Cooking with Coley

OK, so I don’t necessarily have a secret pizza recipe, but what I do have is a secret pizza griller.  OK, so maybe that’s not a secret either, but friends and family always seem to be awe after Ryan and I prepare a grilled pizza or two.  We bought our nifty griller at Crate and Barrel, but unfortunately it won’t be back in stock/season until late March.  Here’s one I found online that looks similar to ours – most importantly look for one with a handle like this.

Warning – it’s not the healthiest of recipes, but I am willing to bet it has less calories and fat than what you’ll get from your local pizza shop but still tastes just as good!

While we all have our favorite pizza toppings and have preferences re: the amount of cheese and sauce we enjoy most, here’s what I use for my all-time favorite classic cheese pizza…

• 1 lb pizza dough – use ½ per pizza for thin crust which I prefer best
• 2-3 Clovers fresh garlic, chopped
• Garlic powder
• Part skim shredded mozzarella (you’ll find it has the same amount of calories as the reduced fat mozzarella)
• Fresh Romano cheese
• Fresh Basil
• Marinara or pizza sauce
• Crushed red pepper
• Salt and pepper

Procedure

• Roll the dough out to a thin crust and top with ingredients
• Grill for approximately 10 minutes  or until crispy on bottom
• That’s it!  I won’t waste your time with other steps because like I said, we all have our own preferences when it comes to pizza.  However, if you use the ingredients mentioned above, I promise you’ll have a full-flavored ridiculously tasty homemade cheese pie when you’re finished.

Buy a pizza griller ASAP and I promise you won’t regret it!   And feel free to get creative – white pizza or BBQ chicken pizza – everything tastes better on the grill.

Had our grilled pizza? Love it?  Feel free to share your comments!  Happy grilling!

Coley

After I made it to third round of Master Chef, I began to get even more creative and adventurous with cooking.   I have been constantly thinking of new things to make and new ingredients to buy.   While I’ve been making Mexican (fajitas, tacos, burritos, and quesadillas) for years like most of the rest of you home-cooks out there, I wanted to try and create a more authentic taco experience…

I absolutely love Cotija cheese (a hard cow’s milk cheese that originated from Mexico).  Many of you have probably had it sprinkled on grilled corn at tapas restaurants like Toro or on guacamole from La Verdad Taqueria .  In fact, sometimes, I order a menu item just to have some Cotija!  I figured it was time I buy myself some.

So here’s a recipe I highly recommend if you’re looking to spice up your boring Mexican recipe index.

What you’ll need:

Shrimp

• 1 lb peeled, deveined shrimp
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• Lime juice (preferably fresh)
• 2 tbsps chopped cilantro
• Salt & Pepper
• 2 diced Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (optional – but add good flavor and spice!)

Avocado Cream Sauce 

• 2 Avacados
• ¼ cup light sour cream
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/2 tbsp lime juice
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Other

• Black Beans (refried –if you only have a can of black beans, cook them for approximately 15 minutes on low on the stovetop and mash them so they’re a refried consistency)
• Tortillas (mini corn preferable – warning – not the healthiest option)
• Cotija cheese (found in gourmet cheese departments of your grocery store)

Corn Salsa

• Canned sweet corn
• Fresh cilantro – chopped, to taste
• 2 ripe fresh tomatoes – chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes (I prefer Petite Cut Diced with Zesty Jalapenos)
• Lime juice – to taste
• Red Pepper
• Red onion

Procedure – for shrimp

• Mix the shrimp, chipotle pepper, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper in lime juice (about 1 lime squeezed or 1 tbsp); let sit for an hour
• Grill shrimp

Procedure – for avocado cream sauce

• Combine ingredients and puree in food processor

Procedure – for salsa

• Combine ingredients – the early you can prepare this (up to a day), the better

Prepare tortilla with a layer of beans, top with shrimp, cotija cheese and fresh salsa; spread avocado cream on side (see image)

Hi friends, family and foodies – As you may have noticed, the site is undergoing a name change.   Please bear with me as the url changes, and the site undergoes a revamp as well.   In the meantime, if your taste buds haven’t been able to stop craving a tasty Coley dish, please submit a recipe request and I’ll work on getting it posted as soon as possible!

About two years ago, I decided I want to make my own lettuce wraps.  I’d enjoyed Cheesecake Factory’s version not long before and heard rave reviews of PF Chang’s, however, I’d also seen the nutritional information for the latter and was weary of the hidden calories Cheesecake Factory might be packin’ in.

I set out on my mission – to create my own healthy wraps without sacrificing any flavor.  I’d say it was a success – a culinary victory in my book!   Since that first day, I’ve made the lettuce wraps for nearly all my friends and family; we eat them for dinner, and I serve them as appetizers at parties.  Not only are they a delightfully tasty dish, but the bright colors of the veggies make this an eye-catching masterpiece.

Try it and let me know what you think!

What you’ll need:

Chicken

• 1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 bunch of scallions, chopped

Veggies

• 1 package shredded carrots
• 1 package shredded purple cabbage
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts
• 1 Red bell pepper, chopped
• Fresh basil

Sauce

• Hoison
• Soy
• Sriracha

Other

• Boston lettuce leaves; washed and patted dry – be sure not to rip them
• 1 cup crushed salted peanuts

Procedure – for chicken and veggies

• Marinate the chicken, scallions and garlic in Hoison and soy (I often do this a day in advance, but if you don’t have that much time, up to an hour before is fine)
• Marinate carrots, cabbage, water chestnuts, ½ the basil and pepper in Hoison and soy
• Sauté chicken mixture until chicken is cooked through; drain any excess liquid
• Add veggie mixture to chicken and sauté; do not overcook veggies – warm them, but keep them crunchy
• Add remaining basil (goal here is for uncooked basil to add bright green color to dish)
• Arrange lettuce leaves around a serving platter; serve with a bowl of chicken and veggies in the center; serve with sauce on the side and crushed peanuts

Procedure – for sauce

• Combine Hoison, soy and srirach to create a thick sauce; add soy and sriracha to your liking

As also seen on Foodista

I’m back!  And so is my blog.  Unfortunately, as some of you have heard, I wasn’t selected as a finalist for Master Chef. 

I received a nice note from the casting directors that said they loved me, but the final decision wasn’t in their hands.  Although they said they would consider me for future seasons, I’m thinking maybe reality TV just wasn’t my calling!

The experience was certainly interesting, and I feel fortunate and proud for making it as far as I did.  Most importantly, the experience has encouraged me to pursue my passion for cooking and food.  Over the past month, I’ve discovered not only how much I love to cook but realized that I also enjoy writing and documenting my cooking adventures.   So as promised, I’m turning NicForMasterChef into a recipe blog. 

I will also be looking for other outlets and opportunities to share my recipes and guest blog, so I’ll keep you all updated on where else you can find me.  In fact, last week I was featured on Munchies Blog – check it out!  

Well I guess that’s it for now.  Time to put up my first recipe which will be none other than my signature dish – lettuce wraps! 

Happy cooking! 

Coley