Homemade Pizza Dough

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Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday! Neither of our teams made it, so we were mostly there to hang with family and eat some tasty food!

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We brought hot wings, mini bundt cakes (those recipes are coming soon!) and a TON of mini pizzas. We used the pizza dough recipe we’ve used with these topping arrangements. Its our go to! Someone asked us for the recipe and we realized you’d have to read through a recipe with our toppings, and you may not like that!

So here we go… our pizza dough recipe unadulterated and on its own! We adapted this recipe from one of our favorite Italian cook books. Its super hearty and holds up to toppings well! Great for thin or thick crust!

By the way, we LOVE this granite rolling pin! I got it a few months ago and I’ve never had an easier time rolling out dough. It worked great for our pie dough as well, since you can stick it in the fridge to make it nice and cold, keeping the butter cool while you work it!

Homemade Pizza Dough

Bread, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Old Fashioned, Pizza, Vegetarian

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
3 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon salt

Instructions

Dissolve the yeast completely in a large bowl by stirring it into 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water. Dissolve in 10 minutes or less. Once fully dissolved, add in one cup of the flour and mix thoroughly.
Continuing to stir, gradually add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, 1/4 cup of lukewarm water, and 1 additional cup of flour. Once combined, begin to add the remaining flour and water in small ammounts, alternating between the two and mixing completely between each addition. Add until you have the right consistancy – dough should be soft, but not sticky.
Take the dough out of the bowl and place onto a clean work surface. Pick up and slap down on the surface several times until it has stretched out to be about 10 inches long. Fold the dough over itself towards you, and then push away using the heel of your palm. Fold again and push like before. Rotate the dough one quarter turn and repeat, slapping it down on the surface and kneading. Repeat this process for up to 10 minutes or until the dough feels soft and silky. Pat into a rounded shape.
Coat the inside of a large mixing bowl with 1 teastpoon of olive oil. Place dough in the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size, about 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat the pizza pan you will be using with olive oil. Divide the dough (into 2 for 14″ pizzas, into 8 for 7″ mini pizzas). Wrap any extra dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator if not using immediately. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out into desired size circle on a lightly floured surface. Place dough onto pizza pan. Trim or fold over and crimp edges, and pinch any holes closed as needed.
Top as desired. Place pizza in oven. Bake for 15-19 minutes for mini pizzas, or 19-25 minutes for large pizzas, rotating half way through. Cheese should be melted and dough should be crisp and lift up completely when one edge is lifted. Allow pizza to cool about 5 minutes before slicing.

What are your favorite pizza toppings? Comment below to let us know!

January 13, 2020January 13, 2020

Easy Flaky Pie Crust

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You know that feeling…that feeling when you bite into someone’s pie and you can just tell they made their own pie crust. Its flaky, its buttery, and its got that rustic texture and taste you just can’t get from store bought crust.

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The pie crust recipe we’ve come to depend upon is so easy! When we first used it, we were making Banana Cream Pie, and it we succeeded on our first try! After hearing for years that pie crust is hard and super easy to mess up, we were delighted!

What would you use this pie crust for? Let us know in the comments below!

Easy Flaky Pie Crust

Comfort Foods, Dessert, Old Fashioned

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of salt
7 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
7 tablespoons shortening, cubed
1/3 to 2/3 cups of ice cold water

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter and shortening. Mix this way until the mixture looks like small dough balls about the size of peas. Work quickly to make sure butter doesn’t soften.
Add ice cold water a tablespoon at a time to one area of dough, mixing with a fork. Move dough to one side of bowl and continue adding water until dough is moistened but not sticky.
Once dough is ready, use your hands to gently fold over the dough a couple of times. Divide into two even balls.
Using a rolling pin, flatten one ball into a 12″ circle on a lightly floured surface. Gently roll the dough onto your rolling pin and unroll over a prepared 9″ pie pan. Trim around the edges to leave a 1/2″ overhang. Crimp and decorate as desired.
Bake according to baking directions.

Notes

To Freeze unprepared dough: place each dough ball into an airtight freezer bag. OR roll them out and store flat with parchment paper between each layer. Once frozen, store discs in a large airtight freezer bag. To thaw, let them come to room temperature and use flour on surfaces to keep the dough from sticking.

To Blind Bake: Place dough in pie pan. Create shape and desired design of edges, making edges wider than usual. Poke small holes using a fork at the bottom of the crust. Place dough in freezer for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the frozen crust with aluminum foil. Fill foil with pie weights or sugar to the top of the crust. Bake the crust for 45-50 minutes if you will need to bake the pie again after filling, or 60-75 minutes if using for a pie that will not need more baking. Once baked, remove weights and allow crust to cool completely before filling.

November 25, 2019

Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

We have so much to be grateful for this year! Though we’ve had our ups and our downs, we are thankful for the opportunities that have come our way and we are so blessed. Thank you to everyone who has supported us in this blogging journey, and we hope to keep growing…

And now that I’m done with the sappy stuff, lets talk PIE!

No Thanksgiving feast is complete without some indulgent dessert! Banana Cream Pie was Lexi’s grandpa’s favorite, and now that he and her grandma have passed it helps her feel close to them this time of year.

Though this pie may seem a little labor intensive from the outside, it comes together really easily. Its totally worth it too when you can tell people its been made from scratch!

Don’t forget to come back soon for our homemade pie crust recipe! So easy you’ll nail it on your first try!

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Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

Dessert, Fruit, Holiday, Old Fashioned

Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients

1 pie crust, blind baked
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/3 cups whole milk
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons butter
2-3 large bananas
1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, and milk in a small saucepan. Whisk frequently over medium heat until hot and bubbly. Let boil for one minute, then remove from heat.
Whisk 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the beaten eggs a spoonful at a time, mixing until incorporated between each spoonful. Pour the egg mixture into the pot and whisk together.
Place pan back on heat and bring to a low boil. Let boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and butter until combined. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap down to touch the custard. Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.
Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. Once custard is almost done cooling, thinly slice the bananas. Set both aside.
Pour 1/3 of cooled custard into prepared pie crust. Place a layer of sliced banana. Layer more custard and another layer of the sliced banana. Finish with the last of the custard and top it off with the whipped cream.
Refrigerate pie for at least 4 hours before serving.

Notes

Pie will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Everyone has a favorite pie flavor. What is yours? Let us know in the comments below!

November 4, 2019October 21, 2019

Chocolate Chip Cookies

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The holidays are almost here! Some of our favorite holiday memories revolve around gathering in the kitchen as a family and making treats!

This classic is great year round! Everyone loves a simple chocolate chip cookie! We found a great base dough to work with, and adding chocolate chips was the first step we took in experimenting with it.

Its a must to use semi-sweet chocolate chips. Though milk chocolate chips are delicious, adding them to this dough makes the cookies way too sweet. If that is what you love, then by all means substitute them!

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate, Comfort Foods, Cookies, Dessert, Old Fashioned

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs * *
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat together softened butter and shortening on medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Add in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat together, scraping the sides as needed, until ingredients are fully combined.
Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Gradually begin adding in the flour and beating to combine. Once mixture becomes too thick, switch to a wooden spoon and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips, making sure to distribute as evenly as possible.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using two spoons, drop dough onto sheet about 2 inches apart. If desired, flatten dough mounds into circles about 3/4 inches thick.
Bake for 8-9 minutes or just until edges are light brown. Allow cookies to cook on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container.

Notes

* * Bring eggs to room temperature before using by leaving out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably for an hour.

What is your favorite cookie flavor? Comment below!

Need more desserts for this baking season? Check out our other sweet things here!

March 5, 2019March 8, 2019

New England Clam Chowder

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Soup is our go to when the weather gets cold. Its usually pretty budget friendly, filling, and its nice to wrap your hands around a big mug of soup while you sit on the couch and watch the snow fall outside your window.

This soup is more of a splurge. We love it, but only have it on rare occasion. Why?

Its spendy.
Its labor intensive.
We don’t want to spoil ourselves because its soooooooooooo delicious!

I cut the cost a bit by harnessing the inner Hunter-Gatherer in myself whenever I make a trip out to Oregon to visit my family. My dad and I hit the coast and go clamming every morning. A little effort, some time, and I come home with pounds and pounds of frozen clams that my family and I eat throughout the years.

We doubled this recipe recently and brought it to my wife’s sides monthly Family Home Evening dinner. It was a huge hit! Not to mention we had plenty for everyone plus leftovers – that’s 9 adults, 1 tween, 2 toddlers AND leftovers. You’ll need a pretty big pot to fit all that delicious flavor in – might I suggest this one?

I would also suggest reading the WHOLE RECIPE before preparing. Like everything good in this world, this soup does not come easy. It can be messed up pretty easily, and we wouldn’t want that!

New England Clam Chowder

Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Old Fashioned, Soup, Splurge

New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients

1/2 lb of bacon, chopped
2 lbs of raw clams, chopped* OR 8 6.5oz cans of chopped cans, liquid reserved**
48oz clam juice OR chicken stock***
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
6 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2/3 cup of flour
3lbs of red potatoes, diced into 1/2″ pieces
1/2 tsp dried thyme
4 bay leaves
16oz heavy cream
2 TBS fresh parsley, well minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large stock pot, cook the bacon until crisp over medium heat. *If using raw clams, cook them during this step along with the bacon.
Add the diced celery and onions, cooking until they are very soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, only about 30 seconds.
Stir in the flour to coat all the veggies and meat. Cook until the flour is turning brown.
Very, very gradually begin adding the clam juice/chicken stock/reserved can juice. Add a small amount – about 2 TBS at a time – of liquid and stir it in until there is no more visible liquid. Then add a little more, completely combining each batch with the veggie flour mixture. Continue this way until you use up all the liquid.
Add the potatoes, thyme, and bay leaves. Raise the temperature to high and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the temperature to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
Stir in the cream. **If you are using canned clams, add them during this step. Heat through. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Notes

***You can use half clam juice and half chicken stock. If you are using fresh clams use the clam juice because you will not have any liquid to reserve from the cans.

March 2, 2019September 16, 2019

Asiago Olive Oil Bread

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Nothing tastes better than hot fresh bread! And nothing can compare to this version of our Old Fashioned Italian Olive Oil Bread.

Asiago cheese is one of my favorites, and this bread was one of the first things I made to add to the blog. Fluffy insides and a crispy crust pair well with the bite of the Asiago cheese mixed throughout.

Asiago Olive Oil Bread

Bread, Cheese, Italian, Old Fashioned

Old fashioned bread with a cheesy bite of Asiago

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup luke-warm water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
4 cups flour
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 cup grated Asiago cheese

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast into 1/4 cup of the warm water, taking only up to 10 minutes to do so. Add 2 cups of the flour, then gradually mix in 3/4 cups more water until sticky dough is formed.
Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 10 minutes, pushing forward against the dough, folding in half, and rotating a quarter turn**. Dough should be elastic but not sticky. When you push your finger into it the surface should rebound a bit. **If you do not want to knead, you can put the dough in stand mixer with a dough hook until it looks like described above.
Lightly flour a large bowl. Place dough in bowl and cover with a damp towel. Leave to rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size – about 2-3 hours.
Place two cups of flour onto a work surface. Place dough in the flour and begin kneading again, gradually adding 3/4 cups of water. Add olive oil, salt, and cheese. Knead until ingredients are combined.
Add back to floured bowl and cover with damp towel, allowing to rise for another 2-3 hours or until dough has doubled in size.

Want something more classic? Try our original recipe, or spice it up with our Pepper Jack or Cheddar Jalapeno breads!

March 2, 2019September 16, 2019

Old Fashioned Italian Olive Oil Bread

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What is your soup missing? What would go great with that salad? Got some extra jam or butter laying around and you aren’t sure what to do with it?

You know what you need?

…

…Bread!

Delicious fluffy carbs, wrapped in a scintillatingly crispy crust. And everyone knows bread tastes best when it comes fresh from your oven.

Nothing makes the house smell better than fresh bread, and nothing feels better in your hand on a cold day than a steamy chunk of bread slathered in delicious butter and honey!

The recipe I bring to you today is a classic. Italians are known for their pasta, but they make a wicked Olive Oil bread as well. This salty sourdough-like bread is perfect paired with our old fashioned spaghetti or made into delicious garlic bread to pair with an indulgent lasagna!

A little effort is required, but the end result is well worth it!

Old Fashioned Italian Olive Oil Bread

bread

Old Fashioned Italian Olive Oil Bread

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup luke-warm water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
4 cups flour
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp salt

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast into 1/4 cup of the warm water, taking only up to 10 minutes to do so. Add 2 cups of the flour, then gradually mix in 3/4 cups more water until sticky dough is formed.
Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 10 minutes, pushing forward against the dough, folding in half, and rotating a quarter turn**. Dough should be elastic but not sticky. When you push your finger into it the surface should rebound a bit. **If you do not want to knead, you can put the dough in stand mixer with a dough hook until it looks like described above.
Lightly flour a large bowl. Place dough in bowl and cover with a damp towel. Leave to rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size – about 2-3 hours.
Place two cups of flour onto a work surface. Place dough in the flour and begin kneading again, gradually adding 3/4 cups of water. Then add olive oil and salt. Knead until ingredients are combined.
Add back to floured bowl and cover with damp towel, allowing to rise for another 2-3 hours or until dough has doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat 2 loaf pans with olive oil.
Take dough out of bowl and slap it on your work surface several times. Divide dough in two and shape into loaf shapes. Place in pans.
Place pans in preheated oven. Bake for 12 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375 degrees. Continue baking for an additional 45.
When baking is finished, remove from pans and place on cooling racks. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Try out our Asiago bread for a cheesy twist on this classic recipe or spice it up with our Pepper Jack or Cheddar Jalapeno loaves!