The air is heavy with smoke today, and everything palls under a strange pinkish-orange cast. I don’t sleep well, and I think it makes my brain hazy. The day doesn’t feel quite right, but I’m still posting my first Food Week recipe, my favorite homemade pizza. In honor of our current Southern California conditions, you should probably cook these pizzas out on your grill, and call them Smoky California Pizzas. Here in Orange County, we are sort of between the Los Angeles and the Pendleton fires. Disclaimer: DK may correct that statement, since everyone knows I am geographically challenged. When the fires came two years ago, we were right in the thick of it, with flames visible from our house. Click on this one, and view it large... I took it from the lake, about 1/4 mile from my house:
It is a strange thing, being in the line of fire. I remember one year where everyone in our church drove around for days with their most prized possessions in the trunks of their cars… photo albums, important papers… just the things they couldn’t replace… in case they had to be evacuated at a moment’s notice. I don’t know if you have been following the news, but two firefighters have lost their lives battling these fires. We are praying for the weather to change to give the firefighters and displaced residents some relief.
Okay, so… Smoky California Pizzas. We always make individual pizzas, and everyone gets to choose their own toppings. That way you plain people can be plain, and I get to have everything I want. Don’t you think that pizza promotes friendship? Everyone is in the kitchen, getting their hands messy, competing to make the best pizza. By the way, what does your favorite pizza have on top? My personal favorite is pesto with shrimp, mozzarella, fresh Roma tomatoes and pine nuts. I also love Kalamata olives, fresh sliced red pepper, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes… mmm. Oh, and this one makes a great, simple appetizer: just fry up some bacon and caramelize some onions in a little olive oil with a tiny pinch of sugar. Brush the crust with olive oil, and top with crumbled bacon, caramelized onions and mozzarella. Mmm. Sauteed mushrooms wouldn’t be bad in there, either.
I thought it also might be appropriate today to cool things down with a recipe for the kids.
This Frozen Lemonade Pie is easy enough for a six-year-old to make, with some help.
How do I know? Because Skippy made this one, with just a little mom help. Enjoy!
Don’t be fooled by the serious expression. He is so excited about this pie, that he has asked me every two minutes since we put it in the freezer, if it has been two hours yet.
Oh... and seriously, people... where have all my comments gone? Anybody out there???
11 comments:
Sounds good. I cannot believe you guys dare to have pine nuts. I don't even have them here anymore after almost killing Dillon.
You have alienated your public by abandoning us all summer. Write MORE!
You know what you need? MORE PICTURES of yourself pouting. If I looked that good, I'd pout in every single photo--for the rest of time.
@Sad... you have left three comments. You need a real life.
1. Yes, we still eat pine nuts. You have to live dangerously sometimes. And you didn't almost kill Dillon. WE did.
2. I have been posting every day!!! Looooong posts.
3. There are plenty more where that came from. I can pout with the best of them. Maybe when I am done with Food Week, I will have Pout Week. Don't tempt me.
Wow! How easy can you get for a yummy quick dessert - guess I'm going to have to stock up on frozen lemonade, vanilla icecream and graham cracker crusts. I'm always needing something for spur of the moment for when the college kids from my husbands student ward drop by (which is frequently) one taste of the pie and they will be dropping by even more frequenlty :)
Thanks for sharing! I'll have to try the pizza also!
Kristin
OK, I'm here as a plain pizza person - plain meaning pepperoni and sausage. Pizza should be easy - your sounds, ah, intense with preparation. I'm that way with most of my food, too. I know - boring!!!!! The easier, the better for me and less the clean up. But you - just keep on rockin!
Hi - I'm new to your blog. I feel for you about the fires in California, though I face a different scare - hurricanes. I'm from New Orleans. Pictures and memories are the best thing to pack when you don't know if everything you own will go down the drain or up in flames. Hope you and your stay safe.
I am currently blogging on an ancient eMac so I'm a bit slow on the commenting...sorry.
Pizza sounds delish. I am going to make fresh goat's milk mozzerella this weekend. I think it will top it off nicely :)
Love the recipes! thx for sharing! And I gotta say i love the Rest your head by tandy song! so beautiful!
Yes, pizzas are the best. I like the idea of individual ones. I will try that.
I love homemade pizzas. Plus it's like instant family night.
I grew up in a small town called Duarte (near Passadina). We always had huge fires near there too when I was little.
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