Sarah Baker Hansen

If you’ve ever worked a day in a newsroom, you know election night means pizza.Tonight I made my own #electionnightpizza from scratch.I used the basic @kingarthurbaking pizza crust recipe and topped it with mushrooms; red peppers; pepperoni; a blend of Asiago, Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses; and a thin layer of chunky red sauce.

Things I will go out in snow for:1. The @nicerollz spicy bulgogi burger.2. ?3. ?

Eleventh hour basil preservation: a how-to.I’ll admit I should have done this months ago when my basil plant was mammoth. Instead, I waited until the morning of the first snow, and my basil is looking pretty sad. But I know come January (hell, come next week) I’ll be glad to have some of the flavor of summer preserved in my freezer.To make your own pre-snowstorm sad basil cubes: chop basil. Fill an ice cube tray with chopped herbs and top with high quality olive oil. (Do not use another oil. They won’t freeze solid.) Shuffle things around in your freezer until they fit. Bask in your achievement and look forward to using your frozen basil in tomato soup and sauces in the winter.My ice cube tray is by @oxo and the design is clever af and perfect for herb preservation. Well worth the ten bucks.

We’re working on building a list of local restaurants and bars who have heated patios! Restaurants can fill out a simple form at the link in my profile, or at sarahbakerhansen.com. Please share so we can get as many restaurants as possible. Many of you have asked me for such a list to get through the colder weather this year so we can support local restaurants and still dine outside. I know that’s what I’ll be doing!