It's time for the bottom to drop out. I just hope I don't get sick this weekend with all the crap we're doing.

Also, it'd be nice if we could pick up a couple *large* bags of rice this weekend.

There's a chain of pizza restaurants here in town called Bellagio's. They're not full-on gourmet pizza, but they're definitely a step above places like Papa John's and Pizza Hut.

It was great to eat there again last night.

ETA:

Everyone here should know that I make pizza at home mostly. When we make pizza at home, the type varies. I've never tried a full-on Chicago deep-dish pizza, but I've done other stuff. I suppose we have the cast iron pan now, so I could give it a whirl. And, for the record, I'd much rather make pizza at home than blow my hard-earned cash at Papa Murphy's. I don't care for Papa Murphy's at all.

I tend to go for NY-style pizza. There's another local chain that I enjoy, Hot Lips Pizza, where we always used to go during finals week.That said, there's a place near where I work that serves more what I would call "Chicago Style" (thicker crust, tons of toppings, etc.) that I love to get pizza from.

The pizza we make at home is mostly like the super thin-crust stuff you get in California or Italy. Light sauce, light toppings, light cheese. It's about the experience, the flavors, not the size.

I've made this a couple of nights now and I think I'm getting a handle on how I like to flavor it. Here's the basic rundown. Makes 3-6 servings, depending on the size of the serving.

- 24oz cooked black beans.
- 12oz tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup finely-chopped cilantro
- 1/2 a medium onion, diced.
- 2 small red peppers, sliced thin.
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1-2 tsp cumin (optional)
- 1 whole chipotle, diced so fine it's almost a paste. (also optional)
- Salt and Pepper
- Olive oil

In a sauce pan, saute onions, garlic, and red pepper in olive oil until all are soft. When all are cooked, add in tomato sauce and some of the cilantro. Let this simmer for a bit so the flavors marry up. Add in beans and lime juice. Bring up to heat and add cumin (optional) and the chipotle (also optional). Stir these in and add the remainder of the cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste.

I find that adding a dollop of sour cream when served really makes this. It's also great served with tortilla chips and a little bit of melted cheese. If you opt to serve it with rice, make sure it's brown and not white rice. I suppose some sort of "doctored" white rice would work as well, though (ie, Spanish Rice).

Em and I went to Tabla with my folks last night for dinner. If you get a chance, get on their website and take a look at the menu. It's awesome. By far, the best deal is the Prix Fixe menu, which allows you to select three items for $24. Here's what we got:

Course One
- Ahi Tuna Carpaccio with a small arugula salad. (Me)
- Radicchio salad: arugula, endive, blue poppy seed dressing, honey, humbolt fog cheese, pear (Em)
- Steamer Clams: italian sausage, crushed tomatoes, white wine, garlic toast (Step Dad)
- Butter Lettuce Salad: creamy lemon vinaigrette, toasted bread crumbs, grana padano (Mom)
I don't recall what Dad got.

Course Two
- Cappelletti: fresh mozzarella, mint lled pasta, pepperonata (Em)
- Rabbit Ragu Pappardelle: house made pasta, braised rabbit, white wine, porcini mushrooms, tomatoes (Dad and Me)
- Tabla Ravioli: house made, chard, ricotta, poached egg, poppy seed butter (Step Dad)
Mom got another order of the Steamer Clams for the rest of us to share.

Course Three
- Duck Confit (Em)
- Boar Shoulder (Me)
Everyone else had steak.

It was freaking awesome. AWESOME.

1 16oz can of black beans
8oz of tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 chipotle, diced fine (Optional)
2 TBSP ground coriander
1 lime, juiced
2 tsp Cumin
2 green onions, green and white parts diced
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Mix everything together in a saucepan and heat until garlic and green onions are cooked and the flavors have had an opportunity to mingle. Serve over brown rice with cheese and chips or flour tortillas.

Em and I do hereby decree that Easter Breakfast will always be cereal with sliced fruit and just a hint of cream.

Today was Strawberries and Cheerios. With Sugar. And Cream.