Maple Roasted Pear Pizza with Pistachio Olive Oil, Caramelized Shallots, Crispy Prosciutto, + Crumbled Goat Cheese

Sweet + Salty is mah jam. I'm the weirdo that likes dipping french fries in a chocolate milkshake... adding salt to my lattes, pouring maple syrup on my bacon, and so on + so on. Last year, we went to our favorite pizza place, Hearth, and my dreams were made. Their pizza special that night was a pear pizza. What? PEAR ON A PIZZA.... that's genius! I knew then and there that I would have to recreate this masterpiece. I ending up changing most of the toppings to include my favorite ingredients, and you know what, I thought ours was even better. First, I started off by making a chunky pistachio olive oil by using a molcajete + pestle to pulverize the nuts into the oil. This serves as the base for your pizza. Next up is one of my go-to recipes as of lately... crispy prosciutto. If you don't have prosciutto on you though, you can always sub in some bacon... because... um, bacon is good on everything. It's also a personal belief that every single pizza should have caramelized onions, so I added lots of those too. Then there is the usual of fresh mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese, and for good measure, some tangy crumbled goat cheese (yum). The single most important ingredient has to be the bosc pear, which I shaved using a mandolin. Gently arrange the shaved pear on top of the pizza and brush a light coating of maple syrup over the fruit. The maple syrup not only sweetens the whole pie just a little bit, but helps the pears to beautifully caramelize in the oven. Lastly, you have to season the pizza with fresh thyme (an absolute must), crushed red pepper flake (for a slight kick), and a small sprinkle of kosher salt + fresh cracked pepper. After you have baked the pizza, all that there is left to do is to cut it into slices and devour it while it's still warm. We also loved putting some peppery baby arugula on top for garnish, but that step is completely up to you! I hope you love this ultimate autumn pizza as much as we do!! Enjoy :)

pre-baked pizza

this is what heaven looks like.

For the Pistachio Olive Oil:

1C Shelled Pistachios (can be unsalted or salted)

EVOO (enough to cover the pistachios)

For the Crispy Prosciutto:

6oz Shaved Prosciutto

4 Sprigs of Rosemary or 8 Leaves of Sage

EVOO, For Drizzling

Fresh Cracked Pepper, For Sprinkling

For the Maple Roasted Pear Pizza:

1 Batch of Homemade Extra Crispy Pizza Dough (made into two dough balls)

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

Prepared Pistachio Olive Oil

Caramelized Shallots

8oz Fresh Mozzarella, Shredded by Hand

Freshly Grated Parmesan

Prepared Crispy Prosciutto

1 Bosc Pear, Thinly Shaved Using a Mandolin

High Quality Maple Syrup, For Brushing

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, To Taste

Minced Fresh Thyme, To Taste

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, For Sprinkling

2oz Crumbled Goat Cheese

Fresh Baby Arugula, For Garnishing (optional)

Directions:

1. For the Extra-Crusting Pizza Dough: Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add 1.5 cups water; stir until well incorporated. Mix dough gently with your hands to bring it together and form into a rough ball. Transfer to a large clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature in a draft-free area until surface is covered with tiny bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size, preferably 18 hours (but anywhere between 12-18 hours would work as well). Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Gently shape into a rough rectangle. Divide into 2 equal portions (depending on thin or thick you want your pizza dough). Working with 1 portion at a time, gather 4 corners to center to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust dough with flour; set aside on work surface or a floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions. Let the dough balls rest, covered with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, until soft and pliable, about 1 hour.

2. Prepping the Dough: During the last hour of the dough’s resting, preheat the oven to its hottest setting, around 500-550 degrees, and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Working with the dough, dust it generously with flour and place onto a floured work surface. Gently shape the dough balls into a two 10-inch disks. Press or spread the dough dish on top of a baking sheet or pizza stone. Now it’s time to add on the toppings.

3. For the Pistachio Olive Oil: In the bowl of a Molcajete, add in all of the shelled pistachios, and the pour in enough olive oil to just cover the pistachios. Using the pestle, crush the pistachios until they are rough and chunky in texture, and not smashed into a powder. Stir the crushed pistachios with the olive oil to make a cohesive mixture. Set this aside.

4. For the Crispy Prosciutto: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the prosciutto evenly between both baking sheets, making sure to lay them flat. Brush the tops of the prosciutto with some EVOO and scatter the fresh sprigs of rosemary or sage on top. Bake the prosciutto until the fat turns golden and the meat is darker in color. This will take about 15 minutes (making sure to rotate baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through the baking time). Using tongs, carefully transfer the prosciutto to paper towels to drain (it will continue tot crisp as it cools). Set them aside until you are ready to assemble the pizza.

5. Assembling the Pizza: Get your two prepped pizza dough disks on baking sheets and press two cloves of minced garlic into each dough round. Place the pizzas into the preheated oven and bake for 7-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and begin assembling the toppings. Start by spooning and spreading the pistachio olive oil, followed by scattering the caramelized shallots evenly over the pizza dough. Next add on the shredded mozzarella, freshly great Parmesan, crispy prosciutto, and shaved pears. Brush the tops of sliced pears with some maple syrup, and then sprinkle the surface of the pizza with crushed red pepper flakes, fresh thyme, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Lastly, crumble the goat cheese on top to finish off the pizza. Boost the oven up to broil and place them back into the oven for about 3-5 minutes until the cheese has melted, the pears have begun to crisp around the edges, and the crust has a toasty golden brown color (make sure to rotate the pizza pans, so they evenly cook).

6. Remove the pizza from the oven and cut into slices. Garnish the pizza with fresh baby arugula on top, if you please! Enjoy!

Saturday Down South: NOLA-Style BBQ Shrimp

It's here again, folks... it's officially Alabama-LSU week in college football. It's essentially the biggest game of our season. Even though my Crimson Tide is undefeated and ranked #1, this game has got this entire house nervous. Unfortunately for us, we're playing in Baton Rouge this year, so we weren't able to go root on our boys in person, but we are certainly there in spirit! As a part of SEC tradition, everyone typically bases their tailgate spread on the food of what the opposing team is famous for. So naturally, that means Creole or Cajun recipes on this particular weekend. When we made the trip to New Orleans for the college playoff game two years ago, I heard about Barbecue Shrimp. Now, this isn't your ole typical BBQ. It involves unpeeled, head-on shrimp that is simmered in a shit ton of butter, hot sauce, worcestershire, and lemon. This buttery spicy sauce is heavenly in every way possible... and even better, there is a requirement of serving it with a baguette of french bread, so that you can sop up all that sauce. Um, yum. I added my own little touches to it by adding my favorite homemade BBQ rub, which sweetens it just a tad, and by also infusing the dish with some fresh parsley + chives. I think that it lends another element to the whole thing that is much needed. We adored this recipe for NOLA-Style BBQ shrimp and have every damn intention of making it over and over and over again. It is absolutely fabulous for feeding a crowd or you know, just you and a friend... whatever you wanna do is up to you!! Enjoy :)

oh here comes the bread for soppin'

um... perfection.

For the BBQ Shrimp:

6T Unsalted Butter

3 Sticks Unsalted Butter, Cut into Cubes + Chilled

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1C Beer

1C Hot Sauce

½C Worcestershire Sauce

¼C Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

2T Homemade BBQ Seasoning

2T Fresh Cracked Pepper

3lbs Head-On Large Shrimp (unpeeled)

Kosher Salt (as needed)

1T Fresh Parsley, Minced

1T Fresh Chives, Minced

1 Lemon, Thinly Sliced (for garnishing)

Warmed French Bread, For Dipping

Directions:

1. Heat the 6T of unsalted butter in the largest skillet that you have over medium-high heat (we used a paella pan and it worked great). Add in the minced garlic and cook until it is soft and fragrant… about 1-2 minutes (do not burn the garlic).

2. Add in the beer, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, BBQ seasoning, and pepper. Stir to combine it into the melted butter and garlic. Bring this mixture to a simmer and cook until the sauce has reduced by half, about 8-10 minutes. Add the head-on, unpeeled shrimp; cook, flipping once, until the shrimp is cooked through (just when it begins to turn pink). This should only take a few minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the cubed, chilled butter to make a smooth sauce. Season with salt.

3. Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle the chives and parsley all over the shrimp and place the sliced lemon evenly throughout the pan. Serve the BBQ shrimp with warmed French bread for sopping up the sauce. Enjoy.

Saturday Down South: Creamy Taco Dip with Taco-Ranch Sour Cream, Shredded Colby Jack Cheese, Crunchy Hearts of Romaine, Homemade Pico de Gallo, + a Drizzle of Salsa Verde Crema

I don't have many recipes that require very little work... but hey, I've got one for you today! It is literally so easy-peasy, that it took me less than 20 minutes to whip up. Hell, you could easily make it faster if you buy a store-bought pico de gallo instead of making it from scratch! Essentially this has all of the components from a bite of a taco. What doesn't sound good about that? We've been on a real Mexican kick as of lately... nearly eating it every other day. So when the weekend came, I knew I wanted to make this. The dip starts off with a cream cheese + sour cream layer that is fortified with loads of flavor from taco seasoning, ranch seasoning, and hot sauce. Spoon this mixture onto a serving plate, and then sprinkle the colby jack cheese on top, followed by scattering the shredded romaine all over the dip. Next, make a mound of the pico de gallo and finish it off by drizzling some of the salsa verde crema + a sprinkle of chili powder. That's it... it's all done! All you have to do is serve it with some tortilla chips and you're gold as gold! Enjoy y'all :)

For the Taco-Ranch Sour Cream:

8oz Cream Cheese, Softened

8oz Sour Cream

1 Package of Taco Seasoning

¼C Ranch Seasoning

¼C Hot Sauce

For the Pico de Gallo:

5 Whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced

1 Small Red Onion, Diced

2 Jalapeno Peppers, Minced

¼C Candied Jalapeno, Minced

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

¼C Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

1 Lime, Zested + Juiced

1T EVOO

Salt + Pepper, To Taste

For the Salsa Verde Crema:

½C Mexican Crema

½C Salsa Verde 

For the Creamy Taco Dip:

Prepared Taco-Ranch Sour Cream

8oz Colby Jack Cheese, Shredded

1-2 Hearts of Romaine, Shredded

Prepared Pico de Gallo

Prepared Salsa Verde Crema

Chili Powder, For Sprinkling

Directions:

1. For the Taco-Ranch Sour Cream: In the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. With the mixer running on low, start adding the sour cream a little at a time. Next, toss in the taco and ranch seasoning, followed by the hot sauce. Beat to combine.

2. For the Homemade Pico de Gallo: Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

3. For the Salsa Verde Cream: Whisk together the salsa verde and sour cream. Spoon this mixture into a squeeze bottle and set it aside.

4. Assembling the Creamy Taco Dip: Spoon the Taco-Ranch sour cream onto a serving plate. Sprinkle the shredded colby jack over the sour cream and scatter the shredded romaine on top of the cheese. Top the lettuce with a mound of the homemade pico de gallo. Finish the dip by sprinkling on some chili powder and drizzling the salsa verde all over the dip. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Chicken Tinga + Grilled Corn Enchiladas with Candied Jalapeno-Sour Cream Sauce + Homemade Avocado Salsa Verde

I'll go ahead and admit it... I'm not a fan of classic Mexican food. Don't get me wrong, I could drink a bowl of queso and I quite fancy a gourmet taco. But, I am by no means a burrito, enchilada, or nacho kinda gal. However, I came across a recipe for an avocado salsa verde on Diners, Drive In's, + Dives, and I know I just had to recreate it and use it for a meal. I loved this verde salsa... it's refreshing, a little bit spicy, + has hunks of diced avocado in it. Although, this wasn't the best part of the meal; it was most certainly the chicken tinga! Most traditional recipes call for using this tinga sauce with chorizo, but I absolutely adored this sweet + spicy sauce on chicken. It is a quick and easy recipe that still packs a punch, without the hassle of finding a bunch of hard-to-find ingredients in order for it to taste delicious. Typically, chicken breasts are poached in the sauce, so it is infused with all the wonderful Mexican flavors. My solution to avoiding the poaching process... just buy a ro-to chick and pull the meat into bite-size shreds. Oh and P.S., a "ro-to chick" is just a store bought rotisserie chicken, and trust me, it cuts out a bunch of steps and it tastes just as good! This pureed sauce combines onions, garlic, oregano, cumin, fire roasted crushed tomatoes, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, sorghum molasses (honey or maple syrup will be a perfectly fine substitute), chicken stock, and grated bittersweet chocolate. Most tinga recipes don't call for grated chocolate, but I loved the idea of making this a little bit sweet and a'whole'lotta heat. And by adding this element to the sauce, it gives you that Mexican mole feeling to it. Once that has been assembled and simmered, throw in your shredded ro-to chick and toss it until the chicken is extra juicy and coated in the unbelievable yumminess. As for the rest of the recipe, place a couple spoonfuls of the chicken tinga, a handful of grilled corn, and a sprinkling of Monterey Jack cheese into flour tortillas... making sure to roll them tightly and place them seam-side down in a baking dish. After the tortillas have been stuffed and place into the prepared baking dish, spread some of the avocado salsa verde and red tinga sauce over the top. The last component you have to complete is the creamy, velvety candied jalapeno sour cream sauce. This sour cream is tangy and quickly take away the burn from all of the spicy flavors. Though, I decided to add candied jalapenos for an extra kick and a wee bit of sweetness. Finish the dish by pouring the sour cream sauce over the enchilada, scattering a bunch of Monterey Jack cheese on top, and a heavy sprinkle of crumbled feta. Bake these chicken tinga + grilled corn enchiladas in the oven until the cheese has melted and the edges have begun to brown + bubble. Garnish with some leftover grilled corn and minced cilantro. Enjoy this dish while it is still hot!! Enjoy :)

For the Avocado Salsa Verde:

½lb Tomatillos

2 Bunches of Green Onion

1 Poblano 

1 Avocado

4 Cloves of Garlic

1 Jalapeno, Roughly Chopped

½C Fresh Cilantro

1 Lime, Zested

Juice from Half a Lime

1T Apple Cider Vinegar

¼C Water

2-3T Hot Sauce

½t Cumin + Dried Oregano  

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Pinch of Sugar, To Taste

1 Avocado, Finely Diced

½C Sweet Vidalia Onion, Finely Diced

For the Candied Jalapeno-Sour Cream Sauce:

4T Unsalted Butter

¼C AP Flour

15oz Chicken Stock

1C Sour Cream

4oz Candied Jalapeno, Finely Minced

For the Chicken Tinga:

1 Rotisserie Chicken, Pulled into Pieces

2T EVOO

2C Sweet Vidalia Onion, Diced

4 Medium Cloves of Garlic, Minced

½t Oregano

½t Cumin

2 14.5oz Can of Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes

2 Chipotle Pepper + 4T Adobo Sauce

½C Sorghum Molasses

1C Chicken Stock

2 Bay Leaves

2T Finely Grated Baker’s Chocolate (bittersweet or unsweetened)

For the Chicken Tinga + Grilled Corn Enchiladas:

8 Flour Tortillas

Prepared Chicken Tinga (with some leftover sauce to top the enchiladas with)

Grilled Corn

2C Monterey Jack Cheese, Shredded

4oz Crumbled Feta

Prepared Avocado Salsa Verde

Prepared Candied Jalapeno-Sour Cream Sauce

Fresh Cilantro, Minced

Directions:

1. For the Avocado Salsa Verde: Char the tomatillos, green onion, and poblano on the grill until they are black and blistered. Cut off the ends of the green onion and place them into a food processor, along with the tomatillos. Put the blackened poblano into a plastic bag and let the pepper steam for 10 minutes. Peel the skin off of the poblano and toss it into the food processor as well. Add in the avocado, garlic, chopped jalapeno, cilantro, zest of a lime, juice from half of a lime, apple cider, water, hot sauce, cumin, and oregano. Pulse until blended and smooth. Pour the salsa into a medium mixing bowl and stir in salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Finish the salsa verde by folding in the diced avocado and minced onion. Keep it cold in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. 

2. For the Chicken Tinga: Add EVOO, onions, and garlic to a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat tow low and simmer for another 4 minutes. Add in the oregano and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Toss in the tomatoes, chipotle, adobo sauce, sorghum molasses, and grated chocolate. Remove from heat. Transfer the sauce to the jar of a blended and puree until smooth. Pour the sauce back into the pan, stir in the chicken stock, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Pull the rotisserie chicken into shreds, discarding the skin, fat, and bones. Stir the chicken into the sauce and cook over medium heat until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. For the Candied Jalapeno-Sour Cream Sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan; stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook until bubbly, and then gradually in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, making sure to stir constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in sour cream and minced candied jalapenos.

4. For the Chicken Tinga + Grilled Corn Enchiladas: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with Pam. Spread ¼C of the Avocado Salsa Verde in the bottom of the dish. Divide the warm chicken tinga evenly between 8 flour tortillas. Sprinkle some of the shredded cheese and grilled corn on top of the chicken. Roll the enchiladas and place seam-side down. Spoon on some of the Avocado Salsa Verde and leftover Tinga sauce on top of the enchiladas, followed by an even layer of the Candied Jalapeno-Sour Cream Sauce. Top with 1C of shredded Monterey Jack cheese and some crumbled feta. Place the assembled enchiladas in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted and the edges of the sauce have begun to brown and bubble.

5. Garnish the hot enchiladas with some leftover grilled corn, and minced cilantro, and serve with a side of rice.

Saturday Down South: In 'n Out Animal Style Double Bacon Cheeseburger Dip with Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles, Pan Fried Caramelized Onions, Cubed Dill Pickles, Diced Tomatoes, Crispy Bacon Lardons, + Secret Sauce Drizzle

It's officially the most wonderful time of the year... football season!! I swear my Mountain Man has been counting down the days since we won the national championship last season. Now comes the time of friends, tailgating, fatty food, bonfires, and plenty of booze. 

One of the mainstays of our menu is hearty dip, and this recipe that I am featuring today is just that! The inspiration came from a burger joint that is extremely popular in California... In n' Out Burger. Since Alabama is playing USC tomorrow, I thought this would be the perfect time to feature my first (of many) tailgate recipes this year. When you order a burger or fries "animal style", this usually means that it comes with extra secret sauce, caramelized onions, mustard grilled patties, and pickles. So, I started off with a creamy dip base and added mustard grilled burger crumbles, crispy bacon lardons, pan fried caramelized onions, cubed bread n' butter pickles, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese. After it is baked in the oven until golden brown + delicious, you whip a batch of my not-so-secret secret sauce and drizzle it over the top. At this point, everyone will be salivating, so all that is left to do is serve with some some chips or crackers. I also like to put out some different bowls with burger toppings for extra garnishing... pickles, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, + more sauce. That way, when a friend grabs a chip and some dip, they can sprinkle a little bit of this and a little bit of that on top for the perfect bite! This recipe is super easy, so almost anyone can whip it up, don't y'all worry. I hope y'all love this first recipe of the season!! Enjoy :)

For the Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles:

1lb 75-25 Ground Chuck

¼C Yellow Mustard

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

4T Unsalted Butter

For the Pan Fried Caramelized Onions:

2 Large Vidalia Onions, Sliced

4T Unsalted Butter + 2T Vegetable Oil

Kosher Salt, To Taste

¼C Sugar

For the Dip:

8oz Herbed Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1C Sour Cream

½C Mayo

2C Shredded Cheddar, Split

2C Mozzarella Cheese, Split

1 Garlic Clove, Minced

1-2T Worcestershire Sauce

½t Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, & Onion Powder

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Prepared Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles

Prepared Pan Fried Caramelized Onions

1 Medium Tomato, Diced

½C Bread n’ Butter Pickles, Diced

Shredded Romaine Lettuce

For the Secret Sauce:

1/3C Mayo

3T Ketchup

1-2T Sweet Pickle Relish

1t Sugar + 1 White Vinegar

¼t Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, + Paprika

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the open to 350 degrees and spray a pan with Pam.

2. For the Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles: In a large skillet, over medium high heat, brown the ground beef. Pour off any extra fat and stir in the mustard. Season with salt and pepper, and then set it aside.

3. For the Pan Fried Caramelized Onions: Heat the butter and onion in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.

4. For the Secret Sauce: Mix together all of the ingredients until everything is incorporated. Taste the sauce and adjust to your taste preferences. Set this sauce aside until you want to top the dip with it.

5. For the Dip: Place the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, and bet until smooth. Add in 1C each of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella (saving the rest to put on top), followed by the mustard grilled burger crumbles, cooled caramelized onions, minced garlic, Worcestershire, spices, diced tomato, and diced pickles. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the left over cheese on top and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the cheese has melted and begun to brown on top. Remove the dip from the oven and drizzle the secret sauce over the top. Serve with Ritz crackers or potatoes chips, and have a bowl of shredded lettuce on the side to garnish the dip.