If you love pizza, you should try this new recipe I have created using very simple ingredients.  I have put together a great pizza using a recipe from my in laws as well as a touch of my own ideas.  The best part about this pizza, it is fresh, easy to make and very very tasty.  See below for the recipe.

This recipe started out as a tomato, pesto and cheese pizza on a whole wheat Boboli crust, then transformed info a naan crust.  I love naan and I was thinking of some new ways to use it, and I though of pizza.  What is naan you may be wondering, it is a levened oven-baked flatbread and in many countries it is a staple in the diet.  I first found out about naan from my sister in law when she came back from a trip to Ireland.  She said people eat it there all the time. Low and behold, this pizza is fabulous, even ,my kids love it!  You could substitute the pesto with tomato sauce, and or use any toppings you like on the naan as well.  The naan makes for an excellent, soft yet crusty crust that tastes great.

Some tips:

I use Bertoli pesto sauce, you can find this in the fruit and vegetable section of the supermarket.  It would be in a fridge section.  I freeze my pesto and only use what I need each time, this way the pesto will last longer. I have to give credit to my in laws for that great idea!

I sometimes add pepperoni to my pizza for some extra flavor.

If you drizzle some olive oil and basil on top of the pizza it makes for a nice golden cheesy pizza.

Some other great pizza creations to try: Bagel Pizza, English Muffin Pizza and Slice of bread Pizza.  All are made the same as a regular pizza, but with different crusts.

What is naan, find out here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naan

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Do you ever go away on vacation, come home and wonder if the food in your fridge and freezer is still good?  Other than asking your neighbor, there really is no way to know if your power has gone out and for how long when your not home.

I was recently on a vacation with my family in Maine and I was getting some food out of my parents freezer when I spotted a plastic container with a  block of ice, frozen sideways.  I had to ask what it was doing in the freezer.  I was told it was there so they would know if the power went out, and for how long.  If the ice was on the bottom of the container, than the power had gone out and the ice had melted and froze again.  But if the ice was still sideways, the ice had not melted and the food had stayed cold.

I thought that this was a brilliant idea, so as soon as I got home I did the same thing in my freezer.  This is so easy to do, and worth doing, especially if you go on vacation a lot or have a second home where you leave food in the fridge and freezer.

To do this, just follow these simple instructions:

1) Get a small plastic container and lid

2) Fill the container half way with water

3) Place the container with lid in the freezer sideways

4) Once the water has frozen to ice, turn the container right side up.  The ice will be sideways in the container, and it will stay that way until the freezer gets warm enough to melt it.

Now, just check your container when you come back from vacation, or go on a trip to your second home.

Note: This idea came from my Step Mother, Virginia.  While I was on vacation in Maine, she gave me tons of great frugal tips and ideas that I will be using on Frugal Cape Cod.  She always has great ideas, and tips that I have never heard of before. Thank You!!!

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Most of us dread cleaning the microwave.  It would seem to be such an easy task, but reaching your arm into a small space and wiping off old food is not going to very fun.  That is why we need to keep our microwaves clean to start with.  When you microwave food always place a napkin or kitchen towel over the top of your food, this way it will not spatter all over the microwave.  Also, try not to put too much food in the microwave at once, this can lead to spillage and to uneven temperatures.  If you do make a spill or spatter in the microwave, wipe it down right away, this makes cleanup much easier.

If you have neglected to do any of the above and your microwave is caked with food particles, fill a microwave safe bowl with water, add one teaspoon of white vinegar and microwave on high for about 5 minutes.  This will give your microwave a steam bath and the food will wipe off very easily.  No need to use chemical cleaners. (Note: You can add 1 teaspoon of dish soap, baking soda or a slice of lemon to the water instead of white vinegar.)

A note on microwave safe bowls: If you are unsure if your mug or dish is microwave safe, here is a test you can do to find out.

1. Fill the mug or dish with cold water.

2. Microwave on high for 40 seconds.

3. Test the water, if it is still cold, the mug or dish is NOT microwave safe.  If the water is warm the dish IS microwave safe.

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