Cheesy Pesto Pull-Apart Bread

I got this recipe from www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com

She has lots of great recipes!!

Cheesy Pesto Pull-Apart Bread

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com Time: 10 min. prep + 15 min. baking Yield: 7 servings Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!  1 large crusty loaf of bread 1 C basil pesto salt and pepper 2 C mozzarella cheese, grated 1 C Parmesan cheese, grated 1. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray.  Set one large crusty loaf of bread in the center.  2. Slice the bread carefully, without cutting all the way to the bottom of the loaf.   Then slice it going the other direction so that you have lots of little 1 inch squares  all over the top of the loaf. 3. Grab yourself about 1 cup of pesto, pour it into a small bowl and add just a bit of salt and  pepper.  I like to buy Pesto at Costco. It will keep for about a month in the fridge. If I don't use  it all and the expiration date is approaching, I pour it into and ice cube tray, cover it with plastic  wrap and store it in the freezer.  4. Using a butter knife, spread pesto inside the loaf along every sliced part of the bread.  5. Pull the slices apart and push a bit of shredded mozzarella cheese and shredded  Parmesan cheese into each little crevice.  6. Wrap the bread up in the aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  Uncover the bread and allow it remain in the oven until the cheese is melted and a bit  golden in color.  7. Take the bread out of the oven and let it cool just a bit before serving.  ***NOTE: This bread is best served warm from the oven.  However, if you have leftovers store them in the refrigerator and reheat them in the  microwave when you are ready to enjoy them.

Crustless Pear and Custard Pie

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  photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

  This recipe is SUPER easy! Took me 10-15 minutes to prep, and then baked in 40. Delicious eaten warm or hot, but also good room temp or cold. Heated up the rest in the microwave the next day and Landon ate it up.  A very non-heavy, light-tasting dessert. 

  I used 2% milk, Bartlett pears, and a mandolin to slice the pears. Sift or dust (with a small mesh sieve) the powdered sugar over it right before serving, as it quickly gets soaked up by the juice and partially disappears.

  Ingredients

• 3 Comice or Bartlett pears, peeled, halved, cored, and sliced
• 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter a 9-inch pie dish. Peel, halve, and core 3 Comice or Bartlett pears; slice 1/4 inch thick lengthwise. Arrange slices, overlapping slightly, in dish.
2. In a blender, process 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, 1/3 cup each granulated sugar and all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 large eggs, 3/4 cup milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth.
3. Pour batter over pears; bake until golden and firm to touch, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

(recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart recipes, "Everyday Food" magazine 2003, also the "Everyday Food--Great Food Fast" cookbook, which I LOVE)

Cook's Gazpacho from Hot Tub night at Yuka's

CREAMY GAZPACHO ANDALUZ

Published July 1, 2010.  From Cook's Illustrated.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

The key to fresh tomato flavor in our creamy gazpacho Andaluz recipe was salting the tomatoes and letting them sit to release more flavor. We then followed the same process with the other vegetables—cucumber, bell pepper, and onion—and soaked ...(more)

SERVES 4 TO 6

For ideal flavor, allow the gazpacho to sit in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Red wine vinegar can be substituted for the sherry vinegar. Although we prefer to use kosher salt in this soup, half the amount of table salt can be used. Serve the soup with additional extra-virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, ground black pepper, and diced vegetables for diners to season and garnish their own bowls as desired.

INGREDIENTS

• 3pounds (about 6 medium) ripe tomatoes, cored
• 1small cucumber, peeled, halved, and seeded
• 1medium green bell pepper, halved, cored and seeded
• 1small red onion, peeled and halved
• 2medium garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
• 1small serrano chile, stemmed and halved lengthwise
• Kosher salt (see note)
• 1slice high-quality white sandwich bread, crust removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
• 2tablespoons sherry vinegar, plus extra for serving (see note)
• 2tablespoons finely minced parsley, chives, or basil leaves
• Ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Roughly chop 2 pounds of tomatoes, half of cucumber, half of bell pepper, and half of onion and place in large bowl. Add garlic, chile, and 1½ teaspoons salt; toss until well combined. Set aside.
2. 2. Cut remaining tomatoes, cucumber, and pepper into ¼-inch dice; place vegetables in medium bowl. Mince remaining onion and add to diced vegetables. Toss with ½ teaspoon salt and transfer to fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Set aside 1 hour.
3. 3. Transfer drained diced vegetables to medium bowl and set aside. Add bread pieces to exuded liquid (there should be about ¼ cup) and soak 1 minute. Add soaked bread and any remaining liquid to roughly chopped vegetables and toss thoroughly to combine.
4. 4. Transfer half of vegetable-bread mixture to blender and process 30 seconds. With blender running, slowly drizzle in ¼ cup oil and continue to blend until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain soup through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl, using back of ladle or rubber spatula to press soup through strainer. Repeat with remaining vegetable-bread mixture and 1/4 cup olive oil.
5. 5. Stir vinegar, minced herb, and half of diced vegetables into soup and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours to chill completely and develop flavors. Serve, passing remaining diced vegetables, olive oil, sherry vinegar, and black pepper separately.
   
   
   -Notes: I used Red Brandywine tomatoes and red wine vinegar as substitutes. I also forgot to pass the remaining diced veg and condiments. I also omitted the serano chili and only let it sit for 2 hours.