Naan Pizzas
My goodness. Anyone watching me in the kitchen these days wouldn't suspect I was a food blogger. Distracted mother? Check. Freezer full of potstickers? Check. Cookbooks collecting dust? Check.
I'm not apologizing. It's just amusing how seasonal life is. As soon as I make a bunch of pronouncements, things are guaranteed to change. In other words, as soon as I'm pontificating about getting all my produce from the farmer's market, one stop at Safeway becomes all I can manage.
I had a moment tonight--setting the table for me and the kids, listening to them play in the living room (ah! Playing sounds so much better than fighting!). How did I get to be the mother of these two rascals? I deliberated about whether I wanted to be a mother at all. After eight years of marriage, I gave in, mostly because I wanted someone to visit me when I'm old. And I wavered just as much the second time around. Would I love her as much I loved Wyatt?
Now, they're the reason I spend less on restaurants and more on apples; the reason I go to fewer concerts and more parks. They're the reason I'm sleep deprived and eat piles of pancakes; the force behind 20 pairs of little shoes cluttering the porch and thousands of dollars spent at Costco. They can take almost all the credit for my increased humor, realism, and even productivity (!) in the last 7 years.
And they can take credit for my ability to make pizza out of virtually anything. This time, Trader Joe's garlic naan, pulled from the freezer after a long spouse-less day. Theirs were marinara, mozarella, and pepperoni. In the spirit of realism, here's the recipe for mine.
Sarah's Spouse-Less Day Naan Pizza
Preheat your oven to 400. Scatter about a tablespoon of pizza or marinara sauce (yep--from the jar!) onto an oval of naan. Sprinkle a handful of whole milk mozzarella over it. Thinly slice 4 or 5 5 rounds of pepperoni, and sprinkle those on. Top with thinly sliced red onion, a bit of julienned fresh spinach, a tablespoon of sunflower seeds, and some crumbled chevre. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until naan is crispy on bottom and cheese is bubbling.
March 24, 2010
Reader Comments (15)
Good for you! My husband has been out of town and I haven't cooked a thing since last week. I find these times to be kind of refreshing because when they pass, I am super ready to get into the kitchen.
funny how many conversations i have been in lately that have to do with how DIFFERENT life is now that kids are here. mostly better. :) when i tucked my two rascals in tonight, i felt VERY thankful for them. and, I'm thankful for your inspiration for dinner tonight... i mixed some of your asparagus salad recipe together with the cover recipe of Sunset and made us delicious dinner salads. yum. thanks for always inspiring.
You know, I don't really have the conversation about how different life is because the kids are here. ;-) I am, however, starting to think about them leaving for college. A. freaking. Men.
I love how you speak of the beauty of motherhood---with the view of a glass half full.
Sarah, I made a ridiculous impulse buy at the Mercer Island Thrift Store that I blame entirely on you. Okay, not the impulse-control part, but the part about these items catching my eye at all, seeing as I cook even less than a poor college students these these days. (Thanks, pds.)
So anyway, I'm now the proud owner of 8 lovely hardback "Best of Gourmet Magazine" books from between the years of 1986 and 1999. They were close enough to the children's books that they caught my eye. I need to find a good home for them. Maybe you can help me with that...
Love these breads! My favorite lunch is Naan bread with tomato and melted swiss. So delicious!
:)
You amaze me. How can a quick weeknight meal can look this good? I'd say your kids are pretty blessed indeed.
Your inspiring words only make me love these pizzas all the more. GREG
Damn, you make being a mom sound GOOD!
I became a mother quite by accident - I was on the pill and everything! I was unmarried, 23 and never cracked open a book throughout my pregnancy - I just assumed it would all work out!
And boy did it ever. She is the light of my life - to think that I even contemplated giving her up makes my eyes well up. My parents and I went to a support group for women who had given their kids up - did they regret the decision? Each and every one of these women told me "if I had 10% of the support your parents are giving you, I'd still have my baby!"
Fast forward - she just turned 18 and is graduating high school with a 3.8 GPA. She makes her momma so proud!
Now let's get on with the food - pizza - anytime, anywhere, anyway = perfect day! :D
You are lovely! What a great website. I love leftovers too. Fun to find a cyber kindred spirit - particularly one who is an imaginative cook, writes with great wit, and takes beautiful pictures! Well done and keep up the good work.
SO glad you posted that picture. Funny, I do the same - except the cheese/pepperoni is for my husband...
Will have to try these....with whatever is leftover. Perhaps with Indian leftovers. Great idea!