Claudia's Roquefort Spinach Pizza

If everyone knew how absolutely simple it is to bake a fresh pizza, American fast food chains like Pizza Hut, Papa John's and Dominoes would go out of business.

This evening my husband Steve and I were heading out to a 7:30 showing of The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest (a Swedish film based on the NY Times Bestsellers), so I needed to whip up something quick and easy before we headed out to the show.

The result was a wonderfully delicious and fairly healthy wheat crust pizza with spinach and Roquefort cheese. I always keep a ball of fresh dough in the fridge for such impromptu occasions. For those of you who do not bake, pizza dough is quite inexpensive and can be purchased from the local bakery section of your supermarket.


Roquefort Spinach Pizza
Serves: 4
Bake time: 20 minutes
Prep time: 15 minutes
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Pizza dough
1/2 cup grated Kasseri cheese (Kasseri is a mild, slightly salty cheese that is similar to Fontina. It makes a nice contrast to the Roquefort, but mozzarella is fine if Kasseri is unattainable).
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup pizza sauce
Pepperoni (optional)
2 tbsp. Roquefort, crumbled
Salt, pepper
Butter
Fresh spinach leaves (baby spinach is preferable)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll pizza dough into long, rectangular shape (to fit baking sheet).
Place dough on greased baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Remove dough from oven, brush with butter or margarine.

Spread pizza sauce on top of dough, leaving 1 inch crust perimeter.
Spread grated cheese on top of pizza dough. Sprinkle Roquefort cheese on dough. Add the rest of your desired toppings and bake in a 300 degree oven for 8-10 additional minutes.

Enjoy!

Parisian Style Filet Mignon

This Parisian Style recipe for filet mignon is to die for.

It is so easy to cook, takes just minutes and will impress anyone.

Pair it with a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot (We celebrated with the Stag's Leap, 2006 Merlot). The cause for celebration? Opening a bottle of Stag's Leap is celebration enough!

Claudia's Parisian Filet Mignon

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes

Filet mignon
2 tbsp chopped mushrooms
2 tbsp chooped shallots
2 tbsp brandy
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
salt
pepper

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Pat down the filets with a paper towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally on both sides.

Heat saute pan on medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter to pan.

Chop 2 tbsp of shallots, 2 tbsp mushrooms and and sprinkle them on top of the filets.

Add filets to pan for 6 minutes.

Flip filets over, add 2 tbsp brandy.

Cook an additional 6 minutes for medium.

Serve with pan scrapings of shallots and mushrooms on top of filets.


Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa's Barefoot in Paris.

Claudia's Pumpkin Brandy Pie with Apples and Cranberries

Every fall I like to experiment with various aspects of fall fruits.

For those of you who are looking for an alternative to the ho-hum tradition of pumpkin pie and vanilla ice cream this fall, perhaps you might give this dessert a try. The spicy sweetness of the pumpkin butter mixed with the tangy zest of the dried cranberries plays a perfect trio with the addition of sweet, cinnamon brandy braised apples.

Tart, sweet and slightly salty because of the pecans, this fruit pie is the best I have to offer, and it is the perfect Thanksgiving dessert. The fact that it takes less than thirty minutes to bake is an added bonus - as you can focus on your family and forget about slaving away in the kitchen!


Claudia's Pumpkin Brandy Pie with Apples and Cranberries

Cook time: 30 Minutes
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
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Pie shell
(bake premade pie crust according to directions. If making out of box, add 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract and three tbsp crushed pecans to the mix for added flavor).
Allow to cool, baste with butter or margarine

Add to mixing bowl:
2 apples, peeled and sliced (thin wedges, appx. 1/4" thick)
2 clementine orange extract (cut oranges in half, squeeze directly into large mixing bowl)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp brandy
3 tbsp pumpkin butter (available at most supermarkets, including Trader Joe's)
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp crushed pecan
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract

Toss ingredients thoroughly in large mixing bowl and pour on top of pie crust. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes.

Serve warm with scoop of favorite ice cream or whipped topping.

Godiva Pumpkin Walnut Muffins

On Thanksgiving Eve morning, I wanted to make something special for my little family. My two year old isn't much on turkey and stuffing, but she does love muffins. I decided to create a pumpkin-themed muffin breakfast, but jazz it up with some Godiva chocolate and walnuts.

Once again, this recipe is easy, takes just minutes and can turn a 'whatever' Wednesday into something special.

Claudia's Godiva Pumpkin Walnut Muffins
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
1 Godiva crushed candy bar (or four truffles)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp pumpkin butter (if available)

Mix ingredients in large mixing bowl. Scoop into greased muffin pan.

Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Godfather Gravy with Sicilian Spaghetti

My husband is a vehement cinephile, and one of his favorite films of all time is The Godfather. My job as Kitchen CEO is to take charge of finding the appropriate meal that coordinates with the film we plan on watching for our weekly date we call "Film Feast". This week's film feast centered around Sicily, where the characters in The Godfather originate. I decided to prepare a delicious, simple, authentic Italian spaghetti feast with a Sicilian twist.

Once again, easy to prepare, cost-effective, and can feed an army or just the two of you.

Claudia's Godfather Spaghetti

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
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1 lb ground beef
1 box pasta (Barilla is economical and is the #1 selling pasta in Italy)
4 plump tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 onion
1/2 cup chopped black olive
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
4 cloves garlic
1 cup red Italian wine (such as Chianti)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 cup Fresh, Italian parsley (also known as curly parsley)
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup butter

Add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to large saute pan on medium high.

Brown ground beef in saute pan, add 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp basil to ground beef.

Add chopped onion and garlic to saute pan.

Wipe grease from saute pan with paper towel (do not wet or rinse the beef, as this removes the flavor and seasonings. Just wipe down the pan and remove excess grease from pan).

Add 1 cup Italian wine to saute pan and reduce heat to simmer.

Pour 7 cups water in large pot for boiling. Add salt or olive oil to water. Turn on high until boiling, and add pasta noodles (cooking according to package until they are al dente).

Place tomatoes into food processor. Add tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and parsley

Puree until smooth.

Add pureed contents to saute pan with beef.

Add mushrooms to saute pan and stir while noodles are cooking.

Add 1/4 cup butter or extra virgin olive oil to pasta noodles to coat them and keep them from sticking.

Place pasta on plate, ladle "gravy" on top.

Garnish with parmigiano reggiano cheese.

Serve warm with a good Italian wine, such as a Sicilian Calabrese or Chianti. For a great, reasonably priced Italian red, try one of the Ruffino vini rossi wines, at fine supermarkets and international markets nationwide.

Italian bread with garlic makes this an especially delicious meal. Add a homemade tiramisu (Italian for 'pick me up') and you'll send your guests into orbit!

Mamma mia!

P.s. Tiramisu recipe to follow.

P.p.s. Ruffino wines can be found here: www.ruffino.com

Claudia's Provencal Beef Stew

Claudia's Provencal Beef Stew

A delicious, hearty and tender beef stew that I whipped up last night in the kitchen. The meat is so tender you could cut it with a fork. The flavor truly rivals Julia Child's famous beef stew, but mine takes just 30 minutes to prepare.

Provincal Beef Stew

Serves: 6
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
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Ingredients needed:

1 pound lean stew beef, cubed
3 large baking potatoes
3 large carrots
3 sticks celery
1 cup red wine
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp rosemary
1/8 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp savory
Flour
Olive oil
1/2 cup mushrooms
2 tbsp Herbs de Provence
2 cups boiling water
2 cups beef broth or stock

Pat the beef down with paper towel, liberally add salt and pepper to the beef and coat in flour.
Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to dutch oven or stock pan, and leave on medium high heat until it sizzles. Add the beef cubes to the pan, and allow to slightly brown. Add 1 cup red wine to the beef, and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula, to add flavor. Turn down to medium low setting.


Heat 2 cups of water in a tea kettle, and allow it to boil. Meanwhile, clean and chop all of your vegetables. Add the boiled water as well as 2 cups of beef broth to the dutch oven containing the beef cubes and wine.

Add the vegetables to the dutch oven.

Add the salt and seasonings to the dutch oven.

Stir and cover.

Reduce heat to simmer, and cover for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Season to taste.

It's so easy, it's ridiculous. I serve mine with a fresh French baguette that has been toasted with butter, and a complementary red (Bordeaux or Burgundy work well, or a Merlot or Claret).

Bon appetit!