Pizza Stuffed Sandwich

May 10, 2016Leave a comment

No stir fry or lasagna to show you today, but I did invent a sandwich to end all sandwiches.

Introducing the Pizza Stuffed Sandwich.

What you need:

Mini French bread rolls
Your favorite marinara sauce
Sandwich size pepperonis
Mozzarella cheese

Slice the roll down the middle, but not all the way through. Dig out the bread from the inside. Spoon marinara sauce inside the roll. Layer pepperoni and cheese. Add another layer of sauce and continue layering all ingredients until the roll is completely stuffed.

Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

I also whipped up a quick strawberry shortcake with the strawberries I got from the Farmers Market.

Lady Fingers, strawberries and whipped cream. Simple and delicious.

The Pizza Stuffed Sandwich was a huge hit. The boyfriend approved, and asked for seconds.

The shortcake was more for me, and it was absolutely amazing.

Tell me about your Monday night dinner.

Weekend Eats

May 9, 2016Leave a comment

Yesterday I spent Mother’s Day with my mom and grandma. In true fashion, food was our main priority.

We had brunch at The Root Cafe in downtown Little Rock. Such a delicious way to start the day.

I had the Root Benny. Poached eggs on a bed of local greens with thinly sliced ham and homemade hollandaise sauce. We shared the yogurt parfait and a plate of French toast.

So so so good. If you haven’t been to the Root Cafe, you have my official endorsement. And no, they didn’t pay me to say that. I just love everything they make.

After brunch, we hit the Bernice Garden Farmers Market. I got a load of fresh Arkansas strawberries, yellow squash and broccoli.

Super excited to incorporate those items into this week’s meals.

I’m feeling a stir fry or Italian moment coming. I’ve been thinking about lasagna today. Or a veggie packed noddley stir fry. Maybe I will whip up a couple of strawberry shortcakes.

What sounds good for supper?

Southern Comfort Food

May 4, 2016Leave a comment

When I’ve had a rough day, I crave food that gives me comfort. Being from the South, my comfort food is considerably better than pizza or ice cream.

Fried Pork Chops, Rice with Homemade Milk Gravy and Black Eye Peas

What you need:

Four breakfast pork chops, bone in
Flour
Milk
Canola oil, enough to fill halfway up the sides of a skillet
1/2 cup rice
1 cup water
2 15-ounce cans black eye peas
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste

For the gravy:

Grease from the pork chops, about 3-4 tablespoons
2 heaping tablespoons flour
Milk, enough to fill halfway up the side of a skillet
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the oil over medium high heat. Pour milk into a bowl and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Pour flour onto a plate and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Soak the pork chops in the milk mixture. Then, dredge the chops through the seasoned flour.

Fry until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes on each side.

Cook rice according to package directions. I used Riceland Extea Long Grain White Rice because it’s grown in Arkansas. My hometown to be exact.

Open the cans of peas, and heat over medium heat in a pan on the stove. I like to add lots of pepper.

Once the pork chops are cooked, remove any excess grease. Keep some grease with the pork chop bits, and add two heaping tablespoons of flour. Stir vigorously.

The flour will take on a deep brown color and become creamy. This will cook off the flour taste.

Pour milk into the flour mixture, enough to fill halfway the side of the skillet. Turn the heat to low. And stir constantly until the gravy thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Gravy is difficult to make, but you can master it. The key is low heat, constant stirring and good, flavorful grease.

I’ve made it so many times I don’t measure anything. So if these measurements are off a little bit, that’s why.

There is nothing better than a plate of Southern comfort food. This recipe was a staple in my mom’s kitchen, and I have many fond memories of watching her cook.

It felt good to channel my mom in my own kitchen and know the legacy of her pork chops and gravy will live on every time I make it.

Who knows? Maybe she will start letting me make it for her so she can relax for a change.

What is your go-to comfort food?

How Does Your Garden Grow

May 3, 2016Leave a comment

Y’all, this is the first year I’ve planted a real garden.

Boyfriend’s backyard had a very sad, overgrown raised garden bed, and after hours of laborious love we have nursed it back to health.

Yes, we did get rainbow colored tomato cages. Because life is too short for regular tomato cages.

In the garden, we planted Buttercrisp lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeños, cucumbers, yellow squash, basil, dill, lavender and cat nip.

We’ve placed insect repellent flowers throughout to help manage it.

I’ve fertilized it once with organic plant food. And I’m impatiently waiting for fruit.

So far, I’ve only trimmed the basil a couple of times, the lettuce once. What a nerve wrecking process that was. Lettuce is fickle. And it needs a ton of water.

But I love coming home from work to check on it. It’s such a cool thing to grow your own food. My future salads will taste so good.

I am really excited to share about my garden. It’s such a huge part of my life right now, and it will play a major role in the food I create in the upcoming months.

Tell me about your garden. Do you have one/want one? What’s in it? How does it look right now? Feel free to post and share in the comments. Or on Facebook because I have that now. 😊

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad

May 2, 2016Leave a comment

This weekend was an absolute blast. I spent all day Saturday surrounded by my favorite people.

And we had some good food.

Homemade ranch burgers and chicken sandwiches with a tomato mozzarella and basil salad, grilled yellow squash and zucchini and a fresh green salad.

I want to focus on the tomato, mozzarella and basil salad for a minute.

What an underrated creation.

What you need:

One pack of cherry tomatoes
Two packs of mini mozzarella balls
Fresh basil, to taste
Balsalmic vinegar
Good quality olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Start by slicing the mozzarella and cherry tomatoes in half. Julienne the basil. I used about 10 smaller leaves of basil from my garden.

Coat the mixture with Balsalmic vinegar and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least three or four hours so the flavors can meld.

This salad is one of my favorites. Cool and fresh. The mozzarella takes on the flavors of the basil, oil and vinegar. The tomatoes add a sweetness.

Just pure perfection.

You absolutely must add this to your summer salad list.