Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes

Once again, Strawberries are in abundance at the Barnhart house. But this year the girls both know how to pick them when they're ripe. Peter doesn't care yet (though he does care for ripe strawberries and, incidentally, sour green apples).


One of our favorite ways to use strawberries is to make Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes. These are rich and hearty, with a good balance of flavors and contrasting textures. The pancakes have cottage cheese in them and are substantial. Strawberries, graham cracker crust crumbles and sweetened sour cream top it off nicely. We'll happily eat this for any meal.

Thanks to Cuisine at Home for the original recipe.

Pizza Perfect

Well, it's time for the monthly gastronomic grub gala and this time it's just a little pizza to get your appetite worked up. A little pizza and a big pizza pan, that is. On our road trip down south earlier this year, we stopped at the Lodge factory store and picked up...yes... a Cast Iron pizza pan. As you see in the picture it isn't the biggest pan they make, but it's big enough.


I've been trying different methods with the pan and this one was one of my favorites. I preheat the pan and make up the pizza on a peel dusted with cornmeal. Then I slide the pizza onto the hot, freshly greased cast iron and pop the sizzling pie into the oven until its pepperonis are piping hot. The photo almost speaks for itself, but not quite.