Recipe: Butternut Squash & Pancetta Flatbread

Every now and then...like every once in a blue moon...I get a wave of inspiration for cooking. If you had asked me years ago if I liked to cook, the answer would have been a resounding no. Now, though, I do kind of like it. There's something about creating a finished product that is so rewarding. 

While perusing Pinterest this weekend looking for dinner ideas, I was completely and totally uninspired. I have 342 healthy recipe pins, and not one of them made me giddy to cook. Neither did my go-to recipe blogs. Neither did my go-to food mags.  Epic fail. 

With my tired iPad fingers (you know that feeling), I gave up. So, I decided I would develop my own ding-dang healthy dinner. Watch out world. Enter the easiest, most delightful recipe ever: Butternut Squash & Pancetta Flatbread. 

Ingredients: 

For Squash:

1 small butternut squash

1 tsp olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp agave

1 tbsp butter

For Flatbread (makes 2):

2 Flatout Thin Crust Flatbreads 

1 package of pancetta

1 onion caramelized

1 round of mozzarella

2 tbsp of crumbled goat cheese

2 tbsp shredded parmesan 

2 handfuls of arugula 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp balsamic vinegar 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Slice butternut squash in half length-wise. Scoop out seeds & "guts" with a spoon and discard. Rub olive oil over the cut side of the squash & season with salt & pepper to taste. Place cut side up on a baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes or until golden & soft. 

While the squash bakes, slice your onions into thin slices. Next, cook the pancetta over medium heat. Once done, place it on a paper towel to absorb some of the oil. Leave the remaining oil for your caramelized onions. Turn the heat down to low and add the onions to the pan. Turn occasionally at first and then less often. Allow them to brown and get a little mushy. So yummy. This process could take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, but that's okay because we're still waiting for that squash.

Once the squash is done, carefully cube it and add the cubes to a food processor. Add your agave & butter and puree. Turn the oven down to 350 for the flatbreads & pre-bake them according to package directions (4 minutes tops).

Now, prep your flatbreads! Add your squash puree as the pizza sauce then build away. Add the cheese & onions and toss them back into the oven for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese bubbles. While the cheese is melting, make a quick balsamic & olive oil dressing by whisking the two ingredients together. Add your arugula (I added a splash of fresh lemon juice).

When your flatbreads are all melty and looking delicious, take them out of the oven, Top with the pancetta & arugula salad & serve!

I ended up with a ton of left over puree and a bit of pancetta, so I modified this recipe for sweet potato soup by adding the rest of it there. The flavors marry well together, and it was perfect of this ridiculous weather we've had! See how pretty it is? Wintery love.

Don't forget to enter the Judith March Giveaway going on this week!

 

 

Sip in Style

Who doesn't love a good summer cocktail, especially one that includes a sweet sorbet? Ever since I picked up a pint of Gin & Juice sorbet from High Road Craft a few weeks ago, I've been itching to create a prosecco and sorbet libation. Here's how this summery treat would translate into a fashion statement:

shorts / chambray shirt / fedora / studs / bamboo bangle / navy bangle / prosecco / flute / sorbet

What do you think of the fedora? Would you try to pull it off?

Friday Foodie: Atlanta Street Food Festival

I'm wrapping up this week of food-inspired posts with a food festival! The Atlanta Street Food Festival will take place on Saturday, July 14th from 11-7 in Piedmont Park. There will be bands, booze, and of course, the food trucks! Confirmed trucks include Yumbii, Nana G's Chicken & Waffles, Just Loafin, Yum Yum, the Fry Guy, and many more. Check out their entertainment page for a list of musical guests. Tickets are $10.50 per person; not too bad for a day of outdoor fun. I'll be there, will you?

Yumbii & Cafe at Pharr Combine Forces

When I came out of LA Fitness at Atlantic Station Monday morning, I found myself being pulled towards a very interesting sign for a Yumbii & Cafe at Pharr pop-up restaurant. Seriously?! Could summer get any happier? Yumbii is probably Atlanta's most well-known food truck. A mobile version of their hole-in-the-wall Korean BBQ restaurant Hankook Taqueria, Yumbii has been feeding business men and women for years. They are so popular in fact, that they've added a second truck, Yumbii 2. Teaming up with Cafe at Pharr, home of the best chicken salad in the world is both smart and adventurous. I never would have imagined this pairing, but I am so glad that they're working together. I love the freshness of Cafe at Pharr's sammies, and who doesn't love a yogurt roll?  A place where I can get a yummy spicy pork taco followed by a delightfully cool croissant yogurt roll, take me there!

Girl Scout Cookie Crunch Bars

photo courtesy of Nestlé Crunch

 Yes, you read that right, and no, it is not an urban candy myth. Girl Scout cookies are coming to a local candy aisle near you - imbedded between the sweet layers of a Nestlé Crunch bar. John Kessler reported on the new product last week, and I immediately ran to the Nestlé site to confirm. The bars are available (for a limited time) in three flavors: thin mint, caramel & coconut (aka. samoa), & peanut butter cream (read: tagalong). Have a look for yourself. Chocolatey Bliss.

Easter Fun

Since we celebrated Easter in Auburn a day early, we had to make our own Easter Sunday fun here. Maggie came down for the night, and we all dyed eggs.

 It was fun to find our inner 5 year-old and go to town. We ended up with some pretty spectacular eggs if I say so myself!

Maggie's "52 days until graduation" egg

Hunter's striped masterpiece

My orange and turquoise were the fan favorites

Sunday morning, we all woke up to Easter baskets, and I made brunch following this Paula Deen recipe for stuffed breakfast peppers - don't worry, NO butter was used, and they were absolutely delicious! I also made a batch of orange rolls to go with them.

Later, Hunter headed to the golf course while Maggie and I put our heads together to style our new bookshelves! Stay tuned this week for the finished product. It won't disappoint!

Recipe of the Week: Bacon, Pear, & Blue Cheese Pizza

Doesn't the title just sound gourmet? Pizza is such a versatile and easy dinner, and I love all of the options there are out there. This recipe came from one of my favorite fancy-food blogs, Adventures in Cooking. Eva makes beautiful dishes that are equally as decadent as they are lovely. I'm enamored by her blog because the pictures make the food look both inviting and heavenly. This was definitely the case with her Blue Cheese Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Bacon, & Honeyed Pears. We loved this fresh, wintery pizza. Run to the store and grab the few required ingredients - it's worth it!

Here is ours getting crispy. Mmmmmm...Absolutely delightful!

Friday Foodie: "Flip"ping over Brunch

My chef-crush, Richard Blais, is at it again - this time, he's expanding Flip's menu to include Sunday Brunch! Daily Candy reports that his addition will include items like chicken and waffles, maple sweet potato tots, and several other egg-featured items.

Photo courtesy of Daily Candy

I'm always looking for new brunch spots! Here are a few more that I want to try:

1. Urban Pl8
2. Holeman & Finch
3. The Nook

*Urban Pl8 currently has a Scoutmob. Let me know if you try it!

Hav U Herd?

photo courtesy of chick-fil-a

Monday, Chick-fil-A rolled out a new menu item - Chicken Tortilla Soup! I haven't given it a try yet, but it looks yummy. And, if it's anything like the rest of Chick-fil-A's menu, it's bound to be a keeper.

Check it out and let me know what you think!

PS. A medium serving is only 5 ww points - pair it with a salad for a hearty, low-point meal on the go!

Happy New Year!

 

Champagne Cupcakes Recipe

Friday Foodie: Champagne in a Can

No, it is not an urban alcohol legend; it's the real deal! Francis Ford Coppola is a man after my heart with this one. I hope I can get it somewhere around town ASAP; what a festive find just in time for the holidays!

PS. Each can (4 per case) comes with a straw so you can sip your champagne smudge free : )

Festive Foods: Cranberry & Cream Cheese Spread

This past weekend Lauren and Ben held their annual holiday soiree. It was such a great evening full of friends and delightful dishes. I brought this dip which was a huge hit! If you have a holiday party to attend, I highly recommend it. Easy peasy and festive to boot; look at all that red & green!

Friday Foodie Review: 3 Sheets Grilled Cheese & Wine Tasting

Grilled cheese on a cold rainy night coupled with 5 glasses of wine will certainly put a smile on your face. A few weeks ago, Erin, Erin, and I braved the tornado watches (not to be confused with warnings which mean "put a bike helmet on") to sip on some fine French wines and nibble on some gourmet grilled cheeses. I posted about 3 Sheets' tasting a few weeks ago when I did my fall fun overview. It definitely was a night of fall fun. Each wine was paired with a specialty grilled cheese and a pallet cleansing side ranging from salad to french fries. We enjoyed every single morsel. Check out our local journey through France:

We knew what was coming for each course thanks to this menu. We scoped out what we thought would be our favorites!

Course 1 was definitely my favorite. Grilled cheese on a croissant? I'll take 4.

Course 2's sammies weren't as good as the first, but the red wine made up for their lack-luster appeal.

This final concoction of grilled heaven was on H&F bread. Can't go wrong there!

This was such a fun mid-week outing; it was a laid back evening that made the rest of the work week a little easier. I highly recommend this event. Apparently, their next round of wines will be sparkling! Let me know if you want to go, and I'll be sure to join :)

Curiosities: Recipes

How did people cook before the internet? I get 95% of my recipes from the web. The other 5% comes from my mom, my grandmother, or my friends (who also get theirs from the internet). I've expressed my love for recipe blogs before, and I don't think there's a better way to get the best recipes in the world. While I hate devoting part of my Sunday every week to tracking down new recipes, I am definitely glad to have Pinterest to help me out. Here are some of my favorite finds, and some of the ones I can't wait to try!

Buffalo Chicken Wraps - 100 calories each and also DELICIOUS

Penne with Pancetta -very fall

Caramel Apple Dip - This is phenomenal

Crab Rangoon (almost as good as Chin Chin)

Grape Salad

Loaded Baked Potato Dip - tailgate worthy!

And now a few that I want to try:

S'mores Pie

Tortellini Soup

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies - These will make a holiday party appearance!

Thank you, Pinterest!

Friday Foodie: Buffalo Chicken Pizza

I have come to enjoy cooking for the most part, but I rely heavily on a recipe and rarely deviate from one. Sure, I might add a pinch of salt here or a teaspoon of sugar there, but I by no means would classify myself as a cook. Today, ladies & gentleman, I can declare myself a bonofied home chef! I invented my very first recipe! Without further adieu, I give you "Buffalo Chicken Pizza": 

 Ingredients:
(sorry ahead of time for the loose measurements)

For Chicken:
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 boullion cube

OR the ingredients below to flavor

-  1/2 teaspoon minced onion
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste

Put thawed chicken breast in a small pot. Fill pot with enough water to just cover the chicken. Add minced onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, turn heat down to medium-high heat, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes. Once chicken is done, shred immediately using two forks.

For Pizza:
- Pizza Dough (I use fresh from Publix's bakery)
- 1/2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Parsley (fresh or flakes)
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- pinch of Sugar
- Mozzerella Cheese
- Crumbled Blue Cheese
- 1/4 Red Onion (sliced thin for pizza)

Preheat the oven according to dough's directions. For Publix dough, preheat to 400.

Begin by preparing the shredded chicken. In a small bowl, put 1/4 cup of Frank's Red Hot Sauce. Add 1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon of parsley, a pinch of sugar, and salt & pepper to taste. Combine.

Next, add your shredded chicken to the sauce and mix well covering chicken with buffalo sauce.

Roll out your pizza dough and place on the pizza pan. Spread the olive oil on the pizza using a spoon. After the olive oil, add a few shakes (no measurement here) of hot sauce & spread evenly on the dough. This will be your pizza's "sauce." Finish your dough with the 1/2 of garlic powder that's left over - be sure to get those edges for a tasty crust!

Add your mozzerella cheese, sliced red onion, chicken, and crumbled blue cheese (I went lighter here, probably 1/8 of a cup or less, but add as much as you prefer).

Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown, and serve with a small side salad or celery and ranch for dipping :) We also dipped our pizza in just a little ranch to cool the heat. Delicious!

Friday Foodie: Dog Friendly Dives

Even though we're not big take-your-doggie-to-dinner people, I couldn't help but think it might be fun to look up some pooch-friendly eateries around town. Take a look at some of the options if you're in the mood to take your favorite furry friend for a meal out on the town:

Treehouse: We love the convenience of Treehouse. Dogs enjoy sleeping under their owners' toes while they take in happy hour. And, I've seen water bowls available for your pet too!

Park Tavern: With quick access to Piedmont Park's Dog Park, what's not to love about this spot? Try it for lunch after taking your dog for a play date.

Sun In My Belly: On every occasion that I've been to this yummy brunch spot, I've seen pups on the patio. It's location makes it a prime spot for Decatur neighbors to bring the whole family - even the hairiest members - to breakfast.

Verde: Verde's patio is another neighborhood dive that has a perfect location for pups. It's a great spot to wind down after a long day. Margaritas for two and a bowl of water for the four-legged friend!

Der Biergarten: According to many sources, this German-inspired downtown restaurant promises to entertain your dog with pet-friendly ammenities. I wonder what those are?!

Bistro Niko: It's no secret that the French love their dogs, so it's only appropriate that Bistro Niko allows pooches on their terrace. We loved the dining experience here, so we might be tempted to take Ryan with us on a later visit.

Hotel Indigo:  I for one definitely want to try Hotel Indigo's Canine Cocktail Hour. Tuesdays this hotel caters to your dog and even has a doggie menu! Too cute.

Friday Foodie: Grills-A-Blais'n

It's official: Richard Blais's next great concept is open for business. HD1 (or Haute Doggery) is Poncey-Highlands' latest addition. Here is what Daily Candy had to say about it:

From Daily Candy

HD1 Opens
What: Haute dogs only Top Chef winner Richard Blais would concoct (fennel sausage with fontina and grilled radicchio, merguez lamb sausage with red currant compote and minted cucumber salad, classic with kraut and HD mustard).
Why: Crafty bourbon drinks and hand-churned soft-serve.
When: Opens today, 5:30 p.m.
Where: 664 N. Highland Ave., Poncey-Highland (404-815-1127).

 I for one can't WAIT to try it.

Daily Candy is a great little email that I get every day. I usually delete them, but I am always pumped to get the Atlanta Weekend Guide in my email bright and early Thursday mornings. This edition told me that both HD1 & CineBistro are opening this weekend! Sign up for your own dose of yummy news. 

Greek Gyros - OPA!

As I continue to half-heartedly explore the ins and outs of Weight Watchers, Hunter has become my recipe guinea-pig. I've found some great tips and recipes via Pinterest, but my go-to recipe gal has to be Gina from Skinny Taste. Gina has some of the best recipes I've tried; they're easy, they have few ingredients (a must for me), and they never fail to taste good. However, tonight's recipe was not just good, it was AMAZING. Seriously. We both (along with Erin) decided it was really really great.

So, what is this mystery recipe? Greek gyros! I* used this recipe for Greek meatballs and this recipe for tzatziki then piled it on some flat bread with fresh tomatoes. As a side, I whipped up a quick tomato salad (tomato, cucumber, & red onion w/a few squirts of Italian dressing). This meal is a must try and will certainly become a part of our rotation. There was even enough to freeze! OPA!

*Special thanks to sous-chef Erin for all of her fantastic chopping skills! 

Friday Foodie: Farm Burger Buckhead

Atlanta has an overwhelming number of burger joints. In fact, I think you could make the case that there is at least one burger location within every mile of Buckhead (not including fast food!). However, that doesn't stop us from returning time and time again for a burger on a lazy weekend evening.

Once we found out Farm Burger Buckhead was open, we had to try it! We love Farm Burger in Decatur, but the drive (and the inevitable daunting line) makes it a "special occasion" kind of place. Sunday night, we spontaneously tried the new location and loved it! The menu is mostly the same with a few more additions to the snacks, but the size of the space makes it a much more pleasant experience; you even feel like you can sit and stay for a minute!

While Farm Burger isn't my TOP burger place, it is certainly up there, and I can't wait to visit again. Oh, and do yourself a favor and order the parmesan fries. They're to die for!

Forget Yogurt, Forget Cupcakes, It's Time for PIE

Just when you thought there were plenty of after-dinner dessert options, Buckhead introduces its latest late-night hot-spot: Pie Shop.

 Located in the heart of Buckhead (off of Roswell Rd @ East Andrews), Pie Shop boasts a flavorful menu of unique and creative pie concoctions. Everything from pecan to peanut butter, this home-made pie haven has exactly what you're looking for. Pick up a slice of sweet-potato or a piece of coconut cream almost any hour of the day (except for Sundays & Mondays when the pie elves rest). Having an attack of a late-night sweet tooth? Pie Shop is open until 1 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. After a long night at the typical Buckhead bars and haunts, why not top it off with a nightcap of triangle-heaven?

 Pie Shop sits directly across from Buckhead Saloon in the basement of a shopping center. Get there early for the best selection, but don't hesitate to step out of your comfort zone: Pie Shop bakes up savory delights as well! 

I took home honeydew melon cheesecake. YUM!