Month: November 2011

  • Pizza Magherita {Recipe}

     

    It would be so nice to be able to make our own pizza would be amazing and a great fit into our new budget with a baby on the way.  I really would like to be a SAHM and am willing to do anything and everything I can to accomplish that.  And if that means making homemade meals every night, couponing religiously, and giving freezer-cooking a go, then that is what I have to do, and will do.  No more ordering pizza twice a week, or eating out other than for special occasions to keep that money in the bank!  Trying to look for other avenues at making money other than having to work outside the home is now becoming my 2nd part-time job.  You might see lots of new recipes on here (if you couldn't tell already) that I want to try and introduce into our monthly menu plan (that we've recently tried and failed pretty miserably at I might add).

    This pizza recipe might just give my hubby a new spark in trying this menu plan a go!

    *crosses fingers*

    ingredients

    • 1 cup warm water (100° to 110°), divided
    • 10 ounce bread flour (about 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
    • 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
    • 4 teaspoons olive oil
    • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
    • Cooking spray
    • 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
    • 3/4 cup Basic Pizza Sauce
    • 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
    • 1/3 cup small fresh basil leaves

    Preparation

    • 1. Pour 3/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and spoons; level with a knife. Add flour to 3/4 cup water; mix until combined. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Combine remaining 1/4 cup water and yeast in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add yeast mixture, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to flour mixture; mix 5 minutes or until a soft dough forms. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; cover surface of dough with plastic wrap lightly coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate 24 hours.
    • 2. Remove dough from refrigerator. Let stand, covered, 1 hour or until dough comes to room temperature. Punch dough down. Press dough out to a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured baking sheet, without raised sides, sprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges to form a 1/2-inch border. Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap.
    • 3. Position an oven rack in the lowest setting. Place a pizza stone on lowest rack. Preheat oven to 550°. Preheat the pizza stone for 30 minutes before baking dough.
    • 4. Remove plastic wrap from dough. Sprinkle dough with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread Basic Pizza Sauce evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Arrange cheese slices evenly over pizza. Slide pizza onto preheated pizza stone, using a spatula as a guide. Bake at 550° for 11 minutes or until the crust is golden. Cut pizza into 10 wedges, and sprinkle evenly with basil.

    Found the recipe HERE.

    Doesn't it look uber yummy?!

    ,

    itty

     

  • Meat Sauce {Recipe}

     

    I've dying to give it a go at making my own spaghetti sauce, did a little research and found this recipe which sounds fantastic, and got some pretty rave reviews.  I doubt I'll ever follow the recipe exactly and include all the meats they recommend throwing in it, but it sounds like a great starter meat sauce!  So tired of buying canned sauces!

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, sliced
    • 1 pound round steak, cubed
    • 1 pound veal, cubed
    • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
    • 2 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
    • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
    • 1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
     

    Directions

    1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the sausage, round steak, and veal 10 minutes, until evenly browned. Remove meat from skillet and drain, reserving about 1 tablespoon drippings.
    2. Stir the garlic into the skillet with the reserved meat drippings, and cook about 3 minutes over medium heat. Place the crushed tomatoes into the skillet. Season with Italian seasoning, bay leaf, garlic powder, oregano, pepper, and parsley. Cook 15 minutes.
    3. Mix the tomato sauce into the skillet, and continue cooking 15 minutes.
    4. Return the meat to the skillet. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

     Can't wait to try it out!  Going to try and make it tonight.  I don't have everything on hand (garlic cloves, bay leaf, etc.) but I'll try and make due with what I've got!  Frugality here I come!

    Any of you have a great meat sauce recipe you think I should try??

    I found the recipe HERE.

    =drooling=

    -ib-

  • The Big News

     

    The reason I've been MIA the past couple months...

    Busy growing a gremlin.

    It's a boy!!

    ,

    ib