Homemade Pizza {in Singapore}

Eureka! I found fresh basil in Singapore! I had heard rumors that you could find it at stores such as Cold Storage, but I am a Fair Price shopper. It’s locations are more convenient and for the most part it tends to be less expensive. The only problem is only certain Fair Price’s carry the different ingredients I love. The Jurong Point Fair Price has amazing french baguettes. They are better than the stuff I find at some grocery stores in the states, no joke. The Clementi Mall Fair Price has a good fruit selection and now the Jurong East Fair Price has fresh basil. Slowly but surely, Singapore is becoming more and more livable. Unfortunately, as we discover the tricks that make living in another country easier, we simultaneously start to miss home, family and friends more as well. However this pizza I made for lunch today makes it all a little more bearable… I call it food therapy, which can me dangerous, so be careful now. Emotional eating is never good, but if you are going to do it, why not soothe your woes with something fresh, healthy and most of all delowcious. I know what you are thinking, “Elizabeth, pizza is not a healthy food.” Yeah, yeah yeah, I know. Not usually, but this time it is different. I made my pizza on a whole wheat tortilla, used a minimal amount of cheese (just a sprinkle to lightly cover the sauce), garnished it with fresh veggies (tomatoes and fresh basil) and seasoned it with garlic powder and crushed red pepper. The thin crispy tortilla lowers the normal high carb count of pizza and makes it more like an italian tostada. The garlic powder and crushed red pepper add tons of flavor without tons of sodium. And I don’t have to tell you what the veggies do. Unless I am missing something, nothing about that screams bad for you. In fact, it all seems pretty healthy.  Here is how I made my margarita tostada…

Ingredients

• 1 whole wheat tortilla
• 1 tablespoons of preferred pizza sauce (spaghetti sauce will work)
• 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
• 4 red grape tomatoes (cut is 4ths)
• 4 yellow grape tomatoes (cut in 4ths)
• 8 fresh basil leaves (chiffonade)
• 1 handful of grated Italian cheese mix
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

1. Spread sauce over tortilla.
2. Sprinkle with garlic powder to taste.
3. Cover with cheese.
4. Add crushed red pepper. (I like to add the red pepper before I cook my pizza. It really brings out the flavor.)
5. Scatter  sliced tomatoes on the tortilla.
6. Sprinkle with fresh basil.
7. Drizzle olive oil over top.

Place pizza directly on the middle oven rack and cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until tortilla has reached your desired crispiness.

Cut in 4′s and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Bruschetta is Betta for One

I tend to not cook meals for myself. I just don’t see the point in it. It takes time and effort and makes a big ol’ mess just for little ol’ me. Totally not worth it in my opinion. I just assume make some Top Ramen or have a bowl of cereal instead. However, now that I am married I am trying to become a domestic goddess who can just whip something up at the drop of a hat no problem, even if it is just for me. I am pretty sure a domestic goddess would not be caught dead eating Top Ramen. So, today I thought I would be a big girl and cook myself a little lunch. I made myself a personal sized amount of delowcious bruschetta. I have to say, it was pretty tasty and pretty worth it too. Don’t worry I had more than 2 pieces. I used these 2 for the picture. I have another plate outside the frame with like 8 more pieces on it. Come on, I said personal size, not anorexic size. This was my domestic goddess process inspired by The Pioneer Woman, but downsized for a personal sized serving…

Ingredients

• 1 container of Nature Sweet Cherubs Tomatoes (about a pint), halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• 16 basil leaves, chiffonade
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ a baguette
• 4 tablespoons of butter

Directions

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir, lightly frying for about a minute, removing before the garlic gets too brown (it can be golden.) Pour into a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Add tomatoes, balsamic, basil, and salt and pepper to the bowl. Toss to combine, then taste and add more basil if needed, and more salt if needed. (Be sure not to over salt.) Cover and refrigerate for an hour to allow flavors to marry. Don’t have the time? No worries. The flavors are delowcious just the way they are.

Cut the baguette into diagonal slices to allow for the most surface area possible. Melt half the butter in a large skillet and grill half the bread on both sides, making sure they’re nice and buttery. Cook till golden brown on both sides. Repeat with the other half of the butter and the other half of the bread.

To serve, give the tomato mixture a final stir, the spoon generously over the slices of bread. Serve on a big platter as a first course, appetizer or a nice little meal for yourself

Notes: Want to make your bruschetta even betta? Add Nature’s Best Sunburts to the mix for a fun pop of yellow. Basically just use a mixture of the red, orange and yellow tomatoes. It will look gorgeous!!!

Bruschetta

I am an Italiano. Okay, I am like a quarter Italian, but since I married a fellow ¼ Italiano, I like to think of myself as now half Italian. I know it doesn’t really work that way, but in my world it does, so leave me alone. Italian or not, I love Italian food. I am a pasta fanatic, and I could live off bread alone. Bruschetta is probably my favorite meal of all time. Yep, that’s right, I called bruschetta a meal, because in my house it is. I found this super simple version on The Pioneer Woman and it looks fantastic!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 pint red grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 pint yellow grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 16 whole basil leaves (chiffonade)
• salt and pepper to taste (don’t oversalt!)
• 1 whole baguette
• 8 tablespoons butter

Directions

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir, lightly frying for about a minute, removing before the garlic gets too brown (it can be golden.) Pour into a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Add tomatoes, balsamic, basil, and salt and pepper to the bowl. Toss to combine, then taste and add more basil if needed, and more salt if needed (don’t oversalt, though!) Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two if you have the time.

Cut the baguette into diagonal slices to allow for the most surface area possible. Melt half the butter in a large skillet and grill half the bread on both sides, making sure they’re nice and buttery. Cook till golden brown on both sides. Repeat with the other half of the butter and the other half of the bread.

To serve, give the tomato mixture a final stir, the spoon generously over the slices of bread. Serve on a big platter as a first course or appetizer.

• Source: The Pioneer Woman
• Prep Time: 10min
• Cook Time: 20min
• Total Time: 30min
• Recipe Yields: 12 servings (or one hungry Italian… maybe 2)

Lemon and Basil Eggs Over Foccacia

Ingredients

• 1 large loaf foccacia bread
• 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon olive oil, or 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil combined with 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the top off the foccacia and hollow out the bread inside. Tear the top of the foccacia and the inside bread into 1-inch pieces and save for the egg mixture. Brush the inside of the foccacia with the Meyer lemon olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the basil, cheese, salt, pepper, and milk. Whisk lightly. Stir in up to 4 cups of the bread pieces.

Carefully pour the egg mixture into the toasted foccacia bottom. Return to the oven and bake until the eggs have cooked, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Cut the baked foccacia into 6 to 8 pieces and serve immediately.

• Source: Giada De Laurentiis
• Prep Time: 15min
• Cook Time: 50min
• Total Time: 1hr 5min
• Recipe Yields: 4 to 6 servings

American Pie Cocktail

Ingredients

• 2 cups ice
• ½ cup whiskey
• ½ cup apple liqueur
• 1 cup cranberry juice
• Sliced apples, for garnish, optional

Directions

Add to shaker, ice, Canadian whiskey, apple liqueur and cranberry juice. Pour into 2 rocks glasses, garnish with a slice of apple, if using, and serve.

• Source: Guy Fieri
• Recipe Yields: 2 servings

Blackberry Basil Crush

Ingredients

• 1 (5-ounce) container blackberries
• Juice of 1 medium lime
• 8 fresh basil leaves, torn
• ¼ cup agave nectar
• Soda water, chilled

Directions

Muddle the blackberries, lime juice, and basil with a wooden spoon into the bottom of a small glass pitcher.

Divide the berry mixture among 4 glasses and top each glass with 1 tablespoon each agave nectar.

Top off each glass with ice, and soda water. Stir with a cocktail spoon and enjoy.

• Source: The Neelys
• Recipe Yields: 4 servings

Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pound penne pasta
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, and deveined
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained, roughly chopped
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup white wine
• ⅓ cup clam juice
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the shrimp turn pink and is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and set aside.

Add the tomatoes, ¼ cup basil, ¼ cup parsley, and the red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine, clam juice, and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add ¼ cup of the Parmesan, the cooked shrimp, the cooked pasta, and the remaining herbs. Toss together until all ingredients are coated. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

Notes: Make it a surf and turf night by serving this delowcious pasta with Sausage and Gorgonzola Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms.

• Source: Giada De Laurentiis
• Prep Time: 10min
• Cook Time: 20min
• Total Time: 30min
• Recipe Yields: 4 to 6 servings

Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 2 vine-ripened tomatoes
• Salt
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• ¼ cup olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice tomatoes in half horizontally and scoop out pulp and seeds. Salt insides and rest upside down on a sheet pan lined with a wire rack to extract juices, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together bread crumbs, garlic, basil, pepper, ¼ cup of the grated Parmesan and oil. Stuff tomatoes with the filling, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, and bake until tomatoes are cooked through and tops are golden brown, about 30 minutes.

• Source: Sunny Anderson
• Prep Time: 20min
• Cook Time: 30min
• Inactive Time: 30min
• Total Time: 1hr 20min
• Recipe Yields: 4 servings

Open-Faced Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Sandwich

Ingredients

• 8 medium tomatoes
• 3 (16-ounce) balls fresh mozzarella
• 4 loaves ciabatta, sliced in ½ lengthwise
• 1 cup prepared pesto
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 32 basil leaves

Directions

Core the tomatoes and slice each tomato and each ball of mozzarella into ¼-inch thick slices.

Place the sliced ciabatta loaves on a work surface, and spread each half evenly with ⅛ cup pesto. Place 4 slices of tomato and 3 slices mozzarella side by side on the top of each half loaf and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place 4 basil leaves on top of each sandwich.

Slice each half loaf crosswise into 4 serving portions, making sure that each piece has a slice of tomato, mozzarella and a basil leaf.

• Source: Ina Garten
• Prep Time: 15min
• Total Time: 15min
• Recipe Yields: 10 to 12 servings

Fresh Pesto

Ingredients

• ¼ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup pignolis (pine nuts)
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
• 5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ cups good olive oil
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 30 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Serve, or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

• Source: Ina Garten
• Prep Time: 10min
• Total Time: 10min
• Recipe Yields: 4 cups