Homemade Pizza

Who doesn't LOVE pizza? Everything about it screams comfort and deliciousness. Carbs, cheese, veggies... what more could you ask for in a meal?

I found a recipe for pizza dough from scratch in my trusty copy of Baking Illustrated. I decided I was up for the challenge and delved right in.

Cute Boxy Pouch

I don't know about you gals, but I love having a small pouch or case in my handbag that holds all of my knick-knacks and essentials. Searching for a bobby pin or lip gloss in the depths of my bag can be a very frustrating ordeal. I found this tutorial and decided to make a couple this weekend. I already have something similar that holds my lip gloss, bobby pins, hair bands, a pen or 2, plus some other girl items... But this one is so cute, I couldn't resist making one for myself... and I plan on making a few more for my friends in the coming days.

Banana Fritters with Cinnamon Vanilla Bean Syrup

I won't say that I love bananas. I don't love them unconditionally, I only love them when they are a little bit green. Right before they ripen, still firm, with not a speck of brown on them. I don't like to eat them after the dreaded turning point, so I often find myself with the super-brown, barely-any-yellow-left-on-them-bananas. They sit on my counter, staring me in the face each morning, getting progressively browner by the minute, making me feel guilty for being so particular about my banana ripeness requirements.

This was the sad state of mine and my co-workers bananas last week. I decided to take his and mine and make something. I have made banana bread so many times, I did a quick search on the internet and came to www.cooks.com. The recipe seemed simple enough, so I went home and whipped these up.

Buttermilk Biscuits

My wonderful group of girlfriends up in SF got me a gift card to Sur La Table for my birthday and specifically labeled it "cooking classes". I knew as soon as I saw a class on CHEESE, that it would be an excellent choice for said gift card spendage. We made Mozzarella, Ricotta, Queso Blanco, Crème Fraiche and... drum roll please: Homemade Butter!

I realize I am leading you off topic here, you're seeing the headline about biscuits or somesuch and thinking why is she going on about the cheese class?

For a couple of the cheeses, you need buttermilk. Have you seen the smallest size carton of buttermilk in the store? It's a quart. When you need 6 tablespoons of the stuff to make a batch of Crème Fraiche, you have to find something to do with the other 58 tablespoons.

So, I turned to my trusty copy of Baking Illustrated. This book is my BFF.



Page after page of the most useful baking advice you can ever hope to get. These guys tinker, test and experiment so we don't have to. The goal is to have a foolproof recipe that will work every time.

Impossible Cheesecake?

Not to brag, but I rarely have a mishap in the kitchen. I don't think I have ever burned anything in the oven. I've never forgotten an ingredient. And never ever have I had something come out so bad that I couldn't eat it.

Lovely Leeks

I am going to do some free advertising for a minute here...

Planet Organics = Awesomeness.

I signed up for their services for a couple of months to test the waters. I really enjoyed the front door delivery of fresh, local organic produce. It is great knowing you're supporting farmers in your area while getting your fill of pesticide free, vitamin laden fruits and veggies. You fill your online cart with what you want, or you can let them do a random selection of what's in season if you're into that sort of thing. I did that once and ended up with a cute little mini pumpkin looking thing that I had to google to even know how to prepare. Anyhow, this service is really convenient and totally worth the money. One of the only downsides to this produce was how very perishable it is! You simply must eat everything within a few days. Though I count this as a 'downside' it is really a great thing. It means these veggies are not sprayed with all kinds of chemicals to preserve their appearance or extend their shelf-life. This is real fresh food, people. Real fresh food has an expiration date.

Even my indoor cat knew something was different about the crate of veg in my living room.



Another item in my random selection cart was a bunch of leeks. How happy I was to see those guys. Leeks, unlike that Sweet Dumpling Squash, I know exactly what to do with....

I LOVE LEEKS! I just love them. Their earthy scent, their soft, never over-powering onion flavor. They remind me of my time spent in France. I guess I was eating a lot of leeks at the time because without fail, every time I cut into one I am transported back to my little kitchen in Toulouse... my balcony doors open, sounds of cars on the cobblestone street below, curtains fluttering in the warm afternoon breeze. Me, chopping and cooking and listening to the hustle and bustle. Ohhhhhhh La France.

OK. I'm back.

I didn't really have a recipe in mind for these leeks. I think Leeks sautéed in a little butter with a sprinkling of salt are just heaven. I had a pie crust left in the fridge that needed to be used up so my first thought was a tart. This is such a simple recipe with very few ingredients, I should have made the crust from scratch :( Next time.

Happy Good Friday!

Easter is a time of joy for me because it is essentially the reason behind the faith I have. As the book of Isaiah says, "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." With whatever craziness/struggle/heartbreak/stress or hurt we experience in this life, we can take heart knowing that He bears our burdens so we can have peace. We are a new creation in Christ; the old has gone and the new has come! How awesome is that?