Happy New Year! Pass the take-out...

See, what did I say? The very next blog...take out! Tonight's blog is sponsored by Papa Murphy's' and Cristiano's Pizza.


Papa Murphy's. What can I say? If you haven't had the pleasure it is just about the most inexpensive and healthy way to get pizza. Sounds a bit like an oxy moron, but no. I love how you call in, pick up, go home and bake. The crust is chewy and good and the sauce has this spice to it that makes it enjoyable.

My son has a friend over and they are getting ready to see a movie. I, on the other hand, have been driving all over creation this afternoon doing the grocery shopping because Costco is closed tomorrow and I have a concert to go to on Sunday. Friday Costco trip it is! Forget that it's New Year's Eve and everywhere is a Z-O-O... The original plan for tonight was to get pizza for the boys and I was going to try this new Mahi Mahi recipe. Well, that didn't work out so I decided to blog about what I am actually eating for dinner :) See, I don't usually do that. I plan on cooking, something happens like life...or something and I end up eating left overs or take out and NOT blogging about it. Enough of that. I am pulling the curtain back and now you get the real scoop.

Usually, our order at Papa Murphy's is a family (the largest you can get) pepperoni and a family Canadian bacon, mushroom and black olive. Obviously..pepperoni for the kids, the other for Chris and I eat fish or something. Tonight I am dining on 1 slice of the latter pizza and leftover Cranberry Mimosa Salad from Cristiano's'. The salad consists of mixed greens, tomato wedges, a bread stick (not pictured), mimosa dressing, pistachios, crasins and Gorgonzola cheese. Mmmmm.


Our friends Paul and Vickie own Cristiano's' and Paul is the chef. What's good?, you may be asking ...well, frankly everything! He makes the pizza crust and bread stick dough fresh every day. Soup of the day is made from scratch fresh each day (Wednesday is Tomato Basil which, is my personal favorite). And the salads are yummy yummy. The portions are enormous. Literally, if you order a salad..even just a house salad it is heaping on the plate practically over flowing. I am not even doing it justice. There is always at least a 20 minute wait, but people know that and just go with it. They are in Marysville, open 6 days a week for lunch and dinner (closed from 3:00 to 4:00 each day). Closed on Sundays. I usually get take out and if you do that, make sure to call it in ahead of time. The staff is friendly and the food is a heaping plate of comfort. Try the chicken fettuchini, pesto chicken calzone or soup and salad combo (all our favorites).

2011, the year of take-out!
Happy New Year!!

Long time no blog?

No excuses this time. I just have been in a cooking funk. Just a general funk I guess. But look at me? Here it is almost 2011 and I was cooking today :) Making lefse which I have blogged about before..but still. I think one of my new years resolutions will be to A. cook more and B. keep up on this stinking blog. It's harder than you would think. You may not remember..but a couple of blogs ago I joked that I should blog about take-out. I have come to think that is a fabulous idea! So you never know..in 2011 I may do a series of take-out blogs. Especially since there is a new Indian restaurant that opened right by where I work and I am absolutely addicted to it. I will surprise you.

Until then, I give you the redux of Potato Lefse!

5 large potatoes, approx, 6 cups of riced potatoes.
1/2 cup whipped cream
Flour, 1/2 cup per cup of mashed potatoes, approx. 3 cups
3 T butter
1 tsp. salt

Boil and rice the potatoes--add cream, butter and salt;
combine, then cool (put in fridge till very cool)
Add the flour, take out dough about the size of a golf ball and roll out super thin
Bake (cook) on large griddle to light tan.
Moderate heat...do not scorch!

Ok, what is written up there is a modified version of my mother in laws lefse recipe. I rice the potatoes with a potato ricer. I use a lefse grill which gets up to 500 degrees but you definitely don't have to. I use a rolling pin which has a waffle pattern on it but again...you don't have to. Carol doesn't so you don't have to. I am the freak who wants the authentic tools for the job kind of thing. Not necessary by any means but it makes me feel secure. She has made lefse for ever just mashing potatoes, rolling them out with a regular old rolling pin and frying them in a dry skillet. And you can too. Lefse doesn't require special tools. I just like the tools.

I typically will boil and rice the potatoes a day ahead then add the flour and actually make the lefse the next day. Just me. I think the key here is to mash the potatoes very well (or rice them) and roll the dough out very thin. The thinner it is the quicker it will cook.

It's a Christmas tradition in Chris' family and I try to make it twice a year. It's cheeeeeeap, and yummy. Did I say cheap? Plus, this recipe makes a ton of it! We like to put butter and cinnamon sugar on it..roll it up and enjoy. Maybe nuke it for a few seconds to warm it up. So yummy. Uff da!