Move Over Takeout

I live in Hammonton, New Jersey. And that pretty much means you can't turn a corner without running into a relative, a blueberry or a pizza shop. Oh, and salons (nail, hair and tanning, natch.)

That's because in this town we're all cousins, we rock the moniker "Blueberry Capital of the World," and there's a whole lot of Italians up in here - who really need to have their nail, hair and tans did at all times.

Despite these cold hard facts, The Jersey Girl loves - and I do mean LOVE LOVES - making homemade pizza. And I've never donned an acrylic nail, (SHUDDERS), or a fake tan (SUPER DUPER SHUDDERS) or dyed my hair. OK. That one's just luck. I'm enjoying these last few months of 37 without ONE gray hair on my head. Thank you, Jesus.

For my last pizza go-around, I pulled a Giada: Arugula Pesto, Ricotta and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza. Not only does it taste magnificent, it looks quite pretty, too. The arugula cheesy topping is a vibrant shade of green while fresh plump tomato slices provide bursts of glorious red. It is the color I SO need during these winter months of cold snowy grayness. Eeck!

The Husband devoured my pizza. And he even ate the leftovers, too. That's when you know you gotta keeper.

My little guy, well he'll take a slice from down the street. Whaddayagonnado?

Arugula Pesto, Ricotta and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza
From "Weeknights with Giada"
By Giada De Laurentiis
Serves 4 to 6

Cornmeal, for dusting
1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
1 packed cup (1 ounce) arugula
Flour, for dusting
1 (1-pound) ball store-bought pizza dough
Olive oil, for drizzling
2 plum tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick

Place and oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Sprinkle a heavy baking sheet (without sides) with cornmeal.

In a food processor, blend the ricotta, garlic, salt and pepper until smooth. Add the smoked mozzarella and arugula. Pulse until just combined but still chunky.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 14-inch circle, 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Spread the ricotta mixture on top, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the tomato slices on top and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 15 to 16 minutes, until the crust is golden. Cut into wedges and serve.

Please note: The Jersey Girl shaped her pizza dough into a a rectangle instead of a circle. In addition, she prepared her baking sheet with a light coating of olive oil instead of cornmeal to prevent sticking. She also used a 1/2 tsp. salt when making the arugula cheese mixture. An extra tomato or two may be needed to accommodate the rectangular shape of the pizza.

Pepper Steak Shenanigans

January is totally the month during which I go into hibernation and try to make sense of my clutter. The Husband visits Goodwill on a weekly basis in the hopes that our collection of castoffs, retail mistakes, and gifts of yesteryear collecting dust in the basement will do somebody good somewhere all while giving me fresh open space for my new sparkly treasures.

In the meantime, I love busting out all of my Christmas gifts of kitchen gadgetry and cooking up a storm. Of course this is only AFTER finding the rightful place to store my glistening fresh wares in my comfortable kitchen. (Please note that the adjective for my cucina is "comfortable" as opposed to much more desirable describers such as luxurious, spacious, state-of-the-art, deluxe and/or designer.) But, if there's one thing the Jersey Girl can do it is make do.

Despite the average nature of my cooking space, some majorly delish eats can always be concocted and devoured. (No joke, I threw cooking parties back in college with a plug-in burner. Granted, I was also drinking Vladimir vodka with a splash of pink lemonade Snapple, so perhaps, my level of taste WAS a bit skewed. Gag.)

Anyways, ain't nothin' like kicking off the new year with some wild and crazy new recipes, so I present you with ....... pepper steak.

Right. You were TOTALLY expecting some trendy rigmarole such as sesame tofu with cauliflower or stir-fried gluten-free whole-grain noodles on a bed of shaved brussels sprouts topped with an egg, but I'm kickin' it so OLD SCHOOL with a straight-up, no surprise pepper steak. And the recipe comes from Rachael Ray. I mean, could I be any more avant garde?

While food trends - and shoe trends - come and go, the classics stand the test of time. Wholeheartedly, I must admit I am no expert in Asian cuisine,but it does seem like pepper steak stir fries or some variation of them have been a staple on Asian menus in America for ages. It's got staying power, right? So, after wracking my brain and scouring Pinterest, and cookbooks and various cookery Web sites for a fru-fru stir-fry recipe, I decided to just stick with the one stir-fry I had been making for 10 years from my good old Rachel Ray 30-Minute Meals 2 cookbook: Five Spice Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry.

The new angle is that I rocked it out in my shiny new wok, courtesy of my mother-in-law, who quite awesomely feeds my J. Crew, shoe and cookware addictions. Honestly, when I unwrapped the gift with my 3-year-old helper, I was taken aback. (Perhaps, I should have written my Christmas gift list BEFORE drinking a bottle of wine.) The Jersey Girl kinda forgot that she requested a wok from the North Pole. But, when I realized what was before me, I was PUMPED!!

My sweetie Evan helps me open my gift. Yay!

For my review of the wok, please click here.

If you do not have a wok - or the space for it - have no worries. This dish works just as well in a large pan. Make sure you have some high sides going on so that the sauce isn't spilling out, mucking up your stove.

I make my stir fry with red and green peppers. The red peps add a bit of sweetness. And, I omit the almonds from the recipe so that The Husband does not need to haul my bootie to the ER. I also did not use any sherry because that is an ingredient that I NEVER have. Sorry!

My 3-year-old culinary counterpart LOVED my pepper steak. In fact, he asked for more steak for three days after. Be sure to add the chopped scallions at the end. Gives the whole thing a nice freshness.

This could not be any easier. Honest to goodness.

Five Spice Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry
From 30 Minute Meals 2 by Rachael Ray

Makes 4 servings
Jasmine rice or short grain wite rice, 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups, prepared to package directions

2 cups beef broth or stock
2 Tbsp. wok or clear oil (twice around the pan)
1 and 1/2 pounds beef sirloin or beef tenderloin tips, trimmed, sliced and cut into bite-size pieces
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced (1-inch pieces)
1 medium onion, coarsely diced
1/2 cup dry cooking sherry
2 Tbsp. Tamari dark soy sauce
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder (1/2 palmful, found on Asian foods aisle of market)
Cracked freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle, for garnish
1/2 cup smoked whole almonds (available on snack aisle), for garnish

Boil water for rice and prepare to package directions.

Place beef broth in a small pot over low heat to warm the broth.

Heat a wok-shaped skillet or pan over high heat. Add oil (it will smoke) and beef bits, stir-fry for 3 minutes then remove meat from pan or move off to the side. Return pan to heat and add peppers and onions. Stir fry, 2 minutes, and stir the meat back in. Add sherry and stir-fry until liquid almost evaporates, about 1 minute. Add soy sauce. Dissolve cornstarch with a ladle of warm beef broth. Add beef broth to the pan, then the cornstarch with a ladle of warm broth, the five-spice powder and the black pepper. Stir until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Adjust seasonings. Add more soy sauce or salt if necessary. Remove from heat.

Fill dinner bowls with beef stir-fry and with an ice cream scoop, place a nicely rounded scoop of rice on top of beef. Garnish with chopped scallions and smoked almonds.

Please note: The Jersey Girl omitted the cooking sherry and almonds. She used 1 green and 1 red bell pepper. Also, her wok did not smoke when cooking. She used low-sodium broth and low-sodium soy sauce.

Product Review: Calphalon Unison Wok

Product: Calphalon Unison Wok, 13"
Price: About $100
Where to get it: Macy's and Amazon

The Jersey Girl's new wok, still in the box.

The new wok out the box and ready for its first wash up. Woo-hoo!

The wok taking care of some pepper steak business.

What it does: Cooks delicious stir-fries on your stove top.

Why I love it: Easy to clean; heats up evenly and efficiently; rocks a see-through lid so you can see what's going on up in there; fulfills a lifelong dream of being a wok owner.

What's not to like: It was a little bit wobbly on my burner, but I was about half-way into a bottle of wine, and I'm pretty much a wok amateur. So, you know, some practice and some sobriety and all should be good in my hood. Oh, and it's kind of awkward to store.

Don't forget: Since the wok is non-stick, be sure to cook with nylon or wooden utensils. Metal utensils will jack it up, big time. Ditto for cooking sprays. Use a light flavorless oil.

What I made: I tried out my wok by whipping up a fab pepper steak. Recipe will follow real soon!

Calling All Vegetarians

The Jersey Girl is in no way, shape or form a vegetarian. But, going sans meat or fish ain't no big thang.

Confessional: When The Husband is out of town taking care of his bizness, I often dine on fruit and veggies with some groovy pasta thrown in. (My fettucine alfredo is DIVINE!)

So here's an entree that will satisfy the vegetarians in your world: Roasted Red Pepper Risotto.

I love all of the different layers of flavor from the roasted peppers and goat cheese and fresh arugula. The addition of a fresh leafy green at the end of it all is a fabulous surprise. Not only does it add brilliant color, but it was a welcome texture against the comforting feel of properly cooked aborio rice and the smooth creaminess of goat's cheese. I did declare that this was my most fave risotto ever.

The Husband disagreed.

He likes it, but my  man is a man of tradition without the flash: He prefers a basic risotto as a side rather than a colorful mix of crazy deliciousness. Hmmm, Husband. How did you end up with me?

My main man No. 1 cleared his plate - I'm quite sure I served up some sort of veal or chicken with this, but alas, I made this a couple months ago, and I don't remember: Eep!

My main man No. 2 was not so into the risotto. My toddler is not a picky eater, but at this moment in time he is not a fan of rice, which I find so interesting. We'll take him to our fave Indian restaurant. He'll house the kebabs and chickpeas and lamb and naan, but the delish rice: No way, no how. Oh well, we'll just keep on trucking. He's bound to try it one of these days!

Here's my sweetie movin' on up into his big boy bed. Yay!

Roasted Red Pepper Risotto
4 servings


1 shallot, minced 
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese
Baby arugula, about 2 cups
Salt and pepper
1 4 ounce log of goat cheese

In a small pot, heat the broth and water to boiling. Cover and simmer.

In a food processor, puree the roasted red peppers.

Meanwhile, in a risotto pan over medium high heat, add olive oil.  Add shallot and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes. 

Add the arborio rice to the pan. Stir so that the rice becomes coated in the shallot and garlic mixture.

Pour in wine. Stir until wine evaporates. Then start adding one ladle of broth at a time. Stir the rice slowly over medium heat. The mixture should bubble slightly and the liquid will be absorbed into the rice. Repeat this process over about 15 minutes until the rice is tender. 

Season the risotto with salt and pepper. Add pepper puree and butter. Stir until well combined. Stir in parmigiano reggiano cheese. If you want the risotto to be looser, add more broth.

To serve: Place a healthy serving of risotto on a dinner plate. Top with a few chunks of goat cheese. Top with the  arugula. Voila!

Tortilla soup

Don't get me wrong. Chicken soup is a must in any momma's recipe repertoire. But sometimes, you need to spice things up.

And I must say my Chicken Tortilla Soup really hits the spot. Especially on those chilly willy nights. Since it's been forever a day since my last moment of blogginess, I will get to the recipe straight away:

Chicken Tortilla Soup
About 6 servings

2 chicken breasts with bone and skin on
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
2-3 cups water
1 cup frozen corn
Olive oil

To serve:
Shredded cheddar jack cheese
scallions, chopped
sour cream
Tortilla chips

On a sturdy baking sheet, line up the chicken. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in a 350-degree oven. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, shred or dice the meat.

Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add jalapeno, onion and garlic. Add cumin and chili powder. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Add broth, water and chopped tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add cilantro, chicken and corn. Cook until heated through

To serve, break up your fave tortilla chips onto a piping hot bowl of soup. Top with cheese, scallions and sour cream. Avocado would rock too, but the Jersey Girl can not groove on that due to annoying food allergies.

Labor of Love

Cleaning the house. Folding the laundry. Crossing off the to-do's on that never-ending to-do list. So what's a girl got time for:

Peeling tomatoes in 20 easy steps, obvi!

OK. Just hold your horses. It doesn't REALLY require 20 takes to get a delicious fresh tomato saucy outcome, but  getting down and dirty with a few pounds of plum tomatoes, a pot of bowling water and another pot of ice cold ice water could seem a bit tedious to those of us feeling crunched on a spare moment.

I so meant to post this post back in August, when all of you do-gooder home-gardening types were harvesting your bushels of tomatoes. There ain't a green thumb to be found in this house. Piano thumbs and shopping thumbs are all I gots.

But, I do know how to make a totally delish fresh tomato sauce. So I'm providing you with my process complete with pics and instructions. Yay, me! One of these days I will be seasonally correct. But you can totally use this with the imported plum  tomatoes that are lingering in your grocery right about now. And stash this for the summer when the fresh tomatoes are at their peak.

I used this sauce to make my Chicken Parm with Fresh Tomato Sauce. SO much tastier than reg chicken parm, for sure!

So here's the dilly-o: To peel a tomato skin off a tomato, you need to cut out the core, score an X on the side opposite the core, plunge that sucker into boiling hot water, wait around for 2 to 3 minutes, scoop out the hot tomatoes into a bowl of ice ice baby ice water, swirl it around, peel off the skin, chop.

You got that?

Is it a pain in the bootie? Well, maybe. But I'm the type who clears my mind in the cucina, so tomato peelin' is all good in my hood. In addition to my tutorial, I will provide you my totally awesome fresh tomato sauce recipe and how to roll it all together into a chicken parm that is SO much better than that slop you pick up at your go-to takeout joint. I swear on my life, my glass of wine and the good ole' Bible, that I will repost this in July when the Jersey tomatoes are large and in charge.

Getting ready to take care of business. 

Here's how to peel plum tomatoes:

Step one: With a paring knife, cut out the core on the end of the tomato. 

On the opposite end, cut a small X. (See above)

In batches, plunge about five or six prepared tomatoes into a large pot of boiling water. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until skin becomes loose.

Using a spider ladle or a slotted spoon transfer cooked tomatoes to a large bowl of ice water. 

Once the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove from ice water.

Gently peel off the skin of each tomato.

Chop until your heart's content.

Cook a fabulous sauce. My recipe is below!

Fresh Tomato Sauce

2 to 3 lbs. peeled plum tomatoes (See process above)

8 fat cloves of garlic, sliced

15 to 20 fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Add garlic, cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes if using. 

Add tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add fresh basil.

If cooking pasta at the same time, add a few ladles of pasta water to thin out the consistency of the sauce.

Serve over chicken or pasta.

Chicken Parm with Fresh Tomato Sauce

(Serves four comfortably)

1 to 1 1/2 pounds thin-cut chicken cutlets (6 to 8)
2 extra large eggs, lightly beaten, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste
1 1/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs (Cento rocks!)
Olive oil
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh tomato sauce (see above)

Set up an assembly line as follows: Chicken cutlets lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, bowl of beaten eggs; plate of bread crumbs. Dip each cutlet in the eggs, then the bread crumbs. Set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat up a 2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat. Brown chicken cutlets for about 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up excess oil. Repeat with remaining cutlets.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once the cutlets are cool enough to handle, transfer to a clean baking sheet. Top each browned cutlet with a handful of shredded mozzarella. Top with a couple of spoonfuls of sauce.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melty and delicious. Serve with your fave pasta and more sauce!

Dippy Trippy

Summer is the time to rock it out in a bikini on the beach, but truth be told, the Jersey Girl doesn't always feel so svelte come August. There are many reasons for this perception of unhealthiness: Copious amounts of wine being consumed; parties, parties and more parties; lazy days spent lounging around (ha ha ha ha); and really, the chips and the dips. Oh, the chips and the dips.

So, I'm bringing you a fab dip starring feta and lemon that requires no mayo and no sour cream. Yay and yay! In addition, as agreed upon by The Jersey Girl and her trusty sisters and brothers-in-law, the dip is the perfect match for your fave vegetables in stick-and-dip form as opposed to salty, fatty chips. Super yay! Now that second bottle of wine doesn't seem THAT bad.

This is one of my Pinterest finds. Hopefully, on one of my late nights perusing the Interwebs, I will figure out how to rock a Pinterest button onto my posts. A technological mastermind, I am not.

The Lemon Feta Dip was snagged from the blog called One Ordinary Day. You should totally check it out!

And just for some awesome visuals, I will give you a glimpse or two of my Big Boy Evan. He is so no longer a baby. Eep! I can't believe summer is almost finito!

Now, this is a crudite platter that will totally get devoured! Holla.

Lemon Feta Dip

(from Sweet Paul)

8oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil+ extra for serving
fresh thyme

Place feta, lemon zest and juice, garlic and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth.
Spoon into a bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with thyme.
Serve with grilled tomatoes and grilled pita bread drizzled with olive oil, salt and thyme.

Please note: The Jersey Girl served the dip with fresh vegetables including broccoli florets,  red bell peppers, cucumber slices, grape tomatoes and celery sticks.

Here's my happy, healthy Evan. Love him!