I was walking my dog this morning and, as it usually happens, I started thinking…

“It’s not surprising that the word “Dog” is “God” spelled backwards; not when you watch a dog in their everyday interactions. Most dogs really do exhibit Godly qualities, albeit some more than others…”

Here’s Mango and Rosebud…

Can you tell which one is a saint?

Although the one on top is clearly the rascal in the family, I’ve learned valuable things from and have been inspired by both, Mango and Rose.

Today, as Mango and I traipsed around the neighborhood …or I should say (for a more accurate account), as my almost three-year-old yellow Lab. dragged me around by her leash, I couldn’t help but think “I need to be more like her.” Mango is absolutely the happiest dog I’ve ever met.

The face of one who really loves life!

Ecstatic just to be alive and able to breathe it all in, Mango approaches other dogs and people with equal abandon. It’s as if everyone she sees are long-lost, favorite relatives; all adored, with no questions asked. No matter how many times she gets growled at by dogs of all sizes, her optimistic approach never changes. No matter what yesterday brought, each day…each turn of the corner brings with it all kinds of brand new loving, exciting and just flat-out fun possibilities. She’s open, present, trusting, forgiving and just ridiculously jovial. (“I’ll have whatever she’s eating….”)

As I watched Mango this morning,  I couldn’t help but think about the one who really helped to shape her.

This morning’s walk was filled with memories of Rosie.

In loving memory of Rosebud Groveman, our sweet Rosie. Born: August, 1994 Died: August, 2008.

Rosebud was a real gem. She passed away last summer, just a few weeks before her 14th birthday. Rose never stole food from my children or from my guests, when entertaining. She loved us with all her might and trusted us completely with her heart and physical well-being. I never worried about her running away since all she ever seemed to need or want was right in her own back yard. And, although she was always a shining example of what it means to love unconditionally, it wasn’t until her later years, that I really got to see and appreciate how special she was.

When my son, Ben, was in his last year of college, he got a puppy, a gorgeous French Mastiff, he named Luke.

Luke as a baby...could you just melt!

I loved when they would come home to visit….

Luke loved my cooking...

Everything was great until Luke, at about 1 year old, had his first seizure. After several months, it was clear that having a sick dog at college was too much, so we had Ben leave Luke with us. Things were good for a while. Luke was eating well and seemed seizure free. I actually allowed myself to think that “my mothering” could keep him well…but no, the seizures returned and we knew our “Lukie” was very sick.

Those days were unbelievably trying for all of us. Luke, because he had to take barbiturates twice a day to help prevent and/or control the severity of the seizures, he would often tumble down the stairs, bump into walls, become fixed in a standing position, just staring into space and there were even times when he forgot how to eat. During those few months (which felt like several years) I rarely left home and, when I did, it wasn’t for long. Twice a day I would feed Luke by hand, trying to make sure he would get enough food in his system to be able to tolerate the medications. It was a real catch 22. If we took him off these debilitating medications,  not only would his seizures return with more severity, but he would also go through severe withdrawal. Oh, it was a mess…. Thank goodness for Rose. Luke loved Rose!

Here’s Luke before things got really bad…

A big beautiful lug.

Rose took Luke under her wing like a mother would a cherished child. Although he was much larger than she, Rose instinctively understood his fragility and would stay by his side all day long, watching to see if he needed help.

They were always together…

Rose and Luke were a fine team! (For a while...)

Here’s when things got really bad…

Luke near the end...

Several months after Luke passed, I really needed another dog. Although I knew Rose was fine with a sick dog, I wasn’t so sure how she’d feel about having a frisky puppy around. But, you know…once a mother wants another baby, there’s just no stopping her!

The day I met Mango, she was five weeks old…

And it was love at first kiss....

And so, when Mango came home, at just 7 weeks, although Rose was already 12 and had acute arthritis, she, once again, welcomed a new life into our home. I was so grateful to her.

As a baby, Mango slept A LOT….

baby Mango

Hey…Rose loves to sleep A LOT, too!

Seems we had a match made in heaven!

And, when awake, Mango was glued to Rose....

And, as she grew, she stayed glued to Rose...

During the last years of her life, Rose had more fun than ever before. Despite having painful arthritis, she embraced her relationship with Mango with the same spirit of generosity and tolerance that she gave to Luke. Rose knew that, although elderly, she could still teach Mango. She also was smart enough to know that, although old, she could (if she remained open) learn so many wonderful things from Mango…. like how to dig outside and to eat dirt with gusto! You might think “well, that’s what dogs do,” but Rose, with her regal demeanor, never did. She had never before romped outside with the kind of deep-down-dogginess that Mango seemed to naturally possess…a farm-dog mentality, you might say. And so Rose, in the end, got to really play.

During her last year, Rose rarely wanted to be alone; as if to instinctively reveal life’s truth, that time with those you love is so very precious.

The Point: Although “today” many of us spend lots of time trying to figure out how to maintain happiness, whether by devouring books and magazines about metaphysics and/or spirituality, or by practicing yoga and meditation, or by traveling to some ancient cave in a remote part of the world, hoping to revamp one’s karma, we often overlook the incredible “at home” clues that sit right in front of us. It’s as if God gave us dogs as this four-legged, tail-wagging, daily reminder of what it is to really live and love. Happiness, as a state of mind, I think has more to do with one’s ability to appreciate and cultivate the essence of simple goodness than anything else. And, especially in this way, Dogs rock. So, the next time I encounter a bump in the road of life, before I let it ruin my day, I’m going to ask myself “how would my dog handle this?” ….I have a feeling I won’t be surprised at how profoundly applicable some of the answers will be, for all of us humans.

Here’s a recipe I wrote when Rose was a young dog, in honor of my love for her.

Biscuits for My Sweet Rosie

Rose and me...

I can’t think of a more deserving soul on earth to be presented with a homemade tub of crunchy nibbles than my wonderful dog, Rosebud. When she was alive, Rosie would sit and stare at the filled container and actually drool at the sight of these biscuits. (Mango loves them too, but she would happily eat a can…)  As the list of ingredients indicates, these are not just any dog biscuit! If I had to guess, I think the component that always made Rosie swoon, is the glaze. Flavored with either chicken or beef and mixed with egg, milk and honey, I think it’s this dimension that made my dog go ape when she got one of these biscuits between her teeth. Speaking of teeth, be prepared to hear quite a “crunch” when your dog bites down on these biscuits, since they’re intentionally hard. This way, in addition to making your pup feel happy to be home, each bite will also give your dog’s teeth a good cleaning! (It’s the mother in me…)  For a preview of the video showing detailed instructions about how to knead dough, click here and/or here.

Yield: about ninety 2 1/2-inch biscuits

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting, as needed

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup coarse rye meal (available at the health food store)

1/2 cup cornmeal (coarse or medium ground)

1 cup cracked wheat or cracked wheat cereal

1/4 cup toasted wheat germ

1/2 cup non-fat dry milk

1 to-2 teaspoon salt (optional)

1 3/4 cup defatted beef or chicken stock (no salt added or omit above salt), vegetable stock can be used as substitute (for a chicken stock recipe, click here and for a preview of the video of me making all kinds of stock, click here.)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup mild honey

1 package active, dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1/4 cup warm water

Pinch of sugar

Glaze Ingredients:

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon mild honey

1 teaspoon ”Better Than Bouillon” (beef or chicken-flavored concentrate); available in well-stocked supermarkets

First, set up: Position the oven racks to the upper and lower third shelf positions and preheat the oven to 325oF. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside, for now.

Now, make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk to combine the white and whole wheat flours, rye meal, cornmeal, cracked wheat, wheat germ, dry milk, and salt, if using. Heat the stock in a 2-quart saucepan, over low heat, until tepid (just warm to the touch) and stir in sugar and honey. Turn off the heat. Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water with a pinch of sugar, until visibly bubbly, about 3 minutes. Pour the sweetened stock into the flour mixture and add the dissolved yeast. Stir until a firm but shaggy dough forms. When the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl, turn it out onto a lightly floured wooden surface and knead it, adding more white flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and quite stiff (but not so stiff that it’s too hard to roll out). (For a video of me showing you how to knead dough, click here or here.)

Now, roll and cut the dough:Cut the dough in half using a pastry scraper and cover one piece while working with the other. Using a straight rolling pin, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it’s about 1/4-inch thick. Using sturdy cookie cutters, in a variety of shapes, cut out as many biscuits as you can and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Gather the scraps and re-roll the dough until you’ve cut out as many biscuits as possible. (Since tenderness isn’t the goal, don’t worry about overworking the dough.) Fill up both baking sheets, leaving 1/2-inch in between each biscuit. If desired, use the tines of a regular fork to decoratively prick the center of each biscuit. (If you fill the sheets before using all the dough, and if you don’t have a double oven, you’ll need to wrap any remaining dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it, overnight. Allow it to come to room temperature, before rolling and cutting more biscuits.)

OK, it’s time to glaze the biscuits and bake: Combine the egg, milk, honey, and beef, chicken or vegetable flavor-concentrate and strain this through a medium-mesh wire sieve, positioned over another bowl. Using a pastry brush, paint some of the glaze over each biscuit. Place the baking sheets into the oven and reduce the temperature to 300oF. Bake the biscuits for 45 minutes, switching the shelf positions of the baking sheets after half the baking time. Turn the oven off and allow the biscuits to sit there, undisturbed, overnight. In the morning, bring on the pooch! Store the biscuits at room temperature, either piled in a tightly covered cookie jar or in an airtight tin, with a sticker with your dog’s name on it.

Timing is Everything:

• The stock can (and should) be made weeks (or months) ahead and stored in the freezer.
• Each time you make a batch of dog biscuits, make an additional dry mixture and freeze it, in doubled, well sealed, freezer bags.

Tags: dog biscuits, dogs and happiness, homemade dog biscuits, labrador retriever

All throughout my childhood the only type of fish we ate at home was fillet of sole and even that was a rarity. “Don’t choke” my mother would blurt, just as the fork would hit my lips. I remember looking at my brothers across the table thinking “How can a person choke on a piece of fillet of sole?” Eventually, the lack of exposure to fresh fish combined with the potent effects of a mother’s anxiety, left me fish-phobic. Anyway (thankfully), I happened to marry a man that adores fish so, as an adult, I finally Iearned to appreciate all kinds of seafood. And now, when I polish off a whole roasted fish, leaving nothing but a pile of bones, I’m particularly proud. Even more importantly, when I see my kids do this, too, it assures me that I didn’t pass my inherited childhood fears of choking onto them. (I guess this is part of what’s called “evolutionary enlightenment…” ) Of course, I have a ways to go. If you saw my “routine” when attempting to swallow a pill larger than an aspirin, you’d shake your head in disbelief. Yep, Just like Mom….

Anyway, I will admit that, for the uninitiated, being presented with an entire fish can be a bit intimidating. “Where do I start?” is usually the first thought. Then comes, “is there anything I shouldn’t eat–like the eyes?” And then comes that bossy internal bellow “be careful of the bones!”

I’ll talk about eating a whole fish in a minute–but for now, let’s stick to cooking it, which is really easy.  

Roasting a whole fish, whether it’s several pounds which will feed a few, or an individual fish, meant to serve just one, this is a very healthy choice for a main dish and it’s doable, even after a busy day out in the world.

Technically, in a bare-bones way (no pun intended), all you do is season the fish, inside and out, with salt and pepper then rub the skin with a lubricant (extra-virgin olive oil is a good choice). And then, just before roasting on a shallow baking sheet, in a very hot oven, you’d add a good squeeze of fresh citrus juice (lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit). There are a million ways to elaborate on/alter the flavoring ingredients using different herbs, mustards, vinegars, cold-pressed oils, vegetables and/or a wide range of other ethnic ingredients. 

Ok, let’s talk about how I seasoned last night’s Branzino. I bought two whole fish (about 1 pound each, weighed before gutting). I asked my fish-monger to scale and gut each fish and to remove the gills. I also asked for the head and tail to be left intact (although you certainly could ask for the head to be removed–chicken!). After rinsing and drying each fish inside and out, I used a sharp knife to diagonally slash each side of each fish two or three times (I do it three or four times in larger fish) in the chubbier mid-section (about an inch apart). Slashing not only helps the fish to cook evenly but it’s also a way to force some of the seasoning mixture past the skin to flavor some of the flesh. Keep the slashes shallow, though, just through the flesh. If you go too deep you can splinter the skeletal structure, making the flesh, once cooked, seem more bony. (Although this is no big deal, the Jewish mother in me made me feel obligated to mention it…)

I laid the fish side by side in a nonreactive dish (9 x 13-inch Pyrex is good) and I seasoned both fish, inside and out, with Kosher salt (you could use sea salt) and black pepper.   

Ingredients for last night’s fish: I decided to make a vinaigrette-type mixture: I mixed several cloves of minced garlic (about 6) with 1 tablespoon of whole-grain Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons of strained fresh lemon juice (I juice several lemons at the start of each week and, after straining, I keep the juice (about 3/4 cup) in a small screw-top jar, in the fridge), a generous teaspoon of crushed red chili flakes, a handful of chopped Italian parsley (you could also use chives, cilantro, basil…herbs like that). Then I whisked in 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (actually, I used my Garlic Confit oil, which is usually in the refrigerator) and, after seasoning to taste with salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, I poured this over and inside each fish. Here’s what the seasoned fish looked like….

Seasoned Whole Branzino

Here’s an optional embellishment: Because I had some raw, sliced fresh leeks in the fridge (leftover from the previous night), I decided to sauté them in some butter (you could use olive oil) and, once softened, seasoned with salt and pepper and being allowed to cool, I stuffed the leeks into the cavity of each fish. Take a look:

Branzino, stuffed with cooked leeks.

The fish can be stuffed, covered and refrigerated for several hours. Take the fish out of the fridge 30 minutes or so prior to roasting.

One more optional embellishment: I decided to make a savory breadcrumb mixture to sprinkle on top of the fish at the end of roasting. I always keep a stash of dried breadcrumbs in the freezer. I sautéed 2 cloves minced garlic in 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (you could use butter) and, when the garlic was softened and fragrant (just about a minute) I stirred in a generous tablespoon of minced flat-leaf Italian parsley (you could use chives, basil or cilantro). And, although I didn’t last night, often I’ll add a little crumbled, dried oregano. I then stirred the garlic-herb mixture into a bowl holding a scant 2/3 cup of dried breadcrumbs and I seasoned the crumbs with salt and pepper. And, that’s that!

Here’s what the crumbs looked like:

Seasoned Breadcrumbs

Now, let’s get to the roasting: The most important elements to achieving savory results (other than using sound flavoring ingredients, of course) is to give the fish full exposure to dry heat (in a shallow pan), which is the definition of roasting, along with cooking in a super hot oven.

So, here’s how I set up to roast the fish: I took a large, round almost flat baking sheet (I use a black steel pan which encourages more heat retention, but any low, heavy sheet-pan will do. I lined my pan (as seen above, in the picture of the stuffed fish) with nonstick aluminum foil (I placed several overlapping sheets of foil on the pan and scrunched the sides to create a low border to keep any juices that might exude when roasting from spilling over, which would cause the oven to smoke). If you don’t have nonstick foil, just use regular aluminum foil, shiny side up, and grease the surface to prevent the fish from sticking. (If wondering, I don’t use parchment paper on the bottom of the pan because I roast fish at 500F which could cause the paper to burn.)

Cooking time will vary with the size of the fish. The goal is to cook the flesh just till cooked but still succulent and the outside (skin) should be deeply blistered and extremely sexy looking.

Timing: 1 to 1 1/4 pounds will take 20 to 25 minutes in a fully preheated 500F oven. A 2 to 2 1/2-pounder will take 30 to 35 minutes at 475F (the lower temperature will help the interior flesh to cook properly while allowing the exterior a bit more time in the hot oven without incinerating.

I roasted our fish for 20 minutes at 500F, then sprinkled the crumbs over the top skin of each fish and continued to roast for 3 more minutes, until the crumbs were golden. 

Here’s din-din…

Roasted Branzino, Stuffed with Leeks and Topped with Breadcrumbs

 Ta-dahh…

I'm so proud of my bones!

My mother would plotz….  

Ok, let’s talk about how to eat a whole fish…

If serving a larger fish, divide each one in half or thirds (depending on the size) by driving a sharp knife straight down through the body. If you want to remove the head, simply cut it off, but first pull the sweet nugget of “cheek meat” out and place on one (lucky person’s) plate. An alternative is to seperate the top fillet of fish from the bones and divide the flesh. To do this, insert a sharp knife into the flesh, just on top of the spine. Ease the meat off the bones, which should come away easily if cooked properly (if too raw, the fish flesh will cling to the bones). After removing the top fillet completely, use the tip of the knife (at the tail end) to lift up the skeleton so it comes away freely. Use your hands to pick up and remove the skeletal structure. Portion the bottom fillet as you would the top and enjoy.

To eat individual fish, use your knife to ease the cooked fillet off of the skeletal structure. After eating the top fillet, either turn over the fish so the bones face the plate to enjoy the remaining flesh or lift off the bones, as described above. And yes, although I don’t, you can eat the eyes….

To serve whole fish to children: I suggest to always fillet fish for young children. Having said this, my kids have been eating whole fish since they were about 10 years old (and they do a better job than me!). Even after filleting, it’s a good idea to instruct children how to detect a stray bone. Tell them to, after putting some cooked fish in the front of their mouth, to use the tip of their tongue to move the fish around, looking for a bone. If one is detected, they should keep the food in the front of their mouth and calmly use their tongue to push the bone out past their lips. They should then use their fingers to pull the bone out of their mouth. It’s also a good idea to have a separate small plate just for the bones so that they don’t inadvertently get mixed with something else on the plate.

Tags: cooking branzino, cooking whole fish, fresh fish cooking, how to cook whole fish, how to serve whole fish

Did you ever go out to dinner, really wanting to love the restaurant but you came away disappointed?

Last night Jon and I went out to dinner in NYC to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We’ve been eating home almost every night lately so, for the first time in a while, I was really excited to go out for dinner. We went to a restaurant called Blue Hill New York and it’s the sister restaurant of Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Westchester County. Both are known for featuring the absolute freshest organic produce and the finest meats, both grown locally, many on the Stone Barns Farm which is on the same grounds as the upstate restaurant. The wine list, too, features local producers and all the food prepared is said to have real respect for artisanal techniques. So, I was really looking forward to eating a meal that was thoughtfully prepared in all respects.

Well, although I totally “got” the passion behind the concept of this restaurant (even by the wait-staff, who were all lovely and extremely knowledgable about the ingredients featured in the menu as well as the wine list), I’m sorry to say that I didn’t enjoy my food.

In all fairness, Jon loved his (and I liked his, too)…But, truthfully, he didn’t like mine and I don’t think that a restaurant should be deemed “great” simply because of it’s philosophy or because you happened to be lucky enough to “order right.” Everything on the menu should be equally good. I’m not talking about the word “delicious” since that’s totally subjective but when you order something from the menu that sounds amazing, the execution should match the description.

OK, here’s an example: For my first course, I chose ” “This Mornings Farm Egg with Stone Barns Hen Broth and Root Vegetables.” Here’s what I got: About three tablespoons (no joke) of hot chicken consommé with a few nondescript chopped vegetables and an egg sitting in the center that was practically raw (truly, the egg was barely coddled and only had the thinnest layer of coagulated white on top of the yolk, which seemed bordering on raw). The best part was the broth, which was truly impeccable (although almost nonexistent). I guess, the thought was that the egg would cook in the hot broth but it didn’t, not enough (and I’m a poached egg fanatic!).

Jon ordered “Braised Octopus with Winter Vegetables, with Black Olives and Stone Barns Mache,” which he loved and I thought the octopus was amazingly tender and not overly seasoned. He also had, for his main course, “Wild Striped Bass with Vegetable Pistou, Broccoli and Soy Beans.” I didn’t try his since I was a bit overcome with mine and not in the best way.

For my main course, I ordered “Stone Barns Berkshire Pig with Braised Red Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts.” Here’s what I got: A beautiful plate of food, which was it’s highlight. The only other things I liked (a lot) was a small piece of belly meat (delish) and the way they prepared the cabbage. It wasn’t served as a pile of braised cabbage (which I happen to love) but they did something really innovative. The red cabbage was braised and then pureed and strained into a very smooth coulis, which was used to add a (way too small) tasty splash of color to the plate. I would have loved to eat more of it. The pork tenderloin was sliced into medallions and fanned on top of a serving of sautéed Brussels sprouts. Sounds great, right? Wrong. The pork, although (typically) tender, it was almost raw! (Listen, I’m not one of those pork-paranoids, but really rare pork is just not appetizing.) And, the Brussels sprouts were so salty that I could only manage a few bites.

In truth, they did very happily take the pork back to give it more fire (actually, our waitress was so quick to acquiesce that it seemed she was used to hearing the same reaction to the pork) but, by the time my plate returned, I was a feeling a bit queasy and just not into it… Something about (politely) eating an almost raw egg, and then trying to swallow very rare pork that can really put a damper on one’s appetite.

For dessert, we shared a cheese plate. I was surprised that of the four types of cheese presented, there were two Cheddars and two kinds of blue cheese, and all very firm and all made from cow’s milk. Why not swap one with a goat’s milk cheese and/or add something yummy and runny? The port was good, though.

The best part of the meal was the bread…Hot, crisp, skinny, light as air and yet nice and chewy baguettes, halved through the center and placed, standing up, in a receptacle. And the butter tasted fresh and was the perfect temperature and spreading consistency. The wines we had by the glass were also wonderful. And the atmosphere was lovely, too. The lights were nice and dim, which I love –actually, the lights were so dim that the restaurant provided each diner with their own tiny, squeezable flashlight to be able to read the menu. A nice touch, although as the meal progressed, I started to think that the management purposely keeps the lights extra low so people won’t see how undercooked the food is….)

Anyway, in the end, especially when in such a pricey place, it’s not whether or not the Maitre de is sweet or the atmostphere is inviting that will (or should) ultimately deem a restaurant to be considered “great” or not. It’s how one feels after eating the food. So, although I really respect the thrust behind the concept of this restaurant (and many of the things I’ve said are positive) and even though I had a wonderful time being with my husband celebrating our anniversary, in retrospect, I wouldn’t go back. To me, that says it all.

Tags: bad restaurant experience, Blue Hill New York, NYC dining, restaurant review, special dinner

Often, when a recipe asks for “a large onion chopped,” it can be difficult to decipher just how “large” the author of a recipe means, especially if there’s no net amount of onions given, after chopping. Personally, I use really large onions in my recipes… like this:

Now, THIS is an onion!

To show you how large I mean, compared to something else, take a look…

See how big I mean??

You might not think size matters but, with onions it often does. If, for instance,  you want to garnish something lavishly with sauteed onions, you need to know that onions reduce quite a bit after cooking, so if you don’t start out with one that’s large enough, you might not have enough to do the job.

Also, when onions cook and become tender, their cell walls collapse and the liquid inside the cells is released along with flavor. As they become caramelized, the liquid becomes further reduced, leaving the sugars in the onion flesh to become “candied” from long, slow exposure to heat. So, if your recipe doesn’t call for “large” onions and you use one of these big babes featured in the pictures, you could end up with a savory dish that’s overly sweet.

Although it’s best to give an exact amount in recipes where it counts, this is not always the case.

The point: In my recipes, when I don’t give an exact amount of onions, but I ask for a “large” one in the ingredients list, it means that I want you to really experience the onions as an important component of the dish. So, if you don’t have the really big onions, feel free to use two medium ones. To see a preview of the video where I demonstrate the correct way to chop onions, click here.

Tags: cooking with onions, large onions, onions, recipes with onions

Now, don’t take this and run with it, but eating in front of the television can, when done occassionally, be fun and can actually help to convey love. Over the years, I’ve only succumbed to doing this a small handful of times, always around certain sporting events and only after realizing that, on that night, gathering my family around the set was the only way to have an uninterrupted meal.

The Superbowl is one, which has always been an annual (and gastronomic) event in our house. And last year, for the first time, we did it on Father’s day since Jon’s happiest when able to be glued to the TV, watching the Masters Golf tournament. Because my father passed away (1 1/2 years ago), I’ve decided to now make it a ritual to be home on Father’s Day instead of asking Jon and the kids to spend the day visiting. And, (as of last night) it seems that we will also (now) chow down on the couch, watching the US Open. (Oh, I’m such a good wife…)

What’s really fun about this, for me, is that when we’re going to eat in front of the set, when it’s just Jon and I (with or without the kids) I’ll give myself permission to soften, menu-wise, and sometimes I even put the dishes away and, for once, use good old paper (did you know that today there’s a surprisingly nice selection of paper products–very sturdy and good-looking, too!)

Anyway, last night, I was incredibly happy eating on paper in front of the set BECAUSE I made THE MOST delicious sandwich for dinner; one that I haven’t had in such a long, long time.

Before Jon and I were married we lived together in NYC and, once every week, we would go to this tiny deli on the corner of 57th and 1st Ave, called “Hole in the Wall” (it really was) and, boy, we would really eat. My favorite sandwich was one that my mother would have when I was kid. I’ve never actually known anyone else who ate this particular combination which, to me, is just killer-good. Anyway, I had actually forgotten about this sandwich until last night when the thought of dinner in front of the TV merged with my remembering that I still had some leftover chopped liver in the fridge, from our Passover Seder.

(Know this: I make the most amazing Chopped Liver–Bobby Flay, bring that show-down over here, now!)

Chopped Chicken Liver

So, here’s the sandwich: Chopped Chicken Liver and sliced fresh roast turkey with Russian dressing, on rye bread.

Beyond good.

First: I make some Russian dressing: I mix together some Hellman’s mayo and bottled chili sauce (by Heinz) and then, when it’s just the right shade of pink (not too light, not to red) I stir in a good dose of minced sweet yellow onion, bread and butter pickles and pimento. Then, I add some black pepper and just enough pickle juice to impart it’s tang–just a bit, this is not a salad dressing, so I keep it spreadable, not pourable

Then: I take two pieces of crusty rye bread (I pick from the center of the loaf since those slices are always the largest) and I spread my chicken liver (lavishly) over one side of one slice of bread (about 1-inch thick–I don’t mess around when I’m making a nostalgic sandwich). Then I put the sliced turkey on top of the liver (again, don’t be stingy). I then lay the dressed side of the bread on top of the turkey and drive my trusty serrated knife diagonally down the center.

On the plate: Some spicy coleslaw from my dinner party the night before and a pile of salty potato chips (a hormonal splurge, when in the market that day…).

Next to the plate: A chubby glass of crisp white wine (no paper or plastic here, ever).

Here’s Jon’s dinner-sandwich that, to him, spelled “heaven:” A sandwich of thinly sliced bologna, sliced pickles, coleslaw and hot mustard on a Kaiser roll. (I’d bet big bucks mine was better….)

So, three times a year I will, without complaint, eat dinner in front of the television and enjoy seeing how doing this, as a once-in-a-while thing, can make someone I love so happy.

Here’s: This Mama’s Chopped Chicken Liver Recipe…

Chopped Chicken Liver with Homemade Matzos

Yield: about 4 cups

Special Equipment
12-inch, heavy-bottomed skillet
Food processor or a long sharp chef’s knife

Ingredients
3 extra-large eggs, firm-cooked and peeled (see step # 1)
3 heaping tablespoons Rendered Chicken Fat
2 extra-large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch sugar
2 tablespoons butter or more chicken fat
1 pound very fresh chicken livers rinsed, patted dry and any connective tissue removed with a knife
Generous amount of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

As Garnish:
Kosher salt to taste
1/2 cup minced yellow onion or 1 medium yellow onion sautéed in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until deeply caramelized, about 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently.
1 sprig of curly parsley or crisp Gribenes

1) To firm-cook eggs: Place eggs into a 2-quart saucepan. Run enough cold water into the pot to cover eggs by 2 inches. (Don’t run water directly over eggs as the pressure from the tap can cause the eggs to crack.) Place pan, uncovered, over medium heat. As soon as the water begins to bubble, sprinkle in a generous teaspoon of salt. (The salt cushions the eggs from each other as the water begins to move more aggressively.) Bring water to a full boil, cover pan and remove from heat. Let pan sit undisturbed for 15 minutes. Drain and immediately run eggs under cold water until just cool enough to handle. One at a time, tap each egg with the back of a spoon all over to crack the shell. Gently roll the egg between your hands to loosen the shell. Peel off shells and discard. (The yolks of hard-cooked eggs should be bright, bright yellow (almost orange); any greenish film or pungent odor, indicates an overcooked egg.)

2) To caramelize onions: Melt chicken fat in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, stir to coat with the fat and cook until softened and fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and, if desired, add a pinch of sugar. Cook the onions and garlic, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 25 minutes (I use really large onions, so this takes a while…).

3) To cook chicken livers: When onions are golden, push them to the sides of the skillet and in the center melt the 2 tablespoons butter or add more fat. When hot and bubbling, add chicken livers in a single layer and sear until very golden on one side, about 5 minutes over high heat. Turn the livers over and sear briefly on the second side then cover the pan and reduce the heat to very low. Cook until the livers are just cooked through but retain some pink in the center, about 5 minutes. Uncover skillet, raise heat to high and fold the onions and livers together, scraping up any caramelized bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook about 2 more minutes over high heat. Season the mixture with salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.

4) To process livers: Pour the contents of the skillet into a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add hard-cooked eggs and 1 teaspoon salt. Process mixture using on-off pulses until finely chopped but still somewhat textural. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and fresh pepper until well seasoned. Alternatively, mince cooked livers with onions on a large chopping board using a sharp chef’s knife and mash the cooked eggs separately; combine livers, onions, eggs and seasoning.

5) To chill: Turn mixture into a crock or pretty bowl and cover with paper toweling until cool enough to refrigerate. Then cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, so the flavors can meld.

6) To serve: An hour before serving, remove chopped liver from refrigerator so that it’s only slightly chilled. Sprinkle the top lightly with salt and pepper and either place some minced onion in a 1-inch border around the edge of the bowl or border the chopped liver with caramelized onions. If you’ve got them, you can also sprinkle the top with crisp gribenes. For a printable version of this recipe with a shopping list, click here.

Tags: chopped chicken liver, deli meat, deli sandwich, my favorite sandwich, sports and food, the best sandwich, turkey, TV food

I just got back from walking my dog, Mango, and my first seasonal whiff of freshly cut grass went right to my brain! What an amazing scent! It brought back some of the sweeter memories from my childhood in Woodmere, New York (that’s on the south shore of Long Island) where I, and my two older brothers grew up. We lived on a cul-de-sac and on the first really nice day of spring, that was my cue to begin my afternoon “look out” for the Good Humor truck. We had the same driver for years, a nice man named “Pete,” who we always called “Petey.” He never knew it but, after getting my toasted-almond pop, i used to hop onto the back ledge of the truck’s bumper and i would hang on as Petey would zoom off. I always jumped off just before he left my street.

We had lots of kids on our block. I was the only girl, which never seemed to bother me. In those days, we rarely locked our front door and my parents always left the car keys in the ignition. (Having three kids of my own, i can’t imagine being so “relaxed”…not sure if that’s the right word…)

Anyway, once the weather turned nice and everyone was “out,” often i would come home and find some of the kids from our block gathered in my kitchen, parked in front of an opened food cabinet (the boys would just walk in, without ringing the bell!).

We always had really good snacks in our house. Not the homemade kind but, to a bunch of kids that didn’t know any better (me included), it was all good just the same. We always had Oreos, Malomars, Fritos, Cheetos and Ruffles (you know, the crisp, salty chips with ridges). We usually had little parfait glasses filled almost to the top with chocolate pudding in the fridge (the kind you made from the box) and, although today recipes are written to avoid the formation of a skin on top, to me (dare I say), the skin was always my favorite part. I loved the way the spoon would cut through and carry the darker, somewhat leathery top skin as it entered into the soft, creamy custard beneath. To me, this combination heightened the experience of eating pudding into something that was both, texturally soothing and exciting at the same time.

It’s so interesting how just the scent of fresh cut grass on the first really nice day of spring can cause a flood of childhood memories. I think that’s one of the reasons why i love living in the North East. Each new turn of the seasons prompts me to wake up and appreciate sweetness, in all it’s various forms….

Here’s one of those sweet recipes that I have made over and over again for the people I love. It makes us all very happy and I hope it does the same for you. If it does, please let me know since helping to make you and yours happy is a big part of what makes me happy…

Quick and Easy Ice Cream Birthday Cake

For Kids from 3 to 103!

Celebration Birthday Cake!

Yield: one three layer, 9-inch cake; serves 12

You’ll notice that throughout this recipe I’ve specified my favorite specialty “brand names” of cookies and candies and I kept things simple with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream. This is only a guide. The ingredients you choose are strictly about the person being celebrated so pick those that would make them the happiest. If you need more information about any of the cooking terms or equipment requested, just go to kitchen management. Oh, and if you want to see a preview of the video I made showing how to make this truly delish cake, click here.

Special Equipment
9-inch spring-form pan (for a larger crowd, use a 10 or 12-inch pan)
Food processor (optional)
Electric mixer or a balloon whisk and wide shallow bowl
Metal icing spatula, preferably with an elbow bend
Pastry bag with star tip
Cardboard cake box (optional), for freezing

Ingredients
1 box Nabisco thin chocolate wafers
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1 stick (1/4 pound) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 pints each best-quality vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream, softened to a spread-able (but not soupy) consistency
4 large Butterfinger bars, crumbled (whack with a can or meat mallet while still wrapped)
1 1/2 cups crushed Oreo cookies (regular or fudge-covered)
1 recipe Perfect Whipped Cream (see recipe)

Optional Toppings (below are just a couple of suggestions)
Assorted colored sprinkles (also called “Jimmies”)
Cake decorating gel
Chopped dry-roasted peanuts (salted or not)
M&M’s candies (regular or peanut filled)

To prepare cookie crust: Put chocolate wafers in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and grind them fine. Alternatively, place broken up cookies (in batches) in a heavy-duty plastic bag and roll over them with a rolling pin until finely crushed. Transfer crumbs to another bowl and whisk in cinnamon, if using. Add melted butter, mixing with a fork until thoroughly blended. Press a thin layer of crumbs on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan, using all of the crumbs. Place pan in freezer to firm up crust while ice cream continues to soften to a spread-able consistency.

To set up to assemble cake: Line a shallow baking sheet with waxed paper and place chilled crust on the tray. Squeeze vanilla ice cream out of its containers onto the bottom of the crust. Using a metal spatula and your hands, spread the softened ice cream evenly over the bottom of the crust. (Dip your hands in the hot water as necessary but always dry them thoroughly before continuing.) Cover ice cream with crumbled Butterfinger bars, pressing gently. Spread chocolate ice cream over crumbs and cover with crushed Oreos, again pressing gently. Cover crushed cookies with strawberry ice cream and smooth the top with a metal spatula. Place into the freezer to firm for 4 hours.

To top the cake: Prepare Perfect Whipped Cream (following) as directed in recipe. Spread 2/3 of the whipped cream over the top of cake and reserve the rest for a decorative border. (For smoothest surface, spread only once, in one direction, and then scrape off excess whipped cream into the bowl. Continue spreading and scraping until surface is perfectly smooth.) Return cake to the freezer for a minimum of 20 minutes, just to firm the whipped cream.

To decorate the cake: Fit your pastry bag with a star tip and fill bag with remaining whipped cream. Remove cake from freezer and pipe on a simple swirled border around its circumference. If desired, sprinkle border with some colored sprinkles. Return to freezer to firm for 4 hours, uncovered (or freeze for several days). Once very firm, you can cover the cake with plastic wrap. The day of serving, write a message on top with decorating gel and/or sprinkle the inside of the piped whipped cream with another thin border of crushed unsalted peanuts or a ring of M&M’s.

To freeze and store the cake with a written message: Either purchase a cardboard cake box from a bakery or stick toothpicks in the border of whipped cream (to camouflage the holes) and drape aluminum foil loosely over the top. This will help prevent freezer burn.

To remove the spring-form sides and serve: When cake is thoroughly frozen, dip a dish towel in very hot water and wring it out. Place the hot towel around the sides of the pan to help release it from the crust. Unlatch lock and ease off sides. Return cake to freezer. To serve, remove cake from freezer 30 to 40 minutes before serving to enable it to become softened enough to cut into wedges. Present the cake whole and cut into wedges at the table.

For a 10-inch cake: Increase the cookie crumbs (for the crust) to: 1 ½ boxes of chocolate wafers, mixed with 1 ½ sticks of melted, unsalted butter. Increase the amount of ice cream, per layer, to 2 pints. Use a bit more cookies and candies in between the layers and keep the whipped cream topping the same.

For a 12-inch cake: Increase the cookie crumbs (for the crust) to 2 boxes of chocolate wafers, mixed with 2 sticks of melted unsalted butter. Increase the amount of ice cream, per layer, to 3 pints. Use a bit more cookies and candies in between the layers and increase the whipped cream topping, as follows: Whip 3 cups heavy cream with 2/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.

To fill a pastry bag: The star tip should first be inserted into the bag and secured in place. Place the bag with the tip facing down into a tall drinking glass. When the tip hits the bottom of the glass, fold the remainder of the bag down over the outside rim of the cup. Fill the inside of the bag with the filling. Alternatively, you may simply cuff the top portion of the bag over your left hand (if you are right handed) and fill the bag with your right hand. The glass method is particularly good for the beginner and when filling a pastry bag in advance of a procedure so the bag can stand upright without the contents spilling out.

Timing is Everything: The cake can be assembled two weeks ahead through step 4 and, after being fully frozen, covered with plastic wrap until the day of serving, which is when you’ll write your “celebratory message” on top.

A nice big slice of ice cream cake! (Oh, go ahead...)

Perfect Whipped Cream

Yield: about 4 cups

Special Equipment
Electric mixer or a large balloon whisk and a wide, shallow bowl

Ingredients
2 cups very cold heavy cream (preferably not ultra-pasteurized)
1/4 cup regular or superfine sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To whip cream by hand: Add cold cream to a chilled, wide and shallow bowl. Tilt one side of the bowl upward slightly with your hand and grasp a large balloon whisk in your other hand. Apply large, sweeping, circular strokes to the cream in a continuous, repetitive motion until the cream becomes thick. Once thickened, add sugar and vanilla while continuing to beat. (To relieve some of the pressure from your mixing arm, hug the bowl in toward your body as you continue to whip until you reach the desired consistency.)

To whip with an electric mixer: Place cold cream in the chilled bowl and begin to beat with the chilled whip attachment. As cream begins to thicken, add vanilla and gradually increase the speed while adding the sugar in a steady stream. Beat until the cream is of desired consistency, checking the consistency frequently to avoid overbeating.

To store: Use the whipped cream as desired and refrigerate leftovers in a covered bowl or secured in a pastry bag (with the tip in place) standing within a tall drinking glass.

You can fold 2 tablespoons melted chocolate into the already thickened cream. Or,reduce the vanilla to 1/2 teaspoon and, when adding to the cream, add 1 tablespoon of your favorite liqueur.

For a printable version of this recipe with a shopping list, click here. And, again, to see a preview of the video with me assembling this very delicious cake, click here.

Tags: cake, candy in cake, chocolate, comfort food, food, fresh cut grass, ice cream cake, Oreos, pudding, soothing textures

Yesterday (actually, most of this past week) I had many, what i believe to be, “spiritual” experiences. What I mean by that is I used my physical-ness to connect to and reveal the things that I feel embody (epitomize) my spiritual-ness.

I know, I know, this all sounds SO esoteric and “New Age-y”….but before you roll your eyes and chalk my talk up to being a bunch of flighty bologna, please know that what I’m talking about is older than the hills themselves.

I know that the word “spiritual” can sound really vague, even for those who feel a perpetual inner tug to experience this realm. Although many might think that being spiritual is a choice, it’s not. We are all spiritual beings living a human existence and we’re here to fully experience both. But that doesn’t mean we will because we have lots of choices.

That’s the game!

The goal of the “game,” for lack of a more visually expressive word, is to connect these two realms (the physical and the spiritual) with our words (both inner and outer) and deeds. You see, both realms need each other to be experienced (in an inner and outer way). If this sounds easy, trust me, it’s not. Although being more aware (awake) and mindful (discerning) regarding the quality of our thoughts and what we do in response can, with practice, get much more automatic, weaving the spiritual and physical together is a lifetime job and not just something to practice for an hour a day. It’s a minute to minute (choice by choice) thing…and I mean that literally.

Do we choose to stay fixed in our physicalness; focused on our personal desires, paralyzed by our fears and/or fixated on how others percieve us? Or will we choose to stay stagnant, suspended in the pursuit of enlightenment by sitting on a rock (or a meditation cushion) all day contemplating “what’s it all about,” coming up with some private interpretations without making the commitment to bring beneficial insights into everyday, physical life? We could also choose to declare that we’ve found “the way” and then judge others harshly because their personal protocols seem to contradict our own.

All of these choices create scenarios that cause suffering (to ourselves and to others) because they propel the stance that we are all separate from one another. “This is mine. That is yours. Go over there until I feel safe enough (with what’s mine) to stand next to you and attempt to co-exist.”

Disconnection is always joyless.

As spiritual beings, we’re here to exude our authentic essence, which is love and connectedness. And, as human beings, in order to do this, we need to use our physicality. That’s the way for the human-spiritual connection to be made so we can experience wholeness (which translates as the sensations of joy and fulfillment).

Ok, now that’s another lofty word, “Joy,” that’s too often misunderstood as always conjuring stereotypically happy affects (smiling, laughing out loud, having no room for the feeling of (or appreciation of) sadness. But the truth is that joy usually has both a sad and glad component…Many times, it’s the sad part that provides the treasure that conceals the glad part, just waiting to be revealed and experienced as joy. So, you could say that sad and glad need each other –think of them as two sides of one coin. (Yes, I will admit that on some days the coin, when laying sad-side-up, feels as big as a boulder…requiring incredible muscle and determination to lift and turn over…But, if it’s any consolation, I’ve personally found that the weight of the coin is in direct proportion to how much joy sits waiting underneath!)

I know…this all still sounds “out there”…not grab-able or hug-able. So, in hopes of helping you to connect to your spiritual core, I thought I would share with you, in an on-going way and in concrete physical terms, how this all looks and feels to me, through my own day to day human experiences, starting with this past week.

In this one week, I taught cooking to incarcerated adolescent girls on Rikers Island (which takes me a few days to prepare for), I’ve baked breads (both sweet and savory) for a friend to tote to her husband (a way-too-young man) who’s dying in a hospice hospital (for something that could have been prevented) and I brought chopped liver and cinnamon babka (NOT to be eaten together!) to my weekly visit with an 89 year old woman, living in an assisted living facility in the Bronx, who lost her husband a year ago at 95 (his age was the good part) from Alzheimer’s disease (that’s the bad part) and she is now virtually alone in the world (the very sad part).

So, you might say, “what a sad week!” Working with young adults who’ve been locked up for breaking the law, a family shattered by illness and an elderly woman whose mind is so sharp that she’s been left fully lucid to her potentially lethal condition; loneliness. But, guess what? I had the best week!…Not because I was laughing all the time (or hardly any of the time). And don’t think i wasn’t constantly bleary-eyed from exhaustion, because I was (actually, I still am…). But, because I chose to utilize my physical abilities to connect me to my spiritual essence (which is, in all humans, a core of basic goodness), as a result, as I reflect back on my week, I feel a sense of personal accomplishment and interpersonal connectedness, which makes me glad in an almost indescribable way–and in a way that can’t be taken away, not ever. This also helps to make the other challenges that I experience a bit easier to deal with.

So, this is my way to become a “generator” of love, not just for myself to enjoy (by being “in joy”) but equally for others. And that, to me, is a very important part of the on-going process of living a spiritual existence in a human’s body.

Here is a link to the challah bread recipe that I made for my student who has become a good friend, to enjoy with her husband in the hospice hospital. For the first time, while I was shaping the loaf, I started to cry. Not because I was sad but because, in all these years of bread making, I had never before moved my hands with such a loving, healing intention.

Shaped, risen, glazed and about to be gilded with a sea of seeds...

About the shape: Although traditionally, challah bread is shaped into braids (and that’s how it’s featured in the recipe provided), here, I purposely made the loaf into a coil instead. I wanted the coil to represent a smooth upward journey.

Here’s the loaf, after baking…

A Round Challah Bread for Rita and Greg

Although not as handsome as a regal, six-strand braid, the intention behind this loaf’s existence makes it my most beautiful one yet.

Tags: baking bread, Challah bread, growth, higher consciousness, joyg, Rikers, spirituality, teaching

Why would anyone “do” take out pizza when it’s SO (so, so) easy and so much better tasting to do at home?? Yes, even when you’re so tired that your hair hurts! I know because tonight my hair has been killing me…

Can we talk??

I know that some (ok more than some) people think that I, because I love making bread at home, that I would absolutely refuse to purchase dough built by someone other than myself. …This is not true.

Here’s the truth. I adore making homemade bread (including pizza dough). But, when I don’t have the time or patience on a given day to do it the way I love to taste it, I will definitely buy it from someone who does…And, the very best place to get a raw pizza dough when wanting hot, crusty homemade pizza (when tired, hungry and you actually would like to NOT feel obligated to apologize for it’s sloppy texture and/or lowered temperature) is…. (ta-dah…) the neighborhood pizza shop!

I did it tonight and it worked perfectly. I was totally exhausted from teaching on Rikers (up at 4:30 am to shower and load my car…and that’s just the tip of it all, trust me…).

The Point: If you want homemade pizza at the end of a hard day and you haven’t had the time or given the forethought to make the dough yourself, this is what you do (listen up!).

Go to your local pizza place, pick up a dough (ask for it to be placed in a regular “small size” pizza box (not a bag). You can even ask to purchase some of their shredded cheese (ask for extra cheese since it’s been a hard day…Pick up a tub of marinara sauce at the supermarket (a refrigerated brand is best since it tastes freshest). And, if you weren’t able to buy shredded cheese at the pizza shop, buy it now (at the supermarket). Also, pick up some crushed red pepper flakes, sliced mushrooms (sliced pepperoni is a favorite with me) and fresh basil.

Come home: Preheat the oven to 550 F and give it enough time to get to that temperature (this takes a while so pour a glass of wine, turn on he music and take off your shoes)… It would also be best if you had a large pizza stone on the rack (there should only be one rack in the oven and it should be in the center position). Mince a good dose of garlic and add a lot of it to the marinara sauce (with some chopped basil along with some crushed red pepper flakes). Sauté the mushrooms until tender and caramelized with some of the reserved garlic (but save the last dose for the top of the pizza). By the way, don’t be shy here, with toppings…You can sauté onions, or slice some roasted peppers…there are at least 1,000 things I could give you to do but, then again, let’s remember you’re exhausted.

OK, once the oven is VERY, VERY, VERY hot, fill a spray bottle with very cold water (I actually keep a filled spray bottle in the fridge so the water is always cold) and sprinkle a large wooden bakers peel (or a flat cookie sheet if you don’t have a peel) with cornmeal. Stretch the dough until a very thin 15-inch round as it sits on the peel. Spread a thin but even layer of sauce on the dough and, if using browned meat (like sausage), scatter it over the sauce. If not, strew a GENEROUS amount of cheese over the sauce. Now is the time to add any sautéed vegetables (and/or sliced pepperoni…) over the cheese and then add some grated aged parmesan, if you have it (great parmesan is highly suggested …)

Ok, now shove the pizza into the oven, sliding and releasing it onto the top of the VERY, VERY, VERY hot pizza stone and, before shutting the oven door, spray the oven with cold water (shooting the mist over the pizza in three or four shots). Shut the door and bake for 12 to 18 minutes (or until the crust is deep (way deep) golden and crisp and the cheese is sizzling).

Slide the peel (or the flat cookie sheet) underneath the cooked pizza and remove it from the oven –and slide it onto a warmed pizza pan (a 15-inch pan, remember?…) Now, using a large pizza wheel, slice that big, gorgeous, round thing into 6 to 8 large wedges…

If you hurry, hurry… you will end up thanking yourself for making pizza at home. This is SO much better than doing “take out” and trying to convince yourself it’s “hot, oozing and perfect…” when you know it’s far from it.

Homemade pizza....there's just nothing like it!

And, when you have some time and want to make pizza from scratch (and even have a pizza party!…) I can show you how on my video. So, whether you need some great pizza when tired and hungry or when you want to do it all yourself and have a really fun time, I hope you’ll enjoy it the way it will always taste best, at home.

Tags: homemade pizza, tasty pizza, tired and hungry