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Thick Crust or Thin?




You can take a girl out of Chicago but you can’t take Chicago out of her especially when it comes to deep dish pizza.

The aircraft slowed its speed over Lake Michigan and gently landed at O’Hare in Chicago just as the sun began to go down.  I turned to the friendly passenger on my left as we peered out the plane’s little window together and I thanked her for the pleasant conversation we enjoyed over the 3.5 hour flight from Phoenx.  In turn, she asked where I thought I might dine out during my week’s stay in Chicago.  I asked her for suggestions.

“Do not leave Chicago and fly back to Phoenix without Lou Malnoti’s deep dish Chicago pizza!”

I had never heard of this place.

My younger brother picked me up at the airport.  It was dinner time and I felt hungry.  He suggested we go back to his house in the Chicago suburbs and order pizza with the family.  When he asked me if I like deep dish or thin crust, I told him that I drool for deep dish!  I almost fell off my chair when the pizza arrived and I noticed the colorful cardboard box advertising “Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria.”

I learned that Rudy Malnati developed a recipe for deep dish pizza and the family enjoyed it over the years.  His son, Lou, decided to open up a pizzeria in Chicago.  It became a franchise with stores reaching out into the suburbs.

Imagine a homemade pie with crunchy, butter crust.  Top that with extra rich tomato sauce with chunks of tomatoes and garlic. On top of the sauce lay Mozzerella Cheese.   Layer it with wall-to-wall Italian sausage not the fatty kind the grocery chains sell, but tasty, lean sausage in every bite.  Top it off with more sauce.

It's the best pizza I've ever eaten!  It is so rich I can only handle one slice!


They make thin crust too; we enjoyed it as well when we celebrated my nephew's birthday.


Drum roll…Here’s the Good News

Lou Malnati’s opened a franchise in Phoenix, Arizona!

When I told my husband about this Chicago pizza story, he was up for the idea of going out to lunch with me at Lou Malnati's on the way home from his VA appointment in Phoenix this week.  We ordered the deep dish style.  Now he loves it too!

















On a Serious note…

Friends, my sister passed away and I am relieved that she no longer suffers.  Please know how much I appreciate your loving comments, your emails, and your prayers for us.  Our family thanks you!

My sister had a lot of pizzazz!  I really thought she would go out the same day in May that she was born but with her work here completed, she eased into eternity just a few days before her birthday.

She always liked my homemade cards.   I share my words in cyberspace and hope they reach her in Heaven.


You were the one with the tiny frame and big personality.
You could talk to anyone about anything.
You were the one
Who taught me how to dance to all the fast songs in our parent’s living room
and how to harmonize when we sang Christmas carols.
You were the one that got the small feet and red hair
…And I always loved you.
Can you hear me in Heaven as I whisper “Happy Birthday?”






We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to Himself together with you.  2 Corinthians 4:14





Comments

  1. My sincere condolences on the passing of your beloved sister! May her soul rest in peace!
    Your words about her are a fine tribute to her memory. May you no longer have any sorrow!

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  2. Sending you much love and sincere condolences on the passing of your sister, dear Mary. I love pizza, too, and your photos are making me hungry. I love especially thin crust pizza.

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  3. I'll bet your sis would have adored this post, Mary!
    Tom's unfamiliar with Lou Manati's, but we jumped on the website and now my mother's watering ... not for deep dish, but that spinach bread! Will definitely be checking it out!

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  4. The pizza looks good and I'm glad there is one near you!
    I'm so sorry about the passing of your sister. I'm sure she knew how much you loved her, and I know the reunion in heaven will be sweet!

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  5. Your sister was a beautiful woman; I'm sure inside and out. I am so sorry to hear of her passing and so sorry the void that will be missed in your family because she is no longer there. I pray for comfort for you all.

    This is my favorite go to passage; read it a few days after my mom passed back in 2006. Psalm 116:15 NIV Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. Imagine her homecoming!

    Now I got go find out where that pizza place is here in Phoenix! Might be worth venturing out in the heat to try it! Sound absolutely delicious!

    Again, I'm so sorry about your sister's passing. Take comfort one day you will spend eternity together. Eternity!!! What a promise and a blessing!

    betty

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  6. My sincere condolences on the passing of your sister! Praying for you.

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  7. So very sorry for your loss, Mary. My sister is a very special kind of friend to me, just as it sounds like yours was to you. May God comfort you.
    On the subject of pizza, our son lived in Chicago for 5-6 years. Wish we had known about Lou's! Sounds delicious!

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  8. I agree with your 1st statement sister Mary, having a friend who came from Chicago and introduced me to Uno's pizza and Portillo's hotdogs!!! I remember, I couldn't eat one slice of deep dish. Too much but delicious! But Manati's pizza sound better! That looks good! And I'm glad you have a chain in AZ.

    I admire that you began your news about your sister's passing that you were relieved she wouldn't suffer anymore. I think it's always hard for us they leave behind. But knowing that we have this imperishable hope from the Lord, we know and don't even have the right word to express how beautiful His place must be where your sister is now. I'm sure she's smiling at you and know how much you love her. Your written words from the deepest part of a sister's heart. Prayers continue for the Lord's amazing blessings over you sister and your family. Love you in Christ.

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  9. Oh, dear friend! I have had you on my mind SO much, and I am praying for you! Your sister was so beautiful. I can't imagine how much this hurts, and I just trust Jesus to hold you ever close to His heart, as you grieve. Please know that you have our deepest, most heartfelt sympathy. That pizza!!! Oh, my word! It made me so hungry hearing you describe it, and then to see the photos, too!! I'm glad you were able to have this reprieve from your sorrow, if only for a little while. Love you so much and sending big hugs your way!!

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  10. OMG! Are they going to Asia anytime soon? Lots of pizza lovers here in PH, I swear.

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  11. Awe, Mary, I am praising the Lord that your sister is walking the streets of glory my friend. Praying for you as I am sure though you are looking forward to seeing her again one day, you are missing her as well. Sweet poem. Girlfriend, I NEED a slice of that pizza! YUM, YUM! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  12. Your sister looks so beautiful and filled with light. I join in with all these prayers and condolences for you during this time of your loss. That`s beautiful that she taught you to dance, and that you had a sister that you could rejoice together with in the Lord. What a blessing!
    Agreeing with your prayer that your beautiful words and song and card reach her in Heaven, carried by angels , and she receive it on a cushion of clouds . I imagine her reply in a most heavenly dance with Lord Jesus Himself!!

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  13. Here's wishing you and your family strength and happiness today, tomorrow and always. Sorry about your loss. Warm greetings.

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  14. I'm so sorry to hear the news of your sister, Mary. Praying for you and her family. God blessed you with a a wonderful sister. I'll be honored to meet her one day. We'll eat pizza together, all of us. You know how to get hold of me if there's anything we can do.

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  15. I did read about your sister's death and I am so sorry Mary. Share the good memories and fun times you had together. It's hard to watch one suffer so at least you know she is no longer in pain. Loved your take on deep dish pizza. Greg and I just returned from Gino's Chicago Pizza which is deep dish. They just opened in Phoenix and we can almost walk there. Greg loves deep dish but me ...not so much. I'm glad you enjoyed your Chicago time.

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  16. My dear Mary,

    When I began reading that you were in Chicago I thought that perhaps the reason was because your sister had passed. I am sorry for your loss here on earth because I know you will always miss her. But I am thankful that she no longer suffers but is indeed in heaven with our Lord. That brings peace...even in the times you miss her most...it brings peace. We are coming up on the one year anniversary of my father-in-law's death...we are thankful for that same peace.

    Love to you, my friend. I am still on blogging break, but we just got back in town yesterday from spending five days with our daughter, son-in-law and grandson. We had the privilege of being there to see our grandson graduate from high school on Wednesday evening. I will still be on blogging break until the first of July, but I wanted to drop by to see how you were doing. I'm so glad I did.

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  17. Oh Mary! I'm sorry for the loss of your sister! We who are left here on earth grieve for their loss, but we rejoice for their entrance into heaven where no sickness or disease is, and where they can be eternally in the presence of the Lord! I pray for you and your family as you mourn your sister's passing, and pray that your special memories would comfort you in the days ahead! And that pizza does look amazingly delicious! I have never heard of such a place, but that pizza looks like it could be the best pizza ever! Hugs to you today :)

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