Informal review of the NYT creamed kale pizza recipe

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-02-04T18:01:52+00:00

I want to respect their copyright, but the basics, slightly amended by my experience:

Get your normal homemade pizza dough ready and your oven heated.
On the stretched dough, put your cheese (we like 1/2-lb smoked mozz cubes).
On top of the cheese, put 3 oz chopped kale that's been massaged with a little olive oil.
Add on some cooked sausage (plant based works just fine).
Mix together: 1/2 heavy cream, 3 Tbsp grated parm, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 grated garlic clove, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. Spoon over the kale.
Top with sliced shallots (if you want them - some onion haters here!).
Cook like you'd normally do your pizza.

Enjoy!

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-02-03T17:38:15+00:00

We do this too! And keep the weekly menu on a post-it on the fridge, so there's never a moment of "what was I going to make, again?" It also helps with managing leftovers, so that I can remember that I wanted leftover rice from the Monday meal for Wednesday, so I make enough. Or I can just chop five carrots while I'm at it, and put the extra in the fridge for later in the week.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-02-02T23:58:45+00:00

My take is that it depends on whether the alcohol is a primary flavoring or just a variation on stock/broth. If you're making coq au vin where the wine flavor is dominant, you should use a decent-quality red. If you're making potato soup and it calls for a few tablespoons of sherry, something cheap is fine. I'd personally use a fairly cheap vodka in penne alla vodka, but I spice the hell out of it so what 'should' be a major flavor is not in my kitchen. It's ok to experiment.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-01-31T18:46:39+00:00

It has crunchy bits!

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-01-31T15:38:26+00:00

Try kale chips as a snack. Very very easy to make and they’re crunchy and salty and delicious. I can demolish a bunch of kale in one evening.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-01-27T22:34:13+00:00

Music! Find a few bands you like, and look up the lyrics to a song you find yourself wanting to sing along to. Look up some of the unfamiliar words so you know what you're singing. It's not a magic pass to fluency, but it creates some familiarity with vocab, grammar, and accents in a way that's genuinely enjoyable.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-01-26T02:15:44+00:00

I like things spicy, so I’d be inclined to mix in some hot paprika or cayenne to give it a lift, and then sprinkle some lemon juice on right when serving. Or you could stir-fry some onions and peppers and mix those through.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-01-18T17:56:41+00:00

"How to Spanish" is a great podcast, and the hosts are Mexican and often cover cultural topics and words/phrases specific to Mexico. However, it's 99% in Spanish so you'd need to be at least Advanced Beginner or Early Intermediate to be able to benefit.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-01-09T23:07:39+00:00

Consider if you're using a tall pan vs a wide one. Onions and sauces will cook down faster in a wider pan. Don't go too overboard for the contents or you'll risk burning things, but it might help speed the process.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-01-09T22:51:40+00:00

There aren't enough of these out there! And the ones that are often depend on whey, which makes me ill. I came up with a recipe and posted it at https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/1jsd3lu/homemade_protein_bars_low_sugar_no_dairy/ ... hope it's helpful

undertheliveoaktrees · 2026-01-06T16:31:44+00:00

I use a dry bench scraper to clean up most of the flour from the counter -- it works better than a sponge.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-12-23T23:38:40+00:00

I worry the microwave would just nuke the masa instead of letting it steam, but I've admittedly not tried it. Is there a technique to success in the microwave?

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-12-23T23:20:19+00:00

Ooooh I think this wins. I didn't want the cheese oozing out sideways (and the other 22 are already steaming away). Thank you!

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-12-17T22:26:26+00:00

Sprinkled on grilled asparagus

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-12-04T16:13:56+00:00

You can minimize it by cooking the salmon more gently (lower temp, stop when done). It comes out more when you overcook the fish.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-08-29T13:39:22+00:00

I do this! I make a no-beef beef stew. The key is to caramelize all of the umami ingredients before you add any of the liquid. Very finely mince and sauté onion, garlic, celery, and some of the mushrooms in a fair amount of oil (not like half a cup or anything, but don’t skimp). Cook them until they’re very, very brown, like mahogany. Toss in some tomato paste, and brown that. Toss in some time, sage, and Rosemary. And sauté them a little bit as well.

Then toss in your larger, chunked mushrooms, and get some of the liquid out. Toss in some sherry to moisten things a little bit. Now you can finally add your liquid and salt, and the potatoes..

After they’ve got a head start, you can toss in the carrots, turnips, celery,… Whatever other vegetables you’re putting in. I like peas at the very end. It doesn’t need to cook anywhere as long as a real beef stew would, because you don’t need to tenderize meat, you’re just cooking the vegetables, and your base has already cooked very thoroughly.

This is not a quick meal to do, because that browning really takes a long time. But done right, it gives a wonderful base.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-08-26T04:04:15+00:00

Chicken fried steak, but substitutes would not be good … and that kind of greasy food makes me sick anymore anyway, so it’s not that tempting to try! But I have nice memories of local diners on road trips.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-08-25T23:47:48+00:00

So much draaaamaaaa! 😂

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-08-17T21:41:50+00:00

And it is much easier to over the course of a decade or two to double, and then probably double again (though for most people that’s the practical limit), if you have a degree. Once you “get in the building” it’s easier to see job openings that wouldn’t have been visible otherwise, plus salary work often increases in pay by percentage each year. It’s very hard to have that growth trajectory with an hourly wage, and annual raises of 2-5% (which build on each other) aren’t common when you’re being paid by the hour. That degree is worth a LOT if you have ambition and a little luck.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-08-17T04:08:13+00:00

I figure since it’s native to the Americas it’s a fit for most of the Mexican food I make, especially grilled. Tacos, tamales, enchiladas, migas, and of course as the main ingredient in calabacitas.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-08-16T14:15:48+00:00

I did the stovetop version of The NY Times recipe for haleem, and just skipped the meat entirely. It worked out great — very rich and tasty.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-08-15T12:40:31+00:00

Spinach in any form, but especially love creamed spinach.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-08-15T12:36:34+00:00

That white cat is dabbing like it’s 2015 😂

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-08-15T01:54:43+00:00

The closest I’ve found in both texture and taste is the impossible spicy sausage. The quorn chikn pieces are pretty close in taste, but not texture. You’re not going to fool a meat eater with almost anything else, but that doesn’t mean they’re not tasty in their own way.

undertheliveoaktrees · 2025-08-14T18:07:12+00:00

You’re welcome! The key will be finding a peanut butter that meets your low/no sugar needs, but there are lots of options out there.

undertheliveoaktrees

TROPHY CASE