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Simple Brick Oven Pizza at Home (Greek Style!)

 

Everybody loves pizza. Believe me when I say, homemade pizza is really easy to make at home. Just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge. You may have to pick-up pizza dough or just make your own, (recipe here). I have some low- calorie substitutions for you, like pita (she said with a smile!) I have featured a lovely & luscious “Greek Style” pizza here with spinach, mushrooms and feta cheese. You can even add more of your favorite cheeses, extra vegetables, and bake it to perfection. But the BEST part is, you can have homemade pizza anytime!

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Buon Appetito!

 

Greek Style Pizza

Topping Choices:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, as a topping.
  • 1/2 cup or so Marinara sauce, jarred is fine.
  • 6 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in quarters,
  • 6 shallots or any onions, peeled and cut in quarters.
  • Spinach, steamed and drained
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 cup black olives
  • 2 teaspoons of Pizza Seasoning or oregano, basil, rosemary etc.
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt & black and/or red pepper

Cheese Choices:

  • 2 cups Italian cheese blend (8 oz. bag), shredded
  • 2 cups Mozzarella
  • 2 cups parmesan
  • 1 cup feta

Dough Choices:

  • Pre-made store bought, white or wheat “bread dough”
  • Homemade pizza or bread dough….  (recipe here)
  • Low-carb pita bread, buy some, it’s the fast & easy way. Rub on some olive oil.

David making Italian bread

Notes: You’ll need a pizza stone for brick-oven style pizza but a cookie sheet will do. A large cutting board will work for sliding the pizza carefully onto the hot stone. Read more….

 

Method:

  1. Let the pizza-stone pre-heat in the oven at 500 degrees*
  2. Roll out the dough thin, be extra careful not to tear it (holes are bad!),
  3. Carefully slide the pizza onto a special pizza “peel” (if you’re lucky enough to have one!), I use a “side-less” cookie sheet but a cutting board will work too. *Dust it first with some corn meal or flour to easily and very carefully slide the pizza onto the pre-heated and very hot pizza-stone.
  4. Add tomato sauce or the olive oil, cheeses, and toppings.
  5. Cook 10-15 min. or until done.

Enjoy!


Classic Stuffing (With Oysters or not)

Everyone loves stuffing and this is a delicious classic stuffing. I think it’s perfect, but of course feel free to add you own special touch. And, I’m going to give you the option of adding the secret ingredient, oysters. Bring in the subtle flavor of the ocean. Because the world is your oyster!

Bon Appétit!

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups mushrooms
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 12 cups dried bread, cut in cubes (or Pepperidge Farm)
  • 1 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh sage
  • 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon of parsley
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
  • 4-6 ounces fresh oysters, finely chopped (canned oysters, if you must)
  • 1 cup or so, of chicken broth
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F and Spray or butter a 2 qt. casserole dish.

 

  1. Toast the bread until golden brown on the middle rack. Or use a bag of Pepperidge Farm (I usually do) Put it into a large bowl.
  2. In a large pan, heat the butter/olive oil. Add mushrooms, onions, celery and garlic. Saute’ about 5 minutes or so. Stir in the herbs, salt and pepper.
  3. Stir in the bread cubes, and oysters (including the juices) and toss well, until the stuffing is moist, but not packed together; stir in the stock and eggs. Stuff the bird or place in a buttered 2 qt. casserole dish and bake 25-30 minutes or until golden.

Enjoy!

 

Green Bean Casserole (A Healthier Version)

 

Finally, Green Bean Casserole with a healthy make-over. This year, I decided to skip the classic canned cream-of-mushroom version to make it fresh and fabulous. My healthier “new” green bean casserole has light sour cream, cheddar cheese, lots fresh mushrooms, and caramelized  onions. A great new holiday tradition, all the good stuff, with less fat and calories. Guaranteed to make your taste buds sing, ooh la la!

Bon Appétit!

Lisa xo

 

* Please feel free to ask any questions or add your comments below, I do love to read them!

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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. French-cut green beans (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/3 cup light sour cream
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese or parmesan (shredded)
  • 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire
  • 1 can French Fried Onions or *fry your own.
  • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

Directions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray or butter a 2 qt. casserole.
  2. Saute’ the mushrooms in a large frying pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, set aside. Caramelized onions with 1 tablespoon of butter, on low heat in a large frying pan (10-15 minutes).  Stir in garlic, sliced green onions and the hot green beans.
  3. Add cheddar cheese, sour cream, mushrooms, salt, pepper and Worcestershire.
  4. Spoon into the buttered casserole and add the onion topping.
  5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly.

* If you’re making your own fried onion topping, fry some chopped onion in butter or olive oil until crisp. Stir in 1/4 cup flour until the onions are browned and crispy. Add a little salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

The Best Minestrone Soup

 

Minestrone Soup

Baby, it’s cold outside! Now, it’s time to share the best minestrone that I’ve ever tasted. This gorgeous, delicious soup, bursting with flavor, really sings to me. So, now I have a new obsession with soup, especially this amazing Italian classic loaded with healthy, roasted vegetables. You’ll see why after your first mouthful of this unforgettable minestrone soup. It’s crazy-good!!!

Buon Appetito!


Ingredients:

If you can, use organic ingredients. You may add some of your own favorite vegetables, beans or cheese. It looks like a lot work but it’s not really, just a lot of dicing. Have fun and don’t forget the bread. You will need a nice, crusty loaf, served with olive oil. ENJOY!

  • 5-6 Mild Italian chicken sausages (optional)
  • 2 whole zucchini, diced in 1/4″ cubes.
  • 2 whole Summer Squash, diced in 1/4″ cubes.
  • 8 ounces, mushrooms cut in quarters.
  • 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt to taste
  • 3 whole carrots, sliced in 1/4″ circles.
  • 1 whole onion, diced.
  • 3 stalks celery, sliced 1/4″ (leaves Included).
  • 1 cup or so of chopped spinach (optional).
  • 8-10 cups of organic or low sodium chicken broth (buy it or make it).
  • Vegans may substitute  8-10 cups of organic vegetable broth
  • 1 large (14.5 oz.) can cannelini (white) beans, or your choice (rinsed well).
  • 1 1/2 cups cut-up green beans, (fresh or frozen).
  • 1 ½ cup medium or small Shell pasta, uncooked.
  • 1 large (14.5) can diced tomatoes with juice.
  • 1/4 Teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes (optional).
  • ¼ teaspoons turmeric (optional)
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic (optional)
  • Salt And Pepper, to taste (don’t skimp!)
  • Parmesan Cheese, fresh, shaved or grated.

* Optional seasonings:  Turmeric is a tasty, colorful seasoning that is also a natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. Like it hot & spicy? Add a bit of crushed red pepper. Spinach is loaded with iron (as you know), and I like to use it chopped fine, like an herb and sneak it into dishes wherever I can.

Method

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. In a large bowl, toss (cubed) zucchini, squash, mushrooms, garlic cloves and sausages (if you’re using them) with olive oil, add salt and pepper. Arrange the vegetables (in a single layer) using two sheet pans (to avoid crowding) and roast in the 500* oven for 10 minutes, or until the veggies darken and start to caramelize. YUM. Remove from the hot oven and set aside.

In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, and celery, stir, cook for 4-5 minutes. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for ten minutes.

Add cannelini beans, green beans, and spinach. Simmer on low heat, for five minutes. Add the pasta and cook for an additional five minutes. Add canned tomatoes, stir, and cook for an additional five minutes on low heat. Check for seasonings, adding salt, pepper, and turmeric.

Lastly, add the roasted vegetables. Stir and allow to simmer and heat for a few minutes before serving. Be sure to check seasonings. Add more chicken broth if necessary. Inspired by Ree @ www.pioneerwoman.com and the Olive Garden (just kidding)

Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty Italian bread with olive oil.

Mangia Bene!

Eat Well!

Lisa xo

 


 

Roasted Vegetables Italian Style

A favorite dish in my house… A delicious, healthy, and simple way to prepare roasted vegetables, Tuscan style. Everyone LOVES Italian food! The Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables, olive oil and fish and is said to promote a long life….. So with this in mind, I gather a variety of the following:

Ingredients: 6 cloves of garlic, mushrooms, onions (or shalots), olives, fennel bulb (yum!) white potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, red bell peppers, eggplant, cherry or Roma tomatoes, green beans, winter squash, any fresh herbs: basil, rosemary, thyme, flat leaf parsley add some before cooking and after (we love basil) and extra virgin olive oil. Use the veggies that you love! Serve with my Lemon & Garlic Roasted Chicken. Of course, locally grown organic is best but frozen vegetables will work if that’s what you have. We can even do roasted Asian style veggies with sesame oil but that’s a different story for another day.

Remember use really good extra-virgin olive oil. This simple recipe changes with the seasons, with your main course and the individual tastes of the people. The delicious possibilities are endless…… Directions: Pre-heat oven to 400*F. 1. Peel and chop your large vegetables into bite-size pieces using a very sharp 10″ knife. 2. Place in a large roasting pan. 3. Sprinkle generously with olive oil to coat evenly (about 1/2 cup). Shake the pan :) 4. Crush garlic gloves and place around, add plenty of herbs, sea salt and cracked pepper. 5. Cook for 20-30 min. stirring 2-3 times, you’ll know when it’s ready…

*Variations: Add chicken pieces (breast, legs, thighs) to the roasting pan with the veggies. Add fish or seafood (I love Alaskan salmon) to the roasting pan during the last 15 minutes. Want soup or sauce??? Just de-glaze the pan with a cup of red or white wine or 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar (for sauce) and add 3-4 cups of chicken stock (for soup). Oh, so simple!!! ENJOY! PS. Please feel free to add your comments and suggestions below. I’m listening, really!