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!

Challah Bread

Oh my bread machine, how I love thee, let me count the ways. I don't know why I only tried this for the first time recently. Why did I over look it for so many years???

To all my bread lovers out there. You must MUST try this one.

Place in your bread machine:

3/4cups water
1 egg (beaten)
3 tbsp shortening (I used butter)
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast

Set the machine on the dough cycle and let it do it's thing.

Once it has finished remove the dough from the pan and split it into 6 equal parts,

Roll them each in a ball

Then into a snake shape.

Then attach the snakes at one end.

Next you braid the 6 "ropes"

Voila, it's a little tricky, I'm not going to lie.

Let it rise for about 30 minutes

Combine 1 egg yolk and a splash of water, Brush over the bread.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Let's just say that my kids ate all their Quinoa salad so they could get a piece of bread.

Cobblestone Bread

Probably the most used appliance, aside from my oven, in my kitchen in my bread machine. I got my first one 9  years ago for my wedding.  I'm on #3. I literally use it twice a week, from Pizza dough, to random breads, to cinnamon buns, this thing can do it all.

So I really wanted to share with you a new favourite in our house, Challah bread. But I didn't get to do groceries yet, on the count of 4 sick kids, so I have no eggs... For the same reason I'll have to wait to share with you my awesome recipe for French bread...

Instead I made an old classic Cobblestone. It is like little puffy, fluffy buns that melt in your mouth. As do most fresh breads. Oh I love bread. Bread and potatoes. mmmmm. Anyways enough about my weaknesses.

I'll share the recipe for a 1 1/2 lb machine, since even if you have a bigger one you should be able to use it.

Place in your machine the following in this order:

1 cup of water
2 tbsp butter (or margarine)
3 cups of flour
1/3 cup grated parmigiana (optional)
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed Italian seasoning (optional)

Set it to the dough cycle and let it do it's thing.

Once it's finished you need to get the pan ready. So grab a 8X11 dish and either spray it with nonstick cooking spray, OR if you are like me and love butter, I grease it with a generous amount of butter.

I find that when it bakes it ends up like that yummy bread you can get at Jack Astor's, you know the kind.

Ok so pans ready. Take the dough out of the bread machine and start cutting it in chunks, yup with scissors.

You can either leave them in chunks,

Or roll them into balls.

Cover and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

Melt some butter and stir in, if you want, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning and 1/4 tsp garlic salt. For this one I just did butter. about 2 tbsp. (I'm serving with a curry soup, so plain will be best tonight).

Brush the butter over the buns and pop in the oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Voilà!

They just pull apart.

OH Yum!