It’s pretty much a given that if it has garlic on it, I’ll eat it.

This vegetarian pizza is no exception.

It gets its rich, mellow flavor from slow-roasted garlic and fresh, baby spinach. Fontina and Parmesan add depth and a little salt. The tangy white sauce balances out the flavors.

Vote Hungry Mouse!

OK, so here’s the deal.

This is my entry in the Breakstone’s Battle of the Kitchen Bloggers, hosted by Sandra Lee. . (Yep, the same folks who hosted last year’s Triple Churned Challenge.) Check out my appetizer, Sweet & Spicy Coconut Shrimp.

For the Showdown, Kraft invited me and 2 other bloggers to duke it out. Picture American Idol meets Iron Chef and you’ve kind of got the idea. (Our secret ingredient? Breakstone’s sour cream.)

I picked pizza because it’s something that’s easy to throw together on a weeknight if you have dough on hand. (And if you don’t, grab a ball at your local market or pizza joint on the way home.) You can get pretty creative with ingredients–and you’re almost always guaranteed to have something you can use on hand.

Don’t believe me? Go take a peek in your fridge and come up with a pizza. (Leave a note in the comments below!) I’m bracing for that artichoke heart, bacon, and broccoli pizza. (Ya know, I’ll bet it would be delicious.)

The participating bloggers have a chance to win a cash prize (1^st place is $350, 2^nd place is $250, and 3^rd place is $150).

Enter to win!

As part of the Holiday Showdown, you can enter win a handful of different prizes. If you enter, you’ll have a chance to win a $50 gift card (one winner each week).

You’ll also automatically be entered to win a grand prize of $2,500!

Sound enticing? I thought it might. Click here to enter to win. You can go back and vote and enter every day!

Alrighty, to the ovens!

Roasted Garlic & Spinach Pizza

1 large whole head of garlic
good quality olive oil
½ cup whole milk ricotta
1/4 cup Breakstone’s sour cream
1 ball pizza dough
Fontina cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup fresh baby spinach

Makes 1 large pizza, serves 4-6

Roast the garlic

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Whack the garlic head in half horizontally.

Put it in a small baking dish (paper and all) and drizzle with olive oil.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Roast for 25-40 minutes, until soft, golden brown, and fragrant. Remove from the oven & uncover the pan.

Yank the roasted garlic cloves out of the skin with a fork and put them in a small bowl.

Mash them into a paste in a small dish with a fork.

Strain the oil (that’s pure roasted garlic flavor), pop it in the fridge, and reserve it for another use. (Add to salad dressings, brush bread before toasting, rub a roasting chicken with it, you name it…)

Make the white sauce

Put the ricotta, Breakstone’s sour cream, and roasted garlic in a small dish. Whisk together until uniform. Set aside.

Assemble the pizza

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Roll the pizza dough out on a lightly floured board.

Transfer to an unlined, nonstick pizza pan. Stretch it out with your hands so it covers the whole pan.

Spread the dough evenly with the sour cream & roasted garlic mixture.

Sprinkle with a thin layer of Fontina.

Add a thin layer of baby spinach.

Sprinkle with another thin layer of Fontina. Dust with Parmesan cheese. I tossed on a little freshly cracked pepper, just for good measure. You get the idea. (Pizza is a great canvas. Don’t be afraid to improvise.)

Bake the pizza

Bake the pizza in your preheated, 500-degree oven for 10-12 minutes, until crisp and lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and slide it onto a wooden board. Slice and serve immediately.

Serving tip

Add more protein to this pizza with thinly sliced, leftover roast chicken or par-cooked shrimp. (And a handful of crispy, crumbled bacon couldn’t hurt, either…)

Please vote for The Hungry Mouse!

Click here to enter to vote and enter to win.

Related posts:

1. Simple Spinach Salad with Toasted Walnuts & Gorgonzola So, a handful of years ago, I worked out of...
2. Maple Roasted Figs I put figs in the same camp as black licorice:...
3. Sweet & Spicy Coconut Shrimp (Plus, enter to win $2,500!) This is my appetizer entry in the Breakstone's Battle of...

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OK, so that’s sort of a trick title.

“How to Reheat King Crab” would be more accurate. In the U.S., almost all the King Crab you’ll find in stores is already cooked. (It’s caught, cooked, then blast frozen to preserve its fresh taste.)

This one is more method than actual recipe. The goal is to get the crab hot without drying it out. In reality, it’s really, really easy. The key is to keep them well wrapped (or covered) with liquid.

King Crab legs are at their best when served simply: hot with a side of melted butter for dipping. Call me a purist.

What is a King Crab, anyway?

Let’s back up for a sec before we roast this beastie.

I don’t know about you, but to me, King Crab has always been one of those capital “F” Fancy Foods. It’s right up there with filet mignon and oysters rockafeller. It’s a major player in classic steakhouse surf n’ turf. It feels like it should be complicated to make.

But what, exactly, is King Crab?

There are about 121 species of the prickly, cold water King Crab scrambling around in the seas. Three are most commonly used for food: the red king crab (most prized for flavor), blue king crab (sought out for its sweet meat and giant claws), and golden king crab (the smallest of the three and mildest in flavor).

As with most seafood, there are fishing requirements (size and sex…only males can be kept for food). In the U.S., we catch King Crab up in Alaska (hence, Alaskan King Crab). Alaska’s largest harvest takes place in Bristol Bay, where the King Crab population is abundant and healthy.

As you can tell by the monstrous size of their legs, they’re really big. (Yikes!)

(Photo of brave woman + crab courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

The crabs are a dark, wine red when they’re alive, and bright red when they’re cooked. The meat is snow white, with bright red highlights.

Oh, and it’s notoriously dangerous work to trap them. So before you sit down to dine, say a word or two of thanks to the brave fishermen who fought freezing temps and turbulent seas to bring them to your market. King Crab fishing is the subject of the Discovery Channel’s popular show, Deadliest Catch. (For more fishing facts, Deadliest Catch’s website has a great section called Crab Fishing 101. Check it out here.)

Is King Crab a sustainable seafood?

Well, it depends on where your crab was caught. Seafood Watch recommends avoiding King Crab caught outside the US, but says that domestic King Crab is a good alternative.

I’ve read that a lot of the Alaskan King Crab sold in the U.S. is actually from Russia, so buyer beware. Any reputable fish shop is going to be able to tell you where their stuff was caught without batting an eye.

Did you know?

If that wasn’t enough info about King Crab for ya, here are a few more facts:

• King Crab legs have a size rating, similar to shrimp. They’re measured by how many legs make up 10 lbs. So, a size of “6-9″ means 6-9 legs would weigh 10 lbs. Basically, the smaller the size rating, the bigger the legs.
• While we all know about the legs, King Crab claws are also reportedly very tasty. If you have the chance to try them, jump at it!
• King Crabs can live upwards of 20 years.
• Protein-rich King Crab has no carbs and almost no fat

Serving sizes

OK, this is entirely subjective, but I’d count on 2-4 legs per person if you’re serving them as a main course. Since that can be a pretty pricey affair, I like to serve King Crab as an appetizer, with 1 leg per person.

4 ways to cook King Crab

OK, here’s the deal. Since most King Crab is already cooked when it comes to market, all you have to do is reheat it. This generally takes 5-10 minutes, depending on how you heat them. Here are 4 methods to try.

1. Steamed—Fill a large pot about 1/3 full with water. Bring it to a boil. Put the crab legs in a colander over the boiling water. Put a lid on the pot to steam them to heat them up. This will take about 10 minutes.

2. Boiled—Bring a large pot of water to boil. Knock the heat down so that the water holds a simmer. Drop in your crab legs. Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Remove from the water, drain, and serve.

3. Grilled—Brush your legs with oil (to keep them from sticking). Grill for 5 minutes on each side on a 325 degree grill.

4. Baked—(This is what I did). Baking is a great way to make King Crab legs for a crowd. The legs can be pretty big, so if you have more than a few of them, they can be hard to fit in even the largest stock pot.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Put the crab legs on a sheet pan.

Squeeze a lemon or two over the legs.

Add just enough hot water to cover the bottom of the pan. (Be sure your water is hot.)

Wrap the entire pan in foil. You want a fairly tight seal, to keep the steam in.

Pop the pan into your preheated, 350-degree oven. Bake for about 10 minutes, until heated through. When the time’s up, yank the pan out of the oven, give them a quick test for temperature (I just crack into one and see if it’s hot in the middle), and…voila! You just made King Crab.

Transfer to a platter. Serve with loads of melted butter for dipping. Be sure to put out a few lobster/nut crackers. You’ll need them to get into some parts of those shells!

Enjoy!

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Prime Rib: It’s not just for Christmas dinner.

I’ll make this whenever I can get my paws on one at a good price (or the rare super sale). It’s a great excuse to have a party. In fact, if you’re sick of ham on Easter, consider giving Roast Beast it’s day in the (springtime) sun.

This is a restaurant technique that’s practically guaranteed to produce a moist, juicy, evenly cooked roast beast. And it couldn’t be simpler.

Seriously.

How to buy prime rib

Prime rib is expensive, so you want to be sure you get the best meat for your dollar. You’ll find it sold two ways: bone in, or boneless. I prefer the bone-in roasts. I think they taste better. They also make a slightly more impressive table presentation. Boneless roasts cook a little faster, so keep that in mind as it’s roasting.

Look for a roast with a layer of creamy white fat on the top. You’re going to roast your beast fat-side up, so the fat bastes the meat as it melts. The roast should be tied (though you can do this yourself at home) to keep its nice, plump shape as it cooks.

The flesh should be bright red and the fat should be firm and white.

Look for good marbling, if you can find it. Marbling = those skinny little strips of white fat shot through the meat. Most of it will melt as the meat roasts, contributing rich, beefy flavor.

Many butchers will have some pre-cut and wrapped in the case, especially around the holidays. If you don’t like the look of the ones they have out, ask your butcher to cut a fresh one for you. Depending on your market, you might need to special order one.

I’ve said it before: Find a butcher and make friends with him. You can thank me later.

What size roast do you need?

When you order prime rib at a restaurant, normally you’ll get one whole rib, so you wind up with a brontosaurus-sized steak.

You can certainly cut one rib per person, but that can be a lot of meat for one, especially if you’re serving other stuff. Plus, that can get pricey fast.

I prefer to carve the ribs off, then cut the boneless roast into thinner slices. You’ll be able to feed a lot more people that way. If you go that route:

Count on (raw weight):
4 lbs. for 3-4 people
5 lbs. for 4-5 people
6 lbs. for 5-6 people
7 lbs. for 6-7 people
10 lbs. for 8-10 people
14 lbs. for 10-12 people

The short version of the recipe goes like this

Sear the meat quickly on all sides on top of the stove to develop flavor and color. Then roast it slowly in a 250-degree oven for a few hours. It seems too low, but trust me, it’ll cook.

Most prime rib recipes will give you a roast that looks kind of like a bulls-eye: Brown on the outside, pink in the center. This method of cooking (at a low temperature for a long time) gives you a roast that’s evenly cooked through and through, so every bit of every slice is just the way you like it.

This is a basic recipe that lets the rich, beefy flavor of the meat shine through. If you like, rub the roast with a little garlic, rosemary, and powdered bay leaf after you sear it (so you don’t burn the spices). You get the picture.

Restaurant-Style Prime Rib Roast

1 (5-7 lb.) prime rib
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
olive oil

Serves 4-7

Prep the beast

Grab your roast. Give him a quick rinse under cold water and pat him dry with paper towels. Get him very, very, very dry. If you don’t, he won’t sear well (water inhibits browning…the meat will kind of steam instead of brown)…

Next, smear him with olive oil. I use pure olive oil, not extra virgin, because it has a higher smoke point. (Plus, virgin and extra virgin olive oil are best saved for finishing and drizzling, not cooking, so their grassy flavor can shine through. Heat basically destroys that.)

Sprinkle him generously on all sides with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Be sure to get all sides, including both ends.

Sear the beast

Throw open a window and grab a fan, because there’s gonna be smoke. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

Next, put a little olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet. Roll the pan around so that the bottom is coated. Set it on the stove over high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, it’s hot enough for your meat.

Put the meat in the pan. It doesn’t really matter which side you start with because you’re going to do all sides.

When he’s brown on one side, flip him over.

Keep flipping him until he’s brown on all sides.

Don’t forget to get the ends.

Roast the beast

When your beast is brown on all sides, remove him from the pan. Place a rack in a roasting pan. Set the meat on the rack, fat-side up. This is important. You want the fat-side up, so that the fat melts as the meat roasts and bastes it.

Pop him into your pre-heated 250-degree oven.

Roast for 3 – 3/12 hours until he registers at least 120 degrees on a meat thermometer.

When is it done?

Most roasts will increase in temperature dramatically once they come out of the oven. Usually, the hotter the oven, the more your temperature will rise.

This “carry-over” cooking means you have to be very mindful of when you yank the beast out of the oven. It also means that the doneness is hard to get right. (Raise your hand if you’ve ever blown the timing on a roast. I know I have.)

Not so with this method. Because the meat is roasted at such a low temperature, it should only increase a few degrees.

It’s a more reliable way to roast a prime rib, and makes timing your meal a lot easier.

Temperature chart
121°-125° F = rare
130°-135° F = medium-rare
140° F = medium
150° F = medium-well
160° F = well done

Be sure to get the meat thermometer into the center of the roast, not touching any bones (that will skew your reading).

Tent your roast under aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes. (Tent means loosely drape and tuck a little, don’t wrap it airtight.) This will let the juices settle back into the roast.

Slice, serve, inhale!

After your roast has rested, transfer it to a serving platter. Carve it up however you like. Thick slices. Paper thin slices. Whole ribs, if you got a bone-in beast.

Enjoy!

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I’m pretty sure I’d be tempted to eat almost anything if you wrapped it in bacon or prosciutto.

This is my take on the classic appetizer, bacon-wrapped scallops. My issue with bacon-wrapped scallops is that, depending on the thickness, the bacon doesn’t always get crisp by the time the scallops are cooked through.

This recipe swaps in prosciutto, bacon’s paper thin, salty cousin, which practically guarantees that your scallops will always come out of the oven wearing a crisp little coat.

This is more method than recipe. Make as many or as few as you need.

A tip for buying prosciutto

I love prosciutto, but it’s one of the pricier things you can find at the deli counter. However, most delis carry two kinds: imported and domestic.

When I’m going to use it in cooking, I always go for domestic prosciutto, which is a lot cheaper (~$5/lb. at my local deli) than imported (~$17/lb.). Save the imported stuff for simple but lux apps like prosciutto wrapped melon or an antipasto platter.

How to buy scallops

Much like shrimp, scallops are often sold by the “count,” a number which tells you how many scallops there are per pound. The lower the “count” number, the bigger the scallops.

And just like with shrimp, if you don’t have a good seafood shop nearby, you’ll be just fine (if not better off) with frozen scallops.

For example, the scallops I got were “U/10″ count, which means that there are under 10 scallops per pound.

Which means, they were huge. As in, HUGE:

Alrighty…to the kitchen!

Roasted Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto

Extra large scallops
Prosciutto
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Olive oil

Plan on 2-3 scallops per person for an appetizer, or 5-8 for a main course, depending on their size.

Thaw your scallops

If you’re using fresh scallops, skip ahead to the next step.

If your scallops are frozen, thaw them out by letting them sit in a bowl of icy cold water for an hour or so. You can do this on the counter (just make sure the water doesn’t get remotely warm…warm, raw seafood = poisoning waiting to happen), or keep the bowl in the fridge (which will take a little longer).

Wrap the scallops (do up to a few hrs. ahead of time)

Once your scallops are thawed, remove them from the water. Drain them well, then pat them dry with paper towels.

Drizzle the scallops with olive oil, then sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to coat.

Grab one slice of prosciutto. Fold it in half lengthwise, and wrap it around a scallop.

You can prep these little guys a few hours ahead of time, so they’re set to pop into the oven when your guests arrive. If you do that, put your scallops on a plate or dish, snuggled up next to each other so the prosciutto stays firmly in place.

If you’re roasting them right away, put them on a parchment lined pan, well spaced out, so the prosciutto can get crispy.

Repeat with the rest.

Pop the pan into the fridge until you’re ready to roast them.

Roast the scallops

When you’re ready to cook them, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Space the scallops out well, so they’re not touching. (If they’re too close, the prosciutto will wind up steaming, instead of crisping.)

Pop the pan into your preheated 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes. Keep a close eye on them. Your final cooking time will vary based on how large your scallops are.

Your scallops are done when the prosciutto is crisp and the scallops are firm to the touch and opaque throughout. (When in doubt, cut into one to check. If it’s opaque on the edges, but jiggly and translucent in the middle, it needs a little more time in the oven.)

Serve immediately. Enjoy!

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Alright. In the interest of being honest this holiday season, I should fess up: I don’t really like turkey. I’m one of those people who thinks that Thanksgiving is all about the sides—and the pie, of course.

Leave it to my husband, my dear Angry Chef, to make a bird that totally changes an opinion I’ve had for more than 25 years.

This turkey is moist, juicy and super-duper flavorful. I actually went back for seconds. (Gasp…I know!)

We used a 6.5 lb. bone-in turkey breast for this recipe. You could also use this method (with regular turkey timing) on a full bird, as well. If you just like the white meat, aren’t feeding an army, and don’t need a huge carcass for soup, etc., this is definitely a good way to go.

This is the second post in our Thanksgiving for Under $50 series, sponsored by Sam’s Club.

The basic method

For this recipe, you make a very flavorful compound butter with whiskey or scotch, maple syrup, and five-spice powder. It gets a boost of warm spiciness from a little extra cinnamon, clove, and star anise—and just a hint of smoke from smoked paprika.

Take that butter and pack it under the turkey’s skin. (Warning: the recipe below makes a lot more than you need for the actual bird. That’s intentional, so you can have extra on hand for sandwiches and other holiday goodies. If you don’t need that much, just cut the recipe in half.)

Rub the cavity with olive oil and spices, and stuff it with smashed garlic cloves and a lemon studded with cloves and cinnamon sticks. As the bird roasts, you baste it every half hour or so with a mixture of dark soy sauce and whiskey infused with star anise, cinnamon, and garlic.

I’m skipping over a few steps, but that’s the basic idea. Read on for detailed instructions.

The bird is intensely flavorful and—thanks to all that compound butter—super moist and juicy.

If you don’t like turkey, you should try it this way. I’m willing to bet it might change your mind, too.

To brine or not to brine

Brining can only improve a turkey.

Essentially, brining means soaking your bird overnight in a mixture of water/stock, sugar, salt, and spices. This plumps up the bird, which helps keep it moist and juicy as it roasts. It also adds flavor.

We skipped it this year because we were running out of time. If you want to brine your bird, check out Alton Brown’s brine recipe here.

My kitchen friends

When I was cooking this weekend, the trees next to our house were full of crows. They were kind enough to let me snap a few shots of them.

My holiday helpers were also hanging around the kitchen, eagerly waiting for me to drop things. (Dexter is the large beast. Penelope is the little silver blur next to him.)

OK! Let’s roast a turkey, shall we?

The Angry Chef’s Whiskey Glazed Roasted Turkey

For the turkey
1 (6.5 lb) turkey breast, bone in
olive oil
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 lemon, cut in half on a diagonal
10-12 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
kosher salt
ground white pepper
onion powder
ground chipotle
5-spice powder
smoked paprika
2 wooden teriyaki sticks (or a handful of toothpicks)

Compound butter (yields enough to have a lot extra. cut in 1/2 if using just for turkey)
1 lb. butter, softened
2 Tbls. Johnny Walker Black
1 Tbls. grade B maple syrup
1 Tbls. 5-spice powder
1/4 tsp. star anise
1/4 tsp. ground clove
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

In the roasting pan
1 lemon, quartered
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 cinnamon stick
6-8 whole star anise
1/2 cup Johnny Walker Black
generous dash Tabasco
3 Tbls. dark soy sauce
2-3 cups water

Serves 6-8

Do a little prep

Mix up the compound butter. (Add all the ingredients to 1 pound of softened butter. Mix well with a fork until uniform.) Set aside on the counter.

Set a v-shaped roasting rack in a large roasting pan. Preheat your oven to 345 degrees.

I definitely recommend using a non-stick rack. You can pick one up for under $10 at most large grocery stores. It makes cleanup so much easier…

Season the bird

Grab your bird. Rinse him really well under cold water, then rub him with paper towels until he’s completely dry. Set him aside for a minute.

Peel and smash the garlic cloves with the flat of your knife.

Whack a lemon in half on the diagonal (more surface area).

Stud each half of the lemon with 5 or 6 whole cloves.

Stick half a cinnamon stick into each piece of lemon. (Toss your sense of aesthetics to the wind. This is purely to keep the cinnamon sticks from falling out, since the cavity on a breast is much more open than it is on a whole bird.)

Drizzle a little olive oil on the inside of your bird.

Rub it around and sprinkle with a little kosher salt, ground white pepper, onion powder, ground chipotle, 5-spice powder, and smoked paprika. Rub that around to coat the inside.

Toss the smashed garlic into the cavity next. Then squeeze each lemon in, and insert it into the cavity.

Grab the flaps on either side of the cavity and pin them closed with two wooden skewers. (If you don’t have skewers, get creative with toothpicks. They’ll work just fine.)

You don’t want to seal it completely. You just want to hold it closed enough so that the lemons, etc., don’t fall out.

Flip your bird over.

Gently loosen the skin from the bird. Pull up at the edge, then work your fingers under, separating the thin layer that holds the skin to the meat.

You want to loosen as much of the skin as you can on the breast, without making any holes. Basically, you’re creating a little pouch to hold the compound butter.

Once you’ve loosened the skin, grab a blob of your compound butter (be careful not to contaminate the whole bowl with your raw turkey paws).

Lift up the skin and push the butter in underneath.

Keep going until you have a good layer of butter under the skin on both sides. As long as you’re not making holes in the skin, there’s really no wrong way to do this. Basically, just get as much butter as you can under the skin.

Next, rub some of the butter on the outside of the skin.

And sprinkle with a little kosher salt, ground white pepper, onion powder, ground chipotle, 5-spice powder, and smoked paprika.

Into the oven!

Set the bird on your roasting rack, breast side up.

Whack another lemon in quarters. Smash up 5 or 6 more cloves of garlic. Grab a small handful of star anise, and a cinnamon stick. Measure out the soy sauce and whiskey.

Strew the solids in the roasting pan around the bird.

Pour in the soy sauce-whiskey mixture.

Add enough water so that you have about a quarter-inch of liquid in the bottom of your pan. (How much you add will vary based on the size of your pan.)

And…voila!

Pop that sucker into your preheated 345-degree oven.

Roast for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until crispy, browned, and 160 degrees internal temp.

Baste the bird every half an hour with the liquid in the pan. Keep an eye on the turkey’s skin. If it starts to brown too much before it’s done, just slip a sheet of aluminum foil over him loosely.

He’s done when he registers 155-160 degrees on a meat thermometer (stick it in the fattest part of the breast, and be sure not to hit a bone or you’ll get a false reading).

Serve and enjoy!

Remove him from the oven. Loosely tent a piece of foil over him for about 20 minutes, to let the juices settle into the meat.

Serve on a platter strewn with lemon quarters, cinnamon sticks, whole star anise, ground paprika, and chopped parsley.

Depending on the size or shape of your bird, you may have trouble getting him to stand up at attention on your platter. Simply prop him up with lemon wedges on each side until he stays put. Works like a charm.

Enjoy!

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