Dachshund Parade 2010

What's that you say? There's a dachshund parade in town today? What do you do at a dachshund parade?

Eat hot dogs.

Wash them down with a beverage.

Meet new friends.

Strike a pose.

Show off new outfits.

Bust out the jewels.

Strut your stuff.

Keep things under control.

Beg for treats.

Try not to get too excited.

Look cute.

Watch it all from the comfort of your grandma's lap.

Delivered Hot

I'm a big fan of pizza, and have my fair share of favorite places to order from, (here if I want white pizza, here if I'm in the mood for red sauce, and here if I'm out with friends). Not surprising, since there are nine pizza joints all within a two-mile radius of my house. Really. We like our pizza here in Rochester. Lately, however, I've become a big fan of homemade pizza, and try to make it at least once a week. It started when I discovered that naan bread makes a superb crust, especially when cooked on the grill. I don't have to fuss around with making my own crust, it's already thin, just the way I like it, and the perfect size for a personal pizza.

It's fun to experiment with different toppings and flavors. This sausage, red onion, and wild mushroom pizza had some nice spice, which counteracted well with the earthy mushrooms.

I've found that it's really easy to make pizza a healthy meal, and also an excellent way to use up some leftover vegetables, as was the case with this asparagus, fingerling potato, and goat cheese pizza.

I prefer to cook my pizza right on the grill rack in order to ensure a crispy crust. This artichoke, goat cheese and chicken pizza was oozing with cheese -- just the way I like it!

The best way to enjoy pizza, however, is al fresco with a bottle of wine and good company.

Spinach Feta Pizza from The Vegetarian Grill, by Andrea Chesman

1 pizza crust

1 pound spinach, tough stems trimmed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 Vidalia or other sweet onion, thinly sliced

1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill.

2. Steam the spinach until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Taking a handful of spinach at a time, squeeze out as much water as possible. Coarsely chop.

3. Brush the top side of the pizza with olive oil, then flip over. Brush the other side with olive oil and scatter 1 tablespoon of the garlic over the crust. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and top with the spinach, feta, and onion. Place the pizza on a lightly oiled grill rack and grill for 5 to 8 minutes, checking the crust after 5 minutes.

4. Slice the pizza and serve warm.

Taste of June

I always associate the month of June with many of my favorite things: strawberries, peonies, pearls, the end of another school year, my grandmother whose birthday is Flag Day, and the official beginning of summer. But nothing is more reminiscent of June than strawberry rhubarb crisp, my most favorite dessert to make and eat. I've always liked strawberries. And I've always liked rhubarb.

Three years ago, I was in New England for a friend's wedding having dinner here. It was a cozy little restaurant in a quaint little town, very unassuming and very inviting. There was a moment during dinner when I watched dessert being delivered to the next table, and knew I had to try what it was I had my eye on: strawberry rhubarb crisp. When the waiter brought mine out of the kitchen, I was in heaven. The buttery crisp topping, combined with the sweet strawberries, tart rhubarb and melting vanilla ice cream made for a delicious combination. It was one of my most memorable restaurant experiences, and since then, I've been trying to perfect my own crisp using the restaurant's recipe as a guide.

(Yes, I emailed the chef after I got home and he was nice enough to share his recipe with me).

The colors are just beautiful, all mixed in together with sugar. I got my ingredients during my trip to the public market, in anticipation of company coming to visit.

It comes out of the oven piping hot, ready to be paired with vanilla bean ice cream.

Can't you just taste it? The taste of summer-right-around-the-corner?

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

1 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups sliced fresh strawberries

3 cups diced rhubarb

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup rolled oats

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup toasted almonds, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine and macerate white sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, strawberries, and rhubarb until sugar dissolves. Place the mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar, butter, oats, and almonds until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over strawberry and rhubarb mixture. Bake 45 minutes, or until topping has color and juices are bubbly and run clear. Top with vanilla ice cream.