Sausage n Broccoli Pita Pizza

Love making pita pizzas... so simple, so quick and extremely delicious !

I recently had my first attempt at homemade sausages ( Garlic n Onion ) and just happened to have a couple leftover ...  So .. I just had to try them on a pizza .

Ingredients : ( Per Serving )

1 Whole Wheat Pita 
 1 Cooked Garlic Onion Sausage ( Sliced ) 

1/4 of a Red Pepper ( diced ) 1/3 head of broccoli ( small florets ) 

1 cup of cheese , blend of mozzarella, and 5yr old cheddar ( sliced of shredded ) 4 cremini mushrooms ( sliced )
Splash of EVOO
Salt n Pepper to taste 

Crisp up the pita in the oven , 3 or 4 minutes per side at 350f 
Arrange the sliced sausage, broccoli, mushrooms and red pepper, 
sprinkle with a little salt n pepper 
Cover with the cheeses , and back into the oven on an oven safe plate 
about 15 minutes at 350F , or 3 minutes under the broiler ... 
and you are ready to eat !  

I usually leave mine in for a few more minutes as I prefer it extra crispy , however ... I was too hungry ! 

Simple, Good Food .. and the best part is its inexpensive and you can use whatever you happen to have in the fridge .

Peace , Love and Good Food
Rich 

Crispy Paprika Pork Skillet Pizza

Just love my latest creation ....  Mashed Potato Skillet Pizzas :)) 

So good, so easy , and I must say ..just a tad addictive ! 

It has gotten to the point where I'm making mashed potatoes just to make this,hahaha

Ingredients :

2 Cups Garlic Mashed Potato
1 cup Crispy Paprika Pork
1/3 Red Pepper , Sliced
4 Cremini Mushrooms, Sliced 

1/2 Yellow Onion , Sliced
1/2 Cup Aged Cheddar,  Sliced & Crumbled
1/2 Cup grated Mozzarella 

( Crispy Pork..   Sliced up Pork Loin .. caramelized in a pan with hot smoked paprika, butter and S&P .. simply pan fry it on low for an hour or so , stirring occasionally ) 

Preheat oven to 350F , pan can be preheated too if you like.  
Drizzle the pan with a bit of EVOO 
Use a fork to smush the mashed potato in the pan 
Start adding the toppings...   Crispy Pork, Peppers, Mushrooms ...

If your Mashed is cold, you will want to put the pan  (w/ mashed ) into the oven for 15 minutes or so to warm up .. before adding your toppings :) 

Add the Pork, Mushrooms, Peppers & Onions ... 

Top with your cheeses ..  and pop it into a 350F oven

Check it after 20 minutes ... if you like the looks of it, dig in ...   I usually leave mine in for about 30 minutes 

Thats it.. grab a towel , and take your skillet to your seat at the table or couch ! Enjoy :)) 

This recipe is part of my Creative Leftover series , any feedback would be greatly appreciated .

Peace , Love and Good Food !
Rich

Bacon n Eggs Skillet Pizza

Happy New Year !!  Thank you all for a wonderful 2013  I appreciated all the comments , chats , likes and critiques ...    

After a late night, and more than a few ales :) I needed something hearty to start the day off , and one of my newest creations .. Mashed Potato Pizza came to mind , with a breakfast twist . 

Ingredients :

Mashed Potato
2 strips of bacon - rough chopped 
2 Cremini Mushrooms - Sliced1 Tablespoon Pepper Jelly 
Aged Cheddar - Grated
1/4 Red Pepper - Diced
1/2 Red Onion - Sliced
4 Grape Tomatoes
2 Eggs

Preheat your oven to 350F
Using a fork , create a 1" thick base of mashed potato in your skillet , lightly pressed
Drizzle the pepper jelly on top if your in the mood for a bit of sweet heat .
Arrange Bacon , Mushrooms , Onion and Red Pepper


Side note : This recipe is Gluten Free

 

Pop into the oven for about 20 minutes, the bacon should just starting to get crispy

 

Remove from oven , Sprinkle on the Cheddar
Crack your eggs on top
and return to the oven for 12 minutes

 

Remember...  cast iron gets HOT!!

 

Its that easy ...  after 12 minutes the eggs should be nice and runny
 Grab a tray or a trivet , and dig in , right from the skillet :)

Wishing you all a peaceful and prosperous 2014 !!
Rich

Mashed Potato Skillet Pizza

The Original Dish :)

Mexican Sausages from the butcher , Local Yukon Spuds & Cremini Mushrooms , Onion & Garlic from my garden , and some flash frozen peas ...  Oh can't forget the butter either !  Hahaha

I don't know about you , but i LOVE Bangers n Mash  :) Its more of a cool weather meal for me , as all that boiling water really heats up the kitchen .  So , earlier this week I made myself some ( See above )

I must say, it was delicious ! Such Simple, Good Food :)  As always tho , I made way more than I could eat in one sitting ...  Then I had a thought. On how to recreate the leftovers into something different , and tasty !





Ingredients :
1 Sausage ( Preferably from a butcher )
 2 Cups Garlic mashed Potatoes ( Or whatever is your fancy )
2 Cremini Mushrooms, Sliced
1/2 Red Onion , Sliced
1/2 Jalapeno , Sliced
1/2 cup Mozzarella , small cubes
2 thin slices 5 yr old cheddar , diced

You will need an oven safe pan for this , I choose my 8" cast iron skillet ...

Preheat oven to 350F , pan can be preheated too if you like. 
Drizzle the pan with a bit of EVOO
Use a fork to smush the mashed potato in the pan
Start adding the toppings, Sausage, Onion, Jalapeno , Mushrooms ...

Into the oven for 20 minutes

Side note : This recipe qualifies for Gluten Free

 

Sprinkle the cheeses over the top , return to the oven for 20 minutes



Its didnt have quite enough colour for me , so I cranked it up to 400F and popped it back  in for a few more minutes ...  

 

And this was what I was rewarded with ...  Creamy Garlicky Goodness , topped with all my favourite flavours :) Yummy !!

 

No need for plates , just grab a tray ( as the pan is HOT! ) and a fork , and enjoy !


This recipe is part of my Creative Leftover series , any feedback would be greatly appreciated .

Peace , Love and Good Food !
Rich

Chili Beef Loaded Poutine

I have to start by saying that I love a good proper poutine ,  nice gravy , well cooked chips ( fries ) , and squeaky cheddar cheese curds, best served in a paper bowl , and enjoyed with a plastic fork.  I honestly believe they taste better when someone else makes it for you!  Hahahaha  every once in a while I try at home... so far 3 not so amazing creations.    Then I tried again after a two year break ...  and Wow!  I finally nailed it ! Hahahaha so very far from traditional , but.. it was GOOD!!   Here is how I made it :)) It was mostly all leftovers from a couple of different meals too :))
Enjoy!  

The Leftovers :)   Pan gravy, caramelized onions and mushrooms, and a mildly spicy chili spiced ground beef . Here is a link to make my basic gravy :)
http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.com/2010/12/who-doesnt-love-gravy.html

First up , make the chips ...  I MUCH prefer them well done
Here is how to make my chips :)
http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.com/2010/12/easy-hand-cut-chips.html

The leftovers...  almost forgot about the roasted red peppers :))   I spread everything out, poured the gravy into pyrex  .. and into the toaster oven it all went , at 325 - 350 for about 20 minutes ( same time as the chips took basically )

Eating Local,even in Winter

While working in the fields of a local organic farm last summer,  I had a lot of time to think ... One of the many bonuses to working outside with your hands :)  During harvest season life was great , fresh local veggies everyday , just picked 10 minutes before heading home :)   But what about winter ?  When I can't just simple pick something fresh, either from the field or from the grocery store.   I decided this year , I was going to challenge myself to continue to eat local thru the worst two months for fresh, local food here.  January and February ...   So i started stocking up ,  between a few farms and my own garden I managed to pack away a few hundred pounds of veggies...  lots to see me thru the two months I promised myself.    Quick numbers are 150 lbs of potatoes , 75lbs of acorn and butternut squash, 100lbs of tomatoes, jarred and frozen as a garden sauce,  50lbs of red peppers mostly all roasted and frozen , along with onion and garlic ( quick flavour adders ) ,100lbs of onions and 50 head of garlic .   I did have ambitions to put away more, but simply ran out of time and freezer space ...  It didnt help that the 20lbs of carrots went bad on me lol ..   Looks like I wont have a huge variety to choose from , but it should be fun , and best of all LOCAL :))  I'm already thinking ahead to next year ...   more frozen soups or puree's for sure , and more root vegetables carrots, parsnips, turnips etc...  More variety in canning , not just tomatoes :)

Four weeks in ,  Im really craving a nice big Caesar salad lol .... but its been fun,  Here are a few of my creations so far :)

Roasted Red Pepper n Garlic Hummus :) 

Roasted Red Pepper n Garlic Hummus, garden tomato sauce, red onions, garlic ,  ground beef , and roasted red peppers...  all local :)) Making  homemade hamburger helper :)   

Less Words, More Food 14

Wow ,  Can't tell that I like this format of posting .. this is number 14 in this series ! LOL  It is a handy way to to catch up on LOADS of of food pix I have to share with you . Please if you see something you like, just ask , and Ill write it up as a recipe for you .  On the flip side if there is something you don't like , please let me know so I can fix it or avoid it in the future.  This shots go back to April... that's how far behind I am now ... lol , well after this post Ill be caught up to May .  Enjoy :))

My version of Bangers and Mash :))) Loaded of course !  

A great Meatball Pasta bake , and soon to be a blog post ( its next ! ) 

Mmmm just gotta love roasting Beef!!  

The roasted  goodies for a nice hummus!!

Roasted Red Pepper, Onion & Garlic Hummus :)) 

Put it together for cold roast beef , and chips :)) With hummus and a fresh tomato. A Simple and Easy way to get Creative with your leftovers!!  

My new favourite way to make eggs.,, with the onions and garlic in the same pan !  Mmmm gotta love Free range eggs ! 

Another favourite of mine, Bacon ,Egg and Chips!! Mmm

Yeah!! April is done!! Hahahahaha I hope you all have enjoyed this post . As always , all feedback is welcomed.  Have a great day  :))
Happy Eating
Rich

Wow, 50 posts... done.

Its almost like its someones birthday !!  This is the 50th post for this blog :)) Amazing.  Thank you all for dropping by.   Of course , as soon as I put some pressure on myself to write something fantastic... my brain shuts down the writing side ....  So if you were expecting some glowing report , or recap .. well I'm sorry Hahahaha!!  What Ive decided to highlight today,  is a few of the new series I'm working on.  More of a glimpse of the future, than  a view of the past.

Good Food, Cheap :
Showing how you can eat good food, even on a tight budget with tips and tricks for saving you a bundle. Whether its how to find the best bargains, batch cooking , starting from scratch or buying a whole loin and cutting it up yourself.. it all helps.  

Follow this link for a list of all the GFC posts:
http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.com/search/label/good%20food%20cheap

Creative Leftovers :
Something that is a constant around here is, leftovers.  This series is all about showing you how to reuse all that extra food , and turn it into something great to eat .  NO matter how great something tastes , eating it three days in a row can be a real chore.

Follow this link for a list of all the CL posts:
   http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.com/search/label/creative%20leftovers


Simple & Easy :


The newest one Ive started , showing you how to eat good food, in about an hour or less.  Just because you don't have much time doesn't mean you can't eat well.

Follow this link for a list of all the S&E posts :
 http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.com/search/label/Simple%20and%20Easy


Farm to Fork : 


This one is going to see a lot of posts this year ,  as I delve further into the whole process of how food is grown , how it gets to your table, and whats in it .  Where to buy the good stuff, and what to avoid.

 

Follow this link for a list of all FTF posts :
http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.com/search/label/farm%20to%20fork



Less Words, More Food : 


The title explains it all :))

Follow this link for a list of all LWMF posts:
http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.com/search/label/less%20words%20more%20food



Appetizers : 


Finger foods, and snacks for entertaining or light dinners.

Follow this link for a list of all APP posts:
http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.com/search/label/appetizers


There are a few other series , that are still in the idea stage .  If you have any suggestions as to what you would like to see,  or feedback on the existing series,  please , don't be shy and leave a comment below.   Thanks for making these first 50 posts a success.

Happy Cooking

Rich

Chili n' Pasta Stuffed Red Peppers : Creative Leftovers

I was at a loss the other day , as to what I wanted to make/eat .   I decided on some of my chili , as it was already made ...  and I was in the mood for easy !  While I was letting the chili defrost I thought I ask on my FB Food page , if anyone had a suggestion for a future blog post ....  " Something Stuffed " was the reply , and a light bulb went off !! I could use the chili to stuff some red peppers...   Hmmmmm what to use, i was not in the mood for the usual rice style....   Curly Pasta!!!  That would be perfect , and very filling.   So Rotini it was.  This is such a simple and easy recipe , and can even be prepared ahead of time , that I'm sure it will be used again ( Most likely soon!!! )  Also , a single one of these would make a great appetizer.

Ingredients required : 
I made way too much , this will easily make 12 halves.

4 cups of your favourite Chili ( Ill be doing a Chili blog post soon, stay tuned !! )
2 cups of dried rotini pasta
6 Red Bell Peppers ( or the colour of your choice )
Mozzarella , One slice per half.
Feta Cheese - One small cube per half ( Teaspoon sized )
Olive Oil
Sea Salt & Black Pepper
Basil

It all starts with a pot of chili :))  

Red Bell Peppers,  cut in half lengthwise , with the seeds removed ( a sharp knife and a spoon work well for this ) 

Boil, and drain the pasta as per the package, you can under cook it if you like, as it will be going into the oven for about 30 minutes.  Mix it well with the chili .  ( This shot is from the day after , it filled most of this pot ) 

Simply fill the pepper halves... 

You can add some fresh onions , or mushrooms ..  whatever makes you happy 

A little bit of Feta , and a 3/16" thick slice of Mozzarella , basil and S&P and into a 350F oven for 20 minutes ,  then 5 minutes ,  or so,  more on grill ( Keep an eye on it after the 20 minutes )  

Thats it!!  Its time to eat.  I had two halves for dinner,  one for brunch the next day .  

Ive been practicing my camera work , this is without a flash ,  what do you think ?? :)) 

Of course , there is always the option of skipping the red pepper altogether lol as I did for this midnight snack :))  I also switched out the Feta for cheddar and added a couple of dashes of Lea & Perrins .

There you have it ,  a Simple and Easy way  to be Creative with Leftovers...  or a great little Appetizer that can be made ahead of time.  If you have any comments or questions please follow the link below.
Happy Cooking!! :)