Pizza

I have found a pizza dough recipe I like, it is really easy and one batch can be stretched out to make a few different pizzas.

Ingredients
1 package yeast
pinch of sugar
1 cup warm water

3 cups Flour
1 tsp salt
1tbls oil

Combine the first three ingredients until the yeast gets nice and frothy. Add to the flour, salt and oil. Combine to make a dough and knead until it is not sticky. Let rise for at least 30 minutes or until doubled in size. I usually make it ahead of time and it rises alot but that is fine as well. Beat down and kneed a bit.

Now you can divide dough into however much you like. I made 3 pizzas and a few pizza rolls with one batch, but they weren't huge pizzas or too thick, you can always make it thicker if you like, just make sure the counter is nice and floured. Bake at 420F/220C for about 10-15 minutes until nice and melted and golden.

Here are some pictures of our latest creations.



Pepperoni Rolls, roll out place pepperoni, and mozzerella and roll up. I like to put olive oil and garlic salt on the outside.


My 'white' pizza, alfredo or carbanara sauce, mozz, garlic, parm and a bit of basil.

'Our' pizza, bbq sause base, bacon, ham, chicken, mozz

Matt's pizza, fried onion, mushroom, bacon, ham, tomato and mozz

Tortillas

Well since I moved to New Zealand I no longer have access to the number of tortillas I did in Texas. I have not been able to bring myself to spend $5 on 8 tortillas when $5 would have bought me about 800 tortillas in Texas. So I started making them myself and am really happy with them, they don't take too long and will last a few days, just cook what you need at the time.

This makes about 12 tortillas, so I usually double it or so.

Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt or just a dash will do
4-6 tbls shortening
warm water

1. Combine all the ingredients minus the water.
2. I use my mixer with dough hooks but you can use your hands, I used to do it that way. But cut the shortening in with the flour, until it is broken up a bit.
3. Slowly add warm water until you make a dough that is not sticky.
4. Divide into balls and let rise for about 10 minutes.
5. Roll out into torillas.
6. When ready to eat, heat a dry frying pan to medium heat, not too hot but almost.
7. Grill tortilla on dry pan until bottom is brown and it is bubbling up a bit
8. Turn over and grill other site, second side does not take long, a few seconds.
9. Remove from pan and keep warm till dinner time.

Naan Bread

Decided to try and make Naan bread to have with some Indian food. Found this recipe and it worked well, plus I had all the ingredients which is always a plus. I make it ahead of time and then cook when it is time to eat or while everything else is simmering away.

Ingredients

1 (1/4 oz) package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1/4 cup white sugar

3 tbls milk

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 tsp salt

4 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp minced garlic or garlic powder

melted butter

1. Dissolve yeast and a bit of sugar in warm water.

2. Once frothy stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt and enough flour to make a soft dough. I use my mixer with dough hooks. Once combined I kneed on a flour surface till smooth.
3. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover and let rise for about an hour or until doubled in size.



4. Punch down dough, and kneed (you can add some garlic in now if you like).
5. Break into small balls about 12-15 or less for bigger naans. Place on tray, cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. (At this point I usually stop and wait till I am ready to eat, they expand out alot but still taste great.)

6. Heat pan, and roll out dough.
7. Place a bit of butter in the pan and grill dough on both sides until puffy and lightly browned.
8. Remove from pan and brush with melted butter (I add garlic powder to the butter)

These may be a bit messy to eat with the butter on both sides but they sure are yummy.

This is what I had for dinner.

And this is what Matt had for dinner. He had Naan, sour cream, Tikka Masala, Tomato slices and then cheese.

Its amazing how I can make one meal and Matt and I have two totaly different dinners.

Blueberry Muffins

After recieving 2kgs of Blueberries I decided I needed to find a good muffin recipe so tried a few different ones and found that I really like this one. The muffin part is really fluffy and the topping is fatastic! Haven't tried it without the topping but I am sure it would still be great.

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
milk
1 cup blueberries

Topping
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup butter cubed
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1. Heat oven to 400F/200C
2. Combine flour, sugar, sald and baking powder
3. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup, add the egg and enough milk to make 1 cup.
4. Mix with flour mixture.
5. Fold in blueberries.
6. Fill greased muffin cups almost to the top and sprinkle with topping. I use silicone muffin cups and don't grease them at all and they are perfect.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes

Topping
1. Mix sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon (if using) and mix together with a fork or fingers till well combined, will be clumpy.