Pizza Recipe (It's all in the Crust....)

Ask anyone who enjoys cooking, and they will probably agree....a good pizza recipe is hard to find.  My personal experience with pizza recipes involves hunting through magazine selections, online hints, Create TV, cooking channels and a slew of cookbooks including Better Homes and Gardens.  All are informative and helpful, but so far my best find has been a recipe for pizza by the creative and awesomely talented Guy Fieri.  The recipe itself is basic and straightforward, and the secret to its great flavor is found in the pizza dough.  For folks who like their pizza basic (no chunky sauce, onions, ultrathin crusts or gourmet flavors), this is the one for you.  The crust is thick and hearty, and you can either whip up your own pizza sauce (using a tomato paste and tomato sauce puree) or borrow a quick-fix at the grocery (Mama Mary's is my go-to brand these days).  My husband is a meat-and-potatoes personality when it comes to food, so his toppings lean towards pepperoni (turkey), chorizo, or ham, and all of the above plus jalapenos, mushrooms and black olives for me.  It's also a fun twist to squeeze a little pepperoncini juice to finish the flavor (like Papa John's).   Eventually I plan on experimenting with dessert pizzas- currently on the lookout for a smores recipe, and a cinnamon apple streudel.  And maybe later we'll do a "stuffed crust" on the regular pepperoni.  But for now, this basic recipe works perfectly.  All it requires is time and good planning- while the dough is in its rising stages, you can be doing other things in the meantime while waiting.  Remember to start early enough to give yourself time for the prep work. 

Here is the Guy Fieri Pizza Crust Recipe, as taken from the Guy Fieri Cookbook:

Ingredients:

•  1 tsp sugar
•  1 cup warm water
•  1 tbsp (or 2 packets) active dry yeast
•  2 tbsp olive oil
•  1 tsp sea salt
•  2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (plus a little extra for dusting)

Directions:

(1) In a bowl, dissolve sugar in the warm water.  Sprinkle yeast on top and let stand for 10 minutes or until foamy.  Add olive oil and salt to the yeast mixture.  Mix in the flour (by hand, in a large bowl).

(2) Turn the dough on to a floured board (or a cookie sheet, if pressed for space) and knead until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Place the dough in a bowl that has been wiped down with olive oil, and turn the dough to coat the surface.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until the dough is double in size, for about an hour. 

(3) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide in half (for two large pizzas) or in four (for four small ones).  Form into smooth, tight dough balls, cover loosely with plastic wrap or a well-floured kitchen towel, and set in a warm place for 30-45 minutes.  *Note: at this point your kitchen will smell like a bakery with all the rising dough- just a nice side perk of baking at home :)

(4)  Preheat the oven to 500 degrees (or, if using a gas oven or high-powered oven, 475 degrees).

(5)  Uncover the dough, and press dough with fingers until it is as flat as possible.  Drape over both fists and gently pull edges out, while rotating crust.  Or, to cut back a step, simply smooth the dough and press it outwards into a circular shape, which will allow you to make it either thick or thin crust.  When desired size/thickness, place on a floured pizza pan or cookie sheet. 

(6)  Top the crusts with preferred toppings.  Our family enjoys the basic traditional style pizza: tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, Mozzarella cheese, a sprinkle of Parmesan (prefer the shredded style), a drizzle of olive oil, turkey pepperoni/chorizo, and other toppings depending on who the pizza is for (use your imagination- pizzas can pretty much use anything from chicken to veggies to fancy cheeses- the sky's the limit). 

(7)  Bake for 8-12 minutes.  Best served with Italian salad (toss mixed greens, artichoke hearts and Feta cheese with balsamic viniagrette) and icy-cold soft drinks. 

Ciao from my kitchen to yours!!

~007

 

In Bloom

Hi Everyone!

Earth Day seemed the perfect day to post my big news on my blog: Lucas and I are having a baby at the end of this year!!!!! We have a little sprout in the works- and these past few weeks have been one crazy ride!

March 23 was the day it all began.....I thought I was having my period, but nothing happened.  It was cause for concern, because I've never missed one my entire life.  I wondered if I was sick.  Then I realized something completely different could be happening.  I had one pregnancy test in the linen closet, and decided to "waste it" and double check to be on the safe side.  When I got the results back, it was confusing- two lines mean pregnant, and while two showed up on the test, one was so faint as to be almost invisible.  What to do?  So I drove to the corner drugstore and bought two more tests, then called my dr. to make a follow-up appointment.  I took another test later that evening, and it came back with the same results as the first.  That's when I started really going, "hmm...is this possible???" It was more than possible, it was probable. 

I wanted to break the news to Lucas in a special way, so when he got home from work I told him that we should take advantage of the lovely weather and go to the park to sit and relax and catch up together.  He gave me a look and said, "Are you pregnant?" I gave him a stare back, and re-iterated: "Honey, let's go to the park and enjoy this nice weather and just catch up."  He started chuckling and said okay, and shortly after we headed off to Lafrieniere.  We parked by the bird sanctuary, late evening, and sat in the car to watch a gentle rain slide down the windows, and the birds strutting around looking for bread and socializing together.  We sat and talked about the day, and then I told him I had some good news- then took the pregnancy test out of my purse and handed it over.  Then handed the second one over.  He said, "I knew it!" and we embraced and laughed and it was quite the moment.  Needless to say, in his own quiet and intense way, Mr. Lucas was overjoyed and very very VERY happy!!! The rain drizzled down the car windows, the birds outside called to one another, and everything was dreamy and lovely.

The next day, I woke up and immediately thought "Pregnant???" and took the final test, which came back the same as the other three.  What can I say? Pregnancy brain puts you off- I knew in my heart it would be positive again, the third time, but everything was so surreal I had to go through the final test.  Then later that morning I went to my dr's appointment, where they drew blood to confirm my pregnancy.  They promised to call by lunch since the office closed early on Fridays.  When I left, I took five flights of stairs back to the car, where I had time to think on the way down.  The stairs looked like an Escher painting, and as I climbed ever downwards, the news hit me: I really AM pregnant! And later, around 1:00 I got the call congratulating us on our baby!!! After I hung up with the nurse, I sat down and bawled my eyes out, completely overwhelmed with emotion.  Then I called Lucas, Mom, Angie and a few other close friends and family.  Everyone's reaction to the news was uplifting- each and every person I talked to was overjoyed, and it was gratifying and I truly felt the love. 

Monday was another big milestone on the journey to motherhood- I got my first ultrasound at the dr's office! It was unexpected- originally before my appt, I was told that they would be able to detect the heartbeat- but I didn't realize they would actually be able to view the baby too!  Mom went with me, and held my hand as we watched the photo of the baby appear on the screen.  It was surreal and amazing! The tech called it "doodlebug" and I call it "my sprout".  Then they charted the heartbeat, which to me was the very best part of all- the sound was like a stream of music: lovely, optimistic, strong, steady and determined.  The loveliest song I've ever heard.  A miracle.

We brought home photos, which I scanned and made copies of.  Its an incredible reminder that yes, the baby is REAL- because for a while I simply couldn't believe it.  There's nothing to compare pregnancy to.  Its a leap of faith into the absolute unknown, and my emotions have been riding a roller coaster ever since.  The first few weeks were so smooth, I didn't even feel different than normal (which really made me doubt the reality of the situation).  But now, after being on progesterone meds, and as the days progress, it feels absolutely real. The drawback is that the past two weeks, I've been overwhelmed with nausea, my equilibrium is off, I'm craving all kinds of unhealthy foods, and the exhaustion is immense.  Its a lot like having a severe case of the flu, and you just wait and pray for the sick feelings to go away.  I spent the past two weeks eating, sleeping for 6-8 hours at a time, and praying for the nausea to subside. I've had to cancel plans with friends and family, and couldn't even make it to the local farmer's market because standing up makes me sick.  Ugh!!!  Its been difficult- but I count my blessings that I haven't thrown up yet (knock on wood!). I read in the books and heard from friends that the worse you feel, the healthier baby is doing, so I hang on to that when things are really rocky.  And Beau, for the most part, has been a good nanny dog- he crashes on the sofa with me, or sleeps on his bed on the floor next to my head, and will pop up every so often to keep an eye and "check" on me.  Such a good boy!

I opened up a new website on The Bump, which I will devote to all things baby, since its special and should be kept separate from this Zen blog (although I'm sure baby news will infiltrate on here periodically!).  I'll post the link a little later.

So now its Earth Day, and I feel celebratory (if queasy, lol).  Once I regain my footing, Lucas and I will go to Lowe's and pick up a few plants and soil, and do some spring planting in the backyard.  The weather here has been unexpectedly, miraculously cool and spring-like, which is abnormal for our neck of the woods.  Abnormal, and completely welcome.  I have found that fresh air and sunshine are good for me and my little passenger- and today I'm going to take advantage of it as much as possible. 

Wishing everyone a very happy Earth Day! Celebrate by enjoying the great outdoors, and realize with each and every breath of fresh air, and the warmth of sunlight on your face, and the song of birds in the trees, that life is truly a miracle. 

Barefoot & preggers,

007

Luck o'the Irish

This was a great year for the annual St. Patty's Day parade and the Irish-Italian parade.  The above shot is of my  hubby and myself, mid-celebration, disheveled but having the time of our lives.  We caught such an incredible amount of produce- cabbages, potatoes, carrots, etc.- along with novelty items and beads.  The weather was incredible- a visitation of a "real" Spring (which is rare in the South)- cool breezes, mild sunshine, comfortable and humidity-free.  It's our time of year to catch up with friends and celebrate the change of season.  Its a time of luck and prosperity and plans for the future.  It's going home laden with vegetables, and putting a pot of veggie stew on the stovetop to simmer.  It's giving extras to the family that couldn't make it to join us at the parades this year, and sharing the bounty. 

Another cool footnote: my best friend and her little girl made it to the cover of msn.com on St. Patty's Day (the 17th)!!! A random photographer snapped their picture at the parade, and it appeared a week later online.  Wow- our girls are celebrities, lol. 

Wishing that this is the start of a lucky year for all you good folks out there.  Luck o' the Irish to you...and you...and you! :)

Andy Awaits...

Update: The good news is that Angel has found her forever home! *three big cheers!* She found another redheaded person to call mom, and is finally in a home environment and out of the kennel.  It was in the nick of time- Angel was very unhappy with kennel life, and this was the best thing that could happen to her.  Congrats to Angel and Rebecca- the dynamic duo!  Hope to see both you girls at upcoming Sula events. 

The bad news is that Andy, the second part of the lovebird equation, is still waiting to be adopted.  He has been living at Canine Connection for well over a year, and now that his lady love is gone, the wait is going to be immeasurable.  The folks at C.C. are to be commended for doing the best they can, but living in a shelter-type of situation is not the same thing as living with a family in a nurturing setting with more freedom (and more love).  Andy does not get out to events very often, so his exposure is limited to the internet or to those who know where he lives and can go visit him in person.  I met Andy about a year ago, and he has planted his pawprints on my heart in a special way.  He is a young white pitbull, friendly, affectionate, playful yet very extremely well-behaved.  At his last obedience class, he was picked head of the class by the trainer, a very big honor.  He is a gentleman on his walks and heels beautifully.  He is a gorgeous dog inside and out, and deserves a chance to be someone's best friend.  The ideal home for Andy would have either female dogs/kids/both.  Despite being in a kennel environment for so long, he has been patient and obedient even when playtime/visit is over, except to relunctantly drag his heels and look sad (understandable!)  So many people have said, "He's so handsome and sweet, why is he still here?" The only answer I can give is that he hasn't found that person or family he was destined to belong with. 

Let's all get involved in trying to match Andy to his forever home- he's waited patiently, and long enough.  If you know of anyone interested in adoption or if you are looking for a wonderful dog that will be your forever friend, please contact me at: paperdragon3@yahoo.com, or contact The Sula Foundation directly: www.sulafoundation.org.  Please spread the word and let's find Andy a home ASAP.  Thanks so much!!

Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made. ~Roger Caras

Taking a Break from Social Networking

In an amusing and funny twist, although I'm still actively blogging, I am taking a much-needed break from Facebook- that social monster and time sucker.  Due to internet drama (more than the usual), I'm retreating into my own space and pulling the plug on the wonderful world of FB.  I've grown weary of sitting and watching what others are doing, and feeling pressured to either compete for who has the most interesting status or updates, or to watch the minutiae of what everyone else is doing, their movements tracked by rolling ticker tape on the right side of the screen.  I wasn't having problems with any one person in particular- it was more of a collective aggravation and the knowledge that my minutes and hours were flying out the window like so much dandelion fluff on the wind of missed opportunities.  I began to feel like a caricature of myself, a carbon copy of a real person captured in anime out of real time.  It was the exactly right moment to get away from the social media feeding frenzy.  Time to close the cardboard door and open an actual real window to the living world beyond, teeming with unwasted minutes, clarity, unpredictability and activity. 

With the vast amounts of time I'll be saving from my FB activities, I plan on channeling more time on artisan ones- I just received the order I put in for jewelry supplies in the post (the real post! not an "inbox") and am currently in the process of making lucky charm bracelets and necklaces.  I will be taking more photographs of new places and people with my new incredible camera (thank you for playing Santa this Christmas, Momma!!!!!), and I will begin the next phase of my writing career next week.  I might even be blogging more about my activities- unlike networking online, the blog helps me keep track of moments, ideas and activity- what is actually getting done as opposed to what everyone else is doing.  More selfish, but more proactive at the same time.  Wish me luck!

Hope this finds my awesome readers doing well and thinking about how to channel less of their valuable time on social networking, and more time on their real world pursuits.  In the meantime, let's keep in touch- I haven't quite "left the building" and I value your thoughts and company.  Email me anytime folks!  

The Absence

I recently read a book by Peter Arnell called "Shift"- about rebranding your business and identity, and in it he talked in depth about Michelangelo's sculpture- the Pieta- of Mary holding the adult Jesus in her arms.  He talked about how the sculpture was not in proportion to how the figures would have been in real life- the limbs were not on a scale of real limbs, and how the artist used the carving away of space to make as much of an impact as the marble itself.  Basically, what was not there is as important as what is there.  In his book, the analogy was meant to explain that what you reveal is as important as what you leave out in your life.  It lead me to think about an interesting analogy of life and death based on a parallel principle- when someone close to us dies, it carves away a big part of our lives and hearts.  The absence of what was once there becomes unbelievably important to our whole identity.  The two- life and death- work in tandem to create the sculpture of this life. 

There is no Zen moment to be found in the ideology of death- but there is comfort knowing that what is visually "not there" is still relevant, an important part of our lives.  It cannot be taken away, and although death is real and tangible, it is just a world away to the next level, the beyond Here and Now.  What is invisible lives on, forever a part of us. What is "carved out" is as important as what is right in front of us.

"The Sula Foundation"

Although this isn't brand new "news" (dates back to last November), it is one of my biggest Zen moments ever and deserved mentioning on here: Beau was featured on Sula Foundation's blogspot!  Here is the link:  http://sulafoundation.blogspot.com.

To those of you who are unfamiliar with the group, Sula Foundation is a rescue organization based in New Orleans, that focuses on responsible pitbull ownership, and getting the truth out about pitbulls to counter-effect the media hype and false stories circulating about pitbulls being nothing but "killer dogs" who should all be euthanized due to their breed.  Sadly, the panic is widespread and has deep roots planted in fear and misinformation.  There are even states that have BSL (breed specific legislation) that prevents people from owning or adopting or breeding pitbulls. Most of the beliefs about pitbulls are fueled by ignorance, lack of information, misinformation and fear.  And many of the "bite stories" you hear about on the news involve blatant lies- if they can't find out what breed of dog was involved, they file it under the general heading "pitbull", thereby creating more unwanted drama and antagonism towards these dogs.  Pitbulls and the bully breeds have a rich history despite today's hatred- they used to be given the name "nanny dogs", because it was their job to guard and protect the young children in their human families.  The pitbull name even made an appearance on "Little Rascals" as a beloved member of the family.  Those of us who are privileged to own one (or several!) of our own know firsthand how wonderful these dogs are, full of loyalty and devotion and affection.  And lets not forget the famous pitbull owners who did not allow ignorance to factor in to their pitbull love:  

Helen Keller

Jessica Biel (3 in her family!)

Rachel Ray

Fred Astaire

Woodrow Wilson

Teddy Roosevelt

Thomas Edison

Serena Williams

Humphrey Bogart

*This list is the short list- and only thing these people have in common, apart from being wildly successful or history makers, is their love of pitbulls. 

Sula Foundation sponsors inexpensive vaccination clinics, free spay and neuter, provides factual information about the dogs, helps with the promotion of pitbulls both locally and nationwide, provides pitbull rescue/resources for rescue, fosters/provides for adoption of Sula dogs, and helps foster a general awareness of the importance of these dogs, in an attempt to fight the undeserved evil background that the media attempts to harness them with.

Sula Foundation is a charitable organization, and the champion of these wonderful, misunderstood pups.  If you would like to get involved please check out the website:  www.sulafoundation.org.  There are many ways to help out- by signing up to become a volunteer (helping out with events or exercising/visiting the dogs- many of who just want human contact and affection), donating money, buying Sula tee shirts and calendars, attending events or just by linking the website to your Facebook or Myspace page to promote awareness. 

(The link to Sula on FB: https://www.facebook.com/#!/SulaFoundation).