Foodie Friday - Grilled Vegetable Pizza

Foodie Friday is hosted by Designs by Gollum. Make sure you stop by her blog where you will find other "Foodie" friends!

I have seen this Grilled Vegetable Pizza recipe in many magazines this past month. It is a add by Crisco advertising Olive Oil. This was my second attempt to grill pizza. Last year I made the whole pizza and then tried to slide it off the peel onto the grill. It wasn't very pretty! What I didn't realize was that you need to cook the crust first, then add your toppings. It made a huge difference. It was a very tasty pizza!

I love the Trader Joe's Pizza crust -- I keep them in the freezer!

1 package (8 oz) shredded four-cheese blend .

Spray cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray. Combine 3 tablespoons Olive Oil and 2 teaspoons minced garlic and brush onto both sides of pizza crust.

Place onto hot grill for 1 to 2 minutes.

Turn over and repeat.

Remove to cookie sheet.

Sprinkle cheese evenly over crust.

Arrange 1 6 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved

2 to 3 baby portobello mushrooms, sliced

1 small red onion, cut into 1 inch wedges

Red bell pepper strips

12 black olives, oil cured, pitted and halved

1 teaspoon fresh chopped herbs to taste

Place crust back on grill.

Close cover and cook 4 to 6 minutes, or until crust is browned and cheese is melted.

Remove and sprinkle with chopped herbs.

bon appetit!

Julie & Julia Quiz

Hello Foodie Friends, I need help with a contest my local paper is having to win tickets to the Julie & Julia movie opening August 7th. I can't wait for this movie!!

Here are the questions I need help with:

1. What was the nickname of the Childs' first apartment in France?
A. La Vue
B. Roo de Loo
C. El chateau
D. Ice box

2. What two publishing houses h ad chances to publish "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" but passed up the opportunity. Pick two answers
A. Ives Washburn
B. Houghton Mifflin
C. Random House
D. Simon and Schuster

3. Which city did the Childs not live in while in Europe?
A. Oslo
B. Paris
C. Berlin
D. Marseilles

4. What was the nickname of the Childs' first car in France?
A. The Blue Flash
B. The Torpedo
C. La Tulipe Noire
D. Antoinette

5. Each Valentine's Day, the Childs sent out cards, often with themselves pictured on the cover. Which choice below does NOT describe a cover of one of those cards?
A. Julia and Paul with red hearts pinned to their shirts.
B. Julia and Paul in the bathtub with strategically placed bubbles.
C. Julia and Paul represented in a stained-glass window.
D. Julia and Paul feeding each other grapes.

Thanks for your help :)

Fast Homemade Pickles

Welcome to FOODIE FRIDAY, hosted by "Designs by Gollum". Go to her blog to see more fun Foodie Friday Posts!!
This week I am sharing Fast Homemade Pickles! These really are fast, you can eat them 2 hours after you make them. They are great with burgers, grilled chicken, deli sandwiches, etc.

Cucumbers

Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and lightly sprinkle with coarse salt. Arrange 4 small cucumbers, sliced 1/8 inch thick, on sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with salt. Cover with a second layer of paper towels. Let stand 15 minuets, then pat dry.

Green Beans

Remove stem ends from green beans.

In a medium saucepan, combine 3 cups white vinegar, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed, 1/2 teaspoon celery seed, and 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Arrange prepared vegetables and 1 bunch of fresh dill fronds in one or more jars. Pour hot brine into jar to completely cover vegetables and seal jar. Refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours (or up to 1 week).

Enjoy!

Shrimp and Grits Cakes with Sweet Tomato Relish

Foodie Friday is hosted by "Designs By Gollum" Be sure to go and look at all the other participants of Foodie Friday for some great recipes and inspiration!

This week I made Shrimp and Grits Cakes with Sweet Tomato Relish. I love Shrimp & Grits, this dish is an elegant twist. The recipe came from the magazine Cooking with Paula Deen - May/June 2009 issue. This was a fun recipe to make and can all be made ahead of time. Would be a great recipe to serve company!!

Sweet Tomato Relish

• 1 cup orange juice


• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar


• 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar


• 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper


• 2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomato


• 1/2 cup minced red onion

In a medium saucepan, combine orange juice, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and chipotle pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup. Add tomato and onion; simmer for 15 minutes, or until mixture is very thick. Let cool. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Grits Cakes

• 3 (14 ounce) can chicken broth


• 1 1/3 cups quick-cooking grits


• 1 (5 ounce) package shredded Parmesan cheese


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Spray a 13X9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a large saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in grits, and return mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until grits are thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese and salt. Spoon grits into prepared baking pan. Let cool slightly. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or until firm. Unmold grits onto a large cutting board. Cut grits, using a 3 1/2 inch round cutter.

Preheat oven to 400. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with melted butter. Place grits cakes on pan. Bake for 12 minutes, or until bottoms of grits cakes are slightly browned. Turn grits cakes, and bake for 12 minutes longer. Top grits cakes with Sweet Tomato Relish and Shrimp Cakes.

Shrimp Cakes

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided


• 1/2 cup minced red bell pepper


• 1/2 cup minced celery


• 1/3 cup minced green onion


• 1 pound peeled and deveined medium fresh shrimp, finely chopped


• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten


• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise


• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard


• 1 teaspoon Carribean jerk seasoning


• 1 1/2 cups crushed saltine crackers (about 1 sleeve crackers)

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add bell pepper, celery, and onion; cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove from h eat, and let cool for 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine shrimp, eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, and jerk seasoning. Add bell pepper mixture, stirring to combine. Add crackers, stirring just until moistened. Shape mixture into 6 (3 1/2 inch) patties.

In the same large skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium-high heat. Add 3 shrimp patties, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, per side, or until golden brown. Repeat procedure with remaining 1/4 cup butter and remaining 3 shrimp patties.

These really are delish, hope you will try them!

Jersey Boys

What a great time we had tonight!! This Broadway musical is fantastic! Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons and how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. If you get the chance to see this you won't be disappointed!!

30th Anniversary

It does not matter

where you go in life,

what you do,

or how much you have...

It is who you have beside you!

I am so lucky that I have this guy in my life ...

looking forward to the next 30 years!!

Fun Trip to the Outer Banks of NC

Hubby and I decided to take a "quick" trip to the Outer Banks today. We have always wanted to visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial. It was a fun trip, a little cloudy -- but only in the 80's.

One hundred years ago wind, sand, an a dream of flight brought Wilbur and Orville Wright to Kitty Hawk, where after years of experimentation, they achieved the first successful airplane flight on December 17, 1903.

This flight lasted only 12 seconds, but it was nevertheless the first in the history of the world in which a machine carrying a man had risen itself by its own power into the air in full flight, had sailed forward without reduction of speed, and had finally landed at a point as high as that from which it started.

What they did here changed the world forever!

This is the Bodie Island Lighthouse.

My toes at the beach!!

Foodie Friday - Blueberry-Coconut Muffins

Oh my gosh - It's Foodie Friday - the week sure went fast!! 2009 is half over already!

Foodie Friday is hosted by Designs By Gollum - be sure to go and visit her blog and see all the other participants! You will find some great recipes and inspiration!!
These blueberry muffins are my kind of breakfast -- I still like a little something sweet to start my day :)

Add a couple of strawberries and you have a healthy breakfast - right?

It's a great treat - blueberry-coconut muffins and blueberry tea!

Blueberry-Coconut Muffins

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 large eggs
• 5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Spray muffin cups with nonstick baking spray with flour or use paper cups.

In a medium bowl, beat butter, sugar, and zest at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add cream. Beat in flour until just combined. Stir in coconut; gently fold in blueberries.

Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 25 minuets, or until edges are golden brown. Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 9 muffins. (Being a Empty Nester, I love when recipes make small batches!!)

P.S. My dog Bromley was on the deck with me having breakfast, I ran inside to get the paper and when I returned my muffin was GONE. This was a complete shock to me, we don't feed him PEOPLE food!! He was very happy the rest of the day :)