Thin Crispy Crust Homemade Pizza

                                             

My son just sent me this picture of him eating a Pizza that he made using this recipe! He only made one but said he wished he had made 2 of them! Way to go Jay!

My husband has been looking for a really good thin crust pizza here on the East Coast & just wasn't finding the right combo of thin & crispy with good toppings. I felt up to the challenge & took it upon myself to make one right at home. This pizza got 2 thumbs up & not a single crumb was left. This recipe is a version of The America's Test Kitchen's recipe. It is GREAT pizza! On a side note, I have been making this pizza without the refrigerating waiting time & the dough is still TERRIFIC! I also cheat on occasion and use Prego Pizza Sauce & it this pizza still knocks your socks off! I admit the original recipe is AWESOME but shortcuts come in handy!

The Dough:
3 Cups + Bread Flour
2 TSP Sugar
1/2 Tsp Fast Active Yeast ( If you are not waiting the 24 hour or plus waiting time use 1 packet of yeast not just the 1/2 Tsp. I have been doing this a lot lately & it works terrific!)
1 & 1/3 Cup Ice Water
1 TBS Olive Oil
1 TSP Salt
Mix flour, sugar, & yeast in food processor until combined. Slowly add ice water & mix in processor until mixed & forms a ball. Let stand 10 minutes. Now add oil & salt & process until well formed ball that has shine forms. Oil a bowl, by kneading slightly  form dough into a ball . Place it in the bowl, oil the top of the ball & cover tightly with plastic wrap & refrigerate 24 hours or up to 3 days. When ready to make pizza take dough out of refrigerator & let stand at room temp. for 1 hour. While that is resting make sauce!
NOTE: I have found that you do not have to wait to make this GREAT PIZZA! Make dough & let it raise to double just like normally would any dough! Punch down & roll out & it is still a GREAT THIN & CRISPY PIZZA! 
The Sauce:
1, 28 OZ. Can of whole peeled Tomatoes DRAINED
1 TBS Olive Oil
1 TSP Red Wine Vinegar
2 TSP Crushed Garlic
1/2 TSP Salt
3 Pinches Sugar
1 TSP Onion Powder
1 TSP Garlic Powder
1 TSP Italian Seasonings
2 TSP Parsley Flakes
Process until smooth!

For Meat Sauce I simmered 1 LB. of loose sausage in 3/4 Cup Water along with 2 medium sized onions chopped until meat was no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Drain & you will  spread  this out over the pizza pizza sauce as pictured below.


                                                                          
NOW TO CREATE YOUR PIZZAS:
Divide dough in two equal balls. Take the first dough ball & flour with bread flour & turn it out on to a floured surface. Pull & push & stretch into about a 10 circle. I now used my Pampered Chef small rolling pin but any will do, & roll out to make a 14 inch circle that is thin until you get to the outer edges. You will want those thicker for your pizza crust edge. Pinch dough all around the outer edge to get that pizza crust lip! Lift onto your baking pan. Rework the dough with your hands & rolling pin to get the circle size & shape you like. This was easier then I expected! I used my old metal standby sheets because my pizza stone cracked. BUMMER; but these cookie sheets worked better than I expected so NO BIGGY!  Now do the same process again with dough ball #2. 

                                                                                 



NOW THE SAUCE:
Divide sauce between the 2 pizzas, smoothing out almost to the pizza edges. YUMMERS!
Divide meat mixture between the 2 pizzas! MORE YUMMERS!
I used 1 8 OZ. can of sliced mushrooms drained & spread those out equally between the 2 pizzas.
Now Divide a 2 cup package of shredded Mozzarella Cheese between the 2 pizzas & a 2 Cup Package of shredded Pizza Blend Cheese between the 2 pizzas. Sprinkle tops with Italian Seasonings & Parsley Flakes as much as you like!

                                                                                 

                                                                              
BAKE:
I baked mine at preheated 450 degrees on the next to highest rack placement & the one below that for 18 to 24 minutes. The top pizza was done at 18 minutes & the lower pizza at 24 minutes. CHECK THE BOTTOM of the crust for brown crispy finish! The tops of my pizzas looked baked but the bottom crust was WHITE! I left them in a little longer & in those few minutes they achieved PERFECTION! WATCH CLOSELY or you could have burned pizza & that is NO FUN !    
   

This is just the right amount of toppings & the sauce is GOOD! The thin crunchy crust is just MMMMM MMMM GOOD! I have always liked thick deep dish pizza but this is a whole other pizza of TASTE & TEXTURE & I will be making this a LOT as my hubby LOVED it! HAPPY PIZZA PARTIES FOODIES!   
                                           

                         This is with peppers & Sausage!                 
                                                                                

Steamed Chocolate Pudding The Pudding that thinks it's Cake!

                       This is the pudding still in the pan!

WOW, this is my kind of dessert! Chocolatey with a cross between pudding & cake it is both & yet not either one. Delicious in pudding consistency with a cake like quality. This should be eaten warm dolloped with whipped cream but it is wonderful eaten cold too! Fun to make & very different from any dessert I ever made before. The basic recipe came from the web page called Not So Humble Pie & I did change it a tiny bit & I had to make it in a glass pan because I do not own a pudding mold but I think I will just have to go get one after making this! Give steamed pudding a try you will be GLAD you did!

This is the pudding unmolded & turned out on a serving plate!

1 & 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Cocoa
1TBS +1 TSP Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar Packed Tight
1/2 TSP Salt
1/4 Cup Butter
2 Medium Eggs Beaten
2 TBS Molasses
1 & 1/2 TSP Vanilla
1 Cup Milk I used 1%
1 Heaping Cup Chocolate Chips
Butter your pan (pudding mold with lid preferred) I used a glass 1 & 1/2 quart casserole dish that would fit down in my large pot that I could steam in.
Beat eggs, milk, molasses & vanilla. Sift all dry ingredients together. Melt the butter then beat it into the dry ingredients. Now add your milk mixture & beat very well. Pour mixture into your buttered pan . Butter a parchment round & cover the top of your baking pan. Snap on mold lid OR if you are doing this the way I did seal the top with a double layer of aluminum foil. Place something in the bottom of your large pot like canning jar rings (3) or metal jar lids or a round rack that fits in the pot. Now place pudding dish that is sealed onto the item you used for the bottom rack. Fill pot with water so the water level is 1/3 the way up the sides of the pudding dish. Place lid in the pot & simmer for 1 hour on a low simmer. Test with a toothpick after one hour. It should have pudding & cake like crumbs but not liquid! Take out of it's water bath & let cool ten minutes before dumping out on the serving plate. Serve warm with whipped cream! This is a truly decadent dessert!

                 A Serving of Steamed Chocolate Pudding!                                                                         
                                                  
                                                                                

Italian Garlic Shredded Beef for Sandwiches made in the Crock-pot!

           JUICY, TENDER, & FLAVOR PACKED this beef will KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF! Great for a crowd it makes PLENTY & OH SO EASY too! DIG IN TO A BIG THICK JUICY SANDWICH you will be GLAD you DID!

5 to 6 LBS LONDON BROIL
3 Cups Hot Water
1 TSP Sea Salt
1 TSP White Pepper or Black but I love white pepper!
2 Large Onions Chopped
1 TBS Parsley Flakes
1 TBS Garlic Chopped
3 Bay Leaves
1 Packet 7oz. Good Seasonings Italian Dressing
Place London Broil in the bottom of the crock-pot. Mix the hot water together with everything else except the onions. Place chopped onions on top of the meat. Now pour the seasoned water over everything. Cook on LOW for 9 hours. Now remove meat from the juices, remove the 3 bay leaves, & shred with two forks. The meat practically does this itself. Pour the juice from the meat into a large container, put meat back in the crock-pot to keep warm & pour back enough of the meat juices to make the meat as juicy as you like. This broth is packed with flavor & I like my sandwich SLOPPY but this is entirely your choice! DIG IN TO JUICY BEEF !

                This is the meat shredded & back in the crock-pot to stay hot for the family reunion we had today! As you can see it has plenty of the meat juices so it would not be dry & it SURE WASN'T!  This makes about 20 nice big sandwiches!                                                                                                                                   

Potato Smashers

Crispy, fluffy bites of SMASHED potatoes that you CRISP in the oven! These seem to be the rage these days & have their origin in Australia. Thanks to some good cook Down Under now we can have them right at home! ENJOY THESE WONDERFUL POTATOES FOODIES!

8 Red Skinned Potatoes or Regular White Potatoes
Olive Oil
Seasonings, Coarse Sea Salt, Paprika, Onion Powder, White Pepper, Parsley, Garlic Powder ... etc. 
Boil potatoes in lightly salted water until fork tender about 20 minutes!
Remove from water & drain well. Take a cookie sheet with an edge & drizzle enough olive oil to coat the bottom liberally. Place potatoes on the oiled sheet & with a potato masher, SMASH them down like you see in the above picture, not flat but almost flat. Now drizzle with more olive oil about 1/2 tsp. per potato. Season as you like with the seasoning I listed or use some of your own favorites. Bake in a preheated 450 Degree Oven for 20 to 25 minutes! Serve Crisp & Hot with any meat, poultry or fish! 
                                                                                 

BRILLIANT TIP !

         I just saw this on a friends Facebook page! Sometimes the simplest ideas are THE BEST! It is AMAZING when need drives the way to solutions. This lady found a BRILLIANT answer! Hope this helps in your cooking adventures Foodies! Happy Cooking!
                                                 

Twice Baked Potatoes!

4 Whole Leftover Baked Potatoes cut in half
2 TBS Melted Butter
1/4 Cup Red Onion Diced
4 Strips of Bacon Cooked Crisp
1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shredded
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
White Pepper, Salt, Parsley, & Paprika to taste
 Hollow out cold leftover potatoes be careful to not cut into the skins. Place the potato you scooped out into a bowl. Add the melted butter, onion & sour cream & mix well. Fold in the cheese & crumbled up bacon that you cooked crisp. Pile back into the potato skins. & place them in a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle tops with the seasonings. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes!
                                                                                 

Vanilla Cheesecake with Fresh Gingered Peaches as an Optional Topping!

    Cheesecake is such a GREAT dessert! Not as hard to make as you might think ! Bake one up you will be GLAD you did!

3 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 TBS Sugar
4 TBS Butter Melted.
Place the crumbs & sugar in the bottom of your 9 inch springform pan & stir well to combine. Add the melted butter & mix into the crumbs. Press mixture 3/4 of the way up the sides of the pan & across the bottom to evenly coat the pan. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven & fill with the following cheese batter:
4, 8 oz. cream cheese blocks brought to room temperature 
6 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
Dash of Salt
2 TSP Vanilla
Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar & vanilla & beat again. Add eggs & beat until fluffy! Pour into the springform pan with the baked crust. Bake 1/2 hour at 350 Degrees, lower oven to 325 Degrees & bake 1 hour. Turn off oven but crack open the door & let cheesecake sit in the oven for 1 more hour. Remove from oven & chill in refrigerator before removing the springform pan. Slice & serve! I will be making a Fresh Gingered Peach topping to serve spooned over the cheesecake & will blog that later! This is also great with Strawberry Topping or Blueberry Topping too!  

A SUCCULENT SLICE of Vanilla Cheesecake with Gingered Peach Topping spooned over the top! It was SO GOOD!

4 Large Ripe Peaches Peeled Pitted & Sliced
1 TBS Fresh Grated Ginger
2/3 Cup Sugar
1 TSP Vanilla
Dash of Salt
4 TBS Butter
1 Heaping  TBS Cornstarch
Saute Peaches  & Ginger in butter in medium sized saucepan.  Stir & cook about 10 minutes. Stir cornstarch into sugar mixing well. Stir the mixture into the simmering peach & cook & stir until mixture is thick & bubbling with sugar dissolved. Once nice & thick remove from heat & stir in the vanilla. Chill & serve dolloped over the cheesecake. 

 

THIS WAS THE CHEESECAKE LIT UP FOR A BIRTHDAY!                                                                                                                                    

Chicken & Waffles with Home Made Waffles!

LIGHT FLUFFY WAFFLES, but these are NOT for breakfast, these are for SUPPER! We eat a dish called Chicken & Waffles which is Chicken Gravy swimming with chunks of chicken, onion, celery & parsley. Ladle over crispy hot waffles & you are eating like a Lancaster County Pa Dutchman!
Waffles: Or cheat & use frozen premade waffles but they will NOT be as wonderful!
2 & 1/4 Cups Flour
4 TSP Baking Powder
3/4 TSP Salt
1 TSP Sugar ( if using these for breakfast use 1 & 1/2 TBS Sugar)
Stir all the dry ingredients together.
Mix all together the following:
2 Beaten Eggs
2 & 1/4 Cups Milk
1/2 Cup Veg. Oil
( add 1 TSP Vanilla IF using these for breakfast)
Add the blended wet ingredients to the dry all at once & beat until blended. Spray waffle griddle with cooking spray & ladle enough batter to slightly  fill the wells about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Close the lid & cook until crispy brown & puffy. Serve hot  with lots of the chicken & gravy over the top! BEYOND DELICIOUS! 

This is CHICKEN & WAFFLES PA Dutch Amish Style & a LOCAL FAVORITE! You can not imagine  how delicious waffles taste with hot gravy swimming with chicken pour over them can taste. WONDERFUL GOOD!
1 Chicken Oven Stuffer Roaster works the best.
Enough water to cover the chicken placed in a large pot
Salt to taste
Simmer chicken in salted water until cooked .
Remove chicken from water & pull meat from the bones leaving it in nice large pieces. Back in the pot of water add the following
2 Large Onions chopped
2 Ribs Celery Chopped ( optional) But a must for me!
1 TBS Parsley
1 TSP Ground Sage
1 TSP Onion Powder
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
Pepper To Taste
Simmer all in the chicken broth in  the pot you cooked the chicken. Simmer until vegetables are cooked & are tender about 20 minutes. Thicken broth with vegetables & seasonings using about 1/4 Cup Cornstarch stirred into 1 Cup Water. Add to simmering broth stirring well. IF you want thicker gravy add more cornstarch mixed in water until you get the consistency you wish. I like a thick but not to thick! Now stir the chicken into the gravy ! Check for seasonings & add more if needed! Ladle over hot & crispy waffles served with side dishes & you have a meal fit for a Dutchman !
TO MAKE THIS MEAL EASIER, I cook my waffles ahead a day or 2 & freeze them! Allow your oven to heat to 350 degrees the day you make the dinner & pop your frozen waffles right on the oven racks. Cook about 10 minutes & TAH DAH you have hot crispy FRESH waffles!   I also make my mashed potatoes earlier in the day & keep them on warm in my crock-pot! We ALWAYS serve the Chicken & Waffles with Mashed Potatoes, vegetables, pickled beets & or coleslaw & applesauce. Make a DUTCHY dessert & you are eating Lancaster County Style!