Balcony Eats with Ms. Amy

I have been fully utilizing our amazing new outdoor seating area! It is truly heaven. Remember the view? To die for!

Well, needless to say, last night was another Balcony Eating Dinner Extravaganza! Amy came over for homemade pizza!  Now, homemade pizza is my jam.  As you will remember from the delicious asparagus and prosciutto pizza that I made with JVo making pizza is easy and filling!  Amy and I decided to go with the usual prosciutto (my jamalamadingdong- yes, repetitive, but true none the less!) and add the left over pineapples from my Raspberry Pineapple Greek Yogurt Popsicles from Sunday.  This was super easy!

Ingredients:

1 pre-made whole wheat Trader Joe's Pizza dough

1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

3/4 cup basil and marinara pizza sauce

1 cup pineapple

1 package Trader Joe's prosciutto (5 strips)

Steps:

1) Spread olive oil all over spread out dough on a pam-ed pan

2) Sprinkle with garlic

3) Spread tomato sauce over pizza

4) Top with pineapple and proscuitto

5) Top with reduced fat mozzarella cheese (we used about 2 cups, but it was a little excessive)

6) Throw that sucker in the oven at 400 degrees F until the cheese starts to slightly brown and the crust hardens- about 20 mins. 

Don't mind the awkward floating head situation in this picture, weird angle Amy- good one! :)

While I sprinkled on those pineapples, Ames enjoyed a fountain soda- is there anything better tan a nice cold fountain soda?

Pizza went in the oven (as well as some easy to make sprouts- olive oil, vinegar, garlic salt and parm) and it came out this master piece!

 HOLY CHEESE

Dinner on the patio was amazing- per usual.  Amy is a better blogger than me (bad Jessica) and took the pictures. Thanks Ames!  One slice of Pizza on this plate, four consumed total. Happy Jessica. Another fab night with Ms. Fruitsaladlife! 

Guest Post from Amy at Fruit Salad Life- Zuke Cuppy Cakes

Hi Guys!  I am so sorry I have been MIA recently but I am just swamped with work and my move!  Luckily my girl Amy has my back.  Check out her guest post below!- Thanks Ames!

Hiiii to all you lovely bakers out there! I’m Amy from over at Fruit Salad Life! Since my girl Jess is beyond swamped with work and moving (yay!) this week, I figured I’d help a sister out and do a guest post for her. Now, first of all…Jess and I go way back in the day. After coming back from abroad my junior year of college, I was shoved into a 4-person single dorm room and Jess and I hit it off right away. Now that we’re finally reunited in the same city, I adore our weekly dates!

Generally, I’m the cook and she’s the baker, but every so often we like to mix it up and try something different. I was channeling her the other day and just needed to bake! I had a couple zucchinis lounging around my fruit bowl and checked in with mah gurl, Martha Stewart, for a good cupcake recipe involving these fine veggies. The result? Pure, unadulterated, baked-good bliss.

Oh and ummmm, let the record show that I yanked mine out of the oven after baking for 3 minutes and had to remix the batter, because I had a total blonde moment. I completely forgot to add baking powder to the mix! MAY-JAH duhhhhh, Amy. But they turned out perfectly nonetheless!

Zuke Cuppy Cakes (makes 12)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 zucchinis, coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease muffin tin and set aside.
2. In a bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In another bowl, combine zucchini, oil, eggs, and vanilla; add to flour mixture, and mix just until combined (do not overmix).
4. Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.
5. Cool in tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes out, right side up, and cool completely (I actually stuck my muffin tin straight into the freezer to cool, so I could frost immediately! 

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons room-temperature unsalted butter
• 4 ounces room-temperature bar cream cheese
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
In a medium bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together by hand until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Star Fabulous Rating: 9/10