Caprese Pasta by Frankenstein

I feel like I'm emerging from the woodwork.

Since we've last seen each other, I've been moving to Knoxville, traveling to Ukraine and generally having no idea where my kitchen is beneath all of the boxes.

I haven't located my measuring cups, but I didn't let that get me down: I still made a rather delicious caprese pasta. Original recipe found via Pinterest on this blog: Simply Scratch.

You'll need:
2 cups of orecchiette pasta
2 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup of Balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Fresh basil
1 cup of mozzarella pearls

Cook your pasta. I used small shells because I couldn't find the orecchiette pasta the original recipe called for. Whatever. Moving on.

Put two cloves of garlic through a garlic press.
Pour 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar and whisk.
While whisking, slowly pour three tablespoons of olive oil. Set aside.

Cut up a box of little grape tomatoes into fourths, cut your basil into ribbons and drain those mozzarella balls pearls.

This makes me want to go back to Italy. Immediately. Who's with me? 

Once your pasta is ready, drain it and then combine all the other good stuff. Season with salt, pepper and of course pour on the balsamic / olive oil / garlic concoction -- as much as you want. (I didn't end up using all of it.)

I ate it warm, but I plan on trying it cold for lunch tomorrow. Yay, leftovers!

Happy eating -- I'm sure glad to be back.

Note: Tried it cold... it's better zapped in the microwave. Bon Appetit! 

TGIFriday Video: Booze and John Green!

We 3 Happy Eaters have a particular fondness of author/vlogger John Green. He wrote The Fault in Our Stars, a New York Times Best Seller, and if you haven't read it you really really should. Really. I don't care if you don't like YA, you will love this book.

On the vlog scene, John Green hosts Mental Floss, a weekly show on YouTube "where knowledge junkies get their fix of trivia-tastic information." Seriously nerdy, seriously witty, seriously amazing, and his latest vlog is this week's TGIFriday Food/Fun video!

A quick, fascinating look at the history behind your favorite cocktails:

Happy Friday, eaters!

    

Spicy pizza with bacon and arugula

To use up the last of the arugula, leftover from my baked sweet potato and salad dinners earlier in the week, I decided to make a salad-topped pizza. I also had leftover bacon. So of course that was going on it too.

When it comes to homemade pizza, I keep it simple, stupid. I don't want to make dough and then make a pizza. I want to make a pizza. So, no shame, I buy dough from the bakery at my favorite Publix.

Spicy pizza with bacon and arugula

1 lb pizza dough
4 slices of bacon
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup pizza sauce
a whole bunch of mozzarella cheese, shredded
couple handfuls of arugula, (VERY) lightly dressed (I used the leftover champagne vinaigrette)

Preheat oven according to pizza dough instructions (usually 400ish).

Let your dough sit out in a covered bowl (lightly greased with cooking spray) while you're makin bacon. Doesn't matter how you choose to cook your bacon, but I did mine in the pan until crispy.

Roll out your dough to desired thickness--about 12in circle in the end. Spread your sauce evenly over it, top with bacon and red pepper flakes for a spicy kick. Cover with cheese and bake according to dough instructions (usually 12-15mins) or until crust is golden. Let cool for a sec on a cutting board while you get your arugula ready.

Toss your arugula in a teeeeeeny bit of dressing, and place lightly on top of pizza. Slice and enjoy!

Reheat: if you reheat your pizza in the oven the next day, remove the arugula until the pizza is heated through so it doesn't get wilted.


Bon app!