To celebrate both the upcoming St. Patrick's day holiday and the best time of the whole year; Girl Scout Cookie season, I wanted to whip up a nice green cocktail to feel a bit more festive.
These minty babies satisfied both requirements.
Dirty Girl Scout
Recipe from This Bottle of Vodka
1/2 shot Green Creme de Menth
1 shot Bailey's Irish Cream
1 shot Kalua
1 shot vodka
Pour ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass.
This chain in Illinois called Go Roma has the best bruscetta I've ever eaten. It's probably because it is overflowing with balsamic vinegar, my favorite part of bruscetta, but it also helps that it comes with delicious toasty bread.
I can't get any Go Roma in California, so I figured I would try making my own bruscetta, and why bother balancing it on toast when I can just put it between some bread with mozzarella pearls.
The result is a light, delicious sandwich, one that is definitely making its way onto my list of favorites.
Bruschetta Mozzarella Sandwich
(makes one sandwich)
Nice french bread (I use La Brea Take and Bake)
About 4 grape tomatoes
1 leaf of fresh basil
1 tablespoon balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper
1 oz mozzarella pearls
Heat panini press (if so desired).
Finely dice the tomatoes and shred the basil into small pieces. Stir together in a bowl with the vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Slice and toast the bread under the broiler or in a toaster. Spread the tomato mixture over one on the halves of bread, drizzling the vinegar across the entire half. Place the mozzarella pearls on top of the tomatoes and close the sandwich.
Place in the panini press and close the lid, cooking the sandwich for 4-6 minutes or until desired crispiness is achieved.
I hate the fact, but since I've been trying to lose weight, I haven't eaten a single bagel. As a born and raised mid-westerner, this pains me terribly.
I love bagels. There was a time in my life when the majority of what I ate was bagels. (I should mention, not the healthiest point in my life, but maybe the most delicious.) The Great American Bagel stores in my hometown would sell whatever bagels they had left during their last hour open at ridiculously reduced prices and me and my friends would stock up on them.
Just thinking about it is making my mouth water.
But back to the point. I haven't had a bagel in ages but I was sorely tempted by Thomas' Bagel Thins. At 110 calories a bagel, they packed even less of a caloric punch than the whole wheat white bread we've been eating a lot of lately.
With that in mind and with my weight goal so ridiculously close, I put it upon myself to come up with some snacks and meals using bagel thins that would be delicious and satisfying, but would be low in calories. These were my four favorite.
Cream Cheese and Strawberry Jelly Bagel Thin
280 calories
1 Bagel Thin
2 tablespoons 1/3 less fat cream cheese
2 teaspoons strawberry jam
Turkey and Laughing Cow Cheese Bagel Thin
195 Calories
1 Bagel Thin
2 oz turkey deli meat
1 wedge of your favorite Laughing Cow Cheese (I used Sun Dried Tomato Mozzarella)
Bagel Thin Pizza
235 Calories
1 Bagel Thin
2 tablespoons marinara sauce
3 tablespoons mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese
Sprinkling of oregano
Fried Egg and Cheese Bagel Thin
270 Calories
1 Bagel Thin
1 fried egg
1 slice of muenster cheese
Pizza bread is a meal so ridiculously easy I feel a little silly posting a recipe. On the other hand, it is so damn tasty that I just want to make sure that everyone has tried it out.
There isn't much to preparing pizza bread, but I've picked up a few tricks that I'm posting below. I didn't specify any amounts because half of what makes it so good is you can create it according to your own tastes. I don't like a lot of sauce so I'm light on mine, but I pile it on for my leading man. It's done in less than ten minutes and every bite is completely awesome.
Pizza Bread
Serves two
1 small french baguette (I use La Brea Take and Bake French Baguette)
Marinara Sauce
Oregano
Cheddar cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Preheat your oven to 385 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut your baguette in half vertically along middle of the loaf. Stand each half up on it's cut side and, using a bread knife, cut in half length wise.
Arrange the four pieces cut side up on the baking sheet and toast in the oven for 3 minutes. This allows the bread to stay crunchy once the sauce comes into play.
After 3 minutes in the oven, pull out the sheet pan. Using a spoon, spread the desired amount of marinara on each slice of bread. Sprinkle a bit of oregano on top for an extra burst of flavor.
Arrange the desired amount of cheese on top of each bread slice and put back in the oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Finish off under the broiler for about a minute, checking regularly until the cheese is golden brown and delicious.
Despite my somewhat improved skills in the kitchen, sometimes what I really want is just a simple bowl of macaroni and cheese. I think it's one of the few foods nobody really grows out of. After all, what's not to like? You got your cheese, you got your pasta, what more could you ask for? I suppose if you put it between two slices of bread you'd have all my favorite food groups in one.
Some macaroni recipes I've tried are on the fancier side, like this Gnocchi Mac and Cheese, or this Three Cheese Mac and Cheese. While they were both pretty tasty, they just were a little bit too much work. Sometimes I like a little extra effort in the kitchen, but apparently not when I'm making macaroni.
That's where this recipe comes in. The whole thing is cooked up in one pot. No straining, no draining, no flour. Just pasta, milk and cheese, it's as easy as can be.
Is there some weird part of me that still prefers box macaroni to home made? ...Maybe. Maybe that's the part of me that is still a kid. But this is something fancy enough to impress company with barely more effort.
One Pot Mac and Cheese
Serves two
(Recipe barely adapted from white on rice couple)
4 oz pasta (I used rotini)
2 cups milk
1 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 oz goat cheese
1/2 oz shredded parmesan*
salt and pepper
In a saucepan, combine the pasta and the milk and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Drop the heat and keep an eye on it so it doesn't boil over, stirring every few minutes.
Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the noodles are tender and the milk has thickened to a sauce. Stir in the cheeses until everything is combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with a bit more shredded cheese and serve.
*The cheese is this recipe should equal about a cup and you can get as creative as you want with flavors. I like a little goat cheese in mine, but I've heard Asiago is good too. I suggest trying out combinations with your favorite cheeses.
