Homemade Pizza!

Yikes!  It's been a week since I posted!  My last post was my menu plan, and unfortunately, it's been tossed out the window for the most part this past and current week.  We've had things come up that have made it impossible to cook, we've been with family for dinner a few nights, and then there have been some nights where good intentions only went so far...

The recipe I was planning to make tonight requires cream.  Well, I ordered cream with last week's raw dairy order, but due to a glitch in their new system, my cream didn't come.  So instead of running to the store, I rummaged through the freezer to see what I could find.  GOLD!  I found a batch of homemade pizza dough!  Homemade pizza is not as hard as you would think, it uses great ingredients, and makes everyone in the house HAPPY!

Pizza Dough:

Mix the following ingredients in a large bowl:

1 cup milk (make sure it's room temp)

1 cup water (again, room temp)

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp basil

2 tsp oregano

3-4 cloves minced garlic

3 cups of flour

Directions:

After that is mixed, mix in 1 Tbsp of yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Then add 1 Tbsp salt and another 1-2 cups of flour.  You want to be able to knead it and roll it out without it sticking to everything.  Once it gets to that point, you are ready to roll it into crust.

After you've got your dough all rolled out, you need some delicious marinara sauce!

Pizza Sauce:

¼ cup chicken broth

10-12 cherry tomatoes (or 1 quartered regular size tomato)

¼ cup onion (any kind)

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp basil

½ tsp italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all these in a food processor until well mixed.  Transfer to a sauce pan and simmer for 10 minutes or so to let the flavors blend.

Smatter some sauce on the dough and add your toppings!  My favorite are just cheese, pepperoni, and maybe some spinach.  Nathan goes for the pineapple and jalapenos!  Bon apetit!

What's for Dinner?

Two posts in one day?!  Okay, okay, I just can't help it!  It's the first time I've been able to spend any time in the kitchen in a week!!  We had one of my very favorite meals for dinner tonight.  It's an American comfort food that is even moderately healthy!  I say "moderately" because it does have some sugar in it, but even that can be minimal if you make some modifications.



Sloppy Joes (without the can!)

• 2 T. coconut oil
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef
• 3/4 c. ketchup (I use Hunt's because it uses sugar instead of corn syrup. One of these days I'll try my hand at homemade organic ketchup!)
• 2 T. sugar (I used turbinado, but I'd like to try raw honey or maple syrup when I have it on hand again.)
• 2 T. yellow mustard
• 2 T. vinegar (I use Bragg's raw apple cider vinegar instead of white)
• 2 T. Worcestershire sauce (make sure it is free of corn syrup like Lea and Perrins!)
• 1/4 t. salt

Saute the onion and zucchini in the coconut oil until soft. Add beef and cook until browned. While meat is browning, combine the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook sauce over low heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Once the beef is cooked, stir in the sauce and simmer over low heat for about an hour (you can do it for less time, but the longer it simmers, the more flavorful it is!), stirring occasionally.

Serve on homemade hamburger buns (or if you use store-bought, make sure they are free of corn syrup, like Orowheat). We like to add a side of sweet potato chips/fries as well.

better-than-store-bought granola bars

I love eating breakfast.  To hear that it's the most important meal of the day excites me, because I wake up hungry in the mornings and the first thing I want to do is eat.  However, the last thing I want to do is prepare breakfast.  That means that I either put off eating until lunch time, or I end up with a bowl of cereal.  Not so great.

That's why I am SO glad I found this recipe for granola bars.  I've made my own granola before, but never been a big fan. These bars are AWESOME!  They are chewy and crunchy, salty and sweet.  AND they are full of protein and healthy fat!  I can make up a batch during the day when I have the energy to make them, and then pop them in the fridge, ready for the next several mornings.  =)  I press them into a muffin pan and then once they've hardened, I pop them into plastic baggies or an airtight container.  They are crumbly, so it's easier than trying to cut them into bars.

This original recipe can be found at the Enjoy Life blog.

Chewy Granola Bars

• 3 T. Honey or Maple Syrup (I use raw honey)
• 2 T. Brown Sugar (I use Turbinado)
• 1 T. Coconut Oil
• 1/2 c. Peanut Butter
• 1/2 t. Vanilla Extract
• Generous Pinch or Two of Salt
• 2 T. Ground Flaxseed
• 1 c. Organic Rolled Oats
• 1 c. Perky’s Crunchy Flax Cereal (can be found at Sprouts and Whole Foods)
• 1/2 c. Chocolate Chips

1. In a medium-sized saucepan or skillet, combine the honey, brown sugar and the coconut oil, and gently warm over low heat while stirring until the sugar crystals have dissolved. This should just take a couple of minutes.
2. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Remove from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool for a couple of minutes.
3. Stir in the flaxseed, followed by the oats and cereal.
4. Now you have two choices here. If you want the chocolate chips to stay intact, let the mixture cool for few more minutes, and then stir in the chocolate chips. Or, if you are antsy like me, stir in the chocolate chips right away. They may melt a little against the warm pan, but I like them that way.
5. The mixture will be crumbly, but that is okay. Press it firmly into an 8 x 8 pan (use wax paper over your hand if it threatens to stick while pressing) or into 10 to 12 muffin tins. Make sure it is packed in there nicely, and then place the bars into the freezer to chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
6. Cut into bars or pop them out and eat. Store them in the refrigerator to keep fresh and from getting too soft.

Yields 10 to 12 snack bars