Deep Dish Pizza.

Is it really pizza? The Italian in me says no, but the foodie in me asks: who cares? I was directed to this recipe by my friend, Debbie...one rave and off I went to find the recipe. My old friends at Cook's Illustrated have perfected this recipe...it's almost foolproof AND you make the sauce yourself--just make sure you have a can of really good Italian tomatoes in your cupboard at all times (so you can make this pretty much whenever you want to)...It's actually...pretty easy and the ROI? Awesome.

Here's a link to Cook's Illustrated (paid)...and a link to someone who posted the recipe (I don't have permission to post.)

Make the Sauce

Folded Dough--Like the Best Croissant dough!

Finished..

Chocolate Babka!

Is there anyone who doesn't know the Seinfeld Chocolate Babka episode? It's timeless--and means that anyone who lives outside of NYC ought to know what a chocolate babka is (at least know that it's a coveted loaf of bread, right?)...am I right?


So when Paula Shoyer's recipe showed up several times in my FB feed, I finally realized the time had come. Time to make my own chocolate babka.

Paula is author of The Kosher Baker (cover recipe? Chocolate Babka) and a cooking teacher in the DC area. And she is good. Her books are full of delicious recipes accompanied by beautifully styled photos. (Let the record show: my babka looks NOTHING like the beautiful loaf in Paula's photo)...

I also did not make it kosher--I used butter. Three. Sticks. of. Butter. Per. Loaf.

I have officially given up chocolate croissant because now I can eat Chocolate Babka.

I didn't use loaf pans--wish I had--and that is why my little loaves are flattened. Also pinch pinch pinch the seams closed--I lost some of the chocolate filling to the baking pan (it turned into chocolate candy. I pried it off the parchment paper and thoroughly enjoyed it)...

I am going to get some loaf pans and make this again. People are already crazy for it.

Kale Salad--No, Really. Kale Salad.

Gotta say-- I thought, "No way." No way would I EVER eat raw kale--as in raw kale salad--voluntarily. Then I had a version at Dean and Deluca in Charlotte. And I was hooked.

A bit of research and I discovered that "the" method is to drizzle ribbons of cleaned/spun dry kale with a bit of olive oil and salt and to "massage" the kale--it kind of wilts and softens with the working--quite quickly, in fact.

I tried to recreate D and D's version, but it's not quite right. Guess I'll have to experiment more often. My notes from when I ate it say "Orange, cream, olive oil, parmesan." Gotta go with what I've got...

Here's the first version:
1 bunch kale, cleaned, cut into ribbons
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
Zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1/2 orange
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup yellow raisins
3 green onions, finely sliced
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese






1. Place kale in large wooden bowl. Massage kale with olive oil and salt until soft.
2. Drizzle with buttermilk. Stir. Add orange and lemon juices, garlic, raisins, onions, nuts and cheese. Mix all together. Serve room temperature.



My "tasters" didn't like one of the flavors and it MIGHT have been the buttermilk. Maybe replace that with 1/4 cup half and half? I'll let you know if I edit it.


Here is what I DO know: Now I'm craving a good kale salad.


Eat your Greens!!