Rosso Verde Pizza

Pistachios on pizza?!  No way!  I thought the same thing when my husband brought it home from the pizza place.  But between it, the sweet red peppers, and the pesto, it works.  You must try it!  This is my version. We came up with a fun name, it means Red Green Pizza in Italian.

Rosso Verde Pizza

grilled pizza dough or quick pizza dough

pesto

shredded mozzarella (or a blend of your favorite pizza cheeses)

sauteed diced red peppers

pistachios 

For this recipe I used pre-grilled pizza dough and cooked it in the oven.  For fresh grilled pizza follow instructions on the grilled pizza dough page.  You can also use the quick pizza dough recipe and top it.  

Preheat oven and stone to 450 degrees.  Place frozen pizza dough or rolled our fresh dough on a pizza paddle or flat cookie sheet. Frozen pizza doesn't need cornmeal, it won't stick but the fresh DOES.  Spread on the pesto. Use as much or as little as you like. 

Sprinkled on your grated cheese.

Add the red peppers.

Now, on to adding the pistachios.  We left ours whole but you could chop them up a little bit if you want but don't obliterate them.  You want the crunch.

Slide it onto the pizza stone. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.  Careful to watch your crust.  Brown is nice but at the end can quickly be too brown.

Slice and enjoy! 

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Bread (makes 2 regular loaves or 3 medium)

2 cups warm water (110 degrees)

3 teaspoons dry active yeast

6 Tablespoons honey

2 cups whole wheat flour ( I use half fine grind and half coarse grind)

1 teaspoon salt

5 -1/2  Tablespoons olive oil

5 cups bread flour

cinnamon

cornstarch

pure maple syrup

raisins (optional)

Dissolve yeast in warm water in mixing bowl. I use my KitchenAid mixer so I can use my dough hook for kneading. Add honey. Turn on mixer.  Add whole wheat flour, salt, olive oil.  Let mix some then add in bread flour a little at a time. It should come together. If not add flour if too sticky or a water (1/2 T at a time). The dough in the picture is a little dry so I added water.

Use on STIR or setting 2 on your mixer for 3-4 minutes.   (Add your raisins here if you want them.)

Roll dough into ball and place in oiled bowl. Place damp cloth or paper towel on top.  (Mine fell into bowl in this picture.  You'll do better I am sure.) Let rise in warm place for about 45 minutes.  

Pretty, now punch it!!

Divide dough into 2 or 3 pieces depending on if you are doing regular size loaves (2) or medium size loves (3.) Roll out into a rectangle a little wider than the length of your pan and about 1/2" thick.  

  Mix a little cornstarch and cinnamon in some pure maple syrup. Spread it on the dough but not quite to the edges.  Don't make it soupy or it will all squeeze out the other end!

 Mix it up.  No one wants to bite into a bunch of cornstarch.

Roll up from the short side, bringing edges in like a burrito to keep in the liquid. Pinch to seal and bake. The cornstarch will keep the liquid from escaping.

 Let rise for another 45 minutes.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes for regular Or 20 to 25 for medium. 

Use a serrated knife to cut this oh so moist bread.  I dare you to wait until its cool to dig in!

This bread stays moist for days and  I have even experimented with 5 cups of a 1/2 fine 1/2 coarse wheat mix and 1 to 1-1/2 cups of white.  Still moist days later!

You can freeze this bread whole or sliced.  Thawed, tastes just as good as fresh.
OR
Make it into French Toast!!

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #50

Welcome to Foodie Friends Friday Independence Day Red/White/Blue Foods Party!!

Last week's recipes that received the MOST VOTES.  I was honored to have my Fruit Swirl Coffeecake, chosen as one of them!

Please take a moment to read through the rules before getting started, Thank You!

*By linking up you agree that you read these rules and all photos/recipes are original and belong to you. You agree to allow Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications (Social Girls Media, LLC) to use photos, links, and recipes for reprint and/or republishing and distribution without monetary compensation to you. If photos & recipes are used, proper link backs to you will be included.

Adding Links back to Foodie Friends Friday and our Button is our only form of advertising to bring in more people to see YOUR recipes.

Please remember to do this. It benefits you! To thank you, we will continue to feature those with links throughout the year on various outlets.

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Thank you to everyone for making last week's Foodie Friends Friday Fruit Party a huge success. Did you see all the recipes that caught OUR attention last week? Check out the Host Favorites on the Daily Dish for links to all the recipes.

An InLinkz Link-up

Grilled Tarragon Marinated Steak

Grilled Tarragon Marinated Steak

1-2 pound flank steak (I used Sirloin Tip Steak)

1 Tablespoon Coriander/Tarragon Spirit Vinegar 

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce or Fauxy Sauce (Soy Sauce Substitute)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (La Chinata is the best!)

In a small bowl mix together all the ingredients. 

Pour into a zipshut bag and place meat inside   Marinade for at least 2 hours. Remove from fridge at least 15 minutes ahead.

Flank is great grilled over high heat.  For my thicker steak each time I moved it for the marks I put it on a new part of the grill but kept the heat medium.  My family (not me!) prefers theirs well done so I go a little slower.

You can baste with the marinade as you cook the meat as long as you put it in a pan and bring it up to a boil since you had raw meat in int.

Slice thin to serve.  Would be awesome in a sandwich! 

Chef Gaby also says you can slice thin and use as a stir fry, just be sure your wok is smoky hot!!

Spirited Vinegars

What are spirited vinegars?  They are vinegars infused with herbs, spices, flowers or fruits.  You can read more about spirited vinegars from Mountain Rose Herbs.  

Chef Gaby introduced them to me.  You can use them a few different ways.  The most common is marinades and salad dressings.  In this photo are L-R, Rosemary Vinegar, Coriander/Tarragon Vinegar, and Dill Vinegar.  They need to infuse for at least 2 weeks.  

Check out the Grilled Tarragon Marinated Steak for one way to use a spirited vinegar.

Bread and Butter Pickles

This is Aunt Martha's recipe for some easy pickles!! 

Bread and Butter Pickles

3 quarts cucumbers, sliced

1/2 cup salt

3 cups vinegar

3 cups sugar

3 onions, sliced

1/4 cup mustard seed

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

Bac'n Beans

I think these taste just like pork and beans but with bacon (which is technically still pork) so my husband came up with the name Bacon Beans but to take out the "o" and make it an apostrophe. 

Bac'n Beans

1 pound dry Great Northern beans

4-5 slices bacon, chopped

1/3 cup diced onion (1/2 cup if you chop instead of dice)

1 teaspoon dried sage

Two good pinches of red pepper flakes

4 Tablespoons tomato paste

2 Tablespoons honey

2 cups chicken broth

15 oz can tomato sauce

Place beans in large pot and cover with water.  Bring to boil and boil for 2 minutes.  Turn off heat and let sit covered for an hour.  Drain the beans and return to pot.  Cover with at least 2 inches of water and return to boil.  Simmer, covered, until the beans are soft.  Takes approximately an hour.  Drain.

Meanwhile in a smaller pan cook the bacon until nearly done. Drain off most of the fat.  Add onions.

Cook until golden brown and soft. 

Add red pepper flakes and sage.  Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste, honey, chicken broth, and tomato sauce.  Stir to combine and then pour into beans. 

Stir well. Cover the pot with an oven proof lid or two layers of foil. Cook at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 hours, removing cover for last 15 minutes.

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #49

Welcome to Foodie Friends Friday Fresh Fruit Party! 

Last week's recipes that received the MOST CLICKS. I was honored to have my dad's favorite dessert, CHERRY TORTE, chosen as one of them!

Please take a moment to read through the rules before getting started, Thank You!

*By linking up you agree that you read these rules and all photos/recipes are original and belong to you. You agree to allow Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications (Social Girls Media, LLC) to use photos, links, and recipes for reprint and/or republishing and distribution without monetary compensation to you. If photos & recipes are used, proper link backs to you will be included.

Adding Links back to Foodie Friends Friday and our Button is our only form of advertising to bring in more people to see YOUR recipes.

Please remember to do this. It benefits you! To thank you, we will continue to feature those with links throughout the year on various outlets.

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.foodiefriendsfridaydailydish.com/" title="Foodie Friends Friday" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj628/busyvegetarianmom/FFFDDButtonNEW150Darker_zpse238f637.jpg" alt="Foodie Friends Friday" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Thank you to everyone for making last week's Foodie Friends Friday Sweet Treats party a huge success. Did you see all the recipes that caught OUR attention last week? Check out the Host Favorites on the Daily Dish for links to all the recipes.

Garden Chowder

Garden Chowder

1-1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth ***
2 Tablespoons grated onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 cups diced sweet potatoes
3/4 cup frozen sweet corn (from the can is also acceptable)
2 cups thinly sliced fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste


Slice carrots thin (thinner than my photo here!) and dice sweet potatoes

In medium size pot add the sage (rub between your fingers to break up as needed), thyme, flour, milk, and chicken broth.  Whisk to disperse the flour. Dump in carrots, sweet potatoes, and onions.

Bring to boil, turn down to simmer stirring occasionally.  Simmer until veggies are soft.  My carrots took longer than the sweet potatoes so check them.  Slicing them thinner than I did will speed them along.  Look how the soup starts to turn a beautiful orange.   Takes about 30 minutes.  Be sure to stir here and there so it doesn't stick to the bottom.  Your chowder will lose a little liquid and thicken up nicely.

Add spinach (make sure to the cut the opposite way so they are not long strips) and corn and cook for 5 minutes more.  

Serve.

My husband likes meat in his soups so he added some grilled chicken to his.  

***Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.

Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746085560304/