Garlic Avocado Salad

Let me start off by saying that this salad was not my idea. A friend of the family makes this salad every Friday night for dinner, and it is without a doubt the best salad I've ever eaten. Now, I'm talking about his salad. My recreation is simply that- a recreation. For the real deal, you have to have that salad, made by him on a Friday night.

Nonetheless, this salad is still incredible. The flavor, the texture, the smell, everything about it is perfect. It makes a great lunch, dinner, or side salad paired with any entree. It is crisp, flavorful, and so garlic-y that you'll need a mint, or two, or three after eating it. But the stench is worth it. 

I used a mortar and pestle to break down the garlic, but you could also chop or mince it very finely. Oh, and if you're wondering, I did get a new camera. Today. And it is my baby. It took me a while, but I finally decided to invest in a DSLR and it has made a world of a difference. 

Due to the cold weather here lately, there haven't been a lot of organic avocados, which makes me sad. BUT, I was able to find two perfect ones at the store. I am savoring them, which is why this recipe only uses a quarter of an avocado. It doesn't sacrifice taste though, this recipe is perfectly balanced.

The ingredients used here are simple and delicious. And that's all they need to be. 

Enjoy and have a lovely Sunday!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped romaine
• 1/4 ripe avocado
• 1/4 tomato
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• Pepper to taste

Chop romaine, avocado, and tomato. Use a mortar and pestle to grind garlic, then add in olive oil and balsamic and combine. Place romaine in bowl and top with avocado and garlic mixture. Use a fork and knife to smother the lettuce with garlic and avocado, and then toss. Top with tomato and peppers and enjoy!

Pile-it-on Pizza

Dinner. Last night. It’s a big statement, but I think this is the best thing I’ve ever made. I wanted to make something special, but I didn’t have a ton of time. I had seen the idea of a flatbread pizza on Bloglovin’ a few days ago and I decided to give it a go. I didn’t have time to make real pizza dough, so I just used some flour, water, and yeast. The simplest of ingredients always make the best food.

I made one serving of dough, and I knew the minute I starting putting the toppings on the first pizza that one would definitely not be enough for 5 hungry people. So I made another, naturally. Just another excuse to play around with more toppings.

Right! The toppings. See the name? Pile-it-on pizza? To decide what toppings I should use, I took all of the Pyrex containers full of leftovers out of my fridge. Squash, cheese, tomatoes, onions, and lots more. Sauteed the squash and onions together, cooked an egg, threw on whatever else I could find, and the perfect pizza was created.

This is the perfect meal for a family dinner, or when you’re having company over. The pizza looks really gourmet with everything on it, but it isn’t really. It’s really just leftovers (sshhhh!) 

For the Pizza Dough(makes two thin pizzas or one thicker pizza:)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1 tsp instant dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt

Pour water into a mixing bowl. Add yeast and stir to dissolve. Then add flours and salt until a flaky dough is formed. Knead on floured surface until dough is formed. Place mixing bowl or towel over it to rest while you prepare the toppings.

For the toppings:

• 1 tbsp cornmeal
• 1 cup cheese (I used a blend of mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan)
• Olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic (crushed with a mortar and pestle)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• Cubed butternut squash
• 1/8 cup basil
• 4 eggs at room temperature
• 2-3 small tomatoes

Cover your pizza stone with the cornmeal. This gives the dough a nice crunch. Cut your dough in half. Roll each half of dough out onto the pizza stone, flatter than a pizza is. If you don’t have a pizza stone, use a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle on olive oil and rub with crushed garlic. Sprinkle on cheese, chopped onions, squash, and basil. Place tomatoes on for color. Cook pizza for 25 minutes at 325 degrees. While it is cooking, cook eggs over easy just until yolks don’t run when touched gently. Then pull the pizza out, put eggs on, and cook an additional 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and eggs are set. Serve with a crisp salad and enjoy!

Note: The toppings are only suggestions. Feel free to add/take away whatever you would like!

Happy cooking,

Gabi