Friday Night is Pizza Night!

Friday night is a lot of the time synonymous with pizza night! And you may be expecting me to post a pizza recipe. And I could, but I am not. Because even I want a break from cooking, especially after a challenging week at work. Also, I should be honest. My mom has mastered pizza, and Danielle has had successful attempts. Me, well I am still at odds with pizza dough. But when I master it you better believe you will know.

So in the meantime let me post two great places I have gotten pizza recently in the area :). And happy Friday!

  This place gives what I think of as more of a "foodie" spin on pizza. Mancinnis Coal Oven Pizza is a tiny little place that has pies with BIG flavors. It is really cute inside with wooden seating and white tiled walls. You can see the family making pies in the coal oven from every seat. Which should tell you how small the place is! You may have to wait for a table but it is worth it! Plus there is take-out! Brian and I sampled punttanesca pie (which is one of my favorite pasta dishes) and a white pie with prosciutto, artichokes and ricotta BAMMMM! Yes we loved it! Then they had a really interesting herb salad with  which we tried, pairs arugula with parsley, mint, thyme, oregano, a generous dollop of creamy chevre and house dressing, all atop a savory pizza-like disc of bread studded with raisins. I also got to have a boylans cream soda! Yes, it was quite a night!

Mancinnis Coal Oven Pizza

438 Bloomfield Ave
Montclair, NJ 07042

(973) 744-4391

http://www.mancinnis.net

 

 Salugo Bistro is another new, small place. I had the pleasure of having a dinner date with one of my besties Melz! Sadly, she had to witness me eating a whole 12 inch pie which was topped with hot peppers, tomatoes, sopresatta, and smoked scamorza. Needless to say she is still my friend and she also let me eat two pieces of her  gorgonzola, fig, prosciutto, and balsamic reduction pie. YEP! If that is not enough to get you over there maybe one their pasta dishes, or piled high salads will! 

510 Bloomfield Ave
Verona, NJ 07044

(973) 857-2584

http://www.salugopizzeria.com/

 

Another Big Game, Another Big Bite

So my husband has a serious obsession with University of Michigans basketball team. His childhood room has Michigan border and posters! But funny thing is he never wanted to go to Michigan and no one in his family has attended there. Everyone has their thing right?

So his team made it to the final four and I have to admit I was excited as well. Apparently that hasn't happened since the early 90's. So long ago right?! Being the excellent wife I am I said if his team made it to final four I would have a little party. And of course that involves food, I always have an ulterior motive.

What I did was two crockpots, one pulled pork and one pulled buffalo chicken. My thought was people could make their own sliders. I made cole slaw and a nice big salad. I also tried out something new it was a take on an italian sub but baked. I did end up modifying it a little bit too and I have to say it was pretty popular. Just a couple of notes! You can change the meat and cheese to match the way you would build your italian sub, that is what I did. I also am going to try next time to use Pillsbury pizza dough. I am also going to try a version omitted the eggs. So here is my version:

Cooking Time: 40 min

What You'll Need:

• 2 (8-ounce) container refrigerated crescent rolls
• 8 slices sweet sopressata (about 1/2 pound)
• 8 slices ham (about 1/2 pound)
• 12 slice provolone (about 1/2 pound)
• 8 slices capicola (about 1/2 pound)
• 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted peppers, drained
• 4 eggs, beaten 
• salt, pepper, oregano and onion powder
• olive oil

What To Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll crescent roll dough without separating triangles.
    
2. Place the first container of dough into a pyrex baking dish; using your fingertips, press dough to fit bottom of dish.
    
3. Layer with half the sopressata, ham, capicola, provolone cheese, and roasted peppers. Pour half of beaten eggs over peppers and repeat with remaining meats, cheese, and peppers. Once you get to last layer then season it with salt, pepper, oregano, and onion powder.
    
4. Place remaining square of dough over peppers. Pour remaining beaten eggs over dough and drizzle the top with olive oil. Then
   
   
   cover lightly with foil.
    
5. Bake 20 minutes, remove foil, and bake an additional 20 to 22 minutes, or until golden and heated through. Let cool 15 to 20 minutes then cut and serve.