Well, Julie, you asked for more recipes, and you got 'em. I manage to make something really tasty once a week or so, and I'm going to start posting the recipes here. And if any of you, faithful readers, have some recipes you think I'd enjoy-- please send them my way!
In our family Friday night is Party Night. That means we have homemade pizza for dinner (almost always, sometimes we make a sneaky trip to the freezer section of our grocery store), and then eat snickerdoodle popcorn while we watch a movie. I've searched many years for the perfect pizza dough and finally found it in my Best Recipe cookbook, from the fine folks at Cook's Illustrated. Here are my notes:
The recipe does work best with a baking stone, (hint hint Joe: my birthday is coming up!) but we get great results using the back of a large cookie sheet. We don't bother preheating it either.
We use a food processor to mix our dough, as suggested, but a standing mixer works well and you could even do it by hand (it would take a lot longer, though). I usually use 2 c. allpurpose flour and 2 c. of whole wheat flour.
This dough also freezes well. If you're not going to use it all, pop the remainder in the freezer after you let it rise to double and then punch it down. When you're ready to use it, let it thaw and then go ahead and shape it.
PERFECT PIZZA DOUGH
This dough can be used for any size pizza with thick or thin crust; simply adjust the cooking time to fit the pizza. Make sure you heat the oven to 500 degrees for thirty minutes before you start cooking. Your tiles or stone need at least that long to heat up; if they’re not properly heated, your pizza crust will be thin, blond, and limp. Once the dough for the crust has been topped, use a quick jerking action to slide it off the peel and onto the hot tiles or stone; make sure that the pizza lands far enough back so that its front edge does not hang off.
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups water divided, 1/2 cup warm, remaining at tap temperature
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (1 envelope)
2 tablespoons olive oil , plus extra for brushing dough
4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
vegetable oil (or cooking spray) for oiling bowl
1. Measure 1/4 cup of warm water into 2-cup measuring cup. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup warm water plus remaining 1 1/4 cups tap water and olive oil. Meanwhile, pulse flour and salt in workbowl of large food processor fitted with steel blade to combine. Add liquid ingredients (holding back a tablespoon or so) to flour and pulse together. If dough does not readily form into ball, stop machine, add remaining liquid, and continue to pulse until ball forms. Process until dough is smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds longer.
2. Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface; knead by hand with a few strokes to form smooth, round ball. Put dough into medium-large, oiled bowl, and cover with damp cloth. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
3. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and use chef’s knife or dough scraper to halve, quarter, or cut dough into eighths, depending on number and size of pizzas desired. Form each piece into ball and cover with damp cloth. Let rest 10 minutes. Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape into rounds; see Strech, Don't Roll below. Transfer to pizza peel that has been lightly coated with semolina, brush dough very lightly with olive oil before topping and cooking.
4. Use the following guide to determine cooking time for pizza
THIN CRUST
14-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 2) - 7 to 8 minutes
12-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 4) - 5 minutes
8-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 8)- 3 minutes.
MEDIUM-THICK CRUST
12-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 2) - 9 to 10 minutes
8-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 4) - 5 minutes
6-inch pizzas (Master Recipe makes 8) - 4 minutes.
STEP BY STEP: Stretch, Don't Roll
1. Flatten the dough into a disk using the palm of your hand.
2. Starting at the center and working outward, use your fingertips to press the disk to about 1/4-inch thick.
3. Using one hand to hold the dough in place, use your other hand to stretch the dough outward. For a medium-thick pizza crust, repeat the stretching by turning the dough a quarter turn after each pull, until it is the correct diameter. For a thinner pizza, let the dough relax for 5 minutes, then continue stretching it until it has reached the correct diameter.
4. Carefully lift the dough and transfer it to a peel dusted with semolina; proceed with the toppings.
QUICK TOMATO SAUCE
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, drained slightly
Table salt and ground black pepper
Heat oil and garlic over medium heat until sizzling. Remove from heat and add tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
OUR FAVORITE TOPPINGS
Lincoln & Daniel: plain cheese
Joe: sausage and olives
Steph: mushrooms, diced tomatoes, sauteed spinach w/ garlic, marinated artichoke hearts, basil
Lance: all of the above
SNICKERDOODLE POPCORN
4 quarts popped popcorn
4 Tablespoons melted butter
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon (more if you like)
salt (as desired)
Combine sugar and cinnamon with butter. Pour evenly over popcorn. Enjoy!!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Brotherly Love
I've had a few reminders this week of just how much Lincoln and Daniel love each other. Which is nice to think about, especially when I'm trying to break up a fight...
Daniel doesn't hide the fact that he worships his big brother. He wants to wear Lincoln's clothes, sit in Lincoln's carseat, eat Lincoln's food and do what Lincoln does. When we go out together, he always insists on holding "Inkie's" hand, not mine. Yesterday, Lincoln wanted me to teach him how to tie his shoes. We practiced together a few times, but then Lincoln decided he wasn't really ready to tie his own shoes and asked me to do it. When it was time to put on Daniel's shoes, he was adamant that "Inkie" tie the laces. It didn't matter that Lincoln explained he didn't know how to do it-- Daniel wouldn't accept no for an answer. So, in the end, I ended up "helping" Lincoln to tie Daniel's shoes. And we were all happy. Me because we could finally get out the door, Lincoln because he felt needed and adored, and Daniel because his big brother helped him out.
Lincoln inherited the ultra-concerned, careful Hadfield tendencies. He always gets upset if Daniel wanders too far from us (more than 2 feet) in public, makes sure that Daniel is buckled up and safe in the car, and generally just sounds the warning if he thinks his little brother is doing something too dangerous. The boys' checkup with our doctor today reminded me of another time that Lincoln took being his brother's keeper very seriously. This summer, Daniel had his 18 month check-up and I brought Lincoln along too. Lincoln knew that no matter how nice the nurse seemed, she was still going to stick some needles in his brother. He was inconsolable through the entire visit. He just clung to my neck and kept repeating, "I don't want Daniel to get shot!". The funny thing is, Daniel didn't cry at all when he got his shots, in fact he barely even flinched-- maybe he was too busy being confused by his brother's behavior.
At our visit today, Lincoln had a much calmer, though no less concerned, approach. He told Daniel that shots keep us from getting really sick, and then bravely kept his hand on Daniel's shoulder while they stuck the needles in his legs. Daniel, meanwhile, was so busy working on a cherry Tootsie Pop, that he barely even noticed.
Daniel doesn't hide the fact that he worships his big brother. He wants to wear Lincoln's clothes, sit in Lincoln's carseat, eat Lincoln's food and do what Lincoln does. When we go out together, he always insists on holding "Inkie's" hand, not mine. Yesterday, Lincoln wanted me to teach him how to tie his shoes. We practiced together a few times, but then Lincoln decided he wasn't really ready to tie his own shoes and asked me to do it. When it was time to put on Daniel's shoes, he was adamant that "Inkie" tie the laces. It didn't matter that Lincoln explained he didn't know how to do it-- Daniel wouldn't accept no for an answer. So, in the end, I ended up "helping" Lincoln to tie Daniel's shoes. And we were all happy. Me because we could finally get out the door, Lincoln because he felt needed and adored, and Daniel because his big brother helped him out.
Lincoln inherited the ultra-concerned, careful Hadfield tendencies. He always gets upset if Daniel wanders too far from us (more than 2 feet) in public, makes sure that Daniel is buckled up and safe in the car, and generally just sounds the warning if he thinks his little brother is doing something too dangerous. The boys' checkup with our doctor today reminded me of another time that Lincoln took being his brother's keeper very seriously. This summer, Daniel had his 18 month check-up and I brought Lincoln along too. Lincoln knew that no matter how nice the nurse seemed, she was still going to stick some needles in his brother. He was inconsolable through the entire visit. He just clung to my neck and kept repeating, "I don't want Daniel to get shot!". The funny thing is, Daniel didn't cry at all when he got his shots, in fact he barely even flinched-- maybe he was too busy being confused by his brother's behavior.
At our visit today, Lincoln had a much calmer, though no less concerned, approach. He told Daniel that shots keep us from getting really sick, and then bravely kept his hand on Daniel's shoulder while they stuck the needles in his legs. Daniel, meanwhile, was so busy working on a cherry Tootsie Pop, that he barely even noticed.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Ah, Love...
The fabulous Angie Bonner tagged me to do this relationship quiz-- which is basically an excuse to wax sentimental about my Sweetie.
What is your husband's full name? Joseph Griffiths Hadfield
How long have you been married? 5 and a half years (exactly! today is our 5.5th anniversary!!)
How long did you date? just a tad over 4 months. We went on our first date in December 2001(to see the lights at Temple Square), were engaged by the end of April and Married on August 16th, 2002. Some of my relatives who are unfamiliar with mormon dating culture were sure that I was pregnant (because our courtship was so darn quick by their standards). Ha!
Who said "I love you" first? I don't remember exactly. I think it was me. Actually, I'm pretty sure it was. We made blueberry muffins and I told him while they were baking, afterwhich we shared one of the best kisses EVER!
Who is taller? Joe. He's 6' 2" and I'm 5' 8". We actually "met" the second time while he was trying to administer a survey on gender height preferences. He peeked at my survey and was pretty thrilled to find that he was the height that I said was ideal in a significant other. And the rest is history...
Who sings better? I'd have to say that I am, but there is nothing better than hearing Joe sing our official family lullaby, "Goodnight, Sweetheart", to our boys.
Who is smarter? If you want to get all technical, Joe's ACT score was two points higher than mine, and he always kicks my trash at Scrabble, but I still think I can hold my own in the smartness department.
Who pays the bills? I do. But that's hardly a job-- all our bills are automatically deducted from our account.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? That all depends on how you look at it, doesn't it? If your perspective is standing at the foot of the bed, then I sleep on the right. But if you're laying in the bed (wouldn't that be akward!), then Joe is on the right. Maybe this helps: the head of our bed is North, Joe sleeps in the West and I sleep in the East. We tried switching once, and neither of us could sleep.
Who mows the lawn? Joe does. Although we've got a cool little old fashioned (and eco-friendly) push mower now. I like the swishing sound the blades make as they cut, and love the way freshly cut grass smells, so I'll sneak in a mow every now and then if he's busy.
Who cooks dinner? Me. And to let you in on an embarrassing little secret: sometimes I like to play "cooking show". I'll arrange all my ingredients in little containers, so that I can dump them into the pot with a big flourish, just like they do on the Food Network.
Who drives? This is a point of mild contention between us. Joe doesn't want my driving skills to get rusty, so he always makes me drive 50% of the time on long trips. Frankly, I'd rather read or knit, and I think I get enough driving practice running errands and driving the boys arround, but whatever...
Who's more stubborn? Apparently, Joe was an exceptionally stubborn child, but he's mellowed a lot. He's great at compromising when something is really important to me, but I'd still have to say that he's more stubborn. Lincoln is turning out to be another exceptionally stubborn child, but we like to euphemize and use words like tenacious and persistent.
Who kissed who first? We kissed EACH OTHER. It was definitely mutual. It was during the Salt Lake Olympics. We went to see the ice sculptures in downtown Provo, and then went out for hot chocolate. At the end of the date he was walking me to my door, and it started to snow. And then we kissed. It was so perfect and natural. Sigh...
Who asked who out? Joe asked me out. After he peeked at my height survey, he did a little tricky sleuthing to find out whether or not I was dating anyone and sent me an email when he found that the answer was negatory. We both owe a lot for my mother at this point, because I almost deleted it, thinking it was spam. My mom stopped me, so I opened the email. Unfortunately, I had to turn him down for that particular date because I already had plans to go see 'She Loves Me' with the then Angie Bingham. Apparently, I managed to make my turn-down encouraging, because he asked me out a little later to go see the lights at Temple Square.
Who proposed? I think I'm the one who actually brought up the marriage topic, but he proposed. He was going to plan something out, but when he pulled up to my house to pick me up for a date, I was sitting on the porch eating a bowl of Rocky Road ice cream while I waited for him. Apparently, ice cream is a big turn-on for Joe because he couldn't wait and dropped down on one knee right then and there. Ever the comic, I said "Sure, what the heck." When I realized that I'd have to live down those words forever, I made him ask me again, so I could reply, "YES, YES, YES!!!!"
Who has more siblings? Me, by one. I have three sisters and two brothers and Joe has three sisters and one brother. Incidentally, we both have brothers named Benjamin.
Who wears the pants in the family? Initially, we'd say that we both share the pants, but when you look at specific measures of power in relationships (who makes financial decisions, parenting decisions, etc.), I definitely wear the pants.
What is your husband's full name? Joseph Griffiths Hadfield
How long have you been married? 5 and a half years (exactly! today is our 5.5th anniversary!!)
How long did you date? just a tad over 4 months. We went on our first date in December 2001(to see the lights at Temple Square), were engaged by the end of April and Married on August 16th, 2002. Some of my relatives who are unfamiliar with mormon dating culture were sure that I was pregnant (because our courtship was so darn quick by their standards). Ha!
Who said "I love you" first? I don't remember exactly. I think it was me. Actually, I'm pretty sure it was. We made blueberry muffins and I told him while they were baking, afterwhich we shared one of the best kisses EVER!
Who is taller? Joe. He's 6' 2" and I'm 5' 8". We actually "met" the second time while he was trying to administer a survey on gender height preferences. He peeked at my survey and was pretty thrilled to find that he was the height that I said was ideal in a significant other. And the rest is history...
Who sings better? I'd have to say that I am, but there is nothing better than hearing Joe sing our official family lullaby, "Goodnight, Sweetheart", to our boys.
Who is smarter? If you want to get all technical, Joe's ACT score was two points higher than mine, and he always kicks my trash at Scrabble, but I still think I can hold my own in the smartness department.
Who pays the bills? I do. But that's hardly a job-- all our bills are automatically deducted from our account.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? That all depends on how you look at it, doesn't it? If your perspective is standing at the foot of the bed, then I sleep on the right. But if you're laying in the bed (wouldn't that be akward!), then Joe is on the right. Maybe this helps: the head of our bed is North, Joe sleeps in the West and I sleep in the East. We tried switching once, and neither of us could sleep.
Who mows the lawn? Joe does. Although we've got a cool little old fashioned (and eco-friendly) push mower now. I like the swishing sound the blades make as they cut, and love the way freshly cut grass smells, so I'll sneak in a mow every now and then if he's busy.
Who cooks dinner? Me. And to let you in on an embarrassing little secret: sometimes I like to play "cooking show". I'll arrange all my ingredients in little containers, so that I can dump them into the pot with a big flourish, just like they do on the Food Network.
Who drives? This is a point of mild contention between us. Joe doesn't want my driving skills to get rusty, so he always makes me drive 50% of the time on long trips. Frankly, I'd rather read or knit, and I think I get enough driving practice running errands and driving the boys arround, but whatever...
Who's more stubborn? Apparently, Joe was an exceptionally stubborn child, but he's mellowed a lot. He's great at compromising when something is really important to me, but I'd still have to say that he's more stubborn. Lincoln is turning out to be another exceptionally stubborn child, but we like to euphemize and use words like tenacious and persistent.
Who kissed who first? We kissed EACH OTHER. It was definitely mutual. It was during the Salt Lake Olympics. We went to see the ice sculptures in downtown Provo, and then went out for hot chocolate. At the end of the date he was walking me to my door, and it started to snow. And then we kissed. It was so perfect and natural. Sigh...
Who asked who out? Joe asked me out. After he peeked at my height survey, he did a little tricky sleuthing to find out whether or not I was dating anyone and sent me an email when he found that the answer was negatory. We both owe a lot for my mother at this point, because I almost deleted it, thinking it was spam. My mom stopped me, so I opened the email. Unfortunately, I had to turn him down for that particular date because I already had plans to go see 'She Loves Me' with the then Angie Bingham. Apparently, I managed to make my turn-down encouraging, because he asked me out a little later to go see the lights at Temple Square.
Who proposed? I think I'm the one who actually brought up the marriage topic, but he proposed. He was going to plan something out, but when he pulled up to my house to pick me up for a date, I was sitting on the porch eating a bowl of Rocky Road ice cream while I waited for him. Apparently, ice cream is a big turn-on for Joe because he couldn't wait and dropped down on one knee right then and there. Ever the comic, I said "Sure, what the heck." When I realized that I'd have to live down those words forever, I made him ask me again, so I could reply, "YES, YES, YES!!!!"
Who has more siblings? Me, by one. I have three sisters and two brothers and Joe has three sisters and one brother. Incidentally, we both have brothers named Benjamin.
Who wears the pants in the family? Initially, we'd say that we both share the pants, but when you look at specific measures of power in relationships (who makes financial decisions, parenting decisions, etc.), I definitely wear the pants.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
It's a BIRD! It's a PLANE! No, It's...
Super Lincoln and Super Me (aka Daniel) were out battling evil and saving the world from bad guys today. I just happened to have my video camera out and was able to catch those defenders-of-all-that-is-good in action.
Here they come to save the day!!
Here they come to save the day!!
Monday, February 11, 2008
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