Take the night off -- Take and Bake

Posted by Dana McMahan on February 16, 2008

Every cook has a night off once in a while. We took the night off from cooking – well, about 90% off – and let Papa Murphy’s do the work. Snobs we may be about homemade beating store bought, I’ll recognize the supremacy of a Papa Murphy’s Take and Bake Gourmet Vegetarian Pizza over any rendition I could concoct any day.

Fresh spinach, fresh zucchini, fresh mushrooms, artichoke hearts, Roma tomatoes, and a three-onion mix top an oasis of cheese (nearly a pound!) over a creamy herbed garlic sauce. It’s heaven on raw dough. The only downfall to this pizza is that they don’t deliver. This leaves me with 15 minutes in the car holding my prize securely in my lap, fingers itching to sneak between the cellophane layers wrapping my pizza to pluck a shred or four of cheese. This is far too much temptation for any rational person so by the time we arrive home we have a bald spot on our dinner.

Once home it’s straight into the oven, or store it in the refrigerator until dinnertime – just set it out half an hour before you bake it if you don’t cook it right away.It cooks up beautifully, cheese bubbling, vegetables going a little crisp around the edges, crust puffing up golden and airy.

This is a case when the marketing speak on the company’s web site fully lives up to its claims. “The secret of my great tasting crust is the flour. We use only high protein, high gluten flour produced with only premium wheat. We also make our dough fresh every day” Ok, yep, whatever you say, the crust is perfect. “My mozzarella cheese is made the traditional way, using only Grade A pasteurized milk and the proper aging time to enhance the flavor.” I don’t know what their definition of traditional is, but no matter. Their cheese is addictive. “My creamy garlic sauce is packed with a blend of herbs and freshly chopped garlic guaranteed to tantalize your taste buds!” Tantalize? You could say that since we tend to piggishly ask for extra sauce.

And though I can’t especially pretend to be thinking about health concerns as I chow down on my cheese-loaded slice of bliss, I am happy to know that Papa Murphy’s uses no trans fats in their food.

The next time you need a night off from the kitchen but don’t mind turning on the oven, swing by a Papa Murphy’s. And may I recommend the Gourmet Vegetarian? (And do choose the Family Size, even if you’re a family of two.)

TAGS: Pizza, Take And Bake
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