Ree Drummond's Blog, page 74
May 27, 2011
Taco Pizza
I make no secret about the fact that my memories of California Pizza Kitchen run deep. When I went to college in Los Angeles in the eighties, CPK was a relatively new joint with only a couple of locations…and boy, was it a treat. I wound up having a years-long love affair with CPK, heading to the Beverly Center location with my friends whenever we had a hankering for specialty pizza or celebrity sightings. I think we saw Emilio there once.
Or maybe it was Judd.
Or maybe it was Anthony Michael.
Can't remember.
I've made CPK's BBQ Chicken Pizza here.
A couple of nights ago, I whipped up a version of their taco salad-style pizza. I don't remember exactly what it had on it, and in what order…but this turned out to be pretty close.
Start with basic pizza crust. I won't take you through each step of the process here, but you can see the step-by-step photos in the BBQ Chicken Pizza link above, or you can print out the recipe here:
Basic Pizza Crust – Printable Recipe
Once the pizza crust has risen and you're ready to go…
Crack open a can of black beans.
Dump them in a saucepan over medium-low heat…
Then throw in some taco seasoning. You can use a storebought mix, or you can just add some cumin, chili powder, garlic powder…whatever peps up the beans a little bit.
After the beans have heated up, mash them with a potato masher.
Smush 'em up until they're pretty smooth but still have plenty of bean texture. Reduce heat to low and let them continue to cook for ten minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the excess moisture cooks out of them and they resemble the texture of refried beans. Set 'em aside for now.
Next, grab some corn tortillas.
Cut them into thin strips.
Heat some canola oil over medium heat, and fry the tortilla strips in batches for about 30 to 45 seconds per batch–just until they're crisp.
Remove them to a paper towel-lined plate and set 'em aside.
Next, grate up some sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. Grate it yourself! Things–well, the pizza anyway–will turn out better for you.
Also, lop the end off of a head of green leaf lettuce.
Slice it thinly…
Until you have a nice, big pile.
Lop the tops off of a couple of ripe tomatoes…
Turn them over and cut them in half…
Lay each half on its side and make vertical slices…
Then slice in the other direction to dice.
Yum.
Finally, mix up some sour cream and hot sauce (I used Cholula.)
Stir to combine, adding enough hot sauce to make the mixture relatively pourable (or, more accurately, drizzle-able.)
The pizza dough's ready! Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, putting one of the oven racks as far toward the bottom of the oven as you can.
Drizzle olive oil on a large baking sheet and spread it out with your hands.
Remove HALF the dough from the bowl (the pizza crust recipe makes two crusts; put the remaining dough in a plastic bag and you can use it later) and use your hands to form it and stretch it into whatever weird shape you want. Just press with your fingers to get the dough pretty thin.
Begin with a generous layer of mashed black beans…
Followed by a layer of grated cheese.
Put the pizza in the oven for 9 to 12 minutes, turning on the light from time to time to make sure the crust isn't burning. And we put the pizza toward the bottom of the oven because we want the crust to bake and get a little crisp before the cheese on top burns, by the way. Just keep an eye on it!
While the pizza is baking, decide you're starving. Heat up a corn tortilla in the microwave for approximately seventeen seconds, then add beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and cilantro.
Close the tortilla. Stuff it in your mouth. Repeat as needed, then wonder why you just did that when you have pizza in the oven that will be ready in less than ten minutes. Become filled with self-loathing. Then eat another taco.
The pizza's done! I could have let it bake a minute or two less, but I was too busy snacking.
I'm always too busy snacking. I've missed many important events in my life because I've been too busy snacking.
But it's all been worth it.
Except for the love handles.
Immediately pile on the lettuce.
Really go for it!
And tomatoes.
Don't skimp!
A buncha cilantro.
Magical.
I put the sour cream mixture in a pastry bag…
…then drizzled it to and fro across the pizza.
This little dressing step isn't totally necessary; it's just a little touch.
End the whole thing with a layer of tortilla strips, crushing them slightly as you sprinkle them over the top. Cut the pizza into squares and serve with a good salsa on the side.
Delicious!
Here's a link to the printable:
Taco Pizza – Printable Recipe
May 26, 2011
Pots. Pans. (Winners Announced)
UPDATE: WINNERS
The winners of the All-Clad cookware are:
#7846 Amy: "When we cook – it's good – so both of us. but we eat out way too often for their to be a "best."
#3762 Silvia: "Depends on what you wanna cook. If authentic Egyptian cuisine is what you want, mom is the expert."
Congrats, winners! Contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com to claim your cookware.
_________________________________
Today…
Because it's Thursday…
Because I made pizza last night…
*Burp*…
(Sorry)…
I'm giving away two (2) of these All-Clad stainless steel cookware sets.
These have nothing to do with pizza. I just wanted to tell you what I ate last night.
And tomorrow, I will show you what I ate last night.
Except tomorrow, it won't be "last night" anymore. It will be "night before last."
Blogging is so confusing.
TO ENTER
To enter the giveaway, just answer the following questions in the Comments section of this post:
Who is the best cook in your family?
Are you the top chef in your family? Or is your mother's cooking the best? Does your husband do all the cooking in your house? Or does your wife? Is your Uncle Theo the best cook? Or is it your Aunt Tallie?
Just shout out who the best cook is in your immediate or extended family and you're automatically entered to win the cookware. (Note: if no one in your family can cook worth a darn, no problem. Just leave a comment saying something along the lines of "I have Dominos programmed into my phone" or "I heart takeout" and you're entered to win.)
THE RULES
One entry per person, please. Strictly enforced with a wooden spoon.
No entries after midnight Thursday, May 26.
Winners will be selected at random and announced Friday morning.
Note: Replies to comments are unable to be counted as entries. Please leave one comment (not a reply) as your entry.
Lots of Love,
P-Dub
____________________________
*This is not a paid advertisement. All-Clad doesn't know me. I could disappear tomorrow and All-Clad would not bat an eyelash. I just like their pans. Amen.*
Giveaway sponsored by Pioneer Woman, with cooperation from CHEFS Catalog.
Pots. Pans.
Today…
Because it's Thursday…
Because I made pizza last night…
*Burp*…
(Sorry)…
I'm giving away two (2) of these All-Clad stainless steel cookware sets.
These have nothing to do with pizza. I just wanted to tell you what I ate last night.
And tomorrow, I will show you what I ate last night.
Except tomorrow, it won't be "last night" anymore. It will be "night before last."
Blogging is so confusing.
TO ENTER
To enter the giveaway, just answer the following questions in the Comments section of this post:
Who is the best cook in your family?
Are you the top chef in your family? Or is your mother's cooking the best? Does your husband do all the cooking in your house? Or does your wife? Is your Uncle Theo the best cook? Or is it your Aunt Tallie?
Just shout out who the best cook is in your immediate or extended family and you're automatically entered to win the cookware. (Note: if no one in your family can cook worth a darn, no problem. Just leave a comment saying something along the lines of "I have Dominos programmed into my phone" or "I heart takeout" and you're entered to win.)
THE RULES
One entry per person, please. Strictly enforced with a wooden spoon.
No entries after midnight Thursday, May 25.
Winners will be selected at random and announced Friday morning.
Note: Replies to comments are unable to be counted as entries. Please leave one comment (not a reply) as your entry.
Lots of Love,
P-Dub
____________________________
*This is not a paid advertisement. All-Clad doesn't know me. I could disappear tomorrow and All-Clad would not bat an eyelash. I just like their pans. Amen.*
Giveaway sponsored by Pioneer Woman, with cooperation from CHEFS Catalog.
May 25, 2011
Big Fat Bacon Sliders
Sunday afternoon, I made sliders. I wrapped bacon around each diminutive patty of hamburger, then cooked them in the oven and squeezed them between small, warm rolls. And I wasn't the least bit sorry.
Monday, I still was not sorry.
Yesterday, I featured hamburger recipes from across the web.
Today I'm featuring my sliders.
Tomorrow, I'll share something other than burgers.
I promise.
I think.
Throw some ground beef into a bowl. Add whatever seasoned salt you like.
Add ground black pepper. The black dust is fine.
I threw in lemon pepper. If you want to throw in garlic pepper, that's fine too. If you want to add Greek or Cajun or Southwest seasoning, that's fine too.
Worcestershire works. Just add what your heart tells you to add. It's the same approach I take with my cart at the grocery store.
See that veiny hand? It's the only thing on my body that resembles something on Angelina Jolie's body. I cherish this veiny hand.
Mix the meat thoroughly, then grab a little wad.
Roll it into a neat ball approximately the size of…well, nothing I can think of. It's larger than a golf ball, larger than a ping pong ball, smaller than a baseball, smaller than a bocce ball.
It's just a ball.
Set them aside on a plate.
Grab a package of thin/regular bacon. Cut it in half lengthwise.
Wrap a half a piece of bacon around each orb of hamburger.
Yes, I said orb.
Pull just slightly as you wrap the bacon around, so that it fits snugly (but doesn't squeeze) around the bacon.
Begin another half-slice of bacon at the place where the ends of the other piece joined. (Huh?)
And wrap it around the hamburger, smoothing it at the seam to "seal" it as much as possible.
Place them, seam side down, on a broiler pan or any other baking pan that has a drip tray on top.
Flatten each patty as much as you can without squeezing the burger out of the corners.
Put these in the fridge to firm up for thirty minutes or so if you can.
If you can't, the world will go on turning.
Grab some barbecue sauce. This is my favorite. It's from my neck of the woods. It's good stuff. This is not a paid advertisement. This is a recording.
Brush each patty liberally with sauce.
Yum!
And here's something else you can do.
Stick a couple of jalapeno slices on the ball of hamburger.
Then wrap the bacon around, securing the jalapenos underneath.
Heat. Bacony, wonderful heat.
Now throw the sliders into the oven. 375 degrees if you don't mind softer/chewier bacon, 400 or so if you prefer your bacon to be more sizzling and cooked.
While the sliders are cooking, shave some thin slices of cheese.
And have them ready on a plate.
Pull out the hamburgers 20 to 30 minutes later, when they're sizzling and done.
Immediately lay a shaving of cheese on each one. The heat will melt it right away.
Throw 'em on special slider rolls (available in civilization) or on storebought dinner rolls (available in my small town) and serve 'em up immediately.
These are yummy. The bacon cooks and clings to the hamburger patties, and the whole thing is an explosion of yumminess. And because they're smaller than regular hamburgers, they have zero calories! Serve with regular hamburger condiments like ketchup, mustard, and pickles, or have a slider bar with caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, avocado, etc.
They're good. They're very, very good. And because you can throw 'em on a pan and stick 'em in the oven, you can prepare them ahead of time and have as many as you need ready to stick in the oven. Easy, fun, and delicious.
Enjoy these!
Here's a link to the printable:
Big Fat Bacon Sliders
May 24, 2011
Web Deliciousness: Burgers!
I would like to state for the record that I love burgers. Love, love, love them.
I love them so much, I wrote a poem about them.
Burgers
I love them in the summer
I love them in the fall
I love them with Swiss cheese
And Mushrooms most of all
Poem Copyright 2011 Pioneer Woman. Do not reproduce this poem without my permission. It is a masterpiece and I will protect it with all of my being.
Here are some fabulous burger recipes from across the web!
Mushroom Bacon Swiss Burger from Big2Beautiful.
Salmon Burgers by Steamy Kitchen.
More Salmon Burgers by Ezra Pound Cake.
by White on Rice Couple.
Greek Lamb Burgers by Closet Cooking.
Taco Burgers by Closet Cooking.
Long Boy Burgers by Sunshine and Bones.
Western BBQ Burgers by Patio Daddio.
Ultimate Turkey Burgers by The Family Kitchen.
Grilled Portobello Burgers with Chipotle Mayo by Clean Green Simple.
BBQ Chicken Burgers by How Sweet Eats.
Steakhouse Mushroom Burgers by Pink Parsley.
Jamaican Jerk Burgers by Simply Recipes.
German Pork Burgers by Simply Recipes.
In closing: I want a burger.
Love,
Pioneer Woman
May 23, 2011
Milky Way Cake
I have to say, this cake is kind of ridiculous.
But I have to say something else: ridiculous cakes are the best cakes.
I have an aunt. Her name is Carol Sue. I love her so much for so many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that she's always smiling…and she has the best smile. I also love Carol Sue because she made me this recipe book many, many years ago, and filled it all of her favorite recipes she'd cooked and baked through the years.
Yesterday, I made this. I'd never made it before, and I'd always wanted to. I'd always wanted to, because…well…not to put too fine a point on it…
It contains, like, fifty thousand Milky Way bars.
And that's all the reason I need.
In addition to the forty million Milky Way bars, you'll also need flour…
Salt…
Margarine. Also known as oleo.
Sugar. Not shown because I'm a dorkwad airhead.
Eggs…
Buttermilk…
Baking soda…
Vanilla…
Pecans…
Powdered sugar…
And milk. Not shown, because I'm an airhead dorkwad.
Okay, here come the serious part: melting the Milky Ways…
…with margarine.
Oleo.
I'm making t-shirts that read "Bring Back Oleo." Place your orders now, as I expect them to disappear like hot cakes.
I'm also making t-shirts that read "Bring Back Hot Cakes."
I prefer vintage culinary terminology.
I prefer vintage everything.
It'll look really grody as it's melting…
But it won't take long before it all makes perfect sense.
Next, add sugar and more oleo to the bowl.
Yes, I said oleo. I'm practicing what I preach.
Mix it together…
Then add the eggs one at a time.
Mix it together until all combined.
Sift together the flour and the salt.
Mount St. Carb! I'm so happy to see you again.
Add some baking soda to the buttermilk. Look outside. See that your dog has an armadillo in its mouth. Reflect on what has brought you to this point. Then move forward with the cake.
Add the buttermilk mixture…
…and the flour mixture alternately, mixing until just combined.
Then close your eyes, make peace with yourself, and pour in the melted Milky Ways.
Mix until combined, scraping the sides once or twice in the process.
Turn off mixer. Stick your finger in the bowl. Scrape it up the side of the bowl, then bring it to your mouth. Lick the batter off your fingers. Don't feel sorry.
Note: Can use two fingers if necessary.
Pour the batter into a greased pan. The recipe calls for 9 x 13, but next time I make it I think I'll use a sheet pan or jelly roll pan for more even baking.
Or I might just eat the batter and forgo the cake altogether.
The cake bakes at 300 degrees, which is low and results in a moist, sticky cake.
Same temperature as my Grandma Iny's Prune Cake.
300 degrees is a vintage temperature.
To make the icing, make peace with yourself again, then throw three more Milky Ways with another stick of margarine into a saucepan.
Shocking, isn't it?
Melt them together…
Until relatively smooth.
Throw in some powdered sugar…
Some nuts…
And enough milk to make it smooth and pourable. And vanilla, because vanilla is the secret weapon in everything. Except, like, anything savory.
Pour the icing over the cake. This is when I decided I'll do a sheet cake next time. Less poufing and acting up on the sides.
Now, if you're impatient like me and can't wait another second to get this evil decadence into your mouth, that's fine. But because the cake is so moist and gooey, you'll pretty much just have to spoon it into a bowl like a pudding.
Plop some whipped cream (unsweetened, for Pete's sake) on top and dig in. This is chewy and very moist. Wow.
If you're a little more restrained–and I'm not, but I have friends who are–you can wait awhile for the cake to set, then cut it into squares.
Or you can be like me…and take both approaches.
Enjoy this!
And thank you, Aunt Carol Sue, for sharing it with me.
And thank you for your smile. I love you so very much.
I'm having a little glitch that's preventing me from putting the printable here in the post, so here's a link to the printable recipe on Tasty Kitchen. (And it will give you a chance to see the new Tasty Kitchen design: yay!)
Milky Way Cake Printable Recipe
*Disclaimer: This cake is not fat free. The end.
May 20, 2011
Mixer Wieners
The winners of the yellow mixer are:
#27106 Saundra: "A favorite vegetable? The one I most use is broccoli, I sneak it into the kids' omelets and you can keep it forever almost and it goes with almost anything, but a summer salad of cucumber and fresh tomato's from my Grandfather's garden is probably the best, or grilled sweet corn. Sauteed Zucchini though, how can you beat that? I don't think I can pick a favorite. Can I just have them all? Now? Please?"
#14407 malia: "I love broccoli with garlic and sesame oil!"
#1202 Samantha Angela: "Nothing beats a ripe tomato from the garden."
Congratulations, winners! Contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com to claim your mixers!
FROM STATISTICIAN DON
Our good friend Statistician Don compiled a list of our favorite vegetables. Here they are.
Thank you, Statistician, Don!
corn (8040)
asparagus (7411)
tomatoes (4861)
broccoli (4832)
potatoes (3333)
peppers (3284)
carrots (3080)
green beans (2855)
peas (2591)
squash (2392)
Brussels sprouts (2334)
zucchini (2293)
spinach (2014)
cucumbers (1782)
artichokes (1693)
onions (1561)
avocados (1502)
sweet potatoes (1276)
mushrooms (1169)
okra (971)
May 19, 2011
In Deep
I'm deep into the mindnumbing final stages of the Tasty Kitchen redesign, and this beautiful yellow color is the basis of the entire site. I see this yellow color when I sleep, when I eat Ding Dongs, and when I eat Twinkies.
I'm in love with this color. It's the exactly shade of a shiny, beautiful yellow bell pepper.
Today, because the new Tasty Kitchen design is imminent, because I love this color, and because I love you, I'm giving away three Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixers in this charming and fun "Yellow Pepper" color. This is a mixer that will make a statement, win friends, and influence people. Gorgeous!
Well, I'm sure you have all the friends you need. Forget about that part.
And a mixer? Influencing people? Eh…probably not.
But it will make you smile every time you use it.
Unless you're cranky that day, then never mind.
TO ENTER
To enter this giveaway, just answer the following question in the Comments section of this post:
"What's your absolute favorite vegetable?"
Are you a broccoli fiend?
Or are you a carrot person?
Do Brussels sprouts make your skirt fly up?
Or do you prefer zucchini and other squash?
Just shout out the one vegetable you'd choose to eat on the last day of your life and you're automatically entered to win.
THE RULES
One entry per person, please.
No entries after noon Friday.
Winners will be selected at random and announced Friday night.
Good luck!
(I'll have a new recipe up shortly. I've been drowning in redesign fun this week.)
_________________________________
Contest sponsored by Pioneer Woman, with cooperation from CHEFS Catalog.
May 18, 2011
Pam Anderson/Ranch Cooking Weekend Winners!
The (randomly selected) winners of the weekend of cooking lessons on the ranch are…
#17497 Pattie: (Pattie's comment cracked me up.)
Let's see, how do I answer the following questions?:
Do you stress out for weeks before having people over? Weeks? It may start months before!
Do you wig out over the food, pulling out all the stops? I stress, cook, hyperventilate, and stress some more, and then I pull out all the stops?
Do you starch your tablecloth? Starch, color coordinate, tie ribbons, whatever it takes
I NEED HELP!
Or are you like me and you don't even own a tablecloth? This is what I aspire to be like. Help me learn!
#5048 Alice A.: "I love to entertain, but I hardly do because my house is usually a mess. Eventually I figure all my friends know that I'm no domestic goddess and I have them over anyway. I would love to come visit and cook with y'all this summer."
#4176 Brittany: "A trip in June….to learn how to cook? Sounds amazing! I usually cook the same ol' thing for my guests, that way I know they'll eat something that won't give them food poisoning."
Congratulations, winners! Contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com to discuss details.
(Note: if winner/s do not get in touch before midnight Thursday, an alternate winner will be selected.)
July cooking weekend contest coming up in the next couple of weeks!
May 17, 2011
Web Deliciousness: Asparagus!
A friend of mine brought asparagus from her garden over the weekend and cooked it up at the Lodge, seasoning it only with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
It was perfect. Too perfect, almost. I ate seventeen spears.
At that moment, I knew I wanted to feature asparagus for today's installment of Web Deliciousness.
Get a load of these:
Steak, Asparagus, and Chimichurri Pasta by Bitchin' Camero.
Skinny Asparagus and Gruyere Tart by What's Gaby Cooking.
Mushroom Asparagus Japchae by Beyond Kimchee.
Asparagus Wonton Wraps with Hoisin, Wasabi or Mustard Filling by The Perfect Pantry.
Green Asparagus Tart by Chocolate River.
Ruby Pasta (with Asparagus) by Peas Love Carrots.
Crispy Asparagus by Playing with Fire and Water.
Purple Pizza with Asparagus and Fontina by The Cooking Photographer.
Asparagus Soup with Cream by Apple Pie Patis Pâté.
Savory Asparagus Tomato Quiche by Simply Stardust.
Asparagus, Pea, and Saffron Risotto by Quinces and the Pea.
Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus by Three Many Cooks.
Asparagus Parmesan Tartlets by Anja's Food 4 Thought.
I now must have asparagus in the next five minutes or I'm going to start crying.
Delicious, everyone! Thank you for your beautiful creations.
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