I give up. I just went to three different grocery stores/markets and could not find fresh sage and/or blackberries anywhere. My first stop did have the berries, but silly me, I thought, I can get them cheaper up the road and save myself the time waiting twice in a checkout line. Stupid, Caitlin.

So there’s something to be said for the conveniences of getting in your car and driving to your nearest mega-supermarket. Sure I love having a corner farmers market with fresh produce but sometimes I need immediate gratification. I miss Super Target. I miss Harris Teeter. I miss Trader Joe’s. And most of all I miss being able to go to all three in the span of one shopping trip, transported by car with seat warmers and radio and all! Not by foot, lugging bags, wind whipping in my face.

I was really looking forward to making Bobby Flay’s Venison with Blackberry Sage Brown Butter. I even made a special trip to the butcher for the meat. Now I don’t know how much more of a wild goose chase I can go on. No worries, I’m sure we’ll get fed. I’m not one to go without dinner.

I started this week with a kid-friendly (kid-created really) pizza/flatbread. It was easy peasy. But if you are looking for a recipe for perhaps more mature or elegant entertaining, I have another flatbread for you. And don’t worry, this one comes together in just a few steps as well. And the good news about this flatbread is that everything (minus the goat cheese, but even that has a long refrigerator life so I’m counting it) can be in your pantry ready to go when the craving hits! No shops-out-of-sage business here!!

First make your bread dough for the base. And while that rises, caramelize one thinly sliced onion. The key to a well caramelized onion is time. I usually start cooking the onions over medium high heat for about 2-3 minutes, until they just start to sweat. Then reduce the heat to very low and stir as the temperature of the pan reduces. Then cook for about 30 minutes over this low heat, stirring every couple of minutes.

While your onions are caramelizing, peel and thinly slice a sweet potato. Use a mandolin to get even slices if you don’t trust your knife skills. Then you want to just start the cooking process of the potato by blanching it in boiling water for 2 minutes.

Before topping your flatbread, make sure you drain the potatoes very well! Then start layering your rolled out dough with the potatoes and onions.

Finish this flatbread off with crumbled goat cheese, thyme (fresh or dried, whatever you have!), fresh cracked pepper, a good flake sea salt, and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.

After baking for about 10-12 minutes in a very hot oven, you are ready to eat!!

Sweet Potato Flatbread

1 pizza dough

1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 small sweet potato, very thinly sliced

2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Fresh cracked pepper and flake sea salt

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with 1 Tbs of olive oil. Add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until they just begin to sweat and soften, stirring frequently. Then reduce the heat to low and continue stirring until the pan and onions have completely lowered in temperature. Continue cooking the onions for 30 minutes, stirring every couple minutes, until caramelized.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sweet potato and cook for 2 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Make sure the sweet potatoes are very dry before assembly.

Preheat the oven to 425˚F.

Roll the dough out to the size of your baking sheet. Spread the onions and sweet potatoes evenly onto the dough. Then sprinkle with the goat cheese, cracked pepper, and salt. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the bread is golden and slightly crisp at the edges.