Amy’s Fall Pear Salad

The other fall fruit
When you think about the Fall season, a lot of things immediately come to mind—fallen leaves, Halloween, pumpkin spice, and, of course, apples. Apple cider, caramel apples, apple cider donuts…you get the picture. There are some people out there that picture something different. Something that is quintessentially Fall, yet is overshadowed by the mainstream. I give you the pear…

I admit that I am most likely to reach for an apple than a pear but don’t take that to mean I don’t like them. My daughter is a pear fanatic. We are lucky enough that there is a pear farm only a few miles from where we live and my daughter waits impatiently every year for those pears to be at their peak. I admit they are ridiculously good. My daughter likes to put the pears in her lunch and eat them straight. I prefer to eat them in something sweet or, more often than not, with cheese.

There is something about the delicate flavor of pears that matches so well with cheese especially a strong cheese like a blue cheese or gorgonzola. Something about that pair (yes, pun intended), to me, is the epitome of fall flavor. While I am a big fan of a 4 o’clock cheese plate complete with pears, whatever cheese I have on hand, some nuts, and a drizzle of honey—my go-to vessel for pear consumption is a lightly dressed salad of crunchy butter lettuce or, again, whatever I have on hand. Arugula also works well…or a mix.

There are endless combinations for pears in salads. Nine times out of ten, my salad will have pears, blue cheese, pecans, and pomegranate seeds finished off with a Dijon vinaigrette. Sometimes I add citrus instead of the pomegranate seeds. Sometimes I add thinly sliced red onion. Sometimes I swap the pecans for hazelnuts. A handful of dried cranberries is a tasty addition as well…

Below is my basic fall pear salad recipe. Play with it as you see fit.

Amy’s Fall Pear Salad
Yields 4 Servings Read more…

Tomato Pie

Baseball—Philly Style
After 12 years of little league, travel, and ultimately, Division One High School ball, it’s safe to say that we are baseball people. Well, my daughter is indifferent. I blame too many weekends of being dragged to tournaments and enduring my vocal enthusiasm. My husband and I have our favorite team that we love to watch but also have no problem tuning into a different game if only to passionately root for a division rival to go down in flames. (I’m looking at you, Dodgers…) Unfortunately, there was a lot of that this past season.

The end of October means that the World Series is once again upon us and I was really hoping for the feel-good story of finally seeing the Mariners get to the dance but alas, that was not meant to be. I would have been good with a New York v.s. San Diego series because there were so many interesting storylines. Aaron Judge and his home runs…San Diego spending a lot of money to get Soto…East v.ss West…you get the idea.

Instead, we have the Astros v.s .the Phillies. Not really all that exciting to this West Coaster. I am having a difficult time getting enthusiastic about watching this matchup. (Let’s be clear though, I will still watch. This is the world series after all.) The Astro’s recent scandal makes it hard to really get behind them. Plus, this will be the fourth time in five years that they have been in the Fall Classic. It’s time for someone new.

The Phillies haven’t been in the World Series since 2009. So, for that reason alone I am hoping they go all the way. And, since this is how I roll, it gives me the opportunity to explore the culinary wonders of Philadelphia beyond the obvious cheesesteak.

I have it on good authority from a friend and Philadelphia native, that a tomato pie is as quintessentially Philadelphian as cheesesteak. Now, I’m not here to start any wars but I am always here for trying something new to me. Also, I am always good with tasty carbs that can feed a crowd…

Tomato Pie Recipe
Adapted from Serious Eats
Yields 4 to 6 servings Read more…

Fast Focaccia Pizza

That Focaccia Pizza
I think we all remember the bread-baking phenomenon that happened during the height of the pandemic. Most of us were up to our elbows in sourdough just out of sheer boredom. While all of that was going on, you may have missed the rise (no pun intended) of focaccia production that happened simultaneously.

Fresh homemade focaccia is ridiculously good. There is an episode of Samin Nosrat’s Salt Fat Acid Heat on Netflix that shows her making focaccia while on location in Italy which is the epitome of performance art. And a sure-fire way to bring on hunger.

Focaccia on its own is wonderful but focaccia as a base for pizza can be on a whole other level. One of my boys is the lone fan of fluffy pizza in a family of New York style devotees so he rarely gets the high-carb pizza that he loves because he is always outnumbered. Focaccia pizza is a great compromise. It’s hard to not like focaccia. To be clear, focaccia pizza is not the same as a deep-dish pizza. Using pizza dough to make focaccia will not give you the same results.

What you decide to put on your focaccia pizza before you bake it is entirely up to you. Just remember that less is more so that you can taste the amazing flavor of the focaccia as well as the toppings. Pro tip: add a layer of mozzarella before you add your sauce. This will keep the focaccia from getting too soggy.

Fast Focaccia Pizza Recipe
Adapted from Anne Burrell and The Food Network
Yields 8 to 10 servings Read more…

Easy Calzones

Pizza Envy
Let’s face it. In the world of hand-stretched dough with sauce and cheese, pizza gets all the glory. It is the worldwide face of Italian comfort food. Glossy ads in magazines. Snappy jingles on TV. But what about the other options? Who is willing to stand up and give pizza’s siblings the recognition they deserve? Where is the love for the calzone?

You don’t always see a calzone on the menu at a pizza place. I mean, I get it. Why go through the process of building a pizza only to fold it over and throw it in the oven? Why take that extra step? Why not just throw it in as is?

I will tell you why. Because it tastes good.

I am that person who is extra when it comes to her pizza. I like extra cheese, extra sausage, and, though I prefer a thin crust, I like my pizza edges extra fluffy and kinda burnt. A calzone can give me that. And the best part is that it is small enough that I don’t have to share. This baby is all mine…

Even better? A calzone can be done in your oven. No fancy pizza ovens needed. (Though a pre-heated pizza stone would be an added bonus.)

It’s up to you whether you decide to put the tomato sauce in your calzone or use it as a dip on the side. You can do it either way. I’ve done both and I am not sure if I prefer one method over the other. However, if you are doing mini versions dipping is better…

Below is our basic recipe for Easy Calzones. You can customize it as you see fit.

Easy Calzones Recipe
Adapted from Natasha’s Kitchen
Yields 8 servings

Calzones are great for dinner or a weekend lunch. You can stuff them with your favorite pizza toppings like—sausage, cheese, olives, and veggies. We cut one or two small vent holes in the top of the calzone to help the crust cook through. It makes for a crispier calzone—no soggy dough. Read more…