~Pizza Pizza~

Oh, pizza.

How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways...

On second thought,  how about if I just share my fave pizza recipe?

SO tasty


I really don't have a proper name for this recipe.  Maybe I will just be really abstract and creative and mysterious and call it bacon-asparagus-mushroom-pesto- feta pizza... 

You will need:

-Jiffy or Betty Crocker Pizza crust mix (I used 3 packages Betty's and it made two pizzas)
-1/4 cup Pesto
-1 medium yellow onion, diced
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-Asparagus (I used 1/2 bunch), cut into 1" pieces
-6 or 7 Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced
-1/2 package of Bacon
-Feta cheese (honestly not sure how much I used... maybe 3/4 cup?  Just eyeball it. )
-Mozzarella (optional)

Prepare crust according to package.  (preheat oven according to package directions as well)  Fry bacon and set aside, reserving 2 tablespoons of grease.  Saute Asparagus in bacon grease.  When the asparagus is cooked, add garlic and saute one minute longer, then remove pan from heat and set aside to cool.
Press crust onto a lightly greased baking sheet and top with a healthy smearing of pesto.  Top with mozzarella if you so desire, along with the feta, asparagus, onions, mushrooms, and bacon.  If you are a seasonings-nut like me, go ahead and crack a little black pepper over the whole shebang.

Bake and enjoy!!

Pizza.  The food of champions.

~ my mister in his youth ~

Have a super great Thursday!
xoxoxo


PS.  All of the elements of this pizza, obviously excluding the crust, would make a terrific pasta dish - just saute all the veggies in pesto, add feta and 1/3 cup reserved pasta water to create a slightly creamy sauce.  Toss with pasta of your choosing, top with crumbled bacon and feta... and voila! :)

luscious green soup

I made Green Soup for dinner last night, and I've got one thing to say about it-

YUM.  

Green soup should be the law, people.   Green soup for President!!

*note: It was technically called Creamy Broccoli soup, but that conjures images in my mind of Broccoli- Cheese soup and this is NOT Broccoli- Cheese soup, so to avoid any confusion I will be calling it 'Green soup'.  Clever and original, no?

It is hard to make green soup look appealing- bear with me.

Green soup is all sorts of wonderful.  Healthy.  Easy.  Quick.  Comforting.  Looks like baby food.  ( hey- my blog, my definition of wonderful.)

Anyways, if you want a meal that is all of the above, you will need:

1 head broccoli (1 lb), cut into small pieces/ florets

1 yellow onion, diced

3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 can of Great Northern White beans (15 oz.), drained

2.5 cups of Vegetable stock

salt & pepper

parmesan, for serving

Start by steaming up that broccoli...

When the broccoli is bright green and fork- tender, separate out 1 cup of the florets and set aside. 

Saute the onions and garlic in a little olive oil until onions are translucent.  Add vegetable stock and beans and bring to a simmer.

simmersimmersimmer

Add broccoli and puree in batches.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with the remains of the artisan cheese bread from your parents that you were maniacally scarfing on the way home from church.

(what is it about church that makes you SO hungry??)

 

 

we did a number on this poor bread...

 

Garnish with thin slices of parmesan and the broccoli florets.

 

Promptly devour the delicious and nutritious soup you have made.

 

{Please disregard the Christmas-y centerpiece... we still have our tree up, too...}

We really really really liked this soup, and will definitely be making it again.   Green soup... It's a good thing.  ;)


peace, love, and luscious soup~
Lily

PS.  recipe originally from here