Super Easy Mini Frittatas

The Chef and I, we really aren't morning people. Likewise, we aren't big breakfast people either, unless we're having breakfast for dinner- I can get behind that idea! When you're serving breakfast for dinner however, a bowl of oatmeal or cereal and toast is not going to cut it. You need something more substantial. When my kids were young I used to love making breakfast stratas and casseroles, especially on the weekends and holidays. They all have their own homes and traditions now, and I don't have to feed big crowds anymore. Sometimes though, I get a craving for some really lush breakfast food.

We all know we should start the day with a good breakfast, and driving thru the fast food place for a biscuit of fat and a cup of bad coffee isn't the way to go. Again, these little frittatas fit the bill to perfection. You can zap em in the micro on the way out the door and have a mess-free road snack or heat them up at the office and make everyone else jealous!

These mini frittatas are perfect for us. The leftovers freeze great, reheat in a snap and make great picnic foods. They are perfect for a light lunch on the deck, with a nice chilled glass of wine and make good party foods too- just make teeny ones in mini muffin cups for a bite-size appetizer. They are super easy to mix up and are so versatile. Use your favorite cheese. Use whatever vegetables you like- broccoli is delicious, and of course, spinach, kale or other greens. I like to add some diced sweet red or orange bell pepper for a pop of color if I have one around. Let's make frittata!

To make Easy Baby Frittatas you will need-

• 1 small bunch fresh asparagus
• 1 package fresh mushrooms
• small bunch scallions
• 1/2 lb sliced bacon
• 1 bag shredded hash browns (thaw if frozen)
• 1-2 cups shredded cheese (Colby Jack is great)
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche, sour cream or plain yogurt
• 9 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons fines herbes*
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• cooking spray

* For the herbs, you can use fresh or a dried fines herbes mix, such as Penzey's. If you use fresh, plan on 2-3 tablespoons minced and combined fresh parsley, chervil, chives and thyme.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Slice off the asparagus tips; set aside. Slice the tender parts of the stems and set aside. Chop the mushrooms in small dice. Slice the scallions. Heat a couple tablespoons oil in a skillet. Saute the asparagus stems, mushrooms and scallions for a few minutes until the mushrooms are softened. Add the asparagus tips; remove from heat after a minute. Set aside to cool.

Slice the bacon into lardons. Cook in heavy skillet until browned and crispy. Remove and let drain on paper towel.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the vegetables, bacon, cheese, creme fraiche, herbs and season with salt and pepper. 

Spray cups of muffin pan with cooking spray. Divide mixture among cups. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the eggs are set. Remove and let cool slightly. Remove from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Besides making these yummy little breakfast treats I also got to play with my new mini Santoku knife by Joseph Joseph. I talk about knives all the time and everyone who knows me KNOWS I am deeply obsessed. I found this knife in a little gourmet store in the city and figured I could spend a few bucks on a new toy and see how I like it. 

The handle feels great in my hand, and for a small knife, it has a great deal of "heft." They also designed the handle to have a built in stand to keep the blade from resting on dirty surfaces, or dirtying clean surfaces.

The blade is colored so we'll have to see how durable the color is over time. The edge is beautifully sharp, as I'd expect from a new knife, and chopping was very easy. It feels thinner than some of my other knives, so I'm anxious to see how that compares. I am actually surprised that I got so much weight behind this small knife. Looks can be deceiving, I tell ya!

The knife also comes with a sheath to protect the blade- that's a huge bonus for me. So many inexpensive knives do not have covers and can be dangerous to store and difficult to keep sharp. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The NAUGHTIEST Bacon You Could Imagine

The bacon craze endures. In fact, it shows little to no sign of slowing down. There is bacon in everything, on everything and flavoring everything, so bacon ending up in a sweet preparation should be no surprise at all. It's easy enough to bring the sweet and the savory together into one delicious bite- lay some bacon slices on a baking sheet, sprinkle with brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, jelly, whatever you like and pop in the oven for 15, 20 minutes. You'll have crispy crunchy sweet and savory slices of heaven in no time. Simple enough that your kids can do it (with some supervision using the oven and moving hot pans around) and you won't have too many people turning down a slice or four.

But just think about this for a moment- what if you up the ante a little? We have the savory, the salty, and we will have the sweet, but let's get this kicked up big time. How about savory, salty, sweet, creamy, nutty and boozy? Interested yet? I thought you might be.

So let's start out in style- boozy. You don't need a big bottle of hooch sitting around. All you really need is a cute airplane bottle. Ok, so I get it, if we're comparing per-ounce prices the airplane bottle is not the most cost efficient way to purchase alcohol, but it IS the best way to get the best whiskey you can find and it's all you need for this recipe! It's perfect! What in the world is the booze doing in this bacon treat? Let me tell you, dazzling your taste buds, that's what. Combined with butter and brown sugar and brought to a boil it transforms into a whiskey-infused candy coating that gets tossed with some finely chopped pecans for the most ridiculously naughty treat I have ever made-

Chocolate Covered Bacon with Maple Bourbon Pecan Brittle

Be still my heart, you might be saying. I had a group of taste testers for this recipe and this was hands down the BEST sweet treat ever to come out of this kitchen and sure to become a special occasion treat for many years to come. It's not hard to do, so let's start with the brittle.

2 tablespoons butter (NOT margarine)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 "airplane bottle" whiskey of choice*

1 cup pecan halves, finely chopped (chop after measuring)
2 lbs bacon (regular cut, not thick cut)
1 lb milk chocolate

*Use whatever whiskey you like- I chose Jim Beam Maple Bourbon. You can use any dark whiskey you like.

In a medium saucepan combine the butter, brown sugar and whiskey with a good pinch of salt. Heat over medium heat to melt the butter and sugar, then increase heat and boil for several minutes until it starts to turn syrupy. 

Stir in the pecans and continue to boil until thickened. 

Line a sheet pan with foil, butter it or use cooking spray, then pour the nut mixture out onto the sheet pan, spreading thinly. Allow to cool completely. You can make the brittle ahead of time it you like. 

Unless it's terribly humid it will hold just fine at room temperature. When ready to dip the bacon, buzz the brittle in a food processor until crumbled. Pour into shallow bowl or pie plate and set aside.

When it's time to cook the bacon you definitely want to take my advice here. Cooking bacon is not hard but if you chose to fry it, you won't have as successful a finished product. The only way I ever cook bacon is to bake it. 

Start by unwrapping 2 1-lb packages regular sliced bacon. Cut the entire hunk of bacon in half crosswise. Line rimmed baking sheets with heavy duty foil and arrange the half slices in the pans but don't overlap them- they will stick together. Pop the bacon into a 350 degree oven and bake 15-20 minutes until evenly crisp and browned. Remove and drain on paper towels to cool. Repeat until all bacon is cooked, dumping the fat as necessary. Cooking the bacon this way ensures even cooking and the bacon stays nice and flat, unlike the unruly curly mess you get from pan-frying.

Melt the chocolate. I used Wilton candy melts and melted in the microwave. You can use whatever brand of chocolate you prefer and melt in the microwave or in a double boiler.

Line a couple sheet pans with parchment paper. Dip each piece of bacon into the melted chocolate, shake slightly to remove the excess, covering half the slice of bacon on both sides. Then dip the bacon into the crushed brittle, turning over to cover both sides. Place on parchment lined sheets and chill until set.

This is probably one of the most decadent grown up treats I have ever made. The bacon is salty and savory and crispy, the chocolate is smooth and sweet and creamy and the pecan brittle is toasty and crunchy with a hint of whiskey. It's just so ridiculously good, and you need to make this for yourself!

State Fair Food- An Experiment in Delicious

This is a post from City Girl Country Life, centering around fair foods and Iowa Maytag Blue Cheese. The blog City Girl Country Life is heading into retirement so many of the recipes originally shared there will make an appearance here over the next several months. This story was originally published in September, 2014.

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It's September, the summer is officially over and with that, the end of the state fairs in the midwest region. I didn't make it to the Iowa State Fair this year and I felt a little envious as read posts by my friend Jeni, of Jeni Eats, as she visited the Minnesota State Fair. After her fair trip she posted pictures on Facebook and talked about Corn Fritters with Blue Cheese, and since I was unable to attend the fair, I began a quest to find a recipe!

From the beginning this seemed like an easy enough thing to come up with. Corn fritters are pretty basic- cornbread-type batter, along the lines of a hushpuppy, with some corn kernels added. Easy to update that with some blue cheese and some savory elements to punch up the flavor. Chopped scallions, finely minced garlic. As I soon would discover, it is NOT easy to "recreate" something you have never tasted before.

You may know, Iowa IS blue cheese country. From the little city of Newton, the world famous Maytag Blue Cheese is crafted in the Maytag Dairy Farms. Instead of the ages-old method of using sheeps milk, in 1938 researchers at Iowa State University developed a way to use cows milk and Maytag Blue Cheese was born! In the early years of the company even the cows were owned by the Maytag family. They have of course grown significantly since their founding in 1941.

Let's get back to our fritters. Using a basic cornbread mixture is the easiest way to start for me. As a baker it's easy to whip up and change it around with some additions. To start with the basic batter, you will need:

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk

In a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In a small bowl beat the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients all at once and stir/fold JUST until combined.

NOW.......we need to make this into something really spectacular. You will need:

• 1 1/2 cups corn kernels*
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• several grinds black pepper
• 1 cup blue cheese

* You can use frozen corn, thawed, canned corn, drained or cut your corn fresh off the cob and cook it briefly- cool before using

Add the corn, scallions, garlic and cheese to the batter. Set it aside and let it rest just a bit. Cornmeal batter plumps up and firms and gets a little thicker- you want that.

Heat about 3-4 inches of cooking oil in a heavy saucepan or deep fryer (have that fire extinguisher handy- you know me- scared of frying!!)  Use a thermometer to test the heat and when you've reached 350-375 degrees, drop the batter carefully into the oil with a spoon, cook and turn over once til golden brown and cooked through. Remove and drain on paper towel. Season with salt immediately. I struggled with this. Since I hadn't had the state fair original I was guessing on size. Think SMALL. Like one bite small. Of course, it might have worked better if I had a deep fryer- I don't so I used a deep heavy pan.

Now we need a dipping sauce. At the Minnesota State Fair Jeni said they were accompanied by a chimichurri-type sauce. Being unable to taste that I have no idea where to begin, so I'm going to start completely fresh. We will be using:

• 1 cup packed parsley leaves, no stems
• 2 garlic cloves
• one big pinch dried marjoram
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tb balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper

Blend everything in a food processor or blender until pesto-like. 

I like this version of chimichurri. It has the peppery bite of the fresh parsley, heat from the garlic and a little hint of sweet from the balsamic vinegar, and it's refreshing change from blah old ranch as a dipping sauce!

Not the best picture, we were having a storm !!

Overall, we really liked these fritters. Would I make it again? Yes, sure. I think I have the kinks worked out. The flavor was good, the chimi was very yummy (we had plenty extra for our steaks for dinner). The sweetness of the corn and the salty blue cheese were a great combination.The fritters were crispy and crunchy on the outside and very tender on the inside. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Beginners' Cheesemaking II- Fresh Ricotta

Few things in life are as good as fresh pasta. The real thing. Fresh homemade ravioli filled with creamy ricotta cheese is probably my favorite. When I was much younger I made this all the time- it filled my kids' bellies and impressed my friends. Funny thing, back in those days I lived in a little country village in rural Suffolk County and finding ricotta cheese was next to impossible. This is where my stockpile of cookbooks came in handy. One of those books had great recipes for cooking with kids, I think I told you about that book before, including making easy cheeses. 

Fast forward more than twenty years and guess what is one of the new culinary trends? You got it- cheesemaking. Now you can get all crazy and involved and learn how to make your own aged cheddar and cheeses like that, or even get some friends together and pull some mozzarella but I'm keeping it super simple for this installment of Beginners' Cheesemaking. We are going to make a batch of fresh ricotta cheese, so easy, so super creamy and rich, and fresh! But that's not all. Since fresh ricotta is so simple, I would be pretty lazy if I didn't use that delicious cheese in a recipe, so after we make our cheese, we will be making my super easy, super fast, and fantastically delicious Cheatin' Cheese Ravioli.

Large scale cheese producers rely on exact temperatures and cultures and bacteria and all sorts of scientific research to get milk to form cheese. In the home kitchen with many soft cheeses it's simply a matter of heating the milk, introducing an acid that separates the curd from the whey, and straining. That's truly as technical as we're going to get. Heat the milk, add some lemon juice, and voila- fresh ricotta. Ready to get started?

To make the cheese, you will need-

2 quarts whole milk*

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

*If you're really lucky you will have some raw milk, but if not just be sure not to buy ultra pasteurized milk. It doesn't separate very easily.

Prepare a sieve by lining with several layers of cheesecloth and placing in a CLEAN kitchen sink.

Combine the milk, cream and salt in a heavy stockpot. Slowly bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring often to prevent scorching. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the lemon juice. Continue heating for a minute or two, just until the curd separates and the mixture looks a little like watery cottage cheese. Carefully pour into lined sieve and allow to drain for an hour. Unmold the ricotta into a clean bowl, cover and store in the fridge. Be sure to use within a couple days as this cheese has zero preservatives.

We don't have to worry about it being around too long because we are going to use it right away. I learned this trick from a cooking class at a local kitchen store years ago and have been using it ever since. It's easiest "cheat" you'll ever find. Before you make the ravioli think about what kind of sauce you'd like to serve with it. I love a good old fashioned marinara sauce with my cheese ravioli, not too chunky with vegetables and no meat. Yes, I do use dried herbs in this sauce- fresh herbs just don't hold up, but by all means, if you prefer that, use them. You can also use Italian seasoning instead of the separate herbs- just use what you have and what you like, just be sure to adjust amounts accordingly. My sauce is so easy to make and just like my mom's, I hope you'll like it.

Monica's Cheatin' Cheese Ravioli

1 quart tomato sauce

2 tablespoons finely minced onion

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

pinch of crushed red pepper

salt and pepper

olive oil

1-2 packages small wonton wrappers

1 recipe ricotta cheese

3/4 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more

2 tablespoons minced parsley
4 scallions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced

eggs

In a stockpot heat a drizzle of olive oil. Add the onion, cook and stir until onion is softened. Add the garlic, and cook for a minute or two. Don't let the garlic brown. Add the herbs and tomato sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and cover, simmer for at least an hour.

Measure the ricotta cheese into a bowl. Add the mozzarella and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Add one egg for every cup of cheese in the bowl. Add a big pinch of salt and a little bit of black pepper and stir in the parsley, scallions and garlic. I like to saute the scallions and garlic in a tiny amount of olive oil just to soften, but this step is optional.

In a small bowl beat one more egg with a tablespoon of water. Using the wonton wrappers, brush the egg wash all around the edge of one wrapper. Place about 1 tablespoon filling on the wrapper and spread out, leaving at least 1/2 in uncovered. Top with a second wonton wrapper, or fold the wrapper over to make a triangle and press edges to seal. Set aside on parchment lined pan until all are filled.

** Want to get super fancy? Save some large leaves from fresh flat leaf parsley and carefully place a leaf on top of the cheese before adding the second wonton skin. After cooking you will be able to see the parsley through the delicate dough. Looks impressive on the plate.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add a few ravioli at a time, watch carefully to prevent sticking, stirring gently. Cook until the ravioli rise to the top, it doesn't take more than a couple minutes to cook through. Drain and place on serving plate. Spoon the sauce over and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.

The "pasta" is so tender and delicate but so delicious- it really is an amazingly fast way to have fresh pasta on the table in a flash. If you like to make your own pasta dough just adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Eat The World- Kung Pao Chicken

I often moaned and groaned about the lack of good Chinese food while living at the lake. That's the drawback to country living. No Chinese restaurant within nearly an hour's drive, and certainly no delivery. Just means I had to make it myself. I am NO authority on Asian cooking. Never have been. Asian cooking is by far my weakest area so I am always on the look out for easy Asian recipes I can duplicate at home. 

Now that The Chef and I have returned to city life we are surrounded by loads of awesome Chinese restaurants and delivery places- one just a block from the city house. Believe me, Chinese delivery comes in so handy on nights when I just do NOT have the energy to cook, but that doesn't mean I don't still need to perfect my Asian cooking skills. Being closer to the huge grocery stores with all kinds of produce options and specialty ethnic grocery items makes it super easy to try a new recipe as often as I can. 

Stuck in the house one night during a nasty winter storm, I found this amazing recipe from Supper For a Steal on Twitter, and I was super excited to make it myself! I knew The Chef would love it, since he prefers Chinese dishes that are not deep fried and I knew I would love all the fresh veggies and nice kick of heat. The peanuts add a crunchy salty element that really makes the dish. Give this one a try for sure.

Supper For a Steal's Kung Pao Chicken
adapted from Supper For A Steal

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 3/4 lb) cubed
1 large zucchini, quartered then chopped
1/2 large white onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
3 clove garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, skin removed and minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons roasted peanuts
1 scallion, chopped

Marinade:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon oil

Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Whisk marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. Add chicken and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to large skillet, Cook chicken on medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until almost fully cooked. Remove and set aside. Add another tablespoon of oil and cook zucchini, celery, white onion for 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes and return chicken to skillet. Add peanuts and sauce and cook 2-3 minutes til heated through and chicken is cooked. Sprinkle with scallions before serving.

How easy was that? Just as good as any Chinese take out I have ever had!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Italian for Two- Chicken Cacciatore

Here is something I didn't know. Cacciatore means hunter in Italian. Makes me chuckle a little bit when I think about the most common cacciatore I know of- chicken. Have you ever hunted a chicken? Me either......anyway, not really the point so, on with my story.

When I was a young girl my dad was very into cooking. He and his buddy Norman often got together on the weekends for a few games of tennis and then they would cook up a storm for dinner. Around that same time my dad got his first Crockpot slow cooker. Of course, he also got a slow cooker cookbook so he could experiment with all kinds of recipes.

My dad. The Seventies Foodie

We had all kinds of soups and stews and dishes made from short ribs. Back then short ribs were the cast-off cut and not trendy like they are today, so Dad could make a big pot of something awesome for not a lot of money. One of the first recipes Dad made in the Crockpot was Chicken Cacciatore. I remember looking at those whole pieces of chicken swimming in that red sauce and thinking it was....weird. 

Now that I am all grown up I have a different appreciation for food. I still have never hunted a chicken, but I love to cook them! My new challenge is cooking for two, and that's not as easy as it sounds when you're cooking Italian foods. Pasta sauce tends to start out small and end up being enough to feed an entire village. This recipe gives you a generous amount of sauce which is perfect for another pasta dish the next day. 

Chicken Cacciatore for Two

2 large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

salt and pepper

olive oil

5 cloves garlic

1 medium onion

1 medium bell pepper

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons crushed dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1 teaspoon marjoram, crushed

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

big pinch crushed red pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine

2 quarts chopped tomatoes*

1 pint pizza sauce**

In a large stockpot, heat a couple tablespoons of oil.

Cut the chicken breasts in half crosswise to make 4 equal pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken in the olive oil, skin side down first, until golden brown. Flip the pieces and brown the back side. Remove to a bowl.

Two chicken breasts cut crosswise gives you four nice portions

Cut the onion into halves and then slice. Slice the bell pepper. Add to the stockpot and cook over medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes until slightly softened. Mince the garlic cloves and add them to the pot. Cook for a few minutes but watch carefully so the garlic does not burn. Add the herbs and spices to the pot and stir until fragrant.

Sauteing the herbs for a minute or two really makes a huge
difference in flavor and aroma in the food.

Add the undrained tomatoes and wine to the pot, and the pizza sauce. Stir well. Place the chicken pieces into the sauce. Cover, reduce heat and cook at least an hour, until chicken is cooked through. The longer you cook, the better the dish becomes. Serve the chicken and sauce over hot cooked pasta.

* I used home canned tomatoes. You can use 2 of the larger cans of chopped tomatoes, or 8 cups chopped fresh tomatoes.

** I used home canned pizza sauce. You can use 2 cups commercial pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce or tomato sauce. If you use tomato sauce you may want to increase the basil and oregano a bit. I used pizza sauce because I had it on hand.

I had plenty of sauce leftover to make another whole dish too. You can also pop the leftover sauce into a container and freeze for future use. I like a thicker sauce so the majority of the cooking I did with the lid ajar, which lets steam out and helps evaporate the sauce, making it richer and thicker. The garlic melts in the tomato sauce, the onions and peppers taste so fresh and the herbs are classic Italian seasonings.

Friday Flatbreads

Friday. The work week is over. The wine is chilling. My chef is at work, meaning I am left to fend for myself this evening. After a long day in the office I often don't feel like cooking a big huge meal when I get home, and living in a rural area limits my options for a quick meal. That's where Flatout Flatbreads come in. 

Usually when we make pizza at the Little Lake House we break out the Kitchenaid and make dough the old fashioned way. Tonight, however, I'm cooking just for me, and cheating just a little bit by using the flatbreads. 

Because I like to shake things up a bit, I won't be using the usual pizza toppings. The bottle of white Merlot chilling in the fridge calls for something a little lighter that won't weigh down the thin and crispy flatbread crust. I want something that will compliment the wine, taste fantastic, but be easy to pull off. Few things in life taste better than perfectly caramelized onions. I prefer Vidalia or red onions for caramelizing. They have a higher sugar content and become so sweet and tender they are irresistible. 

To get things started, I am going to caramelize a large red onion that's been cut into slivers. Cutting the onion was fun itself- I broke out the brand new ceramic chef's knife and I must say, I am sold! It cut the onion effortlessly and nothing stuck to the blade. Cooked slowly in a heavy skillet with a pinch of salt and a little bit of butter until golden brown, I'll add a couple cloves of minced garlic for the last 5 to 10 minutes. I don't want to overcook the garlic- it gets very bitter. Spoon the onions into a bowl and set aside.

Melt another tablespoon or so of butter in the same skillet and add a handful or two of sliced mushrooms (depending on how many pizzas you plan on making) and saute them until golden brown. Mushrooms are a great accompaniment to the caramelized onions. They soak up a little of the buttery sweet drippings in the pan and if left to become golden brown before turning, they take on a whole new savory dimension. Once the mushrooms are cooked, set aside to cool.

We love all kinds of sausage and charcuterie around here, with sopressata and salami being the big favorites. Artisan sausages are easy to find and in any price range but I find cotto salami or Genoa salami to be the best choice for this pizza. I always ask the deli clerk to slice it as thin as possible. Cut several slices of salami into strips, again, using the amount you need for the number of pizzas you are making. It's super easy- roll the slices up like a cigar and slice using that awesome knife, separate the slivers with your fingers.

Lay a flatbread on a pizza stone or baking sheet. Brush evenly with olive oil. This is also a great way to use infused oils or others such as pumpkin seed oil. You can get a huge variety of flavors just by switching up the oil. I used the leftover butter from the sauteed mushrooms with a touch of oil added to be sure I had enough. Over the oil, scatter shredded mozzarella cheese, using a little lighter hand than if you were making traditional red-sauced pizza. Sprinkle the caramelized onions, mushrooms and slivered salami over. Give each pizza a couple grinds of fresh ground black pepper and a little drizzle of olive oil on top. Pop in a 425-450 degree oven and bake about 10 minutes until bubbling and brown and crispy on the edges. Keep an eye on them- remember, you aren't baking raw dough here so they finish a LOT faster!

Remove from oven and let rest a couple minutes. Top with chopped fresh herbs or fresh baby greens if you like. Cut each flatbread into pieces and enjoy with that chilled bottle of wine!

Now, wasn't that easy? There is almost no excuse for greasy deep fried drive thru food when you can get dinner together with only a handful of ingredients and in the oven in minutes. Can't find Flatout Flatbreads? I can't always get them either, so I often substitute large flour tortillas. Sometimes I use traditional tomato sauce and all the regular pizza toppings. Remember- use what you have on hand, and use what you like to make it yours. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."