13 June, 2012

Italian Stuffed Baguette

What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it.

UNKNOWN

It has almost been a month since Chris moved into his new office in the Devon Tower, and I finally got a chance to see the breathtaking views! After my ears popping a million times in the elevator, we finally got to the 39^th floor.

Of all the rooms on the floor, my favorite room had to be the break room. I couldn’t get over the modern design and the fancy coffee and latte options.

It wasn’t just the design that lured me to the room. The views and landscaping of the Myriad Botanical Gardens were magnificent.

The gardens are conveniently located right next to the Chesapeake Arena. There was a touch of sadness looking down knowing that Thunder Alley is no longer what it used to be. It was such an amazing sight to see the thousands of fans covering every inch of space during our home games.

There are so many wonderful things happening in Oklahoma City right now. I am so proud to call this city my home. I can’t wait to see more coverage of this spectacular place as the NBA Finals continue. Speaking of spectacular, my spin on Baking Obsession’s Stuffed Baguette recipe turned out better than expected.

Italian Stuffed Baguette

Ingredients:

2 (18 inch) baguettes

2 packages cream cheese

1/3 cup Creamy Italian Dressing

4 ounces salami, chopped

1 (4 ounce) can black olives, chopped

½ red bell pepper, chopped

Directions:

1. Cup of the ends of the baguettes. Cut into thirds for easier access.

2. Use a long knife to hollow out the center of the bread.

3. Continue hollowing out each piece, leaving about a half an inch rim.

4. In a medium bowl, combine cheese, dressing, peppers, olives, and meat.

5. Fill each baguette with mixture.

6. Cover each piece in Saran Wrap. Chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Baguettes will stay good for up to two days.

7. Slice baguette and enjoy!

I was so worried that this would be too time consuming of a task to get done before my reunion, but they came together easily and were able to be made ahead of time. Score!

I chose more simple ingredients to fill my baguette with, favoring the Creamy Italian Dressing, but I would love the try the original recipe with the rich goat cheese too.

I thought this recipe was so fun because it was like an updated version of the classic pinwheel. It was such a fresh and unique idea!

What are you most proud of your town for?

1 February, 2012

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Each of us shines in a different way but this doesn’t make our light less bright.

UNKNOWN

Oklahoma City is growing! We have an Anthropology store people, and it is right around the corner from Whole Foods…trouble.

In May, it will be three years since we moved to OKC, which was also around the time of the housing market crash. I always felt lucky that this was where Chris landed his first job out of college. I am not saying things were not bad here, but we didn’t get hit quite as hard.

It is amazing to me how much growth we have actually seen in the last few years, including the new tower Chris will work in. When driving past it downtown, it was so tall it made me want to throw up…only because I am slightly afraid of heights

That thing is huge. I can’t wait to see the show it will put on. It has a lighting system where it can change colors depending on which sports team is playing. I hope they have a red and blue option for my beloved KU.

Okay, I have a secret. My Gourmet Veggie Pizza was made on a…

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Recipe adapted from Your Lighter Side

Ingredients:

1 bag of frozen cauliflower

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

2 eggs

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Directions:

1. Cook cauliflower according to directions.

2. Finely chop cauliflower.

3. Add eggs.

4. Mix in both cheeses.

5. Form into a pizza crust.

6. Sprinkle with oregano, parsley, and fennel.

7. Bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes. Add toppings, broil until cheese melts, and enjoy!

From a distance there is no way of knowing that this pizza crust is made from cauliflower. It just looks like a super, delicious pizza crust with crispy melted cheese.