Fermented Friday: Grilled Mango-Basil Pizza

Fermented Friday: recipes featuring yeast, wine, beer or some form of fermentation

Before the summer's over, you have to try grilling pizza.  I'm not sure how this summer escaped without a pizza on my grill.  Many of you have heard of my grilled pizza incident from several years back and are likely smiling (or groaning) at the thought, but that's another story.  Ask me about it sometime when you're in need of a good laugh.

I've been wanting to make a mango-basil pizza forever and finally got around to it.  It was too hot for the oven, so onto the grill it went.  The combination was superb, but I understand if you're a little hesitant.  Regardless of the toppings you choose, you don't want to miss out on the experience of a grilled pizza.  If you don't have time to make your own dough feel free to pick some up at the store.  The dough recipe I used here needs a little tweaking, so I'll just show you the basics and get you started.

Thursday's Thoughts: Random Tidbits

Thursday's Thoughts: a taste of what I'm thinking

I do a lot of thinking while I'm out walking.  My thoughts flow more freely when I'm outside walking with nowhere in particular to go.  The post from last Thursday was based on thoughts that popped into my head during a long walk. The fresh air and sunshine is a great stress relief, as is the walking and thinking. Unfortunately, I've been too busy for a long walk this week and haven't had time to collect my thoughts.  In short, this post is just random tidbits of information.

1. Did you see the moon last night? I will always love looking at the moon, especially a full moon.  The stars are great too, but not as obvious in the city.  I wish I took more time to pause and look up at the night sky.

2. Sometimes I get so caught up in my list of things to do that I overlook what's really important.  People are unpredictable, situations change and plans need to be flexible.  Tasks need to be set aside to make time for what really matters.

3. A good conversation goes a long way in brightening your day.

4. The leaves are starting to change colors here and some are already falling.  Where did August go?

5. Never mind, it's supposed to be in the upper 90's and humid today.  That sounds like a typical August to me.

6.  Why is it always easier to clean or organize someone else's things than you own? I was thinking in terms of physical objects, but this could also apply to gossip.  People are much more willing to talk about others' issues than their own.

7. I hate it went people stand around gossiping, it always makes me wonder what they say about me when I'm not there.  Even if I don't contribute to the gossip, I am often a silent participant by not speaking up on behalf of the other person.  I can try to change the subject, but I wish I had the confidence and courage to just say something more direct.

8. Like I said above, it's supposed to be pretty hot out today, but at the moment there's a fairly cool breeze coming in the window.  That means it's time to get off the computer and enjoy some fresh air before it disappears.

Food for Thought: "Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down." -Proverbs 26:20

Weird Recipe Wednesday: Indian Eggplant Dip

Weird Recipe Wednesday: Because some recipes are so weird I just HAVE to try them.  My curiosity always gets the better of me.

I've tried eggplant a few times, but I never really know what to do with it.  By the time I get around to using it, it's past its prime, bitter and has a spongy texture.  When someone gave me several eggplant last week, I was determined to put them to use.  I roasted some and made baba ganoush.  (A dip similar to hummus but with eggplant instead of chickpeas.) Then I started slicing, grilling and layering eggplant and zucchini for a casserole.  Even after making these, I had eggplant left to use.  As my recipe search continued I came across several weird recipes featuring eggplant.

Tuesday Trip Tidbits

I'm back from a 4-day road trip and thought I'd fill you in for today's post.

1. Friday night we arrived at Six Flags planning to use a "bring a friend for free" coupon that expired that day.  Of all the Friday's this summer, we happened to arrive on the night they closed the park early and got there 10 minutes after the park closed.  Really?  Since when do amusement parks close at 7 on a summer Friday?

2. Instead of the park we headed to an outlet mall.  By the time we cleared the traffic jam exiting the park and made it to the mall, we had about 40 minutes to shop.

3. Movie and BLUE popcorn.  Yep, my friend found microwave popcorn in the clearance section that pops blue.  It's pretty much just blue food coloring in the butter.  Or something like that, I don't really want to know.

4. Saturday morning we slept in, and then 3 of us went for a run around a pond where we saw turtles, ducks and a heron.

5.  Breakfast and then a second attempt at the amusement park.  Unfortunately our free coupons were no longer valid. We started out at the water park then moved to the rides.  Roller coasters, yes please!

6. After some crazy fun rides we headed to Sweet Tomatoes  for dinner.  Sweet Tomatoes is a buffet loaded with fresh, healthy choices full of flavor.  Every few weeks the theme of the menu changes for a fun twist.  The last time my friend went the theme was strawberries (think strawberry-spinach salad, strawberry muffins, strawberry short cake, etc).  This time around was an Asian theme featuring dishes such as Fresh Herb Thai Slaw, Mandarin Shells with Almonds, Indian Lentil Stew and Thai Chicken and Peanut Focaccia.  I would definitely stop there again!

7. Dinner was followed by a quick trip to another mall and then back to the apartment for a movie.

9.  Sunday we packed 5 people and a dog into the front 4 seats of a van while the back half (and any other available inch of space) was loaded with everything needed for a college apartment.  We made it through 2 hours of driving, then unloaded belongings and helped unpack.  After dinner out and a run to the store we were back on the road.  While the drive back to the apartment was less crowded, it was a little more intense with hard rain all through Chicago.  We were all ready for bed by the time we made it back.

10. Another morning of sleeping in and a late breakfast.  A quick stop (literally 5 minutes) at the Jelly Belly factory for some clearance candy and we hit the road for home.  Good conversation made the 5-6 hour trip seem much faster.  Thanks to the G's for including me in your family trip this weekend!

Food for Thought: "A friend is one who knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow." -William Shakespeare 

Fermented Friday: Rosemary Rum Raisin Biscotti

Fermented Friday: recipes featuring yeast, wine, beer or some form of fermentation

By the time you read this, I will likely be on the road for an extended four day weekend trip. I'll be back sometime Monday so there may or may not be a Monday post.  Fortunately for you, I squeezed in some time to bake cookies before I left.
  

Rather than our ususal beer, yeast or wine recipe, this week's featured fermented ingredient is spiced rum.  Rum is produced by fermenting and distilling sugar byproducts such as molasses.  While rum is often aged for a year or more, you don't have to wait that long to crunch away at these enticing biscotti.