Goat Cheese Stuffed Basil Leaves

OK, I ran across this recipe today and it sounded so savory and delicious...and, super wonderful extra bonus: Fresh and Easy has organic basil plants on sale for $2.99. What is better than fresh herbs you can actually grow yourself. However, make sure it has plenty of light and not too much water! With the holidays coming up, you can never have too many appetizer recipes.

4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Freshly ground pepper
20 large fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

In a small bowl, stir together the goat cheese, olive oil and lemon zest. Season to taste with pepper. Place a spoonful of the cheese mixture on each basil leaf. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts and drizzle with olive oil.
Yield: 20 servings

Editors Note: Megan thanks for the recipe!  We love our hors d'oeuvres!  

Thanks to Jason, our wine expert for his pairing.  Be sure to check out Jason's Wine Blog, for more great wine selections!

Goat cheese hails from the Loire Valley of France, which also happens to be one of the world's most important sources of Sauvignon Blanc. That said I am guessing your goat cheese may be from closer to home which for me is in California. With that in mind I recommend theGeyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc ($8, Trader Joe’s) to pair with this one. Enjoy!

Cheers,
Jason

Pizza Dough

I was talking with Megan today and she told me that they got a Cuisinart pizza oven as a wedding gift. (What a fun gift! Hopefully Megan will let us all know how she likes it!) We were talking about how she was going to make the pizza dough, when I looked around my recipe box, I had a recipe for pizza dough that is made in the food processor. Once you have made your crust the topping possibilities are endless. One of our favorite pizza places is Sauce, check out their menu for inspiration. Having a pizza oven could inspire you to start a fun family tradition. Maybe pizza on Friday nights, you could try new seasonal toppings every week! Does anyone make pizza at home? What are your favorite topping combination's?

1 Tbs. active dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

1 cup warm water (105° to 115°F)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. In the bowl of your cuisinart, fitted with the blade, combine the flour and salt and process with 3 or 4 pulses. With the motor running on the medium speed, slowly add the yeast mixture, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more. Continue processing until the dough forms a ball and cleans the sides of the bowl, about 1 minute, then process for 1 minute more.

Coat the inside of a large bowl with the olive oil and place the dough in the bowl. (this oil should be enough to keep the dough from sticking) Cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Divide the dough in half and roll out this will make two 12-inch round pizzas or you can roll it out into a cookie sheet like my friend Dani does. If you have a pizza oven follow the directions for the machine, I do not have one so when I made pizza I set my oven to 450 and bake 9 minutes, on the center rack.

Editors Note:
Thanks to Jason for becoming our official sommelier! A note from Jason on pizza & wine:

Wow! Making your own pizza dough, that is dedication. I always cheat and buy the pre-made variety from Trader Joe's. Either way as I am unofficially taking the role of pairing wines with Jessie's recipes (though pumpkin pancakes is still throwing me for a loop) I can wholeheartedly recommend the 2005 Epicuro Aglianico. If you have to run out to grab that one pick up its sibling the Salice Salentino as well. Pair'em both with the pizza and let us know what you think!
Cheers,
Jason

Pumpkin Pancakes

My friend Dani called me on Sunday and said she had been to the Ihop, she ate pumpkin pancakes and they were incredible. I thought I can make those. Here is a recipe you can try. Pumpkim pancakes would be such a fun fall brunch!
These are our pumpkins, Matt said it was too early to carve them so I drew faces on them for now. The ghost was my pick, Matt said he thought it was weird at first, but it is growing on him.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
dash of salt
2 tsps baking soda
1 cup milk
2 Tbsps vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sour cream

Combine all ingredients. Batter will be lumpy. Spray grill with cooking spray. Bake pancakes on grill using medium heat until bubbles rise to the surface and edges are brown. Turn and bake until golden brown. Serve with whipped cream or maple syrup.

Jason's Wine Blog

I often get reader questions about wine, while I wish I were more of an expert, I typically choose wines that are on sale or with pretty labels.  Fortunately there are people who are more educated about this than I am.  One such person is Jason of Jason's wine blog.  Jason is a great wine blogger because he is okay with pointing out the merits of a great $10 bottle.  (With this economy who wants to spend much more!)  Jason samples the wines of Trader Joe's to tell you what's a hit and what's a miss.  Check his blog out next time you are making a wine shopping trip.  

Wishing a Happy Birthday to my Mom with bread pudding!

Today is my mom's birthday. It took me a really long time to think of a good recipe to post for her, because like all good moms she never thinks about herself, so even desert is about her family. Then I remembered how much she loves Rino's bread pudding. Rino's pudding has rum in it but I didn't think mom would have any rum around so this version is with out.

When you make bread pudding start out with some day old bread, cut the bread into bite sized pieces.
1 loaf day old bread, get something nice from the bakery, no wonder bread here!

4 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 tsp. Mexican Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
4 cups whole milk (you can use skim but you will lose the creaminess)
1/4 cup dried fruit, this can be apricots, cranberries, cherries, typically raisins are used
(If you want to add some rum flavor like Rino does, use 3 3/4 cups of milk and add 1/4 cup of spiced rum)

Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with the Pam for baking. Add the bread cubes in the pan. In a bowl, combine together the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until well blended. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Pour the mixture over the bread cubes. Let stand, pressing down on the bread to help it soak up the liquid like a sponge, until it is evenly soaked, about 20 minutes. Preheat an oven to 350°F. Scatter the fruit evenly over the top of the soaked bread. Set the baking dish in a large, roasting pan. (like the one you cook a turkey in) Add very hot tap water to the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake 45 to 55 minutes. (Check for doneness with a knife like when you bake a cake)

Serve warm, you can sprinkle powdered sugar on top if you want it to look prettier. Add a candle for birthdays!

Happy birthday Mom! You are the best mom ever!

Panini Happy

Kathy over at Panini Happy was kind enough to let me post one of her great recipes, I just love it when people share their recipes! Kathy has a site solely dedicated to delicious paninis.  From breakfast to desert she has you covered, her site is a great one to subscribe to, especially if you are lucky enough to have a panini press.  (I am dying to try her grilled brownie panini) I decided to share her Reuben Panini recipe, since it's one of my dad's favorite sandwiches.  Thanks Kathy, they all look spectacular, I can't wait to try them all!

Butter, melted
Rye bread
Thousand Island dressing
Sauerkraut, drained
Corned beef, thinly sliced
Swiss cheese

Preheat the panini grill to medium-high heat (375 degrees).

Brush melted butter onto two slices of bread.  On one slice (non-buttered side), spread a layer of Thousand Island dressing.  Top with a generous amount of sauerkraut (be sure to drain as much liquid as possible) and corned beef, and two slices of Swiss cheese.  Place the other slice of bread (buttered side up) on top to form the sandwich.

Grill sandwich for 5-6 minutes until cheese is melted and grill marks appear.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

Halloween Shopping Fun

I love Halloween, in Scottsdale it is just cooling off.  (well a little)  I love the kids trick or treating, squashes, carving pumpkins, the whole thing!  So to start off the month, I have some of my favorite Halloween treats perfect for a party for big kids.  

Fred Bone Chillers- what could be more fun than skull and cross bones ice cubes in you spooky cocktail?  What to serve these cocktails in?

Nevermore, these Raven tumblers are perfect!  Poe is much scarier than any ghost!

For decor I love this glitter skull, candles and a  black feather garland.

Have fun at your celebration!