Cooking Tip:  How To Make French Bread Pizzas — Cooking Tip: How To Make French Bread Pizzas

Cook Time: 10 minutes Difficulty: Easy.

I love quick and easy recipes, and French Bread Pizzas are not only perfect for those busy nights, but they're also an excellent means for hiding leftovers...such as veggies:). If you have been following our blog (thank you), you will know that I am notorious for turning last night's leftovers into tonight's masterpiece...mainly out of necessity from picky kiddos.

We go through a lot of food! With a family of five (one 21 year old boy, a 15 year old boy, a 12 year old girl AND their friends and my hubby and me), French Bread pizzas are a perfect way to stretch the buck and clear out the refrigerator at the same time;)

The pizza combinations are endless and every time I make them, the leftovers completely disappear. My family, didn't even know what hit them:) "Mom, these are awesome!" A moment of silence please...

Occasionally, I will place a bunch of toppings out and allow my family to create their own masterpieces for make-your-own pizza night. It's a great way to get them involved in the kitchen and to catch up. (However, when they make their own pizzas, guess what's leftover?? Veggies;) The pizzas I created are listed below, Chicken Parmesan Pizza, Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza, and Chicken Taco Pizza. I'll post the recipes of all our concoctions in a future blog post.

How to Make French Bread Pizzas- Here's how it's done...Have fun!

Start with a loaf of French Bread (or any kind of bread for that matter). Cut the bread in half lengthwise. (I usually cut in half lengthwise, then cut those halves in half).

Spread on your favorite sauce. So many options...spaghetti sauce, salsa, olive oil and garlic, alfredo sauce, pesto, whatever you have in your pantry or leftover in your refrigerator. Below we've featured spaghetti sauce Champagne Mustard, and salsa as the bases.

Next, add the toppings by using leftovers such as meat, vegetables, beans...the sky's the limit friends. Below, we used leftover grilled chicken three ways, Chicken Parmesan Pizza, Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza, and Chicken Taco Pizza (Ingredients listed below).

When you are satisfied with your creation, add the seasonings and cheese. The Chicken Parmesan Pizza had a combination of shredded Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheese sprinkled with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning, whereas the Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza had Swiss cheese as the cheese of choice, also sprinkled with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning, and finally, a shredded Mexican Blend and Mozzarella cheese were used for the Chicken Taco Pizza. Easy Peasy!

Drizzle a little olive oil over the entire pizza and bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is gooey and melted. Check out the ingredients for the three pizzas mentioned earlier. Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan French Bread Pizza- Spread the bread halves with spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with cooked chicken, chopped basil, Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning, and a mixture of shredded Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses. Sprinkle with oregano and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees until melty.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza - Spread the bread halves with Cherchies® Champagne Mustard then spaghetti sauce. Add chicken, ham chunks, swiss cheese and mozzarella. Sprinkle with Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning and a little bit of dried Thyme. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees until melty.

Chicken Taco Pizza - Spread the bread halves with salsa seasoning. Add chicken, black beans, Terrapin Ridge Farms Chipotle Aioli Sauce, and a blend of Mexican cheese blend and mozzarella. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees until melty.

Yum

Cooking Tip: How To Revive Wilted Lettuce

April 22, 2016cooking tipsSheri SpalloneComment

Poor sad wilted lettuce, it didn't ask for this! I hate wasting food, don't you? I picked up a glorious head of lettuce two days ago, forgot about it, and when I returned to fulfill my salad quest, the lettuce looked at me and begged, "Please make me pretty again."

My friends, not all is lost (except for the fact my lettuce is talking to me...that's creepy;) There is a simple solution to reviving most greens on a "stalk", such as lettuce, kale, celery, broccoli, swiss chard, etc. Water!

Simply place your wilted greens in a large bowl, add water, ice, and allow the lettuce to chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. I've read that some add lemon juice, but I don't feel that is necessary. This system has always worked for me, and "if it's not broke, don't fix it", right?

After a couple of hours, remove your lettuce from the bowl, lay it out on paper towels, and gently roll up the paper towel with the lettuce. Place the lettuce in a resealable bag and place back in the refrigerator. Your lettuce should remain "pretty" for a couple more days. *Note: This method does not work well for those boxed mixed greens.

So now you have the tools to revive your wilted greens when they start talking to you. Ha!

Yum

Cooking Tip: How To Make Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

March 31, 2016glaze marinade & sauce, cooking tipsSheri Spallone2 Comments

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

I have a tough time using something out of a can, especially when I can make it from scratch and control the ingredients. Take for example Cream of Mushroom soup, a constant in most casseroles.

With two family members sensitive to gluten and certain ingredients in canned soups, I was on a quest to make this homemade version.

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This homemade version of the store bought canned cream of mushroom soup is delicious and so very easy. You may never go back to the store bought version again. It's that good! (Sorry Campbell's).

This recipe is equivalent to 2 cans of store bought cream of mushroom soup and will last in the refrigerator for a week. This recipe would also be good for "Cream of Anything Soup" (asparagus, chicken...). That will be a future blog.

Ingredients

1 package of baby bella mushrooms, rinsed and coarsely chopped
2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) butter
1 shallot, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon (tsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon (tsp) Thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) butter
2 Tablespoon (Tbsp) flour (we tested this recipe with Bob's Mill GF All-Purpose Baking mix)
1/4 cup Sherry (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Truffle Oil (optional)
3/4 cup homemade chicken broth (If don't use Sherry, increase chicken broth to 1 cup)
1/2 cup half & half (can substitute light whipping cream)

Preparation

Turn skillet on medium and melt 2 Tablespoons of butter. Place chopped mushrooms in pan and cook mushrooms for about 5 minutes. Add minced shallots and cook until shallots are translucent (about another 5 minutes). Remove mushrooms and shallots from pan and place in a bowl or on a plate. Set aside.

Add 1 Tablespoon butter and flour to pan and stir for a couple of minutes. Add Sherry and chicken stock (I always have homemade chicken stock in the freezer) and stir. Mixture will begin to thicken. Add Garlic Seasoning, pepper, Thyme, and stir. *At this point I added Truffle oil ...well, because I had it on hand, but this is completely optional. I just love the extra richness it adds to any mushroom dish.

Add mushroom and shallot mixture back to pan as well as half and half and continue to cook on low, stirring occasionally, until soup is thick and creamy (about 10 minutes).

Cool completely and place in a large mason jar if not using immediately. There you have it, homemade cream of mushroom soup! Enjoy!

Yum

Cooking Tip: How To Cook Asparagus

February 11, 2016cooking tipsSheri SpalloneComment

Asparagus is an antioxidant powerhouse packed full of vitamins and fiber, and it is easy to cook.

Everyone has a favorite method of preparing asparagus, but regardless of the preference, asparagus needs to be washed and trimmed before cooking and seasoned before serving.

For an extra flavor burst, add a squeeze of lemon and Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning or Cherchies® Garlic 'n Herbs No-Salt Seasoning, and perhaps a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

For a lighter version, consider replacing the butter with a vinaigrette made with Cherchies® Champagne Mustard, white vinegar, and olive oil (or oil of choice).

Roasted- This is my preferred method and is very easy. Place washed and trimmed asparagus in a baking pan and drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, and Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning or Cherchies® Garlic 'n Herbs Seasoning and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until asparagus is brown and tender.

Sauteed- This method allows the asparagus to retain its bright green color and involves cooking it on high heat for about 10 minutes and tossing it occasionally. Heat the asparagus with a bit of butter or oil in a pan and season to taste.

Steamed- The asparagus is placed in a steamer rack over boiling water and cooked for about 4-8 minutes or until tender. If used for salads or stir-frys, add cooked asparagus to an ice-water bath for a few minutes to stop the cooking process—season to taste.

Microwave- This method is similar to steaming. Use about 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) of water in a microwave-safe bowl or plate and microwave asparagus for 2-3 minutes. If used for salads or stir-frys, add cooked asparagus to an ice-water bath for a few minutes to stop the cooking—season to taste.

Grilled- Grilling asparagus is a tasty way to preserve its flavor and impart the smokiness that grillers love. Toss asparagus with a small amount of oil and place it on a hot grill. To make grilling easier, skewer several asparagus stalks together and cook asparagus for about 10 minutes or until tender, turning to brown evenly. Season the asparagus to taste.

So, what's your favorite way to cook asparagus? We'd love to hear from you and share your recipes:) Comment below.

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