It’s ‘pizzania’

A Piscataquis County woman has merged pizza and lasagna to create the ultimate comfort food. “Pizzania” is the creation of Nancy Beaule of Rockwood. It takes the ingredients of pizza – dough, cheese and meat sauce – and layers it up like a lasagna. As Beaule recalls, she created the recipe several years ago for her teenage children, hoping to find something they’d all like. It was a huge hit, and this year Beaule decided to market her creation. Pizzania was picked up by Sysco NNE to be distributed throughout New England to restaurants and facilities. It’s made in Bangor, and comes in a ready-to-bake foil pan. The meat version is available now, but Beaule plans to offer other combinations, including a veggie Pizzania. For more information, visit www.pizzania.com.

Avocado heaven

Two of my favorite foods in the world are avocado and chocolate – and despite possessing an adventurous palate, it had never occurred to me to combine the two. Until I sampled avocado chocolate mousse. Now, I feel like the guy who first combined chocolate and peanut butter, a fellow undoubtedly deserving of the Nobel Prize for Deliciousness. It’s creamy and decadent, and while I certainly would not go so far as to say it’s good for you, it’s at least full of monounsaturated fats. And it’s completely vegan. To make, take 3 very ripe avocados, 2 cups of powdered sugar and 1 cup of high-quality bittersweet cocoa powder. Throw it all in a food processor until it’s as smooth as silk. If you want it a bit thicker, you could add 3 or 4 egg whites beaten until stiff (or half a block of firm tofu, if you’d like to keep it vegan). The version I tried had a dash of hazelnut syrup thrown in, but I’d imagine vanilla, almond, coconut, orange or even some smoky chipotle chilies would also taste amazing.

Quick fix

Downtown Bangor eatery J.B. Parker’s now offers more than just yummy pastries, sandwiches and coffee. Each week co-owner Chef Brian Ross offers a selection of “gourmet to go” meals, available for pick up right at the cafe. Each single-serving meal is ready to bake – just pop in the oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees and voila! Dinner is served. Choices range from lasagna and chicken alfredo to filet mignon; prices range from $8.95 to $16.95. The menu changes weekly, so check out www.jbparkers.com or call 947-3656 to see what Chef Brian’s cooking up this week. Ross also plans to offer cooking classes soon.

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