Spinach, Tomato, Sausage & Goat Cheese Pizza

Ok, tonight's experiment turned into an amazingly yummy dish.  Enjoy!

1 package of pre made pizza dough
2 roma tomatoes - sliced thinly
1 large bunch fresh spinach leaves
1/2 package of sweet Italian Sausage
Fresh sliced goat cheese (can use crumbled too)
olive oil
Italian spices, salt, pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Break up sausage and cook most of the way through.
3. Split pizza dough into quarters.  On a cookie sheet, place 4 quarters of dough to make 4 individual pizzas.  I folded the edges to make a sort of boat of the dough.  Lightly spread olive oil on top of each piece of dough.  Sprinkle with italian herbs, salt and pepper.
4. Cook dough for about 5 minutes.  Take out and set aside.  Leave oven on.
5.  On each pizza add a bunch of spinach, sausage pieces, tomato slices, then top with goat cheese.
6. Bake for 8-10 mins, until crust is golden brown.

I made a small side salad to go with it.  Yummy!

Balsalmic Spinach & Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

1 package of spinach pasta noodles
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch spinach leaves, chopped
1 bunch kale leaves, chopped
1 green tomato, chopped
1 red tomato, chopped
1 tbsp. Italian herbs
salt and pepper to taste
grated fresh parmesan cheese

1. Cook noodles according to package & drain
2. In a large pan (sauté) heat up the olive oil at a lower heat
3. add garlic to pan and sauté for a few minutes
4. Add the Italian herbs, salt and pepper.  I used dry just because I didn't have fresh on hand.  Fresh is better.
5. Add tomatoes (red and green chopped).  Cook a few minutes to soften before doing step 6.
6. Add kale and spinach and cook until leaves are softened.
7. Add balsamic vinegar and simmer
8. Add pasta to pan and stir.  Cook on low heat for 5-10 mins just so the noodles absorb the flavor.
9. Remove from heat and serve with a little parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Note: I would also add mushrooms if you like them.  I just didn't have any on hand.

Baked Trout in White Wine and Lemon

Ingredients:
1 piece of trout, thawed and patted dry
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lemon sliced
1/2 fresh lemon - for juice
~1/2 cup dry white wine
1 small bunch of fresh herbs (I used parsley because I had it)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. put foil in pan to make a sort of boat around fish
3. drizzle olive oil in foil
4. place trout in foil (skin side down) and create a sort of boat/bowl around the fish
5. Place lemon slices on fish
6. place parsley on top of lemon slices covering most of fish
7. Squeeze lemon juice onto fish
8. Pour white wine over fish.  Might need more or less depending on how big your fish is.
9. sprinkle with salt and pepper and fold the foil so none of the fish is exposed
10.  Bake for 15-20 mins until fish is flaky but not dry.
11. When done, the skin of the fish will come right off.

Enjoy!

Spinach and Mushroom Manicotti with a Creamy Mushroom sauce

Ingredients:
1 box manicotti noodles

Stuffing Ingredients:
1/2 to 1 box of fresh portabello mushrooms, depending on how much you like them - chopped
1 bunch of fresh spinach - chopped finely
1 pint ricotta cheese (I used light)
1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 to 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
2 eggs
bunch of parsley - chopped finely
salt and pepper to taste
1 small clove garlic - chopped finely


Sauce Ingredients:
1 box of fresh portabello mushrooms

1 clove garlic (can use less if you don't like garlic)
bunch of fresh parsley - I started with a small bunch and added to sauce as needed
1 small container of cream - I used whole, but you could use a lighter version
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

1. Cook manicotti according to box instructions.  Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Start sauce:
  2.1. Chop mushrooms, parsley and garlic.   I used a mini food processor for each.  That made it a little easier.
  2.2. Put mushroom mix in pan with olive oil and butter and cook for a few mins on a medium heat.
  2.3. Once you see the butter is melted and oil absorbed, add cream, salt and pepper.  Continue to cook on medium heat stirring often.  With the cream, it bubbled and started to stick to the sides of the pan.  I had to really watch it as it thickened.  Once it cooks for a bit and thickened I lowered the heat to a simmer and started working on the mix.
3. Mix the stuffing ingredients.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
5. Pour half of the sauce on the bottom of a pan.  Enough to cover the bottom.  Save the rest for the top of your manicotti.  I used a glass rectangular pan.  I'm sure you could use metal too.
6. Stuff each manicotti with the cheese mix and place in pan.  Don't overlap unless you run out of room in the pan.
7. Once all manicotti are stuffed and in the pan, pour the rest of the sauce over all of it and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with any leftover parmesan if you still have some.
8. Cover the pan with foil.  Bake for 40 mins, turning the pan about half way through it.
9.  Take out and enjoy!  Goes great with a nice salad and garlic bread.

Introduction

Welcome to my recipes!

I am creating this blog to post not only my own recipes, but recipes from others that I love.  It is intended for my friends and family, but I am open to others trying what I create.  I'm always playing with different foods and herbs.  I love to experiment, but I rarely write down what I do.  Tonight I made an amazing manicotti and had so many requests for the recipe that I decided to start this blog.

Please note: I am not a chef or a nutritionist, so please use your own judgement when it comes to calories and food substitutions.

I hope you find some that you like.  And please feel free to comment with suggestions if you can make any of them better.  I'm always open to feedback.

Enjoy!