We've spent much of this week tidying up and visiting people, especially Daughters #1 and #2. The Mama still shares far too many reports on her internal workings for my taste. I've also heard plenty about Terrible Events -- she is a big fan of reporting deaths, awful sicknesses, accidents and such. But we seem to be adjusting some to dealing with it. (Staying up late and sleeping in helps.)
She does make terrific sugar cookies.
Tonight, to celebrate New Year's Eve, we'll have homemade pizza while we watch cowboy movies.
PIZZA, BRICK-STYLE
Crust: 2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
Mix all ingredients for the crust; add extra flour, if needed, while you knead the dough. It can be used right away -- for even better results, let rise for as little as 30 minutes, or up to all day. (Cover the dough bowl with a damp towel.)
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread dough out on a greased large pizza or 9 x 13 pan. Let bake for about 10 min., until dough is firm and starting to brown. Now add:
Toppings: 1-1 1/2 cups of pizza or spaghetti sauce
(be sparing - too much sauce, and the pizza gets 'mucky')
1 tablespoon pizza or spaghetti spices
Your choice of:
chopped ham
sliced sausage
hamburger (brown first)
diced shrimp
chopped chicken
sliced pepperoni
sliced mushrooms
chopped peppers
sliced black olives
chopped onion
(a handful or cup of each - good place to use leftovers, or 'skimmed' items)
And for the finale:
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Sprinkle over the pizza crust. Now here's the important part: slide the pizza off the pan, straight onto the oven rack. Let bake an additional 10-15 min., until crust is brown, cheese is melted and toppings are bubbling. Slide back onto the pan as you take the pizza out of the oven, and slice. Tear into your delicious treat! Makes about 2 pizzas, feeding 4-6, depending on how thick you like your crust.
This is also delicious, done Swiss-style: instead of spaghetti sauce, brush cream cheese or ranch dressing (or a mixture of both) on the crust. Choose from chopped ham, onion, mushrooms, olives, peppers, even celery -- and top with grated Swiss or mozzarella cheese.
Frugal Upstate has a good pizza recipe, too -- but uses cornmeal. I like the tang that sesame seeds add to the crust. Another variation: pull off small handfuls of pizza dough, then fold around pieces of cheese and pepperoni slices, monkey bread-style. Recipe's here.
Happy New Year to you everywhere!
(I'll be back soon with year-end reports. But the pizza calls...)
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