did you hear?  the storm of the century hit the east coast this weekend.

well, sort of.  it wasn’t that bad where we live.  just rainy.  windy.  i still managed to go on an 8-mile run saturday, and sun-bathe at the pool on sunday, so i’m feeling unimpressed.

but some of us got a little spooked.

i tried telling rio that you hide in the bathroom for tornadoes not hurricanes, but she’s crazy stubborn.  and a scaredy cat.

good thing we didn’t lose power.  i had cooking to do.

pizza with candied cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, capers and pesto.

pairs well with an entire bottle of prosecco as you’re listening to the hurricane-force wind and rain and praying that your husband, on an airplane in the middle of said wind and rain, makes it to california safely.

the candied cherry tomatoes, courtesy of the splendid table, have been a real champ.  i made a bunch and have been throwing them on salads, sandwiches, crostini with goat cheese.

but i also made this:

that’s smitten kitchen’s southwestern pulled brisket.  it was good on jim lahey’s no knead bread with cheddar.

it was also good in a tortilla, with pepper jack and watermelon rind pickles (recipe coming soon!).

spicy.  manchego approved.  take that “hurricane” irene.