I say start the new year with pizza! Yes, that’s right, crispy, cheesy, flavour-packed Sausage and Fennel Cast-Iron Pizza. We can not make just any pizza, it truly needs to be a cast-iron pizza to start the new year right. It creates the best golden and crisp underside that you’ll ever create at home, and you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making all your pizzas this way. Most new year resolutions include some form of healthy eating, but I think the new year (because it’s gonna be great) deserves full-on, carefree, in your face deliciousness. The sausage and fennel combination has not only become my new favourite, cooking it in a cast-iron pan tips it over the edge of my pizza nirvana. So move over plain ol’ pepperoni pizza… grown-up pizza just walked in.
With the new year upon us, we have no choice but to be hopeful for a more user-friendly year. Even though I can consider 2020 a good year, it hasn’t been without its frustrations, and for many people, it has been a year of hardship and heartache. While we can’t eat cheesy, sausage laden pizza all the time, it’s a good reminder to enjoy a few of the simpler things that we can. It’s also great fun to create homemade pizza at home with loved ones lending a helping hand.
1/2smallfennel bulb, thinly slicedplus fronds for garnish
3clovesgarlic, thinly sliced
red pepper flakes
Instructions
Set oven rack to its uppermost position. Preheat oven to 475°F.
Drizzle room temperature pizza dough with 1 tbsp olive oil and press out to a 10" round. Cover loosely with plastic wrap.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 10" cast-iron skillet. Add Italian sausage and cook over medium, breaking up any large pieces. Once cooked and slightly crisp remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
With the heat still on medium/low, immediately lay pizza dough in the pan, stretching out to the edges using a spatula or spoon if necessary. Top dough with marinara, then mozzarella, fennel, garlic and sausage. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and check the underside which should be starting to brown and crisp. Transfer pan to oven and bake until bubbling, about 10-14 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and fennel fronds or fresh basil. Lift out of the pan and cut into wedges and serve.
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Simple is delicious, and this lovely Broccoli Cheddar Frittata is an excellent example! Easy to prepare and cook, and it’s made with ingredients you likely have on hand. Ready in about 45 minutes and makes a great brunch or breakfast dish. But I think it makes an equally delicious light lunch served with a salad or a heartier dinner served with pan-fried potatoes. It’s one of those dishes that is multi-serving and perfect for any meal.
This dish is one of the reasons I love eggs so much. They pack plenty of nutrition and cook quickly, allowing you to get a healthy and satisfying meal on the table without too much fuss. Lots of melty cheese means the kids just might like it too. Enjoy!
Tips:
-Don’t overcook! The frittata is done when the centre is just starting to set and still jiggles a little. It will continue to firm up as it rests.
-Use good quality eggs.
-Be sure to let the frittata rest as it allows the eggs to firm up and makes for easy cutting.
-Don’t be shy with your favourite ingredients. If you don’t like onions, add a little red pepper or spice it up with a few chill flakes or different herbs.
-Use full fat cheddar cheese as it melts nicer than light or reduced fat cheese.
-A lower fat sour cream can be used but the full fat adds to the frittata’s creaminess and overall texture.
Preheat oven to 350°F and set a rack in the middle position.
In a large bowl whisk together eggs and sour cream. Add milk, mustard powder, oregano, salt and pepper and whisk to fully combine. Stir in half of the cheese. Set aside.
Add broccoli and water to the pan and cover to steam the broccoli until just tender about 3 minutes. Remove lid and stir in green onions and whisked egg mixture. Allow to cook over medium-low on the stove for 3-5 until the edge is just starting to set. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and place in the oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes until just starting to set in the centre (it should jiggle a little in the centre). Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Cut into desired wedges and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
-Use frozen broccoli if that's what you have, just be sure to thaw completely and pat dry before using. Add to skillet after cooking the onion and cook just to warm (don't add water) before continuing with the recipe.
-The cooked frittata will keep for several days well wrapped in the fridge and can be rewarmed gently in the microwave. It does not freeze well.
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Do you like lamb? I certainly do, and I believe it’s a meat you either like or don’t. I also believe that some people associate lamb with mutton, which has turned them away from it. Mutton is from the same animal as lamb, but stronger in taste and usually much tougher due to the age of the animal. Mutton is meat from a sheep that is 1-3 years old, which yields a stronger, gamier taste, and is tougher due to the muscles working longer. Lamb, on the other hand, is meat from young lambs that are less than a year old. Young spring lamb is tender and milder in comparison to mutton.
My personal favourite in cuts of lamb is chops, specifically grilled chops, which are delicious with a mustard rub. I also enjoy lean ground lamb and lamb shoulder. The wonderful thing about lamb is that it can take on robust, bold flavours and pairs wonderfully with the tomatoes and olives in this Mediterranean style dish. Saucy, rustic and full of flavour, Lamb Meatballs with Olives and Feta is a welcome change from regular beef meatballs. Perfect with rice or toasty bread! Enjoy!
If you’re a lamb lover like me, you’ll also want to try Braised Lamb Shoulder. Fork tender lamb shoulder braised in a creamy mushroom sauce.
Recipe source for Lamb Meatballs with Olives and Feta: Â Compelled to Cook
Add all ingredients except oil to a large bowl. Gently combine with your hands or a wooden spoon. Roll mixture into 17-18 evenly sized meatballs approximately 1 1/4 ounces each.
Heat oil in a cast iron or oven safe skillet over medium heat until hot. Arrange meatballs in a single layer and brown on all sides, about 20 minutes. Remove meatballs to a paper towel lined plate and drain all but 1 tbsp of fat from skillet.
Using your hands, crush tomatoes and add to skillet along with oregano, paprika and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Add meatballs back to pan, stirring to coat with sauce.
Place in oven uncovered and bake for 20-25 minutes until sauce is reduced, stirring once. Remove from oven and stir to coat with sauce. Sprinkle with feta cheese and olives, return to oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and garnish with chopped red onion and fresh oregano if desired and serve immediately on top of rice or with crusty bread.
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