Recipe No. 6
Caprese Puff Pastry Pizza
Serving Size for this Recipe: 6-8 people
Average Cost: $9 to $11
This is a fun little dish to throw in the mix for your weekly menu! Taking the classic caprese salad recipe and using a soft buttery puff pastry to tie it all together. This is So super simple but so super good. You're gonna need a few things:
1 pkg of puff pastry
2-3 Roma tomatoes
1 lb. of fresh mozzarella cheese- BelGioioso is a good one that you can find at most grocers.
1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp of good extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Lay out the puff pastry on a sheet pan, dock the pastry with a fork and cook as instructed on package. Making these small holes will keep that pastry from puffing up (like a pizza crust!)
In a small bowl- whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.
Once it's cooked- let it cool for 10 minutes, then add the sliced tomato, torn basil leaves, thin slices of the mozzarella, and (whisk it together one more time) and drizzle over the balsamic dressing. Add some kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper and eat it!
Remember to K.I.S. in the kitchen!
Keep It Simple.
I hope you have a great day, foodies!
About Me
Showing posts with label Italian food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Italian food. Show all posts
Monday, October 18, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
In These Challenging Times~We Lost Another One~
Not too long ago, I did a review on a new Italian restaurant here in Lee's Summit. When I found Napoli's it was a young business that showed promise and potential. I even went as far as giving them the rehearsal dinner booking for my sister's wedding! As I drove down Sycamore St. the other day, I noticed that something had changed- The once young, blooming, Italian restaurant I'd visited just one month prior- was GONE....??? Questions circled in my head- "are they getting a new sign?" "are they closed for renovations?" But no, much to my disappointment- the space was completely empty- stripped of all signs that they had ever been there except for the decal on the window bearing their name. I was totally confused because I had spoken to Labi (former owner) several times about how business was going and he never hinted at their business closing!
I called their Sedalia, MO location and found out that it was the only location out of 3 that was still open.
This was sad news, but I must not mourn too long. The previous business at the location, had also been an Italian restaurant. Maybe Lee's Summit would rather go to Fazoli's. Who knows...
I pour my glass of vino on the ground in your memory Napoli's. It was nice while it lasted.
Ciao.
I called their Sedalia, MO location and found out that it was the only location out of 3 that was still open.
This was sad news, but I must not mourn too long. The previous business at the location, had also been an Italian restaurant. Maybe Lee's Summit would rather go to Fazoli's. Who knows...
I pour my glass of vino on the ground in your memory Napoli's. It was nice while it lasted.
Ciao.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
New Kid on Campus
Critique No. 10
Restaurant
Next Door Pizza & Pub
3385 SW Fascination Dr.
Lee's Summit, MO 64081816-763-1200
http://www.nextdoorpizza.com/
Hrs: Sun-Thur 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm
Cuisine: Italian/American, Buffet, Pizzeria
Maximum Occupancy: 95 plus the Patio
Bam! I'm back. Sorry for the time in between posts- you know...life. Well I am bringing back a story about my trip to a new face near the Metropolitan Community College-Longview Campus. The place is Next Door Pizza & Pub. I was told by a dear friend that I must try the pizzeria, and I must try it NOW!
This is what went down. As you drive up to the New Longview community in Lee's Summit you first notice the colorful buildings and of course the college. Take a left at the stop light and you will drive right past Fascination Drive. On the corner you'll see NDP and ask yourself, where am I suppose to park? Keep driving, the majority of the parking is in back. There was a nice patio area on the side for good weather days. I walked in the back door and was greeted by a the owner Patrick Cuezze. For lunch there are two choices- order off the menu or you can hit up the buffet. I always try to get a variety of offerings from a new place, so I went with the menu (since it was a pizza only buffet). I didn't have a chance to try one of their 10 ON TAP or 30 BOTTLED BEERS, but- apparently they are just as much into their micro brews as they are their pizza! The waitress was nice and engaging,she took my drink order and I glanced over the menu and looked around the restaurant. As I looked up I saw this beautiful sight hanging above the door.
This is what went down. As you drive up to the New Longview community in Lee's Summit you first notice the colorful buildings and of course the college. Take a left at the stop light and you will drive right past Fascination Drive. On the corner you'll see NDP and ask yourself, where am I suppose to park? Keep driving, the majority of the parking is in back. There was a nice patio area on the side for good weather days. I walked in the back door and was greeted by a the owner Patrick Cuezze. For lunch there are two choices- order off the menu or you can hit up the buffet. I always try to get a variety of offerings from a new place, so I went with the menu (since it was a pizza only buffet). I didn't have a chance to try one of their 10 ON TAP or 30 BOTTLED BEERS, but- apparently they are just as much into their micro brews as they are their pizza! The waitress was nice and engaging,she took my drink order and I glanced over the menu and looked around the restaurant. As I looked up I saw this beautiful sight hanging above the door.
If you can't read that (go see an eye Dr.)
It says "We Proudly Serve Mendolia's Italian Sausage, We only serve the Best!"
This made me exceedingly happy, because A: Mendolia's is the best sausage in the world (bias??) and B: Mendolia's is a Kansas City classic. I love seeing local businesses support each other!!! I have grown up eating mendolia's my whole life, and when I saw on the menu the sausage grinder- I knew that was it. It was served with hand cut, double cooked fries. The waitress told me to substitute for the Puerto Fries (same fries, just covered with bacon, queso and jalapenos) I went for it- I like to take the recommendations, I also got 2 squares of thier thin crust pepperoni pizza to try out their namesake. So my order was in, I'm sitting there, trying to get a vibe on this place. It's kinda quirky with the sports stuff, and all the doors hanging from the walls, ceilings and everywhere else you looked. Patrick later told me that the doors were all designed and painted by community members, organizations and groups.
(You can design a door too! Just call and talk to Patrick about it.)
I didn't care for the music that was playing, just pop radio garbage (that's a big deal for me as a diner. I like to feel relaxed when I eat, and the music was making me annoyed) I put all that aside when I saw this set in front of me.
Lets start with the pizza. This was a paper thin, cracker crust. I mean just crispy and good, not dry. but crispy. Great flavor from the sauce, nice melting cheese (they use only GRANDE mozzarella), and Rosa Grande Pepperoni- (which was very small in diameter- about the size of a nickel). Now the pepperoni threw me off a little, because when they cook up, they tend to cup up so a little pool of grease forms inside. Patrick says that's fine with him. I prefer the pepperoni to be a little bigger around, but lets move on. The Grinder: Right off the bat, I noticed that it was not cut down the side like a hot dog bun. This was a hollowed out piece of Italian bread with the sausage cut up and put inside with the sauce and cheese, then capped off with what I would call a "bread cork". It was a sesame toasted flavor that hit me first, then more bread, and i realized my first bite was all bread and sauce. So....eh, idk about that. Next bite, tender, perfectly cooked Italian sausage, cheese, and sauce with the crusty bread and the Ah! and the Oo! it was good. I set that down for a second to dig into the puerto fries. This was like HALT!! PEPPER ATTACK MEETS MUSHY POTATO!! It was explained to me that the fries that day hadn't been double cooked. So they didn't develop a nice crunchy exterior, instead, they were mush with all that cheese just adding to the mush. The jalapeno and Fresno Chiles that were on the dish- in my opinion- way too much heat for a side dish to have. I stopped there with the fries. Finishing the pizza and sandwich, I felt somewhat sad that I just paid $3.00 extra to "puerto" my fries. There were a lot of things I liked but some pretty big misses as well for this trip to NDP. I did enjoy talking with Patrick and his wife after my meal, just finding out about them and their place. Some bonuses I found were: They have gluten free options for those in need of them, and on Monday's Kids eat free (see website for details), and they give great discounts for students! Patrick says they have the best pizza in town, But wouldn't you say that if you were the owner? For them only being opened for 4 months, and never being in the restaurant biz before, I'd say they have a great future ahead of them. Class dismissed.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
Please visit this locally owned business and see if you agree!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Pasta with Broccoli
Recipe No. 3
Pasta with Broccoli
Serving size for this recipe: 6-8 people
Average cost: $11 (the cheese is the most expensive part of the dish- but worth every penny)
Here we are- almost half way through February, and it is still cold outside. The infamous groundhog tells us six more weeks of winter, so- here is a dish that will warm you up and keep you happy till that sun shines again. This recipe is one my mom has made my entire life (and probably before it as well) it just speaks to me now more than ever before. Just simply called pasta with broccoli, nothing fancy about it- just spectacular flavors :) I have tweaked it slightly to make it my own, but that is the beauty of cooking, a recipe is one ingredient away from being transformed. It is rustic and a little spicy, super tasty, but most importantly- its inexpensive and easy! It's a great vegetarian pasta dish too! This is what you'll need:
1 lb. of Bucatini (this is a long pasta that is hollow- from the Italian word for hole "buco" )
1 Large head of broccoli
5 slices of bread (crusty bread is best)
1.5 cups of grated pecorino Romano cheese (this is crucial, try not to substitute)
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 of a small sweet onion (or 1 shallot)
1 tsp of peperoncino (red pepper flakes)
1 tsp of butter
1/2 a cup of white wine
extra virgin olive oil
Okay, lets begin. Start out with a little prep work. You should break down the broccoli into florets and just use a vegetable peeler to clean the stem- there is so much flavor in the stem, it's not just the handle :) Next put all of your broccoli pieces into a food processor and run it on pulse in 3 second increments (we are trying to chop up the broccoli, not puree it) when the pieces are about the size of peas, empty the broccoli into a bowl and set it in the refrigerator. Then, take your slices of bread and and put them in the food processor and pulse them down to fine bread crumbs. Heat a small pan to on medium high heat and add your butter, toast the bread crumbs in the pan stirring them often to avoid burning. Once they are toasted, remove from heat and set aside for later use.
At this point, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a couple teaspoons of salt to the water. Let the pasta cook for 8 minutes, checking it till it is al dente (with a little bite to it, not uncooked and not fully cooked) While the pasta is cooking you're going to dice your onion and mince the garlic. Get a large saute pan over medium heat and coat the bottom of the pan with the olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add in the onion, stir them well- we are trying to to cook them till they are translucent (cooking them without color, or browning). This keeps the onions sweet, and that's right where we want them. Next, add in the garlic, just cook everything together for about 2 minutes, stirring them to avoid burning the garlic.
The second half of this cooking moves fast- so ready, set, go!
clear your stove of all pots and pans except the pan with onions and garlic- turn this pan up to medium high and add the white wine, let this reduce for 1 minute. next add in the broccoli, stir it in and let it cook with the onions and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with salt. Add your peperoncino, and stir. add your pasta to the pan, with a pair of tongs, pick up the pasta and incorporate it into the other ingredients, stirring and lifting, don't break up the pasta too much! next add the bread crumbs, repeat the stirring and lifting, incorporating the bread crumbs, remove the pan from the heat and get your serving dish out. Transfer the pasta to the dish with the tongs and empty the pan of all remaining food (broccoli, onions, whatever was clinging on) finally add half the pecorino romano cheese and give it one final stir and lift. top with the remaining cheese and eat!
Pasta with Broccoli
Serving size for this recipe: 6-8 people
Average cost: $11 (the cheese is the most expensive part of the dish- but worth every penny)
Here we are- almost half way through February, and it is still cold outside. The infamous groundhog tells us six more weeks of winter, so- here is a dish that will warm you up and keep you happy till that sun shines again. This recipe is one my mom has made my entire life (and probably before it as well) it just speaks to me now more than ever before. Just simply called pasta with broccoli, nothing fancy about it- just spectacular flavors :) I have tweaked it slightly to make it my own, but that is the beauty of cooking, a recipe is one ingredient away from being transformed. It is rustic and a little spicy, super tasty, but most importantly- its inexpensive and easy! It's a great vegetarian pasta dish too! This is what you'll need:
1 lb. of Bucatini (this is a long pasta that is hollow- from the Italian word for hole "buco" )
1 Large head of broccoli
5 slices of bread (crusty bread is best)
1.5 cups of grated pecorino Romano cheese (this is crucial, try not to substitute)
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 of a small sweet onion (or 1 shallot)
1 tsp of peperoncino (red pepper flakes)
1 tsp of butter
1/2 a cup of white wine
extra virgin olive oil
Okay, lets begin. Start out with a little prep work. You should break down the broccoli into florets and just use a vegetable peeler to clean the stem- there is so much flavor in the stem, it's not just the handle :) Next put all of your broccoli pieces into a food processor and run it on pulse in 3 second increments (we are trying to chop up the broccoli, not puree it) when the pieces are about the size of peas, empty the broccoli into a bowl and set it in the refrigerator. Then, take your slices of bread and and put them in the food processor and pulse them down to fine bread crumbs. Heat a small pan to on medium high heat and add your butter, toast the bread crumbs in the pan stirring them often to avoid burning. Once they are toasted, remove from heat and set aside for later use.
At this point, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a couple teaspoons of salt to the water. Let the pasta cook for 8 minutes, checking it till it is al dente (with a little bite to it, not uncooked and not fully cooked) While the pasta is cooking you're going to dice your onion and mince the garlic. Get a large saute pan over medium heat and coat the bottom of the pan with the olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add in the onion, stir them well- we are trying to to cook them till they are translucent (cooking them without color, or browning). This keeps the onions sweet, and that's right where we want them. Next, add in the garlic, just cook everything together for about 2 minutes, stirring them to avoid burning the garlic.
The second half of this cooking moves fast- so ready, set, go!
clear your stove of all pots and pans except the pan with onions and garlic- turn this pan up to medium high and add the white wine, let this reduce for 1 minute. next add in the broccoli, stir it in and let it cook with the onions and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with salt. Add your peperoncino, and stir. add your pasta to the pan, with a pair of tongs, pick up the pasta and incorporate it into the other ingredients, stirring and lifting, don't break up the pasta too much! next add the bread crumbs, repeat the stirring and lifting, incorporating the bread crumbs, remove the pan from the heat and get your serving dish out. Transfer the pasta to the dish with the tongs and empty the pan of all remaining food (broccoli, onions, whatever was clinging on) finally add half the pecorino romano cheese and give it one final stir and lift. top with the remaining cheese and eat!
You did it! You can add this to your family cookbook if you want. I hope you try it, please leave me some comments if you'd like.
I hope you can make memories in your kitchen, enjoy!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Thinking Italian?
Critique No.2
Restaurant:
Original Pizza and Italian Restaurant
905 NW Chipman Rd
Lees Summit, MO 64063
(816) 554-1322
Cuisine: Italian/Buffet
Max. Seating Occupancy: 55
Price Point: $5.99 for all you can eat buffet, average prices off menu- $10+
When you drive down Chipman Road heading north you'll find the run of the mill fast food places. With all that you see you can kind of miss the stand alone building that Original Pizza and Italian Restaurant occupies. When I first walked in I wasn't sure if they were open because it was very dark inside- only natural light coming from the wrap around windows and a few fluorescents. It looked a typical buffet with a salad bar and hot bar. A few TVs playing sports and 10 or so tables with no one sitting at them. I was the only one there at lunch time on a week day. The overall atmosphere was kind of awkward. Now the food! I first tried their claim to fame- Pizza. It was a thin crust with the large pepperoni and sausage pieces. It was very tasty- good sauce, nice bite from the thin crust, and good mouth feel from the cheese. I then went to the spaghetti and meatballs; an all time favorite of mine. I was disappointed when I saw pasta that was dry and hard on top and somewhat mushy underneath. The sauce with a dark black film on top and meatballs in a separate pan. The meatballs were sitting in what looked like tomato flavored water, about 3/4 of the way up. I did taste it, and it was pretty much tasteless. The meatball was very bland and mushy.
Perhaps they should consider dropping the Italian restaurant part and stick to the pizza? Its unfortunate that my visit was like this, and they do have other locations...
Speaking for the Lee's Summit location, The pizza, I'd give an 8 out of 10, but I have to say I was quite disappointed in the quality of the other food offered on the buffet; salads included.
Overall Rating: 1 out of 5
Please visit this locally owned business and see if you agree!
Restaurant:
Original Pizza and Italian Restaurant
905 NW Chipman Rd
Lees Summit, MO 64063
(816) 554-1322
Cuisine: Italian/Buffet
Max. Seating Occupancy: 55
Price Point: $5.99 for all you can eat buffet, average prices off menu- $10+
When you drive down Chipman Road heading north you'll find the run of the mill fast food places. With all that you see you can kind of miss the stand alone building that Original Pizza and Italian Restaurant occupies. When I first walked in I wasn't sure if they were open because it was very dark inside- only natural light coming from the wrap around windows and a few fluorescents. It looked a typical buffet with a salad bar and hot bar. A few TVs playing sports and 10 or so tables with no one sitting at them. I was the only one there at lunch time on a week day. The overall atmosphere was kind of awkward. Now the food! I first tried their claim to fame- Pizza. It was a thin crust with the large pepperoni and sausage pieces. It was very tasty- good sauce, nice bite from the thin crust, and good mouth feel from the cheese. I then went to the spaghetti and meatballs; an all time favorite of mine. I was disappointed when I saw pasta that was dry and hard on top and somewhat mushy underneath. The sauce with a dark black film on top and meatballs in a separate pan. The meatballs were sitting in what looked like tomato flavored water, about 3/4 of the way up. I did taste it, and it was pretty much tasteless. The meatball was very bland and mushy.
Perhaps they should consider dropping the Italian restaurant part and stick to the pizza? Its unfortunate that my visit was like this, and they do have other locations...
Speaking for the Lee's Summit location, The pizza, I'd give an 8 out of 10, but I have to say I was quite disappointed in the quality of the other food offered on the buffet; salads included.
Overall Rating: 1 out of 5
Please visit this locally owned business and see if you agree!
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