Potato and Corn Pizza Recipe

I love grilled pizza- perfect for summer because it cooks quickly and you don't need the oven on in the kitchen!

However, if you're lucky enough to be vacationing for a few days on the NJ shore with great friends, air conditioning makes all things possible. Your favorite pizza dough recipe will work (pre-made dough is fine too!). Here are links for 2 recipes I use frequently: when I feel like kneading- 

http://content.markbittman.com/node/176 and when I don't-  http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/03/jim-laheys-no-knead-pizza-dough-recipe.html

The quantities for ingredients are flexible, depending on how many pizzas you are making. In our kitchen, we like to make a few small pizzas and experiment with toppings. Last week, our friend Dan was the pizza master. Together we worked out 8 different topping combos with the rest of the house and Dan taught me a new method of shaping the dough.

This was my vote for favorite pizza. Thin slices of potato crisp up beautifully and a squeeze of lemon really

brightens things up. Garlic scapes lend a mild garlic flavor and a sprinkling of green. They are sadly no longer in season, but you may still have a few bunches in the fridge- I know I do! No worries if you are out- substitute thinly sliced garlic or scallions.

Red Potato, Scape and Fresh Corn Pizza

Ingredients:

several small red potatoes, sliced very thinly 

1 bunch of garlic scapes or scallions or garlic, chopped fine (scallions and garlic work great)

2 corn, kernels cut off 

1 lemon, for a squeeze or two of juice

fresh or dried rosemary for sprinkling 

other fresh herbs, like parsley!

fresh mozzarella cheese 

prepared pizza dough

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. If you have a pizza stone, preheat this as well. 

Prepare your potatoes. Saute the thinly slice potatoes over medium heat in a nonstick skillet with a little olive oil. Add chopped scapes (if using garlic, add it to the pan at the very end so that it doesn't burn) and continue to cook. Cook for about 10 minutes, flipping and babying the potatoes so they get a chance to cook through and maybe brown a bit. 

Prep your pizza dough- shape and stretch it and place on the back of a cookie sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal (what we used as a makeshift pizza peel). Top the dough with thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese. Now comes the fun part! 

Top the pizza. spread potato slices and scapes evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle the corn kernels on top (no need to precook). Add fresh herbs to your liking. Slide the pizza onto your hot stone and cook about 10 minutes or so- keep an eye on things. You want a super hot oven so the crust can cook and everything gets all melty together. When the pizza comes out of the oven, give it a squeeze of lemon juice, or pass half a lemon around the table. Enjoy!

A beautiful rainbow!

A beautiful double rainbow after showers on Sunday afternoon. Thanks Albert for the photo :)

Heat Wave

90 degrees at 10 am, huh?
This is what Pidge has to say about that.
This is what Pidge has to say about pretty much everything ;)

12 New Summer Scarves!

Last night was perfect for a summer scarf. A cool breeze and chilly shoulders after a warm and muggy day. Come to think of it, so was the night before. We had friends visiting from Rochester and went out to a Hibachi Grill (a tradition for out of towners) and Trader Joes. AC was pumping and I shivered my way through the aisles. Thank you for the cardigan, Rachel :)

Twelve new scarves are being added to the shop today!

Summer Recipe

Cold Noodle Salad with Veggies and Peanut Dressing

This dish is perfect for hot summer days. I made this after work in 30 minutes. Feel free to swap out veggies or change the ratios. I bet blanched green beans would be delicious in here as well as sauteed squash.

It's great over a bed of baby lettuce or arugula- we ate this for dinner and then lunch the next day.. all gone.

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (I use natural, but any should be fine- including chunky)

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup warm water

1 T ginger, minced

1 medium clove garlic, minced 

2 T rice vinegar

1 1/2 T sesame oil

1 T honey or agave

1 tsp hot sauce (or a pinch of cayenne)

Puree everything in a blender for a minute. I use an immersion blender to whir everything together.

Salad Ingredients:

3/4 lb soba or udon noodles (feel free to swap out specialty noodles for spaghetti)

3 thinly sliced scallions 

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 

1 cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced 

1 carrot, sliced into ribbons with a veggie peeler

kernels from one ear of corn, no need to cook it 

3 T sesame seed for garnish

Cook the pasta according to directions on the package. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water.

While the pasta cooks, chop veggies and make the dressing.

Throw it all together in a big bowl, using tongs to combine dressing with the salad ingredient. 

Serve on a bed of lettuce and garnish with sesame seeds. Voila!