Posts tagged ‘herbs’

March 11th, 2013

Pepperoni Pizza Dip {with fresh basil}

by Chrissy

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As you may know, I have a big family consisting of 6 siblings and one awesome mom.

After church on Sunday, it was our weekly ritual to hit up Costco to stock up for the week (yes, the week; groceries never lasted long in our house). Naturally, we would fill up on samples, while my mom did all the shopping.

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Once we had exhausted our welcome at the various sampling tables, as we were given the stink-eye from the old lady samplers, we decided to move on to bigger and better things. Pizza.

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Often times we would grab a take-and-bake pepperoni pizza for dinner later on. The only problem is that you basically need a Costco-sized oven to bake the massive thing. My mom would have to chop it up in sections and bake it on a pizza stone and an additional baking sheet or two.

Absolutely ridiculous how big those pizzas are.

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Served hot, this dip tastes just like freshly baked pepperoni pizza. It has to be my new guilty pleasure and favorite dip.

Easy to make, and confirmed deliciousness by a multitude of friends, this dip is the real deal.

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You don’t need the excuse of Super Bowl or hosting a party, to make a dip like this. Just throw it together and bring it over to a friend’s house to share with the masses, as it can feed a small army. It’ll bring the world so much joy.

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It also keeps well for the next day. Just pop it back in the oven and get back at it.
…although no judgments if you end up licking the dish clean on the first round. It happens to the best of us.

 

Pepperoni Pizza Dip {with Fresh Basil}

Print Recipe!

Serves 10-12+, as an appetizer

Ingredients:

12 oz. cream cheese (1 ½ packages), softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup basil, chopped, plus more to garnish

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste

¼ cup green onion, chopped

2 cups mozzarella

¾ cup pizza/marinara sauce

1/3 cup parmesan

20 pepperoni slices, halved

Directions:

In a mixer, combine cream cheese, sour cream, basil, red pepper flakes, green onion, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Transfer the cheese mixture to a 9-inch pie dish or other similar casserole dish and layer the mixture, evenly. Add pizza sauce in an even layer. Sprinkle remaining cup of mozzarella and parmesan cheese to cover the top. Arrange halved pepperoni slices on top, in an even layer.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted, the top is bubbly and the pepperoni is crispy. Serve hot with sliced bread, breadsticks, pita or tortilla chips.

From the Little Yellow Kitchen,

Chrissy

February 21st, 2013

Green Egg Stack {with Kale & Herb Spread}

by Chrissy

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Happy Friday, friends!

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This 4-day work week couldn’t have gone by slowerrrr. For real.

What’s with that? I blame it on the wintery months. Spring, you can come out of hiding now!

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Before you start your weekend, be sure to grab these ingredients from the store, so that you can look forward to a tasty brunch.

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This might be a no brainer, but don’t forget the mimosa makings.

No brunch is complete without a little bubby and orange juice combo. Am I right, or am I right?

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Kale, parsley, basil and garlic make for a fabulous spread on toast, sandwiches and now, with eggs.

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First things first, make the kale & herb spread. It should somewhat resemble chimichurri.

You don’t want to puree it, otherwise it will lose that rustic look, and the different herbs won’t be able to standout.

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I love super crispy toast, so I would advise pushing it down a second time. Then spread some green goodness over top, pile on slices of ripe avocado, layer one fried & over-easy egg over top, and finish off with some wilted spinach and crumbled feta.

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Boom. It’s a dream come true. Green eggs really ARE a real thing!

Although, this is perfect as a vegetarian dish, you can go the extra mile and add some slices of prosciutto, Canadian or regular bacon, so you can call it Green Eggs & Ham. :)

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Have a fabulous weekend! We have a ton of celebrating to do between Lauren & Chris’s engagement party, and having tons of friends in town. We will be sure to have a fun recap for you all when we wind down from the festivities.

 

Green Egg Stack {with Kale & Herb Spread}

Print Recipe!

(makes 2 stacks)

Ingredients:

For the spread:

1 cup kale, stems removed and chopped

1/4 cup parsley, stems removed and chopped

5-6 basil leaves, chopped

2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/8-1/4 tsp salt, to taste

1/8 tsp pepper

 

For the Egg Stack:

1 English muffin, halved and toasted

1/2 cup wilted spinach and divided

1/2  avocado, sliced and divided

2 oz. low-fat feta cheese, crumbled and divided

2 eggs, fried over-easy

 

Directions:

In a small blender (like the Magic Bullet), or with an immersion blender, blend together all of the kale and herb spread ingredients. You don’t want the herbs to be completely puréed, just finely chopped.  This can be easily doubled, for more servings. Set aside.

Toast English muffins. In a small skillet, wilt spinach with a small drizzle of olive oil (about 1/2 tsp), a touch of salt and pepper, and toss a few times. After about a minute and a half, spinach should be wilted; transfer to a plate. Add a little olive oil or butter to the skillet and over medium high heat, crack eggs into the pan, sprinkle with pepper and cover with a lid. After 3-4 minutes, once the whites on the top are cooked through and the yolk is still soft, transfer to a plate.

To build each Green Egg Stack: smear a couple of Tablespoons of the kale and herb spread onto the toasted English muffin half; add avocado slices, 1 fried over-easy egg, wilted spinach, 1 oz. crumbled feta cheese. Enjoy immediately.

From the Little Yellow Kitchen,

Chrissy

 

 

January 15th, 2013

Chicken & Cannellini Soup with Kale

by Chrissy

If it wasn’t for consuming a large bowl of this soup before writing this post, I am fairly positive that my fingers would be icicles. When it drops into the 30’s by Southern California’s coastline, I know that it has to be absolutely frigid everywhere else.

Fear not! There’s nothing like a little homemade soup to warm up the body & soul…and restore to functional use in no time at all.

The pleasant mixture of sage and leek, kale and lemon, the flavors are perfectly savory with a pleasant tangy bitterness.

Don’t you dare forget the garnish of Parmesan cheese, either. It is a marvelous addition to a chicken soup like this.

The beans and chicken provide hearty protein and substance, which is just what your body will need to operate in sub-zero temperatures of the frozen tundra that your house probably feels like if you don’t run the heater. You can only put so many layers on before you look like a coat rack mixed and feel like a giant marshmallow.

Go ahead, warm up with this crock of soup.

 

Chicken & Cannellini Soup with Kale

Print Recipe!

Serves 5-6

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cut into 1/4-inch rounds, cleaned well

1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups kale, de-stemmed, coarsely chopped

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (about 2 cups)

Olive oil and poultry herb seasoning (for chicken, see below)

Salt

Pepper

Parmesan cheese, for topping

 

Directions:

Heat 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil in a Dutch oven, or a heavy bottomed pot, over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 20-30 seconds before adding leeks and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in sage and continue to cook, about 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and increase heat to high. Add the kale and lemon juice, cover and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, season chicken breasts with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides and sprinkle with dried poultry herb seasoning. Cook in a skillet for about 5-6 minutes on both sides, on medium-high heat. Depending on the thickness of each breast, you may have to adjust the time, but the middle should be opaque and juices should run clear when it is done. Let sit on cutting board for a couple of minutes, before shredding the chicken with forks.

Add cannellini beans, lemon juice and shredded chicken and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Top each bowl with 2 tsps of Parmesan cheese and serve hot.

 

From the Little Yellow Kitchen,

Chrissy

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