Caramelized Onion & Brussels Sprout Flatbread

perfect pizza for the holidays...

There are some amazing pizzerias around the Cincinnati area these days. Some of my favorites are A Tavola, Mellow Mushroom, and M. You really should try A Tavola if you haven't - they have some wacky, but tasty, combinations. Two of these restaurants make artisan pizzas with Brussels sprouts. So, I thought I'd make my own for this post. While they have handmade dough, wood-fired ovens, and/or culinary genius, and it would seem I'm at a disadvantage, I have to admit that my version isn't too bad! Just ask my husband or our friend James...

I consider this pizza a flatbread because it's served on a thin crust dough. However, you are free to use your favorite dough, it will be just as tasty. Instead of a regular pizza sauce, I use a ricotta and olive oil spread. This pairs well with the caramelized onion and Brussels sprouts. Finally, I top off this flatbread with Parmesan cheese for salt, dried cranberries for sweet, and balsamic vinegar for sour - hitting many of our senses. This pizza is quite appropriate for the Christmas holiday with all it's red and green. Make it for one of your next get togethers. Here's how...

Ingredients
1 Red Onion, halved & thinly sliced
1 Bag Brussels Sprouts, cleaned & sliced to 1/4 inch thick pieces
1 C Ricotta Cheese (light okay)
3-4 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper
1 Thin Crust Pizza Dough (suggest Pillsbury)
3 T Shaved Parmesan Cheese
3 T Dried Cranberries
2 T Balsamic Vinegar

Directions
Preheat the oven according to pizza dough package directions.

Heat a large skillet over med-high. Add 1 T olive oil and the thinly sliced red onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Be sure to monitor the heat on the pan and if needed, reduce to medium to prevent the onions from burning.

Once the onions are caramelized, add in the sliced Brussels sprouts and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the Brussels sprouts begin to brown.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the ricotta, 2-3 T olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix well. Roll out the pizza dough onto a large baking sheet. Spread on the cheese mixture, leaving a 1/2 inch border for a crust.

Next, remove the caramelized onions and Brussels sprouts from the heat. Evenly distribute the mixture on top of the dough and cheese. Place in the preheated oven and bake to package directions. Once the pizza is cooked, remove, and top with the Parmesan cheese and dried cranberries. Finish by drizzling with the balsamic vinegar. Slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Indian Infused Turkey Lettuce Wraps w/ Cherry Chutney

tantalize all 5 senses...

I've made many different types of lettuce wraps, but this is probably my favorite. It combines all 5 sensations of taste we can detect - salty, sour, sweet, bitter, and umami (or savory). A dish is said to be balanced when most (or all) of these tastes are incorporated. The final sense, umami, is relatively new to the scene. Albeit, proposed over 100 years ago, it was not widely accepted as one of the senses of taste until 1985. This term has become increasingly popular in American vernacular over the past decade, but is still referred to as savory by many.

Beyond balance and taste, these lettuce wraps are super easy. A simple cherry chutney, 6 ingredients including salt, are put into a sauce pan and simmered...ready when you are! And, ground turkey is infused with Indian aromatics and spices. This is a good opportunity to introduce yourself, your family, or friends to the flavors of India. Make these lettuce wraps when you need a quick, easy, and flavorful dinner. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Chutney
3/4 lb. Fresh Cherries, pitted & halved
1/2 C Dried Cranberries
1 Orange, zest & juice
1 tsp. Yellow Mustard Seed
2 T Cider Vinegar
Kosher Salt

Lettuce Wraps
Olive Oil
1.25 lbs. Ground Turkey (suggest Jenny-O 20 oz. package)
3 Green Onions, whites & greens separated & chopped
1 inch Fresh Ginger, grated
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 T Ground Cumin
1/2 T Ground Turmeric
1 tsp. Ground Coriander
1 tsp. Garam Masala
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
Pinch of Cayenne
2 T Rice Wine Vinegar
2 T Cilantro, chopped
Boston Lettuce, leaves separated, cleaned, & patted dry
Optional: Hot Sauce

Directions
Begin by making the chutney:
In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan combine all the ingredients except for the salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook until thick and syrupy, 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Add a pinch of salt, stir smashing the cherries a bit, and cool until ready to serve.

Cook the turkey filling: Heat a large skillet over med-high. Add 2-3 T olive oil and the turkey. Spread into an even layer in the pan. Leave, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes to brown the meat. Once the meat has begun to caramelize, add the onion whites, ginger, and garlic. Stir to incorporate and continue cooking.

As the meat browns, make the spice mixture. In a small bowl combine the cumin, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, salt, and cayenne. Stir to blend.

In the final minute of cooking, add the spice mixture and vinegar to the turkey. Stir to combine everything well. Allow the vinegar to cook out and then remove from the heat and stir in the green onion tops and cilantro. Taste for seasoning; add as needed.

Finally, build the lettuce wraps: Place a lettuce cup on a plate. Add about 1/4 cup Indian infused turkey mixture and top with a couple tablespoons of cherry chutney. If desired, add a few drops of your favorite hot sauce. Wrap up and eat...then repeat. Enjoy!

Summer Golden Beet Salad w/ Balsamic Drizzle Dressing

a mid-summer's night salad...

It's summer solstice or mid-summer or the longest day of the year as many say. A day where the sun is up its longest, making it the perfect time to celebrate the beginning of the summer season. Although it's not actually any longer than any other day of the year, we have more light (5 seconds more to be exact). So, have a picnic, grill out, or just have dinner for the family outside. Whatever you decide to do, try to at least stay up until the sun sets for our "longest day" of the year.

I've made this summer salad to kick off the season. It's fruity and earthy and quite beautiful. The colors make me think of the golden sun setting over an empty field. The reds, yellows, greens, and purples. I'm specifically focusing on balsamic vinegar for this series and its deep flavors and purple color. Make this salad to celebrate our "longest day". Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
Summer Salad
3 Medium Golden Beets (~ 1 1/2 lbs.)
1 T Olive Oil, divided
3 C Arugula
1/2 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced
1/4 C Dried Cranberries
1/4 C Pistachios, shelled & roughly chopped
4 oz. Plain Goat Cheese, crumbled

Balsamic Drizzle Dressing
1/3 C Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
2 tsp. Honey
Salt & Pepper

Directions
Begin by roasting the beets: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the top (leafy parts) and bottom off each of the beets. Note: you can save the leafy parts to cook or discard if they don't look good. Scrub the beets and pat them dry.

Lay out a large piece of heavy duty foil (or double up with regular foil). Place the beets on top and drizzle with 1/2 T olive oil. Rub to coat the beets well with the oil, then wrap them tightly in the foil. Put them in the oven and cook for 45-50 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the beets from the oven, unwrap, and allow to partially cool, about 10 minutes. Using a paper towel, carefully (beets will still be a little hot), rub the skin from the outside of the beets, discard. Once all the skin has been removed, cut the beets into wedges. Set aside.

Prepare the onion for the salad: Put the onion slices into a small bowl and cover with cold water. Soaking the onion in cold water will take away a little of the harsh bite raw onions can have. Set aside.

Make the drizzle: In a small sauce pan, whisk the balsamic, mustard, and honey together. Over med-high heat, bring the mixture to a bubble. Simmer until the mixture is reduced to 1/4 C, approx. 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool.

Arrange the Salad: Dress the arugula with the remaining 1/2 T olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Then, on a large platter put the dressed arugula down first and top with the other ingredients in this order: red onion (drained), beets, cranberries, pistachios, and goat cheese. Drizzle the balsamic dressing over top. Serve immediately. Sun and summer have arrived! Enjoy.