Fast & Easy Antipasto Skewers

I whipped this up mostly from found items at the Northbrook Whole Foods. The only thing that needs cooking are the mushrooms!

Ingredients:

Pitted Green Olives of your choice from the Olive Bar or Bottled
Abruzzo Dry Salami - one stick sold by the lunch meat.
Marinated Gigante Beans from the Olive Bar 
Roasted Red Peppers w/ Garlic - bottled
Basil leaves
Marinated Ciliegine ( cherry sized) buffalo mozzarella. - one container
One package of white or baby bella mushrooms.
Marinated artichoke hearts - one bottle or from the Olive Bar
Olive oil
Bamboo Skewers - use small size or cut in half.
Italian Seasoning.

Directions:

Clean mushrooms and toss in a table spoon or so of olive oil. Add Italian spices if you wish.
Put in a glass 8x8 baker and cook on 350 until soft and cooked down. Let cool.

One the mushrooms are cool. Start threading your skewers in any pattern you wish.  I like to leave some meatless for people who don't want the salami.

Enjoy.

Italian Beef Pizza

The town I live in doesn't have an Italian market so I often travel up to Highwood, Illinois to my old stomping grounds to get some of the Italian goodies you can't find at the local supermarket. There are several wonderful Italian businesses to visit up in Highwood but if you are in need of some sausage or Italian beef the only place to go is Poeta's.  Brothers Dominick and Luca Poeta serve up some of the best Spicy Fennel Sausage for miles around. If you are making sauce and need a little of this or a little of that - chop chop goes the cleaver and there ya go! I asked if I could mention Poeta's in my blog and they replied - only if the recipe is good. So, here it goes, hope you like it. 

Ingredients:

1 heaping cup of Poeta's Italian Beef 
2 1/2 TBS of minced Giardiniera I used the minced mild from http://www.thatpickleguy.com/
1 1/2 cups of Italian cheese (mozzarella, asiago, and provolone blend)
1/4 of a large red pepper - sliced
sesame seeds
olive oil
1 lb fresh pizza dough
parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375
2. Rub a little olive oil on your pizza stone or pan
3. Stretch out your pizza dough to make a large circle. I make mine the size of my pizza stone.
4. I dab a bit of olive oil all along the crust and then sprinkle on sesame seeds
5. Spread out Giardiniera onto the dough. It may look scant but the taste will power through. 
6. Next, spread the cheese onto the dough.
7. Top with Italian beef and Peppers
8. Sprinkle pizza with dry parsley
9. Bake at 375  for 20-25 minutes.  

If you live in the area you can pick up your Italian Beef and all of the fixin's at 
Poetas Market 520 Green Bay Road in Highwood, IL

Mon - Sat:	8:00 am	-	6:00 pm
Sun:	9:00 am	-	2:00 pm

Easy Veggie Thai Curry

Trader Joe's is one of my favorite places to shop. They have a great selection of goodies to make cooking interesting and out of the ordinary.  One of my favorite items is their line of bottled Thai curry sauces. I have used this to make a bit of a cultural mish mash of a meal that satisfies the need for something spicy and savory. Mix the entire bottle with a 1/2 of a can of their light coconut milk and you have the start of a yummy meal.

Ingredients:
1 bottle of Thai Red Curry Sauce Trader Joe or other brand
1 can of light coconut milk.
4 cups of chopped kale - no stems
1 cup of diced zucchini
1 can of chickpeas - drained.
1/2 of a yellow onion - sliced

Directions:

Saute the onion and zuchinni. Add kale. Once the kale has withered a bit add in the bottle of red curry and the coconut milk. Add chickpeas. The whole can makes a lot so add what you wish if you are not a fan of a lot of chickpeas. Cook until heated through and veggies are soft.

I served mine with brown rice and Garlic Nan - both from Trader Joes. 

Enjoy!