Roasted Beet Salad Pizza

OK, I don't have an official recipe for this pizza, but it's basically this Roasted Beet salad turned into a pizza!  My neighbors Cory & Heather and I are in love with this salad, and we also LOVE pizza, so we compared notes and turned it into a pizza.

Here are the basic directions:

Brush pizza crush with olive oil.

Layer plenty of soft goat cheese and sliced roasted beets.

Bake

After baking, add spring greens or arugula (I prefer arugula), candied pecans or walnuts, and generously drizzle with dressing.

YUMMM!!!!

Dilled Green Beans

My friend Cindy brought these Dilled Green Beans to book group last winter - they were so yummy!  In anticipation of making a batch of my own, I planted dill and green beans earlier in the spring, hoping they would mature at the same time so I could attempt my own batch.  They did!  :)

Source:  Cindy Cronce

3 lbs. whole green beans

1 1/2 t. cayenne pepper*

6 cloves garlic

6 dill heads

3 1/4 c. cider vinegar

3 1/4 c. water

6 T. salt**

Wash beans, cut off ends.  Pack lengthwise in clean, hot pint jars, leaving 1/4" of headroom (trim beans as necessary to fit into jars).  Add 1 clove garlic, 1 head of dill and 1/4 t. cayenne pepper to each jar.  Mix together water, vinegar and salt; bring to a boil and pour over the beans in the jars while still boiling hot.  Leave 1/4" head space.  Secure lids and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  

Allow to sit 2 weeks for flavors to develop.

*Note - if you prefer less "kick", use 1/8 t. cayenne pepper per jar instead of 1/4 t.

**I sometimes reduce the amount of salt to 2 t. per jar.

Grilled Pizza with Cheesy Corn, Fresh Tomatoes, and Basil

This is a fun twist on pizza.  The corn, Parmesan and garlic puree gives it great flavor!

Source:  Martha Stewart Living magazine, August 2012

15 oz. store-bought pizza dough

1 1/3 c. corn kernels (from 2 ears)

1/2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 c.)

1 medium garlic clove, minced (3/4 t.)

4 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

coarse sea salt

2 small tomatoes (5-6 oz. total), thinly sliced (7-9 slices)

4-6 oz. mozzarella, thinly sliced

1/2 c. fresh basil leaves

Let dough sit at room temperature (in package) 4 hours.

Puree corn, Parmesan, garlic, 2 T. oil, and 1/2 t. salt in food processor until smooth with small chunks.

Spread remaining oil on a baking sheet or pizza pan.  Place dough on pan, and stretch to an even thickness, turning to coat both sides with oil.  Let rest 1 hour, then restretch.

Preheat grill to medium.  Season dough with salt, and transfer to grill, making sure to keep dough flat and even.  Cover grill, and cook until dough is just charred on bottom, 5-6 minutes, checking frequently.

Flip dough.  Spread corn mixture on dough, and top with tomato slices.  Season with salt, and top with mozzarella.  Cover and grill, and cook until toppings are warmed through and mozzarella has melted, 5-6 minutes.  Top with basil and serve.

Serves 6.

Note - Instead of using the grill, I simply baked it in the oven.

Corn Cob Stock

I discovered Corn Cob Stock as a result of being distressed about how much money I had shelled out for organic corn for freezing ($6.00 a dozen!) and how little corn ended up in my freezer.  Then, I remembered I had read an article earlier in the summer in Martha Stewart Living magazine about making stock from corn cobs.  Suddenly $24.00 for 4 dozen ears of corn plus nine quarts of home-made stock didn't feel so scandalous, especially stock that tastes heavenly!

I did have to think - if I had only spent $2.00 a dozen for the corn, I wouldn't have valued it enough to seek out another use for the cobs.  It was a great reminder of how important it is to revere the food God creates and provides for us.

(I searched on line and found a number of recipes for stock.  This recipe is adapted from

 christinecooks.blogspot.com.)

8 corn cobs, kernels removed

1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 carrots, pared and coarsely chopped (optional)

6-8 fresh thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

8 whole peppercorns

water to cover cobs, approximately 4 qts.

2 T. sea salt, or to taste

Place cobs in a large stock pot with the onions, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns.  Cover with water and bring to a gentle boil. 

As soon as water boils, lower the heat, add sea salt and simmer for about 40 minutes.  (This is a delicate stock and should not be simmered for a long period of time.)

Strain the stock into another large pot.  Add additional salt to taste, if necessary.  Freeze or pressure can for later use.

(Note:  Since discovering this recipe, I've been throwing any leftover corn cobs in a ziplock freezer bag and stowing them in the freezer in case I want to make some more stock at a later date.)