Pizza for grownups

from ABOUT | November 2020

by ABOUT the River Valley Magazine

How to talk politics with the “other” side

NONNA BELLA’S PIZZERIA 717 S ARKANSAS AVE RUSSELLVILLE

Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN Story by JOHNNY CARROL SAIN

AS A GEN XER, PIZZA WAS THE FOOD OF CHOICE for me and all of my contemporaries. I don’t recall much debate about “good” pizza vs “bad” pizza. Chain restaurant, school lunch, gas station hot box, from the freezer at home — all pizza was “good” pizza.

It was pizza, after all.

But here in the middle-age years, our tastebuds are more sophisticated. A generation who scarfed cartons of Totino’s washed down with Mountain Dew and followed with a Twinkie has finally realized that there are standards for good pizza.

Nonna Bella’s Pizzeria in Russellville has gone far beyond those standards.

Nonna Bella’s has a limited delivery/ takeout menu of pizza and wings for now as COVID precautions are still in the works for a safety-first dine-in experience. But the options are tasty beyond belief and plenty to keep you coming back. For starters, the wings are delectable — meaty and seasoned perfectly. Honestly, you could make a meal of the wings and be fully satisfied.

But the pizza… oh my.

We sampled the signature Nonna Bella pie — linguica sausage, pepperoni, Italian sausage, black olives, mushrooms, Italian cheese blend layered on traditional red sauce and an unbelievable crust. It was an earthy, traditional combo that tasted familiar but wildly richer than any pizza you’ve experienced before.

And then there was the Granchio. That incredible Nonna Bella’s crust — somehow both crispy and chewy — topped with butter-poached seafood/crab, prosciutto, baby spinach, and cherry tomatoes on a creamy garlic sauce. It was an explosion of flavor, a blending of textures, a piquancy paired with creamy smoothness simply unexpected in a pizza.

It’s pizza for the discerning palate. l

Putting it all together

Story by LYDIA ZIMMERMAN, Food Editor Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

As Thanksgiving nears, many of us start looking at the grocer’s ads to find the “best deals” on turkeys, hams and all the fixings for that annual day of gluttony. I refer to it as the day of gluttony because my mom said that my brothers needed “side boards” to keep all the food piled on their plates.

Growing up, I had a relative who often volunteered to make the dressing. This relative decided to use her goulash recipe, which is basically putting all of her leftovers from her refrigerator together. That year’s dressing included chili, peanuts and raisins as three of its ingredients.

After that, it was a game for me to guess what was in her refrigerator right before Thanksgiving.

For this month’s recipes, I used leftovers from my fridge and cupboard to create my green beans, bread pudding and dressing. Luckily no chili, peanuts or raisins. I’ve also included some tasty recipes using cranberries and some interesting recipes for dressing/stuffing.

As always, enjoy!

Seasoned Green Beans & Easy Thanksgiving Dressing

SEASONED GREEN BEANS

ABOUT Magazine Featured Recipe ~ NOVEMBER 2020

3 T olive oil 2 T water 1 (8 oz) bag fresh french green beans 1 can sliced mushrooms 1/4 c dried cranberries 1/2 tsp onion salt salt and pepper to taste 1/4 c sliced almonds

Wash green beans in cold water. Place in a microwave safe bowl with 2 T water and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 4-5 minutes, then remove from bowl to drain on paper towels.

While green beans are in microwave, place olive oil in large non stick skillet over medium. Once oil is hot add sliced mushrooms saute’ for approximately 3-4 minutes.

Add green beans, dried cranberries, and seasonings to skillet and continue to heat over low-medium heat, stirring frequently. Top with sliced almonds, and serve warm.

EASY THANKSGIVING DRESSING

1/2 stick (4 T butter) 1/2 c chopped yellow onion 1/4 c matchstick carrots 3 c water 1 rounded T of Roasted Chicken Flavored,

Better Than Bouillon 2 (5 oz) bags of seasoned croutons 3 T butter, divided into 1 T pats

Preheated oven to 350. Butter a 9x9 in baking dish. Melt 1/2 stick butter over medium heat in a large sauce pan. Add onions and carrots. Saute’ until onions and carrots are tender, stirring frequently. Add water and Better than Bouillon, stir well. Heat to a boil and continue to stir frequently. Remove from heat and add croutons, mix until croutons are coated with broth. Pour into the buttered baking dish and top with 3 T butter. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve warm. >>

CRAN-APPLE BREAD PUDDING Pudding:

8 c cubed bread, approx 1-in(I used some french bread and angle biscuits) 1 c grated Gala Apples 1 c dried cranberries 1 c chopped walnuts (optional) 2 T melted butter 3/4 c brown sugar 4 eggs

Cran-apple Bread Pudding

2 c heavy whipping cream 2 T ground cinnamon 1 T vanilla extract

Sauce:

1 (15 oz) can whole cranberry sauce 1 c orange juice 2 T orange zest 2 T brown sugar Vanilla Bean Ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x11 inch baking dish, set aside. Place cubed bread, grated apples and cranberries in the baking dish. If using walnuts, sprinkle on top of the above mixture. Place 2 T butter in a microwave safe bowl and into microwave for 30-40 seconds to melt. Remove from microwave after melting and add brown sugar, stir well. In a medium size mixing bowl add eggs, heavy whipping cream, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Whisk well, then pour over the bread mixture in pan. Bake in preheated over for 35-40 minutes or until when a knife is inserted in the center it comes out clean. While bread pudding is baking mix the whole cranberry sauce, orange juice, orange zest and brown sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir frequently, cooking until the mixture becomes thick like gravy consistency. Serve bread pudding warm. I like to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top with the sauce drizzled over. >>

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CRANBERRY APPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE Topping

6 T unsalted butter 1/2 c packed dark brown sugar 1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced* 1 heaping c fresh or frozen cranberries*

Cake

1/2 c unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 1 c packed dark brown sugar 2 lg eggs, room temperature and separated 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 and 1/2 c all-purpose fl our 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1/3 c buttermilk*

Lightly spray a 9-inch pie dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Make sure your apples are sliced and ready to go. For the topping: In a small saucepan, melt butter on low heat. When it begins to bubble, whisk in the brown sugar. Continue to stir until smooth. Then, leave on heat for about 2 minutes until it begins to bubble. Stir, then remove from heat and allow to briefl y cool for a couple minutes. Layer the sliced apples and cranberries into the dish and pour the butter/sugar over top. Set aside. Preheat oven to 325°F. Make the cake: In a medium bowl, toss the fl our, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger together until combined. Set aside.

LIFE INSURANCE

PROTECTING YOUR FAMILY TAKES MORE THAN A FOUR-DIGIT CODE Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until creamy – about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until creamed together, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla on medium speed until everything is combined, about 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not over mix. Whisk or beat the 2 egg whites until thick and foamy, about 3 minutes. Fold into cake batter. The batter will be smooth, velvety, and thick. Spoon or pour batter over the apples/ cranberries and bake for 40-44 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the very middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for exactly ten minutes before inverting onto a large serving dish or cake stand. Serve warm or at room temperature. I prefer it at room temperature. Leftovers keep well covered tightly at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 2 days. Recipe courtesy of sallysbakingaddiction.com

GLUTEN FREE STUFFING

5 ½ c vegetable broth, such as Imagine

No-Chicken, divided 2 ½ c rinsed quinoa, rinsed if necessary *see ingredient note ¾ tsp salt ½ tsp ground pepper 4 c fi nely chopped kale 2 T unsalted butter 2 T extra-virgin olive oil 1 lg onion, fi nely diced 1 T chopped garlic 2 T chopped fresh sage 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme ¼ tsp cinnamon 1 c fi nely chopped celery 1 c chopped toasted walnuts ½ c dried cranberries

Bring 5 cups broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add quinoa, salt and pepper and return to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the quinoa is tender and the broth is absorbed, 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit undisturbed 5 minutes. Remove lid, stir in kale, cover and let sit. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often until the onion is very soft and starting to brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Add garlic, sage, thyme and cinnamon and cook until fragrant, 30 to 90 seconds. Add celery and the remaining ½ cup broth, and cook, stirring often until the celery is crisp-tender and the liquid is mostly evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir quinoa mixture, the celery mixture, walnuts and cranberries together in a large bowl. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake until the mixture is hot, the celery and kale are tender and the top is golden along the edges, 22 to 30 minutes. Recipe courtesy of healthyseasonalrecipes.com

THE NEXT STEP IS LIFE. Take e it it no now. w.

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SLOW COOKER THANKSGIVING STUFFING

1 c unsalted butter 2 c chopped sweet onions 1 1/2 c thinly sliced celery 12 oz unseasoned dried bread cubes, store-bought or homemade 1/2 c chopped parsley 2 T chopped fresh sage 1 T chopped fresh rosemary leaves 1 T chopped fresh thyme leaves 1 c dried cranberries 2 c chicken broth 2 lg eggs 2 tsp Diamond Crystal® Kosher Salt 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Place the butter in a large skillet and set over medium heat. Once melted, add the chopped onions and celery. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to soften. Meanwhile, chop all the herbs and whisk the chicken broth and eggs together. Pour the dried bread cubes into a large slow cooker. Once the onions and celery are soft and sweet, scoop them over the top of the dried bread cubes. Add the chopped herbs, dried cranberries, 2 tsp of Diamond Crystal® Kosher Salt, and 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper. Pour the broth and egg mixture over the top. Gently mix to coat. Cover the slow cooker and turn on high for 2-4 hours, or low for 4-6 hours. If you leave the stuffi ng on too long, and it starts to dry out, add a little more chicken broth to soften. Recipe courtesy of aspicyperspective.com

WHISKEY, SAUSAGE AND APPLE STUFFING

4 c diced apples ½ c raisins 1½ c apple juice 2 tsp nutmeg 1 pinch cayenne pepper 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp chopped fresh sage 1 T salt 1½ c butter ¼ c whiskey 8 c cornbread stuffi ng 8 (2-oz) chicken, pork, or turkey sausage links 1½ c pecans

Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, combine apples, raisins, apple juice, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, sage, salt, butter, and whiskey. Toss everything together to combine, and set aside. Cook sausage in a medium skillet, breaking it up into medium-sized chunks. Once the sausage is cooked, grab a separate large bowl and add your cooked chunked sausage, cornbread stuffi ng, and pecans. Combine the mixture together. Ladle apple-raisin mixture over bread and sausage mixture, and thoroughly mix to combine all ingredients. Transfer to a greased casserole or cast-iron skillet. Bake the stuffi ng, uncovered, for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a crust begins to form on the top and the stuffi ng has set Recipe courtesy of countryliving.com

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Valley Piano Co.

FROM A SMALL SPACE at Valley Furniture and Appliances on the corner of East Main and Knoxville, to his own store, Al Chenowith has kept the music playing for the River Valley since 1972 Al began working at Valley Furniture and Appliances as a means of settling down from his career as a musician to a slower paced family life. “He played The Stomp with The Galaxies at the Legion Hut,” says Al’s son Brian, who now works with his father, “and they’d travel regionally and play. He got married and had me, and started transitioning to adulthood. When he got a job at Valley Furniture, he talked the owner into letting him sell instruments.”

Valley Piano Co. (479) 968-5200 3515 West Main Street, Russellville www.valleypiano.com

Story & Photo by BENITA DREW

In 1974 Al bought Valley Furniture, quit selling anything that wasn’t music related, and changed the name to Valley Piano. In 1990, he moved across the street and up a block, where Valley Piano stayed until early this year, when it moved to its current location at 3515 West Main Street in Russellville. Meanwhile, Brian graduated from Arkansas Tech University with a degree in graphic design and moved to Nashville.

OVER

YEARS IN BUSINESS

“I just wanted to fi gure it out. I liked songwriting and wanted to get in the business of it. After a year or two, I fi gured out it was more therapeutic than it was a career, so I took a job in graphic design for TNN, the Nashville Network.” Brian says he found myself coming home more and more on the weekends and he fi nally moved back in 2002. “Dad had talked about closing and I said, ‘Don’t. I’ll run it.’” Brian had worked in the business since he was 12 and says he hated it back then. “Now I love it.” Brian and Al run the business together with Al often found in the back working with the instruments and Brian at the counter. Valley Piano focuses on stringed and percussion instruments, from pianos (both acoustic to modern digital), guitars, banjos, violins, mandolins, ukuleles, drums, and also harmonicas. They offer both new and preowned pianos, moving, delivery and service. “Instruments are a tool and have to be serviced. It keeps the instrument in good working order,” according to Brian. Along with instruments, they sell home recording and sound equipment and sheet music. While Valley Piano offers online ordering, Brian said he sees the website as more window shopping. “I remember the record stores. I have a lot of people that come in just to visit. I have people say they feel bad if they are not buying anything. I tell them they shouldn’t. They will buy something someday, and they’ll tell somebody else about their experience. They’ll send us people.” Brian is currently working on increasing displays and selection at the new location. For holiday shopping Brian suggests a gift card that can be purchased online if one doesn’t know what musical gift to purchase. “It’s never too late to learn to play an instrument,” Brian says. “After college or retirement, things settle down and people look to get back into it. I like playing, but I like playing for myself. On the worst day, I’ve sat down with my instrument and all my problems are gone. Enjoyment is never about how good you play, just that you enjoy playing. It takes time to learn to play, but it’s worth it.” Valley Piano is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. They can be reached by phone at 968-5200. l A TRUCK TO DO IT ALL.