Homemade Yogurt

Homemade Yogurt
inspired by my mom

1/2 gallon 2% milk
4 tbsp yogurt culture  (contains live and active cultures)

Place the container of milk into a large sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat until bubbles appear.  Remove from heat and let cool for 25-30 minutes.  Stir the yogurt culture into the milk and thoroughly blend with a hand blender.  Pour into a steel container and place into the oven for about 5-6 hours.  Remember to turn on the oven light to create a warm environment for the cultures to multiply!  Once the yogurt has firmed up placed into the fridge and enjoy!

Barbecue Chickpea Pizza with Gouda and Caramelized Onions

We don't get out to California Pizza Kitchen often but when we do A, always gets the BBQ Chicken Pizza.  He devours the entire thing every time!  I have always wondered what that pizza tastes like since I'm a vegetarian so when I found this recipe I knew I'd have to try it.  My only fail was using expired yeast which did not allow for the dough to double but it still worked out :)  Perfect for a Friday night with some red wine.

Barbecue Chickpea Pizza with Gouda and Caramelized Onions

adapted from Eat Live Run

Ingredients

1 batch Amazing Whole Wheat Pizza Crust - make sure your yeast is fresh!
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 bottle barbecue sauce of choice
1 large yellow onion
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz gouda cheese, freshly grated

Directions

Heat the olive oil up in a large, nonstick pan. Slice the onion thinly and cook in the olive oil for about 30 minutes on low heat, until deeply golden and caramelized. Stir often!

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Meanwhile, roll out pizza dough into a circle. Place dough onto oiled pizza sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes.  (I like to bake the crust prior to garnishing with ingredients for a crunchier crust). 

Drizzle with barbecue sauce. Add chickpeas, caramelized onions and lastly sprinkle with cheese.

Reduce oven temperature to 425 and bake pizza for 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted and the crust is done. Let cool then cut into slices and serve.

Yield 1 large pizza or 8 slices.

Sorry for the horrible pictures, my dslr is currently on vacation!

Moscow Mule

On Friday, A and I joined our friends at Anvil Bar & Refuge to indulge in a few specialty cocktails.  I asked the bartender to recreate the Moscow Mule I had in Chicago earlier this month.  He mixed together vodka, homemade ginger beer and lime juice.  It was fabulous!  It was a perfect way to beat the 100+ degree heat we have experienced the past few months.  A, had the sole porter on tap, but it was a bit too smoky for our liking.  I would not recommend it.  After going home to check on Shorty we reconvened with our friends at Block 7 Wine Co.  Our table ordered burgers and pizza, which was just OK but the best part of the meal was the delicious bread pudding with extra caramel sauce.  I would go back for that dessert!

Best thing I ever ate: tofu bahn mi sandwich

Spaghetti Squash with Edamame-Basil Pesto

The first time I tried spaghetti squash was when we were living in Seattle and received our first box o'veggies from a local CSA farm.  It's such a a versatile vegetable and you can dress it up with any seasonings you prefer.  Try it out and you won't wanna go back to regular spaghetti.

Spaghetti Squash with Edamame Basil pesto

adapted from Cooking Light

1 spaghetti squash
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 bag frozen shelled edamame, thawed
3/4 cup spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.
Cut each squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool slightly. Scrape inside of squash with a fork to remove spaghetti-like strands and place into plate.

Place basil, oil, pepper, salt, garlic, and edamame in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Serve edamame pesto over squash; sprinkle with cheese.  The original recipe doesn't call for spaghetti sauce but I thought it adds a perfect finishing flavor!

Serves 4-5 people