On Pizza Cake (What? Ew.)

I have a problem.

I lack that important combination essential to production: Focus + Motivation

I have both in spades when it comes to ANYTHING ELSE-cooking amazing food, writing a blog, pinning my face off (wow, that just sounds painful!).

But when it comes to work, no matter how much I INSIST in my morning prayer that I AM GOING TO HAVE A FULL DAY OF PRODUCTIVITY, I always end up feeling like I could have done better.

I make these check lists-which is a good thing, right? But lately, those check lists have been smaller and filled with things that seem BIGGER. Harder. And I end up taking off at least three of those things by the middle of the day because I know I won't get them done.

Yikes.

Plus there's the fact that this week has been wet. Cool, but muggy. NOT crisp like I want fall to be. And rain, rain, RAIN. Today, something in me felt like it was going to break.

But then there are caramelized onions.

And goat cheese.

Fresh tomatoes I grew myself and spinach.

All on a wonderful sandwich I had last night. I have a feeling that like feta cheese, Greek yogurt, and bacon, caramelized onions can make almost anything better.

There are the moments before sleep as I begin to drift of where I can think of my future without restraint, inhibition, or anxiety.

Walks to and from work (on days that aren't rainy).

This bed that I just can't get over (meaning I love it-not "I can't make it over the bed". Just in case you weren't sure.).

And then there is the word pizza.

For years I have been convinced that if you add the word PIE to anything, it makes it better.

Apple, chicken, potato, s'mores, chocolate, peanut butter, cherry, pecan, carrot, sweet potato, cheese, PIZZA.

Now I am ALSO convinced that if you take any food and either add pizza before OR after it, you've got something wonderful. It already works with meals of the day. Breakfast pizza? YUM. Dessert pizza? EVEN BETTER!

Lets experiment with this. I'll start with an easy one.

Apple.

Apple pizza? YES. I can see it now. A cinnamon crust with apples spread over it then drizzled with caramel. Or something with apple butter and streusel crumbles. YUM!!!!

Cake.

Cake pizza. Here is what I'm thinking with this. A dense cake crust with icing and sprinkles. NOM.

Dip.

Dip pizza? No that just sounds weird. Like a pizza with french onion, ranch, and cheese dips spread all over it. Not delicious.

But we can put it BEFORE the word, remember? So you get PIZZA dip! I would eat that with a spoon. Forget dipping anything in it.

Then you have pizza casserole, pizza soup, pizza CAKE-wait, no that one doesn't work either. Pizza flavored cake? Ew.

Lets try another one.

Pizza pancakes. Weird, right? It's a breakfast food, so how can it be pizza? Is it dinner then? Or a weird savory breakfast?

I say it's whatever you WANT. Isn't pizza for breakfast the best thing EVER? And what about breakfast for dinner? To me, pizza pancakes combine BOTH of those amazing events into one. This is no SWEET pancake. It's got Italian seasoning, sausage, mushrooms, cheese, and all topped with the only thing that REALLY makes it pizza-perfectly seasoned tomato sauce. *drool*

Trust me, these are amazing. I know from experience.

Let me toss something else at you.

Pizza muffins.

Yeah. I didn't think I would fine something better than pizza pancakes. But pizza muffins? They take the CAKE. The cake pizza, if you will. Or the PIE. The PIZZA pie. Or the pie PIZZA. No? Yeah, you're right. Pie pizza doesn't really work. Or DOES it? (Might have to ponder that one)

The point is you've got your basic batter (no sugar) and you add freshly chopped herbs from the garden (I'm talkin' rosemary, sage, oregano, and of course BASIL). You add Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Toss in your favorite topping (I went with pepperoni) and baby, you've got yourself a stew going.

They come out of the oven all golden and bubbly hot inside and they taste like pizza MAGIC when you dip them in tomato sauce seasoned once again with fresh herbs.

These happened tonight. And they were EASY.

So easy.

And since today was a bandana wearing, never really dry, forever WET FEET kind of day, coming home and making these was the best thing I could have done.

Then all I had to do is curl up in bed with a hot mug of strawberry chocolate tea and write a blog post and I've just managed to make a seemingly irretrievable day a happy one!

Thank goodness!

You should have seen all the depressing and disheartening junk I had on here BEFORE pizza muffins and strawberry chocolate tea.

Well family, I must leave you now and wander off to sleep in preparation for the magical time I am going to have with children tomorrow (hopefully not in the rain) teaching them about how our own Maine forests are a wealth of edible and medicinal plants!

And then it's the Common Ground Fair this weekend! The crunchiest fair in Maine according to the natives.

That suites me.

And if it rains? Why I'm just going to brave it like I have countless years of Renaissance festivals.

Aw...*sigh* I MISS the Renaissance festival.