.Homemade Pizza.

So this is Pizza 101. Start to Finish.

Not that I'm an expert or anything, but we sure do enjoy making a homemade pizza around here every now and again (especially since the husband is into making his very own pizza dough. And it seriously rocks.
I know right. I so lucked out with him).

So anyways, since I'm having a hankering for some doughy goodness, I thought I'd give it a whirl. My turn at a thin, crispy + chewy crust baked to perfection (or we hope at least).

Wish me luck.
***See note at bottom of page.....Things didn't go totally according to plan***

No-knead pizza dough
Adapted from http://www.foodhappy.com/ , where it was adapted from Jim Lahey, Co.
Makes 3-4 medium pizzas (see note below)

Ingredients3 cups all purpose flour
¼ tsp instant yeast
1½ tsp salt
1½ cups warm water

Directions1. Whisk the first three ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour in water and stir until combined (dough will be sticky). Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at warm room temperature for 12 - 24 hours.
2. After dough has rested, transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Dust dough with bit of flour and fold over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 15 minutes.
3. Divide dough into 4 pieces* and shape each piece into a ball. Place on a well-floured surface and cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and towel. Let rise for 2 hours.
4. Stretch, toss, or roll each ball out to be about 12 inches wide. Add toppings and bake in a preheated oven on top of a very hot pizza stone**.

5. Bake the pizzas at 450°F for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is browned and the toppings looked tasty.

*You can divide it into 3 pieces to make slightly larger (~13 inch), thicker-crusted pizzas.

**If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can use a heavy baking sheet that’s been heated for 5 minutes in a 500°F oven. Just roll the dough out on cornmeal-dusted parchment, add the toppings, and transfer the whole thing (parchment and pizza) to the hot pan (much easier than trying to transfer a floppy, uncooked pizza!). 

FYI. With this dough, it’s best to go easy on the toppings - this’ll keep the crust crisp and let its great flavour come through. Here are some tasty combo's:

Roasted garlic + Zucchini + Parmesan + Chili's

- Smush together one head of roasted garlic (or 6 cloves of fresh garlic, bashed or whizzed to a paste) with a large pinch of salt and 2 tsp olive oil. Spread evenly over dough. Add a single layer of thinly-sliced zucchini (~1 small zucchini). Add a light drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle each of salt and dried chili flakes, and a small hand full of good quality grated Parmesan cheese. Bake.

Pesto + Baby Shrimp + Goat Cheese (One of Husband's Favorites)
-Spread a thin layer of pesto over dough. Top with a small handful of mozza, and spread the cooked baby shrimp over this. Crumble the goats cheese all over.

Fig + Spicy Sausage + Goat Cheese (Husband's Favorite!!) 

 -Cut up and fry the sausage. Chop up the figs (we bought the ones that have already been dried and are sticky a little. I'm sure you can use fresh figs too, but we haven't tried that yet). Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the dough. Add a little mozza over sauce. Add the cooked sausage and figs. Crumble the goats cheese all over. And sprinkle some Basil. Bake.

Margherita

- Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over dough. Top with a small handful of fresh basil and a bit of fresh mozzarella (sliced-1/8 inch thin or torn - a little will go a long way!). Sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt. Bake. 

Reverse Margherita

- Spread a thin layer of good pesto over dough, leaving a bit of an edge. Top with thinly-sliced fresh tomatoes, a small handful of fresh basil, and a bit of fresh mozzarella (sliced 1/8-inch thin or torn - a little will go a long way!). Sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt. Bake.
Thai Inspired
-Spread peanut sauce over pizza using a relatively thin layer. Top with seasoned chicken, bean sprouts, cheese, and chopped green onions. Bake. Thanks to Kinga + Edward for this suggestion!

Some OTHER tasty (and unique) combinations to try:
*Caramelized onions + Waxy Potatoes + Thyme
*Potato + Rosemary + Mozza + Olive Oil
*BBQ Sauce + Chicken + Red Onion + Mozza Cheese
*Fresh Pineapple + Good Black Olives (Seriously, Yum)
*Flat bread/ Pita Bread + Arugula + Sun-dried Tomatoes + Goat Cheese + Chicken
**Or Try placing some fresh Avocado slices on top (after baking), or a Tomato-Basil Bruschetta topping! Fun!

We halved one of our Pizza's in case you where wondering.

Just remember. Try to have some fun with this.No better way to enjoy it than with a group of friends or even get your kids involved. Each can top their own pizza and everyone can share in the results afterwards!

Bon Appetite!

****Ohh Dear. So after slaving away and typing this post up early this morning, then running to the store for the ingredients to create my 'masterpieces', I get home and start to prepare. Well, low and behold, I should probably have actually read the recipes before trying to blog about them. Let me explain. I bought all the ingredients needed, but didn't actually read the preparation of the recipe. Sooooo, I kind of missed the 18 - 24 hour dough rising part.
Yep. Seriously.
Guess what happened next. The Husband comes to the rescue. My knight in shining armour. He swoops in after my lip is protruding (I have a serious pout when needed) well below it's normal droop, and saves Pizza Making Sunday!
My Hero.
He makes his own tried and true dough recipe for me to top with some of the flavors listed above. And it was good. So even though I didn't get my crack at making the homemade dough (next time I swear it's MY turn, and I'll be trying out the dough above. Promise.) my craving was satisfied.
 What a guy.
Thanks Babe.

p.s. Went for a hour walk with Miss Bella + Peter today. Yah me and so loving this weather!
p.p.s. I'm thankful for my husband always saving the day. Love you mister.
p.p.p.s. As mentioned, I got this recipe over at a new super fun food Blog called Food Happy. Seriously check it out. Loving her style! http://www.foodhappy.ca/ 

.Bucket list - 2011

Even though we're a month and a 1/2 into 2011, I figured I'd put together my 2011 bucket list. Better late then never right.....

Bucket List of Awesome Things That I'll Actually Want To Accomplish In 2011.

* Take a real live {most likely exotic} vacation with husband (a belated honeymoon)

* Develop my photography, and learn to take a great picture (ie. Andrea style)

*Keep my house clean (for the most part) everyday

    *Finishing at least one book with my husband. Together.

    *Make our bed daily

    *Have one sit down meal a week (at the actual dinner table, maybe with some candles)

    *Actually finish projects on our house (deck, yard, concrete & painting are all on the list this year)

*Grow a gorgeous garden

*Try to have an amazing monthly date night with the husband. And document all of them.

*Keep up with my blog daily (if possible)

*Cook more at home. Make more breads.

*Learn to Sew. Anything.
*Learn to Knit. Anything.

* Be physically active every single day (and recording the fun ones) . Either a gym visit, long walk with the dog, yoga classes, swimming, bicycling around the river valley. In fact, just trying outdoor activities for a change!
*Learn photography. Take loads of pictures.

*Celebrate Valentines Day + Anniversary + Our Birthdays. For reals this time.

*Become a Style maiden. Try to step outside of my grey + black + white bubble.

*Become a working powerhouse (a reminder to work hard and great things will come of it)

Perfect. Now let's get started.

Love this too!! Plan a monthly 2011 Resolution (might then actually accomplish them!)
 bowerpowerblog.com

Ohh, and Today I'm grateful for amazing friends having us over for dinner and the best conversations that are sure to follow. xx

(bucket list - check. Now off to make some bread....bucket list - Check)

.Friday. Date night.

An excited Wife.

So it's date night. And damn it, we're so lucky.

Lucky to have each other to do this with. Seriously. It's so easy to forget how important you are to each other during the normal day-to-day routines, and then a night like tonight comes around, and Whoa!

I love this man way to much and boy, he loves me too.

Now let me explain all my mushiness. We discovered a few things about ourselves on this date night.

First, amazing things happen to your relationship (hello! refresh!) when you take the time to go out and treat your date like it's one of your first.

Questions like, "What's your best date night idea that you would like us to do?" or "What's one thing that you don't already know about me, but you would like to know?"

or "If you could take me anywhere in the world, where would we go and what would we do?"

It honestly felt like a first date. And ended up triggering some mega laughs.

Second, we learned that we are major foodie snobs (opps, cat's out of the bag). Sorry we are.
**But, I should clarify for all our friends out there who may now be scared to cook us dinner - this only applies to restaurants (please, don't stop inviting us over. please. we sort of really like you).**
Anyway's, we've been known to only go to new restaurants (except when you find an absolute home-runner, like tonight), and they MUST be small, non-franchised, and have local inspired dishes. In fact this is one of those times when 'smaller IS better'. Then we order the weirdest thing off the menu (actually this is would be the Husband, the more adventurist one of our duo), and we always, always order an appetizer (even if we're not that hungry) just to try and re-create it at home (because we can 'always' make it better).
And just to prove my point, tonight we ordered two.
Then took my meal home for the husband to spice it up some more.

See what I mean. Food snobs.

Appetizer 1: Tuna Carpaccio with a Mango Salsa... Yum.

Third, we learned that we actually enjoy each others company. A lot.

I sometimes wonder who else would have the patience to deal with either one of us, especially because we're both so shy about voicing our opinions or feelings, and both so quiet.
Insert roll of the eyes here.
But we continually make each other laugh, are honest and thoughtful with each other,
we try new things together (gotta keep that spark alive), and love each other unconditionally.
Guess our compatibility is what keeps us coming back for more. xx

Ohh and it helps that I may have just learned to lap dance.

So, yes.

We had a jolly good time. Just us two besties.

xx

The Manor. Super cute right! xx

.It's Friday Kids.

Hey Ho! It's Friday and boy I am happy that you're here.

This week had been one-of-those weeks. For example (please let me vent for just one sec): This morning, after putting on my favorite, flowy, bohemian, and perfectly creamy white silk top to go with my dark indigo skinny-ish jeans (I would call this my not-trying-to-hard causal Friday attire), I was happy and ready for the day. Put on some cute kitten heeled pumps and was out the door.

Didn't get very far however....leaning into my car with a bunch of folders and my laptop, I feel a little poke on my stomach. Weird. But into the car I get. After pulling away, I start to think about what 'stabbed' me, so I look down and discover the largest and brightest blue pen streak across my favorite shirt.

And it won't come out.

Ughh. I have to be the world's biggest klutz.

So, on a more happier note. It is Friday and it's Date Night.

The husband and I are heading out to one of our favorite restaurants, the Manor (side note: this is the same restaurant that Pete took me to the night he proposed, so it's pretty darn special) to enjoy some great food, and some even better conversation. Can't wait. xx 

photo by http://www.pinksugarphotography.com/

Also, I think I want to try out something. And actually try to keep it up (although I am doing pretty darn good at keeping up with this blog-of-sorts). A "thankful for" everyday. Here goes:

--------------------------------------------------

Today I am thankful for the red-headed animal in my life. She keeps me warm + loves me when the Husbands working nights. xx

Please feel free to share your "I'm thankful for" as well.

.New Project.

Hiya pals. So it's Thursday. And I really, really like Thursdays. Thursday's mean that there's only 1 day till Friday and we all know how great Fridays are. So yes, I really love Thursdays. This Thursday isn't really anything special (besides the fact that I just clarified), but I do have a HUGE project that I'm currently undertaking and this Thursday I am going to plan out my attack. And with a tight budget (not my favorite), I need all the planning I can get. So want to know what's my newest project?

A Creative Space.

And not just an Office. but a Craft room. A Library. And a Dressing room (of sorts). A space just for me. Not too much to ask for a itty-bitty room, right?

But, Ohh how I am in desperate need of a this new room. First of all, I absolutely love crafting, but with crafting comes a mess, and I certainly have that. You should see all the stuff I have. It's everywhere. In random boxes, bins, on the floor, in baskets, closets, EVERYWHERE! I also need an Office. For actual work (and some play). I just want the Library (reading a book in a big chair is a little bit of heaven). And the Dressing room, well read on....
So I have told the hubby that I am taking over the current home office/library (poor fella, it's also where his closet is located, as I have already taken over our closet in the bedroom too). My new space will still function as a working office for the days when I am at home (and actually working), but now there will be an element of happiness there....it'll be a creative space. All mine. Enter if you dare, but you may be put to work (and I mean crafting work). Where do I begin to design this room on a limited budget?
I begin to make my list (god, I LOVE lists).

Items needed:

* 'L' shaped desk (leaning towards white and long/skinny)

*New paint on the walls (Going for a light grey)
*2 Office chairs (again, leaning towards white and sleek)

*Big comfy armchair/rocking chair (reading space)

*Side table with lamp (check: See picture below)

*New Bookcases (2 of them would do - I think)

*Inspirational pictures

*New Curtains (Colors? Patterns?)

*Storage (lots and lots of Storage-MUST)

So I guess I have some work ahead of me.......and Thursday has begun. :)

More white. LOVE!
http://www.housetohome.co.uk/

Ohh, the storage and fun energy this room has!

Inspirational Words. Live by them.

My Room. My Inspiration. THIS IS IT!
http://www.arhzine.com/

LOVE this. So much.
http://www.thisnext.com/

http://www.pinchdesign.com/

http://www.marthastewart.com/

LOVE this idea. Might not do it right on the walls, but definately feel a craft coming on! Picture frames??
http://frecklednest.typepad.com/

Ohh the Organized Storage!
http://thenestuk.blogspot.com/