Spinach, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pizza

Welcome to Reveal Day of the Secret Recipe Club! I was lucky enough to receive the assignment to cook something from Nutmeg Nanny's blog - and boy, was it hard to choose! But the minute I saw this recipe for Spinach, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pizza, I knew I had found the recipe I just had to try!

I really enjoy trying different kinds of pizza - garlicky shrimp, barbecue pork, chicken alfredo, roasted vegetable, shaved asparagus (coming soon!) - and so I was excited to try one with goat cheese. I love goat cheese, and I love spinach and mushrooms. And now, I love this pizza. I've already made it TWICE in one week.

I did change up one thing from Nutmeg Nanny's version - I used double the amount of mushrooms, and I lightly sauteed them before adding them to the pizza.



To assemble the pizza, start by preparing your crust - you can make one from scratch, or use a premade crust. If you're starting with dough, use about 1 pound. I used my favorite bread machine recipe - I've listed it at the bottom.

Drizzle the crust with about a tablespoon of olive oil, and use a pastry brush to sweep it over the entire crust.



Cover the crust with the mozzarella cheese,



then add the spinach.



This will look like too much spinach, but it's ok. It will cook down. Now add the mushrooms,



and red onion.



Finally, crumble the goat cheese over the top of the pizza.



Now drizzle some more olive oil over the top.



Then sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. You may be tempted to skip the oil and the seasoning, but don't! It really adds another dimension of flavor.



Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the crust and goat cheese start to brown.



Isn't this beatiful? And it's delicious!



Find all the secret recipe swappers at the bottom of this post.

One year ago: Blueberry Ice Cream Tart
Two years ago: Wild Rice Quiche (the award winning one!), Banana Muffins

Find more recipes at Mangia Mondays, Mouthwatering Mondays, Meat Free Mondays, Make a Food "e" Friend Monday, Meatless/Vegan Monday, Meatless Mondays at Midnight Maniac, My Meatless Mondays, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my tummy Tuesday, Tuesday at the Table, Delectable Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday #2.

Spinach, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pizza

Dough
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. active yeast
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. dry milk

Pour all ingredients into the pan of your bread machine and process on the dough setting.

Topping
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
3 cups fresh baby spinach
4 ounces goat cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Spread dough out on pizza stone or cookie sheet. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil on top of the dough and evenly spread using a pastry brush.

If desired, saute the mushrooms in a large skillet for 2-3 minutes. Top the pizza crust with mozzarella, spinach, mushrooms and onions. Crumble goat cheese on top.

Drizzle with remaining olive oil, and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Bake at 425 near the bottom of the oven for 15 minutes or until crust and goat cheese start to brown. Serves 4.

Fettucine with Ham and Broccoli

I made up this dish a few nights ago when I had leftover ham from the jambalaya and had bought a lot of broccoli and mushrooms at Costco! I really like the ham/broccoli combination, and this easy sauce ties it all together beautifully.

Start by slicing the ham



and chopping the vegetables - broccoli, mushrooms and onions.



Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling water. Then saute the onions and garlic for about 3 minutes in a little olive oil.



Add the mushrooms



and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth



and season with salt and pepper, then cook and stir until it reduces a bit. Then add the milk (if you like a thicker sauce, you can use 1/2 and 1/2 or even heavy cream)



and bring to a boil and simmer til slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add the broccoli to the boiling pasta about 2 minutes before the pasta is done.



Drain the pasta and the broccoli.



Back to the sauce! Add the parmesan cheese



and the ham



and just warm for a minute or so. Transfer the drained pasta and broccoli back to the pasta pot, then pour the sauce over it. Lightly toss to coat all the pasta, and sprinkle with additional parmesan for serving.

One year ago: Buckeye Brownies (one of my favorites!)
Two years ago: Italian Sausage and Bow Ties (another great pasta dish!)

Find more great food stuff at Foodie Friday, Friday Food, Food on Fridays, Foodie Friday #2, Friday Potluck, Fun with Food Friday, Savory Sunday.


Fettucine with Ham and Broccoli

8 oz. fettucine
3-4 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/2 pound ham, thinly sliced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water. Add broccoli to the pasta pot for the last 2 minutes of the cooking time. Drain pasta and broccoli.

Meanwhile, saute the onion in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for several minutes, then add the milk. Bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the parmesan and the ham and stir until the cheese melts.

Return the drained pasta and broccoli to the pasta pot and cover with the sauce. Toss to coat all the noodles. Serve with additional parmesan. Serves 4.

Creamy Avocado and Shrimp Wontons

Cream cheese, avocado and shrimp surrounded by a crispy wonton - that sounds like a great idea to me. These make a lovely appetizer and could also be paired with a nice salad for a light dinner. They also are versatile - you can fry them in a deep fryer, or in a skillet like I did, or you can bake them (I did half baked and half fried), like the crab rangoons - with good results either way.

Start by chopping the shrimp and then adding them to a large skillet coated with olive oil.



Sprinkle with the herbs and spices of your choice - I used some Italian seasoning and a garlic-herb blend.



Heat and stir for just 2-3 minutes to blend the flavors. Since the shrimp is already cooked, you don't need to worry about cooking it - and you don't want it to get rubbery.

Peel and pit the avocado, then combine it with the cream cheese in a medium bowl.



Stir well, mashing the cream cheese and avocado as you go, then stir in the shrimp.



Now you're ready to wrap! I like to separate all the wrappers first so they're easy to grab - when they're stuck on top of one another and you have wet and sticky hands, you just have a mess! (I speak from experience.)



Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and stir well to dissolve the cornstarch. This will just help the wrappers stay closed.



Put a dollop of the avocado mixture in the middle of a wonton wrapper



then choose your method to close it up. (I used square wonton wrappers - if you use round you might be able to make them look a little more authentic.) I just made mine into little "packages" to make it easy, but you could gather all the corners at the top for a little "purse" effect if you like. For the package variation, fold in two opposite corners, then moisten your finger with a drop of the cornstarch water and use it to seal the corners.



Now bring the other two corners over and repeat the sealing process.



If you are baking these, line them up on a cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Then spray the tops with more cooking spray and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. To fry in a skillet, heat the oil (I used about 1/4 cup) over medium high heat and then gently place the wontons in the hot oil.



Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown then carefully flip over to cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes.



Remove from the pan to a paper-towel lined plate.



Here's a plate with both fried (back) and baked (front).



One year ago: Rosemary Roasted New Potatoes
Two years ago: Caramel Chocolate Bars

Find more great ideas at What's Cooking Wednesday, Recipes I can't wait to try, What's on the Menu, What's on your plate?, Made it on Monday, Whatcha Makin' Wednesdays, These Chicks Cooked, It's A Keeper, Full Plate Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday, Seasonal Sunday.


Creamy Avocado Shrimp Wontons

1-8 oz. block cream cheese (low fat is ok)
2 medium avocados, peeled and pitted
1/2 pound medium cooked shrimp, thawed and chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. Garlic-herb blend seasoning
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. cornstarch
Wonton wrappers (36-40 or so)
Vegetable oil if frying (about 1/4 cup)

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan and add the shrimp. Sprinkle the seasonings on the shrimp and stir and heat through for 2-3 minutes to combine flavors. Remove shrimp from skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Combine cream cheese and avocado in a medium bowl and stir well to incorporate, mashing up the avocado and cream cheese with a fork or the back of a spoon. Add the shrimp and stir well.

Separate the wonton wrappers. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water and stir well to dissolve the cornstarch.

Dollop a spoonful of avocado mixture into the middle of a wonton paper, and bring corners up to seal. Dip finger in cornstarch water and moisten wonton paper at seal points. Repeat with remaining wonton papers, ocassionally stopping to stir up the cornstarch water.

If baking, spray a cookie sheet with non stick cooking spray, then transfer sealed wontons to sheet. Spray cooking spray over the top of the wontons and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

If frying, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add wontons to the pan in batches, without overcrowding, and fry on each side 2-3 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Serve warm. Makes 35-40 wontons.

Oatmeal Blackberry Muffins

Lucky for me, and you, there is almost no end to the variety of muffin recipes available! I especially like versions like this, that use applesauce instead of oil or butter for moisture. And packed with oats and blackberries, they are as beautiful as they are nutritious. They come together quickly, without even using a mixer, using the standard "combine dry ingredients, combine wet ingredients, then mix together" muffin method!

I used a variety of fresh and frozen berries. Chop them coarsely, then toss them with about 1/4 cup of flour. This will help prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins.

Now, in a small bowl, combine the remaining flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder.



In a large bowl, combine the milk, applesauce, egg and vanilla.



Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture



and stir just until combined. Then add the berries



and stir gently. Fill paper lined muffin cups and then bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely (if you can wait!) on wire rack.



One year ago: Rosemary Roasted New Potatoes
Two years ago: Chocolate Cherry Cake

Find more great inspiration at Bake with Bizzy, Make a Food "e" Friend Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Mangia Mondays, Muffin Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday at the Table, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Delectable Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty with Bedlam, Let's Do Brunch, Bake with Bizzy.


Oatmeal Blackberry Muffins

2 cups flour, divided
1 cup oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups blackberries, chopped

Combine the blackberries and 1/4 cup flour in a small bowl and stir gently to coat the berries.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 3/4 cups flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine the milk, applesauce, vanilla and egg. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir just until well-moistened. Gently fold in the blackberries.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups and bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 12 muffins.

Frozen Mocha Cheesecake Loaf

A few weeks ago, I decided I should go on a diet. Which for me, basically means cutting out sweets and trying to eat a lot more veggies. I like veggies. But I like sweets too. So I only made it two days before I decided I needed to make dessert. Luckily, this is a "light" dessert as far as desserts go (7 g of fat per serving!), and tastes incredibly rich. If you have to go light, this is a very satisying way to go. It's also wonderful for the summer because you don't have to heat up your oven.

Start by preparing your pan. Line a loaf pan with foil, making sure you use enough to extend over the edges, so you will have handles to lift out the dessert when it's frozen.



Now for the crust, crush the sandwich cookies either in your food processor or with a rolling pin or your preferred method. (Note that this dessert ceases from being light when you eat the rest of the row of cookies while preparing the crust!) Then add the melted butter



and stir well to combine. Press the crumbs into the prepared pan, across the bottom and up the side about half an inch.



Now beat the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, then add vanilla



and the sweetened condensed milk.



Mix well. Now fold in the whipped topping.



Pour half of this mixture into another bowl and set aside. Now combine the coffee granules and the hot water, stirring well until the coffee is completely dissolved. Pour the coffee into half of the cream cheese mixture



and add the chocolate syrup to the coffee flavored mixture.



(Now you'll have a brown mixture and a white mixture.) Spoon half of this chocolate mixture into the crust, then add half the white cream cheese mixture.



Repeat with the chocolate mixture



and then the white again. The pan will be VERY full!



Freeze this, uncovered (since it's so full!) for 6 hours or until set. Then cover with foil and freeze until serving. When you're ready to serve, use those foil handles to remove the dessert from the pan.



Then carefully peel back the edges of the foil



and slice the loaf.



If you're returning this to the freezer (that is, if you're NOT eating all of it at once!) just bring the edges of the foil back up



and then cover with additional foil. (I don't bother putting it back in the pan. You might need to pan to make poppyseed bread or something!)

Enjoy, and don't feel guilty. There's always more broccoli to counteract the dessert.

Love mocha? Then check out rich mocha cake, mocha cheesecake bars and caramel macchiato cheesecake!

One year ago: Pasta with Asparagus and Bacon
Two years ago: Chicken and Zucchini Pasta

Find more great recipes at This Week's Cravings, Foodie Friday, Friday Food, Food on Fridays, Sweet Treats Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Friday Potluck, Foodie Friday (#2), Sweets for a Saturday, Sweets this Week, So Sweet Sunday, Savory Sunday.

Frozen Mocha Cheesecake Loaf

1 1/2 cups chocolate sandwich cookies crumbs (can use reduced fat)
4 1/2 tsp. butter, melted
1 - 8 oz. packge reduced fat cream cheese
1 - 14 oz. can fat free sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
4 cups reduced fat whipped topping
7 tsp. instant coffee granules
1 Tbsp. hot water
1/2 cup chocolate syrup

Line a loaf pan with foil, being sure that the foil extends over the edges for handles. Combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter and then press firmly on the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the prepared pan.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and milk and mix well. Fold in the whipped topping.

Pour half of the cream cheese mixture in a second bowl and set aside. Dissolve the coffee granules in the hot water, and add to the cream cheese mixture. Fold in the chocolate syrup to the coffee-flavored mixture.

Spoon half of the chocolate mixture into the crust and top with half the white mixture. Repeat layers. Pan will be full. Freeze, uncovered, for 6 hours or until set. Cover and freeze until serving.

Use foil to lift dessert out of pan. Carefully peel down sides of foil and then slice the dessert. Store leftovers in the freezer. Serves 12.