Killer Flatbread and a Lakers NBA Victory Party!!

   It was crazy times last night at our house. The LA Lakers were going up against the dreaded Boston Celtics for the NBA championship. I had planned an evening of flatbread based on a fabulous recipe courtesy of Vegetable Matter. Pizza was the rule since the Lakers lost when I'd served Indian food and had only won on Pizza nights. Follow the Vegetable Matters' link that will take you to a recipe that includes chard, spinach, currants, toasted pinenuts and ricotta salata cheese. It is a fabulous recipe plain and simple. I can't wait to make it again. My only change was I didn't use kale as I had a ton of chard and spinach that needed eating. It was delicious anyway.
    As for the recipe for the flatbread part. I mixed 3 cups of flour, 1/4 tsp of dry yeast, 1 tsp of kosher salt, about 1 and 1/2 cup of warm water and mixed them together. I mixed it well and set it covered in a warm place for 24 hours. If this looks familiar it should. This is the basic New York Times recipe for no knead artisan bread that's been making the rounds of the internet. This batch of dough will make 2 nine inch pizzas.
   If you don't want to or can't use it right away, it will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks. It also freezes extremely well. Bag it and shove it in the freezer. When you're ready just take it out, let it thaw and Boom! You're pizza baby! The only "work" that needs to be done to make this pizza stone-ready is to add a bit more flour as you're forming it into rounds. The put it out for a second 40 minute rise before baking. That's it. If you've got kids who like pizza, this is your ticket to easy, fast pie nights.

  We were concerned we might not have enough good juju going into this game, so our friend Chip brought his Kobe Autograph Ball once again as our lucky totem. In fact he forgot it and midway to our house went back to get it. I'm so glad he did as it was the mojo we needed.

 His wife Terri baked some insanely good oatmeal, dark chocolate, cherry, almond cookies!!!
 The frantic and fast action on the court was matched in the living room when Patsy met Gracie, the 5 month old Lab puppy who we'd heard beforehand was a die hard Celtics fan. Patsy was determined to change her mind.

     The two of them met outside on their leashes in our driveway and then walked inside together. Proper dog etiquette, the canine equivalent of a jump ball. From there it was off to the races as the two of them wrestled and chased each other around the furniture and through the house for the entire game. It took two peanut butter stuffed kongs to settle them down.
     We whooped and hollered and the Lakers won and it was dog cookies all around. My excitement got the better of me and I attempted a tricky move, feeding two dogs two cookies at the same time."Look Ma, no hands!"
 
   So Basketball season is officially over, and it's back to normal, or as normal as it gets around here. Tomorrow..a nifty new way (for me) to do green beans. Whee!