Friday, April 30, 2010

Homemade Italian Pizza Recipe
Pizza Dough
2 1/4 tsp. Yeast
2 Squirts from honey bear
1 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees. If it’s too hot to keep your finger in it will kill your yeast and not rise)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbs. olive oil (when out I use vegetable oil)
3 1/2 to 4 cups Bread flour
Cornmeal

Microwave water for about 30 sec. Dissolve yeast and honey in warm water. 


I use my kitchen aid bowl. Let sit for 10-20 min until foamy. Mix in salt, oil and 2 cups flour. Mix on low speed. 

Add in the rest of the flour. It should pretty much clean the bowl. I will stop and kneed it in the bowl to get all the flour mixture mixed in, then mix a bit more on med speed. 
Form ball lightly oil sides of bowl and dough turning it to coat. Cover with a dish cloth and set in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 3 hours (Until it is Double in Size). 
Punch down and kneed for about 30 sec not long form in round discs place on cookie sheet and cover with dish cloth for about 10min Shape out your pizza on the pans. Add sauce and toppings.  

If you are making bread with this recipe then shape your loaf, sprinkle corn meal on pan and cover to let rise (let double in size). 

Pizza Sauce
1 can of petit diced Italian tomatoes
1-2 cloves fresh garlic (or powder if you don’t have fresh)
Olive oil
Tomato paste & sauce
Italian seasonings
Sage (I know you say sage. I was adding fresh sage thinking it was basil and it turned out good)
Chop garlic sauté in oil add tomatoes, seasonings and as much sauce you think you might need then add paste to thicken up. Let cook for at least 30 min on the stove on low to marinate. Let cool add to pizza or use with bread sticks. So good.
The cheese I use is polyo mozzarella it is the best and I grate it myself. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese
add toppings and bake for 10 to 15 min. Yummy Pizza

Italian Meatballs for Pizza
1lb. ground beef
2-3 bread ends (Grated)
1 egg
Hand full of Parmesan cheese
Garlic (Fresh or Powder)
Italian seasonings
Mix all together roll small meatballs put on cookie sheet and cook for 10-15 min Cool slice in half and put on your pizza.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Easter 2010



Easter is here and I love to bake so I have a reason but just not a lot of time. So here we go! I wanted to make a bunny cake but I ended up with a colorful coconut cake. I usually use buttercream for almost everything but I wanted to try something different something more fluffy & lighter. I have to say this is one of the best icings I have tasted and pretty easy to make.




Off to making Easter bread for the first time. I think it turned out better than I expected and tasted pretty good. An all day project so start early!

The Easter Bunny has arrived!

  I just love their new hand painted Easter buckets.


Off to mom's for Easter Sunday.

 To see more pictures click the picture below


Easter 2010/Kylie & Ella Biking

Monday, April 5, 2010

Kylie's 1st Grade Class - Easter 2010

We had fun! I spent the day with Kylie and her 1st grade class. They went on an Easter egg hunt and had a Easter party and movie after lunch.
I wanted to bring something for their party so I threw together these peep cupcakes.  Who doesn't love peeps!

Click on the picture below to see more pics
Kylie's 1st Grade Easter