Pizza Dough!

There were some requests for the Pizza Dough recipe that I used for the grilled pizzas at last week's Burke Area Farmer's Market. 

This crust is our kitchen's tried and true. Hubs and I began making pizza together from a Chef Boyardee box while dating and have journeyed through crusts both frozen and from a tube to find our home with this excellent homemade recipe that makes two thin crusts. One will keep in an oiled, covered bowl in the fridge for a couple of days to make an easy weeknight dinner, or par-bake and freeze for another time.

I have included directions for both oven baking and grilling. While you can use all the dough to make a thick crust with the oven method, I do absolutely recommend dividing the dough for 2 pizzas when grilling. The full recipe of dough is too much to easily handle when transferring and flipping on the grill. 

Pizza Crust

(makes 2 thin crusts)

1 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 packet (1/4 ounce or 2 1/4 teaspoons) Active Dry Yeast
2 1/2 cups flour, plus additional for shaping
1/2 teaspoon salt
olive oil
corn meal

In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine the water and sugar. Stir in the yeast. Allow to sit for 10 minutes for the yeast to bloom.

Meanwhile, in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a bread hook, add 2 1/2 cups of flour and stir to form a well. Pour the bloomed yeast/water combination into the bowl and stir with the mixer to combine. Use a spatula to push any flour from the edges into the dough. When dough has pulled together, sprinkle in the salt and drizzle in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. With the mixer, knead for 6-8 minutes, until smooth. Add more flour as kneading, a tablespoon at a time, if dough seems sticky. (This will depend on the weather and temperature of kitchen.)

When dough has kneaded and is smooth, pull out of mixing bowl. Coat the bowl with additional olive oil and replace the dough into the bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm (but not hot) place for 20 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 450F and place pizza stone (if using…we do have the best crispy crusts with a preheated stone) in the oven to preheat.

After the 20-minute rise, divide dough in half and shape into a 10-12 inch round on a floured surface. Remove preheated pizza stone from oven and sprinkle with cornmeal. Arrange the crust on the stone. (Alternatively, sprinkle a pizza peel with cornmeal and arrange the crust on the peel. After toppings are added, use the peel to transfer pizza to the hot stone in the oven. Hubs has perfected this technique. I have not.)

FOR THE GRILLED PIZZA CRUST:
Preheat your grill to high. When using the Traeger (smoker), I set the temp to High, which is around 425-450. When using the charcoal grill, I arrange the hot coals in a ring around the outer edge of the grill leaving the center of the grill for the dough to cook over the residual heat.

After the 20-minute rise, divide the dough in half and shape into a 10-12 inch round on an OILED surface. (I use a metal pizza pan.) Make sure that the dough is coated completely with oil (I use olive oil.). This keeps it from sticking to the grill. 

Transfer to the preheated grill (I can't seem to maintain a round crust at this point; mine always stretches to oblong. It still tastes good.) Grill for roughly 2 minutes on each side. Remove crust from grill and add desired toppings. Return to the grill just until cheese is melted and toppings are heated through. (You will want to leave the grill closed to hold in the heat, but watch/smell for the crust to not burn. It may be necessary to move pizza away from direct flame -turn off half of the burners on a gas grill, or move away from the hot spot on the Traeger).

ENJOY!!

Snobbery, Salad, and Bread Sticks

This past week a restaurant review from Grand Forks, ND became an internet sensation. 85-year-old Marilyn Hagerty submitted an earnest look at a newly opened and very popular hot spot, The Olive Garden.

I have to admit that my first response was to snark. Chain restaurants are not my thing. I honestly try to avoid them. There was a time that I was all about Red Lobster, Olive Garden, and Applebee's. Over time, I have evolved and my tastes have shifted. My snarky, snobby side wanted to claim that I was now better than all that.

Bullsh*t. (sorry, if that seems too bluntly harsh for you) 

Nobody is "better than all that." Some people are snobs, but that doesn't make them better. Ever.

I don't want to be a snob. Ever.

We all come from different backgrounds, have different tastes, experiences, abilities, finances, and even desires. Snobbery about food is, in a word, ridiculous. Of course, we all want healthy options that taste great, but snarking about a restaurant review doesn't do anything positive to accomplish that. There is nothing wrong with an enthusiastic review for The Olive Garden. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a meal out, even at a chain restaurant.

While it won't be my first choice, I will more than likely visit an Olive Garden again some day. I seriously do enjoy their salad and bread sticks. The vinaigrette is perfect with the crisp greens. The bread sticks are soft, warm, and garlicky without making you feel like a you have the breath of the dead after eating them.

Caesar Salad Pizza reminds me a bit of an Olive Garden salad and bread sticks. Brushing the golden, grilled pizza crust with homemade Caesar dressing imparts great flavor. Topping that grilled crust with a light and fresh salad makes a delectable, simple meal.

Use a dough recipe that you love. A soft and chewy crust can be folded over the salad like a taco (or a New York slice). A crispy crust can be held like a cracker with a garden topping. Thicker crusts might need a knife and fork.

Make Caesar Salad Pizza your own based on your own tastes, experiences, abilities, and desires. Enjoy what you love. Forget the critics and the snarks. Don't be a snob. Ever.

Caesar Salad Pizzas

(adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic

juice of 1/2 of lemon

1 canned anchovy fillet

1 pound refrigerated pizza dough (or your favorite recipe)

4 cups romaine lettuce, shredded

1/2 - 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Preheat grill to medium-high (we love charcoal, but gas is good, too).

In a food processor or blender, puree the Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and anchovy.

Divide the pizza dough into 4 portions.

Rub the dough with a little (additional) olive oil, and press to a uniform thickness.

Place dough on the grill, cover, and cook until browned on one side (about 3-4 minutes).

Turn dough and grill until cooked through (about 3 more minutes).

Brush one side of each pizza with the anchovy dressing.

Toss the lettuce and tomato with remaining dressing.

Top the pizza crusts with the salad. (Serves 4.)

The Things You Didn't Do - NYC, volume 4

As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do.~Zachary Scott

Our time in New York City was so very limited. There were countless things that we didn't have time to do. I didn't get to visit the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Time Warner Center, Magnolia Bakery, the Museum of Modern Art, Chelsea Market, the Brooklyn Bridge, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Chinatown, Tiffany's, the Museum of Natural History, and...oh goodness. I could go on and on with all the things I didn't get to do. However, you know what really makes me a sad panda? I didn't get a slice.

Pizza. I didn't get a slice of pizza. I guess I have to go back.

In the meantime, I will have to make my own. Brussels Sprouts and Salami Pizza is a new-to-us combination that has quickly become a favorite. The salty salami pairs really well with earthy Brussels sprouts and literally dances in a lemon garlic dressing instead of a traditional pizza sauce. Yum. I guess this will tide me over until I go back to NYC for a slice.

Brussels Sprouts and Salami Pizza

(Adapted from Real Simple)

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed really is better)

2 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

pizza dough, ready-made or your favorite recipe

1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced (I use a mandolin.)

2 ounces thinly sliced hard salami, sliced into ribbons

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450F.
Using a Microplane, grate the garlic into a medium bowl.
Add the lemon juice and olive oil and whisk together.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
With a pastry brush, lightly coat the prepared pizza dough.
Into the remaining dressing, add the thinly sliced Brussels sprouts and ribbons of salami.
Toss lightly to coat with the dressing. (BTW...this is a surprisingly good salad, as well.)
Arrange on the pizza crust.
Top with the cheeses.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until golden and bubbly. (Serves 4)

Saucy, or Not?

Hubs and I have a very important on-going debate. It isn't about balancing the budget, or funding education, or healthcare regulations. It isn't even about the new trim color for the house, or if I should cut off my hair again, or who should pick up puppy poo in the backyard. Our debate is of far more importance. We disagree on something so fundamentally basic that most people don't even think about it.

Sauce on the pizza? or not?

I don't care for a lot of sauce. I don't want a juicy pizza. I don't want tomato goo (even wonderful basil and garlic tomato goo created from my ripe, red garden tomatoes and lovingly cooked and canned by yours truly) squirting into my mouth whenever I take a bite of perfectly crisp, but slightly chewy crust (recipe perfection in the works) and whatever toppings are grabbing my attention at the moment. Honestly, in my opinion, the best pizzas don't even have a sauce, like Garlic Chicken Pizza and Roasted Veggie Pizza. I love a smear of the the unexpected as the base for other toppings on our Italian pies. Bleu Cheese dressing is fabulous on Buffalo Chicken Pizza, and pesto rocks on a Chicken and Pesto Pizza with Red Grapes. Sometimes, I brush our crusts with garlic infused olive oil and top with thinly sliced tomatoes before adding other toppings. However, I will concede that a good old pepperoni pizza must have sauce, but...PLEASE! don't be too heavy handed with it. As I said, I want pizza, not a mouth full of tomato goo.

On the other side of this debate, Hubs loves his sauce. Gooey, drippy, juicy, saucy pizza is his favorite. I fight to be the one that adds the toppings on our homemade pizzas to avoid his sauce dripping ways. If he starts pizza prep, I will stand vigil and warn not to add too much sauce and sometimes bark out unpleasantries if his spoon dips into the sauce jar once too often. (Really, I am not a tyrant. I just don't like overly sauced pizza.)

That being said, Eggplant Parmesan Pizza *NEEDS* its sauce. Sauce is an integral part of Eggplant Parm, and a less than saucy pizza mimicking this pasta classic just doesn't quite cut it. In this ONE instance, I must concede to Hubs' saucy ways. Please, just make sure your sauce is stellar. Don't settle for second rate tomato glues. Choose something wonderfully aromatic with garlic and basil and oregano and onion. Let the sauce cradle the breaded eggplant layer and be a bright contrast to the melty cheese. Sauce is the vehicle that balances the crust and eggplant for this pizza. You have my approval to...just this once...be saucy.

 

Eggplant Parmesan Pizza

olive oil

2 large eggs

3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

coarse salt

pepper

1 large eggplant, sliced into ½-inch rounds

1 pizza crust (pre-made or your own recipe)

1 cup pizza sauce (or pasta sauce)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 375.
Brush 2 baking sheets with oil; set aside.
In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 tablespoons water.
In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, and basil; season with salt and pepper.
Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating well; place on baking sheets.
Bake until golden brown on bottom, about 15 minutes; turn slices and back about 10-15 minutes longer.
Raise oven heat to 400.
Top pizza crust with sauce, eggplant, and cheeses.
Bake 15-20 minutes, until crust is baked through and cheeses are melty and bubbly. (Serves 4-6...but, Hubs and I ate the whole thing)

Grapes of Wrath

I think that Hubs thought I was punishing him when he first came home to a Chicken and Pesto Pizza that had sugary red grapes scattered under the gooey, melted cheese. Grapes? On Pizza? WARM grapes on PIZZA??!?? One taste calmed his indignation. It is good. Damn good. This isn't any ordinary pizza. It is the difference you have been searching for among the goopy, red-sauced, pepperoni pies. Don't be trapped with the ordinary. Try it. There is absolutely no wrath for Chicken and Pesto Pizza with Red Grapes On My Plate.

 

Chicken and Pesto Pizza with Red Grapes

pizza crust (refrigerated, frozen, or homemade...your choice)

1/3 cup pesto (refrigerated works, but homemade is best)

1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved

1 cooked chicken breast, shredded (rotisserie chicken or leftover grilled/roasted, whatever is in your fridge)

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 - 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

3 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

fresh cracked black pepper

1/4 cup green onions, sliced

Preheat oven to 425°.
Prep dough for pizza (pat, spread, unroll, whatever you have to do).
Spread pesto evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edges. 
Arrange grapes evenly over dough; top with chicken and garlic.
Sprinkle with mozzarella and Romano.
Top with fresh cracked black pepper. 
Bake at 425° for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. (If you use a premade crust, this bake time will be reduced until the cheese is melty and toppings are headed through.)
Sprinkle with onions.
Slice into 12 wedges. (Serves 6 average servings, but just Hubs and I usually eat an entire pizza alone.)

Batching It

I am supposed to be out of town right now. I had an incredible little get-away planned with some long-time girlfriends. However, my stomach decided that I shouldn't do it. It rebelled in ugly ways, and I wasn't able to make the drive to the airport, or catch the plane, or fly with the girls, or spend several days of complete silliness and total fun with some of the people who mean the most to me. I am stuck at home...feeling a bit physically stronger each day, but still feeling horribly sad that I have missed out on that joyous reunion. Being sick sucks. But, that is another story that I really don't need to go into here. Who wants to read about nasty bodily functions in a food blog?

The halting of my travel plans created a major change in menu for Hubby. Instead of spattering grease while frying up juicy burgers the size of my head, simmering cauldron sized pots of chili, frequently hitting the local Chinese buffet, heating corn dogs in the oven, and making the treat that the pups always look forward to..."Pupperoni" Pizza, I am here to keep order in the kitchen. I think he is disappointed. He actually does like to cook and play around with ingredients, and pizza is one of his greatest playgrounds.

He piles his pies (sometimes using a frozen pizza as the base, sometimes using a crust from a tube, sometimes making it all from scratch) with anything that he can get his hands on. He has a true bachelor style in the kitchen though, and meat always plays a starring role. You can't have Pupperoni Pizza without lots and lots of pepperoni. There have to be enough of those little spicy spheres to eat and to share with the pups, of course. It is the rule.

So...even though I am here, how can I deny him his pizza? However, I am going to go for a different batch on my pizza. I am going to roast up a batch of beautiful vegetables and load my crust with their garlicky, flavorful goodness. In the past, I have used whatever cheese I happened to have on hand from the standard mozzarella, to feta, to Monterrey jack. I do have to say that the Monterrey Jack has come away as the leader. It's extra kick of flavor really complements the robustness of the veggies. I don't even miss the pepperoni when I have Roasted Veggie Pizza On My Plate.

Roasted Veggie Pizza

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
5-6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 small zucchini, cut into thin slices

6-10 mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 red onion, cut into wedges and then sliced
1 3/4 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
1 tube pizza dough (or your favorite recipe)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

Preheat oven to 425°F
Use 1 tsp of olive oil to coat baking stone or pizza pan.
Spread out pizza dough and bake at 425°F for 7 minutes.
Combine 1 tsp olive oil, thyme, salt, garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion on a sheet pan and toss to coat well.
Spread into a single layer and roast at 500°F for 7 minutes.
Stir the vegetables and roast for another 7 minutes.
Sprinkle half the cheese over the pizza crust.
Spread the roasted vegetables over the cheese.
Top the vegetables with the remaining cheese.
Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned and cheese is melted.
Top with Parmesan cheese to garnish. (Serves 4-6)

Wedges

Wedges have been popular in footwear this past year, and even with ballet flats skimming into the spotlight, wedges continue to hold our attention. Last summer, I picked up a couple of pairs of wedgie sandals. This past fall, I found loafer styles with this comfy, easy on the feet heel. And, of course, I had to wedge a new pair of boots into my closet for winter. Wedges have been the rage with me. Tonight, they jumped right up onto the dinner table and onto my plate.

I started my dinner with a crisp wedge of iceberg lettuce drizzled with blue cheese dressing and a scattering of chopped green onions and fresh ground pepper. I might have mentioned before that I love blue cheese. It's creamy, rich taste is a perfect complement to the clear, freshness of the lettuce. It is also a perfect sauce on my main course, a wedge of Buffalo Chicken Pizza. Blue cheese dressing, spicy-hot chicken, and gooey, melted cheese top my favorite ready-made thin crust for an incredible pizza. I would wedge this meal onto my plate any day.

Iceberg Wedges with Blue Cheese Dressing
½ cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup blue cheese, crumbled
2 scallions, sliced
fresh ground black pepper
1 head iceberg lettuce

For dressing, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in a bowl and mix well.
Stir in cheese, cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
To serve, core head of lettuce and cut into 4 large wedges, spoon dressing over it, sprinkle with scallions, and season generously with pepper.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
2 teaspoons butter, melted
¼ - ½ cup hot sauce, to taste (I like Frank’s Red Hot)
1 - 2 cups blue cheese salad dressing
1 prepared thin and crispy pizza crust
1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a medium bowl combine the cubed chicken, melted butter and hot sauce.
Mix well.
Spread salad dressing over crust, then top with chicken mixture, and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Bake in preheated oven until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 5-10 minutes.

Pampering and Pizza

A friend and I have standing monthly appointments at an area salon. We travel to a nearby river community to enjoy an afternoon of pampering and being treated like queens. It might be a simple day of just hair trims and color refreshing, or it might include a treat like a pedicure, manicure or massage. Regardless, we have come to relish the little self-indulgent get-away. The friends at the salon make sure that everything is special for us, and we greatly appreciate all of their extra efforts in spoiling us.

Since I was out of town, I haven't cooked today. My plates have been filled by other people. My meals were chosen from menus that weren't my own. It is all still good, though. Lunch was a bright and crisp chef salad from one of our favorite stops in Chamberlain. Dinner was take-out pizza picked up on our way home to share with our waiting families. I chose a pepperoni with extra cheese, and the aroma tempted me all the way home. I couldn't wait to dive into that cheesy goodness.

Pizza is one of my Hubby's favorite things. I think that he could eat it day after day and never tire of it. We have made many homemade pizzas over the years, and one stand out for me has been another recipe from Cooking Light. Garlic Chicken Pizza comes together quickly with a premade crust and leftover chicken. The tangy sauce and feta cheese make this pizza a little out of the ordinary and leave my taste buds dancing. This is good pizza.

Garlic Chicken Pizza

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16 ounce) thin style pizza crust
1 ½ cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
1 cup chopped mushrooms
¾ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup finely shredded fresh parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine first 3 ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Place crust on a baking sheet; brush vinegar mixture over crust. Top with chicken, tomato, and mushrooms; sprinkle with cheeses and green onions.
Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheeses melt. (Serves 6)