P-P-Pizza - What better way to warm up?

I have been remiss. Nichole is COMPLETELY carrying the blog lately. But, I'm back! And, very excited to share my current cooking obsession: pizza.

While it's nowhere near as cold in California as it is in the 'burgh, I have had to break out the winter coats for those 38 degree beach mornings.

Nichole, you and J are total geniuses. Your pizza recipes have revolutionized my pizza making and made me, if not Italian, at least an honorary Italian. It turns out that the trick really is in the dough. You have to put in the work to make really kick-ass dough in order to have a great final product.

green peppers, red onions, gouda, and tomato garlic sauce

I've experimented a couple of different ways. I'm not as ambitious as Nichole, so I don't make my own pizza sauce. There's a great generic brand called Safeway that makes some amazing sauces. I really hate sauces that are labeled as "pizza" sauces, so I tend to stick to the regular pasta sauces. My favorite? Safeway's artichoke pesto, which is a red sauce with a delicious artichokey bite.

before the oven

Next step: the cheese. Nichole is right that fresh mozzarella is delicious. But, I am completely in love with gouda cheese. On a pizza, it is totally to die for. The trick is to put it on the pizza in the beginning and not wait until halfway through the baking process like you would with mozzarella. It gets bubbly and slightly burnt, which is perfect. Once, I also added some Jarlsberg. Jarlsberg melts really well in grilled cheese and melts just as well on a pizza.

red onions, basil, gouda, Jarlsberg, and artichoke pesto sauce

My can't-live-without-it topping is red onions. Onions are sort of a miracle food. They can make your eyes water but can also become perfectly sweet when baked or carmelized on the stovetop. They are incredibly amazing on pizza. Same goes for green peppers, which become a bit sweet. And basil gets crispy and delicious. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Bon appetit!

Sam I Am: A Taste of the East Coast

So when you have a dog with separation anxiety (like I do), you stop being able to eat at restaurants where dogs aren't welcome. Thank God I live in north county San Diego, one of the most dog friendly areas around, and thank God it's Southern California and the temperature rarely dips below 50.

In my quest for quiet patios with good food, I have discovered Sam's Pizzeria. Sam's is a sweet little family owned restaurant in Del Mar with a view of an estuary and the ocean. I didn't have very high expectations the first time I went. I was just excited to be out of the house, with Bounder in tow, of course. But one bite of the lasagna converted me.

As if it wasn't enough to find a vegetarian lasagna on an affordable restaurant's menu, the sauce was perfectly seasoned. The cheese was delicious. And the meal came with garlic bread. I was sold.

While the location makes it impossible to forget you are in California, the food at Sam's reminds me of home. The food is hearty and delicious. The homemade salad dressing is perfectly seasoned and the garlic bread isn't greasy. My favorite dishes? The vegetarian lasagna, the pesto ravioli, and the manicotti.

I have to say that, for calling itself a pizzeria, Sam's pizza isn't the best. The crust is very light and airy, which can be nice, but something about the crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings just doesn't work. For pizza, I'll still stick with Oggi's.

Ode to Oggi's

I love California. Great Mexican food, palm trees, ocean, fabulous weather. But I love pizza. And I'm from the East Coast. If you've ever been to California, you know that the Golden State is NOT known for good pizza.

In fact, California pizza is almost always disappointing. I go in with high expectations and am consistently let down. So I have made it my mission to find fabulous pizza on the west coast.

And about a month ago, I found my current favorite pizza place, Oggi's Pizza and Brewing Company.

Oggi's (pronounced O-gee's) is a chain of pizza places in San Diego and Arizona. My favorite location is in Encinitas on Encinitas Blvd.

What I love about Oggi's:

• The crust--I've tried both regular and thin and the crust is well made, not salty, and tasted like the East Coast pizza I dream about.
• The sauce--Tomato sauce or garlic and olive oil. Either way, you can't go wrong. Well spiced and proportioned correctly.
• The options--Oggi's offers a multitude of toppings and, most importantly, cheeses.

What I order: Regular crust, no mozarella, gouda, green peppers, red onions, and fresh basil. I can't get sick of this pizza.

Recently, I tried the thin crust with garlic and olive oil sauce, parmesan and mozarella, basil, tomatoes, and green peppers. Totally delicious, especially when dipped in my homemade marinara.

photo courtesy discoversd.com

Oggi's is also a brewery, which makes it top on my list. Amazing beers always served in frosty glasses makes for a great experience. I love the Sunset Amber but have enjoyed the Light Lager as well.

The quest will continue--There is a New York style pizza place down the street from my apartment I plan to brave soon!

PS-- Meet the new member of my family, Bounder :-) (He's clearly a Steelers fan!)