Fresh Fig Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Pizza

Gosh this is sooo good! Yes Figs are romantic eats too! Here is the history of sexy figs. Said to be Cleopatra's favorite food, the sweet, purple fruits are sexy in both appearance and texture. For obvious reasons, they've been a synonym in erotic literature for female sexual organs. To the ancient Greeks, they were "more precious than gold" and many cultures associated figs with fertility. So go make this super yummy pizza for your love on V-day!

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb prepared pizza dough, room temperature (I used Recipe #187380 for one pie)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small sweet onion, sliced

4 -6 fresh figs, cut in half

5 ounces goat cheese (if you can get goat cheese with cranberries it fabulous)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

olive oil

cornmeal

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/fresh-fig-caramelized-onion-and-goat-cheese-gourmet-pizza-187474#ixzz1DqVoMex7

1 lb prepared pizza dough, room temperature (I used Recipe #187380 for one pie)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small sweet onion, sliced

4 -6 fresh figs, cut in half

5 ounces goat cheese (if you can get goat cheese with cranberries it fabulous)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

olive oil

cornmeal

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/fresh-fig-caramelized-onion-and-goat-cheese-gourmet-pizza-187474#ixzz1DqVoMex7

1 lb prepared pizza dough, room temperature (I used Recipe #187380 for one pie)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small sweet onion, sliced

4 -6 fresh figs, cut in half

5 ounces goat cheese (if you can get goat cheese with cranberries it fabulous)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

olive oil

cornmeal

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/fresh-fig-caramelized-onion-and-goat-cheese-gourmet-pizza-187474#ixzz1DqVoMex7

1 lb prepared pizza dough, room temperature (I used Recipe #187380 for one pie)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small sweet onion, sliced

4 -6 fresh figs, cut in half

5 ounces goat cheese (if you can get goat cheese with cranberries it fabulous)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

olive oil

cornmeal

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/fresh-fig-caramelized-onion-and-goat-cheese-gourmet-pizza-187474#ixzz1DqVoMex7

1lb of pizza dough. You can use this recipe or use pre made store bought dough too.
1 TBL of olive oil
1 small sweet onion, sliced
4-6 fresh figs cut in half

5 ounces goat cheese (if you can get goat cheese with cranberries it fabulous)

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/fresh-fig-caramelized-onion-and-goat-cheese-gourmet-pizza-187474#ixzz1DqYgnqQx

5 oz of goat cheese (if you can find goat cheese with cranberries in it then fabulous!)
1 tsp of chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup of  shredded mozzarella cheese
olive oil
cornmeal


DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a pan saute onions in oil till a caramel color, set aside to cool completely.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
3. Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1 inch thick. You can make it round or square all a matter of taste.
4. Place on a pan that is dusted with corn meal.
5.  Spread a thin coat of olive oil on dough.
6.  Arrange goat cheese, figs cut side up, cooled onions around on crust.
7.  Top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with rosemary.
8.  Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
9. ALTERNATE method:.
10.  If grilling preheat grill to medium high.
11.  Oil one side and place on a clean oiled grill and grill for 4-5 minutes.
12.  Flip and then lightly spread olive oil on dough.
13.  Arrange goat cheese, figs cut side up, cooled onions around on crust.
14.  Top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with rosemary.
15.  Cook a couple more minutes.

Asparagus With Lemon Butter Glaze

I know what your thinking. How is asparagus romantic? Well I will try and educate you on this. Read on people, read on...Our love affair with this member of the Lily family dates back hundreds of years. Asparagus "stirs up lust in man and woman," wrote English herbalist Nicholas Culpepper in the 17th century. In 19th-century France, bridegrooms were served three courses of the sexy spears at their prenuptial dinner. Apparently for a good reason: asparagus is a great source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin and folic acid. The latter is said to boost histamine production necessary for the ability to reach orgasm in both sexes. So are you blushing yet? Well I KNOW I will be making a run to the grocery store! What about you? Here is a yummy, easy way to prepare these sexy little spears!


INGREDIENTS:

1 lb	fresh asparagus
1/4 c	butter
1/2	lemon, juice and zest
	salt and pepper
	bacon bits for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS:


1)Break tough stems off root end of asparagus. Cut asparagus into pieces about 1 1/4 inch long.

2)Heat butter over medium-low heat in saute pan until melted. Adjust heat down as necessary to prevent butter from browning. Saute asparagus in the butter about 5-7 minutes, until tender-crisp. 

 

3)Squeeze the juice of the lemon over the asparagus, cover, and remove from heat. Let sit 2-3 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. May top with a little grated lemon zest if desired. Also good topped with a tablespoon or two of bacon bits.

Orange Cream Stuffed Strawberries

In honor of Valentines Day, I thought that I would post some romantic eats for the next couple of days. Anyone can make chocolate covered strawberries, so why not make these yummy little treats for your sweetie instead? Not only do these look fabulous but they taste fabulous too! They get eaten up pretty quick when I make them ! I hope you enjoy this deliciously easy recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

1 pt fresh strawberries

1	(8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temp
1/2 c	confectioners' sugar, or to taste
1 tsp	orange extract
1	square of melting chocolate
1/8 tsp	vegetable oil
	tip: you can use any flavor of extract you want. you can divide the cream cheese and do half in orange and half in french vanilla too!

DIRECTIONS:

1) Cut the tops off of the strawberries and stand upright on the cut side. Make 2 cuts 3/4 of the way down from the tip of the strawberry towards the bottom.

2)Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and extract until smooth in a mixer or a food processor. Place into a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe into each strawberry. 

3) Place the strawberries on wax paper.

4) Melt Chocolate in microwave, mix well. Add the oil to the chocolate to thin it out a bit. Mix it and put a fork in the bowl of chocolate and drizzle chocolate over the strawberries. You could also melt some white chocolate in a bowl and drizzle both chocolates over the strawberries.

5)Place on a serving platter and enjoy!

Easy Chocolate and Butterscotch Stuffed Croissants

I made these for breakfast today. The kids and I loved them! These are a really easy and delicious breakfast or dessert. I like to switch it up and put chocolate chips in some and butterscotch chips in others. If you like mint then you can add the Andes chips and make them that way too. The possibilities are endless!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Package of ready rolled puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, Andes chips, etc..

DIRECTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Unroll the sheet of pastry and then cut it into 4 squares.Cut each square diagonally to give 2 triangles (they will appear quite small). If using both sheets of puff pastry then you will end up with 16 triangles.Put the triangle with the wider part facing you and the point away from you.

2) Place the chips inside the triangles about 1/2 inch up from the wide end nearest you.
Then carefully roll from that chocolate loaded end towards the point of the triangle.

3) You should now have something resembling a straight croissant, seal it slightly with your fingertips and curl it around into a crescent.

4) Place the croissants on a lined baking tray and brush with the beaten egg. Bake for 15 minutes until golden and puffy and, miniaturely, croissant-like.

5) Melt some of the chips in the microwave at 30 sec intervals till all is melted. Add few drops of oil to the melted chocolate and mix. Drizzle melted chocolate on top of the croissants.

Antipasto Squares

Have you noticed a trend? I've been posting super Bowl style food this week. This lovely little dish is the winner of the www.justapinch.com sporty snack showdown. It is quite tasty and easy to make. It is a cross between antipasto and a deep dish pizza. No I didn't enter it in the contest but I sure wish I had.  This was entered by Gail Herbest from Bangor, Maine. Congrats Gail! I hope y'all can enjoy this dish at your next gathering.

INGREDIENTS:

2 can(s)	10 oz size refrigerated cresent rolls
1/4 lb	thinly sliced boiled ham
1/4 lb	thinly sliced provalone cheese
1/4 lb	thinly sliced swiss cheese
1/4 lb	thinly sliced genoa salami (about 12 slices)
1/4 lb	thinly sliced pepperoni ( about 30 slices)
1 jar(s)	12 oz size, roasted red peppers, drained and cut into thin strips
3 md	eggs
3 Tbsp	grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp	ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1)Preheat oven to 350 degrees and very lightly spray 9x13 baking pan with non stick cooking spray

2)unroll one package of the crescent rolls and cover the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer with ham, provolone,Swiss, salami and pepperoni in the order shown above, distribute drained and sliced roasted red peppers over top. 

 

3)In a small mixing bowl combine eggs, Parmesan and pepper and beat lightly

 

4)Pour 3/4 cup of egg mixture over the top of the peppers distribute evenly.

 

5)Unroll the second package of crescent rolls and place over the top of the red peppers. Brush with the remaining egg mixture 

 

6)Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. remove foil and bake another 10-20 minutes until dough is golden brown and slightly puffy, Remove from oven let sit for about 10 minutes for easier cutting.
serve warm or at room temperature

Easy Cheesy Crawfish Dip

With the Super Bowl coming up I thought that I would post this yummy little dip. I'm bringing it to a Super Bowl Party on Sunday.This dip is so full of flavor. Even people who don't like seafood love this dip. It is a favorite in my house for sure! I don't have easy access to fresh crawfish so I just use the frozen ones.

INGREDIENTS:
 1/2 c butter (1stick)

2	bunches of green onions, chopped
2 T	fresh parsley, chopped
1lb	peeled crawfish
1Tbsp	all purpose flour
1	egg yolk, beaten
1	5oz can of evaporated milk
1lb	velveta cheese, cubed
	salt and pepper to taste
	tabasco sauce to taste

Directions:
1)Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in green onions, and cook briefly. Add parsley and crawfish, and simmer about 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in flour.

2)In a small bowl, mix together egg yolk and evaporated milk. Stir into crawfish, and reduce heat to medium-low. 

 

3)Gradually add cheese cubes, stirring continuously until the cheese has melted. 

 

4)Season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Remove from heat. Let it stand a little before serving that way it has time to thicken just a bit. 

 

5)You can serve this in a small crock pot or in a nice bowl. I like to use the scoop chips with this dip.

The Real Deal Buffalo Wings

My most favorite wing sauce is from a place in Tuscaloosa Alabama, where I'm from, called Buffalo Phil's. Whenever I go home to visit I hit up some of my favorite restaurants and buy their sauces and Buffalo Phil's is no exception. There are times that I run out and have to make my own sauce. I do not have the recipe to Buffalo Phil's sauce but I did come across this one recently. This is supposedly the recipe from the Original Buffalo Wing sauce. They were conceived at the "Anchor Bar" in Buffalo, New York. Dominic Bellisimo was tending bar late one night at Anchor Bar in 1964 when a group of his friends arrived with a considerable appetite.

Dominic asked his mother Terresa who was working the kitchen to whip up something for his friends.
Not being totally enamored by the situation she decided on providing the gang something Different.
She proceeded to make History with her Wings.
The following is said to be a copy of her sauce. Which truthfully, is a guarded secret.

INGREDIENTS:

24 chicken wings and drummetts

SAUCE
6 Tbsp	Louisianna hot sauce (this is the brand name)
1/2 stk	margarine -- not butter
1 Tbsp	white vinegar
1/8 tsp	celery seed
1/8 to 1/4 tsp	cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp	garlic salt
1/4 tsp	Worcestershiresauce
1 to 2 tsp	Tabasco sauce
	dash of salt and pepper
ACCOMPANIMENTS
	carrot and celery sticks
	bleu cheese dressing or ranch

DIRECTIONS:

1)don't know whether she breaded the wings or dusted with flour or not. It is said she deep fried them. But if you don't have a deep fryer you can bake them in the oven @ 325 for 45-min -1hour. They come out of the oven great, but I still prefer to deep fry them.

2)For the Sauce place all sauce ingredients in small fry pan or pot and warm through and simmer on very low heat for 10 minutes stir some.

3)In large bowl add wings then pour sauce over and shake and combine well.

4)Serve with Carrot and Celery Sticks and Bleu Cheese or Ranch Dressing or both.

5)The wings can be placed in a crock pot on warm to keep warm for gatherings.

6)You can adjust the heat of the wings by adding more Cayenne for hotter and more maragarine for milder wings.

It is proclaimed that Frank and Terresa's Buffalo Wings are the "Best Wings In The World".

 So give this a try and tell me what you think. If you don't think its the best you can always order some Buffalo Phil's sauce online too!