Today is my loving husband Sean’s 31st birthday and we celebrated with a small family dinner and birthday cake last night (just me, Sean, and Elizabeth). He asked for Grilled Balsamic Glazed Chicken. I served these up with some asparagus and a ton of garlic mashed potatoes.
For the asparagus, I drizzled on a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
I cooked them on medium for about 5 minutes in the panini grill. Sean likes asparagus a bit on the soggy side (not too soggy, but not crisp like how I love um, but it’s his b-day, so I made them his way).
Then for the garlic mashed potatoes: I used 8 small baking potatoes (only b/c I wanted to empty the bag), 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup of melted butter, and salt and garlic powder to taste.
Perfect birthday dinner 🙂
El actually devoured her first piece of asparagus! Yay! She pretty much inhaled her potatoes. Oh and she also tried her very first Oreo Cookie (Daddy’s doing…)
That afternoon El and I made Daddy his birthday cake. I used Dunkin Hines Yellow Butter Moist Cake, and made my own frosting. Wait for it… Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting 😀
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup Nutella
- 2.5 cups of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup of milk
First beat the cream cheese and butter together. Add the Nutella, then the vanilla, then the powdered sugar. Then add the milk until it gets to the consistency you want it at.
El poured on the sprinkles (literally) 🙂
and helped Daddy blow out the candles 🙂 I was holding her so wasn’t able to take any pics, but she loved singing to Daddy 🙂
The night before we made one of my favorite pizza’s to DATE. Chicken Alfredo Pizza, adapted from the Neely’s. It was sooo yummy!
For your pizza crust (The Pioneer Woman’s)
- 1 teaspoon (SCANT) Active Dry Yeast
- 3/4 cups Warm Water
- 2 cups All-purpose Flour
- 3/4 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Sprinkle yeast over 3/4 cups warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.
In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low-speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined, and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.
Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in the fridge until you need it.
Note: it’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance.
Pizza toppings:
- 2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 cups baby spinach, well washed and dried
- 1 cup red cherub or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup grated mozzarella
- Olive oil, for brushing crust
After our dough was ready, we rolled it out and put it out on our pizza pan.
Preheat the oven to 375. Grill your chicken breasts seasoned with salt & pepper, slice, and set aside
Next make your Alfredo sauce 🙂
First melt the butter over medium heat
Next add garlic and cook for about a minute. Then add flour. Wisk in the cream, then reduce heat to low at let it simmer for 2 minutes. Then a dash of salt, a dash of pepper, and the parmesan. All set. (I dare you to take only 1 taste of this sauce!)
Poor mixture over the pizza crust
Add your chicken and spinach
Then your tomatoes
Then mozzarella
Then brush the outer crust with some olive oil
Bake for 25 minutes.
So freaking delicious!
Well it’s Monday, which means Yoga + Bethenny Ever After (and sadly dishes and putting away two heaping laundry baskets).
Time for me to get moving (NEED A VACATION) Goodnight! 🙂
Wow, that pizza looks good.