I don’t know if you guys consider this a full dinner, but at the very least, this is one of my absolute favorite snacks.  I can almost never resist a portobello anything on a restaurant menu — whether it’s a salad, burger, or a delicious combo like this!

Chad and I have spent a good deal of the last few weekends househunting (basically everytime we’re not working or committed to something else) and it’s a long, intense process that so far isn’t even close to finishing. 

Have any of you guys gone through it?  We had a few places we were considering, and they’ve inevitably sold before we could even decide whether to make an offer!  I guess it’s good news for the economy, but it’s a little stressful for us. 

Fingers crossed that we find something soon!  I’m really looking forward to living in one place for more than 3 years in a row — I haven’t since I was 17!

Portobello Mushroom “Pizza”

INGREDIENTS
4 portobello mushroom caps
8 ounce can store-bought pizza sauce
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces mozzarella cheese (pulled apart or thinly sliced)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350. Spray rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray.  Clean mushroom caps with paper towel and remove stems. Spoon 1/4 cup tomato sauce into cap.  Layer parmesan cheese and then with mozzarella cheese. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.  Add two small basil leaves as a garnish.  Serve warm.

Oh my gosh, you guys!

I almost can’t write a post because I’m so excited that Mad Men is back on the air!  A year and a half in the making, and I wasn’t disappointed at all — which is no small feat!  While I love the fashion on the show (obviously), it’s not usually my personal style — but as they get further into the sixties, I’m drooling over all the mod minidresses we’re starting to see (this one obviously belongs in my closet)!  Can’t wait to see where this season goes. 

Now onto these — I actually saw a similar dish on Pinterest, and I couldn’t get it out of my head!  I made these just for fun on Sunday, but they’d also be perfect as a party appetizer. 

Easy to make ahead of time and just pop in the oven when you need them — and they only take a few minutes!  Simple, colorful, and totally delicious.

Hope everybody had a great weekend! 

Tomato Pesto Tarts

INGREDIENTS

One sheet puff pastry (I use these sheets, available at just about every grocery store)
2 plum tomatoes cut into thin slices
9 small leaves fresh basil
1/4 cup pesto (I used store bought, but this recipe is probably way better!)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Flaky sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Defrost the puff pastry overnight in the fridge and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the puff pastry into 9 equal-sized squares.  Brush them with olive oil and place the tomato slices in the center of each tart.  Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese and a small pinch of sea salt on each one.  Bake for ten minutes, then add pesto and bake for an additional five minutes.  Top each one with a small basil leaf and serve warm.

Makes 9 tarts, can easily be doubled or tripled.

I won’t lie… I was really hoping to post this if the Houston team made it to the Superbowl — how fun would that have been?  Even as a brand new Texan, it was hard not to get excited when every Monday, all anyone could talk about is whether or not the Texans would keep winning.  So this weekend was a little sad!

But no matter who’s playing, nachos are always delicious.  You can’t really beat a combination of chips, cheese, guac, salsa, sour cream and chives — throw on some grilled chicken and you’ve got yourself a whole meal! 

Chad and I used to regularly order nachos at one of our favorite restaurants in our neighborhood in New York, and while the Tex Mex here is pretty amazing, we somehow haven’t found a go-to nacho dish in quite the same way.  So for the immediate future, at least, I’m going to stick to making our own!

Nachos

INGREDIENTS

6-8 cups tortilla chips
3 cups shredded cheddar Cheese or Mexican cheese mix
2/3 cup salsa
2/3 cup guacamole
1/2 cup sour cream
3 large chopped scallions

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Arrange a layer of tortilla chips along the bottom of a wide, shallow baking pan.  Sprinkle a generous amount of grated cheese over the top of chips, and bake in oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  Add dollops of salsa, sour cream and guacamole, and another thinner layer of cheese, and broil at 500 degrees F for about 2 minutes.  Sprinkle with chopped scallions and serve.