California Club Pizza

This is my husbands favorite pizza at CPK. I decided to create a homemade version. The smoked Gouda cheese is what makes this pizza stand out. As a side, I served grilled veggie skewers with zucchini, grape tomatoes, bell pepper and red onion.
California Club Pizza
1 recipe of your favortie pizza crust
1/2 sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped black olives
1/2 cup smoked Gouda cheese
1/2 cup mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
4 strips apple wood smoked bacon, cooked and chopped
1 grilled chicken breast, sliced
1/2 avocado, diced
ranch dressing
handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tomato, diced
Preheat oven to 400. Roll out your favorite pizza dough and place on a pizza pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray (or pizza stone, ungreased). Bake pizza crust for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and top with desired amount of ranch dressing. Add sliced red onion, bacon, olives, artichoke hearts and cheese. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes depending on the size. When cooked, remove from oven and top with sliced grilled chicken and avocado. Garnish with chopped cilantro and fresh diced tomatoes.

Spicy Chicken Soup

This is a new take on the classic chicken tortilla soup. I added beans and chipotle chili peppers to add some spice. Instead of serving with tortilla chips, I made grilled pesto chesse bread to soak up the spicy broth. Sour cream and diced avocado add a nice cooling effect to the soup. A great way to warm a cold winter night! To make This Delish Dish follow the recipe below.....enjoy!!!

1 1/2 cups frozen corn

1 red bell pepper, split and seeded

1 pound chicken breast tenders

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1teaspoon cumin

Salt and pepper

1 small to medium zucchini, small dice

1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
1 15 oz. can black or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 to 2 chipotle in adobo peppers (medium to hot heat level), chopped

1 can stewed tomatoes, 28 ounces

1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup shredded cheddar or pepper Jack cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

Optional garnishes:1/4 red raw onion, chopped2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves1 ripe avocado, diced and dressed with the juice of 1/2 lemon

DirectionsHeat broiler to high and a soup pot to medium high. Add red pepper and corn to a cookie sheet. Char vegetables 10 minutes, total, turning pepper occasionally. Remove to cool, 5 minutes. Remove charred skin from the pepper. While vegetables cook, dice chicken. Add 1 tablespoons oil to hot soup pot. Add chicken to pot. Season with poultry seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Lightly brown chicken on each side. Add zucchini, onions and garlic and chipotle peppers. Cook vegetables with chicken 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock. Bring soup to a bubble, reduce heat to medium low.Add charred corn and drained beans. Chop grilled red pepper and stir into soup. Serve soup immediately with scatter of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Top with diced avocado and chopped cilantro. Serve with grilled bread or tortilla chips.

Roasted Chicken wtih Rosemary Balsamic Reduction

This is a meal I created when we didn't have all the ingredients to make what I had planned. This was a quick, delicious, and healthy meal. To round it out, I roasted a variety of vegetables with garlic, salt and pepper, and olive oil. It tasted AMAZING! The balsamic reduction sauce is a lot more simple to make than it sounds....it just tastes complicated to make. As usual, we enjoyed a side of grilled bread. I topped it with a sprinkle of smoked Gouda to give it a nice extra boost of flavor.
Roasted Chicken with Rosemary Balsamic Reduction
Chicken:
Season two boneless skinless chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place under broiler until cooked (careful not to overcook)
Couscous:
bring 1 1/4 cups of chicken broth to a boil. Add 1 cup couscous, cover and remove from heat. After the liquid has been absorded, add a handful of chopped Kalamata olives and roasted red bell peper and fluff.
Rosemary Balsamic Reduction:
Bring 1 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp. dried or fresh rosemary, and 1 clove of crushed garlic to a boil. Turn heat down and let it simmer until reduced by half.
Vegetables:
Chunked cauliflower
Chunked carrots
Chunked red bell pepper
Chunked red onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper
Olive oil
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss vegetables, salt and pepper, garlic, and olive oil on a cookie sheet. Roast vegetables for about 20 minutes or unitl they begin looking toasty on the outside..

Mixed Berry Shortcake

My husband was in the mood for a light dessert. This recipe is perfect for that craving! It is light, refreshing and delicious! Especially in the middle of winter. We did not have fresh berries, so I used a combination of frozen strawberries and mixed berries.

1 1/2 pounds (about 6 cups) fresh strawberries

1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar2

1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for dusting

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

Whipped Cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make the sweetened strawberries: Hull and quarter strawberries; toss in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup sugar. Let stand until syrupy, tossing occasionally, at least 20 minutes (and up to 1 day, covered and refrigerated).In a food processor, combine flour, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk; pulse just until moistened, 4 or 5 times. Do not overprocess.Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; with floured hands, gently pat dough into a 4-by-8-inch rectangle.Dust a large knife with flour; cut dough into 8 squares. Transfer to a baking sheet; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes; cool on baking sheet. To serve, split biscuits with a serrated knife; layer with berries and whipped cream.