Baci's Baking | Zucchini Cakes

I'm trying to start eating healthier, which means being on pinterest and finding new food to love :)

I found this zucchini recipe and it looks delicious!! I was never a fan of zucchini until I mixed it with other ingredients, so here is to trying new foods!!

Zucchini Cakes

Original recipe from Just Putzing Around the Kitchen

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1 large zucchini, grated
1 large egg
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Salt/pepper to taste
1 T. Adobo spices
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1) Remove excess liquid from freshly grated zucchini by placing them between paper towels and squeezing.
2) In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
3) Heat a large pan on medium, and spray with Pam. Shape spoonfuls of the zucchini batter into 2-inch (diameter) patties, and drop onto the sizzling pan. Cook each side for about a minute and a half, or until the outside is golden brown.
4) Finish the cakes off in the oven — stick them on a baking pan and broil them for 1-2 minutes.
5) Serve hot, alone or with ranch dressing.

Baci's Baking | Caramel Apples

How perfect would these caramel apples be for a dessert at a gorgeous, Fall Wedding? Easy to make - all you need are apples, caramel, and some twigs from the backyard!!!

Caramel Apples
Original Recipe by Allyson Baker Design

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5-6 medium apples
Twigs broken into 5 or 6 pieces
1 (14 oz.) package of caramel candies OR 1 (11 oz.) package of caramel bits
2 tablespoons water

1) Wash apples and twigs and dry thoroughly.
2) Cut ends of twigs at an angle and use to pierce the top of the apple.
3) Place caramel and water in microwave-safe bowl.
4) Microwave caramel bits on high for about 3 minutes, or until melted. Stir at 1 minute intervals.
5) Swirl each apple in the bowl of caramel until coated, remove and let excess drip off.
6) Place dipped apple on waxed paper or aluminum foil and let chill in the fridge to set.
7) Serve at room temperature.

Baci's Baking | Cake Batter Pudding Cookies

These are some of my favorite cookies and they are super simple to make (I always have 95% of this stuff at home to bake with, which makes it even more easier)!! I add different color sprinkles depending on what I'm making them for :) Like you could add green and white sprinkles this week for Saint Patrick's Day!!

Cake Batter Pudding Cookies

Original Recipe from Chef In Training

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1 1/2 sticks (or 3/4 cup) butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix, dry
3/4 cup yellow cake mix, dry
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
2-1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
sprinkles

1)  Preheat oven to 350 F.
2)  Stir together flour, salt and baking soda and set aside.
3)  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together.
4)  Add in pudding package and cake mix and beat until well blended.
5)  Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.
6)  Add flour mixture slowly until well incorporated.
7)  Mix in sprinkles sprinkles.
8)  Roll into 1″ balls and place on greased baking sheet.
9)  Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes.

ENJOY!!!!

Baci's Baking | Baked Zucchini Chips

These are a great healthy little snack!

Baked Zucchini Chips

Original Recipe by My Recipes

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1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
2 1/2 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini (about 2 small)
Cooking spray

1) Preheat oven to 425°.
2) Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3) Place milk in a shallow bowl.
4) Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture.
5) Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet.
6) Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.

Guest Post :: baci's baking | Nutella Banana Bread - Chandra of Oh Lovely Day

I'm so thankful for our friend Chandra of Oh Lovely Day - she's put together one yummy baci's baking post for you all!!  Be sure to head over to Chandra's site to see its new look - I'm in absolute love :o)

Hi Baci Design readers!  I'm Chandra from Oh Lovely Day and today I'm sharing one of my favorite baking recipes: Nutella Banana Bread!  It is possibly the yummiest thing I've ever baked.  Enjoy!

Nutella Banana Bread

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2 cups flour

3/4 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 over ripe bananas

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 tbs unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup Nutella

1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease 3 loaf pans.  

2)  In a large bowl combine dry ingredients.  Set aside.

3)  In a medium bowl, combine the mashed banana, eggs, butter, and vanilla.  Gently add the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Batter will be thick and lumpy.

4)  In a microwave safe bowl, heat the nutella for about 15 seconds, stir, and heat for another 15 seconds to make the nutella smooth.  Set aside.

5)  Divide half the batter among the three pans.  Spoon half the Nutella over the batter filled pans and using a butter knife, swirl the Nutella.

6)  Evenly divide the remaining batter and repeat the Nutella swirl with the remaining Nutella.

7)  Bake for 25-30 min. or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.  Slice and eat!

I like to cover at least one loaf in foil and freeze for another time.  Do it before you eat all three!

Baci's Baking | Baked Oatmeal Casserole

Since my fiancé eats enough for three people, I have started looking for recipes that are healthy and can be made in large portions. This baked oatmeal casserole provides heart healthy ingredients, is delicious, and filling for the big guy ;)

Baked Oatmeal Casserole 

Original Recipe from Urban Nester

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2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnut pieces
1 cup raspberries {any berries work}
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
2 cups milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ripe banana, peeled, 1/2-inch slices

1) Preheat oven to 375°F and generously spray the inside of a 10-1/2 by 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet.
2) In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, half the walnuts, half the strawberries and half the chocolate. (Save the other half of strawberries, walnuts and chocolate for the top of the oatmeal).
3) In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract.
4) Add the oat mixture to prepared baking dish. Arrange the remaining strawberries, walnuts and chocolate on top. Add the banana slices to the top then pour the milk mixture over everything. Gently shake the baking dish to help the milk mixture go throughout the oats.
5) Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown and the milk mixture has set. For an extra tasty top, sprinkle a tablespoon or so of extra brown sugar.

Baci's Baking | Canastitas Caprese

Canastitas Caprese - You might not be able to say the word, but they sure do look delicious :) What's better than cheese and tomatoes? NOTHING because it's the best combination EVER :)

Canastitas Caprese

Original Recipe from Hispanic Kitchen

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Ingredients
12 empanada shells
3 small tomatoes, chopped
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, diced
10 basil leaves, chiffonade [thinly sliced]
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
1)  Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2)  Form a ½-inch pleat by pinching together the side of the empanada shell. Fold the pleat over and press firmly against the edge of the dough. Continue to pleat and fold the empanada shell in this manner until it forms a basket shape. Place it on the baking sheet, covered with a slightly dampened dish towel. 3)  Repeat the shaping process with the rest of the empanada shells.
4)  Evenly divide half of the cheese cubes among the canastitas, followed by all of the chopped tomato and basil. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt and a grind of pepper over each canastita. Top the canastitas with the remaining cheese.
5)  Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the dough and cheese turn lightly golden brown. 6)  Allow the canastitas to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Yields 12 servings

Baci's Baking | Perfect Potato Soup

It's getting pretty chilly outside, but this perfect potato soup is here to save the day! Hot, hearty and delicious!

Perfect Potato Soup

Original Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

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Small Russet potatoes
carrots
celery
onions
milk
flour
heavy cream
salt
pepper
Cajun spice
parsley
thin bacon

1) Start by slicing the bacon into small pieces.
2) Throw the bacon into a soup pot over medium heat and stir it around until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp.
3) Remove the bacon from the pot.
4) Dice the onion, celery and carrots and throw them in the pot over medium heat.
5) Dice the potatoes, add them to the pot and let them cook for about 5 minutes.
6) Add plenty of salt and pepper as well as 6-8 cups of chicken broth.
7) Bring to a boil and let cook for 10 minutes.
8) Mix together some milk and flour and whisk until smooth.
9) Pour flour and milk mix into soup and let cook for another 5 minutes.
10) Remove about half of the soup from the pot and puree it.
11) Pour the pureed soup back into the pot along with ¼ to ½ cup of heavy cream.
12) Stir and add some Cajun salt for taste.
13) Add the diced parsley, bacon and cheese to your liking.

baci's baking | Mini BLTs

These little bad boys are not only simple, but they are incredibly tasty - I whipped them up last minute this summer and have been enjoying them randomly ever since!!

Mini BLTs

Original Recipe from Baci Designer

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Baguette Chips (You can make your own or buy some pre-made like these from Pillsbury)
Mayonnaise
Cooked Bacon
Romaine Lettuce
Cherry Tomatoes

1)  Lay the baguette chips out on a plate or platter and top with a thin layer of mayonnaise.
2)  Top with small pieces of cooked bacon, lettuce and slice of tomato - Done Already!  Enjoy!

baci's baking | Shrimp with Garlic and Parsley

I have a little obsession with shrimp and I try to find different ways to make it and this sounds fabulous!!!

Shrimp with Garlic and Parsley

Original Recipe from Cooking Melangery
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4 to 5 Tbs. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 to 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 Tbs. dry white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
lemon pepper pasta for serving, optional

1) In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil.
2) Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and paprika and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
3) Increase the heat to high, add the shrimp, lemon juice and dry white wine, stir well, and sauté until the shrimp turn pink and are opaque throughout, about 3-5 minutes
4) Season with salt and black pepper, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Baci's Baking | Chicken, Bacon and Cream Cheese Mini Taquitos

These look positively delicious! Great for a kids snack, game day munchies, or a small meal :)

Chicken, Bacon and Cream Cheese Mini Taquitos

Original Recipe from Mommy? I'm Hungry!

{Printer-Friendly Recipe} 

1/3 of a 16-ounce package bacon (about 6 slices), chopped
1/2 of an 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cans (12.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
8 flour tortillas (10-inch)
Vegetable oil
1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and cut up
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar 1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
dash Dried dill weed dash Garlic powder
dash Ground black pepper

1) Cook the bacon in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the skillet and drain on paper towels.
2) Stir the bacon, cream cheese and chicken in a medium bowl.
3) Cut each tortilla into 3 (3-inch) circles using a round cutter. Spoon about 2 teaspoons chicken mixture in the center of each (one) tortilla round. Roll the tortillas around the filling and secure with toothpicks.
4) Pour the oil into a heavy 4-quart saucepan to a depth of 3 inches. Heat the oil to 350°F.
5) Add the taquitos to the saucepan in batches and cook until well browned on all sides. Remove the taquitos from the saucepan and let drain on paper towels. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the toothpicks before serving.
6) Mash the avocado in a medium bowl with a fork. Stir in the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, vinegar, salt, parsley, onion powder, dill weed, garlic powder and black pepper. Serve with the taquitos for dipping.

Baci's Baking | Creamy White Chicken and Artichoke Lasagna

How delicious does this look!! I love everything about this recipe, now to go home and try it!!

Creamy White Chicken and Artichoke Lasagna
Original Recipe from Tasty Tidbits
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2 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts

1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, chopped

1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA, divided

1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 cup tightly packed fresh basil, chopped, divided

12 lasagna noodles, cooked

1) Heat oven to 350°F.

2) Combine chicken, artichokes, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan and tomatoes. Beat cream cheese, milk and garlic powder with mixer until well blended; stir in 2 Tbsp. basil. Mix half with the chicken mixture.

3) Spread half the remaining cream cheese mixture onto bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking dish; cover with 3 noodles and 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers of noodles and chicken mixture twice. Top with remaining noodles, cream cheese mixture and mozzarella; cover.

4) Bake 25 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining basil. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting to serve.

baci's baking | Thanksgiving Dinner 2012

I hope everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving last week!!  Ours was fantastic and as usual, Ilario and I hosted his side of the family at our home.  While being 7.5 months pregnant was a bit of a challenge I was able to spread out the prep work enough to take lots of little breaks in between :)

Ilario and I - plus Baby C in belly! - getting ready to chow down!

A few years ago, I shared Our First Thanksgiving Dinner in this house - complete with grocery lists, prep sheets, lessons learned (though I still am learning!) and tips for entertaining large groups of guests. I still do things pretty much the same - with an Excel Spreadsheet and preparations beginning early. . . though this year our floors were being redone in our house the week before so I was out of town.  That made things a bit interesting, but with the help of Caitlin and my mother-in-law we were able to pull it off!  I even still make the Foolproof Mushrooms {Printer-friendly Recipe}, Spicy Praline Pecans {Printer-friendly Recipe} and Vegan Snickerdoodles {Printer-friendly Recipe} - everyone loves these recipes and rarely do we ever have any leftovers :o)


Spicy Praline Pecans right out of the oven - yum!!

I also made two pumpkin pies (my favorite thing to bake and eat!) - I make them from scratch using the Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie Recipe on the back of the Libby's Pumpkin can inside Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust. . . so simple, yet so perfectly  tasty!!  I also have been using Michael Symon's Juicy Turkey Cooked in Cheese Cloth Recipe for the past two years and it's amazing - I just remove the fennel because I really dislike it.  Other than that, I use as is - though a forewarning, be certain to cook your turkey according to how much it weighs and not his specific timing.  Trust me ;o)

I tried my hand at a few new things this time around as well!  First, my Grandma's Dressing - I was incredibly paranoid that I was going to screw it up. . . especially since we she gave me the recipe she told me I "needed to use my head", lol!  It turned out amazing though!!  My sister-in-law and I also rocked out at making homemade gravy - something that scared us both a bit :o)

The big surprise winner of the day was my Cranberry-Pomegranate Compote!  I had made Blueberry Compote before for a Baby Shower, so I took the recipe and tweaked it a bit for the seasonal fruits and it was amazing.  You'll definitely want to test out this recipe!

Cranberry-Pomegranate Compote

{Printer-friendly Recipe} 

1 cup pomegranate seeds

1 cup cranberries

3 T. water

1/2 cup sugar

2 t. lemon juice

1)  Combine 1 cup of pomegranate seeds, water, 1/4 cup of sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan.

2)  Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes - seeds will begin to pop.

2)  Add the cranberries and other 1/4 cup of sugar, continuing to cook for about 8 minutes more stirring frequently.

3)  Serve warm (on cornbread muffins is my preference!!).

I kept the tablescape relatively simple this year - being sure to leave plenty of room for the actual food, lol!  I laid two ivory table cloths as a base and then topped them with a fun printed wrapping paper (only a dollar from Target - Bonus!) - the modern colors and stripes were offset by the vintage place settings.  It's so much fun to gather things up from around the house and see how they work together!  The plates were a combination of flea market and Goodwill finds (some of which were used in our Chevron Shoot earlier this year!), the gold leaf glasses were given to us by my mother-in-law - true vintage with a matching bowl and pitcher - and the centerpiece was simply fruit and candles, the perfect edible arrangement :)

Baci's Baking | Lemon Cream Cake Bars

These are positively delicious!!! They're the perfect combination of a lemon tart and lemon cream cake :) yummmmm! Another great recipe from recipetips.com.

Lemon Cream Cake Bars

Original recipe from recipetips.com

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1 box lemon cake mix

1/3 cup butter or margarine - softened

1 egg

8 ounces cream cheese - softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 lemon - grated

2 tablespoons lemon juice or 1/2 fresh squeezed lemon

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1) In a mixing bowl, blend dry cake mix, butter, and 1 egg
2) Press into a 9 x 13 pan, ungreased
3) Beat the cream cheese until smooth
4) Gradually blend in the powdered sugar
5) Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice until smooth
6) Reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture and refrigerate it for later use
7) Beat the remaining 2 eggs, add the vanilla, and then beat this mixture into the remaining cream cheese mixture until well blended
8) Spread over the cake mixture
9) Bake at 350° until set, approximately 25 to 30 minutes
10) Cool completely
11) Spread the reserved cream cheese mixture onto the bars
12) Refrigerate until firm; then cut into squares and serve.

baci's baking | Football Snack

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!

If you are anything like me, your answer is YES!!! I'm super excited to watch college, pro, and high school (yes, high school, it's my brother's senior year) football!!!!

I found this cute snack on Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons!

Football Snack

Original Recipe from Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons

{Printer-friendly Link}

Dark german wheat bread
turkey
provolone cheese
1 apple
Twizzler strings
strawberry cream cheese

1) Cut two pieces of bread into football shapes.
2) Cut the turkey and cheese to fit and put on the inside.
3) Cut the stripes and laces out of the cheese scraps and add on top of the football.
4) Tilt the apple just a bit and cut off a small piece from the bottom so the apple will stay on the plate. Cut out part of the apple to resemble a helmet. Take a toothpick and poke 3 holes down each side of the cut out part of the apple.
5) Pull off a few Twizzler strips and pinch off 3 pieces to go across that helmet. Pinch off 2 smaller pieces to go down the front of face mask. Poke the longer pieces into the holes...they will pop right in.  You can "glue" the shorter pieces on with strawberry cream cheese.

ENJOY!

baci's babies week :: baci's baking | Baby Shower Mocktails

Before we get started, we just want to wish our baby brother, Andy, a very Happy 18th Birthday!!!  Wow, that makes me feel old ;o)

While mimosas are a staple at most showers, having something the guest of honor can't drink isn't the most polite thing to do.  So if you're hosting a Baby Shower, serve up some fabulous mocktails!!  Oh, and Fre makes an alcohol-free champange so you can still make "mimosas" for the mommy-to-be if she'd like :o)

Here are three tasty mocktail recipes that would be perfect for any Baby Shower!

Creamsicle Punch

Original Recipe from HGTV

Makes about 16 servings.

Ingredients:
1/2 gallon fresh orange juice, chilled
one 1-oz. package vanilla instant non-fat pudding
1 liter ginger ale, chilled
1 pint non-fat vanilla frozen yogurt

Directions:
Put the orange juice into a large punch bowl and whisk in the pudding mix until completely dissolved. When ready to serve, drop small scoops of the yogurt into the punch and pour in the ginger ale. Serve immediately.

Sparkling Sunshine Punch

Original Recipe from HGTV

Makes about 16 servings.

Ingredients:
half gallon white grape juice, chilled
12 red seedless grapes
1 bottle (750 ml) sparkling red grape juice cocktail, chilled
1 liter lemon-flavored mineral water or seltzer, chilled

Directions:
Pour two cups of the grape juice into a pitcher. Fill the compartments of a 12-portion mini-muffin tin 3/4 of the way full and place in the freezer until frozen, about two hours. Meanwhile, cut each grape lengthwise into 8 even wedges. When the juice in the muffin tin has frozen, arrange one grape in a concentric circle, overlapping slightly, in each compartment, resembling a flower. Very slowly fill each muffin cup to the rim with more grape juice without disturbing the pattern. Freeze until firm. Make several batches of the blossoming grape ice cubes and refresh them as they melt in the punch.

To make the punch, fill a large punch bowl with the white grape juice, then add the sparkling red grape juice and lemon seltzer. Remove the muffin tin from the freezer and let stand five minutes for the cubes to release from the pan. Carefully remove the frozen grape "flowers" from the muffin tin with a small spatula and float them in the punch. Serve immediately.

Sparkling Rosemary Limeade

Original Recipe from The Kitchn

Makes about 8 servings.

Ingredients:
1 cup lime juice (from about 6 limes)
3/4 cup sugar
Peel of 2 limes
Two 4-inch sprigs fresh rosemary, plus more to serve
4 to 6 cups chilled sparkling water

Directions:
Stir the lime juice with the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Lower the heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the lime peel and the rosemary sprigs. Simmer for another minute, then turn off the heat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Strain out the lime peel and rosemary and mix with the chilled sparkling water in a sealed jar or bottle. Taste and add more water if you want a lighter flavor.

Serve over ice with a small sprig of rosemary muddled into the drink.

baci's baking - Great Grilling Recipe Week: Jerk Wet Paste

Our last recipe of this week is one of Ilario and I's most recent favorites - what I love most about it is that you can tweak it based on what you have on hand.  Often I used dry spices from the pantry instead of the fresh ones and it's just as tasty :o)  This marinade works with pretty much any type of meat or even tofu, but we use chicken legs most of the time - cheap and simple!  Enjoy!!

Jerk Wet Paste

Original Recipe from Mastering the Grill

{Printer-friendly Link}

12 scallions, trimmed and coarsely chopped

3 to 10 Scotch bonnet chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 T. chopped peeled ginger root

1/3 cup fresh thyme leaves

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

2 t. ground allspice

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. ground nutmeg

1 t. ground coriander

1 t. salt

1 t. ground black pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. fresh lime juice

1 T. dark rum

2 T. orange juice

1)  Combine all ingredients in a large re-sealable bag and marinate meat for at least 30 minutes.

baci's baking - Great Grilling Recipe Week: Grilled Portobello Pizzas

I love mushrooms, so today's recipe is right up my alley :o)

Grilled Portobello Pizzas

Original Recipe from Whole Living

{Printer-friendly Link}

12 cherry tomatoes, halved (about 1/2 pound)
4 t. fresh thyme leaves
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 T. Roasted Garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 portobello mushrooms, cleaned and stems trimmed (about 3 pounds)
Four 1 1/2 X 3-inch shavings Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1/2 ounce)
4 very thin slices prosciutto (about 1 ounce)
4 tablespoons Basil Pesto

1) Prepare a stove-top griddle or outdoor grill.
2) Combine the tomatoes, thyme, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, the roasted garlic, and salt and pepper in a small bowl and toss. Set aside.
3) Brush the top and bottom of each mushroom with the remaining oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill until the mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes per side.
4) Place the mushrooms stem side up on a cutting board. Arrange an equal amount of the tomato mixture on 4 mushrooms. Top each with a shaving of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
5) Arrange a slice of prosciutto on each of the remaining mushrooms and spread 1 tablespoon of the pesto on top of each prosciutto slice.
6) Arrange 1 of each pizza on each of 4 dinner plates and serve.

baci's baking - Great Grilling Recipe Week: Grilled Steak Sandwiches

Happy 4th of July :o)

Ilario is a big fan of today's recipe - Grilled Steak Sandwiches!!

Grilled Steak Sandwiches

Original Recipe from Martha Stewart

{Printer-friendly Link}

2 sirloin, skirt, or flank steaks (about 1 3/4 pounds each)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
6 tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 large loaves semisoft Italian bread, halved lengthwise
Garnish: fresh basil and romaine lettuce leaves

1) Let steaks stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat grill to high. Brush grates with oil. Season steaks with salt and pepper.
2) Grill for 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest for 10 minutes.
3) Thinly slice steaks across the grain.
4) Meanwhile, drizzle tomatoes with oil; season with salt and pepper. Brush bread with oil.
5) Grill tomatoes until lightly charred and soft, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
6) Grill cut sides of bread until lightly charred, 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
7) Layer sliced steak and grilled tomatoes over bottom halves of bread. Garnish with basil and romaine leaves, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Sandwich with top halves of bread. Cut each loaf crosswise into 6 sandwiches.

baci's baking - Great Grilling Recipe Week: Grilled Breakfast Pizza

We have another seriously yummy grilling recipe for you today - this would be perfect for a weekend morning in the Summer!

Grilled Breakfast Pizza

Original Recipe from A Cozy Kitchen

{Printer-friendly Link}

3 bacon strips
12 ounce pizza dough (Here is a great one!)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 cups grated mozzarella (low moisture* this is important!)
3 eggs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 T. minced flat-leaf parsley
1 T. minced chives
1 whole scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced

1) Generously dust the surface of your kitchen counter with flour and roll pizza dough to a 1/4 inch thickness.
2) Drizzle both sides of dough with olive oil and set aside on a plate. Gather all the toppings and dough and move outside next to the grill.
3) Once your grill is nice and hot, place the pizza dough on the hottest part of the grill, making sure to check it every 30 seconds or so to ensure proper cooking. Once grill marks appear, flip it and move the dough to a place on the grill that does not have direct heat.
4) Crack the three eggs onto the dough and cover for 2-3 minutes.
5) Once the eggs are just about set, sprinkle the cheese, bacon and salt and pepper. Cover for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Move promptly to a plate and sprinkle with parsley, chives and parsley.