Alison Lewis

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Easy Dinner Idea: Grilled Pizza with Basil, Mushrooms and Mini Pepperoni

June 29, 2010

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I recently saw a pizza grill pan last week in the window at The Cook Store, a wonderful neighborhood cooking store where I live. I thought to myself, “I want that!”. I received one for a present shortly thereafter, and I was very excited (thanks @jon_lewis -twitter handle). I used it the other night when I was in a pinch as I was testing recipes for my upcoming book (Chipotle Pork Wraps with Slaw).  My kids didn’t want that for dinner so I threw this Grilled Pizza with Basil, Mushrooms and Mini Turkey Pepperoni together for them. I ended up eating both (of course) because it turned out so great!

Grilled Pizza with Basil, Mushrooms and Mini Turkey Pepperoni

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
1 (12-inch) thin or traditional pizza crust (I like Mama Marys)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup marinara or pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup mini pepperoni slices
1/2 (8-ounce) container sliced fresh mushrooms
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Crushed red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese (optional)
Preparation
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Place pizza crust on pizza grill pan. Drizzle olive oil over pizza crust. Spread with marinara and top with cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms and basil.

3. Cook on preheated grill over indirect heat 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned and cheese is melted. Top with red pepper flakes and Parmesan, if desired.
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2 Responses to “Easy Dinner Idea: Grilled Pizza with Basil, Mushrooms and Mini Pepperoni”
Jon Lewis says:
July, 01 2010at 11:07 am
This was a fifteen minute, easy and fabulous meal. The grill gives a pizza such a good flavor.
Alison Lewis says:
July, 01 2010at 11:09 am
Thanks again for the pan. The kids love it and it and making pizza is easier than ever!

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Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon-Crumb Topping

June 29, 2010

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Last weekend, my kids went blueberry picking at Petals from the Past while I was in Park City at EVO. When I got off the plane (at almost midnight), I came home to a refrigerator full of fresh blackberries, blueberries and Chilton County peaches. I was so excited to have the freshness of summer at my fingertips after a long day of traveling. My daughter, Leigh, and I made blueberry muffins the next day and chose to make some with Greek yogurt (I love Fage) and a cinnamon crumb topping. Needless to say, 2 days later, they are all gone.

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Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon Crumb Topping

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Yield: 1 dozen muffins or 24 mini muffins
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
11/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 (6 ounce) container nonfat Greek yogurt
2 eggs
2/3 cup skim milk
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, softened slightly and cubed
11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease regular size (or mini) muffin cups, or you can line with muffin liners (see baking time below).

2. Combine 3 cups flour, 11/2 cup sugar, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine oil, yogurt, eggs and milk. Add oil mixture to flour mixture, stirring gently. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 11/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes for regular-size muffin (or 13 minutes for mini muffins), or until done.
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8 Responses to “Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon-Crumb Topping”
Cookin' Canuck says:
June, 30 2010at 02:57 pm
What a great thing to come home to! Your daughter is absolutely adorable - love her freckles and these muffins would be perfect with a cup of tea.
Jon Lewis says:
June, 29 2010at 03:39 pm
We actually went peach picking at Culp fruits, but they wouldn't let us pick them because of some festival. But, we bought some, and they were incredible. Sometimes, it is surprising what fresh fruit you can get right around the corner.
Jamie Cooks It Up! says:
June, 29 2010at 04:08 pm
Looks like a lot of fun! Wish we had a local place to pick blueberries. Super nice to meet you at the Conference. Glad you had a safe trip home. ~Jamie
Amy Nabors says:
June, 29 2010at 06:23 pm
Thank you for this recipe! I just bought some blueberries at our local farmer's market and was planning on making some muffins with them this week. I'm going to try this recipe instead of the one I had planned.
Alison Lewis says:
June, 29 2010at 08:13 pm
Jamie, it was great meeting you! Amy, these really are delish!
Alison Lewis says:
June, 29 2010at 08:14 pm
Thank you Jon, for all the awesome fruit!
Donna Askenazi says:
July, 06 2010at 09:33 am
Alison, We made these last night and now they are gone. Awesome recipe. Wanted to ask why you use greek yogurt in some of your baking recipes? Are you reducing oil/butter by adding it in or does it make the food more moist?
Alison Lewis says:
July, 06 2010at 09:38 am
Glad you liked them. I like it because it adds protein, has no fat and making the result moist without adding additional fats such as oil or butter

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EVO Conference and My First Time in Park City

June 28, 2010

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Last week I had the luckiest and most wonderful opportunity to attend EVO, a conference focusing on the evolution of Women in Social Media in Park City, Utah. It was beyond my expecations, and to be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect as this was my first “blog” conference. I usually attend the yearly IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) conference, and this conference was even more unique in many ways. Read below for some of my favorite highlights.

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THE TOP 10 THINGS I lOVED ABOUT EVO (in no particular order) :

1. Making so many new friends

2. Learning so many new things from so many talented people and new great blogs to follow.

3. Seeing beautiful scenery set in the most beautiful part of the country. I could almost move there..

4. Staying at the Canyons Resort: Great huge hotel room, great views, great staff, comfortable beds. I highly recommend it!

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5. The Food seminar located at Alpine House: Wonderful food and goodies, cooking demos, speakers and mouth-watering Watermelon-Mint Punch

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6. Laughing and crying listening to so many wonderful speakers’ stories, specifically the “Make a Wish Foundation” speakers

7. Meeting Jill, Founder of “Mom it Forward” and Rachel, Founder of “Today’s Mama”. The most incredibly organized and talented women I have ever met.

8. Closing party at Park City Resort (although I had to leave early and miss it ugghh!)

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9. Listening to the Producer and Creative Directors from Oprah.

10. Meeting the wonderful sponsors and learning about new businesses and products (great meeting Park City Mountain ResortCity Deals, Think Thin, The Giving TeesNu Skin to name a few)

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7 Responses to “EVO Conference and My First Time in Park City”
niri says:
June, 28 2010at 10:37 pm
I REALLY had a tough time choosing between food and photography workshop (I chose the latter). Awesome recap/
Krista Parry says:
June, 28 2010at 10:59 pm
It was such a pleasure meeting you at EVO conference. I am so sad that you missed the Closing Party (but glad it made your top 10 :-)) I will definitely be in touch. Krista Parry Park City Mountain Resort
Annie Y says:
July, 01 2010at 01:37 am
I'm glad you had a great time. Now that I read this post, I'm starving from looking at the pictures! Hopefully I'll see you there next year as I am planning on attending!
Alison Lewis says:
June, 29 2010at 07:46 am
Thanks Niri and Krista for the comments!
Rachael says:
June, 29 2010at 09:55 am
So glad I talked you into coming! ;) Beautiful pics! I wish I wasn't running around so crazy so much and could have chatted more - but it was great to meet you IRL!
Jon Lewis says:
June, 29 2010at 03:02 pm
Take it from me, you can learn a lot at the EVO conference. Alison has taught me a ton since she returned.
DJ Waldow says:
June, 29 2010at 10:09 pm
Alison - Wonderful to meet you at Evo '10. I love that your husband and I were already connected on Twitter. Let me know when you meet up with Mack Collier. LOVE that guy. Looking forward to the next time our paths cross. DJ Waldow @djwaldow

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My Top 13 Dinnertime Quick Tips

June 27, 2010

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I spent the past few days in Park City, Utah at EVO, a social media conference for women, and it was an amazing thing. I will tell you more about it this week with photos, etc. I realized I’m not alone being a social media junkie, addicted to twitter. Twitter is a wonderful thing (for too many reasons to mention at the moment), but every day I meet new and interesting people and find great blogs and websites. I was fortunate enough to meet Christine from http://quickmealhelp.com on twitter, and she asked me to do a guest post on my tips on how I get dinner on the table when I’m an extremely busy entrepreneur and mom with 3 children. Here are some of my favorite tips I shared with her. Check out her site (above) for 20 minute recipes and wonderful information. Here’s the link to my guest post http://www.quickmealhelp.com/blog/10062113-quick-dinner-ideas-alison-lewis-ingredients-inc http://www.quickmealhelp.com/blog/10062113-quick-dinner-ideas-alison-lewis-ingredients-inc

TOP  DINNERTIME TIPS:

1. I like to purchase chicken cutlets or thinly slices boneless pork loin chops because they cook much quicker.

2. I get my kids involved in making dinner and helping out. (See my Fresh Basil and Red Pepper Tuna Salad)

3. I like to purchase already peeled and deveined shrimp or frozen shrimp that has been peeled and deveined. (See my Shrimp-Dill Salad)

4. I love to cook with shelled edamame beans. (See my Edamame Corn Salad)

5. I use rotisserie chicken a ton when recipes call for chopped, cooked chicken. (See my Tortellini Chicken Salad)

6. I love to grill a lot. It’s quick and easy. If I can’t get outside, I love my grill pan over the stove.

7.  I used ready-made pizza crusts alot and purchase lots of fresh vegetables, good tomato sauce, pesto and fresh herbs for toppings.

8. Panini makers and slow cookers are a life saver.

9. I like to prep while my kids are at school so my nights aren’t so crazy (of course, in summer, that’s not so easy).

10. I use precut carrots and bagged, washed greens.

11. I make very organized grocery lists.

12. When I grill salmon, steak or chicken, I grill extra for a main-dish salad the next night.

13. When I purchase hamburger (beef or turkey meat), I buy extra to also make a meatloaf for another night.

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3 Responses to “My Top 13 Dinnertime Quick Tips”
Cookin' Canuck says:
June, 28 2010at 09:19 am
Alison, it was great to meet you at EVO! I love your dinnertime tips. We also grill a lot, which helps to put a healthy and tasty meal on the table in record time. My kids are also my best sous chefs and taste-testers.
Alison Lewis says:
June, 28 2010at 09:24 am
It was great meeting you too! That food workshop was a blast! My kids are great taste-testers as well so I appreciate you pointing that out. I'm glad someone else is lucky enough to have that because kids have brilliant minds and surprise me daily!
Maria says:
June, 28 2010at 05:04 pm
So glad we were able to meet in person. Come back to Utah anytime:)

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Cool and Crisp: Watermelon-Lime Granita

June 24, 2010

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For a refreshing summertime dessert, try Watermelon-Lime Granita. This is so easy and only 3 ingredients. How could you go wrong? Van from Boutwell Studios asked me on a podcast I did recently for Birmingham Magazine what he could do with his leftover watermelon. I thought this was a fabulous recipe to share. It’s so cool and refreshing and the perfect combination of watermelon and lime. My kids loved it!

Watermelon-Lime Granita

Prep: 10 minutes
Yield: 7 cups
Ingredients
7 cups seeded and cubed watermelon
1 (6-ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate
11/4 cup lemon lime soft drink (I used Sprite)
Preparation
1. Process watermelon in a blender or food processor until smooth.

2. Stir together watermelon puree and remaining ingredients. Pour into a large glass bowl or 13-x 9-inch glass baking dish (or tupperware container). Cover and freeze 8 hours, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving. Stir with a fork and spoon into a glass or serving bowls. Serve immediately.
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2 Responses to “Cool and Crisp: Watermelon-Lime Granita”
Alison Lewis says:
June, 28 2010at 03:11 pm
It really is! I can't thank you enough for making a comment! I wish people would make more comments!
Carla Jean says:
June, 24 2010at 08:01 pm
Alison, this sounds delicious!

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Incredible Pasta Salad: Vegetarian Pasta Salad

June 23, 2010

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My kids love pasta salad, and always request it. This week my daughter, Leigh, and I threw this together. It was so delicious, fresh, healthy and gone in about 10 minutes. The photo got rave reviews on twitter and facebook when I posted it. Everyone was begging for the recipe. Here it is just in time for summer. It’s a cool and light idea when it’s so warm outside. Feel free to add cooked or grilled chicken if you like.

For the Sun-Dried tomatoes, I love “California Sun Dry Tomatoes” that come already julienne- cut.

Vegetarian Pasta Salad

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked rotini (corkscrew pasta) noodles
1/2 each red, green and yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I used Parmigiano Reggiano)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons oil from sun-dried tomatoes
Sea salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside and let cool.

2. Combine pasta, and remaining ingredients in a large serving bowl, mixing well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least 30 minutes.
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Summer Easy Dinner: Glazed Pork with Peach Salsa

June 21, 2010

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Try Pork with Peach Salsa for a quick summer weeknight meal. This recipe is so easy using peach preserves and honey as a glaze over the pork. I use boneless pork loin chops because they cook so quickly, perfect for busy people. Feel free to grill the pork outdoors, inside in a grill pan or even nonstick skillet. This Peach Salsa is wonderful and filled with fresh peaches, cilantro, purple onion and lime juice. If you don’t eat pork, feel free to subsitute boneless chicken breasts, or I prefer chicken cutlets because they are thinner and cook even quicker.

Glazed Pork with Peach Salsa

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 13 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 cup peach preserves
1 tablespoon honey
11/2 pound boneless pork chops
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 large fresh peaches, seeded, chopped (about 11/2 cups) and divided
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon chipotle seasoning
Preparation
1. Preheat grill, grill pan or large skillet to medium-high heat.
2. Combine preserves and honey in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside
3. Place pork in a shallow dish; season with salt and red pepper flakes. Brush peach preserve mixture over pork, tossing well to coat. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature.
4. In a separate bowl, combine remaining peaches and remaining ingredients; set aside.
5. Remove pork from preserve mixture and place pork on a lightly greased grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill over medium-high heat 4 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with fresh Peach Salsa.
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Park City and Social Media at its Best at “Evo Conference 10″

June 20, 2010

I'm going to Evo 10

I have had a super busy month. Busy is good, but it’s almost unbelievable. It’s the heart of summer, and I am working at home with 3 kids going in 3 different directions. Besides my normal recipe development work projects, my cookie event at Pepper Place farmer’s market last week, 4 television segments this past thursday for NBC 13 “Daytime Alabama”, monthly work for the Birmingham magazine, and a new huge holiday recipe project for an international client, I can’t believe I am finding time for this blog post. In light of all this, I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go to Park City, Utah for Evo 10, a conference featuring women in social media. It’s been called “a summer camp for bloggers” taking place in a beautiful setting. Forgive me for no recipe today, but I have a fabulous one coming tomorrow.

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2 Responses to “Park City and Social Media at its Best at “Evo Conference 10″”
Krista Parry says:
June, 21 2010at 05:00 pm
I am really looking forward to meeting you. Park City is absolutely gorgeous and you will have the time of your life on the Alpine Slide/Coaster at Park City Mountain Resort. See you Thursday! Krista Parry
Alison Lewis says:
June, 28 2010at 03:12 pm
It was great meeting you! Please keep in touch and thanks for the comment!!

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Healthy, Easy Side Dish: Sauteed Eggplant and Tomatoes

June 17, 2010

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I love making eggplant side dish recipes, and this recipe for Sauteed Eggplant and Tomatoes couldn’t be easier. I sauteed my eggplant in a good bit of chicken broth to reduce the amount of olive oil. I used garlic, red pepper flakes, organic canned tomatoes and fresh basil, and it came out wonderful. Enjoy as a perfect year-round side dish.

Once again, this great pottery bowl came from Earthborn Pottery

Sauteed Eggplant and Tomatoes

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 to 1/3 cup low-salt, fat-free chicken broth
11/2 pound Japanese eggplant, peeled and diced (regular eggplant can be substituted)
1 (14.5-ounce) can organic diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Sea salt and crushed red pepper flakes
Preparation
1. Saute onion and garlic in hot oil in a large lightly greased nonstick skillet over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Add broth and eggplant and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until eggplant is tender. Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes more or until heated through. Top with basil, salt and red pepper to taste.

Note: fresh tomatoes can be substituted.
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Rich and Creamy: Lightened-Up S’mores Milkshakes

June 15, 2010

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Last week, I mentioned I was in a s’mores whirlwind creating s’mores recipes for various projects. I created this recipe for S’mores Milkshakes in my guest blog post on a really fun website “Makes and Takes“. It’s as yummy as it looks and so easy. This version on my site is the “lightened up” version.

I’m shooting 4 television shows this week so my life is beyond nuts. But, look for my upcoming television show on NBC 13 “Daytime Alabama” featuring fun s’more’s recipes coming soon. Date to come…

S'mores Milkshakes

Prep: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
8 cups reduced-fat chocolate frozen yogurt
2 cups reduced-fat chocolate milk
2 cups mini marshmallows
Cooking spray
4 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Garnish: Chocolate bar squares
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to broil.

2. Combine frozen yogurt and chocolate milk in container of an electric blender; set aside.

3. Place marshmallows on a lightly greased aluminum-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 11/2 minutes or until lightly browned on top and roasted.

4. Blend yogurt mixture 30 seconds or until combined. Pour evenly into 4 individual glasses. Top each glass with 1 tablespoon graham crackers crumbs, marshmallows, 1 tablespoon chocolate chips and garnish with chocolate bar, if desired. Serve immediately
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One Response to “Rich and Creamy: Lightened-Up S’mores Milkshakes”
Maria says:
June, 16 2010at 03:26 pm
Love this shake!

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