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Pizza entertainment for eight coming right up

The Raspberry Umbrella.... , 1 comment

Summer is in full swing and I hate the heat. OK, hate may be too strong of a word. I dislike this heat. I do, however, HATE the humidity. I go outside for five minutes and I have to come back in my house to take another shower. In a minimal amount of time in this humidity my make-up has melted off and my hair is a frizzy mess.
So I don’t go outside when I don’t have to. What a shame when I love to entertain but my disdain for this un-ending heat wave makes a back yard bar-b-que more like a chore than a good way to get friends together for an evening of food and fun.
Luckily, I’ve always thought the kitchen is an endearing room in the house to get people together. Some of the most entertaining stories and best laughs come out of group time in the kitchen whether preparing a meal or enjoying a glass of wine around the table together. So this week to entertain our favorites, we are going to do a group homemade pizza night with delicious drinks!
Let me tell you now, you are going to throw one of these get-to-gethers and I promise, you will be an instant entertaining hit among your group! If you aren’t, send the pizza dough bill to my house.

The Invite - So here’s what you do. This is a laid back casual event. Send an E-vite to a few couples or around 4-6 friends requesting their presence for a night of preparing pizza together. Request that each couple or friend bring the toppings of their favorite pizza and dough will be provided.  The beauty of this idea is the fact that there are so many pizza combinations these days. If anyone asks you for ideas you could suggest barbecue Chicken pizza, Hawaiian pizza (ham and pineapple), Sun-dried tomato Chicken Pesto Pizza, and, of course, the basic sausage and pepperoni or garden vegetable pizza.

Request that when your guests R.S.V.P on the E-vite that they should note which kind of pizza they’ll be preparing. This way no one will make the same recipe. The idea of the night is to have a variety of pizza for everyone to try.

Preparation- On the day of the event, stock up on already-prepared pizza dough which you can find in the bakery at Publix. Purchase enough dough for each of the individual pizzas that your guest’s replied that they would prepare. You may want to buy a few extra cans of pizza sauce. I refuse to use anything except Glen Muir’s Organic Pizza Sauce which can be found at Whole Foods.
For appetizers you’ll be serving red-roasted hummus dip (already made in the deli section of your grocery) and pita chips. Also buy a loaf of Italian bread, break into pieces and serve with Extra Virgin Olive Oil sprinkled with Italian Seasoning on the side.
Since there are usually wine and beer drinkers in every crowd, pick up a few bottles of Red Bicyclette Pinot Noir (available at Brinkman’s Wine and Spirits in Cool Springs). You will be surprised how well the smooth texture of fruit aromas and black cherry combined with ripe plum and a light oak influence pair with pizzas. Peroni is a well-known Italian-style lager that you can purchase at most grocery stores to entertain the palette of your beer drinkers.

Right Before Guest Arrival- Before your guests arrive, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Have a few bowls of flour set out which everyone will use for rolling pizza dough. Also have rolling pins handy for the dough process.  Set out appetizers and a drink station in the kitchen complete with glasses, beverages, and ice so your friends can help themselves.  Make sure you have plenty of clear space for your guests to prepare their pizzas. The kitchen table area and cleared counter or island space is ideal. Lastly, light some candles, and put on good music. Ray LaMontagne’s album Trouble is always a good pick for appealing lyrics and light hearted yet soulful rhythms.
When your friends arrive, encourage them to enjoy appetizers and drinks. Shortly after mingling, everyone should begin rolling out their pizza dough. The use of the flour helps with the kneading of the dough. Once rolled out, have guests take turns putting their dough without toppings in the oven for 10-15 minutes. After the pre-bake they can finish loading toppings and baking their pizza for 15-20 minutes or until the pizza crust is golden and the cheese is melted.
Everyone will love trying different versions of pizza. Making pizza takes time and it is a great opportunity for conversation. Enjoy your company, drinks and deliciousness and the fact that you are in the refreshing air condition amongst your closet friends. After all, when fall comes in a few months you will have plenty of time for cooking out on the grill and enjoying the great outdoors.

(Top right hand pizza is one of my own homemade pizzas.  Bar-b-que chicken, roma tomatoes, red onions and sharp cheddar cheese with Masterpiece Bar-b-cue Sauce)

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Confessions of a former tan-a-holic

The Raspberry Umbrella.... No comments
My name is Amy.. I’m a Tan-a-holic. Well, Ex Tan-a-holic; But I will admit to an addiction that I’m still overcoming and cravings come often, especially during the sunny season of summer.
I’ve learned that the need for a tan really took over my life to an extent in the past. I’m trying to undo the damage now, but it could be years before I really see what damage I may have caused.

Let’s rewind to two years ago. A typical year for me, I began my obsessive tanning regimen in February. I’d recently joined a gym that had better tanning packages than the retail chains in the area. It was cold out and my body was completely covered from head to toe. Why would I need a tan? Hello! I was working out in shorts and God forbid somebody see pasty white legs! That’s what I convinced myself of anyway.

Spring came and that meant legs and arms would be out there for the world to see. I continued to tan in the beds every other day. Summer threw me into a bathing suit pool-side every weekend covered in baby oil.

I would spend hours in the sweat-drenching heat absorbing the light until I was forced to call it a day when the sun finally began to sink behind the Brentwood hills.

I even remember when I was a teenager my little sister used to beg me to just jump in the ocean with her on vacation but I refused because that could cause tanning lines and I could miss out on a perfectly even tan. Back then it was an unspoken but never-the-less very-apparent contest coming home from spring break. We all wanted to be the most tan.

Where did this tanning chaos get me? Looking fabulous of course. After all, everyone knows you look better in any outfit with a tan -- and even skinnier. Did I listen to all the warnings out there about UVA and UVB rays? Skin cancer and Melanoma? No.   I was young, felt good and I was invincible. My view was “If the sun kills me, bury me in a white coffin…at least I’ll look good in it.” I know, ridiculous and immature but I also know some of my readers have gone through the same cycle to some extent.

About a year ago as I was getting dressed, I noticed I had more freckles on my arms than I used to and they were larger than the ones I was born with. Every couple of weeks more appeared on my arms, legs, and stomach. Then it happened. I was putting on makeup under my bright light and noticed two light brown spots on my face. Sun spots!

Suddenly a realization about 800 pounds hit me right on my tan little head. I was now 26 and already had age spots. I’d literally been paying the tanning bed for a decade to age me. I realized if I kept tanning at the rate I was, I was going to look like one of those West Palm Beach 40 year olds whose leathered skin would have them pass for someone 25 years older than their actual age. The possibility of skin cancer in my future was also a factor. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is often a result from tanning bed use.

I can’t reverse what I’ve already foolishly done. I have made some changes, though. Tanning beds are out of the question. You couldn’t pay me to use one now. The real sun is still appealing to lay poolside in, but not with out a 75 or higher sunscreen all over my body. (I’ve heard nothing over 30 spf works better, but I’m not taking any chances.) I love Koola Sun Block available at The Skin Bar in Brentwood for my face. It doesn’t go on greasy. I usually use Neutrogena spray for my body.

The good news of swearing off the sun? I feel like I’m doing something good for my body. I’m not the dark golden bronze that I used to be, but I do have a little color. I’ve found Express Tan in Brentwood does the best air brush tans. For $25 I can look like I’ve been to the beach for a week. A tanning consultant helps you choose the level of color for your skin and then they spray it on you with the relief of no streaks that spray booths can leave behind.

When I want the convenience of tanning in my own home, I have found L’oreal’s Sublime Bronze Tanning Towelettes in Medium available at Walgreens and Target are magnificent. You simply exfoliate your skin, and use one towel for your whole body. After about two days of use, you’ll have a wonderful glow! Streak factor is low with this product, though you may have to get someone to towel your back for the harder to reach areas.

I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss being dark all summer; especially when I throw on a black or white dress. But I know for a fact in the years to come my body will thank me for the lack of sun exposure. In the mean time, I’ll keep using my tanning towels, high SPF and knowledge on the risk of the sun. But for the moment, I’m headed to the pool and a nice shady umbrella for the afternoon. It’s only summer for another month and a half and I intend to enjoy it!

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