Summer Perfection: Pear & Prosciutto Flatbreads with Brie

This is a sponsored post. I was compensated financially by California Bartlett Pears. All thoughts and opinions about these pears are my own.

My love for pears runs deep. It always has and always will. Pears whisper their flavour, rather than shout it from the rooftops like the stone fruits currently having their moment. Pears are the underdogs of the fruit world, and I kind of love them for that. Their subtle sweetness is still something I crave in this season of peaches and cherries. The pear, to me, is the perfect fruit. I love the shape, the scent and the sweetness. In fact, if I were to ever get a tattoo, it would be that of a pear, somewhere. Pears are what I remember eating as a kid while riding with my mom in the grain truck, as my dad was combining the fields of wheat on our Saskatchewan farm. Pears are what a really cute boy I used to work with many, many years ago would bring me as a token of his fondness. Things didn't work out with the boy, but my fondness for pears lives on.  Funny thing how one sniff takes you back to when you were 5 or 25. 

Sweet and Spicy: Pepperoni Pizza with Basil and Honey

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are mine. And, as usual, I will only write about products that I really love! 

You guys. I just made the best pizza. I know, I know, we all think we make the best pizza, but this really is the tops. I mean, just look at it! The golden, chewy, whole wheat crust, saucy sauce, basil pesto, loads of mozzarella - fresh and shredded, thinly sliced jalapeno pepper, heaps of pepperoni, fresh basil leaves that I grew myself, and a good drizzle of honey. If you like your pizza with a bit of heat and sweet, then this recipe is for you. It's the second installment for my partnership with Grimm's Fine Foods this summer, and I'm so pleased I get to bring you the very best ideas on how to use their excellent products. They are always gluten, lactose and soy free, with no MSG added and contain no fillers or sketchy bi-products. And, they are made in Canada!

Catching Up: Sour Cherry & Plum Jelly; Other News

Love! Links! Plus, Sour Cherry & Chocolate Scones!

"Millions and millions of years would still not give me half enough time to describe that tiny instant of all eternity when you put your arms around me and I put my arms around you."  ~ Jacques Prévert

Hello.  It's me.  Renée.  The blogger who has been missing in action for quite some time.  It's been forever since I last posted, and what can I say?  The summer has been keeping me occupied - with cookbook edits and work and the yard and visitors and small bits of travel here and there.  Oh, and I'm in love.  With a handsome, kind, sweet, funny man who lights up my life every single day.  This is the kind of love I've been looking for, and just when I had nearly given up hope on finding it, there he was, right under my nose.  I'm terribly happy.  The kind of happy that makes people tell you you're glowing.  The kind of happy where you can't stop smiling.  It's been nearly 3 months and I'm glowing and smiling all the time.  But, especially with him.  When we're together it's kittens and rainbows and lightning bolts and, well, magic.  It's love.  So, now that you know my story do you forgive me for my absence?  I thought so. 

Good Times: Pizza Party

You know it's going to be a good night when your whole entire kitchen counter is covered in pizza.  That was the scene just last night, as five of my friends and I tried out Panago Pizza's six  new/featured fall pizzas.  It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.  Don't get me wrong - there are a couple of places in the city where I love popping in for their thin-crust, wood-fired artisanal pizzas, but every now and again I want to stay home, wear my pyjamas and have food come to my door.  Preferably pizza. 

Swiss Chard & Corn Pizza with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

"All in all it was a never-to-be-forgotten summer - one of those summers which come seldom into any life, but leave a rich heritage of beautiful memories in their going - one of those summers which, in a fortunate combination of delightful weather, delightful friends and delightful doing, come as near to perfection as anything can come in this world."              
                                                                                   ~ L.M Montgomery

Thanks for letting Lucy Maud cover for me today.  My mind is elsewhere - mainly on the summer produce that needs picking just outside my door.  Beans aren't gonna blanch themselves!  Plus this week has been heavy with deadlines and work, and I'm just tying up a few loose ends before I head out of town for a bit. Finally my mini-vacay is here!  Not venturing far - just jumping in the car and going to see some of my favourite people in the whole world; key players in some of my never-to-be-forgotten-summers.  It feels like eons since I've hit the road; windows down, music loud, with just the horizon to drive into.  Well, let's rephrase that.  I hate hair in my eyes, so the windows are up.  Music is loud, but not that loud (I'm old after all), and I'll be squinting while driving into the sun.  But it's my road trip, dammit, and it's gonna rock.  

And so my going away present to you is this pizza - a great way to use up the ample amounts of chard you may be finding in your CSA or gardens right now.  Cooked with leeks, fresh corn and garlic, it makes a mighty fine topping.  Those cherry tomatoes are sweet like candy and really match perfectly with the fresh basil.  I had bocconcini to use up, but go ahead and use goat cheese or feta as a replacement.  It's pizza, so feel free to play around.  Use caramelized onions instead of leeks or kale instead of chard.  I won't look away if you add bacon either.  Might even give you a high-five.  If you serve it with a little balsamic reduction drizzled on top - well that gets you a fist bump. 

And with that, I'm gone like the wind. 

Swiss Chard & Corn Pizza with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

I used the same crust I used here.  It was even frozen for more than a month and still perfect. 
Rolled out to about 9x13 inches, it proved to be a great base.  That being said, feel free to substitute your go-to crust. 

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups sliced leeks, be sure to rinse them well
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili flakes
6 cups Swiss chard
1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels.  Leftover corn on the cob would be great too. 
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
2 cups fresh cherry tomatoes, cut in half
100 grams bocconcini cheese, sliced
handful fresh basil leaves, torn

Roll out your crust so it's roughly 9 x13 inches.  Grease a bake sheet with olive oil and sprinkle a little cornmeal on top.  Place the rolled out dough on top of this.  Preheat oven to 450*F. 
Heat butter and oil in a deep skillet.  Saute the leeks until softened and starting to brown, about 10 - 12 minutes.  Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook another minute.  Stir in the chard and corn, cooking until chard is wilted and corn warmed through - about 3 minutes.  Let cool a few minutes - slice your cherry tomatoes and cheese while it is cooling.  Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella on top of dough.  Spread the chard filling on top of this.  I had about a cup extra which I saved for sandwiches later in the week.  Arrange the cherry tomatoes and bocconcini on top of the chard filling.  Slide into the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until golden and melty.  Scatter fresh basil leaves on it once out of oven.  Slice into wedges.  Serves 3-4. 

 

Double Mushroom Pizza with Bacon & Balsamic Drizzle

I'm SUPER thrilled to be guest posting on the Mushrooms Canada blog today.  This pizza was created specially for them, and mushroom lovers everywhere! 

Eat Your Greens! Swiss Chard and Feta Phyllo Pizza

The first cook book I ever bought was "The Enchanted Broccoli Forest" by Mollie Katzen.  I was 20 and about to leave home for the first time, embarking on my cross Canada trek to art school.  What I loved  about this book then, as I do now, are the whimsical drawings that accompany every recipe.  The fine details Molly designed on every cauliflower and walnut and asparagus spear are I'm sure what attracted me to this book in the first place.  Her rendering of basil leaves is immaculate!  I grew up in a house where  meat was served at almost every meal, and being the cash strapped student, I knew that would not be the case in my new digs.  Needless to say this book came in very handy!  I made mayo for the first time, and pesto and hummus, and amazing enchiladas.  Me and my roommates would flip through and plan dinner parties around the recipes.  Though I do recall one night when someone made a casserole of apples and sauerkraut that did not go over very well.  Um, no.  This book has travelled with me to and fro and I still like to go back to it once in awhile.  I have this thing about books, (and even more so, recipes) that when I see them and re-read them  I'm transported a little back in time.  What I wouldn't give to cook for my old roommate again, and have one of our epic dinner parties; surrounded by candle-lit friendly faces and red wine. And lots and lots of laughter. 

This pizza is my favourite thing in the whole entire book.  It does call for spinach, but since I developed an allergy to spinach about ten years ago ( I think I was eating too much of it and my body revolted!), I used Swiss Chard, and it turned out perfectly delicious.  I did cut back a little on the butter, but not the cheese. I gotta have cheese! The phyllo crust is crispy and buttery, and holds up well to the earthiness of the chard.  Feta and mozzarella and pesto bring it all together and the tomatoes (please use the on-the-vine kind) round it out  perfectly.  A lovely vegetarian meal indeed.

Mollie Katzen's Greek Pizza

1/2 lb phyllo pastry (about half the box)
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 olive oil

2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 tsp crushed basil and oregano, each
juice from one lemon
1 lb fresh spinach or Swiss chard, cleaned and stemmed and chopped. OR 1 10oz package of frozen spinach.
1/4 cup pesto (optional)
lots of fresh ground pepper
smattering of coarse salt
1 lb grated mozzarella
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and melted butter.  Set aside. 

In a large skillet, cook the onions and garlic with the salt in 2 tbsp olive oil, until onions are clear  and soft.  Add herbs and lemon juice, stir well.  Add the greens and cook on fairly high heat until they cook down and all the liquid is evaporated.  Stir in the pesto, if using. 

On a large buttered bake sheet, brush one sheet with melted butter and olive oil mixture.  Repeat with the rest of the phyllo.  Brush the top of the stack with the oil/butter mixture.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the greens mixture to the phyllo.  Spread evenly, leaving a 1/2 inch border of pastry.  Sprinkle on the feta and half the mozzarella.  Dredge the tomatoes in the bread crumbs, and arrange these on top of the pizza.  Toss the remaining mozza over the tomatoes.   Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes. 

I'm curious.  What was the first cook book you ever bought for yourself?

1994 Revisited!