Pizza!!!

Eetz-a pizz-a paartyy!!!

These recipes are modified courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis on cable T.V.

Dough

• 1 1/2 cups warm water, plus extra as needed
• 1 packet active dry yeast (2 and 1/4th tsp)
• 5 cups flour, plus extra as needed
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• olive oil for drizzling

Put the water in a small bowl. Add the yeast and stir until dissolved.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. Add the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a little extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too sticky, add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. With floured hands, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drizzle the inside of a clean bowl with olive oil. Put the dough in the bowl and cover a damp kitchen towel. Set the bowl in a warm place, until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Punch the dough down, separate into 3 equal-sized pieces. Form the dough pieces into 3 balls and put into 3 oiled bowls. Cover each bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let rest for 1 hour. Remove the dough wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for up to 1 day or use immediately.

Arugula, Ricotta and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza

• Cornmeal, for dusting
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
• 1 packed cup (1-ounce) arugula
• Flour, for dusting
• 1 (13 to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Sprinkle a heavy baking sheet (without sides) with cornmeal. Set aside.

In a food processor, blend the ricotta, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add the smoked mozzarella and arugula. Pulse until just combined but still chunky. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 14-inch diameter circle, about 1/4 to 1/16-inch thick. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Spread the ricotta mixture on top leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the tomato slices on top. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until the crust is golden, about 15 to 16 minutes. Remove from the oven, cut into wedges and serve.

Caramelized Onions and Ground Sausage Pizza

• Cornmeal, for dusting
• 2 sliced onions
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 pound ground pork sausage
  
• Flour for dusting
• 1 ball pizza dough
• Olive oil, for drizzling

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Sprinkle a heavy baking sheet (without sides) with cornmeal. Set aside.

Slice the onions and carmelize in a pan. Push the onions to the sides and add the ground sausage to the frying pan. Crumble the sausage as it is browning in the pan and mix it with the onions. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 14-inch diameter circle, about 1/4 to 1/16-inch thick. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Spread the onions and sausage mixture on the top leaving a 1-inch border. Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 to 16 minutes. Remove from the oven, cut into wedges and serve.

Gloria’s Little Italy Salsa Rosata (Pink Sauce)

Gloria's Little Italy is a cute, family Italian restaurant in downtown Provo. Rebekah and I love this sauce. We found a recipe online from someone who talked to Gloria about the sauce (Russcooks.com). This is our adaptation and it makes a lot. I would suggest halving the recipe or planning on leftovers. The sauce also freezes well.

The Minestrone:

1 Tbsp. Olive oil

pinch red pepper flakes

4 large cloves crushed garlic

1 large onion

1 medium carrot

2 stalks celery

1 can chicken broth (or use equivalent in bouillon)

The Sauce:

2 large cans whole, peeled tomatoes and juice

2 ½ small cans diced tomatoes with juice

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped

handful fresh shredded basil

1 tsp. dried basil

1 to 1 1/2 cups cream

1. Mince very fine the onion in a food processor. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add red pepper flakes to bloom for several seconds. Add onion to oil and sauté until clarified.

2. Mince very fine the carrot and celery stalks in a food processor. Add carrots and celery to pan. Brown nothing!

3. Reduce temperature and add minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds. Add chicken stock and push to back burner on stove to simmer and reduce.

4. Put tomatoes in the food processor and blend, but don’t puree (just chop smaller). Put tomatoes into a large pot. Stir in sugar and salt.

5. Pour the minestone pan into tomatoes and simmer until needed, probably at least 4 hours. During this time, add in the garlic, more olive oil and, an hour before using, the basil and parsley.

6. Stir in cream just before removing from stove and return to serving temperature.

Serve hot over pasta (thicker works better such as Cavatelli) and sprinkle with Parmesan or Romano cheese. Variation: In the summer, use fresh garden tomatoes instead of canned.

Posted by Brigitte Wilson

Vegetable Melange

Hi. I subscribe to an email service that sends different recipes. Not all of them are appealing but this one looked good. I finally tried it out on Friday when Erika came by and we both really liked it. Elaine

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch broccoli
1 head cauliflower
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
3 to 5 tomatoes or 1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes, drained
1 (10-3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon each garlic salt and basil or 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Seasoned bread crumbs, to taste

TO PREPARE:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Steam 15 to 20 minutes. Sauté mushrooms in butter. Cut tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Combine all vegetables and soup. Cube 3 ounces cheese and stir into vegetable mixture. Add seasoning, mixing well. Spoon into a 3-quart casserole. Top with grated remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

SERVES: 8 – 10

Pumpkin/Banana Bars

These were such a yummy, moist bar. We had the banana ones at a baptism, and a sister in the ward forwarded the recipe. I sometimes do not like banana things, but these were GREAT!

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup of oil
16 oz. can of pumkin OR 4 to 5 ripe bananas
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon (for pumpkin bars)
1 tsp. baking powder1 tsp. salt
Frosting:
1 3oz. Cream cheese
1/4 cup margarine or butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin OR banana. In a seperate bowl, combine flour, soda, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Add to pumpkin mixture and blend well. Bake on greased sheet cake pan for 20 min. at 350 degrees. For frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Frost cooled pumpkin bars and serve.

Added by Julie Wilson Schindler

Lentil Soup

OK, so I'm not a sister, but hope you'll enjoy this one anyway

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 C. Lentils (brown)
3 C. Water
1 C. Onion, chopped (about 1 lb)
1 C. Carrot, chopped (about 1 lb)
1 C. Celery, chopped (about 1 lb)
1/2 lb sausage, bacon, etc. (cooked)

Directions:Combine Lentils and water in large pot, and bring to a boil.
Add remaining ingredients, cover, and reduce heat to a low simmer.
Cook at least 6 hours. Periodically add water as needed.
When soup is fully cooked, season lightly with salt.

Serve with fresh bread, or rice.


NOTES:

Meat can be added at the end if desired, but a richer flavor is obtained if added early.
Cooking time determines size of cut vegetables--leave larger if cooking longer.
Soup can be refrigerated and re-heated, and improves with age--second and third day are better than the first.
Brown lentils are preferred to orange.
Rice was not a common side-dish with this growing up, but I like it. Serve on side, and mix in to soup as desired.

If you want a story of some of the challenges involved in making this, checkout: http://zwoelfet1.blogspot.com/2009/04/making-lentil-soup.html

Added by Lowell Wilson

Lemon and Curry Spinach Soup

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:
1 large potato-peeld and cubed
6 Tbsp olive oil (separated)
1/2 cup chopped green onions or leeks
12 cups spinach-rinsed, stemmed and dried
1/3 cup flour
2 tsp curry powder
4 cups chicken broth
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice (to taste)
1 (8 oz) carton sour cream

Directions:
Boil potato in small saucepan using just enough water to cover. Cook until tender, drain and set aside.
Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in large saucepan or soup pot. Add green onions and saute until tender. Stir in cooked potato and gradually add spinach, stirring after each addition until spinach is limp.
Puree mixture in food processor or blender until smooth.
Heat remaining olive oil in same pan, and whisk in flour and curry powder. Gradually whisk in both so no lumps form.
Return pureed spinach to pan, stirring to blend, along with the lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
Place sour cream in medium bowl and add about 1 cup hot soup. Blend well and then stir back into the pot of soup. (I don't do this, I let everyone add their own dollop into individual bowls). Heat through but do not allow to boil.
Serve immediately.

Added by Rebekah Wilson Monahan

Brigitte’s Salisbury Steak

Serves 4

4 dinner Steaks (cheapest steaks)

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup (I used Campbell’s healthy request to cut calories)

1 can Mushroom pieces

2 tsps. Prepared Mustard

2 tsps.  Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp. Horseradish Sauce

1 Tbsp. dried Onion

Salt and Pepper

Combine all ingredients but steaks in a bowl and mix together.  Put steaks in a glass baking dish.  Pour sauce over.  Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and meat is tender.  Serve over mashed potatoes. 

* A variation would be to cook carrots in it.

Added by Brigitte Wilson