Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

it's proofing in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours... then make into little balls then i'll freeze it.  

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ok so the dough didn't seem the way I pictured the dough to be like... I was able to figure it out  and rolled it into 2 pieces, I froze one of them already rolled out ready for use and the second I figured I'd try it tonight.

here's my first ever pizza dough recipe.  (curtesy Amy P--- AKA: my cooking encyclopedia guru!)

-2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast
-1 1/3 cup warm water
combine the yeast and warm water with
-pinch of flour
-pinch of sugar
let proof for 5-10 minutes.

-3 1/2  cups flour ( I used whole wheat flour- you could use 2 1/2 cup wheat and 1 cup of white)
-1 tbsp sugar
-1 tbsp salt

combine in a large bowl

make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients
add the yeast mixture, which should be puffy or foamy and bubbing

-2 tbsp olive oil.

gradually mix together a bit at a time.
knead 10 minutes by hand
let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in a warm place covered with plastic. Keep it wraped until doubled in volume (up to 2 hrs)

Punch down
separate into 2 balls and let rest for 10 minutes.
meanwhile.....

preheat oven 425 degreesF
grease 2 baking sheets and sprinkle with corn meal.

On a floured surface roll out each ball to 12 inch disks. (let rest after 5 inchs then roll ore)

top and bake for 12 to 18 minutes.

The toppings that I chose for this pizza were

-sundried tomatos (they are marinated in olive oil)
-fresh cherry tomatos
-long skinny peppers (they are not spicey)
-pickled hot peppers

only thing missing were the OLIVES. :(   :(

This is the size of the dough before cut in half.

Rolled out - not entirely however, it is a nice size. 

I could smell the pizza cooking- it smells so good.

It is crisping really well however I'll have to thin out the dough somewhat next time.

I am really enjoying this slice.  The crust is crispy and soft inside.  I'm a happy camper.  

Pizza dough is easy to make and fun-- even when your hands are real sticky. :)

today's dinner...

I bought Bulgur wheat for the first time the other day- first  time around making it I made it wronge--  Yes I know, I didn't remember the conversation I had with a friend that it's 2 & 1/2 cups of boiling water to 1 cup of Bulgur.... hense 1:1 wasn't a good idea.  DIDN'T TASTE SO GOOD.

Second time around, I decided to make it as tabule... It turned out really well.

I'll post my lunch tomorrow.  

I also bought whole wheat floure to make pizza dough.  ha ah, we'll see how that goes.

Next order, Tofu something or other.

My goal this week, from tonight to next sunday would be to have zero meat...  MMM not sure I could do it.

a new discovery

there is this little fruit store that I go into all the time. They have a nice selection of dried beans and rices as well as okra. I can't seem to find okra at my local grocery store :( so, this little fruit store carries my cravings.
I came across some swiss chard - didn't know what it was until I asked the clerk behind the desk. The swiss chard had beautiful vibrant red stalks and large crinkley dark green leaves with dark red veins running through them.

I got home happy with my find and began my search. I knew I read a recipe in one of my cook books that I have - sad to say that I didn't have one recipe for swiss chard. Next order of business- the Internet. I found a recipe for this swiss chard and was really surprised at how easy the recipe is. Here is the swiss chard recipe that I found and made.

little things

I find that when little things get me down, I want to cook. The title of this blog has been my moto for a little while now and although I don't always have the time to post a message, I am constantly looking for new recipes or new ways to revamp an old one. Today, I had brunch with a few good friends and had a wonderful time however, I was in a weird mood. Don't know why? So, after coping a lift home, I tried to nap- didn't happen. All I kept thinking about was what I want to cook.

I recently bought three cook books and with in these three cookbooks there was bound to be something right? Nothing struck my fancy. I though I could mix and match- yup you guessed it, Portuguese cuisine with Turish cuisine, weird huh? I don't think so because these two types of cuisine are basically the fundamentals of my cravings and diet.

I've taken out a blade roast out of the freezer with some hot Portuguese sausage that I had left over from the chili I made last week. Portuguese sausage freezes well and can be used in all sorts of recipes.

My dinner for tonight:

Blade roast,
potatos,
tomatos (stewed)
garlic,
onions
eggplant
chorizo (portuguese sausage),
dried dill
bay leaf
a bit of olive oil

I'll put it in the oven on 350 degrees - in a oven roaster covered and roast it until the potatos are cooked though then remove the lid to brown them.

I'll give it a go and post a photo.

another cookbook

I recieved the last of the 3 cookbooks I ordered with a gift certificate from my birthday. It is a Turkish cookbook called
Turkish Cookbook: Authentic Culinary Traditions from Turkey by Bade Jackson.

I spent a couple of hours looking at it when I was at the hospital with my dad today- There are many recipes that I will try and will cook frequently, I assure you.

There are a few vegetarian dishes that are a must as well as all of the eggplant and zucchini recipes that are mouth watering.

WIll post the first recipe when I buy some Lamb.
My new favorite meat.

Amy's famous Chili Recipe (with a flare from me)

Ok so I've been bugging my friend Amy for her chili recipe... This is Amy's recipe- I believe it is a simple vegetarian recipe however I've added some extra stuff.

Amy's Three Bean Chili Recipe


1 can (28 oz) tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp each dried oregano and ground cumin
1/2 tsp each salt, pepper and sugar
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk each carrot and celery
1 can each (19 oz) kidney beans, blackbeans and chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small can of corn

(With this kind of recipe you can mix it up if you want. I'd add crushed chilis and cayenne pepper. Use 2 onions if you want, or skip the celery, or whatever.)

-Pour tomatoes into the crock-pot. Mush them a bit with a fork. Add everything else and stir. Cover and cook on low until thick enough to mount on a spoon, about 4-6 hours.

My recipe didn't have carrots or corn (I forgot them-oops!)
Shannon's chili recipe (adapted from Amy's 3 bean chili)

1 large can ao diced tomatos
1 small can tomato paste
a couple dashes or shakes of chili powder
1 shake/dash of cumin (as I am not a cumin fan)
a couple dashes/shakes of paprika
small amount of portugues hot pepper mix (ground in mortar/pestal) for taste just throw that in...
2 large cloves garlic smashed and chopped

1/2 of a large (really Large) onion
1 celery stalk cut into slivers (halved then halved again) then choped
2 cans of kidney beans

1 medium package of minced meat (lean preferably)
I also threw in a 1/4 of a portugues chrorice (Sausage) hot. peeled, choped up and sauted with the minced meat for flavor
also I fried out some bacon (3 pieces halved and fried 5-6 pieces in total)

I sauteed some onions celery and the garlic
saute the minced meat
throw in the portugues sausage
chop up the bacon, mix in with meat and sausage cover on low heat to keep warm I guess

in the croc pot add the diced tomatos, garlic, tomato paste, stur it around to mix
add the beans, I chose the kidney beens only, stir again
add the meat mixture and stir it up.

I added some more juice from another can of tomatos to add liquid to the mixture.
I set the croc pot on high and there you have it.

I have posted on my facebook page that I was making Chili and I have a list of people wanting a bowl. If it turns out I will make more as it is alot easier to do than I originally thought.

I'm just hopeing that the Bacon adds a nice flavor to the portugues sausage and minced meat. If it doesn't I will add one or the other.

Next order of business- tofu chili.

I will put up a picture I promise.

Long time no see

I've been out of commission for a few months - I've since graduated from University and other life stuff is happening all at the same time.

I am bored now with no papers to write or tests to study for- I've decided to continue on my quest for making food that I haven't cooked before. Well recipes i haven't tried before. I have recieved a great cook book from my best friend and her better half at christmas:

Cooking with Jamie: it's a wonderful book to have on your book shelf and an excellent book for those who are just starting out - learning to cook. It gives ample advice and techniques on how to chop, freeze and store foodstuffs. Wonderful.

I have yet to try any of the recipes--- I'm excited to try most of them- even some of the fish ones... hence I dislike fish.. I will try one of the salmon ones and maybe a cod one...

But first, I have two recipes to try-

Amy's famous chili recipe that I have asked her for three hundred times and her pizza doe recipe.

My first one would be the chili recipe because I've had the chili at the pub "Murphy's chili" and let me tell you I want to make it. Plus, not to mention that I have a slow cooker thingy to use it for. Yeay for that.

I will find my recipe and make it during the week. I promise that I won't leave you hanging this time. I will make that recipe and post it here.

Another thing that I want to do is enter a contest :

Leite's Culinaria is hosting a contest and i'd like a stab at it. Do you think I could do it? I will try.

This is the recipe I want to try

Vinegar-Glossed Chicken

apart from that I have a long TO DO list.
-fix spice cabinet
-up date my spice containers, I want mason jars for my spices

that's it for now.