The beau gifted me with a pizza stone for Christmas  and we’ve had a couple more runs with it since the holidays. While I love using it, I’m still not getting the temperature/crust quite right.
Round 1: The crust was too doughy in the middle
Round 2, The edges were burnt

I think, as with most things, practice will make perfect. I’m sharing the recipes/basic method; but please adjust cook time/temperature to your own expertise. And um, then tell me how to do it, ok?

Green Pesto Pizza (V)
Spicy Red Pizza
Mushroom Fontina Pizza (V)

Green Pesto Pizza:
This is perfect for red-sauce haters (ahem, me); its savory, light on the cheese and loaded with vegetables so conceivably its nutritious. More calories for ice cream. Hooray.
Olive oil
1/2lb Pizza dough (store-bought or make your own)
1/4c. Pesto (store-bought or make your own)
1/2/lb fresh Asparagus spears (woody ends trimmed off), diced
1/2 c. Artichoke hearts (in water, not oil), diced
2 tbs Scallions (light green and white parts), diced
1/2c shredded Mozzarella cheese (you can add more, but I like this light on the cheese)
2 tbs Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

On a floured surface, (and with a little olive oil on your hands) roll your dough into a circle (or weird oblong like mine). Make sure your dough is heavily floured on the bottom (this will be crucial to transfer). Gently spread pesto over the dough. Sprinkle asparagus, artichokes and scallions evenly over the pesto. To the vegetable layer, add the cheeses. Add liberal shakes of freshly ground black pepper and you’re ready to bake.  Serves 2.
See Cooking on a Pizza Stone below.

Spicy Red Pizza:
Olive oil
1/2lb Pizza dough (store-bought or make your own)
1/2c. marinara sauce (homemade or make your own)
1 c. mozzarella cheese (or a blend of mozzarella and sharp cheddar)
1/2 c. white button mushrooms, sliced
3oz hot pepperoni, sliced
Crushed red pepper flakes

On a floured surface, (and a little olive oil on your hands) roll your dough into a circle. Make sure your dough is heavily floured on the bottom (this will be crucial to transfer). Spread the red sauce over the surface of the dough. Liberally cover the sauce with cheese. Sprinkle mushrooms and pepperoni over the cheese. Add a dash of red pepper flakes. See Cooking on a Pizza Stone. Serves 2.

Fontina Mushroom Pizza
I followed Annie’s Eats fabulous  Fontina Mushroom Pizza recipe to a T.
What makes this amazing is the mushroom pesto that you use in place of a sauce. Perfect for red sauce haters (still me). Sauteing mushrooms in a big glug of wine helps too.

Making the pesto and caramelizing mushrooms.

Spreading the pesto, baking on the stone.

It has everything I love in a pizza:  no-red sauce, lots of cheese, mushroooms….and I overcooked it. Sigh. The flavor was fantastic though and I will definitely make this again.

Cooking on a Pizza Stone: (please read your manufacturer’s instructions thoroughly. These are just suggestions from my experience using my particular stone). Place your pizza stone in a cold oven. Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees. Allow stone to heat for 15 minutes at 500 then reduce heat to 400.
Once pizza is assembled, gently transfer to a pizza peel or a piece of parchment for the transfer to the stone. Plenty of flour on the dough is crucial here, so it will slide easily. Shimmy (yes, I said shimmy) the pizza off the peel (or parchment) onto the pizza stone. Warning Will Robinson: the second the dough hits the 500-degree stone it will start to cook and will not move, so make sure you start to shimmy the dough off the peel far enough back on the stone so that pizza can lay flat (make sense? I thought so).

Once you’ve completed the transfer, let the pizza cook for about 10-15 minutes – watch your pizza! If it’s looking brown on the edges and the cheese is getting those crisp brown spots, you’re done. Removal should be a little easier; once the pizza is cooked, it should slide right onto the peel (or spatula). DO NOT try to take the stone out of the oven; the stone is now over 500 degrees and you will feel that heat through any oven mitt. Allow the stone to cool completely before removing from the oven. Never wash the stone with soap; rise/scrape with warm water and allow to dry (it will become seasoned and delicious over time).

Pizza stone, I will master you!

His: Two eggs over-easy, nitrate-free bacon, corn toasties and orange juice.

Hers: Two eggs scrambled over mixed greens with parmesan cheese and a bit of all-natural Caesar dressing. Homemade latte with unsweetened almond/coconut milk.

I love salad for breakfast. Anyone else?

I had heard raves from co-workers that Orange Leaf surpassed the other serve-yourself yogurt chains, so naturally I had to see for myself (you don’t tell me about yogurt, I tell you!).

Anyhoo….

On a balmy 48 degree Saturday afternoon, I gave it a shot. The shop was clean and bright; I loved the (duh) orange accents.  The little plastic chairs weren’t particularly comfortable; but that’s my couch at home is for, so I managed to get over it.

Orange Leaf boasts multiple fun flavors of yogurt like brownie batter, red velvet cake, and a bunch of fruit ones (yawn).

Of course what makes serve-yourself yogurt exciting (because yogurt is exciting); is the toppings bar and Orange Leaf did not disappoint. Candies, fruits, nuts, those weird little mochi balls – basically toppings nirvana.

I was more in the mood for the fun yogurt flavors than toppings so I kept it pretty simple:

A dollop each of red velvet, birthday cake and peanut butter yogurt and then a sprinkle of slivered almonds and graham cracker crumbs.

The verdict? I loved the peanut butter flavor; but the birthday cake was a little blah and the red velvet was a little too sweet for me. I did love the combination of almonds and crumbs – delightful!

Will I be running back to Orange Leaf? Not sure….but when the Cincinnati summer hits, all bets are off.

Leave the wings for the amateurs and leave the 7-layer dip in the fridge and cook up some of these….

Spicy, Sticky Asian Ribs…a bit of heat, a bit of sweet and completely utterly addictive….make the right choice on Sunday and make these.

The 7-layer dip would want you to.

Slightly adapted from this recipe here (we jazzed ours up with plenty of Chinese 5-spice powder).

For a man who likes chili, this was a pretty good idea.
Naturally, I made it better with apples, bourbon and almonds. Everything is better with bourbon almonds.

Apple Almond Bourbon Bread Pudding
1 8×8 pan baked  cornbread, roughly chopped in 1″ pieces
2 eggs
3 tbs bourbon
1/3c. brown sugar
2 c. milk
1 large apple (peeled and diced)
1/4c. dried cranberries
1/4c. sliced almonds
2 tbs cold butter, diced into cubes
1/4c. caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)
Plain yogurt, ice cream or whipped cream (optional)

Pre-heat oven at 350. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, bourbon and milk.  Add apple and cranberries. Add the cornbread and let sit until all the cornbread has soaked in the milk mixture (about 10-15 minutes). Pour mix into a greased 13×9 pan. Dot with butter and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. While still warm, drizzle with caramel sauce. Serve with plain yogurt, whipped cream or ice cream.  Serves 6 (or 3 if you have one piece and send the rest to work with the beau and his co-workers devour it).

The mix. Please dice your apples smaller than I did, impatience is my middle name. Let “a proper dice” be yours.

Let the mix soak to really get nice and boozy flavorful

Bake and devour. Do you see those little pockets of caramel? Those are my happy pockets.

This was a delicious dessert but I deem this perfectly acceptable breakfast food (ok, maybe brunch because of you know the hooch). Enjoy!

Housed in the former studio and manufacturing facility of the world-renown Rookwood Pottery Co., The Rookwood Bar & Restaurant opened its doors in 2008. Featuring a menu of freshly prepared food and craft beverages.

Sounds good, right?
We arrived on the later side, and had the dining room to ourselves.
After settling in with a drink we ordered several of the appetizers to share amongst the table.

The ambiance….

And the food…..Shortribs- house-made kimchi, soy glaze

Hanky Pankys- goetta & beef, jalapeno cheese sauce, giardinera, jewish rye.
Goetta is another Cincinnati classic; a homemade sausage made with oatmeal (hey, don’t knock it…till you live here). 

The famous Fried Bacon- five strips, chicken fried, jalapeño honey.
Yes, it was as crazy good as it sounds.

My plate of appetizers, a little of everything. I loved the melt-in-your mouth short rib and the crisp sweet and salty fried bacon. The goetta toasts….were not as scary as I thought, Amen.

Although, we could have happily stopped with appetizers, we rolled into equally scrumptious entrees.

The beautiful filet entree, which was as juicy and decadent as it looks.

My entree: I enjoyed the potato-crusted mahi with roasted butternut puree and crispy, salty greens. This was so satisfyingly savory.

And finally, an order of the Beef Stroganoff; a delicious pile of wide egg noodles, tender pulled beef mixed with a rich mushroom cream sauce, then drizzled with sour cream.
I couldn’t keep my fork out of this one. So darn good. 

After such a luscious meal, we rolled ourselves down the street for some live music and a hot toddy at a cozy bar. A great way to end the night.

Now if only Beany would just move here…..I mean, we have goetta!

The cure for the Januaries is vacation SOUP. Thick, rich, soul-warming  soup, served couch-side with a side of “Kim and Kourtney Take NY” and maybe a hot toddy.

Between episodes, I was in the kitchen making all kinds of soup.
I ended up with three different recipes to suit tastes and moods. One creamy and rich, one spicy and sweet and finally, one so hearty and nutritious, one bowl contains all your nutrients for the day so you can spend the rest of the day eating cookies.

Take that, January.

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
This soup is deliciously creamy and delicate; but stuffed with wild rice, chicken, vegetables and herbs.  I don’t care for cooked carrots or celery (the traditional vegetables here) so mushrooms and peppers add some flair to this dish. I lightened it up a wee bit by substituting milk and half-half for the heavy cream; but it still tastes just as rich. 

2 tbs butter
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
8oz button mushrooms, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 yellow pepper, diced
1/3c. AP or WW flour
3 c. chicken stock
1 tbs Thyme (fresh or dried)
1 tbs Rosemary, chopped (fresh is preferred)
1 Bay leaf
Sea Salt, Cracked Pepper
1 c. whole milk
1/2c. half-half
2 c. cooked rotisserie chicken, chopped into 1″ pieces
1.5 c. cooked wild rice (I used quick-cooking rice)

In a deep soup pot, melt butter. Saute garlic, onion, mushrooms and pepper until soft and translucent, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Stir flour into the vegetables so that they are coated. Add chicken broth, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Bring broth up to a boil, add chicken and rice, Lower heat and allow soup to simmer for 10-15 minutes. With heat on low or off, slowly add milk and half&half (do not let this boil). If soup is too thick, stir in additional milk or chicken broth to thin. If soup is too thin, sprinkle in more flour to thicken or add additional half & half and allow the soup to reduce over low heat. Serve with lots of black pepper (or a diced roasted red pepper). Makes 8 cups.

Coconut Curry Squash Soup
I love me some curry, especially paired with coconut milk. I love the spicy warmth of the curry with the subtle cooling sweetness of the coconut. The squash and cauliflower in here are just a delicious anti-oxidant bonus. This would be SO good paired with chicken satay and a cold peanut noodle salad. Make that, and invite me over, ok?

1 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 *roasted butternut squash
1  *roasted head of cauliflower
3 tbs curry powder
1-1/2 cans (10oz each) Lite Coconut Milk
2c. Chicken Broth
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Fresh Cilantro
*Roasting Vegetables: Lightly grease two baking sheets.  Split butternut squash in half vertically (I don’t bother peeling it), scoop out and discard seeds. The butternut will be VERY hard so if you’re unable to split it, simply pierce it all  over with a knife to allow it to vent). Place cut side up (or whole squash) on baking sheet. De-stem the cauliflower, and chop into 2″ pieces. In a large bowl toss the cauliflower with 2 tbs olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Add to separate baking sheet. Roast both sheets on 350; one hour for the squash, 35 minutes for the cauliflower or until a fork can easily pierce the through the vegetables.  Using a large spoon, scoop the butternut squash from the rind and set aside.(if you baked yours whole, simply split it open now, scoop out the seeds,and then scoop out the orangey goodness). You’re ready to rock.

In a deep soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Add squash and cauliflower. Sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and curry powder until thoroughly mixed through. Add broth, and bring up to a boil for several minutes. Reduce heat and add coconut milk, stirring until warmed through. Using a stick (immersion) blender, puree the soup until smooth (adding a bit more coconut milk or broth to thin as needed). No stick blender? Allow soup to cool and then blend, by batches, in a blender or food processor. Serve with black pepper and tons of fresh cilantro.
Makes 10 cups. 

Minestrone
The ultimate comfort food; minestrone can be made dozens of ways. I knew I wanted this to be hearty enough for meal on its own, but also oh-so-delicious. I did set out to make this entirely vegetarian, but then I thought…BACON. You’re welcome.

4 slices center-cut bacon, diced
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
4oz mushrooms, sliced
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes (with juice)
1/3c tomato paste
2 c. chicken broth (or more for a thinner consistency)
1.5c. frozen spinach or kale (no need to thaw)
1.5c c. green beans (frozen or fresh), chopped into 1″ pieces
1 10oz can chick peas, rinsed and drained
2c. dry small pasta (I used brown rice shells)

In a deep soup pot, saute bacon over medium heat until crisp. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms. Saute until vegetables are soft and translucent. Sprinkle in sea salt and black pepper. Stir in tomato paste, chicken broth and fire-roasted tomatoes. Bring broth up to a rolling boil. Add green beans and spinach, bring soup back to a boil. Add chick peas and pasta. Reduce heat and allow soup to reduce until a fork stands up in it (ok, not really – if you don’t want it so thick, add a bit more chicken broth). Serve with lots of parmesan cheese. Makes 10 cups.

Incidentally, each goes exceedingly well with a hot toddy.

In my weeks of least-resistance since the Christmas holiday; I had (of course) managed some delicious eats.

Here’s a run-down of some of the yum (completely out of order – fun!):

Cheese board! My mother sent us a gigantic cheese board to enjoy over the break (or for the next year, whichever). 

The holiday celebrations continued in the Natti with a few friends at my place for wine, appetizers and a mammoth cheesecake. That would be my Apple Walnut New York Cheesecake.  Can you see why I couldn’t write? I had to bake a 14lb cheesecake. Priorities, people.

On one of my trips to Boston this month (oh yes, there were multiple trips), my sister and I beelined to Border Cafe, my home away from home. Margarita, chips, salsa and fish tacos and I was back in the swing of things. 

Back in the Natti, the beau and I managed a fondue dinner together, complete with Grand Mariner and cheesecake (which I let the beau have, I only eat 14lb homemade cheesecakes, I have my standards). 

A family favorite; the lox and bagel made a perfect Christmas morning breakfast (hey, I said these pictures were out of order). Toasted Bagel half, Herbed Cream Cheese, Thinly Sliced Red Onion, Smoked Salmon, Over-Easy Egg, Capers and Freshly Ground Black Pepper. Its ok to drool. 

A Southern New Year’s Day Tradition; Hoppin’ John. An easy mix of rice and black-eyed peas. I jazzed ours up with pancetta, lots of vegetables and liberal shakes from the Cajun spice jar.  Happy New Year indeed.

A few late night dinners looked like this, stove-top popcorn. When I moved from Boston, I ditched my microwave and haven’t missed it since, even for popcorn. It literally takes 10 minutes on the stove and you can adjust seasonings and oil to your liking. That bowl above was sprinkled with fresh parmesan cheese and truffle oil. Orville who?

A homemade feast courtesy of the beau. Bacon &  Sour Cream Stuffed Mushrooms (a light treat…not), Roasted Asparagus and Cajun-Citrus Baked Salmon. Fantastic as always, that man knows his way around a salmon fillet.

The beau and I had an impromptu dinner at J. Alexander’s one rainy Sunday night. I had some kind of shrimp dinner…and THESE, Roasted Artichokes with Aioli dipping sauce. Divine. 

Happy that the red cups didn’t disappear with Santa Claus, I continued to enjoy a couple of Skinny Gingerbread Mistos over the last few weeks. 

One quick work trip back to the East Coast (Worcester represent!) found me and a co-worker at Mac’s, a local Italian diner. After a long morning of taking care of business in the freezing January weather, we were chilled to the bone. Mac’s Pasta Ceci Soup and Italian Sub on thick, dense Italian bread hit the spot. The diet Coke with no ice was just a bonus (I love non-iced, chilled drinks – how European of me).

Another stop in Worcester was to The Sole Proprietor for our fix of Boston seafood. I went for the Classic Baked Haddock with Steamed Broccoli and Spinach. I have been eating this meal my whole life, and I ain’t mad at that.

No trip to Boston is complete without a visit to Mom (of course). Happy to have her little family complete; Mom put together a 1950s feast. Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf, Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans with plenty of butter. Naturally, we had Syrian bread, Zaa’tar and Hummus too, because well, we’re Lebanese and that’s what we do. The Leb goodies are from a family friend’s store in Worcester, Ed Hyder’s Mediterranean Marketplace (a Worcester favorite). 

Back home in the Natti (for a while, I think), the beau and I feasted on a sushi extravaganza at Ichiban a few nights ago.

I think that just about wraps up the last few weeks….pretty delicious, no?
Stay tuned, there’s more good food to come!

Relaxing with friends in Boston. Snacks, cocktails and DVR Bachelor. Happy Saturday Night.

(soaking black-eyed peas for New Year’s day Hoppin’ John)