Tag: balsamic


Nov
2015

Balsamic Honey Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

categories: Recipes

Well Dined | Balsamic Honey Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

I want to A) introduce you to my “famous” brussel sprout recipe and B) apologize for the terrible photos that I don’t have time to re-take if I want to get this recipe out to you before Thanksgiving.  I call this recipe famous, because my husband requests it all the time.  My husband who does not like vegetables. *EDIT – Jasper has informed me that he does too like vegetables!*  This week he asked me if we could have steak and brussels for dinner, or even just brussels, and I just about fell over in shock.  Let’s roast some brussels sprouts!

Well Dined | Balsamic Honey Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Trim and halve some sprouts, chop some bacon, and toss them around in olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast for 30 minutes.  So far – pretty easy, right?

Well Dined | Balsamic Honey Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

When they are done, toss in a dressing of balsamic vinegar, honey, and stone ground mustard.  The end.  Seriously, that’s all there is too it!  They are tender and crispy, sweet and savory, and pretty much just all-around awesome.  Whether you make these for your holiday spread or a weeknight dinner – enjoy! (more…)


Oct
2015

Caramelized Onion and Burrata Pizza

categories: Recipes

Well Dined | Caramelized Onion and Burrata Pizza

I love homemade pizza, you know this.  And I really love burrata on homemade pizza – it is so creamy and gooey and just heavenly.  It’s great with tomatoes in the summer, but when paired with caramelized onions it becomes this luscious and sophisticated fall combination.

Well Dined | Caramelized Onion and Burrata Pizza

The onions are caramelized slowly with butter (this takes time and patience), and finished with balsamic vinegar.  They are piled on pizza dough and topped with torn burrata, no sauce needed.

Well Dined | Caramelized Onion and Burrata Pizza

Then it is baked and topped with fresh basil.  Oh. My. Gosh.  It is just so good – rich and creamy and perfect.

Well Dined | Caramelized Onion and Burrata Pizza

My thanks to Melissa from Smells Like Brownies, for suggesting that we make this and for teaching me to stop rolling my pizza dough out so dang thin! (more…)


Apr
2014

Farro Stuffed Portobellos with Goat Cheese

categories: Recipes

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Who would stuff a mushroom with more mushrooms?  Melissa from Smells Like Brownies and I, that’s who, for our weekly vegetarian lunch get together.  Melissa had a ton of farro given to her by a neighbor that she needed to start using, and she was craving mushrooms.  So she found a recipe for balsamic roasted mushrooms with goat cheese to mix with the farro, yum.  You know how much we love goat cheese.  But then she thought, what if we put that inside of a portabella and grilled it?  And I said, why the heck not!  Mushrooms inside of mushrooms, people – it’s inception with fungi.

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Mix up some baby bellas and tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic, thyme, garlic, and red pepper.  Careful there – we thought we just added a pinch, but it turned out spiiiiiiiiicy.  Thank goodness for goat cheese, amirite?  Then roast those babies up.

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Once they are roasted, mix them together with cooked farro, spinach,and goat cheese and spoon the mixture into portobello caps.  The baby bellas are going inside the mamma bella!  No?  No one else finds that funny?  Just me?  Fine. (more…)


Jul
2013

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

categories: Recipes

Well Dined | Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

Melissa of Smells Like Brownies has been doing a CSA this year, so for one of our weekly vegetarian lunches we decided to use up some of the beets and lettuce she had received.  This super delicious and filling salad involves sweet roasted beets, fragrant toasted walnuts, and creamy goat cheese.  Simple and fresh – this is a great way to enjoy beets!

Warm Beet and Chèvre Salad
from Smells Like Brownies
serves 2

Ingredients:
3/4 lb beets (about 3 medium)
6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil, plus extra as needed
1 tbsp honey
salt and black pepper
1 wheat baguette, cut into 1/4″ slices
1 medium head lettuce, such as Bibb or Boston
1/3 cup walnuts, lightly toasted, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
4–6 oz goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.  Wrap the beets tightly in foil and roast them for 1–1.5 hours, or until they are soft enough to pierce through the thickest part with a butter knife.  Unwrap the beets and let them cool 10–15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, and olive oil in a small bowl.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Lightly brush the baguette slices with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.  Set the slices on a cookie sheet and broil in the oven for 3 minutes.

Rinse and tear up the lettuce.  Sprinkle the toasted, chopped nuts and oregano over the greens.

When the beets are cool enough to handle, rub the skins off the flesh.  Cut the beets into slices or wedges and sprinkle over the salad.

Top the salad with crumbled goat cheese and a drizzle of the oil and vinegar dressing.


Jan
2013

More Figs!

categories: Recipes

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I’ve stated before how obsessed I am with figs.  I snatch them up whenever I see them at the store.  Jasper does not share my love of these little jewels, which means more for me!  Bwahahahaha!  …Okay I’m fine now, sorry about that.

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Mostly I like to eat my figs with cheese – this makes me ridiculously happy.  Coincidentally (or not), I also like to eat my cheese with fig jam.  Anyway, one of the most popular pairings for figs is blue cheese, so I wanted to play around with that a bit.

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I broiled the figs with blue cheese so that they were hot and melty, but I didn’t stop there…

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I topped them off with crispy prosciutto and honey.

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It’s okay if you drool a little, I understand.

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Going in a sweeter direction – I also made some balsamic glazed figs with mascarpone.

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Adapted from this recipe – I tossed the figs with a glaze made from balsamic vinegar, sugar, orange juice, and orange zest and broiled them.  Then I served them on top of mascarpone whipped with cream and sugar.

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The cream melting into the hot figs with the sweet and tangy glaze… yeah – this was pretty much heaven.


Oct
2011

Homemade Ricotta – Summer’s Last Hurrah

categories: Recipes

I was browsing through blogs and found a series of recipes on Alexandra’s Kitchen involving homemade ricotta cheese that looked perfect for the end of summer. The recipes all looked really great but I questioned whether or not making ricotta versus buying it would make that much of a difference. I decided to go ahead and try it since it didn’t look all that difficult.


All you have to do is boil milk and cream, and add vinegar to curdle the milk.

(more…)