Clams Casino Pizza

1 - can of Pilsbury Pizza Crust

7 oz. of whole milk ricotta cheese at room temp

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can of clams, finely chopped (I couldn't find them fresh, so I had to improvise)

crushed red pepper flake

italian seasoning

black pepper, freshly cracked is best!

1 cup of Italian Blend Cheese

1/2 red bell pepper,thinly sliced

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup of pepperoncini, sliced (I buy them pre-sliced)

3 sliced of bacon, cut into 2" pieces

Preheat oven to 420 degrees.

Spray the cookie sheet with cooking spray to keep the pizza dough from sticking. Unroll the pizza dough and gently spread the dough out using your finger tips.

Mix the minced garlic clove into the ricotta cheese and spread over the pizza crust in an even layer. Sprinkle the cheese mixture with crushed red pepper, italian seasoning, and fresh cracked pepper. Evenly sprinkle the chopped clams and Italian Blend Cheese onto the pizza. Next add the red bell pepper, onions, and pepperoncinis to the pizza in an even layer. Finally add the bacon pieces to the pieces - evenly placing the bacon on the pizza.

Bake until the cheese has melted, the bacon is cooked, and the crust is golden brown. I forgot to check the minutes on how long I cooked the pizza - sorry.

Hatch Chile Corn Chowder

2 TBSP of Butter

5 Roasted Hatch Chiles - Hot

1/2 Large Onion (1015) - diced

3 cups of Yukon Golds , 1" dice

1 TBSP kosher salt

(3) ears of fresh corn on the cob

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 cup of chardonnay

2 cup of chicken stock or broth

2 - 3 cups of whole milk; depends on how thick you like your chowder

10 count or less of agave

Over medium heat in a large pot, melt the butter and add the onions. While the onions are cooking remove the seeds and stems; then dice the chiles and drop them into the pot and stir. While cooking the onions and chiles, rinse the potatoes off and dice them into 1" pieces and drop them into the pot - chop and drop. Add the kosher salt - I know it sounds like a lot of salt, but potatoes require a lot of salt and will absorb most of the salt...plus your seasoning the whole pot of soup; cook for 5 minutes and then add the chardonnay. While the chardonnay is reducing (7-10 minutes) begin cutting the corn off of the cob and add to the pot and sprinkle with the garlic salt. Stir everything for a few minutes to break the corn up, then add the chicken stock and cover to let the potatoes cook. Once the potatoes are tender, take a potato masher and gentle mash the mixture. You don't want to over mash everything because you still want a chunky texture to your potatoes - you basically want to break the potatoes up a little so they will release their natural starches and help thicken the soup naturally. Add the milk and agave and heat the chowder through - be sure not to bring it to a boil...you want to bring it to the point right before it begins to simmer - it should start to steam.

How the Girl with Big Hair became a Foodie Extraordinaire

I haven't always been a Foodie, in fact there was a time I thought there was only one type of shroom (gasp....I know!), I didn't know there was more to life than Taco Bell, Chick Fil-Al, and Pizza Hut. I'm almost positive I didn't discover my inner Foodie until I lived in Austin. I remember waking up one morning, a Saturday to be exact, and flipping through the channels trying to find something to watch. I landed on the FoodNetwork, and during this time is when it was pretty brand spanking new and rough around the edges. I think Rachael Ray's 30 minutes meal had just debuted - she had short hair back then and wasn't so suave in front of the camera. I remember her talking about how certain foods reminded her of a certain time in her life (blah, blah, blah) - I was so intrigued by her enthusiasm for food and the memories it brought back. I found myself watching the show again, again, again - each week. Then Paula Deen's show debuted - I was even more hooked! Who the hell was this crazy, old southern lady with sooo much spunk....and WHAT - she loved butter and mayonnaise as much as I did....you mean I wasn't a freak of nature?!?!? As the weeks and months went by I became consumed with food, my brain was like a sponge and I would just absorb the information I learned on TV - I would spend HOURS watching FoodNetwork...I couldn't stop myself...I had to know more! Then came the nail that sealed the coffin - I discoverd Central Market.

For those of you that don't know what Central Market is - I refer to it as the place of all things holy. It's a Foodies paradise - a Willie Wonka Factory for Foodie Freaks - a fatkids playground. I began going to Central Market on a weekly basis, then a few times a week, then daily. I was determined to find some of the food items that people talked about on FoodNetwork. I wanted to start cooking these things. I remember going with my girls Michelle and Colby - they took me through the store and explained everything to me, they gave me the in's n out's of this place....the one thing that sticks out in my head to this day - "Don't forget to put stickers on the produce. The cashiers get pissy if they have to look stuff up". I don't know if it was the tone they used or the fact that I could get called out in front of a bunch of strangers, but to this day I still follow that rule.

As my obsession for FoodNetwork and Central Market grew - so did my passion for food. I made it a point to try something new every week from the market area, to try to make something I've never made before. I studied recipes, executed them and they were good - but not great. I couldn't figure out why I just wasn't feelin it, why it didn't have the flair that the food on TV had. It dawned on me one day, I remembered something my Mommy had taught me - cook to taste, yes follow the recipe -but taste it while you're cooking....duh!!!!

I began cooking for my friends and began cooking with them. It's amazing what you learn about people when cooking with them, you learn about the stories/memories behind the dish. I think that's what I love most - learning about people and their stories behind certain dishes. I remember Colby's stories about her Mom's cornbread stuffing, her Dad's dirty rice; Gina talking about her mom's spaghetti sauce; Michelle's Mom's potstickers and ponzu sauce, Valerie's Grandmother's German recipes; the list can go on and on.

Food became a way for me to express my love for others, an outlet for stress, and a way of life. Food kept me sane when I was in an insane marriage. I put all of my energy into creating recipes and cooking just so I wouldn't have to deal with my ex-husband and his insanity. Over time I've also learned that people connect over food, you learn about people by the food they eat, food comforts you when no one else can, and most importantly food nourishes your body, mind, and spirit.