Old Friends Are the Best Friends

When I was in fourth grade, slumber birthday parties were all the rage. In an effort to be cool, i.e. like everyone else, they followed the same pattern.

We'd invite our close knit group of friends, complete an evening activity such as a craft, scavenger hunt, etc., have pizza from the local hot spot, fall asleep in sleeping bags in the wee hours of the morning and eat Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast.

Judging by today's birthday party standards, this was tame at best. Back then, it was a bit more pricey than one my friend's families could afford. There were four children in the house, the mother was at home, the father earned a modest income and there were a specialist's medical bills to pay. Instead of disappoint her daughter, my friend's mother came up with an ingenious solution to the cash crunch.

When my friend's party rolled around we were told to expect a surprise. For the evening activity and meal, we made pizza bread! There was a kitchen table full of pizza toppings, Turano rolls and Pastorelli pizza sauce. Now, it may not sound like much, but we had very little experience in the kitchen and the chance to make and eat something of our own creation was big excitement. Mrs. B. told us that pizza bread with just these ingredients was all the rage among the teenage set. We, of course, believed her and thought ourselves quite clever to be engaging in "grown up" activity at such a young age.

Needless to say, homemade pizza bread quickly replaced takeout at our parties. We were still making it five years later in 9th grade.

I've continued to make pizza bread through the years with whatever ingredients I have on hand. Mrs. B's house specialty satisfied many pizza cravings that my wallet could not. It can be a great way to use up leftovers. Today we had it for lunch using the last of my roasted tomato sauce, homemade pesto, fresh mozzerella and yesterday's baguette.

Sometimes I open can of Pastorelli for old time's sake, slice the mozzerella, and wonder what happened to Anne Marie, Tracy and Jeannine. Perhaps they're typing on Facebook or Twitter while their pizza bread bakes in the oven.

Up this weekend are Emily Franklin's Autumnal Chicken from her new book Too Many Cooks and The Naptime Chef's Pork Paprika Stew from Food 52. If inspiration strikes, there is a bushel of apples in my garage. I have a pile of recipes to try for apple soup, apple bread, apple muffins, apple crisp, apple cookies...