Easy Pizza Crust

I make a lot of pizzas around here!

From the crust to the toppings, THE BEST homemade pizzas!

You know what I realized?  I have never focused much on the crust.  Sometimes I change it up, but this is my go to crust recipe. 

Check it out...

Simple, yet the perfect flavor for any pizza toppings you choose.

Just make the dough...

Let sit and rise and then roll out...

Bake for a few minutes, then add the toppings and return to the oven...

for your own home-made pizza.

Here's how to make the crust...

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 packet quick rise yeast

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp honey

1 cup warm water

Directions:

In a large bowl, place flour, yeast, sugar and salt.  Add warm water, olive oil and honey.  Stir until combined and shape into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and then a towel.  Let rise for 1 hour.  After dough has risen, roll out dough into desired thickness.  Place dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet.  Place in a 375 degree oven for 5-6 minutes.   Remove from a top with your favorite pizza toppings.  Place pizza back into oven and bake until cheese is bubbly (baking time depends on quantity of toppings).

I am telling you, once you have made your own crust, you won't ever want another.  

So fresh!

Celebrate the little things that make life sweet,

Christine

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Margherita Pizza

Mini Cauliflower Pizzas

Throwback Thursday with Hawaiian Kalua Sliders

Throwback Thursday calls for a recipe from the past!

This dish is perfect for summer because it won't heat up your kitchen and it won't heat you up standing at the grill.  Grab your slow cooker and prepare for some Hawaiian flavors!

The meat is so tender and flavorful.

I just love how the slow cooker does all the work!

Top with some Hawaiian slaw and crunchy fried onions to create your own at home luau!

Don't be surprised if you husband grabs a grass skirt and begins spinning flaming sticks.  Now that would complete the luau, no?

The Hawaiian Slaw adds a new dimension to the tender pork and the crunchy fried onions takes it over the top.  An explosion of flavors going on!

I bet you're glad it was Throwback Thursday!  I know I am and this is what we are having for dinner...husband in a grass skirt and all!  :)

Ingredients for Kalua Pork Sliders:
1 2 lb pork butt roast
sea salt
2 tsp Liquid Smoke

Directions for Kalua Pork Sliders:
Poke holes all over pork butt roast.  Rub with salt on all sides and sprinkle each side with 1 tsp Liquid Smoke.  Place in slow cooker (crock pot) for 6-7 hours on low.  Shred and place on buns.

Ingredients for Hawaiian Slaw:
1 pkg red cabbage
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup crushed, drained pineapple
1 tsp pineapple juice
salt and pepper

Directions for Hawaiian Slaw:
Mix all together and refrigerate until ready for use.

To assemble:

Open mini slider buns.  Place shredded meat on buns.  Top with Hawaiian Slaw and French Fried Onions.

Hawaiian Kalua Sliders printable recipe

Celebrate the little things that make life sweet,

Christine

Places I like to party.

You may also like:

Hawaiian BBQ Pizza

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Key Lime Cupcakes

Garden Frittata

I love this time of year when my own garden and farmer's markets are full of delicious"ness."

When I was in Florida at the beach, the farmer's market had tomatoes, coconuts, papayas and whoopie pies...ok, whoopie pies aren't fresh produce but they were AMAZING!  My own garden has been producing tomatoes, zucchini and banana peppers.  On Saturday I plan on heading down to the Green City Market in Chicago and I can't wait to see what they offer.  But back in my own garden, I put that zucchini to good use into mini Garden Frittatas.

Each Garden Frittata is packed!

Layers of zucchini, tomatoes and onions!  An AMAZING flavor combo for a brunch, lunch or even a light dinner.  I love how the goat cheese adds an additional layer of flavor.  

Each forkful is a garden delight!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp butter

1 small zucchini, sliced thinly

1 small yellow squash, sliced thinly

4 slices or red onion

1 beefsteak tomato, sliced thinly

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

dash of salt and pepper

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

2 ounces goat cheese

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter 4 ramekins with butter.  Layer zucchini, then squash 2 times.  Top with a slice of red onion.  Divide up shredded mozzarella and goat cheese among each ramekin, sprinkling on top of the red onion.  In a small bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper.  Carefully pour over the top of each ramekin.  Top with slice of tomato. 

Bake the frittatas at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit 15 minutes before removing from ramekin.  To remove, run a knife along the edge of each.  Put a plate on top of the ramekin and flip over.  Gently lift off the ramekin.  Top each Garden Frittata with chopped green onions.  

Garden Frittata printable recipe

Now that's what I am talking about!

Summer at it's best!

Celebrate the little things that make life sweet,

Christine

Places I party!

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Zucchini Tempura with Tzatziki Sauce

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Tomato Recipe Round Up

Orange Summer Squares

The colors and flavors of citrus just say summer to me.  Maybe that's why I crave them in the winter?

Anyhow, we are a long way from THAT season and even though crayons, folders and notebooks are overflowing the shelves, I am staying in summer.  Here's a fun twist on my fabulous lemon squares.

Orange Squares have a sweet orange flavor with an awesome shortbread crust.

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter

1 cup flour

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp orange zest

2 eggs

2 Tbsp orange juice

1 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp orange zest

powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in an 8 x 8 square pan in the oven.  Mix flour and powdered sugar in a bowl. 

Stir into the melted butter and press onto the bottom of the pan to form the crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes.  

Remove from oven.

Beat the eggs and orange juice.  Mix in sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and orange zest.  Pour the entire mixture over the hot crust.  Bake at 350 degrees fro 20 minutes or until lightly brown.  Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar.  Cut bars while warm and then refrigerate.

Orange Squares printable recipe

What a great way to end a summer meal!

Looking for more citrus inspired recipes?

Look no further...

Citrus Round Up

Celebrate the little things that make life sweet,

Christine

Where I will be partying!

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You may also like my Lemon Squares recipe:

Lemon Squares

Zucchini Bruschetta

Yesterday I mentioned that I had been out in the garden cleaning up weeds when I discovered tomatoes.  Not only were tomatoes found, but a zucchini was hiding in there too.  It's gigantic!

So, I though I would hop down Memory Lane, this Monday, and re-share one of my favorite ways to use zucchini.

Straight from the garden to your table.  Zucchini Bruschetta can be used as a refreshing appetizer or as a light lunch.  Ribbons of zucchini sitting on top of goat cheese topped crostinis.  Just add some sun dried tomato on top.  Talk about a flavor packed crostini!

Toasted crostini...

creamy goat cheese...

ribbons of refreshing zucchini...

topped with the zing of chopped sun dried tomatoes.  The ordinary taken to the extraordinary!

Ingredients:

1 loaf  Italian bread, sliced in 1/2" slices

1 medium sized zucchini 

1 8oz goat cheese

1 jar sun dried tomatoes, chopped

sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place each slide of bread, face down, onto a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 4-5 minutes or until crispy.  Remove from oven.  Meanwhile, use a peeler to create ribbons of zucchini.  On each slice of toasted bread, spread on some goat cheese.  Top the goat cheese with ribbons of zucchini and chopped sun dried tomato.  Sprinkle each with some sea salt.

Zucchini Bruschetta printable recipe

Gotta check this recipe out!

Go peek into your garden and see what you find.

Celebrate the little things that make life sweet,

Christine

Places I am going to party!

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Tomato Recipe Round Up

Summer in the Midwest sure has been cool and wet.  Not good for tomato plants.  It was looking like we weren't even going to have tomatoes this year.  But, the heat machine finally kicked in and look at what I spotted in the garden...

Lots and lots of tomatoes!  I left for vacation and returned to lots of little beauties! 

I guess vacation time is garden growing time.  Kind of like a watched pot that never boils...

So, let's talk tomato...

While I still need to wait a bit for these tomatoes to turn green, unless I make fried green tomatoes, I was thinking that you might also have some tomatoes coming or you have tons of tomatoes coming out your ears!  In either case, you are going to need some recipes where tomatoes take center stage...check out this round up.

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

Creamy Gazpacho

Pesto and Goat Cheese Crostini

Tiny Tomato Pie Tartlets

Roasted Tomato and Bacon Cornbread

Tomato and Peach Pizza

What's hiding in your garden?

On a side note, my garden was full of weeds that I let get out of hand and a little furry black creature ran right next to my foot!  I was so horrified, I almost didn't even stay to find out that there were tomatoes in there.  Glad I did!  What was the little, furry black creature?  Oh my gosh!  I jumped up so fast and up onto the little step stool I was sitting on...I have no idea!  Screaming and fear clouded my vision.  Mouse?  Vole?  Furry snake?  Ok, it wasn't a snake.  If I see it again, I'll let you know.

Celebrate the little things that make life sweet,

Christine

BTW-let me know what you make with tomatoes!