Red Gold Tomatoes + Laura's Lean Beef Cheesesteak Pizza
Once again, HerKentucky has teamed up with Red Gold Tomatoes and Laura's Lean Beef to bring you a great grilling recipe. As seen on WAVE-3 this morning, here's the recipe for a fast and fun Cheesesteak pizza!
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 roasted red bell pepper, sliced (use from a jar)
- 1⁄2 onion, sliced
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can RED GOLD® DICED TOMATOES, drained
- 1⁄2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 5 ounces Laura’s Lean Beef Sirloin Steak, cooked and thinly sliced
- 1 10 to 11 ounce container pizza dough, your favorite recipe or store bought
- 2 tablespoons RED GOLD® TOMATO PASTE
- 2 ounce shredded provolone cheese
- 2 ounce shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook red bell pepper, onions and tomatoes together until onions are soft. Sprinkle with oregano and set aside.
Grill or cook steak to a medium temperature. When finished cooking, slice the steak into thin pieces.
Divide pizza dough in half and roll each half out into a circle, getting it as thin as possible. Heat grill to high. Make sure grill rack is clean and gently lay each crust onto the grill rack. Cook about 1 to 2 minutes per side depending on grill temperature. Use tongs to flip and cook each side of each crust. If bubbles appear, just prick the dough bubble and keep cooking.
Spread 1 tablespoon of paste on each crust. Divide and top each pizza with the tomato mixture, beef and cheese. Carefully return pizza to grill, lower heat and close grill lid. Cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes until cheese is melted. Keep close watch on pizzas, moving them away from the hotspot on your grill if crust is getting to toasty. If you like a little bit of char on the bottom of the pizza – this is what gives it some authentic flavor.
Sprinkle with the ¼ cup tomatoes that were set aside along with the fresh parsley. Serve Immediately.
NUTRITIONAL FACTS PER SERVING
Calories 390, Fat 15g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 40mg, Sodium 1010mg, Carbohydrate 38g, Fiber 4g, Protein 25g,
Vitamin A 25%, Vitamin C 30%, Calcium 30%, Iron 20%
(This post was sponsored by Red Gold Tomatoes)
The Bourbon Kings
JR Ward's The Bourbon Kings sets unapologetic melodrama in the heart of the Derby City.
Welcome to J.R. Ward's Kentucky, where the bourbon is served up with a side of crazy sauce.
Ms. Ward, a self-professed "Yankee who now lives in the South"and alumna of Smith College and Albany Law School, did what all women who marry Louisville natives eventually do: she moved to Louisville. The corporate attorney-turned romance novelist usually pens novels with a paranormal edge, but has embarked on a new series set in a slightly fictionalized version of The Bluegrass State. The city of Charlemont serves as a stand-in for Louisville, where the University of Charlemont Eagles basketball team (whose team color is red) are in-state rivals with Kentucky University (blue, natch). Charlemont's spaghetti junction leads you down river road to the Easterly Estate, while Spirehill Downs is the home of the Charlemont Derby. We all know what she means.
JR Ward. Image via the Courier-Journal.
I reckon the Baldwines live somewhere around here.
When we meet the titular Bourbon Kings, the three Baldwine sons and their cartoonishly evil daddy, there's plenty of drama. Brother Max's whereabouts are unknown; I'm sure he'll get a Gary Ewing-style spinoff book of his own down the road. Meanwhile, eldest brother Edward has let the family business slip into quite a mess. He suffered horrible injuries after a South American kidnapping, as you do. Now, he spends his days training thoroughbreds, drowning in booze and self-pity, and employing call girls who resemble the love of his life, the scion of a rival bourbon house. THESE THINGS HAPPEN, y'all.
Younger sister Gin -- that's right, a "gin" in a House of Bourbon -- is Lucy Ewing meets Connie Corleone in Valentino RockStud Pumps. Only, kind of more vapid and self-sabatoging. There's a never-ending supply of wealthy litigators to serve Gin's appetites, but she pines for the father of her secret daughter. On behalf of every one of my single girlfriends here in the Derby City, I've got to say that Charlemont trumps the real Louisville in the availability of eligible gentlemen alone. A girl can find herself two or three dashing dates for the Derby in a moment's notice, complete with seersucker suits and vintage Jaguars.
As for the business end of it all, who even heard of independent operators handling operating expenses in the 21st Century? If the family label is suffering, you sell to a multinational corporation and retain a Presidency role for one of your offspring. Ol' JR Ewing taught us that trick in 1987 with his Cartel buddies.And why would your risk your personal fortune on the family company? Maybe Evil Daddy Baldwine is getting a bad rap: he might not be as evil as he is just plain dumb. He should've paid less attention to decking himself out in University of Charlemont red and a little more time listening to his business professors.
is the Upstairs, Downstairs romance between Bourbon King Lane Baldwine and Easterly's horticulturalist, Lizzie King, who characterizes their love as "Sabrina without the happy ending, darlin'." Lane's a playboy with a heart of gold -- he leaves New York City for his old Kentucky home when he hears that the family's African-American cook, whom he considers his "real mother", is in failing health. Lizzie's just folks, and she's got a farm across the river in Indiana to prove it. She keeps Graeter's ice cream in her freezer; lax copyediting keeps shifting whether that Graeter's was Peach or Candy Cane, but every real Graeter's fan knows that it would make no sense to have either of these seasonal flavors around at Derby Time. One would be 10 months out of season, and the other 5. But, that isn't as important as Lane and Lizzie's forbidden love, which peels the paint off the walls -- or at least destroys a priceless family painting in Lane's boudoir. You get the picture. Oh, and there's the pesky matter of Lane's spoiled, Virginia-bred wife (and possibly his evil daddy's mistress) to complicate things further. Y'all keeping up so far?
All the elements of a good soap opera are there in The Bourbon Kings -- gorgeous, rich bad boys with hearts of gold, forbidden love, family intrigue -- and it would be easy to dismiss Ms. Ward's Kentucky as a fantasy world of privilege, lust, and Southern stereotypes. But, there's just one small problem with that analysis: the story kind of works. As a reader, you root for these two crazy kids to bridge the gap across the Ohio River and fall into one another's arms. You cross your fingers that Sad Ol' Edward will find a way to leave his madams behind and find love with rival bourbon heiress Sutton Smythe. You hope that Gin will take a stiff drink of espresso or sparkling water and get her life together.
NBC has purchased a television project based on The Bourbon Kings, and additional novels in the series are expected. I, for one, couldn't be more excited. Ms. Ward's manuscript comes out and describes Lane as a "Channing Tatum lookalike", so the Eye Candy quotient promises to be high. (BTW, Endemol Shine Studios, if you're looking for a sassy Kentucky native lady blogger to add some local color to the writer's room, I'd love to talk to y'all!) I love a good soap opera, and I hope that this one plays out as self-aware and campy, on the grand scale of 80s dramas like Dallas or Dynasty. It would be nice to see bourbon in primetime, even with a crazy sauce chaser.
Red and White Ohio Star Quilt
Every Thursday, I share with you one of the beautiful quilts that my grandmother has made for me over the years. Quilting was just one of those aspects of Kentucky culture that I grew up around. If my granny is sitting down, she has a quilt block to work on.
I've written here on HerKentucky about making this quilt with my granny. She and I are both pretty headstrong and it was quite the experience!
I love this quilt pattern because it's so simple and old-fashioned. The Ohio Star pattern emerged in the early 19th century, then enjoyed a surge in popularity in the 1930s. Variants included the Texas Star and the Tippecanoe and Tyler Too patterns. You can read more about it here and here.
I am not Kim Davis.
HerKentucky Editor-in-Chief Heather C. Watson on the Rowan County Clerk, hypocrisy, and the dangers of lumping all Kentuckians together.
I am a woman. I am a Kentuckian. I hold very strong beliefs about morality and justice. And I am not Kim Davis.
As the owner of a website about Kentucky women and their lives and interests, I tend to see the absolute best in our fair Commonwealth on a daily basis. I focus on our authors and artisans, our entrepreneurs and our raconteurs. I'm in a bubble, I suppose. Lately, I've seen a lot of what the world outside the Bluegrass State has to say about the Rowan County Clerk who stands in defiance of the Obergfell ruling. More frequently than not, the old tropes about Kentucky life rear their ugly heads: We marry our cousins. We're all stuck in the past. We're bigoted and we're backward. We stand in the way of progress. We're all Kim Davis.
Growing up in Eastern Kentucky, I knew a lot of women like Ms. Davis. Conservative, religious women. Often the members of small fundamentalist sects. They adhered to strict rules about a woman's appearance, choosing to uphold strict guidelines for modesty and decency. They didn't cut their hair, nor did they wear slacks. They glorified the version of God presented by their faith through extreme interpretations of the Bible. They refused to turn on the washing machine or cook a meal on the Sabbath, for this could be interpreted as doing work on The Lord's Day. I was raised to believe that, while this wasn't the brand of faith which we followed, it was something to be honored, because it was done in earnest. I was raised that there was no good reason for calling out the hypocrisy of the four-times-married Ms. Davis, lest someone shine a light on my own shortcomings. I was raised not to be ugly to others, whether I agreed with them or not. I was raised to be nice to Kim Davis.
Y'all means all y'all. Photo via Kentucky for Kentucky.
But, the teachings of my Appalachian childhood also carried a strong sense of morality and equality and justice. I was raised to stand up for what I believe is right and to respectfully disagree with others while taking a stand of my own. I was raised to differentiate personal attacks from issues of ethical or professional misconduct. I was raised that, while I needed to be nice to others, I didn't have to agree with them.I was raised to believe that, as long as someone wasn't hurting anyone else with her beliefs, then there was no reason to point a finger. I was not raised to sit idly by while others suffered from hypocrisy, hate, and hysteria. I was raised to question Kim Davis.
As much as I adore the culture of my home state, I also love the fundamental tenets of our nation. I am grateful and humbled to live in an America that was founded both on religious tolerance and the separation of religion from governmental activities. I do respect Ms. Davis's right to a moral belief that differs from my own. I would never presume to know the core beliefs that motivate another human being. But, I believe that, if she cannot perform her job duties as a governmental official, then it's time for her to step down from her public position. America was founded on the separation of church and state. A county clerk's job is to do her civic duty, not her interpretation of her moral duty. Let me be 100% clear: I believe that it is time to impeach Kim Davis.
I believe that, in 50 years' time, our nation will view the idea that gay people were once barred from marriage with the same disbelief that people of my generation hold for the notions that interracial marriage was once banned, or that anyone other than white property-owning men were refused to right to vote. I am embarrassed of the role our Commonwealth has played in the path toward marriage equality. I pray that, in time, my home state's opposition to gay marriage -- be it Governor Beshear's antiquated statements that gay marriage is detrimental to Kentucky's birth rate and economy, or Ms. Davis's refusal to issue marriage licenses to gay Kentuckians -- will simply be seen as necessary hurdles toward the goal of equal marriage rights for all Americans. I hope that Kim Davis will ultimately be as insignificant as the Virginia judge who wrote that "Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents.... The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix." I hope that, soon, we forget Kim Davis.
So to the world outside the Bluegrass State, I beg of you: Before you lump all Kentuckians, all Kentucky women, or all Appalachian women together, please know that many of us practice civility and love. We are not motivated by hate or bigotry. We are not Kim Davis.
And, to my fellow Kentuckians, I ask y'all to extend grace and love to all. We can celebrate equality and love without sinking to ugliness and hate. Let's drop the personal-level insults and focus on the governmental procedure. Let's not contribute to the demonization of Kim Davis.
But, most of all, as a Kentucky woman, I ask of all who read this: Don't confuse my beliefs with those of Kim Davis.
herPaducah: Emphemera Paducah
Photo credit Paducah Life Magazine
One of Paducah's coolest new business is Ephemera Paducah - an art workshop space. In our newest herPaducah installment, owner Kristin Williams shares her journey to opening the business of her dreams!
Three years ago when I first decided to open my own business, I thought, “You’ve got this, sister.” After all, I’d spent years as a consultant helping other businesses to build and make adjustments to their strategic plans.
As it turned out, I knew a lot about running a business in theory, but little did I know the challenges that awaited me in opening the artists’ workshop and studio space that I now own today, Ephemera Paducah.
Looking back I can appreciate the fact that ignorance is bliss. Had I known the trials that awaited me in these first two years of running Ephemera Paducah I might have been too intimidated to take the first step. Yet, here I am beginning my third year, recruiting national art instructors to teach classes and workshops in my studio and running a retail shop, selling art supplies to the regional art community that surrounds me.
While the path to success has been filled with ups and downs, I’m pleased to say that today Ephemera Paducah is doing well. It’s not unusual to have a class full of folks from Chicago, Atlanta, Louisville, Memphis, Evansville and party beyond attending these national art workshops. In fact, about 80% of my business is now coming from out of town visitors.
I’ve been able to do this using a variety of digital media sources to promote my business. I’ve also had to learn how to think differently about my business. What works for one art instructor doesn’t work for all of my classes. So today I’m celebrating 50 something years of life and working to keep up with all of the new information and marketing tools that await me.
I’m in the business of being creative and that doesn’t simply apply to the art classes I offer at Ephemera Paducah. It means I have to use creative problem-solving techniques when my business needs a boost. I can’t allow myself or my marketing efforts grow stale. Rather, I must always grow and always be open to new ideas.
So as I celebrate starting my third year in business, I’m encouraging other women to be brave and to try something new. While being a business owner is not always an easy task, it’s one that I love.
I’ve always loved to dabble in art and to experiment with new art supplies. Now I get to do that every day as part of my job. What’s not to love about that? Being successful is as much about learning how to adapt as it is about having a great plan in the first place.
Lilly Pulitzer Patchwork Quilt
An extraordinary quilt made from Lilly Pulitzer fabric.
I think I was thirty years old before I realized that everybody didn't have a huge stack of quilts that their grandmother made for them. I knew that my granny made the prettiest ones, obviously, but I thought everybody else's granny at least tried.
Quilting is an art with deep roots in Kentucky. It's an integral part of my Appalachian childhood, and I want to share the gorgeous quilts my grandmother and great-grandmothers have made for me. So, we're starting a new series here on HerKentucky. Every Thursday, I'll share photos of the gorgeous quilts that my grandmother has made for me and my family. I'm working to live up to her artistry, but I'm not quite there yet!
This one combines my love of preppy, vibrant Lilly Pulitzer fabrics with a simple patchwork quilt pattern. We found some lots of fabric on eBay; my granny said the quilt itself was actually quite easy to make.
National Dog Day Treats for Kentucky Pooches!
Some great deals for National Dog Day!
Today is National Dog Day. I don't know about y'all, but I'd be absolutely lost without my dogs. Their hilarious dispositions, their antics, and their unconditional love are pretty much the best thing ever.
Here's a roundup of some of the deals going on at local pet bakeries, in case you want to take your best friend out for a treat today.
- 10% off any in-stock treats at Bluegrass Barkery, Lexington.
- With any $25 purchase, get a free small container of treats from the Bone Bar at Barkstown Road, Louisville.
- Buy three bakery case treats, get the fourth free at Three Dog Bakery, Louisville.
Of course, don't forget that the dogs at your local shelter or humane society would love a treat or a new home. Please consider taking in a dog if you possibly can, or making a donation if you aren't able to adopt!