Homemade Pizza Dough

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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!

Join 11 other subscribers

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!

November 7, 2019October 21, 2019

Cheese Pizza

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

We’ve been bombarding you with pizza, but its time to get simple. I have never met someone, child or adult, who didn’t love an extra cheesy pizza.

Join 11 other subscribers

And sure, you can go down the street and grab a $5 version, but you won’t get to choose your own cheeses. Not to mention this crust is so good! Soft, yet crisp at the same time!

Cheese Pizza

Cheese, Comfort Foods, Meals for a Crowd, Pizza, Vegetarian

Cheese Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

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

Toppings

14 oz can of pizza sauce
1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 lb cheddar cheese, shredded
3 oz Parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions

Make the Dough

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 1 cup of the flour and mix thoroughly.
Continuing to stir, gradually add 1 TBS of olive oil, salt, 1/4 cup of lukewarm water, and 1 additional cup of flour. As you add the last of the lukewarm water (up to 1/2 cup) and flour (up to 1 1/4 cups), add them in small amounts, working them in gradually to get the right consistency – 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 counter 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 again. Rotate the dough one quarter turn and repeat, slapping it down on the work surface and kneading. Repeat this procedure for up to 10 minutes or until the dough feels soft and silky. Pat the dough into a rounded shape.
Coat the inside of a large mixing bowl with 1 tsp olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest in a warm spot in the kitchen about 3 hours or until it has doubled in size.
Lightly coat pizza pan with olive oil. Divide the dough by 2. Wrap extra dough in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator if not using immediately. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out into a 14″ circle. Place dough onto pizza pan and pinch any holes in dough closed.

Make the Pizza

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spread pizza sauce over prepped dough evenly to taste, leaving about 1 inch of dough exposed around edge. Top with the cheeses, sprinkling evenly over sauce.
Place pizza in preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan. Check again after another 10-15 minutes. Cheese should be melted and the dough should be crisp and all lift up with lifted by the edge.
Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Throwing a pizza party? Check out these other flavors to mix it up!

October 31, 2019October 21, 2019

Veggie Lovers Pizza

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Last week we posted our favorite Meat Lovers Pizza, but we know that isn’t everyone’s jam. If you have someone coming to the pizza party that doesn’t like meat, you’ll need this pizza on hand!

One of the best parts of veggie pizza is it isn’t heavy, but still hearty, and you can use your favorite combination of vegetables! You can also make this pizza last with the leftover veggies from the other pizzas you’ve made.

Veggie Lovers Pizza

Cheese, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Pizza, Vegetable, Vegetarian

Veggie Lovers Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

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

Toppings

14 oz can of pizza sauce
3/4 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 lb cheddar cheese, shredded
8 brown mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 can olives, drained and sliced

Instructions

Make the Dough

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 1 cup of the flour and mix thoroughly.
Continuing to stir, gradually add 1 TBS of olive oil, salt, 1/4 cup of lukewarm water, and 1 additional cup of flour. As you add the last of the lukewarm water (up to 1/2 cup) and flour (up to 1 1/4 cups), add them in small amounts, working them in gradually to get the right consistency – 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 counter 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 again. Rotate the dough one quarter turn and repeat, slapping it down on the work surface and kneading. Repeat this procedure for up to 10 minutes or until the dough feels soft and silky. Pat the dough into a rounded shape.
Coat the inside of a large mixing bowl with 1 tsp olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest in a warm spot in the kitchen about 3 hours or until it has doubled in size.
Lightly coat pizza pan with olive oil. Divide the dough by 2. Wrap extra dough in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator if not using immediately. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out into a 14″ circle. Place dough onto pizza pan and pinch any holes in dough closed.

Make the Pizza

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spread pizza sauce over prepped dough evenly to taste, leaving about 1 inch of dough exposed around edge. Top with mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese, sprinkling evenly over sauce. Top with the vegetables, spreading it all out as evenly as possible over the pizza.
Place pizza in preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan. Check again after another 10-15 minutes. Cheese should be melted and the dough should be crisp and all lift up with lifted by the edge.
Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Need more pizza ideas? Check out these other flavors we’ve made!

Join 11 other subscribers

September 9, 2019September 9, 2019

Eating Salads on a Budget (with Spinach Apple Salad recipe!)

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

A simple way we try and keep our family healthy while making our food last as long as possible (read: less money spent on food!) is pairing foods with a great salad!

When we had our pizza night the other day, we paired those delicious slices of carb filled glory with this tart and savory salad!

We splurged a little on candied walnuts, and found the feta in bulk on sale at a discount store that sells excess products that restaurants didn’t end up needing.

Eating healthier doesn’t always have to break the bank. Here are our tips for eating salads on a tight budget!

Eat produce that is in season

When you eat produce that is in season, you’ll have fresher, better tasting salads that cost you less! If you garden this can get even cheaper! Not to mention, nothing tastes better than a warm tomato that was on the vine less than 5 minutes ago!

Not sure what is in season? Check out a list here.

Make it yourself

Sure, grabbing those bag salads as you walk through the produce section is easy and convenient. You tear open the bag a few minutes before you’re ready to eat, throw everything in a bowl (or not – sometimes we get lazy) and boom! You’re done.

However, those salads cost way more than the sum of their parts! You are trading convenience for cost. You also usually don’t know everything that goes in the dressings. If you like to keep your costs down and know what is going in your body, you’ll need to take a little extra time and make your own salads.

Buy some ingredients in bulk

Obviously, unless you have a very big family, you can’t buy some produce in bulk and eat it all before it goes bad. You can, however, buy some of your favorite salad mix ins and keep them on hand for when things go on sale.

If you know you love tortilla strips or chia seeds, buy them in bulk! Then you’ll always have them ready to go when your produce is in season or on sale!

Watch for deals and utilize them

I mentioned before that we bought feta cheese on sale. It was a HUGE 15 lb restaurant supply tub. Feta is typically a cheese we feel is out of the budget, but this tub was less than $0.60 a pound! We took it home, crumbled it, divided it into 1 lb bags, and froze them. Now, if we know we’re going to need feta we thaw a bag overnight, and use it up before it goes bad. We then can be on the lookout when we hit the store for things that pair well with feta.

If you watch for amazing deals and take advantage, you’ll cut your costs in the future.

Join 11 other subscribers

Anyone can consistently eat salad when they follow the above tips. Next time you’re planning your menu, keep them in mind!

Now without further ado, our yummy Spinach Apple Salad!

Spinach Apple Salad

Appetizer, Meals for a Crowd, Salad, Sides, Tips and Tricks, Vegetarian

Spinach Apple Salad

Ingredients

4 TBS red wine vinegar
4 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp powdered mustard
1 bunch of spinach, rinsed, dried, stems removed
1/2 lb glazed walnuts
2 Granny smith apples
1 cup packed feta cheese

Instructions

In a small jar or bowl with a lid, combine vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt, and mustard. Shake or mix thoroughly, making sure dressing is fully combined. Set aside.
Roughly chop the spinach into bite size pieces. Place in a large bowl. Chop apples into 1″ pieces and add to bowl. Add in walnuts and crumbled feta cheese. Toss salad.
Re-shake dressing again if separated. Pour over salad and toss again to combine.

What is your favorite salad mix in? Do you buy it in bulk? Share your favorite salad making tips and tricks in the comments below!

August 15, 2019

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Join 11 other subscribers

I have grown up in love with blueberry pancakes. I didn’t get to eat them very often because my mom hates the smell after picking thousands of berries when she was younger. But whenever we got to make them (when she went out of town) I loved eating them!

I decided one Saturday morning to surprise my beloved with some. I experimented a bit, and what came out was a densely smooth, almost crepe-like, cake with sweet and sour and bitter balanced so perfectly that they meld into one delicious new flavor.

I knew I had a hit when our son tried them. He’s going through a phase where he’s starting to push boundaries and see what he can get away with. He’ll nibble if we give him food he doesn’t want, and then begs for something else.

When we put the pancakes in front of him he was very excited! He scarfed down his first one before my wife and I had finished. Then he begged for another, and another. We cut him off after 3, and he was not happy about it. Luckily we had some leftover, so he had a couple for the next couple of breakfasts.

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

Breakfast, Comfort Foods, Dessert, Meals for a Crowd, Vegetarian

20-24 pancakes

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese, softened
Juice from one lemon
4 eggs
4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
Zest of one lemon
2 1/2 cups milk
4 TBS butter, melted
3 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups fresh blueberries

Instructions

Beat softened cream cheese and lemon juice until combined. Add eggs one of a time, beating until each egg is mixed in completely.
Add milk, melted butter, and vanilla to cream mixture. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Mix well. Create a well in the center of the mixture.
Pour wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix the batter. Gently add blueberries, stirring until blueberries are coated.
Heat a griddle to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto buttered griddle for each pancake. Flip once new bubbles stop forming on the exposed side and underside has golden brown patches. Pancakes are done when downside has golden brown patches.

Let us know if you whip up a batch!

Don’t see your favorite breakfast here? Fill out a submission form and we’d love to make it for you!

August 5, 2019

Pressure Cooker Refried Beans

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Join 11 other subscribers

When it comes to eating cheap, beans and rice are the obvious go to. Buying canned beans can be easy too, but the sodium in those is ridiculous! So what is the solution? Taking forever to boil beans to make a side from those dry things that come in the bag?

That may have been the answer before we got our Instant Pot. I cannot sing the praises of this electric pressure cooker enough! There are so many recipes you can simplify by using one of these! Though they seem like they can be pricey, they go on sale all the time and are TOTALLY worth it!

This week, we used ours to make some refried beans. We bought the dry beans in bulk and they were soooooo cheap! Those plus a few spices we had on hand and BAM!

My sister-in-law compared them to Taco Bell’s discontinued beans. We used them in a yummy Layered Chicken Enchilada Dip (recipe coming soon!) and the whole family loved them!

While soaking the beans before hand makes them cook up faster, it isn’t necessary.

Pressure Cooker Refried Beans

Beans, Comfort Foods, Meals for a Crowd, Mexican, Pressure Cooker, Sides, Vegetarian

Pressure Cooker Refried Beans

Ingredients

1 cup of black beans
2/3 cup pinto beans
1/3 cup kidney beans
6 cups of water
4 TBS butter
1 TBS garlic powder
1 TBS onion powder
1 TBS sea salt
1 TBS lemon juice

Instructions

Mix dry beans in a large bowl. Cover beans in water up to 2 inches above them. Soak overnight, or at least 12 hours*.
Drain beans and place them in the electric pressure cooker. Add in 6 cups of clean water. Place lid on cooker, making sure vent is in sealed position. Cook on manual high pressure mode for 8 minutes*. Allow pressure to release manually.
Drain excess liquid from beans. Using an immersion blender, begin breaking up the beans.
Break butter into 8 1/2 tablespoon pieces. Add butter gradually, using the immersion blender to blend beans into a chunky texture. Add in garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and lemon juice. Blend until desired texture and spices are completely combined.

Notes

*If you don’t want to soak the beans overnight, cook them on high pressure for 35 minutes, allowing pressure to release naturally.

Serve this up with chips, or use it as a side for your next taco night! Or, use it like we did in a dip or casserole! (recipes coming soon!)

Don’t see a recipe you want to see? Send us a suggestion! We’d love to learn how to make a new recipe just for you!

July 15, 2019

Orange Sauce

We have a few family go-to recipes and this is one of them. I first learned it while my wife and I were dating (surprised her with a home cooked meal for a date night once), and I’ve been slowly perfecting it over time.

Its a traditional style orange sauce with a delightful balance between sweet and bitter you expect from the actual fruit. None of that overly sweet stuff you get in cheap fast food joints here!

The best part? Its two ingredients and its easy to make! You can whip this up to pair with chicken, shrimp, drizzle over rice – you name something savory, you can pair this sauce with it!

Orange Sauce

Chinese, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Sauce, Vegetarian

Orange Sauce

Ingredients

1- 12 oz can frozen orange juice concentrate
2 TBS lemon juice concentrate

Instructions

Place can of orange juice in bowl and allow to partially thaw.
Put thawed orange juice and lemon juice into a saucepan. Combine over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
Heat for 10-15 minutes for sauce to coat things in, 20-25 minutes for a dipping sauce.
Allow to cool before serving.

Made this sauce yourself? Let us know what you think in the comments!!

July 1, 2019July 1, 2019

Spicy Hush Puppies

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

When we fried up our catfish, I looked into what sides commonly got paired with deep fried seafood in the south. I saw coleslaw, greens, and hush puppies – which intrigued me. I had never had hush puppies, but Lexi and her family love them.

Of course, I couldn’t just make hush puppies. I added my own twist, adding just a touch of spice that gives your throat a tickle without overwhelming you. They paired great with the catfish, and are amazing on their own as well!

Spicy Hush Puppies

2 hours

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 6 minutes

Appetizer, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Freezer, Fried, Meals for a Crowd, Sides, Southern, Spicy, Vegetarian

Yields 18-24 pieces

Spicy Hush Puppies

Ingredients

3/4 cup corn meal
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 TBS sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp creole seasoning
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 bunch green onions
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cayenne, creole, and salt. Mix until well combined.
Thinly slice green onions. Add to a medium mixing bowl with egg and buttermilk. Mix thoroughly.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix until just combined – do not over mix.
Lightly grease a mini muffin tin. Spoon batter into tin, filling each cup about halfway. Place tin into freezer for about 1.5-2 hours. (See notes for long term storage.)
Heat deep fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place frozen hush puppies into fryer in small batches. Fry for 3 minutes, then roll and flip. Cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

Notes

Frozen hush puppies can be stored in the freezer in an air tight container for up to 6 months.

Want to pair your Southern soul food with something else? Maybe try our homemade french fries or a salad instead!

June 24, 2019June 24, 2019

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Corn during the summer is a great go to when you’re grilling! Its cheap and easy – exactly what you need when you’re taking the time to grill up some amazing ribs (like these ones.)

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Barbecue, Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Sides, Summer, Vegetarian

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Ingredients

Whole corn cobs
Tinfoil
Butter and salt to taste

Instructions

Husk corn cobs and cut in half.
Preheat barbecue to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wrap corn halves individually in a single layer of tinfoil, shiny side in.
Place wrapped corn on grill. Cook for 10 minutes, then roll to another side.
Cook for an additional 10 minutes and roll again. Cook for the last ten minutes and remove from grill.
Allow corn to cool to handling temperature. Unwrap, and add butter and salt to taste.

June 17, 2019June 17, 2019

Roasted Red Potatoes

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Summer parties are coming, and you’ll need a variety of sides in your repertoire for the potlucks. You could bring potato salad or a green salad, or you can mix it up with these delicious roasted red potatoes!

These are so easy, and so delicious! Everyone will beg you for the recipe – make sure to send them our way. 😉

Roasted Red Potatoes

Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Potatoes, Sides, Vegetarian

Roasted Red Potatoes

Ingredients

10 red potatoes
Olive Oil
1/2 TBS creole seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wash potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes. Pat potatoes dry and place into a large bowl or freezer bag.
Toss potatoes with enough oil to coat.
In a separate bowl, combine the seasonings. Sprinkle seasonings over prepared potatoes and toss to coat.
Place potatoes on a baking sheet place in the oven. Cook for 40 minutes.
Remove potatoes from oven. Stir and flip, making sure every piece has moved. Place back in oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a recipe!