Tag Archive: Mozzarella


I used to think it was solely about the preparation that goes into the dish that makes it…. Then I realized how differently my husband and I make our plates… WOW, can plating completely change how you view and taste a dish!
Take a commonly homemade dish like spaghetti for example….

Here my husband, Lawson starts out by covering the bottom of his bowl with mozzarella cheese. Needless to say… he likes his food very cheesy!

I start with the spaghetti and a meat sauce. There are so many ways you can make spaghetti and sauce. I like mine kind of spicy with more of a Cajun flare.

Lawson coats the layer of cheese with the hot meat sauce so that the cheese will melt faster.  He also prefers to use a bowl.

I on the other hand usually prefer a plate. I take a more traditional route and simply top my spaghetti noodles with my meat sauce.

Lawson tops his off with his spaghetti noodles. He then uses a fork and a knife to cut the noodles smaller and mix all of the ingredients together.

I top my plate off with Parmesan cheese and add baby bell Gouda and garlic bread to the side. While I usually twirl my noodles, I also like to heap the spaghetti onto the garlic bread.

For two people who are so similar, it’s interesting that we basically make our plates completely backwards from each other. We both started with the same seasoned spaghetti noodles and spicy meat sauce, but ended up with very different looking and tasting dishes. So do not start thinking that your way of making your plate is the only way or that it does not matter because it’s all the same! This is far from the truth!
How do you make your plate?

*~Bonus~*

Do you get aggravated when you have left over hamburger or hot dog buns like I do? The bread ends up going stale before you decide to have hamburgers/ hot dogs again or there really aren’t enough buns left for next time anyway. Re-purpose them!!! Here I used left over slider buns to make garlic bread. A little butter, oregano, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, grind-ed sea salt and garlic mix, a few minutes in the oven, and you’ll never pay for over priced bread at the bakery again!

Just another thought… if the bread does go stale or even a little moldy, find a nice duck pond and have a relaxing picnic. A nice after noon out for you… a nice meal for the ducks!

If you have any ideas for re-purposing unused items in the kitchen please share! 🙂

 Whether you are from Italy, New York, or Timbuktu; a pepperoni and cheese traditionalist or a gourmet creationalist, most people can appreciate a good pizza. And a home-made one is even better!

Now everyone knows that the crust is the hardest part to get right when making a home-made pizza. What if you could remove that part all together? I know what you’re thinking…. “Come now! You are not suggesting that we buy store-bought pizza dough/crust are you? That stuff is disgusting!” And OF COURSE NOT!  I would never suggest such a thing! It is blasphemy to pizza everywhere! What I am suggesting is to not use pizza crust at all!

I have a made a wonderful discovery. It is called Naan bread! You can buy this in both original or garlic flavored. (as you have probably guessed, garlic flavored is my favorite). It is a premade, flat bread that is sold in a roundish shape and it comes with a recipe for pizza right on the back of the package! It is delicious by its self, so why wouldn’t it be just as yummy with cheese? Here I have gone the traditional route with mozzarella and pepperoni. Next I believe I am going to try mushrooms, greek olives, and feta cheese. The sky is the limit! Even play around with the sauce. I suggest trying pesto, alfredo, or even an avocado paste (such as guacamole) for some extra creative fun!

Where can you find this amazing pizza crust substitute? Well I bought this at Target, but I’m sure it can be found in the bakery department of many national grocery chains. Brookshire’s is always a good place to go for unique and international ingredients. But the best place to find things if you have access is a farmers market or local bakery. 🙂

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