Pepper Shooters

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Hot Pepper Shooters

If I had to choose a favorite new food item of 2014, Pepper Shooters would be it. I first had them when I was in the hospital after having Nathan, from a sandwich chain called Primo’s…

Their sandwiches are pretty much life-changing, as are these little bites of Heaven that they sell known as Pepper Shooters. From first bite I was hooked. So I thought it was only appropriate that I share this for my last recipe of the year!

Hot pickled cherry peppers that are hollowed out, then stuffed with chunks of sharp provolone cheese and proscuitto. You could also use other Italian deli meats – like capicola or thinly sliced salami. Whatever floats your boat! A little drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkling of dried oregano and you’re good to go!

They’re the perfect party appetizer. Either served alone, or with other cured meats, olives, and cheeses for to make a lovely antipasto platter. And, the best part is they only take a few minutes to throw together – which always makes for a winner in my book!

Hot Pepper Shooters

12 whole, hot pickled cherry peppers
6 ounces sharp provolone cheese, cubed
6 thin slices proscuitto or capicola ham
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano

Using a pairing knife, remove the tops of the cherry peppers and remove the seed membranes from inside leaving a hollow pepper to stuff.

Cut each piece of proscuitto in half and wrap around a cube of cheese. Place one meat-wrapped piece of cheese inside each pepper. Place on a serving dish.

Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle on the dried oregano. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Stromboli

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Homemade Stromboli

Since I’ve gone homemade, pizza Friday has long been the favorite night of the week at our house. There’s just something about making your own dough and sliding that pizza pie into the oven in your own kitchen that is so satisfying!

But, about once a month we like to turn our favorite pizzas into homemade stromboli. It’s a little different, and adds some variety! Dough is rolled out into a long oval, toppings and cheese are piled on, then everything is rolled up together and baked. Pizza sauce is served on the side for dipping, as opposed to inside the roll – which tends to make this Italian specialty soggy.

They’d be great for a party or Holiday get-together too, as they’re served as individual slices. I also love the fact that I can cook two of them in the oven at the same time. With pizza, I’m limited to one at a time.

Toppings can vary of course. I’ve found that when I use veggies, I like to give them a quick saute or roast first to release some of the moisture. I’ve done mushrooms, onions, and peppers that way to make a delicious veggie stromboli. But, I’d say our favorite variation is pretty traditional – deli pepperoni and salami with mozzarella and provolone cheese.  If I have some deli ham in the refrigerator I’ll occasionally add that in too. Whatever floats your boat – the only limit is your imagination!

Homemade Stromboli

2 balls pizza dough
cornmeal, for dusting
1/4 lb. deli-sliced pepperoni (sandwich sized)
1/4 lb. hard salami
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
12 slices Provolone cheese
olive oil
pizza sauce, for serving

Place pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 500 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornmeal. Set aside.

On a clean work surface, use your hands to spread pizza dough into a 12×6-inch oval. In the center of the dough, place the half of the sliced pepperoni, leaving a 2-inch border at the ends to wrap. Repeat with the half of the salami and half of the sliced Provolone cheese. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese on top, right down the middle.

Tuck the ends of the oval in on top of the cheeses. Then, take the flap of dough closest to you and fold it up and over the toppings, then tuck and roll the stromboli over. Seal the other side of the dough into the stromboli by pinching it closed with your fingers.

Carfeully place the stromboli on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat process with the remaining ingredients to make another stromboli.

Using a serrated knife, slash the top of the dough gently, 4 or 5 times to create pockets for air to escape. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil.

Carefully slide the parchment paper with the stromboli onto the hot baking stone. Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Serve with individual servings of pizza sauce.

Garlic Balsamic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

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Garlic Balsamic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

As summer officially winds down to a close, I’m trying to get as much time in on the grill as we can. Not that you can’t find me outside grilling in the middle of a hurricane, or a snowstorm (especially now that I have an awesome covered back deck!) – but there’s just something about the smell of the grill with a cocktail in hand on a summer evening.

I know you guys have got to be tired of seeing pork tenderloin recipes here, but I just can’t get enough of them. They’re a wonderful canvas to add all kinds of different flavors to, they’re healthy, and they cook relatively quickly – all strong points when it comes to our summertime menu.

This one incorporates the sweet, rich flavor of balsamic vinegar and plenty of pungent garlic. Using a good balsamic is key – you want one that is slightly thicker and has some body (I really like Il Villaggio’s brand for the price – you can find it online here, but I usually pick it up when I visit a higher-end grocery store). The pork is marinaded for an hour or so, or more if you have time – then thrown on the grill to cook and soak up even more delicious flavor.

I served with a side of our favorite garlic rice pilaf and steamed broccoli for a dinner that everyone in the family enjoyed. Also, leftovers were absolutely delicious when sliced thin and put on a sandwich the next day. Perfect summertime eating!

Garlic-Balsamic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

8 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 pork tenderloins (about 1¼ pounds each)

Combine garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over pork. Let marinade 1 hour, or up to 12 hours.

Heat grill to medium-high heat (425 degrees). Sear the tenderloins on all sides over direct heat, then grill for about 20-25 minutes, rotating every few minutes, until the internal temperature is 140 degrees. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

You could also certainly make this in your oven by searing the pork on the stovetop first, then finishing up in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Source: adapted from Kitchen Confidante

Skillet Baked Ziti

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Skillet Baked Ziti

It’s been a pretty crazy past few days around here. Baby #3 (we’ve decided to call him Nathan from here on out!) ended up being a week overdue before he finally arrived late Thursday afternoon. He is a big boy, born at 9 lbs 11 ounces and a whopping 21 inches!

nathan

We didn’t home until Saturday night, and are using this week to really get into our new routines and the general “swing of things” with a new baby around. The boys are adjusting just fine, very interested and inquisitive about every detail of Nathan’s life. I feel so lucky to have all these boys to take care of!

Back to this pasta – a cheesy “baked” pasta that’s ready in just a few minutes and only uses one pan – is pretty much a gift sent from the Gods for the crazy nights we have coming up in our future. It was so darned good too, I found myself picking off pieces of pasta for “one more bite” before we packed the leftovers away!

The pasta sauce is easy to bring together, using pantry staples. It gets a heavy dose of flavor from the addition of pork sausage, and richness from the addition of a bit of heavy cream. And I’d imagine that any pasta shape would be fine – although I happen to be partial to the tubular pastas like ziti and penne for these kinds of applications. The pasta is cooked in the sauce on the stove, then when it’s al-dente it’s topped with a good amount of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese that gets melted and browned with a quick trip to the hot oven.

Served with a quick salad and a crunchy piece of garlic bread, it’s too good to be such a delicious and easy weeknight meal. Make this one soon, guys!

Skillet Baked Ziti

1 lb bulk hot sausage (like Jimmy Dean)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
12 oz ziti
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
4 oz (about 1 cup) freshly grated mozzarella cheese

Heat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat, brown the sausage until no longer pink, about 4 minutes, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the water and ziti and stir to combine. Cover, increase the heat to medium, and cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, 15 to 18 minutes, until the pasta is just tender.

Remove from heat and stir in the cream, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, and 3 Tbsp of the basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan over the top, and transfer to the oven.

Bake until the cheese has melted and browned, and the sauce is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of basil and serve.

Source: ATK’s Pasta Revolution, via Pink Parsley