Pizza... Too much of a good thing

If there are any loyal readers of this blog, you are very likely sick of hearing about pizza. It seems I go on and on and on about pizza sometimes. Maybe it's because it's so darn easy to make. Or maybe it's because it's one of my I-have-nothing-in-the-pantry dishes. Seriously, you got flour, yeast, olive oil, something that passes as cheese and something that passes as meat or veg or fruit, and you got pizza!

On Saturday Seth asked why we hadn't had pizza in a while, a regular on our cold-season menu. Well, I told him, there's something about turning on the oven to 450 degrees when it's already 90 degrees outside and you don't have air conditioning. Too much, heat, in this case, is not a good thing.

So, I decided to give in to his craving and cook the pizza on the grill outside. Trust me, I still had to brave the heat radiating from the coals during an already sun-soaked evening, but at least I didn't add to the global warming index of my kitchen in the process. We made four different kinds of pizzas thanks to a kitchen stocked with some of summer's offerings. Jasper dined on a broccoli cheddar pizza (thank you, Cousin Nathan and Converging Creeks Farm), while we enjoyed three kinds of our own: peach and blue cheese; basil pesto and parm; and our own broccoli version. It was simple and delicious. If you think ripe peaches and blue cheese sound strange then you have no idea how a candy like Sweet Tarts ever could have caught on. The peaches are sweet the blue is tangy and the result is heavenly. It's a pleasing combo that translates to salads as well.


Go make this pizza crust. Simply top it with olive oil and whatever delicious veggies you have too much of. It will be a good thing, and I doubt you'll hardly have too much!

Pizza Crust (for grilled pizzas)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup of warm water
1 package (or 2 1/2 teaspoons) yeast
Olive oil

The dough is easiest made in a food processor fitted with a dough blade. It can be made by hand, but expect a more consistent crust with food processor.

Combine flour and salt in the food processor. Add yeast to the warm water and stir to combine. Turn the processor on and pour the water mixture in slowly followed by a light drizzle of olive oil. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for about 1 more minute. Remove dough from processor work bowl and place in a bowl at least double its size. Drizzle olive oil over top and smear around with your fingers. This will keep the dough from getting an outer crust on the ball. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a dish towel. Let the dough rise for approximately 1 to 2 hours, until it has doubled in size. Once dough has risen, use quickly or store in the refrigerator in tightly-wrapped plastic for about 1 day or freeze.

Roll or toss dough to desired sizes, coating in enough flour to make it easy to work with. Place an untopped dough round directly on a hot grill for 2 to 3 minutes. The exact time varies drastically depending on the temperature. Don't walk away. Use long tongs to check the underside. Once the bottom begins to brown, flip the crust for about another minute. Then, remove the crust, top with pizza toppings. Return to grill in a spot where it gets only indirect heat or place on several layers of foil or baking sheet on the grill, so the bottom does not burn. Continue to cook until the toppings appear done.

*To bake in the oven, preheat to 450 degrees and bake a topped crust for about 11 to 14 minutes.

The Cool of Summer

When it's hot outside and the garden is ripe, there is nothing more refreshing and easy than a summer salad. It's the season where stone fruits and tomatoes, melons and onions and peppers and peaches marry to create flavors that make it clear the only way to improve on a perfectly ripe fruit or vegetable is to add another.

Yesterday I threw together a dish of cubed watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, walla walla onions, radishes, oregano and feta. I tossed it all with a little olive oil and seasoning. It was refreshing, simple and substantial enough to be a side dish worthy of seconds.


The seasons for these salads may be short, but the spontaneity of them gives you the freedom to use whatever you have on hand. Leftover watermelon slices, a couple of ripe tomatoes, one lonely peach, a quickly wilting bunch of herbs or half of a bell pepper need not go to waste. It's a cooking method I first caught on to while reporting a story on Turkish immigrants. I visited a family for a few meals and was amazed at the beautiful salads they served with every meal. They were quick, simple and required relatively few ingredients. In a culture where we think salads start with a bag of pre-rinsed greens, we've got a ways to go in the creativity department.

If you need more ideas, check out this New York Times piece by the talented Mark Bittman. If you don't have enough food in your house to make at least one of these tasty salads, it's time to hit up the farmers market. Summer doesn't last forever!

Burgers, Catfish and Dumplings, Oh My!

We just returned from a 10-day adventure that took us all the way from Southeastern Oklahoma to West Texas, and that was after traveling to Oklahoma City from Portland, Ore.

So, as soon as I get the laundry folded and pantry restocked, I'll offer a recipe. Thank you for accepting my tardy excuse this week.

In the meantime, I'll let you know that I was reminded of a few things on this trip home:

• Johnnie's still makes one of the best damn burgers around. My parents started taking me to the one off Britton Road when I was a kid. We'd go there for burgers when we were in the neighborhood or meet up with family or friends for dinner. Johnnies strikes the perfect blend of fast food and full service. It's technically fast food, but it just feels homier than a McDonald's, and the food, of course, is far superior. Grated cheese on a large beef patty and their special sauce, which is really a tasty barbecue dressing, makes this burger darn near perfect. And the onion rings set the standard.
  
• Fried catfish is plentiful and delicious. And don't you dare try to serve it without hush puppies. A meal I can't pass up when I'm in the state. As a kid we always had our own fish fries, but today we settle for a cafe's version when we're down near our lake house.
  
• I grew up eating my Great Grandma Peach's Chicken and Dumplings. The dumplings, however, are more like noodles than anything else. I was happy to find that my family isn't alone. I chowed on some chicken and dumplings that were of the noodle variety. I must say, though, Peach's are still the best.
  

A Good Thing Worth Repeating

Seth recently said, "It's not summer until you make potato salad." It's true. It's one of those dishes that you could make any time of year, but fixing it in December would be like wearing a Hawaiian shirt to a Christmas Party in Detroit. Neither would fit in with reindeer sweaters.

So in the name of celebrating summer, you must go make this potato salad. I like all kinds of potato salad (come on, mayo, potatoes, salt, what's not to like?), but this is the one I always come back to. It's simple yet divine. Perfect for picnics but not so unassuming it couldn't make an appearance at a set table either.

I have written about it before, so I won't repeat the details. Here is where you'll find the backstory. Enjoy the summer. It won't be too long before those tacky sweaters will be in season.

Grandma Sarah's Potato Salad

5 pounds of Russet potatoes
1 bunch of celery, chopped
1 medium red onion, diced
2 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
3 cups of mayonnaise (no Miracle Whip, please)
1 4oz jar of diced pimentos (find them in grocery aisle near pickled asparagus and such)
S & P to taste

Peel, rinse and dice potatoes. Boil until tender in a large, liberally salted pot of water. Drain. Lay potatoes out on a cookie sheet to cool. Speed up the process by placing freezer bags filled with ice on top of them.
Chop one bunch of celery, dice the onion and egg. Combine celery, onion, egg, pimentos (juice and all), mayo, salt, pepper and potatoes in a large bowl. Gently mix to combine, making sure not to mash potatoes.
Season to taste. Chill, serve cold.

Note: Obviously, one only needs five pounds if you're feeding the entire church congregation. Scale down as necessary. Also, you can leave out ingredients you don't like, but do keep in mind that potato salad is not only about taste, but texture, too. The onions and celery add a delicious crunch.

Cobbler Love

As I've mentioned here before, I'm not much of a baker. Slowly, though, I'm coming around. Maybe it's just my stage in life, but I am growing to appreciate the structure a recipe offers. That said, you will still find me hunched over the garbage every now and then used a knife to scrape some sadly burned cake out of a pan.

So when I decided to throw together a dessert for my Fourth of July barbecue, I went with something I know. I started with an all-American biscuit. It's probably the one baked good that I feel completely comfortable making. It's a recipe adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook with the red and white checkered cover. A little extra sugar and lemon zest transformed this flaky biscuit into something that pairs better with berries than sausage gravy. I made the biscuit dough the day before and popped them in the freezer for the night.

The next morning I made a quick trip to the farmer's market where I passed right by fresh sugar snap peas, homemade tamales and my favorite mushroom man. I was focused on fruit. Something that would pair nicely with those buttery biscuits in my freezer. I was sold when my eyes landed on a half-flat of plump, deep purple marionberries. This Oregon jewel is similar to a blackberry in size and shape with a flavor that bleeds more sweet than tart.


At home, I spent about five minutes pulling this cobbler together. The berries went into a pan with sugar, flour and lemon zest. Then the frozen biscuits were popped on to top, and the entire thing took a quick trip in a hot oven. After mini burgers, hot dogs and too much potato salad, we ate marionberry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream. Lots of neighbors ended their evenings with sparklers in hand but not our crew. With a slew of young kids and babies more interested in bubbles than fireworks, a little berry cobbler didn't disappoint as the cap to our celebration.


Marionberry Cobbler
Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for working with dough
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter, cold, cubed
2/3 cup milk
1 lemon, zested
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Juice of one lemon
3 to 4 tablespoons powdered sugar

Berry mixture
8 cups rinsed and drained marionberries*
3/4 cup sugar
1 lemon, zested
2 tablespoons flour

To make biscuits, in a food processor combine flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, lemon zest and cubed butter. Mix, pulsing until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If you do not have a food processor, use a pastry blender to combine ingredients. Dump flour and butter mixture into a mixing bowl and add milk. Combine with a spoon. Turn out dough onto well-floured surface. Work dough into a ball and use a rolling pin to roll dough out to about 1/2 of inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter to cut rounds, making sure not to twist cutter. Dip cut biscuit tops in melted butter and transfer to baking sheet. Place biscuits in freezer for at least five minutes (I place the entire baking sheet in there). Then either proceed with rest of recipe or transfer to airtight container once biscuit dough is frozen until ready for baking.

Prep berries by gently rinsing and draining. Then gently combine with sugar, lemon zest and flour, careful not to bruise or crush the fruit (using your hands is best). Pour the berry mixture into a 9x13-inch pan. Top with biscuit dough and bake in a 450 oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.

While cobbler bakes, combine powdered sugar and lemon juice. After the cobbler is baked, use a pastry brush to lightly coat the tops of biscuits with the lemon-sugar glaze. Serve warm or room temperature topped with vanilla ice cream.

* Substitute blackberries if you cannot find marionberries.

Note: Because the sugar content of fruit can vary, adjust the amount of sugar as needed based on the ripeness of fruit used.

Endless Possibilities

After making jam last week, I still had several pints of strawberries staining the refrigerator shelves, so we tried to eat them all. We had them on cereal. We ate them whole. I sliced them over ice cream. I discovered sliced strawberries are heavenly in this recipe when swapped for chocolate chips. But there were still more, and most were on the verge of overripe mush.

The ruby jewels are too precious to toss in the compost just because we couldn't get our grub on quick enough. So I gave them a rinse, sliced their little green tops off and dropped them in the blender. After a quick whiz, I had a brilliant red puree. Here's where I stole a trick from my baby-food-making recipes: I poured the puree into my silicone muffin tin (yes, it's not technically a tin, but I just can't make any other name stick) and popped them in the freezer. If you don't have a silicone muffin tin, use ice cube trays. A few hours later they are frozen solid and can be popped out and transferred to a plastic bag or other airtight container.


So what could you do with frozen strawberry hockey pucks? Well, toss one in the blender with plain yogurt for a smoothie. Add thawed puree to your morning oatmeal. Or use it for baking cakes, muffins or making pancakes. Blend it with cream cheese and sugar for a delicious frosting. Pour it over ice cream or sliced pound cake. Add it to your lemonade, or better yet, your margarita!

Unlike the shelf life of a strawberry, the possibilities are endless. The bottom line is, there is no need to let your fruit go to waste. If you can't eat it in time, take five minutes to puree and freeze it. It's just one little way to stretch the summer season.

The Last Thing

I thought this being a food blog and all that I should offer up at least one recipe this week. And very appropriately, I thought I'd tell you about the last thing.

That's something I seem to say a lot. Like starting a sentence with "The last thing I have to do is ..." There's never really a last thing. I mean, even the couple sitting blissfully on the beach with a drink in hand will need someone to run to the store eventually for more vodka or limes, right?


In between the chores, dinner, the kids and the pets, treat yourself to a few niceties. Like croutons. I sometimes find myself pulling together a dinner and at the last minute thinking that the only thing left is the croutons. It sounds so meaningless, but imagine a great salad you love topped with crisp cubes of salty, crunchy goodness. Or sprinkle them on soup. Whiz 'em in the food processor and top your pasta with them. The possibilities are limitless, and this handy little tip will make you loath those boxed cubes of stale bread and love the leftover baguette.


Croutons are simple to make. The recipe goes something like this: Cube bread* then toss with just enough olive oil to coat. Season generously with salt, pepper and anything else you like (think herbs, red pepper flakes, crushed garlic and the like). Then apply heat to toast them up. It literally takes a couple of minutes. This can be accomplished in a medium oven for about five minutes, on the stove top in a skillet or even in a pan over the grill. If you've chosen the stovetop or grill method, you'll need to give the pan a shake every now and then to evenly brown. Those made in the oven will crisp nicely all on their own. Cool croutons and use immediately or store in an airtight container for a day or so.

* Stale or slightly stale bread works best, but fresh bread will work. Just note that the more moist the bread, the longer the cook time. Use any type of bread you like including plain old sandwich loaf bread.

Grab a napkin, pass the jam

I made strawberry jam. Yes, I had lots of help, and no, I did not create the world's most perfect jam. Like me, it had its flaws. One of four cans didn't seal correctly, which is OK because I would have popped one open today anyway. The jam itself wasn't quite as gelled as I would have liked, but the flavor was excellent. Pectin is a finicky thing, and like with many things in the kitchen, making jam is a bit of trial and error, I suppose. Now, it's time to go at it again and see if with a few tweaks I may be able to get the consistency a bit firmer. Christiane said that perhaps we added the lemon juice a bit early and making it the last step would yield better results since it breaks down the natural pectin. She also said it could continue to set for the next day or two.

While it was pretty exciting to put my jam on my toast this morning, I'm most excited that making jam doesn't sound so scary anymore. I am not going to offer up a recipe just yet. I'll do that when I get it right. I'm still eating my jam, though. I'll just put a napkin in my lap.

Now we wait

So I am almost embarrassed to admit this, but even though strawberry jam was made in my kitchen today, I did very little of the making. My sweet friend Christiane came by and basically gave me a preserving lesson while she made the jam. I did things like prepped the strawberries, cooked us lunch and kept Jasper out of the trash, which is his latest trick. She watched the timer, stirred the jam and fished out the foamy stuff in the pot that she said we didn't want.


Now, she says, we wait. I'm under strict orders to leave the jars alone until tomorrow morning. Then I give them a test to see if they have truly sealed. Those that are sealed can go to the pantry. Any that aren't are still good as long as they're eaten within a week or so. I am so excited. Once I give 'em a try, I'll pass along the recipe.

Even if we weren't successful, it was worth it. There are very few things I find more enjoyable than hanging out with good company in the kitchen.

Strawberry Ambition

Today I'm trying something new. I am going to make strawberry jam. It sounds easy just writing it here, but to be honest I'm a little scared. It involves canning, which sounds intimidating to me. I like flexibility. I want to be able to shift course mid-process, and filling jars and sealing them seems so permanent.


I bought this flat of delicious, ripe strawberries at the farmer's market yesterday, so I've got to work quick. I've researched a few recipes, and a seasoned jam-making friend may stop by. I promise to update you later today and let you know just how it went. And if it's a true success and you live close enough, you may just find a jar of strawberry jam at your door.

Recreating Mom's Zucchini

When I was a kid, we had a yellow, round electric skillet that was pulled out on Saturday mornings when Dad would make an omelet and for weeknight dinners when Mom would make sauteed zucchini. I always loved this vegetable side dish, especially the parmesan cheese from the green can that she sprinkled on just near the end of cooking.

I remember once trying to recreate the dish at my friend Lisa's while I was in middle school. I didn't get it quite right and made a mess of her mother's skillet when the cheese stuck everywhere but the zucchini. To this day, I still have trouble replicating her dish. It's possible that it's one of those things that tastes better in my memory than in reality. But then again, summer squash is a delicate thing that wants to be treated just right. Unlike its fall and winter counterparts, summer squash has a soft flesh and needs only minimal cooking. Cooked too long and it turns into a soggy mash; not long enough and it's got the bite of al dente pasta.

Perhaps it was that giant nonstick electric skillet that yielded the perfect zucchini. Then again it could have been the cheese from the green can that helped absorb the excess liquid. It was probably some wacky combination of all of these things along with my mom's technique. Whatever it was, it was delicious, and I've finally found a way to recreate the same flavor. The look is different, however. My mom sliced her squash into discs about a quarter of an inch thick while I trimmed the ends and then sliced them once, lengthwise.


The result is a zucchini that is cooked through yet firm enough to hold its shape. And the salty parmesan plays well upon the slight sweetness of the squash. The dish is an easy side or could also make for a fun appetizer.

Broiled Zucchini topped with Parmesan

2 medium zucchini, washed and ends trimmed
1/4 cup or more grated parmesan
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven on its broiler setting. Cut the zucchini in half, lengthwise. Place them on a cookie sheet with the cut sides facing up. Brush the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place under the broiler for approximately 7 minutes and check for doneness. The exact time will depend on how large your zucchini are. It is done when the squash is tender and the edges begin to brown. Remove from oven and top with parmesan cheese. Return to oven to melt and brown cheese, roughly 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Sophistication Without the Skills

The past week has been a whirlwind to say the least. Travel, sick baby, high fever and a catered event for 25 to pull off. Somehow it all came together, and we are, at last, back in our own home where everyone slept well last night.

In the spirit of busy times, I will be brief and leave you with a treat I first put together last summer. I was inspired after reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle with the book club gals and made an appetizer that was sourced completely from the farmer's market aside from the oil and vinegar.

It's a crostini topped with arugula, strawberries macerated in balsamic reduction and topped with crumbled feta. It's basically a salad that I love put onto a little slice of toasted bread. There's something magical that happens when fresh, ripe strawberries -- the kind that bleed a deep red syrup when sliced through -- meet balsamic vinegar. The sweet, tangy combination delivers five-star flavor by way of Top Ramen skills. It's really that simple. Slice them and toss them. The trick to balsamic is simply that if you're on a budget, buy a middle-of-the-road variety and reduce it to concentrate the flavor.


Crostini Topped with Arugula, Balsamic-Macerated Strawberries and Feta

1 baguette
5 oz arugula
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
1 cup crumbled feta
olive oil
salt

Thinly slice baguette on the bias and brush one side of each slice with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 oven for about 8 minutes or until bread is slightly golden and toasted. This step could also be done on a grill. Bring the balsamic vinegar to a gentle boil in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and reduce by about half and cool completely. Slice strawberries and combine with cooled vinegar for about 30 minutes. Toss arugula lightly with olive oil and salt. To assemble place a few leaves of arugula on each crostini. Top with macerated strawberries and crumbled feta. Serve immediately.

Note: The crostinis can be made several hours ahead of time and stored (once cooled) in an airtight container. The balsamic can also be reduced ahead of time. Simply combine strawberries and vinegar just a bit before serving and assemble when ready to eat.

Nothing says "I love you" like cheap food

With the folks in town, seems like I've been running around the kitchen like crazy. It's not that cooking for two extra people is much more work. It's more like I've got so much running through my brain that I could easily get sidetracked making a bowl of cold cereal.

That said, after we'd grilled flank steak, tested a delicious pasta recipe, had a burger night and visited Nathan's farm for some outstanding grilled salmon, my creative cooking well was in need of a stiff drink. That's when I decided on carnitas tacos.


Nothing says "I love you" like great, cheap food. We sat down at the picnic table in the back yard and ate with our hands. It's an unpretentious meal but not soon forgotten.

A while back I discovered this fabulous recipe. After you're done noticing how much more fabulous this blog is than mine, read the recipe. Then go make it. Pork, orange juice, salt and water never tasted so good.

Morning Treat

The cereal aisle of the grocery store was always a treat when I was kid. If we were really lucky, my sister and I each got to pick our own box. I remember really liking Smurf Berry Crunch, which must have been OK with Mom. But she did have her rules. Anything with marshmallows was out, along with anything else that was clearly dessert material masquerading in a bright colorful box with cartoon characters (although I do remember my sister going through quite the Cookie Crisp phase).

Whatever the case, I seemed to take a liking to these rules. To this day, if it is before 10 a.m. I can easily resist cookies, brownies, chocolate, Coke and the like. These were treats that were clearly not meant for the morning hour. That's why it feels a bit sinful to indulge in something studded with chocolate chips for breakfast.

Despite the rules, I made a dozen Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins for a few friends over the weekend. Both the kids and the grown ups ran around the back yard with a muffin in hand. That was really I all I needed to know, but when I returned to the kitchen after the house was quiet again, I saw only one lone muffin sitting on the platter. And it wasn't long before that one was gone, too.


Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Adapted from a Boston Cooking School Cookbook muffin recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 medium over-ripe banana, mashed well

Combine first four ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mix eggs, yogurt, butter and banana. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins (greased or lined with paper cups). Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until a toothpick insert comes out clean and tops are slightly golden. Let cool in tins for 10 minutes and then remove to continue cooling.

Sweet-Tart Memory

When Seth and I moved in together, I worked days and he worked the swing shift. That left breakfast as our only option for a meal together. Eight years later, we still sit down for breakfast together every day, something that we've grown to cherish.

In those early days, Seth wasn't into fruit, but I began making a fruit salad daily that consisted of sliced bananas, apples, pears, berries or whatever else we had on hand. I'd toss in a handful of nuts, a pinch of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey if the fruit wasn't sweet enough. Fruit is now an everyday routine. Today we usually just slice a pear or apple and have that with our morning meal. Every once in a while I buy grapefruit, and even though we're not exactly in the thick of grapefruit season, I rationalize it by knowing there is no grapefruit season period in the Northwest.

I like mine simple: halved and sprinkled with sugar. Of course I run knife around the edge, so the fruit segments will give with just a little help from a grapefruit spoon. My favorite part is the end when I get to squeeze the remaining juice into the spoon and gulp it down.


As a kid, I thought grapefruits were just something old people ate. My grandparents Mom and Pop had them regularly for breakfast, just the way I described with a sprinkle of sugar. We seldom ate them at my house growing up, and I'm not really sure what turned me on to them as an adult, but I love them. A ripe grapefruit with its sweet-tart taste is hard to beat. The best part, though, is that with one bite, I taste the memory of sitting at the bar in Mom's kitchen eating a microwave-cooked egg that my grandfather probably told me came from an elephant.

Grapefruits aren't just for old people, but I doubt I would have recognized how sweet they could be until I got a little old myself.

Broiler Bread

The broiler might just be one of the most underutilized kitchen tools. It's simple, everyone's got one and it's usually mess-free, which is a bonus in my kitchen.

And it's the broiler that saves me a lot of nights. I love to have bread with salads, pastas, soups and the like. But a loaf of fresh bread won't stay fresh long, and since I don't shop daily, by the end of the week I'm staring at a lone loaf of sandwich bread. That's OK, though. When that happens, I use a trick my mom did when I was growing up. It's easy: sandwich bread + butter + parm + a quick trip under the broiler.

I've updated the version, opting for fresh cheese instead of the kind in the green can, and I sub olive oil for butter. And when I really want to class it up I trim the crusts and cut the bread into triangles or long, thin rectangles. I like to top mine with red pepper flakes, but the possibilities are endless with this easy bread. Fresh chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced apple, chopped herbs or whatever else you've got in the kitchen.

And since this bread is of the economical variety, don't over spend on one of those tubs of shredded parm. Buy a large chunk, cut it into pieces the size a large eraser and pop it in the food processor (this probably works best in a good-quality food processor). It will make an alarming clank at first, but give it a second and it will begin to hum. Whiz until it's finely chopped. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for a few weeks.

One last tip: Don't walk away from the oven. Watch it. This bread cooks in literally a minute or two. Pull it out when it starts to brown and the cheese is melting.

Here's the how-to.

When is asparagus season over?

This is what Seth is asking now. I told him that soon it will disappear from the markets and we won't see it again for a year. That should give him plenty of time to forget the platefuls I've served this month. However, I've got about a pound of it still sitting in the fridge, though, so, honey, it ain't over yet.

Thank you to everyone who gave me feedback on the changes to the blog last week. I'm still tinkering to find the right mix of a quick-hit post as well as enough explanation so that you can make it yourself. This is hard for me. Seriously. Often, I would rather look at a picture of a dish and then just try to recreate it on a whim. But I am trying very hard to remember my brain may be the one out of alignment here. I'll try to offer up a few tips and steps, but they may not always amount to a full recipe. If you have questions, you're more than welcome to ask. I'll respond to comments, emails, Facebook or even the old telephone.

Back to asparagus. Again. This weekend we went to a potluck at my cousin's farm where he divided sidedish and dessert duties by the first letter of your last name. A-M got a side, and N-Z were assigned a dessert. P for Prince would mean dessert. M for McFall would mean a side. I fell to the sweet side and decided to make a flourless chocolate cake since the hostess is a gluten-free gal. In a bit of a hurry, I wasn't a slave to the recipe, and that's where it went awry. Needless to say, the cake was in no shape for a potluck table. Even if I pulled a McFall and asked "Who in the hell brought the uncooked chocolate mess?"


So, I pulled another McFall and decided to think quick, pretending that my mistake was planned all along -- it was all a ploy to get back to asparagus. I do have two last names, and it would be easy to claim the M. We hit up the farmer's market where I bought two huge bundles for my dish. I trimmed the ends and, working in batches, gave them a few quick tosses in a hot skillet with olive oil and salt. Then I transferred them to a sheet tray to cool while I worked on the next batch. The total cooking time was no more than 10 minutes for the entire batch (only about two minutes a batch). When I was done with the asparagus, I toasted a handful of pine nuts in the same skillet. The results were delicious, salty, still crispy spears. When I went to pick up my tray at the end of the evening there were only a couple of lonely spears and scattered nuts. I guess not everyone is sick of asparagus just yet.

Tip: Asparagus will keep longer if you give it a little drink. The bundled spears will stay upright if you keep the rubber band on. You can use just about any dish, but I like to use old yogurt containers. Just put about an inch of water in the bottom and add the asparagus. You'll probably want to change the water in a day or two if you haven't used them by then.

How to buy: Look for bright green bundles that are firm and not limp. The tips should be closed tightly. The size of asparagus does not matter greatly, but the smaller are more tender. If you plan on grilling, the larger ones are great.

Season: Now! Asparagus is a spring crop. If you're buying it in any other season it's probably not from this country. If you want it out of season, look for frozen. The canned variety does no justice to this vegetable.

Beyond Guacamole

Baby food has a way of curling an adult's lip. It leaves you thinking that oatmeal should never have the same color and texture as turkey and rice. And rightly so. But, as babies do, they'll eat some, showing little discretion, and paint the kitchen with the rest.

I hadn't thought of sharing Jasper's food with you until Seth encouraged it. For the past few months we've had fun exploring tastes and textures with our little guy. I've been making his food, except a few generic Cheerios that I buy in bulk. I whiz peas, steamed squash, steamed broccoli and the like in the food processor and freeze portions in my silicone muffin pan. And even though this isn't too much trouble, sometimes I need a 30-second meal for the little guy. OK, I need quick meals a lot, not just on a rare occasion.

That's when I make a Avocado Banana Mash. No cooking. Travels well. Only a fork is required. And before you curl up your lip, take a taste. It's delicious. And it even looks like avocado and banana mashed together to boot!


Before I run off taking credit for this tasty combination, I have tell you that a good chunk of the world has been eating it for quite some time. In several Asian countries, vendors sell avocado smoothies, a combination of avocado and yogurt whizzed in the blender. And when we visited Morocco, I first saw someone making them on the tiny alleys of Chefchaouen. I'd never heard of it, and my friend Abdul had to explain it to me twice. Seeing as if avocados are the one food I'd take with me to a deserted island, I couldn't wait to try one. The ones we sampled in Africa had banana in them as well with a touch of honey.

So maybe it's time to think beyond guacamole. A ripe avocado isn't just for condiments or dips. It can just as easily be the star of the show.

Tip: Avocados are ripe when the skin is dark but the fruit is still slightly firm and the stem pops of with only the slightest of pressure. Avocado browns quickly once cut. Acid such as citrus juice or vinegar slows the process. These dishes, especially the mash, will brown quickly, but it does not alter the flavor. To save the remaining avocado, wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate.

Avocado Banana Mash
1/4 of a large, ripe banana
1/4 of a medium, ripe avocado

With the back of a fork, mash together banana and avocado until desired consistency is reached.

Avocado Banana Smoothie
1/2 of a large, ripe banana
1/2 of a medium, ripe avocado
3/4 cup of plain yogurt (low fat or non fat is OK)

Toss the ingredients in the blender and whiz them together. Taste. Adjust to your liking by adding more banana to make it sweeter or more avocado to make it more savory. If you take it even sweeter, add a drizzle of honey.

Brown Bag

Egg Salad Sandwich

Lunch Date: The perfect brown bag sandwich. Thanks to some neighborhood chickens, and their generous owners who share, we have been eating lots of eggs this week. I make my egg salad with a little bit of dried dill and S&P and pair it with some fresh arugula.

Pizza Party

Asparagus, Pine Nut & Chevre Pizza

Yep: I really do have asparagus every day. This is a super simple dish that was great. It looks like we dined light, but I also made a sausage pizza! We ate pizza, drank a beer and watched "Lost." Good night. Click here for the dough recipe.