Strawberry Basil Pizza

I love pizza. Crispy pizza, squishy pizza, oh man, breakfast pizza! But dessert pizza's are something else. Add some savory things to the sweet and even better! (Hey, this would be a great breakfast pizza too!)

Strawberry Basil Pizza

1 pocket-less pita

1 tsp Vanilla Olive Oil

1 tsp cinnamon sugar

2-3 strawberries

3-4 small basil leaves

2-3 tbsp ricotta cheese

1 tbsp Fig Balsamic

Brush the olive oil on your pita and sprinkle it with some cinnamon sugar. Spread the ricotta over that.

Slice the strawberries thinly and spread around. Slice the basil into ribbons and spread that around too.

Now you can eat this cold, but I like it toasted in the toaster oven or broiler for a couple minutes. I let the cheese and the pita to start browning around the edges.

Drizzle with the Fig Balsamic and enjoy!

Fig and Blueberry Chicken

The world didn't end and this recipe got a thumbs up from my grandfather at lunch! So far it's all going well. Even if I am wearing reindeer antlers with bells on them.

Fig and Blueberry Chicken

1/2 cup Fig Balsamic
1/4 - 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
4 tbsp honey (optional)
1/2 - 1 tbsp red pepper flakes (optional)
3 cups shredded cooked chicken or about one whole chicken, shredded
1 box couscous with pine nuts
Garlic Olive Oil

In a large, non-stick, saute pan on medium-low heat, slowly warm up the Fig Balsamic. When it warms through, add the blueberries. Increase the heat just to medium and cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add the honey, if using and cook another 10 minutes. The berries should be hot and ready to burst by now.

Stir in your chicken and mash to burst the blueberries. Add in the red pepper flakes and stir. Simmer and cover until everything is heated through. This shouldn't take more than 6 or 7 minutes.

Follow the instructions on your box of couscous. I like to sub in chicken broth for the water and the Garlic Olive Oil for any basic oil. It really gives this it a richer flavor. If you are feeling really adventurous, you could add some blueberries and almonds in as well.

Penne With Balsamic Butter Sauce

This recipe earned a thumbs up from my picky husband. And permission to make it again! So that's even better. I can imagine this with roasted butternut squash in the fall.


Penne with Balsamic Butter Sauce
Inspired by Food and Wine

1 lb broccoli, cut into pieces
1 lb penne (I love our Maestri Pastai brand)
1/4 cup Fig Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 lb butter, cut into quarters
2 tbsp Roasted Garlic Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste


Heat the oven to 400degrees. Toss the broccoli with 1 tbsp Roasted Garlic Olive Oil and some salt and pepper. Roast about 10 minutes.

Cook the penne until it is al dente, about 11-13 minutes.

Toss cooked pasta with veggies, salt and pepper and balsamic.

Balsamic Chicken Fake-out

Balsamic Chicken Fake-Out, with Lemon Stuffing and Lemon- Walnut Green Beans

This is the easiest chicken dish ever. So perfect for when you are on the run, or just don't really want to cook. Grab these items from the grocery store:

1 rotisserie chicken, plain or herb is best

1 bag, steam in bag green beans
1 can instant stuffing

Cut your chicken into quarters with your kitchen shears. Place in an oven safe dish. Using a pastry brush, coat with balsamic vinegar. I usually choose Zesty Lemon, but I also love it with Raspberry, Black Walnut, Juniper Berry and Fig. Place in an oven heated to 350degrees and bake 10 minutes.

Steam your green beans. Place in a large bowl, sprinkle with walnuts and drizzle on about 2 Tbsp of Meyer Lemon Olive Oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with Sun-Ripened Tomato Sea Salt.

For the stuffing, replace the butter in the instructions with Meyer Lemon Olive Oil but make no other changes to their recipe.

Make sure to hide all the packaging because no one should know how easy this is!