Take 5 December – How to Cook a Christmas Goose

1 Comment | Written on December 15, 2011 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Why not take a page out of a Charles Dickens novel this Christmas and prepare a roast goose!  A bountiful platter of roast goose makes a beautiful holiday meal.  Cooks may be hesitant about roasting a goose for the first time, but with a few tips and tricks it’s as easy as turkey.  My latest How-To video will help get you started!

In the tradition of my 5-ingredient video series, I decided to offer a simple yet festive and flavorful accompaniment for the roast goose.  The rich flavors of apples, prunes and port wine pair perfectly with the decadent goose.

Here are a few more tips for purchasing and preparing a goose this holiday season.

One Pumpkin, Two Great Recipes!

4 Comments | Written on October 14, 2011 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Did you see the “How to Make Pumpkin Puree” article yesterday?  Today, I am going to show you how to make two delicious dishes from your homemade fresh pumpkin puree.  With one pumpkin, you can create an entire family meal!  It is cost effective and delicious.

Yesterday I demonstrated How to Make Pumpkin Puree on DaytimeTV and tomorrow I will be talking about these recipes on the radio!  Check out http://letsdineoutshow.com/ and you can listen in to a live stream from your computer.  It will air Saturday 10/15 at 4 PM on 590 KTIE in San Bernardino, CA.

For dinner whip up this unique and easy Pumpkin Chorizo Pizza.  If you are a fan of pepperoni pizza, give this version a try.  You won’t believe the flavorful pumpkin sauce instead of the traditional tomato-based pizza sauce!

Pumpkin-Chorizo Pizza  (click here to view and print recipe)

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

12 ounce purchased pizza crust

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1 cup fresh pumpkin puree

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup cubed fontina cheese

1/4 pound thinly sliced Spanish chorizo

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

Directions:

Additional olive oil and chopped sage for garnish (optional)

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Brush 1 tablespoon olive oil over crust; set aside.  Heat remaining tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots, garlic, and pepper flakes to hot pan.  Sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Stir in pumpkin puree, smoked paprika, and salt.

Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and hot.  Spread sauce evenly over pizza crust; scatter with cubed fontina. Arrange sliced chorizo evenly over top and sprinkle with chopped sage.

Place pizza on a cookie sheet or directly on oven rack, if preferred.  Bake for 12 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.  If desired, drizzle a little olive oil over pizza and sprinkle with additional chopped sage.

Traditional Italian cannoli is given a seasonal twist in this recipe.  Pumpkin puree is incorporated in the filling and pumpkin seeds garnish the ends. 

Pumpkin Cannoli  (click here to view and print recipe) 

8 ounce container mascarpone cheese

3/4 cup fresh pumpkin puree

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup chopped pumpkin seeds (pepitas), divided

2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

12 purchased cannoli shells (two 4-ounce boxes)

Additional powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, stir together mascarpone cheese, pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, ricotta, and pumpkin pie spice until blended.

Fold in 1/4 cup of the pumpkin seeds and the mini chocolate chips; set aside.  In a chilled mixing bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks form.  Fold into pumpkin mixture.

Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.  Right before serving, pipe pumpkin filling into cannoli shells, going all the way to the ends.  Sprinkle the ends with remaining 1/4 cup chopped pumpkin seeds.  Sprinkle shell with powdered sugar and serve.

Moroccan Tagine – Weekly Blog Giveaway

32 Comments | Written on October 10, 2011 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Happy Monday everybody!  I get so excited to start every new week with a fun giveaway.  This week we are taking a turn to the exotic spice markets of Morocco.

Enter to win this amazing Moroccan Tagine Prize Package:

-Moroccan Tagine

-Tagine Cookbook

-Marrakesh Design Dish Towel

Official Rules

Here is all you have to do:

Leave a comment here on the blog telling us your favorite spice.  It could be something you find in your home pantry or something only available in the famous spice markets of Morocco.  I can’t wait to see what everyone has to say…best of luck to you!

In the meantime, check out these delicious tagine recipes from the site:

Quick Chicken Tagine with Instant Rice

Okra and Chickpea Tagine

Kumquat Tagine

Chicken Tagine with Pomegranate

Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Cinnamon

As American As Apple Pie and Karjalanpiirakat

4 Comments | Written on October 6, 2011 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Welcome to “The Great American Dinner Party!”  This is an online celebration of the debut of “Made in America:  Our Best Chefs Reinvent Comfort Food” written by the outstanding Lucy Lean.

Now, what exactly is a “virtual” dinner party you ask?  All this week a group of fabulous food bloggers are celebrating the release of Lucy’s cookbook with posts about comfort food, party planning, recipes from the cookbook, and more.  We are all “bringing something to the party” if you will!  (Below you can find links to others who have RSVP’d.)

The cookbook features reinvented comfort food favorites from acclaimed chefs from all over  the country.  I haven’t seen the book yet, but from the previews I am simply  drooling with anticipation.  The list of contributing chefs read like the program at the James Beard Awards.

I pondered the idea of Made in America, what it means to me, and how I might contribute to the party.  I thought about my favorite comfort foods and the memories they evoke. In the end, I kept coming back to two things:  Apple Pie and Karjalanpiirakat.  

I know, it sounds wild…let me explain….

You see these two recipes most adequately represent the two sides of my family, my background, and my culinary point of view.  First off, the idea of this book so appeals to me because I am quite literally “As American as Apple Pie.”  My mom’s side came over only a few boats after the Mayflower.  They were pilgrims, pioneers, and Revolutionary War heroes.

My passion for food first began with this apple pie.  I used to enter it every year  in the Lake County Fair, and it brought home too many ribbons to count.

View Recipe:  “Grand Champion Apple Pie”

But America wasn’t built only by our first settlers, we grew and thrived through immigration and a patchwork quilt of international influences.  My background  follows a similar path as my Dad’s family came here from Finland.   That’s where my next contribution to the party comes in:  Karjalanpiirakat.

Nope,  don’t even try to pronounce it.

These rice filled rye pastries are a Finnish staple.  They can be enjoyed any time of day with a hearty spread of egg butter.  I will be the first to admit they are a pain in the neck to prepare.  The old Finnish rule of thumb is the rye should be rolled so thin,  if held up to the light you should be able to see “seven churches” through the  paper thin pastry.

View Recipe:  “Karjalanpiirakat”  (Finnish Karelian Pies)

Both of these foods evoke the visceral memories of warmth, togetherness and love.  Comfort food defined.

The apple pie is on the Thanksgiving table every year.  The Karelian pies remind me of summers in Helsinki, chatting around the table with my cousins until the wee hours of the morning.  Oblivious of the time because of the laughter and the bright Midnight Sun.

I hope all of you can check out this new book, explore the pages filled with  similar memories and recipes from some of the nation’s greatest chefs.  Leave a comment here with your favorite comfort food memory or tweet it with the  hashtag  #MadeinAmericaDinner .  I can’t wait to hear what you have to say!  The diversity of our backgrounds and our experiences  is what makes this country and our cuisine so beautiful.

Interested in attending the Made in America launch party?  Read all about it here.  Even better, how about the Made in America weekend coming up October 27-30 at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Hawaii!  (I mean, what’s better than celebrating America with our 50th state?)

Finally, if you want to purchase the book, simply follow this link to Amazon.  Lucy is even willing to send you personal signed bookplates if you are interested in an author signed copy.

Follow these links for other participating bloggers and their contributions to the dinner party!

Lucy   http://www.ladlesandjellyspoons.com/ – http://www.ladlesandjellyspoons.com/2011/10/made-in-america-great-american-dinner-party/

Rachael  http://www.lafujimama.com/ – http://www.lafujimama.com/2011/10/poached-alaskan-king-crab-salad/

Nicole  http://pinchmysalt.com/

Greg   http://www.sippitysup.com/

Jaden  http://steamykitchen.com/

Maggy  http://threemanycooks.com/

Georgia  http://georgiapellegrini.com/ – http://georgiapellegrini.com/2011/10/04/blog/made-in-america/

Gaby  http://whatsgabycooking.com/

Marla  http://www.familyfreshcooking.com/ – www.familyfreshcooking.com/2011/10/04/gluten-free-pumpkin-pie-tart-recipe/

Brooke  http://www.foodwoolf.com/

Michael http://foodforthethoughtless.com/

Nancy  http://www.acommunaltable.com/

Amanda  http://iammommy.typepad.com/i_am_baker/ – http://www.iammommy.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/10/made-in-america-lucy-lean.html

Amanda   http://www.kevinandamanda.com/

Esi  http://dishingupdelights.blogspot.com/ – http://dishingupdelights.blogspot.com/2011/10/chocolate-walnut-oatmeal-freezer.html

Carrie   http://deliciouslyorganic.net/ – http://deliciouslyorganic.net/crawfish-etouffee-made-in-america/

Molly   http://www.organicspark.com/

Aida  http://www.aidamollenkamp.com/ – http://www.aidamollenkamp.com/2011/10/made-in-america-book-release/

Debbie  http://www.theculinarycellar.com/

The Urban Baker – http://www.theurbanbaker.com/a-traditional-lasagne-recipe-and-dinner-with-lucy-lean/

 

 

Five Spice Chicken Lo Mein to Celebrate National Noodle Day

7 Comments | Written on October 5, 2011 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Tomorrow is National Noodle Day!  In honor of this “food holiday” I received this special delivery yesterday…

Believe it or not, that is a unique piece of wall art featuring the Better Recipes logo made entirely out of noodles!  How cool is that?!

It was sent over as an official invitation for the Better Recipes readers to join P.F. Chang’s celebrate National Noodle Day with a Twitter party.  Tonight from 8-10 EST you can join @PFChangs and follow the hash tag #noodlenight for a chance to win prizes and get the Noodle Day celebration started right.  They are launching a new line of noodle entrees to the P.F. Chang’s Home Menu including:  Garlic Chicken with Dan Dan Noodles, Pepper Steak with Chow Fun Noodles, Grilled Chicken Teriyaki with Lo Mein Noodles, Firecracker Shrimp with Yakisoba Noodles.  You can even enter to win one of their VIP noodle tasting kits, chef-quality skillets to prepare your meal, and a grand prize trip for two to spice up your weekend in Las Vegas!  Check out their facebook page for more info.

I decided to kick off National Noodle Day with this fast and flavorful recipe for “Five-Spice Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms and Lo Mein Noodles.”  Chinese 5-Spice powder is an aromatic blend of ground cinnamon, cloves, Szechuan pepper, star anise and fennel.  If you are looking for a flavor punch without using a lot of ingredients, definitely keep a jar of 5-spice on hand.  It pairs perfectly with chicken as well as the earthy flavors of mushrooms.  Serve over lo mein noodles and garnish with sesame seeds!

By the way, don’t forget to enter the blog giveaway this week for a chance to win the amazing Wok Set and accessories!  Simply follow this link and leave a comment to win!

http://www.betterrecipes.com/blogs/daily-dish/2011/10/03/wok-weekly-blog-giveaway

 

Five-Spice Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms and Lo Mein Noodles  (click here to view and print recipe)

1 box Chinese Lo Mein noodles

1 pound thinly sliced chicken cutlets

2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder

3/4 pound shiitake mushrooms

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Sesame oil

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Prepare Lo Mein noodles according to package directions.  While the noodles are cooking, prepare the chicken.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken cutlets with the five-spice powder, rubbing it in well.  Trim and slice the mushrooms.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan.  Add the chicken and cook over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.  Remove to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pan.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan.   Add the mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until  lightly browned and quite tender, about 3 minutes.

Add 2/3 cup water and the soy sauce to the pan.  Boil, uncovered, until the sauce is slightly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes.  Return the chicken to the pan and heat through.

Toss noodles with sesame oil.  Serve chicken over noodles and garnish with sesame seeds.  Serves 4.

 

Week 4 – Pizza Winner

3 Comments | Written on October 4, 2011 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

It looks like we have a resident Italian cooking expert here at Better Recipes!  Remember Lou and his outstanding Saltimboca Alla Romama from the “Italian” themed contest last time around?  Well, he has done it again, this time with pizza!  Lou says, “cook what you love for those you love.”  Wonderful words to live by!  Now, let’s check out his winning pizza.

Pizza Bianca Con Rucola E Prosciutto  (click here to view and print recipe)

The title means “White Pizza With Prosciutto and Arugula.”

Ingredients:

Dough

1/2 cup  Warm (105 – 110 Degrees F) Water

2 Tbsp Honey

1 Envelope Active Dry Yeast  (about 1 1/8 Teaspoons)

1 1/4 cups Bread Flour, plus additional for work surface

2 tsp  Salt

2 Tbsp  Extra-virgin Olive Oil

Topping

4 – 8 oz slices  Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, sliced into 1/4″ disks

1/4 lb Prosciutto Ham, about 8 thin slices

1 cup Arugula

8 Parmesan Shavings

Directions:

Dough

1. In a 1 cup measuring cup, combine the water and honey stir to combine and sprinkle the yeast over it. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes. If the yeast doesn’t “proof” (get “foamy”) pour it out and start again it is important to have a live yeast mixture.

2. Meanwhile place the flour and the salt into a sifter and sift it into the medium bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the olive oil and the “proofed” yeast mixture. Turn the mixer fitted with dough hooks to high (labeled knead on my mixer) and turn on. Continue kneading (mixing) until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball around the dough hooks (scrap the sides of the bowl to move flour into the path of the hooks as needed).

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky (add flour gradually as needed to reach the slightly tacky state), 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl with about 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to oil the ball on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap cloth and set in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Construction and Baking

1. Place an appropriately sized pizza stone on the bottom (not on a shelf, putting the stone in contact with the oven bottom will allow it to get hotter and provide the slight charring on the bottom of the pizza that is the signature of a good Italian pizza) of your oven and pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. On a clean, flat, lightly floured work surface, place the ball of dough and, with fingertips and working from the center of the flattened ball out to the edge, press it into a disk of dough approximately 10 to 12 – inches round about 1/8 inch thick (if necessary use a rolling pin to achieve the 1/8-inch thickness [don’t worry if the pizza isn’t perfectly round . . . that’s called “rustica” and it’s the way “real” Italian pizza looks in Italy]).

3. Distribute some cornmeal over the surface of a pizza peel (this will act as “ball bearings” and allow the dough disk to move easily over the surface of the peel) and transfer the formed pizza base onto the peel. Evenly distribute the sliced (or shredded) mozzarella over the dough disk (leave about 1/2-inch rim of uncoated dough around the edge of the “pie” to form a crust). Gently shake the peel to insure the pizza moves freely (if it doesn’t gently lift the edges of the pizza and distribute additional cornmeal until it does), using the peel slide the pizza onto the stone and bake the pizza until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 – 12 minute in a 450°F oven.

4. Using the pizza peel remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Once the pie has cooled for a minute or two distribute the sliced prosciutto, arugula and Parmesan shavings over the top of the pie. Slice into 8 slices and serve!

Helpful Tips:  If your oven heats unevenly, after about 5 minutes check the pizza and rotate to insure even cooking.

The winning recipe is one I’ve been making for  years, I’ve been experimenting with pizzas since high school when I worked in a “pizza parlor” as a teenaged pizzaiuolo (Italian for pizza chef).  This particular recipe was one I came up with about 30 years ago when “pizza pies” began to become “fufu-ized” and were moving from  tomato sauce, cheese, and traditional toppings to more eclectic combinations of ingredients.  Over the years I’ve been a United States Marine and had a career as a computer software engineer but my first love has always been cooking, Better Recipes has become a vehicle for me to share my recipes with other people who share that love.  While I don’t enter recipe contests often, I do enter them when the themes match what I consider my specialties.  I have won one other contest with my recipe for  Saltimboca alla Romana.  I don’t have any plans for the present prize money but if I were fortunate enough to win the grand prize I’d probably use it for another trip to Montalbano Jonica in the Basilicata region of Italy where my ancestors came from.

Congratulations Lou!  We all look forward to enjoying more of your outstanding Italian dishes! 

Wok This Way! Weekly Blog Giveaway

26 Comments | Written on October 3, 2011 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Do you like to explore new cuisines?  Fiddle with fun cooking gadgets?  Then you have come to the right place!  Every Monday we have a new themed giveaway here at The Daily Dish, filled with exciting cookbooks, appliances, decorations, and more.

This week is all about the fast, fresh and fabulous recipes you can prepare in a wok.  Who needs take-out when you can prepare healthier versions of your favorite foods at home!  Here is what you can win:

-Crate and Barrel Wok Set

-Wok Cookbook

-Three “take-out” style Sauce Bowls  (These are so adorable!  The look like mini take-out containers and are perfect for your favorite dipping sauces.) 

From now until midnight on Saturday, simply leave a comment here on the blog telling us why you would prefer to cook at home rather than order in.  One lucky winner will be randomly selected at the end of the week.  In the meantime, check out this great Mixing Bowl Group – “Learning How To Use A Wok”  for fun recipe ideas.  Good luck everyone!  Remember there is a new prize package and a new chance to win every Monday here on the Better Recipes blog.

Official Rules

Paris Prize Package – Weekly Blog Giveaway

3 Comments | Written on September 26, 2011 at 10:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

Bonjour Mon Ami!

I am tres excited for the blog giveaway this week.  Take a look at this Paris Prize Package – everything you need for an easy and romantic French dinner at home!

-”Barefoot In Paris” cookbook by Ina Garten

-Set of 4 Parisian plates

-Decorative Paris dishcloth

-Eiffel Tower candle holder (I love this one!  Just put a tea light in the bottom half of the tower and your tabletop is transported to the “City of Lights!”) 

 

 

Here is all you have to do: 

Leave a comment here on the blog describing your ultimate romantic dinner for two.  For example:  Who would be your date?  Where would it be?  What would you eat?  (Links to your favorite recipes are more than welcome!)  One lucky winner will be drawn at midnight on October 2nd.  Good luck everyone and Bon Appetit! 

Love French Cuisine?  Join one of our French-themed groups!

Cuisine Francaise

Wine with Everything

Easy Ethnic Recipes

Le French Toasters  (Hey, why not!?)

4 Ingredient Challenge – September

3 Comments | Written on September 26, 2011 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

It’s that time again…get ready for the “4 Ingredient Challenge!”  Once a month a great group of bloggers get together to grill up a meal using four wild and wacky ingredients.  Read all about it at the challenge headquarters:  http://www.onourgrillschallenge.com/

September Challenge:

1)  Peas (any variety – I selected these flat pea pods)

2)  Potatoes (I chose baby red potatoes) 

3)  Tofu  (Since it will be for the grill, “super firm” is a must!) 

4)  Cheese (Halloumi was the obvious choice here since it is known as “the cheese that grills!”)

Needless to say this was a tough one!  I decided to parboil the baby red potatoes and skewer them with the super firm tofu and the Halloumi cheese onto kabobs.  These were brushed with sesame oil and grilled.  The kabobs are served over an Asian Slaw made with the required pea pods as well as carrots, radishes, and green onion for color.

Everything actually turned out better than expected!  The Asian Slaw and dressing were lovely and I would certainly make that again.  The tofu makes sense with the dish, but potatoes and Halloumi are a bit out of left field in an Asian-inspired recipe.  But that’s exactly why we do this!  To think outside of the box and experiment.  Sometimes it’s weird, sometimes it’s wonderful…you never know until you try!

Potato, Tofu, and Cheese Kabobs

24 Baby Red Potatoes

20 ounce package Super Firm Tofu – cut into 1-inch cubes

8.8 ounce package Halloumi cheese – cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons sesame oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Parboil the baby red potatoes for about 10 minutes to soften.  Alternate the potatoes, tofu and cheese on wooden skewers.  Brush with sesame oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Grill over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.  Makes 6 kabobs.  Serve over Asian Slaw.

Asian Coleslaw

Asian slaw:

1 bag prepared refrigerated coleslaw
1/2 pound pea pods (not snap peas), cut into long thin strips
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup sliced radishes
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Dressing:

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1-2  teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Place all slaw ingredients in a bowl and toss.  Whisk together all dressing ingredients and toss with slaw. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

 

Check out the other 4-Ingredient Challenge participants!

Larry from the BBQGrail – ENTRY HERE

The BBQ Grail website was created in 2007, initially to document the author’s quest to find the perfect backyard BBQ experience. Since that time The BBQ Grail has become one of the more popular BBQ blogs on the internet and is listed on Alltop.com as one of the top BBQ blogs.

Paul Haight of No Excuses BBQ – ENTRY HERE

The No Excuses BBQ website was started in January of 2009 as a way to record the author’s goal of cooking outdoors at least once a week throughout the year and showing the results to the world. Somewhere along the way things got out of control…

Chris North of Nibble Me This – ENTRY HERE

The Nibble Me This website was created to share Chris’ misadventures in live fire cooking. ”I have no culinary training….I’m just entertaining myself with fire and food”.

Marc Van Der Wouw of Grill Adventures-ENTRY HERE

Grilladventures by broadcastmarc is started on march of 2010.I started the BBQ thing when I was 30,before that we eat a lot outside.have fun,but when the kids came in our life We start serious cooking.Most of it is realy healthy I think;-)The grill has a special place in my heart,We love to do things outside..Everything I make is an adventure,and sometimes we use the books.We try to grill as much as we can year round.

Bob Fukushima – ENTRY HERE

Bob Fukishima began his blog in August,2009 with the intent of sharing his views on food and drink. The blog was originally focused on BBQ and homebrew,but it was inevitable that the influences of his upbringing in the San Francisco Bay Area and it’s wealth of ingredients,as well as his heritage as an American of Japanese ancestry would help focus his blog,as it has his approach to food and drink. TWITTER  FACEBOOK

Curt McAdams – ENTRY HERE 

Grilled Pesto Pizzettes and An Italian Tour of Los Angeles

No Comments | Written on September 21, 2011 at 5:00 am , by Kristina Vanni

I recently had the pleasure of joining a few of my fellow Los Angeles food bloggers on an Italian Tour of LA with the folks from Bertolli.  For over 150 years, Bertolli has been dedicated to bringing the authentic flavors of Italy to the dinner table.  Their passion for  high quality ingredients shaped our tour as we explored everything from a morning cappuccino to handmade pasta and even the perfect wine pairing.

Head on over to our Facebook page for a gallery of photos from the day!  An Italian Tour of Los Angeles

Cafe Bella Roma – This was our first stop of the day!  The chef came to the US from Rome and made the perfect cornetti and cappuccino to kick off our tour.

Obika Mozzarella Bar – Authentic ingredients, such as the perfect Mozzarella di Bufala, are what make Italian meals shine.  Check out my recipe below for a great way to highlight mozzarella in a dish.

Primi al Mercato – Pasta is a staple of Italian cuisine and it is fascinating to watch it being made by hand.  The shapes, fillings and sauces offer endless meal possibilities!

Il Norcino Salumeria – Right across from “Primi” is the salumeria. I am constantly searching for the perfect proscuitto in LA and here I just may have found it!  Served with a splash of Prosceco and it was a little slice of heaven.   (I need to start savoring the authentic Italian lifestyle more often!)

Cafe Bellagio – Next we were in for a sweet Italian treat – gelato.  It is the perfect snack on a warm afternoon or a great way to finish off an Italian meal.

Osteria Mamma – We finished off our tour in this cozy and friendly family-owned Italian restaurant.  The dishes were simple and respected the traditions and flavors of the Veneto region.  You know a meal is authentic when it’s made by Mamma!

After a day of exploring authentic Italian food and savoring the carefully selected ingredients, I was inspired to come up with a recipe of my own!  Since our recipe contest theme this week is pizza, I wanted to offer an easy and unique twist on this classic favorite.

These are “Grilled Pesto Pizzettes” or mini-pizzas.  All you need is frozen dinner roll dough, prepared pesto, fresh cherry tomatoes,  bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls), and, of course, Bertolli olive oil.

Grilled Pesto Pizzettes (click here to view and print recipe)

Frozen dinner roll dough

Olive oil

Prepared pesto sauce

Cherry tomatoes

Bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls)

Thaw dinner roll dough and stretch into pizzette crusts.  Brush with olive oil and grill over medium heat for 30-45 seconds on each size.  Top with pesto sauce, halved cherry tomatoes and halved bocconcini.  Warm on grill or in oven to melt the mozzarella.  Finish off with a drizzle of olive oil and enjoy!

This recipe is fast and fun with a few simple Italian ingredients.  When you are short on time, Bertolli offers an array of fantastic Italian meals and sauces so you can experience a taste of Italy in your own home.  From frozen meals, to olive oils and pasta sauces, and even a new line of frozen soups!

Other bloggers on the tour:

Andrea from Savvy Sassy Moms

Stacie Hunt – http://www.ustream.tv/Bertolli

Chrystal and Amir from The Duo Dishes

Romy from Romy Raves

Sharon from Cupcakes and Cutlery

Melanie and Adam Waldman from Travels with Two