Kale, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pizza

Wow, hey guys! I've been MIA, huh?

It's been a busy few weeks that has overlapped with a bit of a cooking rut. I've been making plenty of food but I've had a hard time feeling inspired by the meals I've made. I'm hoping to turn that around this week and bring you some yummy spring recipes!

I've historically found that when I find myself in a rut, the best thing to do is to make something that is familiar and undeniably delicious no matter what. For me, that food is pizza. Put anything on a chewy crust and cover it in gooey cheese and, well, we're back in business!

This Kale, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pizza is made on my favorite, no rise crust which makes this a quick, easy and delicious meatless Monday meal! The edges of the kale get an amazing crispy char to them while the creamy goat cheese melts just slightly over the sauce. Mushrooms add a meaty element that really rounds out (ha!) the dish.

As with nearly any recipe I put out here on the internet, this is the perfect base pizza recipe that you can add and adjust to your heart's desire. Add some crispy ground sausage because OMG sausage, kale and mushrooms are the ultimate trifecta. Want more veggies? Throw 'em on! Just remember not to overcrowd your toppings because it risks making your crust soggy and that would be sad.

I see your cooking rut and I raise you one quick, tasty, wonderfully composed pizza recipe. Ahh, it feels good to be back.

Lemon Garlic Pasta with Shrimp, Kale, and Goat Cheese

HI HI HI HI!!!

Make this pasta.

OK, bye.

JUST KIDDING.

On a serious note, I want to tell you a little story about this pasta. I got home a little later than usual but I still wanted a hearty, delicious homemade dinner. I didn't succumb to the take out menu, and I am so glad I had that willpower. This meal came together in less than 30 minutes, but I was hungry. Ravenous. I needed food in my belly. I took a bite of this pasta right out of the serving bowl and after that first bite, well. I knew I had to share this with you. I needed to wait just a few minutes longer, snap a few (really unremarkable) photos, and let everyone on the interwebs know what an amazing dish this is.

In the end, it's a happy story. I had two big servings of this pasta, I'm not hungry anymore, and now, just below, you hold this recipe in your hands.

This dish, despite being a pasta recipe, is delightfully light and fresh. It is hearty and flavorful. It starts with a pasta of your choice--I'd recommend a whole wheat or Trader Joe's Brown Rice and Quinoa pasta for gluten free. Pasta = happiness, as we all know, so this is a good place to start. Save a bit of the pasta cooking water too, it will come in handy later when we make our sauce. Then, there is chopped kale, sauteed in a bit of olive oil with two generous cloves of minced garlic. Lovin' ya. Big, juicy shrimps are sauteed until golden brown and gorgeous.

The fun part about this pasta is that we are making a no-cook sauce. In a big serving bowl, we are whisking together the juice of 2 lemons and about 1/3 cup of olive oil with a big handful of grated parmesan cheese and lots of black pepper. SERIOUSLY, that's it. Pasta, kale, and shrimp all get a big toss in this lemon sauce along with that pasta water, creating a nice, slurp-able sauce.

OH wait. You thought that was it? That description there was perfect and you're ready to dig in? That's fine, but wait. There's more more more. And you don't want to miss this. GOAT CHEESE. Yes, yes. Crumbled on top of each bowl while the pasta is still hot. And it's going to melt, and become creamy, and dreamy, and you will finally understand what love is.

Here's what you need for Lemon Garlic Pasta with Shrimp, Kale, and Goat Cheese* (Print Recipe!)

1 pound pasta of choice
1 bunch kale, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined (fresh or frozen & thawed is fine!)
2 lemons, juiced
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for sauteeing
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and lots of pepper to taste
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Here's what you do

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water (you may not need all of it, but better safe than sorry).

While the pasta cooks, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the kale and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the kale is wilted and tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally so as not to burn the garlic.

Push the kale to the side of the skillet and add a bit more olive oil to the pan. Add the shrimp and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side until it is pale pink in color and slightly browned on the edges.

In a large serving bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil and parmesan cheese with a generous pinch of black pepper. Add the hot pasta and toss to coat. Gently fold in the shrimp and kale mixture and drizzle in a bit of the reserved pasta water. I used about 1/4 cup, just to loosen the sauce a bit. Season to taste.

Finally, spoon the warm pasta into bowls and top with crumbled goat cheese. Each person should lightly stir the goat cheese into the pasta to create a nice, creamy finish. Enjoy immediately.



*Gas Stove Girl Original Recipe

Baby Kale Salad with Sweet Potato, Dried Cranberries, Pecans and Goat Cheese

That title is long-winded, but I find it really hard to "name" salads. I just want you to know what is in it, that way you are still tempted to read the recipe even though the name "salad" is in the title.

In the vein, let me tell you about this salad. Let me tell you how delicious it is. I want you to know that I ate a big plate of this salad in about 5 minutes flat, maybe less. I just couldn't stop eating it! I'm not exaggerating. The flavors are big and compliment each other wonderfully.

Sweet and tangy. Crunchy and smooth. Flavors and textures are what make this salad interesting--and irresistible to boot!

This Baby Kale Salad with Sweet Potato, Dried Cranberries, Pecans and Goat Cheese is a wonderful winter salad.

Baby Kale is a great find that you can get in the grocery store -- it's actually a mix of different greens including baby kale and baby spinach. I find fully grown kale to be really rough for a salad unless treated correctly. On the other hand, baby kale packs a great punch of the same nutrients without any of the harsh stalks and chewy leaves of adult kale. With the other bold flavors of this salad, I think baby kale is the perfect green to use as the base.

I roast my sweet potatoes in a 400 degree oven tossed in a bit of olive oil sprinkled with salt and pepper until tender and golden. I also toast my pecans in a dry skillet until fragrant and nutty. You want to be careful not to burn the nuts!

So we have baby kale, roasted delicious sweet potatoes, and nutty pecans. Dried cranberries are just the sweetness we need--plus they are slightly tart and juicy. I just love them! Goat cheese is everything that is right in the world, and it's smoothness is just divine in this salad. The tang of goat cheese compliments the cranberries and pecans and coats everything in a blanket of rich, creamy deliciousness.

I almost forgot to mention the icing on the cake! A tangy Dijon vinaigrette that comes together in no time at all. All you have to do is shake up Dijon mustard, olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, lemon zest, and a bit of salt and pepper in a jar--yummy!

Alright -- enough blabbing! The handy dandy printable is below. This will serve 3 to 4. Treat yourself well and treat yourself to this salad!

Strawberry and Goat Cheese Crostini

 

I am so obsessed with goat cheese. It's one of those things I'll see in a dish on a menu and immediately order that without looking at the rest of the offerings. It's creamy, and soft, and just a little bit tangy.

Goat cheese is an all-inclusive cheese. It works well with savory dishes and is also great with some sweet pairings.

I particularly love goat cheese in these delicious snacks I made last week. The cheese is mixed with lemon and honey, spread on top of crispy crostinis and topped with slices of fresh, ripened strawberries.

These Strawberry and Goat Cheese Crostinis are the perfect summertime appetizer or snack. With the exception of toasting the bread, there is hardly any time spent dwelling over a hot stove. The strawberries are sweet and juicy, the perfect compliment to the natural sweetness of the honey. The soft goat cheese spread on top of crispy baguette slices is just the contrast you crave in a small bite. Simple but elegant--sounds like a great deal to me!

Here's what you need for Strawberry and Goat Cheese Crostinis (Print Recipe!)

1 French baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices
4-6 ounces fresh goat cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey, plus more for drizzling
1 cup strawberries, sliced thin vertically

Here's what you do

Place the slices of bread on a dry baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes until just browned. Watch carefully to ensure they don't burn. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, use a fork to mash together the goat cheese, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of honey. Add in a splash of lemon juice if the mixture isn't smooth.

Spread about a tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture onto each baguette. Arrange 2 to 3 slices of strawberries on top of the goat cheese. Drizzle with more honey just before serving. Garnish with torn mint leaves if desired.

Spinach and Goat Cheese Steak Rolls

Every now and then, you need to take life to a new level.

Maybe you go on an outdoor adventure like zip lining in the mountains or skydiving over some beautiful beach.

You might want to go for a whole new look and cut your hair short or paint your nails neon green.

Sometimes it means putting the chicken away and making some steak for dinner.

I love steak. I'm a total carnivore and believe a good steak is the way to a man's heart. It can be intimidating, however, to whip up a beautiful Filet Mignon. Imagine ruining a really expensive cut of meat by overcooking it or over-seasoning it?! No, this is my nightmare. 

All of this shouldn't deter you from making steak at home. There are really tasty and elegant steak dishes that can be made at home without breaking the bank or your self-esteem. These Spinach and Goat Cheese Steak Rolls are one such example.

These tasty bites are made with flank steak, which is one of the most underestimated cuts of steak in my opinion! It is really flavorful and stays tender even if you prefer your steak well-done. Since it is a fairly thin cut to begin with, it is the perfect candidate for stuffing!

I sliced my flank steak diagonally against the grain into 5 rectangular pieces. There is no real science to it, and you should work with what you've got. You should just be sure that it is long enough to be rolled and wide enough to hold a good amount of filling.

After slicing the steak, I used a meat mallet to flatten them out just a bit more. This is easily done by covering the top of the meat with a piece of saran wrap.

Stuffing the meat is the fun part. About 1 tablespoon of goat cheese gets spread onto the steak, leaving a small amount of space at each end. I then pressed a few pieces of baby spinach on top of the cheese and laid a few thinly sliced roasted red pepper pieces on top. Roll it up tightly and secure with a tooth pick.

I knew I wanted to make a pan sauce to spoon over these delicious steaks, so to cook them I first seared them in a hot frying pan before transferring to the oven. I adapted my pan sauce from my French Onion Pasta post...wow, was this good!

Shallots and garlic get cooked down in a bit of butter and olive oil. A dry red wine delgazes the pan. Beef broth gets stirred in along with flour to create a thick and flavorful sauce. Fresh parsley ends this sauce with a beautifully fresh taste.

I served these delicious and melty steak roll ups on top of a heaping mound of homemade mashed potatoes. My fellow steak loving boyfriend couldn't get enough of it! If you want to make a really amazing dinner, give these steak rolls a try--they are totally on the next level!

Goat Cheese and Spinach Lasagna Roll-ups

You may need to take a second look at the title of this post until it sinks in. If you are wondering whether or not this was as delicious as it sounds, it WAS. I think I cleared my plate in .2 seconds.

The idea for my heavenly Sunday night meal came from a recipe in Cory's family. I made a few tweaks based on what I like and what I had available. The overall message, of course, was the same--this is a fun spin on a classic Italian recipe! Also, the cute little rolls let you really portion these out evenly and not have to worry about everything sliding apart as you would a traditional lasagna.

I would definitely recommend making this on a weekend night or a day off. It takes a little bit of assembly but the end product was a hit around here. If the pictures don't make your mouth water, give this recipe a try -- you won't be disappointed!

Recipe for Goat Cheese and Spinach Lasagna Roll-ups, in a thick Pesto Sauce

What you need:

For the Roll-ups
1 box cooked lasagna noodles (I used about 13). Cooked ALDENTE!
2 egg whites
4 cups of ricotta cheese (part skim, because we are "watching our figures")
4 to 6 ounces of fresh goat cheese
2 to 3 handfuls of fresh spinach
1/2 cup of grated Monterey Jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces or so of fresh shredded mozzarella cheese

For the Sauce
2 cups fresh basil, cleaned and stems pulled off
4 cloves of fresh garlic
1 cup toasted pine nuts (takes about 5 minutes in the oven (do not burn!)
3/4 cup of olive oil
1 1/2 cup or more of grated Parmesan-Romano cheese
1/4 cup fat free half and half (once again, "watching our figures")

Here's what you do:
Start by cooking your lasagna noodles (do not break) in a generously salted pot of boiling water. Strain and let them cool for a bit. You don't want them to sit out too long because they should still be flexible and not sticky when you roll.
Prepare the sauce while the noodles are cooking. The base of this sauce is from my good friend and fellow food connoisseur, Lauren Jensen. The first 5 ingredients are from her mom's outstanding pesto recipe. I simply added the half and half, and took out a little bit of the olive oil so it held up a little better in the oven.
Start by dropping the basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor or blender and start chopping.
Slowly and gradually add the olive oil while the ingredients are mixing. Scrap down the blender to make sure you don't leave anything hanging!
Add the cheese, salt, and pepper and blend until it is just slightly lumpy. Blend in the half and half. This will make it a little creamy. YUM!

I have both a blender and a small food processor (thanks Santa!) so I prepped the filling in the food processor and my sauce in a blender. If you only have one of these amenities, make sure you use it for the pesto sauce and use a little bit of elbow grease for the filling.
OK. So. The amazing filling. Lightly beat the two egg whites with a fork. Add to food processor.
Add the ricotta, goat, and Monterey Jack cheeses. Mix until smooth (do not over mix because this will make it a little too watery. The thicker it is, the better it will hold up to the heat without oozing out of the lasagna noodles).
Add the spinach and pulse a few times until chopped and evenly mixed. Salt and Pepper to taste.

I am truly and utterly obsessed with goat cheese. It is tangy, and smooth, and delicious. It adds a nice bite to this filling. Also, it cuts the grittiness of ricotta and makes the filling so much smoother. If you think you don't like Goat Cheese, I BEG YOU please try it out for the first time with this recipe. You won't be disappointed.
So now -- we must build our roll-ups! Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Place one lasagna noodle on a clean plate. Brush about 2 to 3 tablespoons of your filling onto the noodle, leaving about 1 inch at the end to allow to overflow.

Gently roll the noodle and place, seam side down, in your baking dish.

Repeat until you have 2 rows of 6-8 roll ups.
Top with Pesto Sauce and Mozzarella cheese.

Is your mouth watering yet?
Pop in a 350 degree oven for 15-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the noodles are cooked through.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

I really love this recipe because as Cory and I were eating it, we were thinking of different ways we could make this. Adding a layer of meat to the filling, red sauce, different cheeses and veggies! There are so many things you can do to make this your own. It was a great dose of comfort food for a chilly Sunday evening.

So give this a try -- let me know what kind of creative liberties you take. I'm sure they will be nothing short of delicious!