Sunday, January 25, 2015

Pizza with Brussels Sprouts, Salami, and Goat Cheese

Brussels sprouts on pizza? You bet! Just slice them thin (no need to precook) and you get this delicious, nutty, roasted-Brussels-sprouts flavor on your pizza. I made this with some local goat cheese from Hillman farm and the last of the Brussels sprouts from our garden. Substitute bacon or pepperoni for the salami if you like.


1 14-inch pizza crust
Olive oil
3/4 - 1 cup thinly sliced Brussels sprouts
2-3 ounces shredded mozzarella
2 ounces salami, sliced thin or diced
2-3 ounces goat cheese
1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly brush the pizza crust with olive oil.

Combine the sliced Brussels sprouts with a little more olive oil in a small bowl and toss to coat.

Spread the mozzarella over the pizza crust. Distribute the sprouts and salami over it, then dot with goat cheese. Sprinkle with the rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and the cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Slow Cooker Bean Soup from the Pantry with Dried Garden Herbs

This is a classic pantry soup, made largely with stuff you probably have sitting around already and little that is fresh. That said, if you do have fresh (or frozen, or canned) veggies on hand, feel free to throw in whatever you like. The part I really liked about this was getting out jars of herbs from the garden that I dried last summer and crumbling them fresh into the soup. My hands smelled like summer when I was done. This makes a big batch, perfect for freezing.

You can use a packaged soup mix of beans here if you like, or mix and match from your pantry (back beans, red beans, navy beans, pinto beans, lentils...it's all good). I included some absolutely lovely, creamy local beans from Crabapple Farm - the variety was called Marfax.


3-4 cups mixed dried beans and barley
Vegetable stock
1 medium onion, diced
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Parmesan rinds (optional)
1/4 cup dried parsley
1-2 Tbsp dried oregano
1-2 Tbsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Good quality olive oil for topping (optional)

Place the bean and barley mix in the slow  cooker and add enough vegetable stock to cover by 2 inches (be more generous if you won't be able to check on the soup during the day). Add the onion, garlic, Parmesan rinds (if using), and the herbs.

Cook on high for 7-9 hours (longer is ok), until the beans are all completely tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot. If desired, drizzle with olive oil at the table.

Serves about 8.