Pizza Bianca with “Three Cheeses” and Black Truffle Oil

vegan pizza

What started out as a “Pizza bianca” (the Roman classic:  olive oil, salt and rosemary sprigs), I covered it with a blanket of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged Asiago and topped with fresh mozzarella!  Love the creative rule breaking and a little of this and that approach!

Here’s where you can turn something delicious to something orgasmico!  Drizzle your favorite finishing oil – I drizzled the bianca cheese pizza with Black Truffle Extra Virgin Olive Oil.   For those of us who adore truffles, a must!  I purchased a bottle of black truffle oil from the Olive Oil Emporium.

Here with friends in Toronto celebrating my visit, USA Memorial Day weekend!  Our first white wine glass was a special toast:  honoring the men and women who died in the USA Armed Forces.

a presto,

Maria !

Maria’s “a little of this and that” Chicken Salad

chickensalad1

Sometimes the best creation in the kitchen are indeed ‘a little of this and that’ creations.  It’s freedom and  authenticity ….. I prepared a chicken salad exactly this way by adding roasted garlic, chopped almonds, green apple with fresh lime juice, dried cranberries and roasted corn.  Yum……here’s the recipe and hope you enjoy it!

  • 1 roasted chicken – deboned and chopped in small chunks (add both dark and white meat)
  • 1 medium red onion (chopped)
  • 2 carrots (chopped)
  • 4 celery stalks (chopped)
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup (sliced almonds)
  • 6 garlic cloves (I had them roasting with the chicken)
  • 1 cup of corn (removed from two cobs of corn), boiled
  • 2 granny smith apples (cut in small chunks), add juice of two limes (prevents apple from browning), ps I ran out of lemons and substituted with limes

Dressing:  1/4 cup of each brown mustard and yellow mustard, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. maple syrup or honey, 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, drizzle of balsamic vinegar, pinch of red chilli flakes,  roasted garlic, salt and pepper (to taste).

In a large bowl, add chicken, red onion, carrots, celery, cranberries, almonds, corn and applies (including juice).  Add dressing and mix.

Serve with nachos, salad, your favorite crusty bread or your favorite fork!  Serve with plain toasted waffles and crisp bacon, tomato and lettuce:  BLTW

a presto,

Maria