adapted from David Rocco’s Dolce Vita

1 1/4 cup cooked whole wheat elbow pasta
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup diced sundried tomato (that were packed in oil) plus extra for garnish
3 tablespoons the sundried tomato oil
1/4 cup fresh Basil Pesto
Salt

In a bowl, beat eggs with freshly grated cheese before tossing with leftover spaghetti. Make sure the spaghetti is fully covered with the egg. Add a dash or two of salt, to taste, noting that the leftover spaghetti is already seasoned with salt.

Heat the oil in a saucepan. To test oil temperature, drop a piece of spaghetti into the pan. If it sizzles upon contact, the oil is ready. Pour the spaghetti mixture into the pan and flatten it out like a pancake.

Fry for 2 minutes on high heat, or until golden brown. To flip the pasta, cover the pan with a plate larger than the pan, and hold it covered. Flip the pan and plate together to transfer the pasta onto the plate, then slide the uncooked portion back into pan and continue cooking for another 2 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove the pizza pasta from the pan and place it on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Serve warm or cold, topped with pesto and sundried tomato slices.

Ever wonder what two food loving gals who write about their favorite recipes every week would eat if they got together? Okay, maybe not, but seriously, it is an interesting thing. When food writers and bloggers get together, what do they eat? And when they aren’t blogging, how do they eat?

Last year, when I spoke at BlogHer Boston, I joined a group of food bloggers for a lovely dinner at Legal Seafood in Burlington, Mass. I had a lovely salad – Tortilla, Apple and Goat Cheese With Chopped Avocado and Shrimp. It was delicious. What was more interesting though, was seeing how everyone else ate. Sorry, I am not going to spill their eating habits though …

But me? I love desserts, particularly ones that involve moist cake and creamy frostings. I drink a lot of water, but have a serious Diet Coke addiction that I try to control. I love martinis and gin and tonics, but am more likely to order a glass of red wine — pinot noir or merlot, usually.

So what did Cate and I eat for dinner when I spent the weekend at her house? Pizza. But not just any pizza – a fab Pesto Shrimp Scampi Pizza. Cate devised the recipe on the fly — and it was amazing.

It started with some shrimp scampi. She whipped up the recipe so quick, using help from a Giada De Laurentiis cookbook, that I didn’t even have a second to ask her how to deshell shrimp (yes, it’s true — I have no clue how to do it). Read the rest of this entry…

Oh, the things I could say about pizza. It’s a family favorite around here. Will’s and Paige’s eyes light up when they see a pizza box. Heck, sometimes Will even requests pizza (the answer isn’t always yes, though). In any case, it’s something we enjoy together.

When I was planning this week’s meals, I realized that the extra chicken from our grilled chicken would be fantastic on a fresh mozzarella pizza. Onto the meal plan it went, and I set about to make it last night. When Will and Paige saw this pizza cooking on a pizza stone in the oven, there were shouts of sheer joy. I swear.

Usually I make pizza crust from scratch. I have two go-to recipes –one for a perfect thin crust and a cheese infused pan pizza crust that is wonderfully flakey. But this time, I went for speed, using a premade dough from my local grocery store. It’s a good substitute in a pinch.

The fresh mozzarella comes from a Norwalk, Conn., bakery and is handpulled. If you’ve ever used fresh mozzarella on a pizza, you know that it can make it watery. The secret to preventing that though is to drain the mozzarella on paper towel before using it. It only takes 5-10 minutes to get the cheese significantly less watery.

For the sauce, I have recently discovered Muir Glen’s Pizza Sauce. It’s got a good balance of herbs and flavors — not bland, but not overwhelming either.

As for the chicken, it’s leftovers from the other night when I broke down the chicken successfully. The basil comes from my garden. I tear it into strips by hand. So yes, this was pretty local.

Anyway, the result was a wonderfully crispy, thin crust pizza with a good amount of flavor infused throughout. The kids devoured it. Shawn and I did too. Total hit all around. We ate this with a nice green salad, tossed with blueberries and blue cheese. Mmm…

What’s your secret for a good homemade pizza?

Read the rest of this entry…

I love – LOVE – the ease of food that can do double duty. For instance, a roasted chicken like the one mentioned on the Everyday Food blog today can be Sunday dinner, Monday chicken tacos, Tuesday chicken and rice and Wednesday chicken salad. Talk about a blessing for a busy, harried mom — or any uber busy person.

That’s why I love this beef recipe. It doesn’t take long to throw together and it can feed a family of four for three meals. It’s adapted from a cookbook that I’ve had for several years, but rarely used, called Better Food for Kids. My version makes it a bit fresher and more to my style/taste.

Since you use it in different dishes, we didn’t get bored eating ground beef three times in a week. Will and Paige gobbled up the shepherd’s pie and devoured the beefy calzone that I made with this (see below for directions). And the bolognese was a huge hit too. Read the rest of this entry…

Will LOVES pizza. It is quite possibly his all-time favorite food, though he is still a little young to say for sure. Nonetheless, whenever I ask him what he wants to eat for dinner, the answer is usually pizza (or, as he says it, peet-za).

Knowing that my husband would be working tonight, I decided pizza would be our dinner of choice. At first I was just going to order a pie from our favorite place here in town, but then at work I started thinking about how easy it is to make. Even the dough is a cinch in the Breadman. So, after my doctor’s appointment today, I came home and threw the ingredients into the bread machine. I was reading through my go-to pizza dough book, The Best Pizza is Made At Home, when I noticed that this recipe actually makes enough for two 10-inch pizzas. So, I made sure to separate the dough and refrigerate one portions – yea for an easy dinner later.

Unfortunately, there were a few minor disasters on the way to the table. For one, the pizza stone developed this bizarre burnt section (it had appeared clean when I put it in there) leading me to believe that someone forgot to wash it last time. That’s the only explanation I can think of that makes any sense. Anyway, now I will be replacing that.

Onward and upward, I decided to use a nonstick baking sheet instead. No problem. Except that I let the pizza cook for about 5 minutes too long (Will was in the bath!) and it burned a bit on one side. Fortunately, it wasn’t ruined, just overcooked. And Will still enjoyed it.

To cook this pizza, top as desired and cook for 12-18 minutes in an oven preheated to 500 degrees. Let cool slightly before cutting.

2/3 cup lukewarm water
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups bread flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp active dry yeast

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a bread machine in the order listed. Set to dough (or pizza dough, if you have it) cycle. When it’s complete, divide and mold into pies. Freeze any unused dough.

My husband and I love to make pizza at home. We’ve been doing it for years, since we were dating.

At one point when we were dating we wanted to try whole wheat pizza dough but couldn’t find any premade to try. Enter The Best Pizza Is Made At Home. Of course, I made it once or twice (actually, the husband-then boyfriend- never even tried it) and then grew tired of it. The book was resigned to the bookcase to gather dust.

Years passed. We got married. We had a baby. I quit my job to stay home for awhile with Will (aforementioned baby) and freelance. Of course, money was tight. Really, really tight. Then I started cooking more (it saves so much money). And then I began digging through my library, trying whatever I could so that we could have a variety of homemade goodness.

That’s when The Best Pizza Is Made At Home reentered my attention. It costs only a few dollars to make pizza at home as opposed to $10 or more for a good pie around here . . . The result was a number of great pies, some of which were dished about here (yes, bad pun).

The Parmesan crust is among my very favorites. The deep dish is flaky and good. And of course the plain crust is great too. I am still looking forward to using a number of the other recipes – like the herb dough.

The point? If you love pizza and love to cook and want to cook pizza, then get this book because it is filled with a wealth of wonderful variations on pizza dough.

I made this lovely pizza for lunch today. It has just a bit of sauce, fresh basil, fresh smoked mozzarella, prosciutto, and sundried tomatoes on it. And boy, did the flavors ever mesh well together. The crust was 1/3 of a grocery store bought dough (the kind they have in the deli or bakery area).

Pizza is one of those foods that I just love. When I lived in Arizona briefly, that was the one thing that I missed most: good New York style pizza. Back then, I didn’t know much about making it and didn’t try. But these days, I know better and can work a dough with the best of them.

Sorry, there isn’t any exact accompanying recipe for this post.