A Very Simple Pizza Dough Recipe

In New York, a city with delicious pizza joints on every corner, Nick and I became big Dominos fans. I know, it doesn't make sense - there was even a perfect pizza place on our corner, but not having to walk up and down 4 [steep] flights of stairs was really nice.. don't worry we always met the Dominos delivery guy half way! Although there is a delicious pizza place in Burlingame (and a Dominos) I was set on making my own pizza dough for us to have Friday night. Turns out it's really not that hard to throw together and makes for a tasty loaf of bread! 

Homemade Pizza Dough

Makes enough for 2 pizzas and can be made the night before or day of.

You'll need:

1 packet of active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 cup warm water

1 1/4 cups cool water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

5 1/2 cups flour 

(I used half gluten free, half all-purpose [ha!] but feel free to use whatever flour you're comfortable with.. just make sure not to use 5 1/2 cups of whole wheat because you won't get the nice crust you're looking for)

Clean Hands

To Make:

Dissolve yeast in warm water, let sit 5 minutes. Add in cool water, oil, sugar & salt. Whisk together to combine.

Get your arm workout on..

Add in flour cup by cup, mixing together as you go with your hands! Knead the dough for about 8 minutes, let sit for 2, then knead for another 2 or 3 minutes until the dough is smooth.

If you have a mixture with a dough hook, mix together for 8 minutes, let stand for 2 and then mix on low for another 6 minutes until smooth. 

Divide the dough in half and place each dough ball in either a zip lock coated in cooking spray or a greased bowl, seal and chill overnight or up to two days (I threw mine in the fridge for about 6 hours and they were fine). Take out an hour before cook time to let sit at room temperature.

You can freeze the dough in a freezer zip lock for up to two months.

Flour a counter top, roll out dough. Place on a baking sheet dusted in cornmeal and throw on your favorite toppings. Cook at 375 for 30-40 minutes and enjoy your homemade masterpiece!

Now, we didn't have any freezer safe bags and we didn't want to make two pizzas so we went ahead and made the second one into a loaf of bread... 

I floured the dough ball and placed on more cornmeal. Baked for about 45 minutes and then devoured at least 3 slices of the warm bread.

It also made for some excellent Saturday morning toast! 

Hey yogurt, if you're so cultured, how come I never see you at the opera? ~Attributed to Stephen Colbert

Cooking for two people isn't as easy as you'd think it would be. Leftovers never seem to get eaten before they go bad and I feel horrible just throwing them away. Not only is it a waste of food, but it's such a waste of money. So, trying to save waste and pennies, I was determined to find a different way to re-use our left our spaghetti squash (half of one!) from last night's dinner. Originally eaten under a meat sauce, I turned those little yellow strings into a nice side dish..

Spaghetti Squash Fritters

Pat your cooked spaghetti squash dry between 2 paper towels. Combine the squash with a dash of cumin, curry, cayenne, salt & pepper. Really, just go through your spice cabinet and be brave with what you have.. pepper flakes, garlic powder, Lowry's.. be brave!

Spoon your squash evenly into a muffin tin.

In a separate bowl, mix 1 egg with a few tablespoons of milk. Just eyeball the amount depending on how many tins you have full.

Pour this mixture evenly over each squash tin.

Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of each one. Pop into the oven (on 375*) for 15-20 minutes, broil for about 2 more minutes so the tops crisp up and enjoy!

So easy, there's no excuse to have left over spaghetti squash go bad!

Late Summer Zucchini Muffins

After Nick introduced me to Thrice's zucchini muffins, I decided to search for a recipe that could work as a replacement. Luckily I stumbled across Jenna's recipe on her blog Eat, Live, Run, these muffins were just what I was hoping for.. crispy on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside. By adding salt into the topping mixture, I think this became the perfect replacement recipe. Give them a try, just click through the link above for her recipe!

Summer's Perfect Pico De Gallo

I believe pico de gallo should be a household staple. The one thing that's always fresh in the fridge.. perfect to pull out for unexpected guests, a perfect topper to scrambled eggs, throw it on a burger with a few slices of avocado for a festive twist. You can't go wrong with homemade pico de gallo!

:: Pico De Gallo ::

8 ripe campari tomatoes 

(homegrown are always best, but in the store they're there ones you'll find on the vine)

1/2 of a large red onion

2 cloves garlic

 4 tablespoons chopped cliantro

juice from 1/2 of a large lime

 salt to taste

 

Chop everything to desired size and combine in a large bowl. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.. if you can wait! 

Enjoy!!

Love, like a chicken salad a restaurant has, must be taken with blind faith or it loses its flavor ~Helen Rowland

Although it's true that my family now owns 4 chickens - we just can't quit Mom's chicken salad. I finally pinned her down to get her amazing recipe, but please understand she's not one to stick to any actual recipe, even if she's come up with it herself!

 

Here's what we've come up with..

:: Molly's Chicken Salad ::

You'll Need:

 1 rotisserie chicken

2 celery stalks (leafy tops included!)

4 green onions

a large handful of walnuts

a handful of cranberries

garlic powder

celery salt

curry powder

poultry seasoning

black pepper

1 tbsp sugar

about a 1/2 cup of mayo

a squirt of dijon mustard

apple cider vinegar

To Make:

 Shred a roasted rotisserie chicken, they're easy to find in any supermarket! Set aside bowl of shredded chicken - seeing how much chicken you have will help you adjust your seasoning amounts.

In a large separate bowl, mix together chopped celery, chopped green onions, walnuts, and cranberries. 

Here's where you can't be afraid to mess up...

Add "a few dashes" of each spice and about a teaspoon of sugar. Feel free to adjust each spice to your liking.

Add in mayo, a squirt (or small spoonful) of dijon mustard and a "splash" of apple cider vinegar, mix thoroughly. Let the mix set up for a bit while you check text messages or change out the laundry... then taste the mix to what seasonings you may need more of.

Add the shredded chicken and mix gently until combined.

Let chicken salad chill for an hour or two, and enjoy!

Don't be afraid of the seasonings! It's best for you to add as little or as much as you want to create a dish that you'll really enjoy. The result may vary from time to time, but stick to the list of ingredients above and I promise you, you'll be happy with every batch!

Thanks Mom for sharing! I can't wait to see what other favorites we can get on paper!

A Tantalizing Tomatillo Salsa Recipe

Chips and salsa beat out any fancy appetizer in my book. Homemade salsa and chips? Impossible to pass up. We made tomatillo salsa this past weekend and the large jar has almost been completely devoured. As long as you have a blender, you're good to go. The process is such an easy one, you'll be able to whip up a batch in 15 minutes. Bottle up an extra batch for a special hostess gift or to keep on hand for unexpected guests.

1. Gather all of the above ingredients

2. Placed chopped tomatillos, diced onion, chopped seranos (amount dependent on how spicy you'd like your salsa), cumin and cilantro in blender

3. Pulse until all ingredients listed in step 2 are blended together

4. Pour your blended mixture into a sauce pan

5. Simmer salsa on stove top for about 10 minutes

6. Place back into the blender, check on the spice of the mixture. 

Add another serano pepper if you need more heat!

7. If you'd like your salsa to be creamier, add in a sliced avocado and blend until desired consistency

8. Squeeze in lime to taste

9. Let salsa cool and place in a large [recycled!] jar

10. Refrigerate for a few hours, grab some tortilla chips and ENJOY!!

Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with green leafy wings reaching heavenward. ~Terri Guillemets

Serve something sweet.

Spinach Salad

Complete with strawberries, goat cheese, and walnuts, topped with a homemade 

lemon poppy seed dressing

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

What you need:

2/3 cup Olive Oil (the lighter the better)

1/2 cup Sugar

1/3 cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 1/2 tablespoons Poppy Seeds (or to your liking)

2 teaspoons finely chopped Onions

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

What to do:

Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Store in the refrigerator for up to a week, best if served fresh at room temperature.

Enjoy!