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For the last four months I have been on following a healthier eating plan and overall I am very pleased with the results. I look better and feel better, and I want the trend to continue.

I have no intention of undoing my hard work by returning to my old habits, but I still have to find ways to work in my favorite foods and stay inside my calorie-stingy limits. And one of those favorite foods is pizza.

I love all kinds of pizza: Deep dish, thin crust, flatbread, French bread, meat lovers, veggie lovers, Brooklyn, Hawaiian, hot, cold, for breakfast, lunch, dinner and all points in between.

As long as it's tasty crust topped with tomato sauce and gooey cheese, I am so there.

I know many people are passionate about pizza, and the debate rages between Chicago-style and New York-style. I remain a fan of both, although being from the Midwest I must admit that a good, Windy City-style deep-dish pie is like comfort food.

Growing up in Indianapolis, my favorite pizza was from a chain called Noble Roman's. They served what they called deep dish, Sicilian-style pizza. It was not authentic Sicilian, which is more like bread with ingredients baked inside it, not on top of it.

But when you are a kid, authenticity matters less than taste, and this stuff was awesome.

The crust was thick, baked in a small, square pan. The best pieces were the corners, where you got the most of the tender, buttery, golden brown crust. Circles of tomato sauce were baked on top of the cheese and other meats and veggies.

With a side of thick, chewy breadsticks and fiery jalapeno cheese dip, it was heaven on a plate.

Another favorite is from a little place in Speedway, Ind., called Mug and Bun. This more of the New York-style thin crust, but it's oh-so-good and a must-have when tailgating near the race track. The crust is crisp but not cracker-like, the toppings are fresh and cheese is gooey and plentiful. I can almost taste it now.

My typical pizza stops here in the Valley area are Bellacino's in Daleville (the number is saved in my cell phone) Grace's in Grandin Village and Goodfellaz on Brambleton.

Pizza for me now is like cookies for the Cookie Monster: It's a sometimes food. The way I look at it, when I want to indulge myself, I want the best. So I am open for suggestions of other places to try.

What is your favorite style of pizza and where do you go for it here?

If you have a passion for cheese and wine (and really, who doesn't?) you may want to plan a trip to Villa Appalaccia Winery in Floyd on Oct. 11 or 12 for a unique tasting event.

The winery will add a sampling of 15 cheeses for a special wine tasting that weekend, including a comparison of Virginia-made Tallegio cheese to its Italian counterpart.

The cheese samples will range from soft to firm to dry, and a different wine will be paired with each. As the winery's Web site points out, most wine and cheese tastings feature cheeses commonly found in the grocery store, but sampling fresh-made artisian cheese makes this a special event.

I know that while I am fond of my everyday cheeses (even on a weight-loss program I still find ways to enjoy a little muenster and smoked mozzarella) it would be great to sample something unusual, learn how cheese is made, and how it pairs with various wines.

The tasting costs $15 per person. Reservations are required by Oct. 6 so the winery will have the right amount of cheese for each taster. Click here to learn more.

Now, if you prefer your cheese melted on top of bread or a tasty pizza (and really, who doesn't?) then Villa Appalaccia can hook you up the following weekend, Oct. 18 and 19, with focaccia and pizzas baked in its two brick ovens. See the Web site for directions and more details.

Mary Rapoport at the Virginia Egg Council sent me the recipes from the three local bakers who are eligible to compete in the chiffon cake contest this weekend. She also sent this picture, which looks heavenly to me. I am just dreaming of a light, moist cake topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Recipes are posted after the jump. If you try your hand at making any, or all, of these recipes, post a comment and let us know how it turned out.

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Lindsey here. I'm into my second week of helping to fill in for my boss, who just had a little bundle of joy. In fact, three Roanoke Times co-workers became parents within about 3 days last week!! There was an entire Roanoke Times wing at RMH!

In addition to helping with editing duties, I've been cooking up a storm -- chili and chicken pie for new parents; Swiss steak for us, which we cooked in the pressure cooker.

Anyway, I plan to pick the blog back up full-time next week. I will post later this week with the Swiss steak recipe and a few observations from judging the rib cookoff at the Big Lick Blues Festival this past weekend.

Meanwhile, I had to chip in my 2 cents' worth on Nona's wonderful blog postings. Thanks a bunch, Nona!

I'm excited about the un-perforated dough because I make little pigs in a blanket several times a year. I love them with Lil' Smokies and dipped in both ketchup and mustard. Mmmmmm!! I've never had a party when they didn't disappear in a flash.

I'd like to try the new dough in some kind of foldover with a mixture of browned ground beef with onions and other seasonings. Like an English pasty.

As for chiffon cake, I'll bet it's delicious and not too fattening. Maybe you could make it and frost it with light whipped cream and strawberries or mandarin oranges. It's beating the egg whites that's a pain, but I've done it for angel food cake and if you have a cold metal bowl, it's actually a cool cooking experience.

It's Nona again, folks. Hope you all had a great, last-of-summer weekend. The blog software we use here is running very slowly, so thanks for your patience waiting for today's Fridge Magnet entry.

Here's some sweet news. Three bakers from Southwestern Virginia have been invited to compete for cash, eggs and bragging rights in the Virginia Egg Council’s Search for the Best Chiffon Cake Contest.

According to a press release from Mary Rapoport of the VEC, first-, second- and thir-place winners from 28 county fairs held accross the commonwealth are eligible to go to Richmond on Saturday to whip up their vintage cake recipes for a shot at one of three cash prizes and a hefty supply of Eggland's Best eggs.

Denise Murphy of Vinton, Joni Underwood of Pilot and Vicky Thompson of Salem were the winners from the Salem Fair. Denise won first place for her orange chiffon cake; Joni claimed second prize for her chocolate brownie version of chiffon, and Vicky took third place for a recipe titled "Nanny's Chocolate Chiffon Cake."

Which brings me to the question of the day: Do we have any chiffon cake fans out there? Even the egg council admits it's a recipe you don't see often these days. "Folks born after the 1950s don't seem to know of this delicate cake at all and have never even tasted one," the release said.

I have tasted a lot of cakes in my life, and this is one I can't recall.

The Food Network encyclopedia said the cake was believed to be created in the late 1940s by a professional baker. "Chiffon cake is distinguished from others of its genre by the fact that oil, rather than solid shortening, is used. It contains leavening, such as baking powder, and stiffly beaten egg whites, which contribute to its rather sponge-cake-like texture."

So it sounds like this cake is a cross between tyipcal batter cakes that are made with butter and angel food cake, which is made only with egg whites and no oil or other fat.

It also sounds delicious. I e-mailed the egg council to ask for the winning local recipes, and will post them as soon as I get them.

How about it, readers? Have you ever sampled, or made, a chiffon cake? If you have made one, what do you think and how hard is it to make?

This is Nona again, filling in for Lindsey while she's still tied up with editing duties. And once again, I am working with some promotional literature from the good folks at General Mills.

For years I have turned to a trusty tube of Pillsbury crescent roll dough to make a favorite appetizer: Pigs-in-a-blanket. These simple little gems are a holiday tradition in my family, and something I always liked making with my daughter when she was a child. We like to wrap up the sausages in so much dough we call them pigs-in-a-down-comforter.

But there was always a bit of geometry involved in slicing up the perforated triangles in the Pillsbury crescent dough, and inevitably a few of the little smokies only got the small, pointy tip as a wrapping. Pigs-in-a-baby's-blankie.

Problem solved. Pillsbury is now selling their famous flaky dough in full, non-perforated sheets as Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations.

No more smoothing over or piching up the dotted lines, no more short-sheeting a sausage. Now you can parse your dough anyway you need it.

I checked with a reliable source I have at Kroger, and they don't have this item yet. Post a comment if you have seen it anywhere else in the Valley. I am going to post some recipes that Pillsbury sent after the jump, including the mini pear brie bites pictured above, but feel free to share your favorite, fun family recipes.

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This is Nona, newsroom manager, pet blogger and food lover, filling in for Lindsey while she's tied up with some editing chores for the Extra section.

Lindsey brought me a promotional mailer this morning with several Chex mix recipes and my tummy is already growling. Look for recipes, including a harvest-themed cinnamon-apple mix, after the jump. That sounds like it would be perfect for tailgating or watching football this weekend.

Who doesn't love Chex mix? It must have been a genius that saw beyond the cereal bowl and recycled these little nuggets into a tasty snack perfect for parties or any munchies-appropriate occasion.

And as convenient as the mass produced bags are, nothing beats homemade Chex mix, where you can control the ingredients and make it as spicy, salty, sweet or savory as you like it.

If you have a fresh spin on the cereal-based party mix, post a comment. For more recipes, including a spicy mix that sounds wonderful, click here.

(Photo courtesy of General Mills Web site)

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