Caramelized Veggie, Prosciutto and Alfredo Pizza

One of John and my favorite things to do is make our own pizza. We've tried a million different combinations, and I try to share some of our favorites. This definitely makes the cut, and is packed with veggies, creamy sauce and golden cheese. John loves anything with prosciutto, so that's just an added bonus!

The best thing about making your own pizza is that you can do just about whatever you want. Sometimes my combinations aren't winners, but most of the time I'm pleasantly surprised by the results. Have fun and share any good pizzas with me, please!

Caramelized Veggie, Prosciutto and Alfredo Pizza
Recipe by Call Me Mrs. Rapp
Yields 1 pizza 

Bruschetta Chicken + Balsamic Glaze

Inspiration struck the other day. I looked into the fridge, trying to decide what to make with the ingredients in front of me. I spied chicken, cheese, garlic, tomatoes and basil. What else would I make but chicken bruschetta? Never having made chicken bruschetta - let alone bruschetta, period - I used what I had and went loosely off the method for stuffing and cooking chicken in this post.

The result was so, so good! It oozed freshness, and I quite literally gobbled mine down. It was altogether quite simple to make, too. I would definitely recommend this for new cooks, as its simple yet looks pretty darn fancy! The balsamic glaze really added something special to the dish, and it saves well, so don't skip out on it.

Side note: balsamic glaze is merely a fancy way of saying you boiled and simmer balsamic vinegar for 20-30 minutes. Pretty sweet.

Bruschetta Chicken
Recipe by Call Me Mrs. Rapp
Serves 2; can be easily multiplied

Crispy Avocado BLT Salad

I'm going to keep this short and sweet, much like this recipe. Crispy Avocado is fantastic. And easy. And going to be making many appearances in the coming months, thanks to this amazing salad. The drizzle and dressing compliment all the tasty treats in this perfectly. The entire salad came together in less than 15 minutes. Do yourself a favor, and put this on your list to make this week!

Crispy Avocado BLT Salad
Recipe by soufflebombay, via Tasty Kitchen
Serves 2

Thai Turkey Burgers

It should be no surprise that Jessica created a turkey burger that I actually loved. I found it especially ironic that I stumbled upon this tasty treat right after I proclaimed that I only like beef burgers in this post. Isn't that the story of life?

Anyhoo, If you're on the hunt for a really flavorful and satisfying turkey burger, then this is definitely the recipe for you. I completely forgot to take pictures along the way, but if you check out my other Thai recipes (links below), you should find some more pictures to help you. Cheers!

Thai Turkey Burgers 
Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is 
Yields 4 burgers 

Fuchsia Flash at Bluebeard

Happy Monday! I have a feeling this month will FLY by, thanks to several events planned for each weekend of the month. It will be June before I know it!

John and I had such a fun weekend! We had friends over Friday, tried a new restaurant, saw Iron Man 3, caught up on much-needed sleep, and ended the weekend with a great dinner with John's family. Instead of sharing every detail, I want to make sure you know about a fun new-to-us restaurant in Fountain Square (for you Indy people!).

John and I had about eight friends over Friday night for a few beverages and appetizers. It was a nice way to start our evening, while waiting for our table to be ready! From our apartment downtown, we headed to Bluebeard, a unique and fun restaurant in Fountain Square. According to this Indy Star piece, it's one of Indy's top 50 restaurants to try!

The restaurant had a great vibe and a very eclectic menu. John and I opted to share the mussels and scallops. At $16 each, the dishes are a bit pricey. I would highly recommend the mussels if you're looking for a good "bang for your buck." John and I easily could have split them, though I highly enjoyed my {2} scallops.

Mussels | Scallops (only 2!)

Our table was filled with laughs, stories, and debates about the best shows on TV currently. {No clear winner!}

Linds and I even discovered we had the same lipstick {Fuchsia Flash by Maybeline}, and we even got Swade in on the party. We had some major photo issues, and fortunately for me, John has learned to take several shots to ensure there's at least one I like. I married a smart one!

John and I had a wonderful evening with friends, and I'd highly recommend the restaurant to anyone looking for an eclectic menu, relaxed atmosphere and excellent service. Thanks to Moyer for coordinating this wonderful night! Cheers!

Southwestern Steak Salad

 

I have a fantastic and fast recipe to share with you today. As a former salad-hater, I understand the "meh" feeling that can come from seeing a recipe for rabbit food (or, "cow food", to my dear husband!). However, I learned that the key is to include lots of colorful ingredients and whip up an easy, homemade dressing. I promise, it makes all the difference!

The dressing on this salad is unbelievable and was so surprising. It is a bit spicy, but you can turn down the heat by reducing or omitting the canned chipotle chiles. I have terrible heartburn, but this salad was so good I couldn't help but dig in. This would be great for a relaxing night at home or for entertaining a group. Enjoy!

Southwestern Steak Salad

Recipe via Jourdan Leigh in the Kitchen, adapted from Martha Stewart

serves 2-4

Tilapia with Toasted Basil Butter Breadcrumbs

+ Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic White Wine Sauce

Or, as John and I called it, the tastiest tilapia we have yet to encounter...Seriously.

I've always enjoyed tilapia, but I've never had it like this. It was rich, flavorful, decadent and absolutely fantastic. In spite of that adjective overload, I'd use more if I could. I will hands-down make this again. I really think it would be a great dish for company, and hopefully I will have the chance to do that soon!

While the ingredients and preparation instructions may appear, at first, a bit lengthy, I assure you this is very doable for the average cook. I highly suggest combining the tilapia with the pasta and sauce listed below (and pictured!). They come together easily, including preparation timing. Enjoy!

[I adapted the tilapia from Jessica at How Sweet It Is and the pasta sauce from My Bizzy Kitchen (and one of my most popular posts).]

Tilapia with Toasted Basil Butter Breadcrumbs + 
Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic White Wine Sauce
Recipes adapted from How Sweet It Is and My Bizzy Kitchen
Serves 2 to 4

Shopping for a Cause

John woke me up Saturday morning with a proposition I never thought possible: shopping. What, pray tell, inspired my sweet hubby to eagerly offer to accompany and encourage this trip? A great event, with a truly wonderful cause: Pink Label event.

John read an Indy Star article about the Pink Label event, learning it offers designer and popular name designs at significant discounts during a 2-day event, with all proceeds benefiting the Caroline Symmes Endowment for Pediatric Cancer Research through the Riley’s Children’s Foundation. And, with that, we headed out for a bit of Saturday shopping.

While I'm sure most of the big-ticket items were grabbed the first day, we managed to snag some amazing deals during our little trip. I stopped at the accessories table almost immediately. I snagged a bangle bracelet I spied at Nordstrom recently, and it was a steal at $8. I also grabbed a four-piece bangle set for a whopping $2.

As we walked around the space, I spotted some great Cole Haan shoes for John. While they were a tad bit big, John was happy to get a deal ($20!) on some comfy - and quality! - shoes that will be perfect for summer.

I'm a big hat lover. A table full of adorable caps drew my attention. Especially, this sassy number. At retail, the hat values at $150. However, thanks to this event, I walked away with it for $15. That, I can do!

Before leaving, John and I returned to the accessories table. I picked up a lovely turquoise cross necklace for $5, and a pair of gold and peach earrings for $5.

In total, we spent $55. We walked away with some steals and deals, but we also left feeling really good about the money spent and the cause it served.

Cheeseburgers + Dijon Aioli

In the last year, John and I cut out a lot of red meat from our diet. I almost always substitute ground turkey, and we haven't felt deprived. The only time I really want actual beef? Burgers. I know turkey burgers can be great, but I usually crave a burger, burger.

As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I wanted to play around with it. John asked me to try incorporating mushrooms a bit more - I'm not a huge fan - and I thought this recipe seemed like good baby steps. I broke down the steps below, so you can feel free to omit, add or play around with the toppings however you'd like.

I loved how the arugula, cheeses and dijon aioli complemented the burger. The whole thing had a "fancy" feel to it, and I'll definitely make these again, especially with summer weather on the way. If you're looking for a fresh burger idea, this is definitely the one for you. Cheers!

Cheeseburgers + Dijon Aioli
Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is
Yields 4 burgers

NashBash

Also known as, my sister-in-law Lauren's bachelorette party in Nashville!

This weekend was an absolute blast! I could not have had a better time celebrating the beautiful bride-to-be with her aunts, my mother-in-law and fellow bridesmaids. Here's a glimpse into our fabulous bachelorette weekend. Congrats, Lauren!!

After a long drive from Indy, we arrived at our hotel and quickly went for dinner.

Bride and her bridesmaids!

We opted to stay in Friday night, as we had a very busy day Saturday, beginning with a tour of the Grand Ole Opry. I really enjoyed the tour, and that's coming from someone who doesn't listen to country music regularly. Though I do love the show Nashville!

Name twins!

The gang (minus Leslie, who graciously took the picture!)

The famous circle!

Bridesmaids and Bride on stage

Rayna's dressing room on Nashville! Loved seeing this one!

After the tour we went on a historic Nashville pub crawl, complete with trivia, ghost stories, fun facts and history about the city. It was a great way to see more of Nashville and actually learn a few things too!

First stop!

The bachelorette with her special hat and veil!

End of the pub crawl (and with the other group of girls who went on it with us)!

We returned to the hotel after our pub crawl to get ready for the evening. We played bachelorette games, ate tons of food and snacks, and then went out to celebrate our bride. Lots of dancing and laughing ensued, and it was a perfect way to round out our day. 

Beautiful bride with beautiful mom and aunts!

Rapp ladies!

Maid of Honor, Bride and Matron of Honor

"Love" it!

Dancing queens!

After breakfast Sunday morning we journeyed back to Indy. It was a perfect weekend, and I can't wait for Lauren's wedding in less than two months! We love you!


On a side note, I have to give a HUGE shout out to my sweet hubby who has been beyond thoughtful this week. He ran all my errands and picked up dinner Monday night so that I could focus on unpacking and getting the house back in order (I'm a spaz!). Then I came home yesterday from a long day, and he had cleaned the entire kitchen, including hand-washing all the pots and pans that I'd neglected for a few days. To top it off, he went out last night and got me a McFlurry because my heartburn was unusually bad. Very blessed girl over here, who is oh-so-thankful for her hubby. Men...take note! :)