The Peaches Have Arrived!

This is probably going to be my favorite entry even though there's no recipes to list yet; just a simple side dish ... I plan on doing some things this evening so I'm sure they'll get posted in the next few days. But of all days, today was a peach picking day! It was about 80 degrees earlier this afteroon and perfect weather for picking peaches. We've had a couple of days of rain so I have to admit, it was rather humid but as far as the temperature goes, it was quite pleasant. It rained early this morning so my friend, Yoshie, and I decided to head out at about 11:30 AM. The skies had cleared but it was still cloudy which kept the temperature down to what amounted to a perfect day. The destination was Breeden's Orchard in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee which is only about a 20 minute drive from me. The address for Breeden's Orchard is 631 Beckwith Road off of Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet and the phone number is (615) 449-2880 if you need to call for information. They are open from 10 AM to 5 PM Monday through Saturday and you also can pick on Sunday from noon until 4:30 PM. They have been in business since 1974 so it's a nicely established orchard with over 600 peach trees not to mention the apple orchards.

The "red haven" peaches that we picked today couldn't have been more exquisite. As we arrived at the orchard and saw the sign that pointed us up the driveway to the store, you could see a hillside of beautiful peach and red colored dots on beautifully, well groomed trees. There was a sweet scent in the air that became more intense as we neared the store parking lot. Besides the beautiful apples and peaches at Breeden's, they've got a great little store where you can buy homemade canned products including peach and apple things ... but there are shelves full of jams, jellies, pickles and more. The last time I was there, I had an apple fried pie that was delicious. This time, I was tempted by the frozen fresh peach "slushie" and BOY, was I glad I got that. What a fun treat! Wish they had those at a Mapco or Seven-Eleven!

When you head out to pick, a jolly gentleman that owns the orchard directs you where to go. There are several orchards but you are directed to the ones that are actually bearing best at the time. At the small store, you get some baskets and a nice little red "radio flyer" wagon if you plan on picking more than a few pounds. And boy, were we glad we grabbed a wagon! We filled 4 peck baskets of peaches and between the two of us, wound up bringing home almost 50 pound of peaches! Trust me, it was easy to do! And at 90 cents per pound, it makes for an economical bulk preparation for peach jam, peach butter and canned peaches!



As I said earlier, we left at 11:30 AM and it's a 20 minute drive. We picked 4 peck baskets of peaches and by the time we checked out, it was 1 PM and we were on our way home. So in a little over an hour, we managed to arm ourselves with about 25 pounds each of "peach work" for the weekend! The reason that I add this little fact is that I have a feeling a lot of people think that picking fruit at a farm or orchard is a time consuming experience and you have to set out half a day or more to do it. In actuality, you could head out, pick a basket in 20 minutes and come home to make two batches of jam and be done by 3 PM!

The other thing is, if you've never had the opportunity to pick a fresh peach from a tree and eat it while it is ripe and warmed by the sun, you haven't LIVED! This, for me, is truly one of life's most amazing moments. And the only thing I can equate to that is picking a tomato warmed by the sunshine and eating it right then and there! In this day and age, most people only get to experience a peach from the grocery store. Those are picked early while still partially green so that they don't bruise or spoil in transport. Peaches tend to not get sweeter unless left on the trees to ripen. And a juicy ripe peach only gets a better flavor if it was picked fully ripe from the tree and left to sit for a day or two.


Fresh peaches are a versatile fruit. I use them in sweet things such as cobbler, peach pies, and as a sauce. I make a great ricotta cheesecake that is graced by a beautiful silken peach sauce spooned on top of it. But peaches make a great savory side dish with pork or chicken. It's not really a recipe but I'll give it to you anyway at the end of this blog. But if nothing else, peel, half and freeze them to slice later in peach pies or fruit salads. You won't recreate that taste in any other way!

One of the biggest things I guess I've realized
about doing this blog is how much I want to stress that using seasonal foods and cooking with simple, fresh, and natural ingredients can be healthy and rewarding. It doesn't take a cookbook or lots of hours of prep time to eat healthy and fulfilling meals. And, if we use seasonal foods, you'll never really get into the rut of making the same things over and over again, as certain foods are only available at certain times of the year!


Here's something that I think all of you should try ... especially after going to a local orchard and picking some fresh peaches! Let me know what you think ... and as always, until next time, ciao!

Roasted Peaches

• 6 ripe freestone peaches
• 3 tblsp butter
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp gound cardamom
• 3 tblsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tblsp fresh minced rosemary (or 1 tblsp dried)

Wash and dry peaches. Using a pairing knife, find the natural crease on the side of the peach. Cut the peach in half by sinking the blade into the crease and continuing to cut the peach all the way around. This follows the natural direction of the peach pit and if you have actually purchased freestone peaches, the pit should easily be able to lift out with minimal prying, keeping the peach halves in good shape.

Place the 12 peach halves in a baking dish (9x13 baking pan is what I use) cut side up. Divide butter and place a small dollop on top of each cut peach half. Sprinkle the cinnamon, cardamom, sugar and salt evenly over the tops of all peach halves. Finish the peaches by evenly sprinkling the minced rosemary on them.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes. Check them after 20 minutes ... if you've used smaller peaches, they'll cook much quicker. The butter and sugar creates a beautiful golden glaze on the peach tops. This makes a perfect side dish for roasted chicken, or a grilled boneless-skinless chicken breast and any type of pork. For an easier version, if grilling outside, prep the peaches in the same manner but place each peach half spiced-side up directly on the grill away from direct heat (not to blacken the skins on the bottom). Cook for 15 or 20 minutes until softened and warm. They get a smoky flavor that makes them even BETTER than roasting in the oven. Enjoy!

Blackberry Cobbler

OK, OK..... one more post on blackberries and I promise I am done for the season! But you'll be thankful I did ... I promise! My friend Amanda sort of "egged me on" to add this and I said I would add it so here it is.... the world's easiest blackberry cobbler recipe! When you're in a hurry and you have fresh fruit handy, this has to be the quickest thing I've ever done ... not to mention the fact that everybody loves it. It goes great with vanilla ice cream, especially if it's home-made!




Blackberry Cobbler

For the blackberries:

• 2 cups fresh blackberries
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar

For the cobbler:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup milk

Macerate the blackberries in a bowl by "squashing" them slightly with a fork and adding the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. Stir and let them sit for 5 minutes (while you're assembling the cobbler).

In a preheated oven set to 350 degrees, place the stick of butter in a 1 1/2 quart baking pan. (I use an 8x8 square cake pan for this and it's perfect!) Put it in the oven for a couple of minutes while you're preparing the batter and let the butter melt completely.

Mix all of the dry COBBLER ingredients in a bowl. There's no need to sift the flour if you use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients. Add the milk to the dry ingredients and whisk to a pancake batter-like consistency. Don't overmix the batter or it will result in a heavy "cake". Remove the baking pan from the oven and simply pour the batter in the center of the pan directly onto the melted butter and let it spread out across the pan. DON'T MIX! The butter will keep the "cake" portion of the cobbler from sticking and the excess butter flavors the fruit beautifully.

Drop the macerated blackberries as evenly as possible across the top of the cobbler. Pop the baking pan into the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes until the butter and fruit are bubbly and the top of the cobbler is a beautiful golden brown.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or custard if you wish ... or just devour it "as is" while it's still warm!

Of course, here we go again with a "method" of cooking. So you have respberries, use them instead of blackberries! Or strawberries..... or blueberries..... or peaches..... or nectarines..... or gooseberries..... or almost any good, juicy fruit! The "cake" portion of the cobbler will always remain the same. Just make sure as you macerate the fruit, you squash it slightly to help release the juices from the fruit as the sugar will do the rest. It's fresh fruit time and we should eat seasonally... so I suggest trying theis cobbler all summer with every kind of fruit! As always, until next time, ciao!

Blackberry Picking!

OK, so I totally couldn't get enough of the blackberry patch! A couple of weeks ago, I went with my friend Yoshie and I was so thankful she introduced me to this place! I had to go back a second time and get more ... and there may be a third visit. This time, I dragged my house mate, Keith, along with me. We both wound up picking about 5 pounds of berries each and then bringing a couple of pounds to his parents. It was 90-some degrees so it wasn't nearly as comfortable as the first time I went BUT as much fun. The bushes were brimming with large and luscious purple berries and as you tasted a few, the warm juices popped in your mouth with a sensation that is indescribable. The only thing I can say is that it brought back a lot of childhood memories.

When I was a youngster, we'd spend a lot of time with my parents' families in Pennsylvania. In July, we'd get dressed in long sleeves and jeans and my mom, dad, cousin Greg, Aunt Rosie, Uncle Nutsy (his real name is Paul ... go figure!) and I would trek into the woods with our 2 gallon metal buckets and spend the day picking blackberries. Now imagine, it wasn't a berry patch. You had to hunt for them and they were the real thorny strains that actually hurt sometimes when you picked them. The briars would get in the way and you'd always come home with a few scratches. However, the minute we could wash a bowl full and pour some really cold, whole milk and sugar on them, we'd gobble them up and they'd disappear. My Aunt Rosie is a champion baker and would make the most exquisite blackberry pies from our excursions. She'd also freeze some and later in the year, there was always a great treat at her house.

My uncle is no longer with us but I have to say, my aunt is still a champion baker ... just much less frequently than she used to be. We don't all go picking anymore but occasionally, as an adult, you will do things that totally remind you of your childhood ... and blackberry picking is one of those things for me!





Keith and I went to a place called Kelley's Berry Farm outside of Lebanon, Tennessee. The actual address is 50 Riverview Lane, Castalian Springs, TN 37031 and is just across the Trousdale County line. But for me, the drive is beautiful and peaceful and just enough out of the way to make it a great half day event.


It's a place I highly recommend as their bushes are thornless and the rows are wide, easy to navigate and well maintained. To check on their current seasons, the phone numbers are 615-633-1426 or 615-374-3050 and they are open 7AM to 6PM Monday through Saturdays when fruit is in season. They do have some things already picked even though to get back to nature, I suggest picking your own!


I can't vouch for all of the berries as I've only picked blackberries there, but it seems to me that the rest of the berry farm is in as good a shape, easy to navigate and as fruitful as the blackberries. They have strawberries in May, blackberries in June and July and blueberries in July and August. I think they also have raspberries but I didn't confirm that. The blackberries are $2.50 per pound for pick-your-own and a bucket that holds 5 pounds will only set you back $12.50 AND is a worthwhile, healthy investment for desserts, pies, muffins, or just eating. And remember, berries hold a lot of antioxidants and cancer fighting agents.


I'm sure I'll head back for the blueberries if not one more trip for blackberries before then. But the next project is peaches. They're starting to come in plentifully in middle Tennessee. I'm sure I'll be motivated to write a few blog entries about canning peaches, peach jam and other creative peach "dishes" that are easy to make! As always, until next time, ciao!

A beautiful butterfly in the blackberry patch!

Vegetables Abound!

The garden is brimming with things to pick and use and herbs are at their peak right now. I have tons of basil and parsley (figuratively, of course!) along with the things I DON'T use every day like rosemary and sage. I've gotten some serious mileage out of my arugula and swiss chard. And PS... the swiss chard is going strong this season ... I think it's because it's been cooler here this summer than the past decade or so!

And because of the not-so-global-warming-like temperatures so far this season, my cucumbers, squash and peppers are crazy! I have several cucumber vines in the garden that seem to have taken over! And my squash plants are so large this year, I have nothing to compare them to. The beans are doing great and as always, the okra is abundant. But the only thing that at least in MY garden has been slower this year than normal are my tomatoes. Usually by now I have tons. But with the amount of green tomatoes on the vines, when they ripen ... look out! Canning City is calling my name!

I thought that a few pictures of some of the things I've picked in the past week or so might be appropriate instead of a recipe for every entry of my blog. So here's just a sampling of the stuff I brought to my kitchen on July 15.


And just a couple of days later on July 17, I had way more than I could handle. I passed some things off to a few friends. But I sure love the way it looks when I bring it into the kitchen!


I have some fun things in my garden that I wouldn't call "everyday" vegetables and I love to share those with my friends. One of my absolute favorites that I discovered is an heirloom variety of cucumber called lemon cucumbers. They are the tastiest treats in the garden. Each cucumber is a very beautiful lemon color and about the size of a baseball. When you cut them open, they are nearly twice as fragrant as a regular green cucumber and the taste is magnificent! The flesh inside, along with the seeds, looks familiar like a traditional cucumber. But there is a citrus like "zing" that these babies have that I've never tasted before. I love to use them in salads but instead of burying the flavor with other things, I like to slice them, top them with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and a drizzle of hearty extra virgin olive oil. That seems to truly bring out the flavor of this variety. And the good thing is, if the seeds in a lemon cucumber are fully mature and I save them, though I grow two or three other varieties of cucumber in my garden, they will not cross pollenate and create a hybrid. Being an heirloom variety, they stay true to their genetics and only produce beautiful little lemon cucumbers the following season. You certainly won't find bedding plants for these at your local Wal-Mart, Lowe's or Home Depot but they are super easy to grow from seed. I have about 8 plants growing in a patch and if there aren't over 100 small yellow flowers just waiting to become cucumbers, there aren't any!




The other truly incredible vegetable that I feel I need to expose every gardener to is the cubanelle pepper. This is a beautiful and mild version of pepper with a lovely color that every gardener should try. I used to be able to find these up north in grocery stores that carry a lot of Italian foods ... in the south, not so much. So I looked for them everywhere to actually grow my own supply. They seem to like a bit more water than your regular bell pepper (that now comes in every color of the rainbow), so I grow them in large pots on my deck and can water them more regularly than the pepper plants in my garden. The color is exquisite and as for taste, they seem to embody a perfect blending of flavor and texture of the finest green bell pepper and the yellow banana pepper. Italians use them in recipes and for simply frying. OK, here's something I was raised on and if you haven't tried it, you have NO idea what you're missing. You can use green peppers, red pepper, banana peppers ... but the best flavor will come from a cubanelle pepper! Seed and slice the peppers and simply fry them slowly in olive oil as not to brown them. Add salt and fresh black pepper to taste and MY favorite taste treat is to fry them with one medium temperature chili added to the pan. Fried peppers with a crusty loaf of Italian bread and I'm in heaven! I guess it's truly a large part of my Italian heritage because I eat like an Italian. I tend to have a very Mediterranean diet. And if you went to a good Italian restaurant and ordered and antipasto plate as an appetizer or the course before the pasta (anti = before, pasta.... well, duh!), no doubt you've had roasted or fried red, sweet bell peppers. In Italy, at several trattoria where I was fortunate enough to eat, the platter contained cubanelle peppers.

For those of you that haven't had the fortune of spending time in Italy, a trattoria is the greatest thing on earth. It's where the locals go.... It's sort of a restaurant but small, maybe 10 tables maximum. The menu is truly small. Sometimes it is run out of a house and the mama is in the kitchen cooking for two or three tables of customers. When I said the menu is small, I do mean small. Usually whatever mama decides to create for the day, that's what's on the menu. Just like home ... and just like the real Italians eat! And what a treat it is.....

And with that beautiful memory of cedar trees and wheat fields with a villa in the distance, poppies growing wildly everywhere, and the soft fragrance of olive trees from the surrounding hillsides, it's time for me to sleep and dream of beautiful Italy so I can create more beautiful recipes to included in this blog! Goodnight and until next time, as always, ciao!

Zucchini Is Forever.....

OK, for those of you that plant zucchini, you know that sooner or later, you're going to have to be more creative than you could ever imagine to use it all. I've pickled the stuff to resemble bread & butter pickles, made relish from it, fried it, put it in casseroles, roasted, stir fried, pan fried, steamed it ... and still, more zucchini than I can handle.

Like my summer squash casserole, here's another recipe that I truly enjoy. I can't take credit for it as it was created by my mother ... but I sure make enough of it in the summer months. It's my mom's take on Eggplant Parmesean. My dad has never been too big on eggplant but he sure loves zucchini. And let me tell you ... not another person on the planet has the touch with frying zucchini like my mother. She peddles it around the neighborhood and all her next door friends clamor for the stuff! But sometimes, she'd make this amazing creation that we called "Zucchini Parmesean" ... it has the same components as eggplant parmesean but something about the sweetness and tenderness of the zucchini truly transforms this dish.

It's really easy, can be a lower fat meal, but the only downside is that it's a bit time comsuming to prepare. Because of that, I usually make two of them and cover a second casserole dish to put in the freezer for another time!

Oh, and PS..... if you "lose" a zucchini on a plant and it gets a little too large, these are the best to use for this as they'll get cooked twice and certainly soften up in the oven!

Zucchini Parmesean

• 2 medium zucchini (about 3 pounds total), sliced in 1/8" discs
• 2 eggs
• 4 tblsp of milk
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• Lowfat oil for frying (canola works best and is the best for you!)
• 2 tblsp olive oil
• 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes (or a good quart of home canned ones)
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
  
• 2 tblsp minced fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
• 2 tblsp minced fresh basil (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)
• Parmesean cheese (the good stuff - a wedge, not the grated plastic container kind!)
• 8 oz (approx 2 cups) shredded mozzerella cheese (part skim or whole milk)

You can start my making the sauce portion of the dish by putting 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a kettle. As it heats, empty the can (or jar) of tomatoes and can of tomato paste into a blender and puree until smooth. As soon as the oil is hot, put the minced garlic into the pot and stir. Don't let the garlic brown but simply flavor the oil. Add the tomato mixture to the pan, stir and set the heat to a slow simmer. Add the salt, pepper and crushed red pepper and stir. (You might want to add a tablespoon of sugar to counteract the acid in the tomatoes ... some do, some don't ... it's totally up to your taste buds!). If using dried basil and parsley, add those now as well. Let the mixture simmer until it thickens. If you're using fresh herbs, 5 minutes before the sauce is done, add the basil and parsley and stir to blend the flavors. I usually make the tomato sauce while I'm preparing the zucchini slices and "kill two birds with one stone", as it were.....

While the sauce is cooking, prepare the zucchini. Start by heating about 1/4 inch of canola oil in a skillet. Mix the 2 eggs with the 4 tablespoons of milk in a shallow bowl and blend thoroughly. Put the flour into another bowl. Dip each slice of zucchini into the egg mixture and transfer to the flour to coat well. Prepare enough slices to fit into the skillet. When the oil is hot, add the zucchini slices and cook until golden on one side, flip and finish the second side. Depending on how tender the zucchini is, cooking time will vary. As the are finished, layer the fried zucchini slices on a platter or tray lined with paper towels to absorb any additional grease. Repeat until the zucchini slices are completed. You may need additional flour and another egg to complete the process (again, depending on how big the zucchini are).

In a 9 x 13 pan, place a few tablespoons of the tomato sauce on the bottom to keep the zucchini slices from sticking. Start with a layer of fried zucchini slices and grate a fresh layer of parmesean cheese on top. Add some of the shredded mozzerella and then top with about another 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce. It should not be "soupy", just enough to flavor the next layer. Repeat by stacking zucchini, parmesean, mozzerella and sauce until you are finished with the zucchini. Top the casserole with the remaining shredded mozzerella and some more parmesean cheese. Bake for about 35 minutes at 350 degrees until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese layer on top has melted and started to look golden brown.

This is a great vegetarian main dish. And again, there are a lot of elements you can control to make this your own. If you don't like the small bit of heat, omit the crushed red pepper. Adjust spices and salt level to your taste buds. If you feel like a heartier casserole, fry the zucchini slices in egg and breadcrumbs. For a full flavor-full fat version, use whole milk mozzerella (it's my favorite because I like when the cheese stretches and oozes) but you can certainly cut the calories by using already shredded part-skim mozzerella cheese. The only thing I suggest is that when if comes to parmesean, DON'T use a plastic container that sprinkles parmesean. Go the extra mile and get the real deal ... a solid wedge that you have to grate yourself. If you've never used it, you're in for a treat! And I promise, you'll never go back to the ol' plastic jar again. Until next time, as always, ciao!

Blackberry Jam

There are a few summertime tastes that I can't seem to get enough of.... we've been down the watermelon route and it's a couple of weeks before good blueberries arrive, but it's time for blackberries! Blackberry pie, blackberry cobbler, plain ol' blackberries with milk & sugar, frozen blackberries for later...... but the greatest part of blackberry season is blackberry jam. Now, I know lots of people like jelly, but when you can get actual chunks of delicious fruit mixed in with the jelly part, why would you want anything else?

I made a double batch of blackberry jam the other night and from the looks of it, it turned out perfect! (Being that I haven' tasted any of it yet except for licking the spoon AFTER all my canning was done, I'll have to wait to open the first jar to report the actual result. But if looks are anything, this one's going to be good......)

First off, my friend Yoshie and I went blackberry picking last week. We literally had about 45 minutes before the fruit farm closed and picked wildly and furiously. My overflowing bucket had 6 pounds of the purple beauties and Yoshie had 5 pounds. We both headed home sated with ideas of what we would do with them.

I have to say, blackberry jam is the easiest.... I prefer to use the liquid pectin pouches as I find it more reliable in jelling. But some prefer the older powder method. Whichever you use, I promise, you will find home canning jam as one of the easiest and most delicious ways to preserve summer fruits.

First off, you will need several ingredients BESIDES the jam makings:

• A water bath canner
• Pint or half pint jelly jars (sterilized)
• Lids and rings
• A ladle
  
• A jar lifter
• A canning funnel

Before you try to make jam, thoroughly clean and sterilize all of your equipment. That means to put a few drops of Clorox into the water while you're cleaning the canner and make sure to thoroughly rinse. Do the same with the jar lifter and canning funnel. Fill the canner about 2/3 full with fresh warm tap water and bring to a boil. Leave the lid on at all times. In a saucepan, boil additional water.

To the canner, add the jars you will use to be making jelly. One batch made 5 pint jars with about a spoonful left over for tasting. Leave the jars in boiling water for at least 10 minutes to sterilize. Remove the jars, drain the water back into the canner, and place jars on a sterile clean cotton towel on your countertop.

Make sure they are completely submerged and leave them there until you are ready to use them. You can use previously used rings but you MUST use new lids so that the rubber seals correctly adhere to the jar. Remove the additional saucepan of boiling water from the heat and add the rings and lids.In the meantime, you can begin to make the jam.

Blackberry Jam

• 4 cups crushed blackberries (make sure you have chunks of berry pulp, not a smooth puree)
• 7 cups of sugar
• 1 pouch of liquid pectin
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon (optional)

With a potato masher, crush the berries one cup at a time. I like lots of chunky fruit so I don't mash them too extensively.

In a non-reactive kettle, mix the crushed berries, sugar and if you like a bit of tartness, the lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a hard boil. (This means that the mixture continues to boil steadily even while you're stirring.) Add the pouch of liquid pectin very quickly and stir through. Bring the jam back to a rolling boil for EXACTLY one minute. Remove from the heat. Stir thoroughly and remove any foam that may have collected on the top.

Place the canning funnel into the first jar and ladle enough jam to fill the jar to a 1/4 inch of the top. You must leave 1/4 inch of airspace to properly seal the jar. Continue this with the remaining jars. When finished, with a clean and sterile damp cloth, wipe the rims of the jars clean to remove anything that may have spilled on them.

Remove each lid from the saucepan of water (I use cooking tongs instead of a fancy magnetic stick ... they work just as easily and you probably already have them!) and place on top of each jar. Remove the rings in the same fashion and tighten them onto the jar. They only need to be finger tightened and not "forced" on to the jar.

Place all of the jars into the water bath canner with the jar lifter. The water should cover the jars by a good 1 - 2" for correct canning procedure. Replace the lid. Peek every 30 seconds or so to find the point when your water returns to a rolling boil. (With all of that hot jam, it shouldn't take long!) Set your timer for 10 minutes and carefully remove the jars from the water bath and place them on the towel on your countertop. Do NOT touch the jars in any way. You will probably hear a few "pings" or "tink" sounds as each jar creates it's own vacuum seal. This is perfectly normal. But again, DON'T touch the jars, especially lids, for 12 hours so they have a good chance to set. (Make sure they're are in a convenient place so they won't need to be moved!)

In 12 hours, check the seal on the lid by gently pressing on it. If there is no "give" and the lid doesn't pop back up at your finger, it is sealed! These will stay on a pantry shelf for a year or more (if they last that long!). If there happens to be a jar that doesn't seal, refrigerate promptly and use in several weeks.

If you purchase packages of pectin, most boxes have plenty of recipes included for making almost every kind of jam and jelly. If you've never canned before, jam is an easy place to start. It is nutritious, delicious, and packed with pure fruit and sugar and no strange preservatives. With any luck, you'll get hooked like I did and start filling your pantry with anything that grows! Fruit, pickles, tomatoes ... you name it! Here's just a sampling of some things that I put up last season.....

Let me know if you got brave and adventurous and made something wonderful. As always, until next time, ciao!

Watermelon Cocktail

OK, in my last post, I told you I bought that 35 pound monster melon....? I'm really having to get creative here because I certainly don't want that beauty to go bad.


My biz partner and I have been building sets for our local dinner theatre, "Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre" and it's quite an awesome little place. Good food, good entertainment, always a good time! You can visit their web site at http://www.dinnertheatre.com or give the box office a call at 615-646-9977 for reservations or more information. Currently, their production is "The Bops She Bops", an original musical written by Lydia Bushfield. What a great little scenario ... a girl group that graduated from high school in 1962 and their last group memory is a fiasco of a performance at their senior talent show. Their loving father wants to give them one more chance ... so this bumbling group performs at their 10 year reunion, transformed into a beautiful, professional performing group. I have to admit that the director, Martha Wilkinson, did a truly amazing job with this story. It becomes so very believable and you get so wrapped up in the girls lives that you sort of forget it's not a "real" story. Kudos to you, Martha! I was blessed to create all of the musical arrangements for the show and what a treat it was! Such great music from the 60's and 70's ... I honestly can't recommend it enough!

Why am I writing all of this, you may ask? Well here's the deal. As each new show opens on a Thursday night ... there is usually a dress rehearsal on Wednesday evening that is open to fellow performers, friends and family of the current production's performers. This gives them a "trial-run" of where the laughs and the applause are going to be so that the performers get a real audience reaction.

We have a group of friends that have turned this little Wednesday night outing into quite a food fest! My friend Sherri, my roommate Keith, my dear friends Charlynn and Scott and I usually try to make a veritable smorgasbord of culinary choices to bring to the dress rehearsal and eat our dinner while being thoroughly entertained. Of course, there is always a theme cocktail and ... you guessed it ... this one was watermelon!!!

I made an entire gallon of this so if it's for a small gathering, you might want to reduce the ingredients by half. But on a nice hot summer day, I bet you'll go through the entire gallon........

Watermelon Cocktail

• 1/4 of a large watermelon cubed (approximately 7 cups of chunks)
• 3 cups of a light wine (white, rose, grenache, etc.)
• 1/2 cup Vodka (your choice!)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 32 oz bottle of club soda

In a blender, place the seeded chunks of watermelon and about 1 cup of the wine to start a good and quick puree. Strain the watermelon pulp in a fine mesh metal sieve directly into a gallon container to remove just the watermelon juice. You may need to stir the pulp around with a wooden spoon, pressing the juice through the sieve.

To easily mix the sugar, add the sugar and remaining wine to the blender along with the juice of the lemon and mix. Pour that through the metal sieve to remove any "chunks" of pulp that may occur. Mix in the 1/2 cup of vodka. You should have about 3/4 of a gallon (12 cups) of the watermelon cocktail. If not, add enough wine to make that amount. Put this in the refrigerator to chill.

When ready to serve, stir in the bottle of club soda and pour over ice in tall glasses. Believe me, that gallon will disappear faster than you know.....

As always, until next time, ciao!

Wonderful Watermelon

My grandpap always used to say that watermelon wasn't good until the 4th of July. After years of gardening myself, I think he was so very right. My grandfather moved from Italy as a small boy after his mother died with his father to Venezuela. He was a sheep herder before emigrating to the United States and raising a family of 7 children. Though he had no formal education, he was one of the smartest men I can remember. He passed away when I was about 5 but obviously left an important legacy to me ... that the only ingredients were fresh ingredients. It's amazing what you can pick up from people and what they impress you with even as a 5 year old! If you could see that man's vegetables and gardens, you'd understand what I meant. He lived in the coal mining hills of Pennsylvania, not so far from West Virginia. In the 5 room company house duplex, they were lucky to have running water ... cold water, mind you. (That makes me think bath time was really no fun!) So when it was time to water the garden, the oldest kids put a pole across their back, took 2 metal buckets (one hanging on each side) down to the river to fill up. This is how the garden got watered every other day ... unless, of course, they were blessed with a good solid rain. And To feed a family of 9, trust me ... he had oodles of tomato, pepper, cucumber and musk melon plants. This was the food they had to put up for the winter to eat. What a great man, And what a great legacy to leave us all! I think my 3 dozen tomato plants are outrageous to take care of with my soaker hoses and mulch so that all I have to do is turn on my outdoor faucet, come back into my air conditioned home and an hour later, shut it off. Imagine caring for 10 or 12 dozen tomato and 10 or 12 dozen pepper plants the way he did! What a man.....



I have a stray sugar baby watermelon that grew into my cantaloupe patch this year. Last summer, the heat was so intense that my sugar babies seemed to "boil" from the 106 degree temperatures and rot right there in the patch. So I decided to plant heartier cantaloupe this year that might not feel the heat so badly. I guess God destined me to have some watermelon this season as one stray vine emerged from the dirt and I just had to let it go!

Although I didn't use my sugar babies for this as they are nowhere near ready (only yellow blossoms as of this post), I did purchase a deee-licious oblong watermelon (called a Sangria, I believe....) from our farmers market. It was there for the testing and was so juice, sweet and red that I had to buy the 35 pound monster!

Which leads me to the next couple of posts....... how to use the monster watermelon! I have to say that I am pretty brave when it comes to trying to mix flavors and such so it's not unusual for me to mix savory and sweet. I tried this salad out on my friends on a lovely boat cruise last night and we all agreed it was pretty amazing!

Watermelon Salad

• 3 cups of cubed watermelon, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch dice
• 1 cup of cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 1 medium cucumber, cut into small dice
• 1/4 medium onion, finely diced
• 10 basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (ribbons)
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• Splash of white wine (or other white) vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 medium clove of garlic
• 5 tblsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp dry ground mustard

In a medium bowl, combine the watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber and onion. Chiffonade the basil by stacking all 10 leaves on top of each other in the same direction, roll the leaves to make a basil "cigar" and slice crosswise on the leaves thinly, about 1/16". Now, if you're knife skills are not that good ... don't stress! Thicker slices of basil leaves will NOT ruin the salad! Add that to the veggies and watermelon and mix to combine.

I am so lucky that my roommate has a "Magic Bullet" as I truly believe it to be one of the best inventions of the 21st Century! It's like a blender X 10!!! So if you don't have one, no need to spend $59 to get the set-up, just use your blender as the dressing for this needs to be smooth and silky with no chunks of garlic.

To easily juice the lemon, place it in a microwave for 10 seconds or roll with a decent pressure on your countertop. When you cut it open, it should be much easier to juice and will give up lots more from it's cells than if you just try to squeeze it. Squeeze the lemon juice into the blender and add the rest of the ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. Pour the dressing over the salad ... you may not need the entire amount of dressing you made depending on how juicy your watermelon and veggies were..... save the remainder for a salad or as a dressing on grilled chicken..... YUM!

Mix the dressing thoroughly into the salad and put the salad in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to serve good and cold!

I happened to have some fresh blackberries that I used as a garnish and the sweet tart explosion of blackberry was a great addition to the salad. You could use strawberries or fresh blueberries too .... almost anything!

Now get out there and try something crazy and fun like this. If you can change the recipe for fresh things you may have, let me know about it! And as always, until next time, ciao!

Quick And Easy Summer Salad

When the veggies start rolling in from the garden and I have no more leafy greens because the temperatures are much too hot for lettuces, this is a staple in my salad repertoire. I can't take credit for this ... my mom, aunts & uncles and so forth have been doing this fresh from their gardens for many, many years!


Tomato, Cucumber and Pepper Salad

• 2 large, ripe tomatoes cut into chunks
• 1 large cucumber, cut into chunks
• 1 large green pepper, cut into chunks
• 1/4 medium onion, diced very small
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 cup of a flavorful extra vigin olive oil
• 1/3 cup vinegar (balsamic, white, apple cider ... any will do)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tblsp sugar (or more, to taste)
• 1/4 tsp dried ground mustard
• Fresh basil
• Fresh parsley

Mix all of the vegetable ingredients in a bowl. You can add as much fresh parsley and basil as you would like to suit your tastes. I always cut up about one sprig of parsley (maybe 10 leaves) and about 5 large basil leaves. Toss to mix.

In a small bowl, add the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar and mustard. Whisk until well combined. I find that if I use balsamic vinegar (as it is already sweet) I can cut down on the sugar. Apple cider vinegar turns out JUST right and if I use a white vinegar, I need to add a pinch more sugar as the acid content is higher.

Pour the dressing over the veggies and mix well. I find that if I make this a couple of hours before dinner and put it in the refrigerator to get good and cold, it tastes even better and the flavors meld beautifully.

You can also add chunks of fresh zucchini, yellow squash or for that matter, any other fresh vegetable. I use these because it's a total comfort food to me and every time I eat it, floods of fond memories of childhood summers, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents come flooding into my mind. Food can do that to you!

Let me know if you come up with any other awesome mixes and creations for this salad and as always, until next time, ciao!

Yellow Squash Is In!!!

OK, summer's bounty is about to hit and I went to the garden on July 4 after some good and heavy rains. I had a great surprise as more than a handful of veggies that weren't there 2 days prior emerged triumphantly from the plants!

As I've posted previously, yellow squash and zucchini are two of my favorites ... seems I never get sick of them and always experiment and find new ways to do things with them......

I had a few beautiful yellow squash and decided to "get crazy" and try something totally off the wall. I love the flavors of Thai food and I thought the zingy flavor of a a yellow squash might work really well with those spices. So here's what I created!

Thai Style Summer Squash

• 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced into long strips
• 3 small to medium yellow squash, sliced into 1/8 inch slices
• 2 tblsp canola or vegetable oil
• 3 tblsp soy sauce
• 1 tblasp tahini paste
• 2 tblsp creamy peanut butter
• 1 small red chile pepper (or 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper)
• 1 lime
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• Fresh basil leaves

In a hot skillet, add the oil. (You'll notice that I usually use olive oil but for this, I think the flavor is too strong ... so a more mild flavored oil is in order! ) Add the onions and stir quickly to wilt. Keep them moving so the don't brown. As soon as they start to soften, add the sliced yellow squash and continue to stir and move it around. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low. Add the salt and pepper and cook them until you start to see them get a bit wilted.

In a small bowl, juice the lime. (10 seconds in the microwave or rolling on the counter with a bit of pressure will loosen the juices inside). Add the peanut butter, tahini paste, soy sauce and minced chili or pepper flakes and stir to make a sauce.

Add this sauce to the skillet and let it cook into the squash for maybe an additional 5 minutes. At the last minute, tear approximately 10 medium basil leaves into the sjillet and stir quickly to incorporate. If the mixture looks too thick, add a bit of water at a time to create a more glossy sauce.

Serve over white rice or eat plain, as-is, for a great side dish!

I suppose you could do this with almost any fresh vegetable by adjusting the cooking times, etc. It would be awesome with fresh asian greens such as a bok choy or napa cabbage. Let me know what you create with this ... and as always, until next time, ciao!

I Needed A Quick Version Of Some Hearty Food!

As this particular blog entry was supposed to happen sometime in June AND I have four other entries stacked up, I thought I should take advantage of a (finally) lazy Saturday and get some of these things up! I spent a wonderful evening last night with my friends Julie, Robb and Paula and I was scolded from Julie for not having posted ... so Jules, this is for YOU!!!


I tend to be someone who just cooks from my pantry and freezer (and as soon as the garden bounty starts, you'll see that most of it starts there!) so I was looking around for ingredients to make a nice hearty stew or gumbo ... you know, something with stick-to-your-ribs kind of quality. As I rummaged, I found one link of Spanish chorizo sausage and some frozen shrimp. I also had some fresh green peppers and I thought to myself....., "hmmm, I could do something with this!" And so I did ... I created a sort of mock gumbo, of course without the traditional spices and the roux. So my version happens to be a lot more heart healthy and less calories than some of the originals. But I don't know if I should be calling it a "gumbo" because the the main ingredients are different. So I'm thinking we'll call it a skillet stew ... how does that sound to everyone? Well, whatever we call if, it turned out to be a yummy dinner no matter what! So here's what I created.....

Shrimp Skillet Stew

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 large green pepper, diced
• 2 ribs of celery, diced
• 2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 6 to 8 ounce Chorizo sausage, cut into about 20 round slices
• 18 to 24 large fresh or frozen shrimp
• 1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• Several sprigs of fresh parsley, to stir in the last 5 minutes and for garnish
• 2 cups of uncooked long grain white rice
• 4 cups of water

Put 4 cups of water into a saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Bring the water to a boil for the rice. While you're waiting, start the next part of the skillet stew.

To a hot skillet, add the 2 tblsp of extra virgin olive oil (please don't measure, 2 turns around the pan will do!) and then add the diced onion, peppers and celery. Turn the temperature to a medium heat and sweat the vegetables until softened. (That means to cook long enough to extract some of their juices, soften the diced veggies but NOT to let them brown.) Add the chorizo slices and cook them through.

At this point, the 4 cups of water is probably boiling. Add the 2 cups of rice. Stirring the rice, bring the rice back to a full boil and immediately turn the heat to the lowest possible setting. Once the rice stops bubbling, put the lid on and let it cook over that very lowest setting for 20 minutes. Don't TOUCH it! don't remove the lid to check on it ... don't stir it. In fact, set your timer for 20 minutes and IGNORE the rice! When the timer goes off, you'll have perfect white rice every time!

Once you get that going and the rice is cooking for 20 minutes, add your can of diced tomatoes along with the bay leaf and spices to the skillet. This should be enough time for the stew to cook down until the rice is finished.

When the rice timer goes off, remove the rice from the heat, use a fork to "fluff" the rice gently and then put the lid back on until you complete the stew.

Add the shrimp to the skillet mixture and cook them through until they are just pink..... don't over cook your shrimp or you'll have rubber hockey pucks. They literally need about 5 minutes to cook through (even the frozen ones!). At this point, you can add some fresh parsley (maybe 2 tblsp chopped fresh ... if you don't have that, add 1 tblsp dried).

I like to serve things like this family style ... spread the rice on a platter and pour the stew over it in the middle. garnish with a few fresh parsley springs and dinner is on, generously for four people!

Now here's the ticket ... if you don't have chorizo, you can use sweet or hot Italian sausage, sweet or hot hungarian sausage .... experiment and make the recipe your own. Don't like peppers, leave them out! Manipulate this ti your liking and claim it as your own ... cooking can be as personal as you want to make it!

As always, until next time, ciao!

Ahhh..... Summer Squash!

I have to say, one of my favorite things about the late Spring / early Summer is the sudden abundance of squash. Some people who raise zucchini and yellow squashes often tire of them long before their season is over. I, however, am not one of those people! I continually get excited about the prospect of new casseroles and such containing those green and yellow gems.

And as much as I'd like to be able to admit that the bounty for this particular recipe came from my very own garden, they actually came from the next best thing ... our Farmer's Market in downtown Nashville! So hats off to the people that were able to get their plants in and going THAT much earlier than mine!

Tonight, I whipped up something for dinner that took me maybe 15 minutes and then the baking time in the oven. It was a meatless evening and I am by NO means a vegetarian, but sometimes I just like the taste of fresh ... and nothing does that better for me than veggies. It was perfect with some crusty bread and butter, and a spinach salad with strawberries and a balsamic dressing. So here we go ... a casserole recipe to help you get rid of some of the squash in your garden when you have TOO much and need yet another recipe!

Spring Squash Casserole

• 2 6 - 7" zucchini, sliced very thin
• 2 6 - 7" yellow squash, sliced very thin
• 1 medium onion (cut in half top to bottom), sliced very thin
• 4 Tblsp butter
• 4 Tblsp flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 Tblsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried (or 2 tsp fresh chopped) parsley

Place the onions, then the yellow squash then the zucchini in a steamer basket and steam them until tender (about 10 minutes depending on how thick your squash and onion slices are).

In the meantime, start your béchamel sauce by melting the butter over low heat the adding the flour until you have a nice soft yellow roux ... by stirring the flour into the butter until it's thick and creamy looking. Add the salt, pepper and dry mustard to the sauce then gently stir in the milk. As the sauce heats through, it will thicken. When it has the consistency of a ranch dressing, remove from the heat. Add the steamed veggies to the béchamel sauce and mix through, then turn the mixture into a buttered baking dish.

Mix the olive oil with the bread crumbs and parsley and add the mixture to the casserole spread as evenly over the top as possible. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes and then remove cover and bake for 5 extra minutes to brown the breadcrumb topping, if desired.

As you know, you can modify this ANY way you want to..... you can use ALL zucchini or ALL yellow squash. You could mix in a cup of shredded cheddar cheese if you're trying to please picky kids. Add a little cayenne pepper to the breadcrumb topping for an extra zip. It's your palette so color, flavor and texture the casserole any way you wish! And as always, the measurements are a "suggestion" to get you started on a "method" for this casserole. If you like a thinner sauce, add more milk. Try some different spices. More butter flavor? Add 2 more tablespoons of butter..... it's YOUR turn to make something ... now go create! Until next time, as always, ciao!

Rainy Memorial Day.....

So it rained practically all day yesterday on Memorial Day in Nashville. I had illusions of grandeur in completing my garden: planting my beans and making the bean tee-pees for them to grow on, creating the stepping stone walkway through my garden and firing up the grill and making SOMETHING charred and delicious! God seemed to have other plans and so I shifted gears and completed a lot of indoor tasks.

I was also forced to look through my fridge and pantry to NOT grill something. I had just gone to the Farmer's Market so I had some fresh veggies (I have a lot of green things coming up in the garden but nothing I could pick yet other than greens) and figured I'd try something fresh and substantial.

I sifted through some ideas online and adapted and created something delicious! It's super simple, tremendously tasty and lowfat and full of fiber! Now that the healthy chat is out of the way, here's what I made:

Tuna and Green Bean Salad

• 1 1/2 pounds slender green beans, trimmed, halved crosswise
  
• 3 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 9 ounces canned Italian tuna packed
  in oil, drained
  
• 2 large red potatoes, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook the green beans in a large pot of boiling water until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Using a mesh strainer, transfer the green beans to a large bowl of ice water to cool completely. Drain the green beans and pat dry with a towel. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the same cooking liquid and bring the liquid to a simmer. Add the potatoes to the simmering liquid and cook until they are just tender but still hold their shape, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to the ice water to cool completely. Drain the potatoes and pat dry with a towel.

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, garlic, oil, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the tomatoes, basil and parsley in a large serving bowl. Add the tuna and toss gently to combine. Add the green beans and potatoes and gently combine. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

As always, this is a VERY adaptable recipe and could be manipulated in many ways. No lemons? Try limes or red wine vinegar..... Have lots of fresh lima beans? Use them instead of green beans..... Substitute roasted cubed sweet potatoes instead of the red potatoes..... Like more potatoes? Use more than called for in the recipe..... Have canned salmon? Use that instead of tuna.....

You can make this your own. It's a method of creating a salad with these basic ingredients and then stretching from there. And this salad, with some crusty bread and a nice glass of pinot grigio created a beautiful main course for me. You could use this as a starter, a salad course, a light lunch, an accompaniment to grilled meats or vegetables or for whatever you need. It seems to me that eating outdoors on the picnic table, this would be great with a tall pilsner glass of beer that contains a shot of Rose's Sweetened Lime Juice (what the British call a lager and lime) and both would be citrusy and refreshing!

Until next time, ciao!

Time for Tapas!

OK, I wish I had a picture of this, but I don't! We ate it so fast that there was no time for photographs to document the evidence!

This week, a couple of my best friends, Charlynn and Scott, left for Europe and are going to Tuscany for three weeks. It should be beautiful at this time of year! So last weekend, Catherine, Keith and I (the other part of our "Supper Club") decided to host a small cocktail party for them as a "bon voyage" with tapas. For those of you not familiar, tapas are an amazing way of life in Spain. You can go from club to club and have several drinks and at each stop, there are selections of amazing finger foods to match your cocktails. Actually, I don't need many cocktails ... but the tapas are amazing! One of my favorites is the traditional "tortilla" of Spain; an omelette or fritatta that contains potatoes and onions but cooked in a round skillet so it appears like a pie or in the shape of a round "tortilla". This is a recipe I plan to give in the near future. It makes an excellent lunch or dinner with a crisp, green salad.

But I have to say that the HITS of the evening were the oven fresh pizzas with amazing ingredients! This is so easy to do at home for snacks or meals. And this can be an amazingly healthy choice as you control the cheese and the toppings and the amount of fat and sodium you eat. It all starts with an amazing crust and this is the one that I use that is "tried and tested" and turns out perfect every time!

Perfect Pizza Crust

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package of quick rise yeast (1/4 oz)
• 1 teaspoon of sugar (or honey)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• PLUS
• Additional flour for kneading
• Additional olive oil for coating dough

In the cup of water, dissolve sugar (or honey) and add the packet of yeast and stir to let it proof. In about 5 minutes, it will be very foamy and smell very “yeasty”. In the meantime, in a large bowl add the flour and make a well in the center. Add the salt and olive oil to the well. After the yeast is proofed, pour into the well and gently incorporate the liquid into the flour until a dough consistency is achieved. Once the dough holds together in a stucky ball, sprinkle additional flour on a counter and knead dough for 10 minutes until elastic and smooth. If you're unfamiliar with the kneeding process, google it and you can probably find out with pictures and everything! (I promise, it's easy!)

Cut dough into 2 equal parts and shape into balls. Coat with additional olive oil and place in a bowl loosely covered with a towel until they are double in size. (Because of the quick rise yeast, this process should be pretty quick! I usually let mine raise for an hour for flavor alone, but most of the time, with quick rise yeast a 30 minute rise SHOULD be sufficient unless the kitchen is cold.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Stretch or roll each circle into a 12” disc and place on a pizza pan coated lightly with olive oil. Coat the top of the dough with additional olive oil. Add your favorite toppings and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes on 425 degrees or until golden brown and puffy.

(I put the pizzas directly on parchment paper and bake so I don't use the additional oil. Because they don't have a pan underneath, they tend to cook a bit faster and get a bit more crispy. Be careful to watch them as some ovens will cook them in as little as 12 to 15 minutes in this manner ... but use your eyes and note when the tops become browned and puffy.)

Now, you can get crazy with the topping! The two pizzas I constructed for the cocktail party were simple but effective. On one of them, I shredded a generous portion of manchego cheese (a sheep's milk cheese that has a firm texture and grates like parmesean) and then scattered about a handful of pine nuts all over the dough and pressed them in to secure them. Then I added fresh spinach leaves and I cut about a cup of grape tomatoes in half and scattered those on the pizza. Topped with salt and pepper, this was an incredible taste treat, not to mention healthy and low fat! On the other pizza, I simply grated the manchego cheese and sauteed two Spanish chorizo sausages (about half a pound) removed from their casings and scattered that on the top of the pizza. I drizzled additional olive oil and baked it until crispy. Though this one wasn't as lowfat, it was an awesome taste combination and people LOVED it ... even though there were really no traces of a traditional "pizza" as we know it. You could really add anything to your pizza and bake, as simple as opening a prepared jar of pasta sauce and mozzerella, but I urge you to be adventurous, try some creative taste combinations, and leave the recipe book behind! Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

• Fresh tomato slices with black olives, artichokes, minced garlic, basil leaves and mozzerella & parmesean cheeses
  
• Goat cheese and walnuts and add fresh arugula after removing pizza from the oven
• Marscarpone cheese with sauteed eggplant and onion and dried oregano
• Crushed pitted olives with minced garlic, rosemary, olive oil and salt & pepper

Let me know if you come up with any other great taste combinations to share! As always, until next time, ciao!