Grilled Veggie Naan Pizza

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The last day of summer is here and we're celebrating in style with grilled pizza!

We love pizza and have it often.  I've used so many different bases for pizzas such as Zucchini and Sausage Flatbread Pizza, The BEST Pizza Dough, and this French Bread Pizza..but today we are going to use Naan bread, AND we are going to fire up the grill while we still can!

Naan is an Indian style flatbread and is the perfect base for a quick pizza.  It's sturdy enough to hold up against hearty toppings yet soft enough for a nice bite.

It's all about the GRILLED VEGGIES!  Yes, today's pizza is bursting with flavors from the addition of grilled vegetables for the toppings.  Just forage in your frig for your favorite veggies that will hold up on the grill and get going.  We used red onion, zucchini, tomatoes, and summer squash.

Grilling brings on the FLAVOR!  When grilling vegetables make sure to douse them in oil and season them with a little Italian herbs for extra flavor.  Get some good grill marks on your veggies too, cause that's where the flavor is!

Show your pizza a little love!  Top your naan bread with your favorite pizza sauce, then sprinkle on a seasoning mix to give it some more flavor.  Pile on the grilled and chopped veggies then add a little Parmesan cheese.  Pop it back on the grill to heat it all up then add a sprinkle of fresh basil and a douse of good olive oil!

Try this recipe out this weekend while the weather still allow for grilling.  You will be surprised by how easy this is to make, but you won't be surprised at how GOOD it tastes!

Enjoy!





Grilled Veggie Naan Pizza

serves 1

1 medium sized Naan flatbread (I used Stonefire's)
1 zucchini, sliced into planks
1 summer squash, sliced into planks
1 tomato sliced
1 red onion, sliced and left in whole slices
olive oil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
pizza sauce
pizza seasoning
shaved Parmesan cheese
basil, chopped

Preheat your grill over medium heat.  Drizzle olive oil on the sliced vegetables, both sides, and sprinkle with the Italian seasoning.  Place on grill and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Turning when necessary.

Remove vegetables to a cutting board and chop into bite sized pieces.  Set aside.

To assemble pizza take your Naan flatbread and add some pizza sauce to the bottom.  Sprinkle with some pizza seasoning.  Add your grilled, chopped vegetables and place back on the grill.  Cook, covered, for about 7-8 minutes until warmed through.  Remove and sprinkle with Parmesan, douse with a little olive oil, and sprinkle chopped basil on top.  Cut and serve.

It's Time for Labor Day: Vanilla No Churn Ice Cream

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Summer lasts well in to October in Southern California.  But I do have to say that there has been a slight change in the weather lately that hints that fall is coming.  The evenings are getting shorter and are definitely a lot cooler than usual.

So we are celebrate the last few precious evenings of summer and are planning our Labor Day weekend with the theme "The Bounty of Summer"!.  This will include a backyard BBQ, some spectacular pasta salads, easy in-season vegetable side dishes and for dessert a no churn ice cream.

This is the first time I've ventured into the "no churn" ice cream realm.  Being a lover of old fashioned goodness I was hesitant to try this.  Boy was I pleasantly surprised and wish I had joined the fun ages ago!  I decided to go with a basic vanilla recipe that could be used for a base in an ice cream bar that I'll be setting up.  We'll have a variety of different fruits, chocolate, nuts, and candy to top your sundae to your hearts desire.

Is it really no churn?  Yes, you actually can make ice cream without churning it!  As amazing as it sounds it's true, and it tastes just as amazing!  It only takes 3 ingredients to make this wonderful ice cream:  whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla.  I actually used a vanilla bean pastes which infused the ice cream with flavorful flecks of vanilla bean seeds.  I just love the looks of vanilla flecks running through my ice cream!  You can purchase this here.  Of course, you can always use pure vanilla extract.  Since you are only using 3 ingredients make sure to use ones that are top quality so your ice cream comes out top notch!

Does it taste like ice cream?  It actually does!  I was skeptical since I've made homemade churned iced cream all my life and I'm partial to it.  But after trying this I found that this is a great quick and easy substitute.  Lots of ice cream uses eggs that you cook into a custard base, but there are those that are just cream, half and half, and sugar.  The ingredients are similar in the no churn version and the fact that you whip the cream you are creating that air infused base which simulates churned ice cream.

What tools do I need? To make this ice cream you will need a stand or hand mixer such as this one, or this one.  You will need a rubber spatula such as this one.  Good vanilla bean paste.  Plus a freezer safe container to hold your ice cream.  I'm partial to this one because it's easy to scoop from!

This Vanilla No Churn Ice Cream is the perfect, quick, dessert to whip up for your Labor Day festivities.  As it takes time to set up in the freezer it's perfect for making the day before.  Dress it up or keep it simple, any way you top it you're gonna love this ice cream!

Enjoy!






More Labor Day recipes:
Butter Burgers
Quick and Easy Strawberry Lemonade
The BEST Broccoli Pasta Salad
Indian Summer Fresh Corn Salad
Cast Iron Summer Berry Cobbler










Vanilla No Churn Ice Cream

Yield: 1 1/2 pints

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Using a stand or hand mixer, whip whipping cream until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.  Pour in condensed milk and vanilla bean paste and gently fold into the whipped cream until combined.  Pour into a freezer safe container and place in the freezer to set 3-4 hours or overnight.

This post contains affiliate links for items you may purchase and I am paid a small compensation fee at no cost to you.

Lemon Dill Rice

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Everyone needs a good side dish in their repertoire!  Living with a Persian means we end up eating a lot of rice.  It's a staple in MGG diet even though we've tried to curb that carb craving many times, we still crave it.

MGG typically wants rice as a side dish when we grill chicken, whether it be kabobs, breasts, drumsticks...whatever, rice is always foremost in his mind.  So last week we decided to grill some Latin Grilled Chicken (soooo yum!) and with that we needed a quick and easy side dish.  So I knew he was leaning toward rice along with some veggies, and I don't mind his cravings because truth be told, I love it too.

Let's talk about rice!  There are so many varieties of rice out there which one to choose?  Basmati, a white long grained rice that is aromatic is the choice of Persians and many other cultures.  But there are others that are wonderful as well such as Jasmine, brown, mixed with wild rice, red rice...and the list goes on and on.  So one consideration I had was that I didn't want to spend 20 minutes on a weeknight cooking rice, so I chose a converted rice that cooks in minutes.  No shame here.  You can use what you want but this turned out beautifully and it is a real time savor during the week.

Rice is boring!  True, rice tends to be bland, but there are ways you can jazz it up. I wanted a rice that mirrored the flavors in my Latin Grilled Chicken so I added aromatics.  Swapping out chicken broth for the water gives rice a nice flavor boost.  Some simple touches to finish the rice also add some pep to it.  I added lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh chopped dill to give it tons of flavor. 

So there you have it, Lemon Dill Rice!  It's the perfect side dish for chicken, fish, pork, and beef, and works well with most Latin, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern dishes.  Make sure to try this simple side dish this week.  It's one the whole family will love.

Enjoy!








Lemon Dill Rice

serves 3-4


1 cup minute rice
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup water
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 lemon, lemon juice
2 Tbls. fresh dill, chopped

Place chicken broth and water in a saucepan.  Turn on heat to high and boil water.  Add rice to boiling water, turn off heat and cover.  Wait 5 minutes.  Add lemon zest, and juice of 1/2 of a lemon, plus the chopped dill.  Stir to combine and serve hot.

Homestyle Banana Blueberry Muffins

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I would say that my Mom passed on her love of baking muffins to me.  She used an old recipe from a book that is completely falling apart from usage.  This recipe is the base for a homestyle muffin that's made with love.  It's an adaptable basic recipe that I still use today.

We are going to change up that basic recipe and make some exciting muffins this morning.  I always have an overripe banana in our house, just waiting for me to make a smoothie, banana bread, or as in today, a muffin. 

Since it's summertime we always have an abundance of fruit around as well.  Sometimes MGG goes way overboard with the fruit buying (that's another story!) which leaves us with bits and pieces of leftover various fruit.  Today I found a scant 1 cup of blueberries hidden in the frig that were just calling my name.

Blueberries and Bananas?  Yes ma'am!  The flavor of tart blueberries and sweet bananas pair so well together.  You are gonna love this flavor combination.  The banana lends a sweetness and makes a really moist muffin and there's nothing better than biting into a hot juicy blueberry.  What's better than a piping hot muffin spilling with berries fresh from the oven, made with love?  Nothing!


Enjoy!









Homestyle Banana Blueberry Muffins

1 large ripe banana, mashed
1 large egg
1/2 c 2% milk
1/4 c canola oil
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl mash the banana.  Add the egg, milk, and oil.  Mix together using a whisk to completely incorporate.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to the egg mixture.  Stir just until combined.  Do not over mix.  Fold in the blueberries.

Using a cookie scoop, add batter to the prepared muffin tins. Bake 18-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the tin.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Easy Cinnamon Peach Cobbler (Family Sized)

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We are hosting a huge summer bash in a couple of weeks for a bunch of friends and I've been researching and testing recipes.  The key is that they must feed a crowd but be simple to make.

Today is all about dessert!  I've been digging through our old family recipes again and came up with my version of a classic.  If you want a super easy and quick dessert to make look no further than this Easy Cinnamon Peach Cobbler.  I made this particular one family sized in an 8x8 pan for testing purposes, but just double the ingredients and place in a 9x13 pan for one that will feed a crowd.

There's nothing better than this southern dessert during the summer, especially when peaches are in season!  Oh! fresh peaches are the BEST!  We just picked up some delicious peaches that promised to be a 12 on the flavor scale (0-15, 15 being sweetest) and they sure were.  Juicy and sweet.  So make sure to use fresh ones if you can find good ones.  If not then frozen will work perfectly.

This is a cobbler that is cakey, instead of a biscuit topping or a pie crust.  You make a batter and pour it in the pan, then add the peaches on top.  The peaches sink down and the cake rises around the peaches to create a cake like cobbler. Yum!  I also added some cinnamon to the peaches to give it a little homey flavor which I adore.  Leave it out if you prefer just plain peaches.  This is excellent in taste, and couldn't be 

Bring a little South to your menu and enjoy this Easy Cinnamon Peach Cobbler (Family Sized) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  It can't be beat!

Enjoy!




Easy Cinnamon Peach Cobbler (Family Sized)

serves 6

1/4 cup butter

1 1lb. fresh or frozen peaches peeled and sliced

1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cups sugar, divided
3/4 cups self-rising flour
3/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Add butter to a 8x8 baking dish and place into the oven as it preheats to 375º F to melt.

To a small bowl add peaches and 1/4 sugar.  Stir to combine.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl add remaining sugar, self-rising flour,  milk, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.  Remove pan from oven and pour batter on top of the melted butter.  Top with the peaches and their juices.  Do not stir.

Bake until the cobbler is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Garlic and Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken

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Ever wonder how to get really, I mean REALLY crispy chicken in the oven?

Boy, I have a foolproof method to share with you today.  This recipe produces the crispiest oven-fried chicken you will ever make, straight from the oven.

The secret is in the method, so make sure you don't skip a step to ensure that extra crispy crust!  A few special ingredients ensure that crispy crust.

First off, you'll need a screaming hot baking sheet.  You just heat this up while the oven is preheating.  Then you melt butter on this sheet to cover it and provide a base for the chicken to cook.  It's really like frying in the oven with less fat.

Next you need to make sure to add breadcrumbs, and baking powder to you flour dredging mixture.  This gives the coating some lightness and plumpness while frying in the oven.

Beyond that these are prepared like your classic chicken strips.  The result though is a fabulous Garlic and Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken that will knock your socks off!  Kids will cry for more, so make a big batch, because they go fast!  Oh! and don't forget to serve it with a homemade ranch dip.

Enjoy!








Garlic and Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken

Serves: 6  

Ingredients

2 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoon bread crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds chicken tenders
3 Tablespoons butter

Preheat the oven to 420°F.  Place a large baking sheet in the oven to heat.

In a pie pan or dish whisk together the eggs and the buttermilk.

In another pie pan or dish mix together the flour, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, baking powder and all spices through the black pepper together.  Mix to combine well.

Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.  Then dip the pieces into the egg mixture turning to coat.  Place the chicken pieces back into the flour mixture coating well.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven (careful, it's hot!)  Place the butter on the hot sheet and allow to melt.  Spread to coat.

Place chicken pieces on the baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and flip the pieces over.  Return to the oven and bake for another 5-8 minutes, or until completely cooked and golden brown.  If needed you can broil the pieces to deepen the browning for a few minutes.  

Baked Honey Soy Chicken Legs

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Need a quick weeknight meal?  Let's make a quick hot meal using the oven.

Baked Honey Soy Chicken Legs is a weeknight wonder!  Just a few ingredients and some chicken legs and you'll have a tasty dinner on the table in no time.  One that the whole family will love.  

Tender, juicy chicken legs doused with a wonderful honey soy sauce served over a bed of fluffy rice.  What could be more comforting than that? 

Chicken legs are used hear as you can buy them cheaply and in bulk.  Everyone loves a good chicken leg!  They are the perfect vehicle for this mouthwatering sauce too.  They soak up the sauce perfectly while the chicken bakes and it gets in to all the nooks and crannies of the chicken, making for one boldly flavored chicken leg.

Enjoy!


Baked Honey Soy Chicken Legs

6 chicken legs
salt and pepper
1/4 cup Asian rice wine
1/4 honey
1/4 low sodium soy sauce

Pat the chicken legs dry with a paper towel and place them in a baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl add the rice wine, honey, and soy sauce.  Stir to combine.  Pour over the chicken coating all sides.  Allow to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.  

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees while the chicken marinates.  Cover your pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and turn the chicken over.  Uncover and bake another 15 minutes until golden brown on top.  Serve warm over rice if desired.

Quick and Decadent Apple Butter Crescent Rolls

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Let's talk breakfast.

Today I wanted to bring you a short but very informative post on a breakfast item that we adore!

QUICK AND DECADENT APPLE BUTTER CRESCENT ROLLS

This insanely easy dish will make your mouth water.  This fresh twist on the classic crescent roll has turned the basic into a breakfast extravaganza.  With nothing more that 2 ingredients you have luscious, hot pastries for your breakfast that will have everyone scrambling for seconds!

I've brought you several of these before such as these Pumpkin Citrus Crescent Rolls and Lemon Blueberry Crescent Rolls, but today we are focusing on fall flavors and bringing in apple butter to the mix. Tender crescent rolls fresh from the oven and bursting with hot apple butter.  Yes please!  These treats are the perfect breakfast pastry, snack, or even dessert.  Everyone will love the cinnamon apple flavor, and if you want to take it up a notch add some sautéed apples that have been finely diced!  Heaven in a can.

Enjoy!






Quick and Decadent Apple Butter Crescent Rolls

Makes 8

1 can of refrigerated crescent rolls (I used Pillsbury)
4 T of apple butter, homemade or jarred (I use this one) 

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Unroll crescent rolls and separate each triangle.  Brush apple butter over each triangle.  You can use more or less to your taste. (Make sure not to use too much or it will ooze out!)  Roll up starting from the wide end and creating a crescent roll.

Place on a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.  Serve hot.