Long Weekend Away...

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Today after work I am flying out to Phoenix for a long weekend.  I'm really looking forward to a few days of HOT weather because we sure don't have it here yet!  I'll be back here Tuesday morning with Tasty Tuesday.  And then I hope to get back to regular posting.  The last few weeks at work have been crazy busy and I haven't had much energy for anything else.  Hoping to change that starting next week! 

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Hope you all are having a great week!

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Tasty Tuesdays: Pizza Margherita

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Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

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WowWow - last week we had 101 recipes linked up!  Thank you so much for linking up your wonderful recipes.  I wish I had time to get around and visit each and every one of you.  All of your recipes always sound delicious.

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A few weeks ago I made the most delicious pizza.  The dough needs to be refrigerated for 24 hours, so if you plan on making it you will need to know ahead of time.  The pizza sauce recipe was amazing - I loved the flavors and think it would be wonderful as a simple sauce for pasta.  

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{ Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine, May 2010.  Find it here. }

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Ingredients:

- 1 cup warm water (100° to 110°), divided

- 10 ounce bread flour (about 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)

- 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)

- 4 teaspoons olive oil

- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

- Cooking spray

- 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal

- 3/4 cup Basic Pizza Sauce {recipe @ end}

- 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese

- 1/3 cup small fresh basil leaves

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.1. Pour 3/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and spoons; level with a knife. Add flour to 3/4 cup water; mix until combined. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Combine remaining 1/4 cup water and yeast in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add yeast mixture, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to flour mixture; mix 5 minutes or until a soft dough forms. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; cover surface of dough with plastic wrap lightly coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate 24 hours.

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2. Remove dough from refrigerator. Let stand, covered, 1 hour or until dough comes to room temperature. Punch dough down. Press dough out to a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured baking sheet, without raised sides, sprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges to form a 1/2-inch border. Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap.

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3. Position an oven rack in the lowest setting. Place a pizza stone on lowest rack. Preheat oven to 550°. Preheat the pizza stone for 30 minutes before baking dough.

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4. Remove plastic wrap from dough. Sprinkle dough with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread Basic Pizza Sauce evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Arrange cheese slices evenly over pizza. Slide pizza onto preheated pizza stone, using a spatula as a guide. Bake at 550° for 11 minutes or until the crust is golden. Cut pizza into 10 wedges, and sprinkle evenly with basil.

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Basic Pizza Sauce Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes

- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

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1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove tomatoes from can using a slotted spoon, reserving juices. Crush tomatoes. Stir tomatoes, juices, salt, and oregano into garlic mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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Just before transferring to pizza stone and going in the oven:

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Fresh out of the oven and sprinkled with basil:

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Yum, I'm getting hungry looking at these photos!

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Now it's your turn, what did you cook this week?

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{ Please add a link in your post back to Tasty Tuesdays or add the Tasty Tuesday button to your post which can be found on my sidebar.  Thanks! }

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Tasty Tuesdays: Artichoke & Goat Cheese Strata

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Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

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I made this strata last weekend and really liked it.  I made it for Sunday dinner but it would be wonderful for a brunch.  

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{ I adapted this recipe from one I found in Cooking Light, March 2011.  Find their original recipe right here }

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Ingredients:

- 1 teaspoon olive oil

- 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (about 1 large)

- 8 oz container mushrooms (I used mini bellas)

- 13.75 oz can artichoke hearts

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 1/2 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence

- 1 3/4 cups skim milk

- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 4 large eggs

- 1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

- 1/2 (1-pound) loaf country-style white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)

- Cooking spray

- 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese, divided

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1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in mushrooms and garlic; cook for 5 minutes or until mushrooms begin to soften, stirring occasionally.  Stir in Artichoke hearts.  Remove from heat, and stir in herbes de Provence. Cool 10 minutes.

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2. Combine milk, black pepper, salt, and eggs in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and bread; toss gently to combine. Stir in artichoke mixture, and let stand for 20 minutes.

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3. Preheat oven to 375°.

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4. Spoon half of bread mixture into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with half of goat cheese, and top with remaining bread mixture. Sprinkle remaining half of goat cheese over top. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

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{ Serves 6 }

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Now it's your turn.  What did you cook this week?

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{ Please remember to add a link in your post back to Tasty Tuesdays, or add the Tasty Tuesdays button which can be found on my sidebar.  Thanks! }

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Amy Butler Anna Tunic

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I can't tell you how happy I am to be finished with this shirt! 

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Last year a few weeks before Mother's Day, my Mom and I were at the fabric store together.  We saw this pattern and she loved the shirt. 

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So, for Mother's Day (LAST LEAR!) I wrapped up a piece of the fabric and told her I was making her the shirt.  Well, I cut out the pieces and then I got really intimidated with the pattern.  And it sat, and sat.  For awhile.

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Someone I know told me they made the shirt and that it was a little tricky.  That made me even more nervous.  I worked on it little by little but mostly is just sat.  And then sometime last month I was determined to finish it.  Everything was going well, it wasn't nearly as hard to sew as I thought.  I had a few steps left before it was finished and I decided to try it on.  It was so way too tight!  I learned a huge lesson.  When I started I never took my Mom's measurements.  I based the size on the measurements on the pattern.  According to the pattern, a small was a 6-8 and a medium was 10-12.  I went with the small knowing that a 6-8 is my Mom's size.  Wrong!  I think the sizing was way off.  I had my Mom try on the shirt and I marked it up a bit around the armholes and took out the sides as much as I could.

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Luckily, it worked.  The shirt fits her perfectly!  And she really likes it.  I don't even think she is upset about getting her 2010 Mother's day a month before Mother's Day 2011.

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I love the buttons on the back.

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There is also a tie with the tunic.

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Here's my Mom trying on the shirt:

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Fits her just right!

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This shirt is the first time I have ever sewed an adult size piece of clothing.  I actually want to try another piece of clothing now.  I'll just make sure to measure myself first next time!

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A New Coffee Table

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I have been looking for a new coffee table for over a year now.  I had my eye on the Durham Cocktail Table from Ballard Designs for just about as long.  As an interior designer I get a 15% discount there (lucky me, right?).  Well, they recently sent me a 20% off coupon for designers and I knew it was time to buy the table.

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I haven't accessorized the table yet, so don't mind the lone ivy topiary and basket!

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The size of the table (50" x 24") is the perfect size for my family room.  I love the lower shelf too - the perfect spot for books and magazines.

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The table has a heavily distressed look.  I have to say, the wood color is quite different from the photos in the catalog and online.  I was a little surprised, but luckily I like how it looks.  That's the risk you take purchasing something online without seeing it first, right?

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My old coffee table had a dark wood finish - the same finish as the ottoman legs and another side table I have in the room.  I was so sick of all the same brown!  It's nice to have something new in the mix.

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I just realized I tweeted that I was going to post on the Amy Butler Anna Tunic I recently finished sewing.  Will post about that next!

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Tasty Tuesdays: Key Lime Pie

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Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

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This weekend I made a delicious key lime pie.  I've never made key lime pie before and this one was so good and surprisingly easy.

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I don't know exactly how many key limes I used to get one cup of juice, but it was the entire bag.  Let me tell you, you don't get much juice from one key lime!

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{ Recipe adapted from an Emeril Lagasse recipe.  Find the original recipe here. }

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Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

- 1/2 cup granulated sugar

- 8 tablespoons (1 stick butter) melted

- 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

- 1 cup key lime or regular lime juice

- 1 teaspoon lime zest

- 2 whole eggs

- 1 cup heavy whipping cream

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1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

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2.  In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter with your hands. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, and bake until brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before filling.

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3.  Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

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4.  In a separate bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, lime zest, and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the cooled pie shell. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

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5.  To make whipped cream:  Beat on high in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer using the whisk attachment until the cream is formed.  Top pie with a bit of cream and enjoy!

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This pie was so good - I brought it for dessert to my Mom's house and we both loved it.  I know I will be making it again!

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What did you cook this week?

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{ Please remember to add a link in your post back to Tasty Tuesdays or add the Tasty Tuesdays button which can be found on my sidebar.  Thanks! }

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Tasty Tuesdays: Grown Up Mac & Cheese

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Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

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I'm a huge fan of homemade mac & cheese.  It's the perfect comfort food if you ask me.  My absolute favorite mac & cheese is made at a local restaurant, The Greenwell.  I've had it many, many times and get serious cravings for it.  If you are ever in Grand Rapids, do yourself a favor and order it. 

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Anyways, I love trying different mac & cheese recipes at home.  This one (while nothing like The Greenwell's) was pretty good and easy to make.  Perfect comfort food for the cold spring we are having!  It was a little blander than I expected.  Next time I might replace one of the cheeses with something a little stronger.
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{ Recipe adapted from Sunset Magazine, March 2011 }
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Ingredients:
- 12 ounces ziti (or similar shaped) pasta
- 4 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 4 ounces gruyère cheese, coarsely shredded
- 4 ounces Italian fontina cheese, coarsely shredded
- 2 ounces freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (optional; this is something I added, it wasn't in the original recipe)
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
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Preparation:
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1. Cook pasta according to the package directions.
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2. Meanwhile, fry bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
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3. Pour off all but 1 tbsp. fat from pan. Add flour and whisk over medium heat. Pour in milk 1/4 cup at a time, whisking well after each addition (it will be very thick at first) until incorporated and smooth. Add cheeses in 3 batches, whisking continually and making sure each batch is mostly melted before adding the next.
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4. Drain pasta, then stir into cheese sauce along with sun dried tomatoes (sauce will thicken upon standing). Divide pasta among individual bowls and top with bacon and chives.
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Now it's your turn...what did you cook this week?
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{ Please remember to add a link in your post back to Tasty Tuesdays or add the Tasty Tuesdays button which can be found on my sidebar.  Thanks! }

AlAlso, 33 shades of Green is now on Facebook and Twitter.  I would love to have you follow me there!.

 

Facebook & Twitter...Finally

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I couldn't resist any longer.  33 Shades of Green is now on Facebook and Twitter. 

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Find me on Facebook right here.

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And on Twitter right here.

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You may have noticed that my blog has a new look.  I hired Lindsey of Sweet Simplicity Designs to design the new look.  I think she did a great job.  Thanks Lindsey!

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I still need to post links to my new tabs.  Hopefully they will be finished in the next week or so.

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I saw snowflakes here this morning.  Yes, snowflakes.  Isn't it April?  I think I'll keep looking at these potted daffodils and hoping that my daffodils outside will be blooming soon too.

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Happy Sunday!