Thursday, December 30, 2010

Leftovers Are New Again

With the holidays comes that special type of inspiration in the kitchen:  what to do with leftovers.  The ritualistic creative endeavor of turning leftovers into a masterpiece is probably my favorite part of the holidays.  I have even served an entire Christmas meal in leftover fashion, skipping the ceremonial pomp and circumstance of carving and serving a turkey and jumping right into the luscious fun of slapping turkey onto my favorite slab of crusty bread drizzled with Dijon mustard and topped with an aged Swiss cheese, crispy romaine lettuce, and juicy tomato slices.   I am reminded of the scene in A Christmas Story when the neighbor's hounds devour the Parker family's feast, and Ralphie laments: "The heavenly aroma still hung in the house. But it was gone, all gone! No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey Hash! Turkey A La King! Or gallons of turkey soup! Gone, ALL GONE!"  I relate on the deepest personal level to that scene.  I really couldn't imagine a holiday without leftovers.  This year my muse has been pizza as I figure what to do with the huge slabs of meat cooked at holiday time.  This post begins a two-part kitchen journal on my leftover pizza excursion.

For Thanksgiving, we made a Crock pot ham; it was just the three of us, a low key affair, and we made enough ham to have leftovers for days and days and days.  The Crock pot ham recipe was simple:  ham, ginger ale, and apricot jelly cooked on low for six hours.  We made sandwiches, soups, and pastas with that ham, but one of the more memorable meals was a breakfast pizza that Matt, Mia and I made together.   I love making breakfast pizzas so much, and I have for many years.  I began waiting tables in a pizza restaurant when I was just 19.  The pizza cooks introduced it to me then, and I have been addicted ever since.  Eggs instead of red sauce -- that's the key difference.


Our pizza consisted of eggs, ham, caramelized onions, fresh thyme, red peppers, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, and mashed potatoes (also leftover from Thanksgiving).  To make a breakfast pizza, you lay out your dough just as you would any pizza; since this will be a very wet pizza to begin with, you must work very quickly, and you should have some type of flour or cornmeal underneath the dough to create friction when you slide into the oven (we use a pizza stone -- works wonders in the home oven).  Create your egg base.  Use 2-3 eggs that you have mixed with a whisk.  Gently turn up the sides of the dough so that the egg will not fall off the edges.  Pour the egg mixture over.  Then top with your chosen toppings.  Be quick about it so that the dough doesn't stick to the work surface. Once done, slide into a 450 degree oven and cook until done. 

Friday, August 6, 2010

Cheryl Thrower Art Gallery on Display August 17th


I am so excited about our newest artist on display in our rotating art gallery.  Cheryl Thrower is a former student of mine, and her talents are impressive.  She is currently a student at SCAD majoring in animation, and she has been working all summer to create a new collection entitled "Momentum."  Her work will be all originals, all distinctly Cheryl, and all wonderfully inventive and original.  Her aesthetic is organic, playful, feminine, and romantic.  You will be so impressed by this young artist, and I know you will want to purchase every one of her pieces.  You can see her work beginning August 17th at 5pm.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Summer Bruschetta



The Katydid song plays in the background as I gently pluck ripe tomatoes from their vines.  I surmise the damage the sun has reaped upon my tomato plants' delicate leaves and feel a pang of regret as I accept that summer is quickly passing and that it will be an entire year before I can grow tomatoes again.  This momentary melancholy soon fades as I catch a whiff of that lovely liquorice, sweet smell of basil.  My basil is booming, and my tomatoes are sweet and ripe.  What better way to celebrate than to make bruschetta? 

My recipe for bruschetta is simple, delicious, and satisfying.  It is the perfect accompaniment to a fine crusty bread.  I happen to have a rustic loaf of bread from Mia's Pizza.  We make it from dough scraps that have risen for a while, and the result is this lovely, crusty, sourdough bread.  We use it to make breadcrumbs, croutons, and garlic bread for catering events.  It is my favorite of the two types of breads that we make, and its rustic nature will go perfectly with my summer harvest.



Bruschetta is a simple dish.  Mine consists of fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, balsamic glaze, olive oil, salt, and pepper.  To make, just chop your tomatoes (mine are small, so I cut in half only), chop the basil chiffonade style, press 1-2 cloves garlic in a garlic press (or mince finely), drizzle with balsamic glaze and olive oil (no more than 2 tablespoons each), and add salt and pepper to taste.  I mix the ingredients lightly with a spoon and serve in a bowl.  On the side, I include toasted bread which I have drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper.  Roasted garlic also makes a great accompaniment, which is easy to make.  Cut the tops off the whole garlic head and place in a baking dish.  Drizzle the tops with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and throw a few sprigs of thyme on top.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 500 degrees for about 30 minutes.  Once finished, you will have delicious, sweet cloves of caramelized garlic that spread over bread like butter.


This summer bruschetta dish was such a lovely, light dinner for my family.  I also served some sauteed green beans on the side which were so delicious and easy.  Simply add a little olive oil to a pan, throw in the green beans and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Saute for a few minutes, and then remove from heat.  The result is a lovely, crunchy green bean side dish, perfect for all occasions.  This lovely dinner was my tribute to my summer harvest.  Simple and divine.  Enjoyed with my family.  Nourishing and sweet.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Pizza Play Date


I have never been the type of person who eagerly makes new friends.  I am someone who feels most comfortable with one or two very close friends, and I find it kind of hard to truly commit to the work it takes to add a new friend into my fold.  All that changed when I became a mom.  For the good of my child, I must make friends and plan play dates and be more social than I care to be, which I have found isn't so hard, and I like the connections I am making.  This summer, I have been particularly active on the play date set, and I have made a few good friends in the process.  When I host a play date at my house, I have a structured approach that allows lots of interaction for the kids, and also time for us moms to chat, drink coffee, and get to know each other.  My play dates involve lots of play outside, some type of craft, and lunch or snack.  

Recently I planned a pizza themed play date, and I thought it was particularly appropriate to write about it here.  A good friend from work brought her two-year old daughter, and the girls played in the kiddie pool out front while said coworker and I caught up on our summer adventures.  After a healthy amount of the outdoors, we brought the girls inside to make pita bread pizzas for lunch.  I have been making pita bread pizza since I was in college.  It is a go to meal that I almost always have the ingredients to make.  It was the perfect nosh when I was pregnant and breastfeeding because it had all the good things my body needed to nourish Mia and me.  Now I serve it to Mia on a regular basis, and the creation of it is something in which she can participate.


You begin with your favorite pita bread slice.  I use a whole wheat version simply because it's healthier.  Then you spoon out a desired amount of sauce (I use store bought spaghetti sauce).  Next pile on your toppings.  On this day we had red peppers, green olives, mushrooms, and chicken breast.  Finally, sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.  Bake on a cookie sheet in the oven (set at 350 degrees) until it is golden brown.  These also do very well in a toaster oven. 



While the pizzas baked, we had the girls create Paper Bag Pizzas.  These are so simple, and they allow the kids to explore different types of artistic media.  The supplies are basic:  several paper bags that you have cut into large triangular pizza shapes, lots of pizza toppings cut from paper scraps, various small pom poms, and glue (I also use a sponge brush for the kids to paint the glue on to the paper).  I prepared everything before the play date began so that it was ready to go, preventing too much down time.  Paper Bag Pizzas are an inexpensive and fun craft that the girls really enjoyed.



Having a child has done many things to enhance my life, and I think the play date has taught me that making new friends is actually a fun experience.  They also allow me to be creative with my child, which is always a plus.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

A [pizza] is worth a 1000 words

This June heat has been so oppressive.  I feel as if I am accomplishing very little, and that is perfectly fine with me.  Mia and I just spend our days walking in the park, playing in the kiddie pool, digging in the sand box, watching Disney movies, and napping together.  Today, we did make the drive up to the restaurant, and we enjoyed the cool breeze on the patio.  Our lunch consisted of Greek Pasta salad and Greek spinach pie along with a cheese slice for Mia.  I also created a Foursquare account today -- once we are verified, I will be sharing specials and deals there.  So much social networking, so little time. 

Thursday, April 29, 2010

I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to [make pizza].




North Forsyth High School Literary Magazine Art Gallery
A former student of mine recently called me an "engine of art," and I would have to say that it was one of the best compliments I have received in a very long time.  I am the literary magazine sponsor at North Forsyth High School, and I helped to begin the magazine along with a very small group of highly committed students -- all engines of art themselves. We are on our third year, and each year we try something new.  This year, our new thing, which hopefully will become an annual thing, is an art gallery/open mike night to honor those students whose voices and imaginations are captured in our newest magazine, "Gradient."  We will honor these students at Mia's Pizza.  Almost every piece of art published in our magazine will hang on the walls of Mia's.  On Monday, May 3rd, the writers and artists, along with their families, will come together for an hour of fellowship and celebration.  I am so excited about this night.  We will have a microphone, a speaker, and young writers sharing their words and thoughts.  All art on display will also be on sale to help us raise the funds we need to maintain the publication.  The NFHS Literary Magazine Art Gallery will hang until May 26 for all to see.  What a wonderful way to pay tribute to these young students. 

Keep on the lookout for future art galleries at Mia's.  We plan to make it a regular thing.  And if you are an artist interested in displaying your work with us, please contact me with your ideas and some work samples.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

The life which [has no pizza] is not worth living.

The yellowy, pollinated haze of an April day furthers my spirit's intoxication as I watch Mia.  I can watch her little fuzzy headed smiling self walk over and greet me in the mornings, or I can watch her hum a little tune with the sweetest voice I have ever heard.  I can watch her dump out a bowl of bottle caps and then one-by-one plop them back into a cup, or I can watch her pick up rocks and tuck them safely away in her jacket pocket.  It doesn't matter what she does; in her presence, I am in awe, I am happy, I am whole.
Time has slowed down for me these past few days, so I can focus on what is most important in life, and that is most definitely her.  We have been working on a surprise art project to give Daddy as a gift to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the restaurant.  We have also been reading lots of books about pizza -- we have many.  We have even been making our own "pizzas" out of homemade play dough.  Whatever we do, there seems to be pizza involved. 

Homemade Play Dough Recipe
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • 4 teaspoons cream of tarter
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • food coloring of choice (I prefer the gel kind -- more vibrant)
  • Mix dry ingredients first.  Add wet ingredients.  You can make one large batch of the same color, or you can split the batch into four smaller batches and make a rainbow of colors. 
  • Heat over low heat (I use a nonstick frying pan), stirring constantly for 2-4 minutes. 
  • Knead well.
  • Store in an airtight container indefinitely.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Spring would not be spring without [pizza].

Spring break has come and Easter is almost here. The patio at Mia's is quite lovely these days, and there is a cool breeze that comes through as I sit and watch folks congregate at Bruster's. Mia meanders through the tables and chairs singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to herself, and I smile knowing that the patio is truly the only place to bring a toddler to eat. Her favorite foods right now are cheese sticks and spinach pie. I too love them, which is a good thing, because I usually end up eating the leftovers. Mia is going through that phase that drives mothers crazy -- she eats like a little bird, and I always find myself offering her just one more bite, just one more, just one last bite. Today I don't mind because I am off from school for ten days, and I can truly relax into my favorite job of being a mother. As I watch my little bitty run about and explore, I read a poem and know that all is right in the world on this patio at Mia's.

**************************************************************************

spring omnipotent goddess Thou
e.e. cummings

SPRING omnipotent goddess Thou
dost stuff parks
with overgrown pimply
chevaliers and gumchewing giggly

damosels Thou dost
persuade to serenade
his lady the musical tom-cat
Thou dost inveigle

into crossing sidewalks the
unwary june-bug and the frivolous
angleworm
Thou dost hang canary birds in parlour windows

Spring slattern of seasons
you have soggy legs
and a muddy petticoat
drowsy

is your hair your
eyes are sticky with
dream and you have a sloppy body from

being brought to bed of crocuses
when you sing in your whisky voice
the grass rises on the head of the earth
and all the trees are put on edge

spring
of the excellent jostle of
thy hips
and the superior

slobber of your breasts i
am so very fond that my
soul inside of me hollers
for thou comest

and your hands are the snow and thy
fingers are the rain
and your
feet O your feet

freakish
feet feet incorrigible

ragging the world

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Eat every pizza as if it were your last.







The love of my life flies through the air, arms held at an angle, smile as big as the sky, feet running just to keep up with mine. She is an airplane. She is the biggest reason I exist. Her name is Mia, and she is an inspiration.




We have now been open for a year, well almost. April 8, 2009. The doors opened, and our lives changed. Pizza is no longer just a food to me, no longer dough and toppings. I am now a pizza know-it-all. Even though I live in Atlanta, I could go into any New York or Chicago pizzeria and have an opinion, weigh in on the debate, be an educated pizza voice. Until I became a partner in this pizzeria adventure, until pizza became a family member, I had no idea how extremely important pizza really is to people. So many customers know, deep down in their hearts, just what makes pizza good, and so many of those customers think Mia's is good pizza, and for that I am grateful.




We are happy to be here, happy to be a part of an American tradition that has so many supporters. We love making a quality product, and we are glad the Cumming community thinks Mia's is worthwhile. We continue to strive to make our restaurant the best, and we are truly proud of our work this year. Thanks to all who have been a part of it.