Pampers and Paklava

4-year-old chef wannabe makes her own pizza

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Are you excited about our upcoming trip to the Tri-Cities?

Yes.

What are you looking forward to?

I get to make my own pizza.

Stick+Stone Pepperoni pizza

For several weeks prior to our Tri-Cities weekend adventure, whether we were standing in the check-out line at Safeway, playing on the playground, or stopping to pet the random dog on the street, she would announce–to anyone who would listen–I get to make my own pizza. And that’s exactly what one 4-year-old girl got to do this past Saturday at Stick+Stone Neapolitan wood-fired pizza in Richland, Washington.

We arrived at the eatery on Duportail Street at noon, hungry and excited. Stick+Stone serves pizza made with fresh dough, salads, appetizers and desserts. They also offer local wines and have several craft beers on tap. We might have been seated for one minute when my daughter queried our dining companion Karisa Sawyers:

When do I get to make the pizza?

Are you going to show me how to make the pizza?

Thus began the line of questioning as she pointed to the server who brought our water, and then Michael Miller who manages the restaurant and stopped by our table to say hello:

Are you going to show me how to make it?

Is he going to show me how to make it?

Until our waitress arrived and started taking our order.

I want to make my own pizza.

What kind do you want to make?

Pepperoni.

Do you want cheese?

No cheese.

Dada was incredulous. No cheese? You love cheese!

No.

A few minutes later her pizza making “kit” arrived and included: one wood paddle with dough, flattened and ready to go, sauce and pepperoni at the ready (and some apples, for snacking I presume).

Make your own pizza ingredients

With that, one 4-year-old chef wannabe was off and running or, more accurately, painting her first pizza.

Stick+Stone make your own pizza

Next step was careful placement of the much beloved pepperoni.

Pepperoni for pizza

Pizza project underway.

Pizza master at work

A little taste testing, of course. Any chef worth her salt would do the same.

Pepperoni taste testing

Okay, so she didn’t make her own dough from scratch but thank you Cameron Hall dough maker extraordinaire. Cameron informed us dough tossing wasn’t part of his usual routine, but he was willing to do a performance for one very interested little girl.

Stick+Stone pizza dough maker

And she didn’t place her personal pizza in the scorching (upwards of 900-degrees Fahrenheit in some spots) wood oven. However, she did enjoy watching it circle round and round.

It’s like our microwave, Mama.

Stick+Stone Wood fire pizza oven

Pretty soon one happy girl was eating her very own–made pretty much by hand–pizza. She deemed it tasty. Pizza making 101 was a resounding success. Sadly, Bunny was not offered a slice.

Bunny gets pizza

If you find yourself in the Tri-Cities, go make yourself a pizza! Stick + Stone is located at 3027 Duportail Street in Richland, across from the Gold’s Gym off of Queensgate.

Our pizza-making experience was complimentary and provided by Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau but all opinions expressed are my own.

And if you want to read more about all things Pampers, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or RSS/email.

Take the road less traveled, Beth

 

Gluten-free Pizza Recipe – with caramelized onions, pear and herbed goat cheese

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Udi's gluten-free pizza Gluten-free pizza with caramelized Walla Walla onions, pear and herbed goat cheese

After our recent trip to Walla Walla, I’ve got onions on my mind. And, in keeping with my gluten-free experimentation phase, I decided to give pizza a whirl. Okay, I didn’t make the crust. Udi’s did. However, the Walla Walla sweet onions and the herbs used in the herbed goat cheese were grown right outside my back door. Now all I need is a goat.

Take the road less traveled,

Beth

Gluten-free pizza with caramelized Walla Walla Onions, pear and herbed goat cheese recipe

Note: This pizza crust is very thin.

Ingredients:

  • One Udi’s gluten-free pizza crust (they come in a package of two), defrosted
  • 1/2 cup caramelized onions (recipe below)*
  • 1/2 cup herbed goat cheese (recipe below)*
  • 1/2 pear, thinly sliced
  • Olive oil
  • Optional: drizzle of aged Balsamic vinegar
  • Optional: chive blossoms

*Amounts can be varied to suit  your taste

How to construct your pizza:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 (per Udi’s directions).
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the crust on top.
  3. Brush crust with olive oil.
  4. Spoon caramelized onion onto the pizza crust and spread it out evenly.
  5. Place pear slices in a circle on top of the caramelized onions.
  6. Drop small spoonfuls of herbed goat cheese all over the pizza.
  7. Bake for 7-10 minutes until crust is golden.
  8. Before serving, sprinkle a handful of chive blossoms on top.
  9. Slide onto cutting board and slice.

Walla Walla onions and herbed goat cheese

Caramelized Onions* (Note: This recipe makes enough caramelized onions for one small pizza. If you want to make a bigger pizza, or two pizzas, double the recipe)

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil* (You can also use 2 T oil and skip the butter)
  • 1/2 pound of Walla Walla or sweet Vidalia onions (roughly 1 medium onion; my garden Walla Wallas were much smaller so I used more)
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water

How to Caramelize Onions:

  1. Cut the Walla Walla onions into thin slices. I personally like to cut my onions into rings.
  2. Add the butter and oil to a cold non-stick skillet; melt butter over high heat.
  3. Once the butter melts, stir in the onions and brown sugar.
  4. Let the onions cook; stir on occasion until the onion soften down and are slightly wilted. This should take about 5 minutes.
  5. Reduce the heat to medium and cook. Stir often until the onions turn deep brown in color. Depending on the amount of onions you use, it can take up to 50 minutes to cook down and caramelize onions. Patience is a virtue.
  6.  Once the onions are caramelized and you achieve the color you are looking for take it off the heat. I like mine mahogany colored.

Note: Don’t stare at the clock. Instead, pay close attention to the pan. If you want caramelized onions, not burnt onions (which I have made on occasion), stir often and check to make sure the onions are not getting burnt. I can’t stress this enough. Once the onions start to brown, they can burn quickly. You’ve been warned.

Herbed Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

  • Log of goat cheese
  • Olive oil
  • Herbs (assortment that might include any/all of the following: thyme, basil, rosemary, chives, sage, parsley), a few tablespoons chopped.

How to:

  1. Put a log of goat cheese in a bowl; add a healthy drizzle of olive oil and mix in a few tablespoons of minced, fresh herbs.

Want to drool over more deliciousness? Check out Wanderfood Wednesday!