Pizza Pizza

You know those nights when you just want your kids to eat. Like not an ounce of you feels like fighting or repeating "eat your food or get off of my table!" So on those nights I usually make one of two things, Pasta with a 3 (or more) cheese white sauce, or Pizza.

The best part of making pizza is that I use my home made spaghetti sauce, and I LOAD that up with veggies, so I don't even feel guilty when I just pile on olives and cheese on my pizza and call it supper.

So here we go break out the bread machine because it's that simple.

In your bread machine add in:

1 1/3 c of water
1/4 c of olive oil
3 1/2 c flour (white or whole wheat, or a blend)
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast.
(you can always add a bit of Oregano or Italian Seasoning)
 Set it on the dough setting and come back in 1 1/2 hrs.

This makes 2 large pizzas. When I was at work I would set this in the morning and make it when I came home. Still turns out pretty good, even after sitting all day.


Bake it at 400 for 18 minutes.

So here's our creations (actually they are pretty standard in our house) Olive and All Beef Salami for the kids.

Pesto, Olive and Sun dried Tomato for us.

Enjoy!

Grilled Veggie Pasta Salad

So yesterday a friend asked her FB family for a new twist on a pasta salad. Coincidently I was making one for supper. So I thought I could share with all of you! Keeping the words short today. It's Friday and the house is still a mess, errands still have to be ran, and I would love to squeeze in a nap... not going to happen, but in an ideal world right?

Start by raiding your fridge for grillable vegetables. You like that right, Grillable.

I got some zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, and red onion.
Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.

Grill. Big chunk chop.

Boil some pasta, I did Rotini, drain, throw in the bowl with the veggies.

Grab some cherry tomatoes and cut them in half, some green olives and do the same. Hey why not some artichoke hearts? (I didn't have any this time)

Throw all that in too.

Now some dressing. About 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup balsamic, salt and pepper, and chopped fresh basil. (measurements are very aprox. I don't measure sorry). Mix it up.

You got it, throw that it too.

Mix it up.

Add some cheese if you want. I had Haloom on hand.. Oh my yummy salty friend Haloom, how I love thee.

Hope you like it!

I love my veggies.

Seeing as I have been under the weather for a few days, my weekly meal plan has kinda gone out the window. Pretty much everything can just be shuffled down a couple of days to accommodate for an extra day of left overs and Pizza my hubby brought home. All that is except the veggies. You know you do your groceries with the thought that you will be super healthy, have at least 2 different veggies at every meal, you will even cut them up as a snack. In reality you snack on the box of cookies your mother-in-law brought over for the kids on the weekend... Not me, you .. hmmm.

So yesterday I raided the fridge for the veggies that wouldn't make it. The only casualties were my eggplants. Oh well, Eggplant Parmesan next week.

I found some red peppers, zucchinis, and asparagus. Everything else could make it another day.

Then I raid the cheese drawer, a bit of Mozzerella (I wish I had goat cheese), and some parmesan.

Since my bread machine died of over use, Pizza isn't an option.

Next step was to raid the freezer, I'm looking for Phyllo pastry... I'm out, but I find one square of puff pastry left. Success!

So I start by slicing my peppers, with an onion. Toss with some olive oil salt & pepper and a bit of thyme.
Pop it in the over for about 10 minutes at 400.


I cut up my asparagus into 1" pieces and quarter and slice my zucchinis. I wish I had mushrooms. I add this to the peppers and onions, and pop it bake in the oven, with a bit more salt, pepper, and thyme for another 15 minutes.

Once this is done the veggies should be pretty soft but not mushy (I hate mushy vegetables).

Then I roll out my puff pastry into a nice big rectangle, I do this on a lightly floured cutting board. There is a reason for this.

Then comes the cheese, topped with the roasted veg.

Fold it up like a little package.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the line tray upside down on the prepared package, then flip over the cutting board so the veggie package is seam side down and you didn't break it in two. Good trick uh?

Brush with an egg white wash to make it nice and golden brown.

Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!