pizza

So when it comes to blogs I'm pretty bad at keeping them updated, but I'm going to do my best from now on! Given the tight post-college budget I'm living on, I recently decided to experiment with homemade pizza. Homemade pizza is so incredibly yummy and is actually incredibly cheap! I made 3 pizzas last night and it only cost $7.09 for everything! So I'm going to write up a basic recipe right here right now. Also excuse the horrible grammar... but I mean c'mon it is a blog...

Here's what you'll need:
-a store bought pizza crust mix (in the pasta isle, I recommend betty crocker but the store brand or jiffy works great too) or you can make your own. I usually don't make my own because it tastes just as good as a crust mix
-1 can of tomato sauce
-a little bit of olive oil
-pizza seasoning or if you don't have that on hand mix some garlic powder, oregano, basil, well here's the recipe: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/13/Pizza-Seasoning84696.shtml honestly though you can just use some oregano and basil and it tastes just fine
-mozzarella cheese shredded or a cheese block. If you do the cheese block make sure you have a grater on hand and grate the cheese.
-whatever toppings you want maybe spinach, mushroom, and black olives? or pepperoni? or pineapple and bacon?

*Pre-heat your oven to 475 Fahrenheit.

1) Make the crust according to the directions on the package or the crust recipe. If you use the former and it doesn't tell you to put a bit of cooking oil on the dough, do so -it'll be easier to press that way
2) Once the crust is ready get out a pizza pan. Spray it with cooking spray and transfer the dough from the bowl that you made it in to the pan. If you have a rolling pin that would be best, but if not no worries! The shape of the crust doesn't matter all that much. If you have a rolling pin roll the crust out until it's round like the pan. Without a rolling pin you can just press it out until it's round like the pan too.
3) Once the crust is ready if you're crust mix calls for baking it in the oven before putting it on the toppings then do so. Stick that crust in the oven! If not, get ready for the toppings!
4) Once the crust is ready put a tablespoon or so of olive oil on the crust. I'd recommend no overdoing it. Just put a little bit. Once the olive oil's on the crust sprinkle about a tablespoon of pizza seasoning on it. (if you don't have any of that just put a little bit of basil, oregano, garlic powder, etc. on it)
5) Once the olive oil and seasoning is on the crust, open up that can of tomato sauce. Really it depends on how much sauce you like. I usually like to use 3/4 of the can. If you're not too keen on sauce, try about a 1/2 of the can. Make sure to spread that sauce really good. Once it's spread I'd recommend putting the toppings on. Whatever you want. That's what's great about pizza, it's really flexible.
6) Once the toppings are on, put that cheese on! Like the sauce, it's really about your taste. I put A LOT of cheese.... until you think it's way too much! Then again, I love cheese! If you don't love cheese I'd say about 1.5 cups? (I really don't use measurements for pizza so I'm not sure).
7) Once that pizza's ready stick her in the oven. Make it for 9-11 minutes at 475 degrees. After that enjoy!


AND WAIT! If you want, make some homemade garlic bread! It's oh so much better than that boxed crap and super cheap! Here's a great recipe: http://elise.com/recipes/archives/002126garlic_bread.php

and now your ready for a great Italian dinner! just crack open a bottle of sweet red wine for a healthy heart!

An OK pasta and an excellent mocha.

White-Wine Cream Sauce With Spinach and Pasta-

I bought some white cooking wine on sale for a $1.50 a few weeks ago and decided to finally open it up and make myself a pasta. The pasta turned out pretty well. I didn't put spinach in it though, which turned out not to be a big deal. It's definitely not one of the best pasta's I've ever made but it tasted pretty good. I'd give it a 3/5. Here's the recipe (from http://blog.vegcooking.com/2009/04/whitewine_cream_sauce_with_spi_1.php):


1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup water (or more, if desired)
1 Tbsp. vegan margarine
1 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup cooked spinach
4 cups pasta, cooked

•In a medium sauce pan over low heat, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.

•Add the white wine and water then bring to a low simmer. Continue simmering for about 10 minutes.

•Add the margarine and flour, stirring until completely combined and the sauce begins to thicken. If the sauce becomes too thick, add more water until you reach the desired consistency, then season with salt and pepper.

•In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, pasta, and white-wine sauce, then toss until the pasta is completely coated.

Makes 2 to 4 servings


Easy Mocha-

As you may or may not know, I absolutely love coffee. As you also may know I'm currently unemployed and can't head over to the coffee shop everyday. I love mochas and I found this great mocha recipe. It's really simple too, which is a plus. This mocha definitely deserves a 5/5. Here's the recipe (from http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/61/Great_Mocha49286.shtml):

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon cocoa
2 teaspoons sugar (if you like it sweet, add more)
1 splash vanilla
1 pinch of salt
1 cup of milk
a very small amount of hot water
Turn this recipe into a puzzle! [click]


Directions:

In a saucepan, put the cocoa, sugar, vanilla and salt. Pour just enough hot water over to melt the cocoa and sugar (you don't want much). When melted, add milk. Heat over medium heat until hot. (This is also a GREAT cocoa recipe.)

Make coffee. I use a plunger and make good coffee. A drip machine will work. Or you can just use instant. Fill mugs halfway with cocoa and the other half with coffee. Stir. Enjoy. d

Mmmmm strawberries!

Saturday June 13th, 2009 (I know I'm publishing this on Wednesday):

Strawberry Cake-
One of my friends had a birthday so I made him a strawberry cake. The cake turned out excellent. I have to say that I didn't make the fruit whip, I used store bought icing instead, which turned out great. Who doesn't like icing a cake? The cake was very tasty and I would definitely make it again. I give it a 5/5. Here's the recipe which came from http://www.grouprecipes.com/62609/copycat-starbucks-caramel-vanilla-latte.html:

Fresh Strawberry Cake
2-1/4 c sifted cake flour
1/4 tsp salt
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c butter
1-1/2 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c fresh crushed unsweetened strawberries.

Sift flour with salt and baking powder. Combine butter, sugar eggs, and vanilla, and beat for 3 minutes, scraping sides of bowl a couple of times. Then add flour mixture alternately with strawberries. Blend into the creamed mixture, then beat for 2 minutes. Turn batter into 2 8-inch round layer pants that have been buttered, lined with parchment, and buttered again. Tap pans to release excess air, bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cook in pans 5 minutes, then turn out onto racks. Remove parchment while layers are still warm. When cool, frost with Uncooked Fruit Whip, using fresh strawberries, or whipped cream and sliced strawberries.

Uncooked Fruit Whip
1 c strawberries
1 c sugar
1 large egg white

Mach the fruit to a pulp, add sugar and egg white, and beat until light and thick. Use immediately.

Caramel Vanilla Latte-
Instead of going to Starbucks I decided to find my own caramel vanilla latte recipe. Even though I generally hate instant coffee I decided to give it a try. Here's the link for the original recipe: http://www.grouprecipes.com/62609/copycat-starbucks-caramel-vanilla-latte.html I added more milk and caramel syrup to make it taste better. I'd advise you to do the same if you try this recipe out. Also scratch the instant coffee and use vanilla flavored ground coffee instead. Unfortunately I don't have a picture. I mean it just looked like a coffee cup with whipped cream. My rating? 2/5