Family Pizza Night

I have been attempting a smooth and delicious family pizza night for a solid three years now. Let's just say between the not-so-great-dough recipes, insane messes the kids have made, and some burnt pizzas that disappointed us all, it has been a ride. BUT, now we have come to a point where it is a somewhat relaxing, easy, and fun night for everyone involved. Most importantly me, who on many occasions flipped out mid pizza night for lots of reasons because apparently I am more of a perfectionist than I thought. Man I love a little self diagnosing ha 

So here is the deal. Like most things in life that involve kids it is best to set expectations low. The pizzas are going to be odd shaped, they are not going to be exactly like your favorite pizza joint, and someone will spill grated cheese all over the floor and then proceed to step on it. And it is FINE. Pour yourself a glass of wine, get everything prepped, and let the family memories begin. Plus, it really is delicious thank goodness. 

Here is how I prep: 

1. Make dough and get it to room temp if if has been refrigerated (I just made this dough and it was bananas good. This one is also great with different time lengths and crazy easy. OR buy it at the store!) 

Dough Before

Dough after 24 hours

2. Make Sauce (you can TOTALLY buy this too. But I am including my recipe below that I worship)

3. Prep your ingredients (grate cheese, cook sausage, slice onions, whatever you like on it. Place each ingredient in a little bowl for easy access for little hands) I also find this is a great time to use up random ingredients in my fridge. 

3. Prep Pans (I like to use big jelly/sheet pans and spray them down with a good coating of cooking spray. I do one pan for each person)

4. Preheat a CLEAN oven to 500 degrees. (you might want to throw a fan on too, it can get smokey)

5. Roll out dough/stretch dough into pizza "shapes" on a really well floured surface, then transfer onto the pans (I say shapes because how they get pizza into perfect circles is a mystery I have not solved and maybe do not care too)

6. Top & Bake for about 10-15 minutes, until the crust is browned and middle is bubbling. (hint: just a thin layer of sauce does the trick)

7. Eat too much, laugh a lot, and admire each others pizza. 

Simple Pizza Sauce
Makes enough for 4 large pizzas

1 can whole tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
1 large or two small cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of salt

Set a strainer over a glass bowl and pour the can of tomatoes in it. Let it sit for about an hour (see pics below). Pour out the water in the bowl and place the tomato contents in the bowl. Add the garlic and salt, then blend it up (immersion blender or standing blender). Taste and add more salt if it needs it. Done! 

xo
Erin 

Homemade Pizza for Dummies

While I love to cook, I do not love to bake. For the most part I loathe the exact amounts and extended list of instructions. Including that some things need to just hang out for a day or two. That is annoying. And my other, possibly bigger problem, is that I cannot resist anything made from flour and baked in an oven. Be it bread or cookies or cake, that batch will be taken down in a day. Not kidding. 

But, given the amount of times we order pizza and how much I love a good thin crust fresh from the oven (I miss you Piece), I thought pizza dough is really something I want to master. And while the jury is still out, I think I have found the perfect recipe for the absolute novice baker/cook. Seriously people, there are minimal steps and it is fool proof. This coming from someone that always forgets an ingredient and has zero patience for things not coming out right. The best part about this recipe is that you can make the day ahead, the morning of, or a few hours before. It can work into your schedule, not the other way around. 

Lazy Pizza Dough 

Smitten Kitchen 

Makes Two 9x13 rectangular pies, feeds about 4 people

Options:

• Overnight Dough Schedule: Begin between 8 and 9 p.m the evening before for dinner between 6 to 8 p.m. (approx. 22-hour dough)
• All-Day Dough Schedule: Begin between 6 and 8 a.m that day for dinner between 6 to 8 p.m. (approx. 12-hour dough)
• Part-Day Dough Schedule: Begin around noon that day for dinner between 6 to 8 p.m. (approx. 6-hour dough)

3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour (bread flour works too)
Slightly heaped 1/8, 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast (for Overnight, All-Day, orPart-Day Schedules respectively, above)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea or kosher salt
1 1/4 cup water, plus an additional tablespoon or two if needed 

In a very large bowl, mix all ingredients with a spoon. The dough will be craggy and rough; this is fine (see above left picture), but if it feels excessively so, add another spoonful or even two of water. (See Note up top about altered water level/flour heaviness.) Cover bowl with plastic and keep at room temperature for approximately 22 (for Overnight schedule), 12 (for All-Day schedule) or 6 (for Part-Day schedule) hours, or until the dough has more than doubled(see above right picture). This takes longer in a chilly room and less in a very warm one, but don’t fret too much over this, as the dough is generally forgiving of a loosened schedule.

Spray an old baking sheet very lightly with a nonstick cooking spray before sprinkling it with cornmeal (if you do not have cornmeal, just spray heavier. Heat oven to its highest temperature, usually between 500 and 550 degrees F. 

Flour your counter very well. Scrape dough out of bowl onto floured counter; in the time it has risen it should change from that craggy rough ball to something very loose, soft, sticky and stretchy. Flour the top of the dough, and divide dough in half (or more pieces, if you’re making smaller pizzas. see bottom left picture). Form them into ball-like shapes. Grab first round with floured hands and let the loose, soft dough stretch and fall away from your hands a few times before landing the dough on your prepared baking sheet/paddle. Use floured fingers to press and nudge dough into a roughly round or rectangular shape. Add desired fixings and bake pizza for 10 to 15 minutes, rotating if it’s baking unevenly, until the top is blistered and the crust is golden. Repeat with remaining dough.

I like to top mine with a thin coat of pizza sauce (the mario batali one is pretty darn good), fresh mozzarella (do not use the one they store in water), thinly sliced onion, and good quality pepperoni. A sprinkling of parm doesn't hurt. Working the dough to a thin layer on the pan is the hardest part. If it is tough, let it hang out a bit and try again. I also found that doing it on top of the slightly warm stove makes it easier. My pizzas tend to take more time then above, closer to 15 minutes. When the dough is starting to brown on the edges, it is done. Let it sit and cool for a bit and set up. This has become a bit of a weekly tradition, so I hope it can be in your house too! 

xo
Erin 

Style Snapshot: Rachel

Today we are featuring Rachel, from San Diego, who perhaps is one of the most fun girls on the planet. I have known her since we met on our floor Freshman year at University of Arizona (Coronado to be exact). Though her style has changed throughout the years, she has always been a tried a true West Coast girl with a radiant positive spirit that is infectious. She got married to a handsome Aussie and had her baby boy almost two years ago and has since been making a home for herself and her family in Solana Beach. Her laid back style and approach to beauty pays off, as she needs very little to look gorgeous. Here is a glimpse into her closet, style, some homemade beauty products, and how she keeps balance in her life.  

Continue to read more...

Summer Chopped Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

My diet consists of way too much sugar, baked goods, and ice cream, so I have to make sure to really get in some healthful ingredients by dinner time. A chopped salad always feels fresh and can be changed up so easily by what you have on hand. I had never made my own ranch dressing before and was shocked how easy it was, plus I used light mayo to cut the calories. Any of the ingredients in this can be subbed for what you love. Piling the components up in lines makes for a great presentation and makes it feel a lot less like your run of the mill salad. 

Summer Chopped Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

serves 4

For the Salad: 

5 slices of salami or 4 slices of bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled

1/4 cup of shaved parmesan cheese

1/4 cup of pepitas 

1 avocado, diced

2 ears of corn, cooked, chilled and cut off the ear

1 cup of cooked orzo, Israeli couscous, or quinoa

1 red bell pepper, diced

4 cooked chicken breasts, diced

2 cups baby arugula, chopped

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

On a large platter or wide shallow bowl, align the ingredients in lines against one another. Chill until ready to serve. 

For the Dressing: 

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used light)

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon or chopped flat leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

Lawry's seasoning salt, & freshly ground pepper to taste

Whisk all of the ingredients together and taste to adjust seasoning. Chill. 

Serve salad cold and toss with the dressing. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Dinner for You & Baby

After a few months of putting off making my own baby food, I have finally dived in and loving it. This kid is trying a lot of foods that I am not even sure he is quite ready for yet, but it is fun to have him taste everything. Since making dinner for yourself is hard enough, I wanted to put together an easy dinner for you that you could also whoorl up for your baby. Simple, delicious and healthy. 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 

In a roasting pan, add one chopped onion, three cubed sweet potatoes, one teaspoon of fresh thyme, and one clove of minced garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. 

Place four bone in, skin on chicken breasts on top of vegetables. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper generously. 

Roast in oven for 30 to 45 minutes until chicken is done. Tossing vegetables a couple of times. 

Optional if you want to make a quick sauce: Transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving platter and cover with foil. Place roasting pan over high heat on the stove. Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour all over and whisk into pan drippings. Cook and stir for one minute. Add half cup of white wine, continue to whisk and reduce by half. Add a cup of stock, whisk and let reduce until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. 

Serve warm, drizzled with sauce if you make it, and enjoy. 

Any leftovers you have can be placed in a food processor, baby food maker, or blender (remove skin and bones from chicken). The ratio should be about one third chicken to two thirds vegetables. Process until the consistency your baby prefers. Add water or stock to help smooth it out. 

Baby food freezes really well. Beaba also makes these great silicone portioned storage containers. It can be placed in the freezer, then you pop the portion out when needed. You can also store the cubes and then reuse the container. My freezer is full of multi-colored cubes of baby food. It is hilarious. 

xo

Erin