Gluten-free pizza

In my quest to eat more healthy, I found this pizza recipe on comfybelly.com.  The crust is made from almond flour and Parmesan cheese. I didn't have a 11 x 7 inch tart pan that is called for in the recipe, instead I used a regular size pan and just made sure when I spread the dough out it was only 11 x 7 inches.   Make sure you cook the crust so it's golden color. If you under bake the crust, your pizza will be soggy. I added mushrooms, onions and ground turkey. This recipe will never replace a real tasting pizza made with flour and yeast, but it's a great substitute. (I used a picture from the comfybelly site until I can get my own picture posted).

Pizza Tart

Tart Crust Ingredients (used to fill an 11 inches x 7 inches tart pan)

• 1 cup of almond flour
• 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 1/4 teaspoon of dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano

Tart Filling Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of thick pizza sauce (tomato sauce seasoned with herbs and olive oil)
• 3/4 cup of your favorite pizza cheese for the top (grated)
• about 1/4 teaspoon of dried basil, oregano, and garlic powder sprinkled on top
• I used some ground turkey, onions and mushrooms on the top

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Add the almond flour, cheese, basil, oregano and water to a food processor or blender, and process for several seconds, or until it starts to crumble or clump together a bit. It should be soft and sticky. If not, add a bit more water.
3. Cut out parchment paper to place on bottom of pan. 
4. Scoop or pour the crumble crust mixture into your tart pan.
5. Spread the mixture out evenly, and then use your fingers to press the tart into the shape of the pan.
6. Bake the tart for about 12 minutes, or until it is just starting to turn yellow on top and on the edges.
7. Take the tart out of the oven and spread the pizza sauce evenly across the crust. Then add the grated cheese, and finally sprinkle the oregano, basil and garlic powder on top.
8. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
9. Place the tart back in the oven, and bake for about 12 minutes, or until the cheese is just starting to brown.
10. Cool, slice, and store any leftovers in the refrigerator for another day. Reheat slices at 350 degrees F for about 7 minutes.

Classis spaghetti and meatballs for a crowd
Serves 12

This recipe was found in the Cook’s Illustrated Magazine – November – December 2010

Ingredients:

Meatballs

2 ¼ cups (6 oz) panko bread crumbs
1 ½ cups buttermilk (see note)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
6 ounces sliced prosciutto, chopped fine
3 oz parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 ½ cups)
6 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 ½ teaspoons powdered gelatin, dissolved in 3 tablespoons cold water.
Table salt and ground black pepper

Sauce

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups grated onion from 1-2 onions (see note)
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press ( 2 tablespoons)
½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoons dried oregano
6 cups bottled Campbell’s tomato juice (favorite brand from staff at Cook’s Illustrated)
3 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
6 tablespoons dry white wine
Table salt and pepper to taste
3 pounds spaghetti
½ cup fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley flakes
Granulated sugar
Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Directions:

Meatballs

1.Place wire tacks in 2 foiled line rimmed baking sheets (if making entire recipe). Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine bread crumbs and buttermilk in large bowl and let sit, mashing occasionally with fork until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.

2.Add eggs, beef, pork, prosciutto, parmesan, parsley, garlic, gelatin mixture, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoons pepper to bread crumb mixture. Using hands, gently mix until thoroughly combined. Lightly form about ¼ cup mixture into 2-inch round meatballs. Approximately 40 meatballs.

3.Spray wire racks with nonstick cooking spray and add meatballs. Roast until browned, about 30 minutes.

Sauce

1.While meatballs roast, heat olive oil over medium heat in large dutch oven. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until softened and golden around edges, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano; cook stirring frequently until fragrant. Stir in tomato juice, crushed tomatoes, win, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

2.Remove meatballs from oven and lower oven temperature to 300 degrees. Gently add meatballs to sauce, cover pot and place in oven. Cook until meatballs are firm and sauce has thickened, about one hour.

3.Meanwhile bring 10 quarts water to boil. Add pasta and 2 tablespoons salt, cook until al dente.

To serve

Stir basil and parsley into sauce and adjust seasoning with sugar, salt and pepper. Toss pasta with 1 ½ sauce until lightly coated. Serve pasta, passing meatballs, remaining sauce and grated parmesan separately.


Note: One cup of plain yogurt thinned with ½ cup milk can be substituted for the buttermilk. Grate the onion on the large holdes of a box grater. The ingredients in this recipe can be reduced by two-thirds to serve 4.

Easy pizza crust

I found this easy pizza crust recipe years ago in the Milwaukee Journal food section. This one is not made with yeast which makes it a great last minute meal to prepare.

2 cups flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
3/4 cup milk
vegetable oil to coat dough
toppings of your choice

Mix flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Cut in shortening until particles are fine. Add milk and stir until dough clings together. Turn out onto floured surface and knead 12 times. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide dough into two parts. Roll each portion of dough into a circle that is very thin and ranges from 12 to 16 inches in diameter. Transfer to a baking sheets and crimp edges if desired. Brush tops of each crust with oil. Top as desired. Bake in preheated oven 12-15 minutes or until crust is golden bowrn and toppings are heated through. Makes 2 crusts.

Lasagna Roll ups

This is a recipe I found on the foodnetwork.com This is an easy recipe that takes around 25 minutes to prepare and another 50 minutes to cook. If you like spinach, you'll have this Italian recipe by Giada De Laurentiis.

Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamelsauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.