Simple Pleasure Mondays: Bottomings

After an epic weekend of Tardy Gras and a trip to the amazing state of Georgia, it feels great to be writing once again about the simple things in life. Although I will never again be able to think of Leo's "Southern" cuisine as culinary equivalents of the real deal, the enamel-melting sweet tea of the American South has inspired me to write about this Monday's dessert-y simple pleasure: bottomings.
Bottomings--as opposed to toppings--are today's simplest O'donnovation to ensure that your ice cream accoutrements are evenly distributed throughout your culinary creation. We all appreciate the effort that Leo's has put into making ice cream toppings more plentiful and accessible with their new dispensers. As many have noticed, however, the dispensers release the toppings in a clump that more often than not ends up entirely on one side of your bowl or cup (if not on the floor). The simply pleasureful solution? Dispense the toppings you desire into your bowl before you scoop the ice cream. This way, you not only are able to more evenly distribute the toppings, but also you get a pleasant second round of toppings toward the end of your dessert.
If you are quite concerned with the distributing of your toppings you may want to try Scott's suggestion of mix-ins, but bottomings are a simpler way of the lazier individuals like myself to have nicely distributed confectionary dishes. Next time you indulge in Leo's fine ice cream selection, take a moment to turn some of your toppings into bottomings for a more delightful dessert experience.

Special thanks to Tom Fagan for contributing!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

I went to Leo's the other day really wanting to try something different. There had been talk of a Barbecue Chicken Pizza, but I think a lot of people already know about that one. Instead I decided to do something Buffalo. And wouldn't you know it, when I looked up Buffalo sauce, it's just melted butter and hot sauce. The resultant creation was one of the greatest looking and satisfying creations so far.

Ingredients:
4 pats of butter from near the waffle machine
Hot sauce (near salad dressing- not Tabasco)
1.5-2 pieces Grilled Chicken
MYOP Crust
Sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Onions
Peppers

Start by unwrapping the butter into a small bowl and microwave it for 20-30 seconds until its completely melted. Mix in enough hot sauce to make a slightly thicker, deep orange Buffalo sauce. You should be able to tell what's enough by the color, but I would estimate that it's about a good 2 Tablespoons or so. Get your chicken and cut it up into small pieces, then mix it all up in the sauce until its nicely coated. Prepare your pizza crust with some sauce (not too much, you'll see why in a moment) and a good portion of cheese. Sprinkle some onions and peppers around for color and flavor enhancement, but don't take away from the chicken's spotlight. Arrange your chicken all around the pizza, and don't be shy at all. You should have chicken in every bite. Then drizzle the remaining buffalo sauce on top of the finished pizza and let it cook. (yes we are definitely trying to cause heart attacks here) When the pizza is done, you should be taken aback by the brilliant color and grease that has collected in the middle. Ignore it, this is absolutely worth the extra calories. Enjoy thoroughly.

Fruit Sundae

A quick suggestion for an alternative type of dessert. This was suggested by a lactose intolerant student as a good substitution for an ice cream sundae, but you can also try it if you're just not in the mood for ice cream. I definitely prefer ice cream, but it's an interesting change and don't let the concept of it scare you away.

Ingredients:
Peaches
Pinneapple
Melon
Any other fruits you desire
Ice cream toppings such as cookie crumbs, rainbow sprinkles, Reese's Pieces, etc.

First get your fruit in a bowl, but don't fill it up too much. Cut the fruit up into bite size pieces, especially the peaces and melon. Add whatever toppings you want, mix it up to coat the fruit, and enjoy.

P.S. Rainbow sprinkles are a must.

Thai Chicken Pizza with Peanut Sauce

I tried out this bold recipe (suggested by Alyssa Huberts) a few days ago, and though it needed a few adjustments, it turned out quite well. It requires some extra work outside of the pizza station, but still isn't that difficult.

Ingredients:
Stir Fry Chicken
Stir Fry Vegetables (such as peppers and water chestnuts)
Spinach leaves
Peanut butter
Milk
MYOP crust
Mozzarella Cheese

Start at the Stir-Fry station. Order just some chicken with your desired vegetables, no noodles, rice, or sauce. Then head downstairs and add some spinach leaves to your bowl. Now you have to make the peanut sauce.
Get a few tablespoons of smooth peanut butter in a bowl and microwave it for about 30 seconds until its very soft and stir-able. Then add enough milk and stir it in until you get a nice tan mixture that has a consistency only slightly thicker than tomato sauce or thick salad dressing. Its very important that your sauce is liquid enough, otherwise your pizza will be dry and too heavy on peanut flavor.
In any case, you're now ready to assemble your pizza. Spread your sauce across a MYOP crust and sprinkle with cheese. Distribute the spinach on top. Rip or cut up the stir-fry chicken and spread that out evenly, and fill out with your vegetables on top. Enjoy!

Philly Cheesesteak Pizza

I will start this post with a confession: I have never actually been to Philadelphia. I am a sheltered, California grown hippie-inspired left leaner who can tell you more about fixed gear bicycles and bay area farmers markets (Davis, CA tops the list) than you care to know. That said, I ventured to capture the essence of the Philly Cheesesteak in yet another creative pizza. Scott, an east coast native, gave his grunt of approval, so while I cannot say this measures up to an actual Philly Cheesesteak I dare say it's a reasonable Leo's MYOP adaptation. I am still experimenting with the proportions, but have what I believe to be a solid recipe so far.

Keep in mind that any form of "steak" that you can find in Leo's will suffice. Roast beef is always available, but if you ever find something at the carving station, that could really bump up the level of quality.

Ingredients:
MYOP crust
Half a serving of pizza sauce
10 pieces of provolone cheese from the Deli
3 large pieces of roast beef from the Deli
Chopped onions from MYOP station
Chopped bell peppers from MYOP station

Directions:
Start by spreading only HALF of a ladle's worth of pizza sauce onto the MYOP crust. This is very important, as the objective of the sauce in this pizza is moisture and not flavor. Grab a stack of provolone slices from the Deli and break each slice into bits; spread about 7 slices across the pizza and save the other 3 for after the roast beef is put on. Take the roast beef and break into small pieces as well, spreading throughout the pizza; follow with the rest of the cheese. Finish by putting the chopped onions and peppers on the pizza--it's important that these be put on last because you want them to cook well, and even I know that raw onions and peppers would be a major Philly faux pas. Enjoy, and let me know if you can think of any ways to improve the recipe.

Simple Pleasure Mondays: Delights of the Vegetarian Station

O'Donovan's On The Waterfront is proud to celebrate its 1 week anniversary! Thank you all for spreading the word; we currently have over 1400 views to date. We are excited to announce our new weekly posting entitled Simple Pleasure Mondays. Every Monday, we highlight a simple yet under-appreciated facet of Leo's. These simple pleasures are perhaps not as O'donnovative as our regular posts, yet they represent the spirit of what this blog is all about: easy ways to make your Leo's experience more enjoyable.

This Monday's simple pleasure hails from the upper floor of O'Donovan's on the Northern end of the facility: the Vegan/VegetarianStation. Many shy away from the Station, as they are neither vegan nor vegetarian. Others may show a preference for different vegan/vegetarian options, such as the salad bar or certain items at the Bistro. Even further, some may not view the items at the Station as tasty compared to alternative dishes.
While we certainly show a propensity toward dishes that include meat, we would like to shed light on a few particularly appetizing aspects of this station:
1. Brownies: Perhaps the best-made dessert option in Leo's, the vegan brownies are touted as better tasting than their non-vegan counterparts. Unfortunately the vegan brownies are only made about once a week, so it is worth keeping a sharp eye out for them; they are often gone as quickly as they are served. For non-vegans, the brownies go great with a tall glass of milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They also go great just by themselves.
2. Banana Bread: Another inconspicuous treat served about once a week at the Station is the vegan banana bread. Even without the use of eggs, butter, or milk, the bread is incredibly flavorful and moist. As is the case with most anything, the inside slices are far better than the ends. The bread is fantastic as a snack or a more healthful dessert substitute.
3. Toasted Flatbread Triangles: Usually served at lunch next at the far left end of the Station, these skinny flatbread triangles are a perfect compliment to a main course--they go especially well with pasta dishes. They are reminiscent of pita chips, toasted and seasoned to perfection with what appears to be parmesan cheese and herb spices; a fantastic alternative to bread rolls.

Stay tuned for our regular O'Donovan's posts throughout the week, and take a look at the new pictures of some of our previously posted dishes!

MYOP Victory Pizza

We have over 1,000 page views now! Thank you all, and continue spreading the word.
We are very grateful that you can now make your favorite custom pizzas again.

In celebration, Scott made a pizza with nearly everything on it.
Meaning: Double-crust, spinach, onions, mushrooms, pepperoni, tomatoes, garlic powder, cheese on top.
It was actually so much food that he couldn't quite finish it. And he hadn't had a real meal since 7 AM.
And... we have our first picture!
New Original recipes will resume tomorrow.