Goat Cheese Pizza

Goat Cheese Pizza

1 red bell pepper (sliced)
1 yellow bell pepper (sliced)
1 green bell pepper (sliced)
1 cup mushrooms (sliced)
1/2 cup red onion (diced)
1 tbsp. oil
8 oz. soft goat cheese
1 tsp. garlic (minced)
1 tsp. fresh oregano leaves (chopped)
Pepper
12" prebaked pizza shell (thin)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a pan, saute bell peppers, mushrooms and onions in the oil for 4-6 minutes until softened. In a bowl mix the cheese, garlic, oregano and pepper. Spread the crust with 3/4 of the cheese mixture and top with the sauteed veggies and remaining cheese. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cheese has softened the edges are beginning to crisp.

*Johnna's tip: If your feeling like the extra over achiever, you could make your own dough and have some real fun with this recipe...;-)

Oranges are for Smoothies (Non-Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Oranges are for Smoothies

3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup carrot juice
5 oz. vanilla ice cream
Ice (about 6-8 small cubes should do the job)
Slices of orange

In a food processor combine the carrot juice and orange juice. Add in the ice cream and process until blended well. Add in the ice and blend until smooth. Pour in a glass and serve with slices of orange as decoration.

*Johnna's tip: A healthier option to add in is some protein (Maybe a tsp. or two..). Make this your protein shake/smoothie to get healthier and save some money while your at it;-)

Panama Salsa

Panama Mango Salsa

2 ripe mangos
1/2 cup minced onion
1 large red or yellow bell pepper (seeded and finely chopped)
1 lime (juiced)
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

Peel mangos and remove the flesh. Chop coarsely in a food processor or by hand. Transfer mango to bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. Mix well. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: Have an international night and make this dish alongside other favorites found on JKGF: fried rice, curry lobster, etc...have fun with it!

Pear Lovers Drink (Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Pear Lovers Drink

1 part pear schnapps
Perry (chilled)
1 slice of a pear

In a chilled glass, pour in the schnapps. Add in the perry slowly and dress up this cocktail with a pear on the rim of the glass. Enjoy!

Lobster Bisque

Lobster Bisque

2 cups lobster meat
1/3 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup butter
3 tbsp. flour
3 cups milk
1 tsp. steak sauce
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Seasoning salt (to taste)

In a bowl, mix together the lobster and dry sherry. In a pan, over low heat, melt the butter. Add in the flour and cook; stir constantly until it is smooth and bubbly. Gradually add in the milk, stirring constantly. Cook and stir constantly until the mixture is thickened. Add in the steak sauce, salt, pepper and seasoning salt. Add in the lobster and sherry. Cover and simmer for 7-10 minutes stirring gradually. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Serve with fresh cilantro sprinkled on top...this adds the most delicious topping a lobster bisque could ask for!

Banana Papaya Drink (Non-Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Banana Papaya Drink

1 cup diced ripe banana
2 cup diced papaya
2 cup milk
1 cup ice (crushed)

In a blender, blend all ingredients. Pour and serve it up!

Fondue Spritzer

Fondue Spritzer

Fondue Pot
15 1/2 oz. can white beans (drained and rinsed)
12 oz. bottle of dark ale or beer
1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
hot sauce (to taste)

Heat Fondue Pot according to manufacturers suggestions. Combine the beans and 1/4 cup of ale in a food processor and puree until the mixture is smooth, about 4-6 minutes. On medium heat, combine the bean puree and the remainder of the ale; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Add in the cheeses by the handfuls; stirring constantly; until the cheese has melted. Add in the hot sauce, Worchestshire sauce and mustard; stir. Add all ingredients to the Fondue Pot and serve it up to your guest with fun fondue forks.

*Johnna's tip: Serve with whatever you like...small cubes of bread, chips, toast...the list goes on and on;-)

Tropical Rum Slush Punch (Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:

Tropical Rum Slush Punch

2 cup sugar
2 cup water
5 medium bananas, mashed
1 (12oz.) can frozen orange juice
2 cup lemon juice
1(46 oz.) can pineapple juice
4 cup water
1 (2 liter) bottle 7-Up
Rum (desired amount)

Combine the sugar and the 2 cups water in a pot. Cook and stir until the sugar has dissolved; pour into a gallon sized container. Add in the bananas, orange juice, lemon juice, pineapple juice and the 4 cups water. Mix and freeze. When you are ready to serve this up, thaw out to a slush consistency, add in the rum and pour into your serving bowl. Add in the 7-Up and serve it up!

*Johnna's tip: White rum works best with this drink. About 1/2 cup to 1 cup should be enough rum to get the party started:-)

Stuffy Mushrooms

Stuffy Mushrooms

8-10 large mushrooms
8 oz. can crabmeat
1 egg
1/2 cups bread crumbs
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
dallop of mustard
onion (chopped)
celery (chopped) (*to taste with this ingredient...JKGF is not a huge fan of celery and would probably disgard this ingredient...)
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the egg. In a bowl mix together bread crumbs, egg, mayonnaise, mustard, onion, celery and seasonings. Add in the crabmeat, little by little. Clean off the mushrooms and break off the stems. Put a dallop of butter in the middle of the mushrooms and bake for 5-7 minutes. Remove mushrooms from the oven and spoon the crabmeat mixture in them. Put the mushrooms back in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until top began to crisp up a little. Enjoy!

*Johnna's tip: Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the mushrooms before adding to the oven, so they get a little oven fry and come out sizzling!

*Johnna's tip, tip: Add in your favorite cheese (about 1/2 cup) to the bread crumb mixture to make it even more inviting.

Picture source: http://www.sugarandspices.info/?p=664

CinnaTea (Non-Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:
CinnaTea

2 tea bags
1 1/2 cups water
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp. brown sugar (*you may use less depending on how much sugar you like.)
1 stick of cinnamon
4 cloves
1 1/2 cups water

In a pot bring the cloves, water and cinnamon to a boil. Remove them from the heat and add in the tea bags. Let stand for 5-7 minutes until tea has spread throughout. Add in the lemon juice, sugar and some hot, hot water to taste. Stir ingredients together and serve in your favorite coffee/tea mugs.

*Johnna's tip: Winter, Summer, Winter, Summer...that's the best part about this recipe, it can be used in the winter or summer. Add ice or chill the tea for 4-6 hours before serving for the summer version with a few slices of lemon to decorate the rim of the glass.

Nutty Banana Bread

Nutty Banana Bread

2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
4 bananas
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash up the bananas. Mix all ingredients together and place in a baking dish. Bake for 50-55 minutes until your able to stick a fork in the bread and it should come out clean.

*Johnna's tip: Serve with a sweet butter to spruce this already tasty treat up more!

Kamikaze (Alcoholic)

Drinks on Me:
the kamikaze

1 part vodka
1 part triple sec
1/2 part lime juice (the fresher the better!)
1/2 part lemon juice (the fresher the better!)
Ice
Dry white wine (chilled)
A half slice of a lime

In a tumbler, shake together the vodka, triple sec, lime juice, lemon juice and ice until chilled. Strain ingredients into a glass and top with the wine. Serve the lime hanging on the rim of the glass, Enjoy and drink responsibly!

My Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding

6 eggs
1 qt. milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sweet butter
4 slices bread (broken into cubes)
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Cream eggs, milk and sugar. Add in the vanilla. Melt the butter and soak into bread cubes. Pour into a casserole baking dish and sprinkle the nutmeg on top. Bake for 45-50 minutes uncovered. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: A little cinnamon, bourbon sauce and/or a whipped topping could make this bread pudding more than just your basic bread pudding recipe...

(Non-Alcoholic) Drinks on Me: Coffee Bowl

Coffee Bowl

2 qt. coffee (cold)
2 cup milk
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 qt. vanilla ice cream

Combine coffee, milk, sugar, and vanilla in a serving bowl. Scoop the ice cream out and allow it float on top of the coffee mixture. Serve.

Johnna's Pick of the Week: Thomas Sweet Ice Cream

Sweet Tooth:
Thomas Sweet Ice Cream

O-M-G! The best chocolate chip and vanilla and 20 other flavors of bliss in the nations Capitol. And the best part: it's all homemade. This Georgetown ice cream shop always has a line formed outside its doors summer, spring, fall and even winter! Once you stand in this line and try one of their tasty treats, however, you will perfectly understand why the line is soo long and why the wait is worth it. It also doesn't hurt that the small size ice cream can feed up to 2 people;-) Indulge!

Fluffy Waffle Cakes

Fluffy Waffle Cakes

2 eggs (seperated)

1 cup buttermilk

5 tbsp. unsalted butter (melted)

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. sugar

Pre-heat waffle iron. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks. Whisk in buttermilk, butter and vanilla until blended well. On a sheet of wax paper, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add the flour mixture to the yolk mixture and whisk until smooth. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed, fold a 1/2 cup of the egg whites into the batter and then fold in the remainder of the egg whites until completely mixed in. Cook the waffles in the waffle maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Should make about 8 waffles. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Serve with fresh strawberries and a fresh whip cream topping (*recipe coming soon!) or any other fresh fruit you like and your favorite syrup and Enjoy!

(Non-Alcoholic) Drinks on Me: Banana Papaya Juicy Juice

Banana Papaya Juicy Juice

1 cup banana (diced)
1 cup papaya (diced)
2 cup milk
1 cup crushed ice

Blend ingredients together in a blender and serve it up!

Tomato...Mozzarella...Bruschetta

Tomato...Mozzarella...Bruschetta

3 tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
½ red onion (diced)
1 cucumber (peeled, diced and seeded)
1 cup fresh basil
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 (16 oz.) loaf Italian sliced bread
2 garlic cloves (halved)
8 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the tomatoes, onion, cucumber, basil, vinegar and 1 tbsp. oil in a glass bowl. Set aside for 15 to 30 minutes. Toast bread in oven until a light brown color. Rub 1 side of each bread slice with garlic and brush the same side with the remainder of the oil. Place 1 slice of fresh mozzarella on top of the oiled side of the bread and spoon the tomato mixture over the mozzarella. Serve it up as a tasty appetizer or a quick snack.

(Alcoholic) Drinks on Me: Not-for-Kids Jello

Not-for-Kids Jello
1 package Island Pineapple Jello
1 part Malibu rum

Add Jello to boiling water and substitute the cold water with Malibu rum. Pour into your favorite shot glasses and refrigerate for 4-5 hours before serving. Shoot responsibly!

3-Cheese Ziti

3-Cheese Ziti

1 (16 oz.) package ziti
1 (15 oz.) Ricotta cheese
1 (8 oz.) shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1/4 cup parseley (chopped)
1 garlic clove (minced)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish. In a large bowl, blend Ricotta, 1 cup Mozzarella, egg, parseley, garlic, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in ziti. Spoon into prepared casserole dish and sprinkle on top the remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until golden brown on top, approximately 30-35 minutes. Serve!

*Johnna's tip: Add some garlic bread in the mix for a delightful Italian dinner;-)

(Non-Alcoholic) Drinks on Me: Pine-Apple Punch

Pine-Apple Punch

1 (46 oz.) can pineapple juice
1 (6 oz.) can frozen orange juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 large bottle of ginger ale

All juices should be chilled. Combine the pineapple and orange juices. Melt the powdered sugar in lemon juice and add to pineapple/orange juice mixture. Add in ginger ale just before serving. Serve on a nice spring day:-)

Spicy Jambalaya

Spicy Jambalaya

1 1/2 lb. shrimp
1 cup oil
4 onions (chopped)
2 bundles of shallots (chopped)
1 bell pepper (chopped)
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1/4 cup smoked sausage
3 cup rice (uncooked)
5 cup water
Garlic, minced (to taste)

In a pot, saute onions, garlic, shallots, pepper, salt, peppers and sausage in the oil. Add shrimp, rice and water. Bring to a boil. Cover; lower heat. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir and replace cover. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: The spicy part of the the name of the dish comes in where you decide. If you want more spice, go heavier on the red pepper or pick a really spicy sausage, if you want less spicy go light on the red peppers.

(Alcoholic) Drinks on Me: Dried Martini in a Glass

Dried Martini in a Glass

1 part London Dry Gin
Dash of dry vermouth
1 olive
Ice

In a tumbler, shake together the gin and vermouth over ice. Strain into a martini glass. Drop in an olive for decoration and a little kick, Enjoy!

Johnna's Pick of the Week: R&R

Happy, Happy Hour

R&R

Rooftop deck, spring breeze, nice drinks...R&R. The name is perfect for the former home of Cayote Ugly known for its raunchy bar appeal. The renamed R&R offers that old fashioned bar appeal with a stage on the first floor fit for drunken karaoke and an old wooden bar top for serving drinks. Happy hour offers $5 drink specials of Captain Morgans rum (rum and cokes for that afterwork downtime) and All-American food specials i.e. the mozzarella sticks and chicken tenders help with soaking up the liquor;-) R&R definitely offers the rest & relaxation that is needed after a hard days work and the nice breeze from the rooftop deck on Thursdays is what has placed it on the JKGF Pick of the Week list. Check it out, drink, enjoy the breeze from above!

Chunky Tomato Halibut

Chunky Tomato Halibut

1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1-16 oz. frozen halibut fish, thawed
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
Black pepper

In a skillet, pour in the tomatoes and place the halibut on top of the tomatoes. Add in the garlic, pepper and oregano; cover. Cook for 10-12 minutes over medium heat until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Drizzle the olive oil over the fish, simmer for a little while longer and serve!

(Alcoholic) Drinks on Me: Screwed Up Driver (aka Screwdriver)

Screwed Up Driver

2 parts vodka
orange juice
slice of an orange
Ice

In a glass add the ice, pour the vodka over the ice and top with the orange juice. Stir and decorate the glass with the orange slice. Enjoy!

Single Service White Wine pasta

Single Service White Wine Pasta

2 oz. shrimp or scallops
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. garlic (minced)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
1 cup fettuccine noodles (*whole wheat pasta is good too for a healthier version)
¼ cup white wine
1 tsp. parsley

Cook noodles according to package directions and set aside. In a pan, heat oil and add in minced garlic and butter; sauté. Add in seafood and season with salt and pepper cooking on both sides until done. Add in white wine and stir. Turn down heat, add in noodles and mix together. Top with parsley and serve.

(Non-Alcoholic) Drinks on Me: Too Peachy Smoothie

Too Peachy Smoothie

½ cup apple juice
1 cup peaches (partially frozen)
½ cup raspberries (partially frozen)
½ cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
1 ½ cup ice chips

Pour ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. Serve!

Veggie Tortilla Wraps

Veggie Tortilla Wraps

3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup salsa
1 (15 oz.) can vegetarian three bean chili
¼ cup Italian salad dressing
3 cups instant rice
8 tortillas

In a pan, combine broth, salsa, chili and dressing; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in rice. Cover and simmer on low for 5-7 minutes. Divide mixture among tortillas and roll up for serving. Eat!

*Johnna’s tip: Dress it up with sour cream or jalapenos or lettuce and Enjoy!!

(Alcoholic) Drinks on Me: Quick and Easy Route to Malibu: Part II

Quick and Easy Route to Malibu: Part II

5 parts orange juice
4 parts Malibu rum
1 part Bacardi Gold
Ice

Mix together the Malibu and orange juice in a tumbler with ice. Add rum, give a slight stir and serve.

Made to Order Tortilla Chips

Made to Order Tortilla Chips

15 corn tortillas
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
Salt (to taste)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut tortillas into squares and put in a bag that can be sealed or zipped. Drizzle the oil over the tortillas and seal the bag. Shake to distribute oil over the tortillas. On a baking sheet, lay the tortillas on top in a single layer. Bake for 13-16 minutes or until crisp (do not over cook by browning the tortillas too much).

Picture source: http://www.recipezaar.com/4378

(Non-Alcoholic) Drinks on Me: Fruit Punch for All

Fruit Punch for All

3 bottles ginger ale
3 qt. grape juice
1 ½ qt. apple juice
1 qt. water
Sugar (to taste)
Ice

In a pitcher, mix all ingredients except the ginger ale until the sugar has dissolved. In your favorite punch serving bowl pour mix over ice. Add in the ginger ale and stir. Chill in refrigerator before serving.

*Johnna’s tip: Substitute some of the ice for frozen fruits. This adds in the coolness needed while sprucing things up with flavor. Yum Yum!

Johnna's Pick of the Week: Morrison-Clark Restaurant

Rest-tau-rante

Morrison-Clark Restaurant

Tucked away in the Morrison-Clark Historic Hotel is this foodie treasure. Its where southern food meets American food in an elegant setting. The decor is beautiful with antique fixtures and an intimate dining setting making patrons feel as though they are about to dine with royalty. The pan roasted sun burst trout is dee-lish and the chicken pot pie is worth a try too.

Late Night in the City II

WORKING LATE BUT WANT GOOD FOOD???

Below are Johnna Knows Good Food picks when you want dinner but you also need to finish billing those hours in the office…Order in and enjoy good food always!

1. Foodler.com (Everything!)
Why we like it? You have an array of places to choose from and this service will deliver it to you for a small fee.

2. Doctor Delivery (http://www.drdelivery.com/) (Everything!)
Why we like it? You can order good food from just about anywhere. Serving Northern Virginia.

3. A La Carte Express (Everything!)
Why we like it? Great for the college student, late working professional or just when you don’t feel like going anywhere but want some Indian spiced curry…they’ll get it for you!

4. Bangkok Bistro (Thai)
Why we like it? Delivery, Delivery, Delivery!

5. Manny & Olga’s (Pizza/Italian)
Why we like it? Good pizza that’s delivered;-)

6. Quick Pita (Middle Eastern)
Why we like it? Quick + Pita=tasty treat

7. Rugby (Australian, Italian & American Foods)
Why we like it? Australian cuisine right in your backyard. Delivery begins after 6 pm.
8. Taj of India (Indian)
Why we like it? When you want that curry but don’t feel like going out…this is the way to do it

9. Spring Garden (Chinese)
Why we like it? Quick, fast and pretty decent Chinese food on the go.

10. O’Tasty (Chinese, American)
Why we like it? Old college favorite: cheap, greasy/fatty….but goooood! Ohh and the apple pie is a must try…McDonalds needs this recipe;-)

© 2007 johnnaknowsgoodfood.com

Warm Crabbie Dip

Warm Crabbie Dip

1 envelope vegetable soup mix
1 16 oz. sour cream
1 cup frozen crab meat (thawed)
1 3 oz. package cream cheese (softened)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ cup cheddar and mozzarella cheese

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Transfer to a baking dish and bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until there is light browning on top. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for an additional 7-10 minutes, until cheese has melted on top and has begun to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few moments. Serve with whatever dipping option you choose.

(Alcoholic) Drinks on Me: The Appletini Delight

The Appletini Delight

1 ½ oz. Vodka (*green apple flavor is good!)
1 oz. Apple pucker schnapps
1 part apple juice

Mix all ingredients in a tumbler and shake. Serve in your favorite martini glasses with an apple shaving on the rim;-)

Warm Beany Dip

Warm Beany Dip

2 (16 oz.) cans refried beans
1 (1 1/4 oz.) pkg. taco seasoning
1 (12 oz.) container sour cream
1 (2 1/4 oz.) can chopped black olives (drained)
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chili peppers (drained)
1/2 onion (chopped)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese (grated)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix beans and taco seasoning together and spread in the bottom of a greased casserole dish. Spread sour cream on top and add remaining ingredients in layers ending with the cheeses. Bake until cheese has melted and is bubbling. Serve!

*Johnna’s tip: Make some of Johnna Knows Good Food “Made to Order Tortilla Chips” (see recipe) and enjoy together with this “Beany Dip”!

(Non-Alcoholic) Drinks on Me: Lemonacle Juice (Pronounced Lemon-ack-al)

Lemonacle Juice (Pronounced Lemon-ack-al)

1 16 oz. cranberry juice
1 16 oz. apple juice
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 12 oz. ginger ale
Ice

Combine cranberry, apple and lemon juices. Add in ginger ale and stir. Pour over ice and serve.

Warmed Potato Salad

Warmed Potato Salad

1 (1/2 lb.) small red waxy potatoes
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 tbsp. green onions (finely chopped)
1/4 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Garlic powder (to taste)

Simmer potatoes in water for 15-17 minutes until tender. Do not overcook the potatoes! Drain and cool until just enough to handle. Peel the warm potatoes, slice and place in a bowl. Mix the vinegar, oil, onions and parsley together. Pour mixture over potatoes and blend well. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Serve warm.

*Johnna's tip: Serve alongside fried chicken or smothered chicken. Great salad especially during the winter months!

(Alcoholic) Drinks on Me: Quick and Easy Route to Malibu

Quick and Easy Route to Malibu

1 glass orange juice
1.5 oz Malibu rum
Ice

Shake ingredients together in a tumbler with ice and your in Malibu paradise!