Off Hiatus!

Hello there, lovely fans. I realize it has been quite some time since my last post but I'm BACK. Now that Lent is over, I'm able to indulge in all things fried once again. This weekend I satisfied my craving for tempura (french bean, to be specific!) as well as french fries (garlic truffle). I'm getting hungry just thinking about all of it.

Rob and I ferried up to Sausalito for the weekend, which was every bit as relaxing and fun as we thought it would be. We shopped, ate, walked through the small town, enjoyed some great Japanese food and played a game of Scrabble right near the water.

Pizza was on the agenda also, which we had with a lovely SF view.

I can't wait to go back to Sushi Ran, which is where we ate on Saturday night. We ate:

scallop-chive dumplings
vegetable taster (fried potatoes, bok choy, ginger eggplant, spaghetti squash)
miso black cod with french beans (insanely good; not sure I can eat fish anywhere else now)
unagi
chicken teriyaki (don't laugh)
french bean tempura
rice
some kind of hamachi dish with grapefruit and avocado

...and a huge bottle of sake.

Good thing I am getting back into running shape!

Any way you slice it...

The lunar eclipse last week was somewhat disappointing, since there was too much fog around Coit Tower to see anything, even from the top of Lombard Street. The BF and I strolled back down the street in search of food, too hungry to wait for a full meal back at my apartment.

Of course we are both suckers for great pizza (who isn't?!) and Za always delivers (pizza pun intended). The slices are bigger than my head and are no more than $4.50/each. And thankfully, they also serve beer.

Please note that these are normal sized slices from Za, in a medium pizza box. Mmmmm. We were finished by the time we got back to my place...with only minor pizza sauce burns on our fingers. :)

Pizza Pizza!

Whether you like a basic cheese pizza or something a bit more fancy, I've discovered a great way to make a quick and easy pie at home. An added bonus is that this method is perfect for entertaining!

Pillsbury Pizza Crust is the key here, which I now choose over Boboli or other pre-made crusts. A simple margherita pizza should consist of minced garlic (layer this underneath all of the other toppings), roma tomatoes, lots of fresh mozzarella cheese and basil. What makes it even better is a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar and olive oil right after it comes out of the oven. Finish with sea salt.

My boyfriend and I have recently gotten more adventurous, and last night's pizza was created with pesto, mushrooms and red peppers. We've also tried Italian sausage, browned first on the stove with some onions and garlic.



It's a perfect weeknight dinner that doesn't take a whole lot of time. Just remember that the dough won't keep forever, so don't stockpile too much of it in your fridge.