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Caramelized Onion Pizza Victory!

11/28/2010 in Guilty Pleasures, Holidays, What we're Cooking by Lauren | 2 comments

Thanksgiving week and weekend was, predictably, FULL of food. (including unBELIEVEable red velvet and pumpkin spice cake balls by none other than Sugar Sugar, versions of the regular Turkey Day fare powered-up and fit for Top Chef, homemade apple pie, and some of the best Matzo Ball soup of my LIFE)  culminating with….a Saturday Night pizza-off.

Now, pizza is my all-time favorite food and both Greg and I have been known to be a teensy bit on the competitive side, so we were in it to win it, my friends.

Unfortunately and fortunately, all the pizzas were so delicious that we decided to call it a draw – but I just had to share our recipe with you!

Introducing Greg + Lauren’s (almost) Award-Winning Caramelized Onion, Bacon, and Fig Pizza!

Here’s what you need:
1 large Spanish onion
5 pieces of thick-cut bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces
Pizza dough (we were lucky enough to have fresh pizza dough made for us…but I’m sure the freezer kind will be a-ok)
12 dried mission figs, sans stems, cut into quarters or small pieces
3/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola
A few handfuls of shredded mozzarella
Butter, olive oil, sugar, garlic, salt and pepper

Here’s what you do:
1.   Caramelize the onions. Now, I admit, my part of this pizza partnership was more conception while Greg’s was more execution – but I watched him from behind my red wine glass and it looked like all there was to it was slicing the onion, sautéing it in butter and olive oil and finishing it with a few teaspoons of sugar at the end, but please find exact instructions for how to caramelize onions by clicking HERE.
2.    Take the pizza dough and, on a highly floured surface – stretch, pull, and throw it around until its pizza-shaped.  (We went with square) Then transfer onto a lightly floured baking sheet or pizza round or whatever.
3.    Brush the dough with butter and chopped garlic and lightly cover with the mozzerella.
4.   Layer on the toppings – but be careful not to press on the dough.  We did onions first, then figs, then bacon then gorgonzola.
5.    Cook at 550 degrees until the crust is golden brown and the top is bubbling (7-8 minutes – watch it carefully!)

I may have been the only rookie in the kitchen, but frankly…I’m scrappy (and I had superchef Greg on my team – no big whoop).  Watch out, Jeff Varasano, we’re coming for you…

Enjoy!

xx, L

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Domestic Adventures: Cran-Apple Relish!

11/18/2010 in What we're Cooking by Lauren | 5 comments

Just in time for Turkey Day! Tomorrow my office has a pot-luck Thanksgiving lunch and I decided to conquer DK’s amazing Cran-Apple relish. This stuff is such a crowd pleaser that when we go to Houston for Thanksgiving, my family insists that she make it and carry it with her on the plane – true story. It’s just that good.

I can’t really describe it – sort of like a Thanksgiving charoset (sorry.  MOT reference – if you know, you know.) with a super-awesome combination of cranberries, apples, pineapple, and, ok,  a mountain of sugar.

(Thanksgiving never was a day for counting points, eh?)

As I discovered this evening – it’s incredibly easy to make! (Not to take anything away from ya, DK.) Check it:

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 (1lb) bag fresh cranberries
  • 1 orange, unpeeled
  • 5-6 red apples, unpeeled – DK instructs to use only FIRM apples – she likes Fuji.  Per DK: “If you use mushy apples, your relish will be mushy.  NO BAG APPLES!”
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (feel free to use more)

Here’s what you do:

  • Wash cranberries and drain
  • Quarter and seed orange and apples.
  • Grind cranberries, orange and apples coarsely in food processor.  Per DK: “You want small pieces but not really small pieces.  Grind SEPARATELY – you may have to do apples in two batches.” (I did)
  • Add sugar pineapple and pecans.
  • Mix well and refrigerate overnight.

(Yield – 2 quarts)

Viola!

I think the key is really to let it sit 24 hours if you can, or at least overnight so that the flavors can synergize.

I can’t wait to RELISH in the rave reviews! (Ok, that one was cheesy even for me.)

Bon appétit!

xx, L

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Cooking with L+L: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

08/17/2010 in What we're Cooking by Lauren | 4 comments

I don’t know what got into me on Sunday night, but I actually cooked dinner – my mom’s famous pounded parmesan chicken complete with salad + homemade lemon vinaigrette. (To my great surprise it came out fantastic – but I’m convinced it was a fluke.)

While in the grocery store, teeming with culinary ambition, I also decided to take on making muffins from scratch for G and his roomies to have on hand for breakfast this week.  (Who AM I?)  Since, obviously, I had no idea how to start this endeavor, I used my new “All-Recipes Dinner Spinner” iPhone app

and selected BREAKFAST – GRAIN – UNDER 45 Minutes*
(*Sidebar:  there is no “under 5 minutes” option or believe me, I would have selected it.)

It did it’s magic and spit out the following recipe: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins - they were delish and SUPER easy!
Here’s what you need:

1 ¼ c quick cooking oats
1 ¼ c milk
1 egg
½ c vegetable oil
¾ c packed brown sugar
¾ c semisweet chocolate chips
1 c chopped pecans
1 ¼ c all-purpose flour (I used ½ wheat flour and ½ white)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp salt
1tsp vanilla extract

Here’s what you do:

1.    Combine oats and milk and allow to stand 15 minutes
2.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and either grease your muffin tin or line ‘em.
3.    Stir egg, oil, ½ c of the brown sugar, chocolate chips, and ½ c of the pecans into the oat and milk mixture (keep up, kids – that means you’re reserving ¼ c of brown sugar and ½ c of the pecans)
4.   Try not to eat the rest of the chocolate chips.
 5.    Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add oat mixture to the flour mixture and stir till everything is m-o-i-s-t (hate that word.)
6.    Fill your muffin cups 2/3 full and sprinkle the remaining brown sugar and pecans on top
7.    Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 min
8.    Let cool and enjoy!

I’m totally the blonde Giada.

Eat your heart out, lady

xx, L

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