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Easy Taco Grilled Mini Pizzas

Mike and I have been doing a lot of talking about married life. How will we manage money? Do we want kids? Who vacuums?

Some of the answers are obvious (for instance, he will be folding all of the laundry. Don’t tell him I said that. But mark my words.) Others are a little trickier.

One of the tricky parts is dinner. I gotta be honest with you all: I don’t usually cook for myself during the week. I either make a big batch of something on Sunday and eat it all week (Naked Vegan Tacos or Roasted Tomato and Onion Bread Soup, anyone?) or I’ll microwave one of those frozen meals. Many nights, as my close friends know, find me at my local deli ordering a half sandwich and a cup of soup and working through dinner.

Cooking every single day is just too hard for me. I can cook a 20-hour dessert on the weekend without flinching, but don’t make me chop a vegetable.

Mike on the other hand is a very clean eater. He usually has broiled steak, chicken, or fish; some veggies; maybe some scrambled eggs. His meals are filled with healthy but plain food. I always tease him about choosing super simple recipes when I’m baking huge desserts, but really, he’s the one who takes the time to cook good meals on a daily basis.

I guess it seems obvious that he should be our go-to dinner person, but then again, I’m bored with his menu already. There are only so many nights I can eat chicken and vegetables.

We need a way to make one dinner customizable to both of our tastes. I’ve always loved Pillsbury crescent rolls for this purpose — they’re so versatile and can be stuffed with any old thing — but recently Pillsbury asked me to try their pizza crust and I enjoyed it, too! It’s perfect for a fun family night since everyone can choose their own toppings.

To try it out, I thought I’d give grilled pizza a go. I’ve wanted to grill pizza since folks around the interwebz first began doing so, but I live in an apartment and don’t have an outdoor grill. I do have a cast iron grill pan, though, so I jumped at the chance to experiment. It turns out that it’s super easy to grill a pizza indoors (and no mosquitoes, hooray). I used the tips from Pillsbury’s How to Grill Pizza website.

The best part about the process, for me, was the power to customize. I chose to cut my Pillsbury pizza crust into mini-pizzas, allowing people to dress their own individual servings. I created a little toppings bar with bowls of tomatoes, avocado, iceberg lettuce, shredded cheddar, sour cream, and tortilla chips. I then grilled the pizzas topped with just salsa, meat, and cheese, leaving the crisp, cold taco salad ingredients for folks to pile on their hot pizzas.


the toppings bar

With summer here, Pillsbury knows you and your family want to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible. So at your next BBQ, why not grill pizza (or mini-pizzas!) for a family fun night? Go see how to grill a pizza on Pillsbury’s website. And please save a slice for me.

One year ago: Elvis Presley Bars (Peanut Butter Banana Bacon Bars – with a vegetarian variation!)
Two years ago: Pretty Italian Pressed Sandwiches
Three years ago: Chocolate Mousse Pie
Four years ago: Baking to Freeze: Mexican and Classic Lasagna and Cookies

Easy Taco Grilled Pizza


Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: 6-10 mini pizzas

These mini-pizzas are adorable no matter how you cook them, but grilling pizzas is fast, delicious, and perfect for the summer. Leave the toppings on the side as a topping bar so everyone can create their own perfect pizza.

Ingredients:
1 roll Pillsbury Pizza Crust
1 pound ground beef or turkey
taco seasoning
cheddar cheese
salsa
optional toppings: chopped tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, tortilla chips, sour cream, chopped avocado

Directions:
Review Pillsbury’s easy instructions for How to Grill Pizza before starting out and get all your toppings chopped and ready. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over high heat, drain it well on a paper towel lined plate, and then sauté it with the taco seasoning and a little water until it’s well seasoned. Set this aside with the other prepared ingredients.

Unroll Pillsbury Pizza Crust onto a greased sheet of foil and cut it to desired “mini pizza” sizes.

Preheat a cast iron grill pan (sprayed well with cooking spray) over medium heat (or preheat an oiled outdoor grill to a low heat). Use the foil to flip the mini crusts, one or two at a time, onto the grill. Grill the crust for a minute or two on the first side before flipping it and adding a layer of salsa, seasoned beef, and cheese. Cook another minute or two to melt the cheese, being careful not to burn the bottom crust. If the cheese isn’t fully melted, you can stick the pizza in the microwave for a few seconds post-grilling to finish that job. Take pizzas to the table and let everyone top as they wish. Enjoy!

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by General Mills via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein, though, are all mine and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of General Mills. You can rest assured that I never share products with you that I’m not personally enthusiastic about.

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Lobster Roll Salad (and salad tips!)

It’s started. Like clockwork each spring, my body (mostly) gives up its quest for the comfort of cheese-laden, bready, warm casseroles and begins craving light, lemony salads. Juicy melons! Light tufts of quinoa! Handfuls of berries! Sprigs of fresh leafy herbs! Piles of greens!

You will laugh at this when I post my next recipe. But for now, since I’m craving all things light and fresh, let’s talk salad.

I eat around 4-5 salads per week, usually of the garden-salad variety: tomatoes, cucumbers, a few croutons. I’m bored just talking about it. You’re probably asleep. Next topic.

About once a week I get an awesome salad from my local Greek place complete with feta, red onions, huge hunks of tomatoes, kalamata olives, a Greek vinaigrette, and shaved gyro meat. I eat it with tzatziki sauce and crackers and it is probably the best salad in the universe. It is also probably 8,000 calories. I’m gaining weight just talking about it. You’re probably disgusted. Next topic.

Salads are harrrd. They’re often either healthy and gross or delicious and artery-clogging. It’s hard to strike a balance. When I got the chance to send a few of my salad questions to awesome, famous, cool, I-can’t-believe-she’s-talking-to-me, celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein in honor of National Salad Month, I jumped at the chance. Both because of my salad confusion and because I secretly hope she decides to be my BFF. Heyyy, Michelle. Call me. We’ll go shoe shopping. Unless you don’t like shoes. Whatever, that’s cool too.

For now, I’ll settle for her answering my salad questions. I sent her three:

1. I eat lots of salads to balance out all the desserts I make, but they get a little boring. I usually throw together some arugula, lemon juice and olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. What are some quick ways to make salads more interesting?
2. I find that dressing can pack so many calories, but I also sort of hate my salad if I don’t use enough of it. How can I balance taste and nutrition?
3. If you had to choose one salad combo to eat every day for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

Here are her awesome answers, which I will interpret as a love letter to me and an invitation to her house for BBQ (she said none of this. But you will love what she did say.) Thanks, Michelle!

After listening to Bernstein’s answers, I was inspired to get a little more creative with my salad. I took a beloved, traditional dish — the lobster roll — and transformed it into a lower carb salad version that was a little lighter on the mayonnaise and butter. The tangy, fresh lobster salad on the bright butter lettuce felt so springy and happy, but the garlic butter croutons were the piéce de resistance. Mike sliced up some juicy watermelon for dessert, making this a quintessential (and amazing) spring meal.


bonus tip: have you ever eaten your watermelon lightly salted?
it may sound odd, but it really brings out the sweetness!

What are some creative salad ideas?

One year ago: Blueberry Scones with Maple Glaze
Two years ago: Coffee Mousse Filled Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie Sandwiches
Three years ago: Lemon Raspberry Cake

Lobster Roll Salad


Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: 2 servings

Lobster rolls are buttery, tangy, bright, and fresh. This recipe continues those themes in salad form! The salad pictured above used only half as much lobster salad as the recipe below makes; I tweaked the amounts below because I thought it’d be nice to have more. Don’t do store-bought croutons, by the way. These croutons are insane and make all the difference in the salad. I’ll never buy those dry brick croutons ever again!

Ingredients:
1 head butter lettuce, washed and dried
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

12 ounces cooked lobster meat, roughly chopped
4 teaspoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
dash of hot sauce (I use Frank’s Hot Sauce)
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped vidalia onions
2 teaspoons chopped green onions
2 heaping teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 – 2 kaiser rolls, chopped into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cloves roasted garlic (or 1 clove fresh)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet in aluminum foil. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and steep the garlic clove(s) in it for a couple of minutes before adding the bread cubes and tossing them to coat. Spread the cubes on a baking sheet (leave the cloves with them) and bake for 10 minutes. Toss the cubes and bake 5 minutes longer or until as crisp as you prefer. Remove and let them cool, discarding the garlic cloves (or saving them for another use).

Place the lemon juice in a large bowl and slowly whisk in the olive oil. Drop in the lettuce leaves and toss to coat. Season them with salt and pepper and set in the fridge to chill until used.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime juice, and hot sauce. Stir in the onions, green onions, and parsley. Gently toss in the lobster meat so as not to break it up. Salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble the salad by placing the dressed lettuce on a platter, spreading around the croutons, and piling on the lobster salad. Serve immediately.

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How to Make Perfect, Easy-to-Peel Boiled Eggs

This is a quick phototutorial of the Barefoot Contessa method for making quick, simple boiled eggs. They come out easy to peel with fluffy, bright yellow yolks. I eat boiled eggs all the time and loved her little tricks. I hope you do, too!

Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Place eggs in a saucepan of cold water on the stove. The water should just cover the eggs.

 

Step 2: Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil.

 

Step 3: When the water boils, immediately cover the pan and turn off the heat (leaving the pan where it is). Let the pan sit for 5 minutes.

 

Step 4: Transfer the eggs to a separate bowl to cool for 2 minutes. Run cold water over the eggs for a few seconds after they’ve cooled and then drain it off.

 

Step 5: Crack each egg on one side and then on the opposite side.

 

Step 6: Gently roll the egg back and forth to create a “web” of broken shell. This is going to allow you to use the membrane just under the shell to “lift” off the broken shell in large patches, making peeling easy as pie!

 

Step 7: Peel the egg.

 

Step 8: Salt, pepper, eat!

One year ago: Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae
Two years ago: Chocolate Birds’ Nest Cupcake Toppers
Three years ago: Banana Coconut Cream Cakes

5 from 1 reviews
How to Make Perfect, Easy-to-Peel Boiled Eggs
 
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Enjoy some fluffy, yellow boiled eggs that are quick to make and easy to peel!
Author:
Ingredients
  • eggs (I used about 4 in a small saucepan)
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Place eggs in a saucepan on a stove, with cold water enough to cover them. Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil. As soon as it boils, cover the pan and turn off the stove (leaving the pan where it is). Let the pan sit for 5 minutes before pouring off the hot water and transferring the eggs to a separate bowl to cool for 2 minutes. Run cold water over the eggs for a few seconds after they’ve cooled a bit and then drain it off. To peel, crack the egg on one side and then on the opposite side. Gently roll it back and forth to create a “web” of broken shell. Now you should be able to peel as easy as pie! The thin membrane just inside the shell will act like a little net, helping you peel away the shell easily. Salt and pepper and eat — or use in a recipe!

 

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Rustic Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms

I had a second cookie for dessert tonight. I figured I deserved it after spending the better part of my week with some very energetic (albeit lovely) 7th graders. We just completed our annual overnight field trip with Inside Out in the mountains of North Carolina.

The trip in numbers:

3 days.

28 seventh graders.

4 hours in the bus round trip.

0 cell phones, video games, iPods, televisions, computers for the students.

over 55 hours spent all together, bonding as a class.

3 teachers, 3 camp counselors.

1 giant rock face to climb.

27 kids who climbed at least partway up.

about 27 kids who, upon turning around on the rock, said, “WHOA” at the view.

1 awesome rock climbing instructor who, apart from coaching each student, recited poetry for us.

1 time when I was forced to use a portable bathroom which, thank God, turned out to be one of the only clean and pleasant-smelling portable bathrooms in the universe. I wish I knew the company who cleaned it so I could write them a thank you letter. I’m not kidding.

4 gorgeous waterfalls, one of which thundered just above us as we stood on the rocks below and watched the rainbow in its spray.

1 opportunity to serve by cleaning up at the Carl Sandburg Home.

5 baby goats cuddled profusely at the dairy farm.

1 mama goat who, as it turns out, bites.

4 snakes seen in one day alone (today). Thankfully, they were seen from afar.

1 sluice in the same mountain stream where Katniss Everdeen swam.

hundreds of trees.

hundreds of bugs.

1 tsunami of bug spray in the girls’ cabin each morning.

about a dozen times when a student (or teacher) accidentally knocked over a chair in the dining hall.

7 meals eaten at camp, including 2 picnic lunches.

1 liter of food waste or less after the first meal.

0 liters of food waste at the last meal.

1 soaked camp counselor who fulfilled his agreement to jump in the lake if the kids had no food waste.

innumerable games and team challenges.

many kids who impressed me by communicating well, leading, or following wisely in said challenges.

3 student-created skits, including one with a doughnut-related crime and another with a pet chicken.

2 campfires.

1 round of awesome s’mores.

1 silly photo with my entire girls’ cabin in Princess Leia buns.

14 girls absolutely quiet by 10:30 each night. No word about the boys’ cabin, but I have faith in them (and their chaperone)!

2 cramped bathrooms behind one shower curtains that wasn’t quite wide enough to cover both.

14 girls making it “so public” when they were in one stall or the other so as to prevent ANY confusion.

0 shower conflicts. Did I mention 14 girls? My ladies were low-maintenance. Except for the mascara — but I promised I wouldn’t say a critical word about it, since I brought my own tube, too.

5+ morning dippers each day — if you aren’t sure what the “morning dip” is, think freezing water first thing in the morning.

1 very dramatic story by a campfire.

1 crawfish, 2 salamanders, 1 minnow, and 1 tiny bass caught for observation and released.

3 coke zeros smuggled into the cabin by a certain teacher who then found it difficult to scold the student who had smuggled in the chocolate truffles. And the one with the cheerios. And the one with the doughnuts. We’re a hungry bunch.

29 letters written to our future selves, which will be mailed to us next year!

1.5 dozen doughnuts consumed over 2 days.

1 very tired, proud teacher.

And for you? 2 cute pizza mushrooms with a ton of flavor, minus the carb count. Enjoy — while I take a nap!

What was your favorite school field trip? Answer here or join our Facebook discussion.

One year ago: Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae
Two years ago: Chocolate Birds’ Nest Cupcake Toppers
Three years ago: Banana Coconut Cream Cakes

Rustic Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms


Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: 2 servings

I wanted an umami-heavy pizza here, so along with the roasted mushroom “crust,” I added an anchovy filet. I also found that a few black olives and a smashed clove of roasted garlic did not go unappreciated. You should feel free to add whatever pizza toppings you enjoy — in fact, you’ll notice that I tucked a few leftover crumbles of Italian sausage into the mushroom cap in the foreground above, though those weren’t in the original recipe. The sky’s the limit!

Ingredients:
2 large portobello mushroom caps
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and few grinds pepper, divided
freshly grated Mozzarella cheese, to taste
4-6 slices pepperoni
a handful of sliced black olives*
2 cloves roasted garlic**, smashed
1 anchovy filet, chopped lightly with a fork
6 tablespoons pizza sauce of your choice***
crumbles of cooked Italian sausage (optional)
*I used some pitted black Cerignola olives marinated in olive oil and red chili flakes from my specialty grocer, but you can use any you like.
**I bought mine from the specialty grocer, but you can roast a head yourself using this guide — you won’t believe the sweet, mild flavor. You can use raw, but use less, because raw garlic is much hotter, spicier, and obnoxious. Not that there’s anything wrong with that!
***I just used a jarred brand I love.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Clean the mushroom caps by brushing gently with a wet brush. Remove the stems from mushrooms and gently remove gills with a spoon. Brush each mushroom cap with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and a grind of pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes (depending on the size of the mushroom) or until they are nicely roasted but still holding their general shape.

Let the mushrooms cool until they can be handled. Drain any excess moisture from the caps and spoon a few tablespoons of pizza sauce into each one. Top with sliced olives, anchovy pieces, pepperoni, Italian sausage (if you’re using it), the smashed roasted garlic, a generous sprinkle of Mozzarella cheese, and another small grind of pepper. Place the mushrooms back into the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately.

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Lasagna Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

If you’re feeling bad, gather a roomful of 7th graders and pass out the Fruit Roll-Ups that have press-on tongue tattoos. In case you ever wondered: 7th graders are totally not too old for a good tongue tattoo.

These kids are so sweet and fun. I hope they’re just as sweet when they’re protected by a computer screen, shrouded in anonymity.

This comment stopped me in my tracks today on an online entertainment website: “Her voice sounds like screaming — it’s so annoying! I’ve never liked her! And she still looks like that even while working out twice a day?”

I had been scrolling through the comments of an article about a singer who just two years ago had tried to take her own life. She was now feeling happy, healthy, and back on track. In the article, the singer lit up about her kids, pilates, and other things that replenished her joie de vivre. It was a celebration. I was enjoying the sweet well wishes from her fans.

And then, like a punch to the gut: screaming . . . annoying . . . never liked her . . .

Listen, I don’t care what opinions you hold (unless they’re truly unacceptable: racism, sexism, a penchant for arson. You know.) You can like what singers you like. Detest each and every note of the singers you don’t like. That’s your business.

But stop being mean on the internet. No, really. STOP BEING MEAN ON THE INTERNET.

Remind yourself to THINK: Ask yourself, “Is it True, is it Helpful, does it Inspire, is it Necessary, is it Kind?” Sometimes we do have to say the hard stuff to help our friends, to stand up for what’s right. But that hateful comment that picked at everything from the singer’s voice to her weight was far from necessary. It was at best disrespectful and at worst, possibly destructive.

I know you’ll say: “Just don’t ever read the comments!” That’s my rule, too, but I break it far too often and always regret it. In fact, I can’t wait until online media outlets realize they shouldn’t include comment sections at all — that format inspires so much nastiness. Maybe comment sections provide an outlet for all the hateful, evil feelings we keep under wraps during our polite daily lives. The problem is that we don’t need to feed that part of ourselves, and doing so by venting on the internet is not without consequences.

Kim Kardashian might never see you talking about how you think that dress looks on her, but what do you gain by snarking about it?

And more importantly, what do you lose? What do the people that see your comment lose? Do they lose heart about what people think and won’t say to their face? Do they lose hope that people are really kind and good at heart? Do they lose confidence as they wonder what a stranger would say about how their own outfit looks today?

I always say that you can send positivity or negativity out into the world. Either way, you’re altering the balance. Maybe just the slightest bit — the weight of one snide remark in a comment section — but it counts. I know I’m not perfect, but I try. And I think it’s time for all of us to try a little harder. Will you?

* * *

And now a little online positivity for us all: stuffed mushrooms! I love the fluffy ricotta and rich tomato sauce layered into traditional lasagna, but don’t always need the carb count from the noodles. These stuffed mushrooms are filling, hearty, and delicious. Double the recipe for a quick and easy dinner.

What’s your “policy” for yourself about how you behave and chat online?

One year ago: Brownie-Bottom Coconut Chocolate Cream Cake
Two years ago: Banana Coconut Cream Easter Cupcakes
Three years ago: Coconut Cream Tart

Lasagna Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms


Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: 2 servings

Lasagna, stuffed into mushrooms. Simply fantastic.

Ingredients:
2 large portobello mushroom caps
3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 link hot Italian sausage
6 tablespoons tomato pasta sauce*
3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 egg (lightly beat it, then discard half)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
2 cloves roasted garlic**, smashed
freshly grated mozzarella and pecorino romano cheese, to taste
**I bought mine from the specialty grocer, but you can roast a head yourself using this guide — you won’t believe the sweet, mild flavor. You can use raw, but use less, because raw garlic is much hotter, spicier, and obnoxious. Not that there’s anything wrong with that!
*I just used a jarred brand I love.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Clean the mushroom caps by brushing gently with a wet brush. Remove the stems from mushrooms and gently remove gills with a spoon. Brush each mushroom with a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and a grind of pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes (depending on the size of the mushroom) or until they are nicely roasted but still holding their general shape.

While the mushrooms roast, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium skillet. Remove the casing of the Italian sausage with a sharp knife and cook the crumbles until browned. Place the sausage on a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Let the mushrooms cool until they can be handled. Drain any excess moisture from the caps. In a small bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, half a lightly beaten egg, basil, rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, and a grind or two of pepper. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of pasta sauce into each mushroom cap and top with a smashed garlic clove and a generous heap of the ricotta mixture. Press half of the Italian sausage into the ricotta mixture on each mushroom and top with another tablespoon or two of pasta sauce, a generous sprinkle of Mozzarella cheese, and another small grind of pepper. Place the mushrooms back into the oven until the ricotta mixture is set and the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

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