Teresa Giudice's 'Amazing Arugula Salad'

Well, after some more horrific episodes of my guilty pleasure (Real Housewives of New Jersey)--aka, self-esteem check, I decided to try another one of Teresa's recipes. She made it on a morning talk show in Los Angelos. For a complicated woman, this was a super fast and easy salad. And not with a lot of 'ingredientses,' as she says. It is exactly the kind of salad we would make on a given weeknight with regular lettuce and a few more vegetables. This arugula version is wonderfully basic, goes with just about any entree, and makes for a refreshing side.

Try it with roasted tilapia and a mixed wild rice medley. I love it and had to share it with you guys. I'll be making it again and again and again. Did I mention it was healthy? Thanks, Teresa. Now please go make up with your family--your fighting is stressing me out.

AMAZING ARUGULA SALAD
Adapted from Fabulicious

Makes 4 servings

• 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Salt, to taste 
• 6 ounces baby arugula, washed and dried
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (I used 1 large tomato, diced)

Pour the lemon juice into a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. Whisk in the Parmigiano cheese and season with salt.

Combine the arugula and tomatoes in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Arugula, and Pine Nuts

Easy dinner. Fantastic tasting. Almost like you don't even know it's healthy (used whole wheat pasta, but you can use what you like--multigrain pasta is good too). Came up with this dish last night while in a hurry to make something for dinner. We loved it! Definitely use summer's best tomatoes (heirloom tomatoes if you can get them)--this dish is much better in the summer with fresh tomatoes--not the mealy ones of the winter-grocery variety. In the winter, consider sauteing 1-2 cans of diced tomatoes in with the garlic for a few minutes for this dish. I certainly will.

We had leftover lemon basil chicken from this recipe I made (and adapted) earlier this week. It was very good!

The chicken was great with the pasta. But, I bet the pasta would also be very good with some white (cannellini) beans (instead of the chicken) for a vegetarian meal. Next time, I'm going to try it that way and maybe even replace the fresh mozzarella with feta cheese for variety. By the way, arugula is wonderful in pasta dishes!

PASTA WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA, TOMATOES, ARUGULA, AND PINE NUTS

Serves 6

• 16 oz. pasta (farfalle (bowtie), penne, fusilli/rotini, cavatelli shapes are good options)
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1/4-1/3 cup pine nuts (pignoli)
• ~1 tsp. sea salt
• ~1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper (or to taste)
• 8-10 ounces fresh mozzarella, chopped
• 5 oz. baby arugula (this is ~6 cups)
• ~4 cooked chicken breasts, chopped (optional)
• Parmesan cheese, (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions. While that cooks, heat olive oil up with the garlic and cook slightly without browning. When garlic starts to brown, turn off the heat. Let cool until pasta finishes cooking. Combine the tomatoes, pine nuts, salt and pepper with the fresh mozzarella, and arugula. Add the cooled olive oil and garlic.

Drain pasta and combine toss with the tomato-arugula-cheese-nut mixture. Add cooked chicken, if using.

Serve immediately. For extra pizzazz--serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese over each serving. Doesn't this look delicious? It really was. Hope you enjoy it.

Garlicky White Arugula Pizza With a Fantastic 30-Minute Pizza Crust

I'm in love...with a pizza. And I would like you to be too. There are worse things to be in love with for sure...but this pizza is simply DIVINE. Let's live a little and deviate from red sauce versions once in a while. The crust recipe below was loosely inspired from an allrecipes.com recipe--it's SUPER quick and easy to work with...the crust is crispy, chewy, and very flavorful. Seriously, you will LOVE this crust--you can make it the night before you make dinner. You may not want to share it...that's ok. By the way, I saw the topping on a Barefoot Contessa one time---but I did not look up her recipe. I'm giving credit where it's due though...

The only thing I might try next time we make this is to add some grilled chicken along with the cheese. I'm so glad I made a double recipe of this crust--because we are going to be having this garlicky white arugula pizza again for dinner--it's quickly becoming a favorite. (By the way, I don't trust people that don't like pizza...not liking chocolate is one insanity, but not liking pizza?! You may as well go through life with a straight jacket on....)

30 MINUTE EASY & FABULOUS PIZZA CRUST

• 1/2 cup beer (warmed or room temperature)
• 1/2 cup water (warm)
• 1 (.25 oz) package active dry yeast (my package said 5/16 oz but it worked great in recipe!)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour (OR, all purpose flour PLUS 2 tsp. vital wheat gluten)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• Cornmeal (for dusting pan)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
In a medium bowl (or bowl of an electric mixer), dissolve yeast and sugar in the beer and warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.               
Stir in flour, salt and oil--as well as the Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker's peel dusted with cornmeal.

Spread the crust with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.      
        

GARLICKY WHITE ARUGULA PIZZA

• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/8-1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 3 slices provolone cheese
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled reduced fat-feta cheese
• 1 recipe pizza dough

For topping:

• 5 oz. baby arugula (washed and dried)
• juice of half a lemon
• 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
• salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven. If you don't have one, GET ONE.

In a small saucepan, over low heat, saute the garlic, crushed pepper, and Italian seasoning in the olive oil being careful not to burn the garlic. When the garlic starts to brown, turn off the flame.

Roll out pizza dough or press it out with your hands until it reaches a round of your liking (using hands is my favorite method). Brush the garlic olive oil over the crust. Place the provolone slices onto the crust (don't overlap). Sprinkle the feta cheese and mozzarella evenly over the pizza.

Gently pull out the oven rack with the pizza stone (if using) and gently sprinkle cornmeal onto the stone. Carefully transfer the pizza onto the cornmeal covered pizza stone (keep in mind the stone is HOT!).

Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted and the crust is golden. Let cool a few minutes after removing it from the oven.

Meanwhile, while pizza is baking, toss together the arugula with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Serve the pizza with the arugula salad on top. Heaven, folks, heaven!

Makes ~8 slices (how many that feeds is up to you).