No Fuss Focaccia

I was all set to make a pizza recipe for my cast iron skillet, but I didn't realize that the particular recipe took so long to rise. I really wanted pizza, so I decided to use this recipe for focaccia and make it into a pizza. It turned out delicious! It was so soft and fluffy. I also liked the addition of herbs into the bread, yum! It also only took 1 hour to rise, which wasn't too bad for a weeknight meal!

Source:http://delish-blog.com
originally from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups (14 3/4 oz) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp instant yeast
2 tsp onion powder
4 tsp Italian seasoning

Directions:
Spray a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray then drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over the bottom of the pan. ( I used cooking spray)
Place the water, olive oil, salt, flour and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute. The dough will be smooth, elastic and sticky.
Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan. With oil or water on the tip of your fingers (don’t use more flour, you want the dough to remain sticky), press the dough into the bottom of the pan, nudging to get it all the way into the corners. Cover the pan and let the dough rise for about 60 minutes, or until it is puffy.
While the dough rises, preheat oven to 375°F.
Once risen, uncover the pan and use your fingers to make dimples all over the dough (you may need a bit of oil on your fingers if the dough is too sticky). Drizzle the dough lightly with olive oil and sprinkle it with the Italian seasoning.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then turn the focaccia out of the pan (otherwise the bottom crust will get soggy). Serve warm or at room temperature. ( I took it out after 30 minutes to add pizza toppings, then I popped it back into the oven for 10 more minutes for the cheese to melt.)

Becky's Famous Football Party Stromboli

I thought this looked very interesting and something my family would like. It turned out preety good. Next time I will use pizza dough instead of bread dough because mine turned out too much like a loaf instead of flat like the pictures show. This recipe is NOT figure friendly, so eat in moderation!


Source:http://livlifetoo.blogspot.com/
Serves 12-14

Ingredients:
1 – 16 ounce loaf frozen bread dough thawed. ( I made homemade bread)
¼ lb. Thinly sliced ham
¼ lb. Sliced hard salami (pepperoni) (I use Hormel reduced fat pepperoni)
½ teaspoon dried basil – divided
½ teaspoon dried oregano – divided
3 ounces sliced provolone cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine melted
1 teaspoon cornmeal (optional)

Directions:
Place bread dough on lightly greased baking sheet. Pat into a 15 x 10” rectangle. Arrange ham slices lengthwise down center; place pepperoni on top. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon basil and ¼ teaspoon oregano. Arrange provolone cheese over herbs and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with remaining herbs. Moisten all edges of dough with water; bring each long edge of dough to center. Press edges together securely to seal. Seal ends.
Brush dough with 1 Tablespoon butter; sprinkle with cornmeal and carefully invert so that the seam side is down. Brush top with remaining butter. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until browned. ( Because I used homemade bread dough, I had to bake it for about 35 minutes to ensure doneness!)

Honey Wheat Pizza Dough

It is no secret that I love Pizza! In fact, I could eat it several times per week if my family would comply! This is a really great pizza dough, especially if you like your pizza very doughy. It is not suitable for a thin crust pizza. I am not picky on whether my dough is crispy or soft, I'm just happy to eat it! I topped this pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms and mozzarella, but I think the perfect combination for this dough would be ham and pineapple, which I love, but my husband refuses to eat it :( If you love delicious and cheap food, check out the blog that I cited as the source of this recipe. It is a fabulous blog, you won't be disappointed!

Source: http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/Total Recipe cost: $1.51 Makes: one very large (16") pizza or two medium pizzas. Prep time: 15 min. Rise time: 45 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 1.5 hrs.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup
whole wheat flour
1.5 - 2 cups
all purpose flour (divided)
1 cup
water
2 Tbsp
honey
2 tsp
yeast
3 Tbsp
olive oil
1.5 tsp
salt

Directions:
STEP 1: In a small bowl, stir together the water (warm), honey and yeast. Let it sit 3-5 minutes or until very frothy on top.STEP 2: Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture. Next, stir one cup of whole wheat flour into the wet ingredients until evenly mixed. Stir in the all purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until you can no longer stir it with a spoon.STEP 3: Turn the ball of dough out onto a floured surface and continue to add in and knead the all purpose flour until the ball of dough is stretchy and soft but not sticky (about 3-5 minutes). The total amount of flour needed will depend on how much moisture is already in your flour but it should be between 1-2 cups of all purpose flour.STEP 4: Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray and place the ball of dough inside. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.STEP 5: To shape the dough, remove it from the bowl it was rising in and place it on a floured surface. Press the dough down into a large circle. This should be fairly easy since it was pretty circular in shape as it rose. Next, pick the dough up with your hands and transfer it to a pizza pan (coated in non-stick spray or sprinkled with corn meal). Press the dough out even further until it reaches the edges of the pan. Alternatively, you can pick the dough up and stretch it with your fists (this can take practice).STEP 6: Top the pizza then bake in a fully preheated, 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

White Sicilian Pizza with Flaky, Pastry-Style Crust

I would have to say that pizza is one of my favorite meals and I am always looking for new recipes to make. That is why this recipe appealed to me so much. I really liked it, although I think I should have cooked mine a bit more. It was a bit doughy. Also, the recipe stated that it yields 2 -10 inch pizzas, but I could only get one pizza from my dough. I also added mushrooms to mine because my family likes them. This was probably not my favorite dough recipe, but it was different and I would make it again.


Prep Time: 15 minutes Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes Bake Time: 12 to 15 minutes

For the crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and dusting
pizza peel
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (½ cup) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
2/3 cup warm water
½ teaspoon instant yeast

For the pizza:
Olive oil
Shredded provolone cheese
Grated Romano cheese
Garlic powder
Dried basil
Dried oregano
Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
Garlic cloves, finely minced
Salt & pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (or as hot as your oven will get). If using a pizza stone, preheat it along with the oven. If not using a pizza stone, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the cubed, chilled butter and, using a pastry blender or your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it is mostly incorporated and looks like coarse sand. In a large measuring cup or small bowl, combine the warm water and instant yeast. Add to the flour mixture and, using a fork, combine until the mixture is evenly moistened. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for a minute or so until the dough comes together and is smooth. Divide the dough in two, shape into balls, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rest for about 30 minutes.
3. If using a pizza stone, do the shaping on a floured pizza peel, if not, do the shaping directly on the parchment-lined baking sheet (flour as needed). Take one piece of dough and shape into a 10-inch circle. I just use my hands, but you can use a rolling pin if that’s easier for you, just use a light touch. With a fork, prick the surface of the dough and bake for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush with olive oil, and top with Romano cheese, garlic powder, dried basil and oregano, then top with shredded provolone cheese. Add the slices of tomato, the garlic, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and additional Romano cheese, if desired. Return to the oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and begins to brown. Repeat with the second half of dough.

Source:http://browneyedbaker.com

Chicken Ranch Pizza

When I saw this recipe, I had to try it. I was first intrigued by it because the sauce is Ranch dressing instead of a basic red pizza sauce. I thought that it was hands down the best pizza that I have made! I made a few changes to the recipe, such as omit the chicken because I didn't have any and I also used grilled corn. I think the grilled corn was such a great addition because I love anything sweet, even on pizza! Pepperjack cheese would be an awesome addition as well!

Source: http://annies-eats.com

Ingredients:
½ batch of pizza dough
¼ cup Ranch dressing
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½-1 grilled chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 tomato, seeded and diced
2-3 green onions, chopped
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
1/2 c grilled corn


Directions:
Preheat the oven and a pizza stone to 500° F. Allow the stone to heat for at least 30 minutes. In the mean time, cut a round of parchment paper the size of your pizza stone. (Alternatively, use a pizza peel.) Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal or semolina flour. Gently roll out the pizza dough into a large circle, leaving a thicker ring around the edge for the crust. Spread the Ranch dressing in a thin layer evenly over the unbaked crust. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Top with grilled chicken, tomato and green onions. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar. Once assembled, carefully transfer the parchment round and pizza to the preheated baking stone and return to the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browned. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Basic Pizza Dough

When I make pizza, I usually use whole wheat dough, but this time I wanted to make a pizza that I didn't think would taste as well with whole wheat and I wanted a recipe that made more than one pizza so I could freeze half for later use. I found the recipe for this one on Annie's Eats, which is my favorite food blog ever. Like every recipe on Annie's blog, this did not dissapoint.

Source: http://www.annies-eats.com/

Ingredients:
½ cup warm water (about 110°)
1 envelope (2 ¼ tsp.) instant yeast
1 ¼ cups water, at room temperature
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups (22 oz.) bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 ½ tsp. salt
olive oil or non-stick cooking spray for greasing the bowl

Directions:
Measure the warm water into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Sprinkle in the yeast and let stand until the yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add the room temperature water and oil and stir to combine.

Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Briefly combine the dry ingredients at low speed. Slowly add the liquid ingredients and continue to mix at low speed until a cohesive mass forms. Stop the mixer and replace the paddle with the dough hook. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, put it in a deep oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Press the dough to deflate it.

To bake, place a pizza stone in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 500° for at least 30 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Form both pieces of dough into smooth, round balls and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough relax for at least 10 minutes but no more than 30 minutes.

Working with one piece of dough and keeping the other covered, shape the dough and transfer to a pizza peel or round of parchment dusted with semolina or cornmeal. Top as desired. Slide the dough onto the pizza stone. Bake until the crust edges brown and cheese is golden brown in spots, about 8 to 12 minutes. Repeat with remaining ball of dough or freeze for later use.

Source: adapted from Brown Eyed Baker, originally from Baking Illustrated by the Editors of Cook’s Illustrated Magazine

Cool Veggie Pizza

I have been to several Pampered Chef parties where this was served and I have always loved it, but never made it. I thought that it would make for a easy and fairly healthy weeknight meal. It was delicious and my family loved it. I would recommend it to anyone beacuse of its ease and versatlity.

Source: The Pampered Chef

1 8 oz can crescent rolls ( I used reduced fat)
1/2 tsp mayonnaise ( I used light)
8 oz cream cheese, softened ( I used light)
1 tbsp Pampered Chef Dill Mix ( I omitted and used Italian seasoning instead)
You can use any combination of veggies that you like, but I used carmelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, chopped broccoli and chopped red peppers.

Directions:

Spread the crescent rolls onto a baking sheet and press the seams together with your fingers. Bake at 350 degrees F until lightly browned.

Mix together the mayo, cream cheese and seasoning.
Top the cooled dough with the cream cheese mixture and the veggies.

Serves 6

Tomato Pie

We were watching Down Home with The Neeley's on Food Network over the weekend. They were making a tomato pie that looked so good. My husband asked me to make it so I did. It really was delicious and so easy. It tasted like a really light pizza. I will make this again. It would be really great to serve to company.

Source: Adapted from Down Home with The Neeley's

Ingredients:

1 9" refrigerated pie crust
2 large red tomatoes, thinly sliced
8 oz part skim mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
Oregano
Olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Sprinkle some flour on countertop and a rolling pin. Roll out pie dough just a bit until it is a 10 -11 inch circle. Transfer dough from countertop to baking sheet.
Place the tomatoes and the cheese alternating between the two on the pie dough. Fold the sides of the dough over the tomatoes and cheese. The middle of the circle will be open. Brush the tart with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano.
Bake on 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Serves 6

Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza

When I saw this recipe, I knew that it would be in our weekly pizza rotation. It is really yummy and easy. The bacon flavor and the sharp cheddar really add some pizzaz to it. I would make this again.

Source: http://desertculinary.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

5 slices of bacon, diced
8 oz ground sirloin
1 c chopped onion
1 c pizza or marinara sauce
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
cornmeal, for dusting
12 oz prepared pizza dough ( I used whole wheat)
3 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
3 oz shredded sharp cheddar

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a pizza stone placed on the lowest rack.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate and drain off all but 2 teaspoons of the drippings.
Add beef and onions to the remaining drppings in the skillet - cook, stirring to crumble, until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are soft. Stir in pizza sauce and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer, stirring, until thoroughly heated through, about 4-6 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper, if desired. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Sprinkle enough cornmeal to lightly cover a pizza peel. Stretch and roll out the dough to a rough 12" circle and transfer to the peel. Slide the crust onto the stone and cook until the bottom begins to crisp up, about 3-5 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and top with the beef mixture, bacon and cheese. Cook the pizza until the cheese has melted and the crust is golden and crisp, about 10-15 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

My family eats pizza at least once a week. Sometimes we order it out, but I usually make it because I prefer it that way. I can control the ingredients and the grease by making it at home. Plus, it really doesn't take much longer to make it than it does to order it. My family also prefers whole wheat dough to white dough. Here is a recipe for a dough that is now my favorite. It is so easy to make and so delicious to eat. I made the dough before going to the gym and was able to put dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less!

Source: http://desertculinary.blogspot.com
Adapted from Eating Well

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil


Combine flours, yeast, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Combine warm water and oil in a measuring cup. With the motor running, gradually pour in enough of the liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.Lightly coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise about an hour, or until doubled in size. Punch down and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes before rolling.

*If you want to knead by hand feel free - knead for about 10 minutes. As made, this recipe makes about 1 pound of dough.

If you would like to make about 12 ounces of dough, here is the ingredient list to follow - the directions to prepare the dough is the same.
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water (may need slightly more)
2 teaspoons olive oil

Chicago-Style Garlic and Butter Pizza

I love pizza. We have homemade pizza at least twice a month. Because we have it so often, I am constantly looking for new recipes and/or toppings to use. I decided to make this recipe last night because my daughter had a friend over for dinner and kids will usually eat pizza. Everyone loved this pizza it was very flavorful and very doughy, which I love. I think what made this pizza so good was the addition of garlic and cornmeal. It is also a very sturdy dough that will hold a lot of cheese and toppings. Warning: It is not the most figure friendly recipe, so if you are watching your calories plan ahead for this meal. I paired it with a side salad to make up for all the calories spent.

Source: realmomkitchen.blogspot.com adapted from Rachael Ray

1 (1/4 oz) package active dry yeast
1 1/4 c lukewarm water (110 degrees F)
3 1/4 c flour
1 tsp sugar
1/2 c cornmeal
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 garlic clove, ground to a paste ( I used 2 garlic cloves mashed with my garlic press)
pizza toppings, your choice

Directions:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 c lukewarm water.
Add 1/4 c flour and sugar, stir together.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes
Stir in the remaining 1 c lukewarm water, 3 cups flour, the cornmeal and salt into the yeast mixture.
Combine the butter and garlic; mix into the dough
Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, 10-12 minutes.( I let my Kitchen Aid do this)
Lightly grease a large bowl, add the dough and turn to coat.
Cover and set in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour
Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan, then press in dough to cover the bottom and2 inches up the sides; let rise for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Top the pizza dough with your favorite toppings.
Lower the oven to 450 degrees and bake for 30 minutes ( Mine only took about 25 minutes)

Pizza Dough

I decided to make some pizza dough in advance for a easy weeknight meal. I remembered seeing a recipe in my Baking Illustrated cookbook that looked fairly easy to make that called for more than one serving. In fact, the recipe makes three servings, but I decided to make it in two servings because I like my pizza crust on the thicker side. I also substituted some of the flour for whole wheat. I really like whole wheat pizza because it is a little bit healthier and more filling.

Ingredients:
1/2 c warm water (about 110 degrees)
1 envelope (about 2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
1 1/4 c water, at room temperature
2 tbsp EVOO
4 c bread flour ( I substituted 2 of those for whole wheat flour)
1 1/2 tsp salt
Nonstick cooking spray for the bowl

Directions:
Measure warm water into a 2 c. measuring cup. Sprinkle with the yeast and let stand until the yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add the room temperature water and the EVOO and stir to combine.
Place the flour and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment and process to combine. While processing add the liquid ingredients until semi combined. Switch to the dough hook and knead for 5 minutes. When the dough is smooth and elastic take it out and form into a ball. Put the ball into a large bowl coated with cooking spray and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. You may need to let it rise for a little bit longer if you use the whole wheat flour.
I separated the dough in half and wrapped each half in plastic wrap and put each one in a separate freezer bag.