Veggie Heaven has three New Jersey locations but my favorite is the one on Valley Road in Montclair because it’s closest to home, and because I love being greeted by the always friendly Cliff, who can usually found close to the hostess station. Many years ago, Cliff was a waiter at the Parsippany restaurant (which has since moved to Denville). I worked nearby and frequently ate lunch there, and I recently realized that I’ve known Cliff longer than I’ve known my VeggieGuy!
Need a last minute dessert idea for your New Year's Eve festivities? This sweet treat comes together so quickly it gives new meaning to the phrase "easy as pie"! And it's so delicious that your fellow party-goers won't even notice how healthy it is!
This festive twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie is sure to please your friends and family this holiday season. I made a giant batch of them last weekend when Team Hot From the Kettle baked up holiday treats at Williams Sonoma and they were eaten in record time!
True North Osteria is a cute and cozy little café that serves specialty pizzas, bruschettas and small plates. They cook all of their meals with high quality ingredients and use old world techniques that have been “reinvented for the modern American table”. The vegetables are all fresh and sourced locally, the sauce is made from 100% Jersey tomatoes and the bread is baked fresh in house daily.
The sign outside True North Osteria says, “This pizza will change your life”, and I just might have to agree with it. Don’t go to True North expecting the average grab-a-slice-and-go-pizza though. This is artisanal pizza that needs to be savored bite by tasty bite, as the thin, chewy, yet crispy dough is carefully handmade from scratch, covered with farm fresh toppings and grilled – yes grilled – to create the most mouthwateringly flavorful little pie unlike any you’ve tasted before. Just as the taste isn’t ordinary, neither are the flavors, with the spicy Jersey Devil pie, the pesto topped True North and the sandwich inspired Grilled Cheese.
This soup is one of the dishes I made at the recent team Hot From the Kettle cooking demos at Williams Sonoma, and it was a big hit. It's hearty enough to served as meal, but in small amounts it also makes an excellent appetizer.
(Note: Team Hot From the Kettle will be back at the Willams Sonomo in Upper Monclair on Saturday, December 8th cooking up holiday treats!)
