Nomgasm of the Day: Cauliflower Crust Pizza

A few girlfriends and I are going on a low-carb kick through the end of the year and decided we would meet one night a week to catch up and cook a fun, yummy dinner together. This no-flour pizza will most definitely be making an appearance on our menu.

I finally took a stab at making my very first homemade pizza last night!

Preparation was… a little traumatic. (Can someone tell me how you’re supposed to easily transfer the flimsy uncooked pizza to the burning hot pizza stone? Corn meal just did not do the job.) Other than that minor freak out, which involved me screaming in a frantic frenzy for Andrew to come help and grab every spatula in sight (la la la), the pizza itself turned to be really delicious! 

I think my next attempt may involve goat cheese and caramelized onions. Yum.

How To Make The Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

Sadly, this has taken me a few too many rounds of trial and error to nail down. But I got it now! Voila my 5 step fool-proof method:

1. Put the eggs in a large saucepan in a single layer and add enough water to cover the eggs by one or two inches.

2. Bring the eggs to a boil uncovered on high heat. (I usually add a pinch of salt, which supposedly helps prevent the eggs from cracking and makes them easier to peel later on).

3. As soon as the water starts to boil, immediately cover the saucepan and remove it from heat. Let the eggs sit covered for 15 minutes.

4. Transfer the eggs into a medium sized bowl filled with very cold ice water. Let the eggs cool for at least 5 minutes.

5. Once cooled, remove the eggs from the water. Peel and eat, or store unpeeled in the fridge for up to a week. Also, definitely get creative with your eggs - carvings, drawings, shell designs, etc. :)

My Recipe Binder

Oddly enough, this is one of my favorite possessions. It’s a 1 inch binder filled with a zillion recipes I’ve pulled from all sorts of different places (magazines, newspapers, blogs, food labels, word-of-mouth, etc) over the last few years.

It’s always fun to thumb through it and pick a random recipe to try.

Coconut Chicken Chili

This looks delicious. My boyfriend might be in for a yummy treat tonight.

(via saraplainandtall)

Shrimp Quesadillas with Tomato Avocado Salsa

I’ve been following Gina’s low-fat, low-cal cooking blog for a little over two years now, and let me tell you guys, she’s good, real good. She posted this easy and delicious-looking quesadilla recipe today, so I thought I’d pass it along.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 hass avocado, diced
• 1 lime, juice of
• 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 tbsp red onion, finely minced
• 16 large shrimp, cleaned and deviened 
• cumin
• garlic powder
• salt and fresh pepper
• cooking spray
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 6 oz Cabot’s 75% Light Vermont Cheddar, shredded
• 8 (6”) low carb whole wheat flour tortillas (try La Tortilla Factory)

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, avocado, red onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper.
2. Season shrimp with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder. Lightly spray a hot skillet on medium heat with cooking spray, add shrimp and scallions. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side until shrimp is cooked though. Remove from heat and cut shrimp in half lengthwise, set aside.
3. Heat skillet on medium heat and lightly spray with oil. Add tortilla, top with 1.5 oz cheese, 8 shrimp halves, and tomato avocado salsa. When the cheese is melted and the bottom of the tortilla is golden brown, place the other tortilla on top. Put a plate on top of the quesadilla to flip it over onto the plate. Then slide the other side onto the skillet. Cook another minute and remove with a spatula.
4. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Mexican Turkey Burgers

We’re grilling these for dinner tonight. They look delish. And I’m totally using the new Arnold Sandwich Thins I bought the other day - they’ll be perfect.

Turkey Burgers, Glee, Lost… OH MY!

Sundried Tomato and Red Pepper Meatballs

Jay and I are making these delicious-looking little suckers tonight. YUM!

Here is the recipe.

Getting frustrated trying to decide what to make for dinner tonight.

Does anyone have a yummy dish to recommend?

Sweet Potato Fries

I’ve got a serious thing for sweet potato fries, but every time I’ve tried to make them myself, they always come out too mushy. I found this great recipe over at Annie’s Eats and she recommends soaking the potato wedges in cold water before baking, which makes them crispy on the outside and soft on the inside a.k.a. EXACTLY how they should be. If you try this out, let me know how it goes!

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil greased with cooking spray.
2. Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise and cut each half into long spears. Soak in cold water for 20-30 minutes before continuing for crispy texture outside.  Drain well and pat dry.
3. Place the potato spears on the sheet pan and toss with olive oil.  Spread them in a single layer.  Combine the brown sugar, salt, and pepper and sprinkle on the potatoes.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn with a spatula or tongs.
5. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and serve hot.

I’m going to a ‘red party’ this weekend. Everyone has been asked to bring a little something to eat or drink that somehow incorporates the color red. The options are almost endless, so I’m trying to decide what to make. Here are some of my ideas:

• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Strawberry Salsa
• Chevre, Tomato and Basil Crostini
• Pomegranate Lemon Bars

Does anyone have any yummy red recipes? Decisions, Decisions…

Who says vegetarian can’t be sexy?

The colors alone on this burrito are mouth-watering. Traditional Mexican ingredients (black beans, chiles, rice) combined with Caribbean flavors (allspice, mango salsa, plantain) and a few all-American touches (carrot and bell pepper) for a meal that’s hearty and satisfying. Want it for dinner? Recipe here.

Scallops Provencal

I want to make this for dinner one night next week. I love scallops and the preparation for this recipe looks easy. Serve them with a mixed green salad and some white wine… Yum.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh bay or sea scallops
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 lemon, cut in 1/2 

Directions

1. If you’re using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you’re using sea scallops, cut each 1 in half horizontally. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.
2. In a very large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling and add the scallops in 1 layer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes, total.
3. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan with the scallops, then add the shallots, garlic, and parsley and saute for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Add the wine, cook for 1 minute, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Heart-Shaped Egg Poacher - Price: $9

It’s so weird that Valentines Day stuff has already made its debut in all the stores. Regardless, I saw this at Sur La Table and I think it’s cute. Mildly cheesy, but not obnoxiously so, tasteful cheesy.