Portobello Pesto Pizza

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I came up with this super delicious pizza cause I wanted a version similar to one I used to get at a favorite pizza joint. And it worked. A memory is good thing! This pizza is loaded with mushrooms, roasted red pepper, pesto and goat cheese over a bed of marinara and mozzarella. Deliciousness. Make one today - you won't be sorry! Start by preparing your favorite pizza crust - you can make one from scratch, use a store bought, whatever works best. Heat a skillet over medium heat and coat with a bit of olive oil. Add the garlic and the sliced mushrooms,


and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and fragrant. Spread the marinara evenly over the crust and top with the mozzarella.


You can use shredded or sliced - I used sliced cause I had it on hand. Top the cheese with the mushrooms and the roasted red pepper.



Now spoon dollops of pesto over the pizza - about 1/2 teaspoon at a time.




And finally, sprinkle goat cheese, or queso fresco, whichever you prefer, randomly over the top.




Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden. It will be hard to wait. Just thought I'd warn you. But it will be worth it.



One year ago: Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta
Two years ago: Pear Cake with Pine Nuts
Three years ago: Beef Stroganoff

Find more inspiration at Mangia Mondays, Menu Monday, My Meatless Monday, Midnight Maniac Meatless Monday, Mop it up Monday, Seasonal Inspiration, Mix it up Monday, Melt in your Mouth Monday, the Sweet Spot Recipe Party, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday at the Table, Tasty Tuesday (#2), Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesday (#3), A Little Birdie Told Me, Tuesday Talent Show, Hearth and Soul, Cast Party Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, Foodie Friday.

Portobello Pesto Pizza

One pizza crust for large pizza
1 tsp. olive oil
4 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup marinara sauce
8 oz. mozzarella cheese
1/2 of a large roasted red pepper, sliced
1/4 cup basil pesto
2 oz. crumbled goat cheese or queso fresco

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Saute garlic and mushrooms for 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are tender and fragrant. Spread marinara sauce over pizza crust. Top with mozzarella, then mushrooms and peppers. Dollop pesto over the top, and then crumble goat cheese over the entire pizza. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden. Serves 4.

Cappuccino Crinkles

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These fun cookies are a twist on traditional chocolate crinkles. A little bit of instant coffee in the mix transforms them into cappuccino crinkles...

In a small bowl, combine the cocoa, coffee,


brown sugar,


baking soda and cinnamon. Start by beating the butter in large bowl until it's fluffy. Then add the sugar mixture


and beat until combined. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and egg whites


and beat it into the butter/sugar mixture until combined.


Now gradually add the flour.


If it gets too difficult with the mixer, you'll need to just stir it in with a wooden spoon. I was able to do it all with the mixer.

Now chill the dough for at least 1/2 hour so it will be easier to work with. Pour the sugar into a small bowl, then drop the dough by teaspoonfuls into the sugar. Cover them in sugar,


then roll the dough into balls and dip in sugar again.


Place the dough balls on the cookie sheet, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The centers will still be soft. Cool on the cookie sheet for about 1 minute then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Serve with coffee or milk!


One year ago: Frozen Mocha Cheesecake Loaf
Two years ago: Pasta with Asparagus and Bacon
Three years ago: Chicken and Zucchini Pasta

Find more inspiration at Mangia Monday, Menu Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Mop it up Monday, Mix it up Monday, Seasonal Inspiration, Melt in your Mouth Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday #2, Tuesday at the Table, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesday (#3), A Little Birdie Told Me, Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show.

Cappuccino Crinkles

1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 egg whites
1/3 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar

Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar, cocoa powder, coffee granules, baking soda, and cinnamon. Beat till combined, scraping sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in egg whites and yogurt until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour.

Place sugar in a small bowl. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons into sugar and roll into balls. Roll again in sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes till edges are firm. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Makes about 32 cookies.

Recipe Source: Better Homes and Gardens

White Chocolate and Macadamia Blondies

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I saw these bars on Pinterest, and knew I had to make them, the sooner the better. I love the combination of white chocolate and macadamias in cookies, so I knew these buttery bars would be a hit as well. The key to these bars is not to overbake - you want them to be a little chewy but not crunchy!

Start by toasting the macadamia nuts. Spread them on a small baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden - you will want to toss them once or twice during this time, which also helps you keep an eye on them. Nuts are expensive - so you don't want to burn them!


For the batter, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs and then add the vanilla.


Add the flour


and baking powder and mix until combined. Then stir in the nuts


and the white chocolate.


Spread the bars into a greased 9x13 pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes until set but still moist.


Let cool completely before cutting.

One Year Ago: Oatmeal Blackberry Muffins
Two Years Ago: Rosemary Roasted New Potatoes
Three Years Ago: Caramel Chocolate Bars

Get more great recipes at Hearth and Soul, Cast Party Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Sweet Treats Thursday, Bring it with Bizzy.


White Chocolate and Macadamia Blondies

1/2 c. butter, softened
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

To toast the macadamias, evenly spread the chopped nuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes or until fragrant and slightly browned, stirring once in a while. Set aside.

For bars, place butter and brown sugar in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment and cream together on medium speed until smooth batter is formed (about 3 minutes). While the mixer is running, add eggs and vanilla extract, until incorporated into batter.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups of flour and baking powder. Slowly add flour mixture to the batter and mix on low speed until a dough is formed. Very gently, fold in white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts into dough.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and evenly spread. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until set yet still moist.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Life's Simple Measures

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

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I have a confession: I don't really like Greek yogurt. I feel like I SHOULD, cause it's all the craze, but I just prefer regular old yogurt for breakfast. I do like to use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, mayo or butter or oil in baked goods though - and now I have another great use for it - this delicious frozen yogurt!

Strawberries have been so good this spring, and I have eaten my fair share. When I bought a few too many recently, it was the perfect excuse to make this. Chock full of strawberry flavor, this is a delightful dessert after any meal. And it has only 4 ingredients... (and one optional one!) This recipe does have several steps that take a bit of time in between, so be sure to plan ahead.

Start by slicing the strawberries and placing them in a bowl - a glass bowl is best, and you want plenty of room to be able to stir them up good. Pour the sugar over,


and add the vodka or kirsch, if you're using that. (It's totally optional.) Stir up the strawberries so they're all coated


then cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours, stirring once in a while. After the 2 hours, the strawberries will have given up much of their juice.


Now pour the strawberry mixture into your food processor or blender. Add the lemon juice and yogurt,


and process til the mixture is smooth. Pour it back into the strawberry bowl (just to save on dish washing!), cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Pour into the freezer container of your ice cream maker, and let it churn for 15-20 minutes or until the yogurt is soft-serve consistency.


Transfer the frozen yogurt to a freezer safe container and freeze for a couple hours or until your desired consistency. This will freeze hard, so you'll need to let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or so to make it scoop-able.


One year ago: Fettucine with Ham and Broccoli
Two years ago: Buckeye Brownies
Three years ago: Wild Rice Quiche

Find more great stuff at Mangia Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Menu Monday, Mop it up Mondays, Seasonal Inspiration, Mix it up Mondays, Melt in your mouth Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday at the Table, Tasty Tuesday (#2), Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesday (#3), A Little Birdie Told Me, Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show, Sweet Treats Thursday.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

1 pound strawberries
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. vodka or kirsch, optional
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Slice the strawberries into small pieces. Toss in a bowl with the sugar and vodka or kirsch (if using) until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, stirring every so often.

Transfer the strawberries and their juice to a blender or food processor. Add the yogurt and lemon juice. Pulse the machine until the mixture is smooth. Chill for 1 hour, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer to a freezer safe bowl and freeze til desired consistency. Makes 1 quart.

Recipe Source: David Leibowitz

Cilantro Lime Rice

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Do you need a fun side dish to liven up a Mexican meal? Do you love Chipotle style rice and want to recreate it at home? Do you love good food? If any of these are true of you, you should make this! This is one of the best rice dishes I've ever tasted, and it's SO simple. I can imagine a ton of applications for this delicious dish, so I'm sure it will become a staple at my house.

Start by combining the water, rice, salt



and butter



in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. This will smell amazing, like any good butter water should!

Cover and reduce heat to low, then simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. While it cooks, you can mince up the cilantro. I like using my mini chopper for this.



When the rice is done, fluff it with a fork, then add the lime juice



and cilantro.



Fold gently to combine and try not to eat the whole thing right out of the pan...




One year ago: Spinach, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pizza
Two years ago: Blueberry Ice Cream Tart
Three years ago: banana muffins

Find more great recipes at What's Cooking Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, It's A Keeper, Full Plate Thursday, Bizzy's Recipe Box.


Cilantro Lime Rice

3 cups water
2 cups Jasmine Rice
3 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. salt
¾ cup fresh cilantro, minced
juice of 1 lime

Combine rice, water, butter and salt in large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and gently fold in lime juice and cilantro. Serves 8.

Recipe Source: Shugary Sweets

Strawberry Oat Muffins

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There is definitely not a dearth of great muffin recipes out in the world. I've made quite a lot of spectacular muffins, and I keep coming up with more combination ideas. I especially like these because of the nice oat-ey texture and the nice moistness that the buttermilk provides. If you have some strawberries sitting around this spring, give these delightful muffins a try.

Start by pouring the oats into a small bowl, and then covering them with buttermilk.


Let the oat mixture sit for about 5 minutes. While you wait, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set this aside for later. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, eggs, vanilla and brown sugar


and beat with a mixer until well combined.

Add in the oats mixture


and blend just until combined.

Gradually add the flour mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Then fold in the strawberries.


Spoon the batter into paper-lined muffin cups and then bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.


You can serve these warm or at room temperature. What a great way to start the day!

One year ago: Hawaiian Shortbread
Two years ago: Molten Chocolate Cakes
Three years ago: Raisin Bran Muffins (another great muffin!)

Find more great recipes at Mangia Monday, Menu Monday, Muffin Monday, Mop it Up Monday, Mix it Up Monday, Seasonal Inspiration, Recipe Sharing Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesday (#2), What's Cooking Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday.

Strawberry Oat Muffins

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

In a small bowl, combine oats and buttermilk, and let stand 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the egg, oil, brown sugar and vanilla. Blend in the oat mixture. Stir in the flour mixture, just until moistened. Fold in strawberries. Fill paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.

Bananas Foster Souffle

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It's my favorite Monday of the month again - Secret Recipe Club reveal day! I have a well-documented love of bananas, so it was easy for me to choose the recipe from NY City Eats. Lacy devised this delicious concoction giving all the flavors of bananas foster in an impressive souffle! Plus it gave me an excuse to pick up some cuter than cute mini ramekins at Marshall's -a win/win all around, wouldn't you say??

Start by preparing your ramekins - grease them well (I just used cooking spray) then dust with sugar on the bottoms and sides.


See, I told you they were cute! Place the dishes in the fridge until you need them later. (I found it easiest to keep them all on a small cookie sheet.)

Now, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and swish it around a little bit until it starts to brown. Add in the brown sugar


and 1 Tbsp. of the white sugar


and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is dark brown. This will take about 5 minutes. Then add the bananas


and stir until they're completely coated. Turn off the heat, then add the cinnamon, lemon juice and rum.


Now use your immersion blender to smooth out the mixture. A few small chunks are ok, but you want it pretty well pureed.


Let this mixture cool completely.

Then beat the egg whites until frothy; add the salt and cream of tartar and beat on high speed until soft peaks form, which will take at least 5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, several more minutes. (I really hope you have a stand mixer!)

Now gently fold half of the egg whites into the banana mixture.


Then add the rest of the egg whites and fold them in until they're all incorporated. It should look like this:


Now spoon the mixture into your prepared ramekins.


Bake the souffles for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. And don't open the oven!!! The souffles will puff up beautifully -

and then fall relatively soon after you take them out of the oven.


So serve immediately, and enjoy these delightful treats!

One year ago: Lemon Ricotta Blackberry Muffins
Two years ago: Easy Crab Cakes
Three years ago: Cashew Chicken

Find all the great Secret Recipe Club reveals below. For even more great ideas, visit Mangia Monday, Menu Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Mop it Up Monday, Mix it Up Monday, Seasonal Inspirations, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday at the Table, Tasty Tuesday (#2), Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesday (#3), A Little Birdie Told Me, Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show, Sweet Treats Thursday, Bake with Bizzy.

Bananas Foster Souffle

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 ripe bananas, chopped into small pieces
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. gold rum
3 egg whites
pinch of salt
pinch of cream of tartar

Generously butter 3 6-ounce ramekins, and dust the bottom and sides of the dish lightly with sugar. Place in the refrigerator until needed.

Brown the butter in a saucepan, over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and the brown sugar, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes a dark brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add the chopped bananas and stir until well coated.

Remove from the heat, then stir in the cinnamon, lemon juice, and rum. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add the salt and cream of tartar, and continue beating until soft peaks form. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until stiff peaks form about 5 minutes. With a rubber spatula, fold half of the egg whites into the banana mixture. Then fold in the remaining egg whites and mix well.

Fill each ramekin to just over the top, with a peak in the middle. Bake the souffles at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes, until brown on top and firm. Serve immediately!