when the moon hits the sky like a big pizza pie...

that's amore. according to some oldies song anyways. for me, it means it's times to make some pizza. no, i don't mean make a call to order some pizza but time to take out your flour and pizza stone and get ready for some good eating. that's what i did this past weekend. now it's your turn?

i started out with Elise from Simply Recipes recipe for pizza dough as a base and made a few modifications of my own. The last time I made pizza I also made extra of my spiked marinara sauce and put it in the freezer for later use. this pizza was going to be it's " later use." i had also been to the store that day and picked up some fresh white and cremini mushrooms, bell peppers, basil - yes basil, onions, and fresh mozzarella. i was lucky enough to find the basil at our local farmer's market for a $1.50 which was exciting because i've been looking for the hard to find green since valentine's day with no luck. the price was also a steal because even when it is in season, good luck finding it for under $3. one more reason to love the farmer's market. my finds at the store plus some leftover roasted red pepper and pepperoni would be my choice of toppings for this occasion. feel free to go with whatever you have though. hungry for meat? throw in some salami, ground beef, sausage, prosciutto, rotisserie chicken, ham. whatever you want. me? im a little more of a traditionalist and wasn't real hungry for meat this time. you say you're a traditionalist too? try this then...


Pizza Dough

adapted from Simply Recipes

Makes enough dough for two 10-12 inch pizzas

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F-115°F) - [[ i cut this in half to 5 oz water ]]
• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) of active dry yeast (check the expiration date on the package) [[ i used 1 1/8 t sp]]
• 31/2 cups bread flour (can use all-purpose but bread flour will give you a crisper crust) [[ i used 1 3/4 c of all-purpose flour ]]
• 2 Tbsp olive oil [[ i used 1 tbsp ]]
• 2 teaspoons salt [[1 tsp ]]
• 1 teaspoon sugar [[ 1/2 tsp ]]
• i added 1 tsp dried parlsey also to the dough, thus the green specks.
  

1 In the large bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer (such as a Kitchen Aid), add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.

2 Attach a mixing paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with a dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix and knead by hand.

3 Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place (75-85°F) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If you don't have a warm spot in the house you can heat the oven to 150 degrees, and then turn off the oven. Place the bowl of dough in this warmed oven to rise.

At this point, if you want to make ahead, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Preparing the pizza:

1.Place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.

2 Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place each in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes.

3 Prepare your desired toppings.

4 Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Let the dough relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter - 10 to 12 inches. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker. You can pinch the very edges if you want to form a lip

5 Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes. Repeat with the second ball of dough.

6 Lightly sprinkle your pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) with corn meal. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape in the transfer, lightly shape it to the desired dimensions.

7 Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza.

8 Sprinkle some cornmeal on the baking stone in the oven (watch your hands, the oven is hot!). Gently shake the peel to see if the dough will easily slide, if not, gently lift up the edges of the pizza and add a bit more cornmeal. Slide the pizza off of the peel and on to the baking stone in the oven. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes. If you want, toward the end of the cooking time you can sprinkle on a little more cheese.

We like to start by spreading about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sauce over the dough then sometimes sprinkling some crushed red pepper or dried parsley and our vegetables. With our selection of toppings this past weekend our layers started out with:

• marinara sauce
• basil
• sliced green bell pepper
• roasted red pepper
• sliced red onion
• sliced white and cremini mushrooms
• pepperoni
• shredded mozzarella

chicken tacos

whenever i'm starving and in need of something that i can have ready to go in less than 30 minutes, i make tacos. they're quick, easy, and satisfying. i can't think of a better combination especially when you're getting home later than you planned on and your stomach's yelling at you because you were supposed to have fed it all ready. shame on you. now, time to silence those thunderous groans and get cooking. You can set out any sides you may like to have with your tacos- I tend to set out some sour cream,diced tomatoes, prepared salsa, and shredded lettuce.

• 4 tortillas or hard taco shells( if preparing a dinner for 2 or if you're especially hungry)
• 1 lb chicken breasts/thighs/tenders- diced, stripped or ground. whatever your preference. In this recipe, i went with chicken tenders ground at home in the food processor.
• 2 tsp oil - corn, vegetable or olive. doesn't matter here.
• 1/2 red pepper and 1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic minced
• 1/4 tsp each of coriander, cumin, and chipotle chile powder - this will be for the peppers.
• 1 tsp of sazon - this is a spice blend found in the ethnic aisles of your local grocery store. you can use it to add color and a little exta flavor to just about any dish including rice, chicken,soups and stews. i use it when im making chicken stew and the traditional "arroz con pollo."
• salt and pepper to taste
  

1. Start by heating a large skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers and onions into a medium bowl and season with the cumin,coriander,sazon and chile powder plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to distribute the seasoning evenly.
   
2. Add the seasoned trio to the skillet plus the minced garlic, being sure it' spread in an even layer. Allow to cook untouched for about 4 minutes then stir to allow the other side to brown. I like to have a little fun at this point by getting an oven mitt and grabbing the skillet handle and pulling the mix towards me. It's like the peppers and onions are doing a somersault off the skillet.








3. While you're waiting for the peppers to brown, season the chicken using the same amounts of the cumin,coriander, and chile powder that you used to season the peppers as well as salt and pepper. Also, if you'e having tortillas you can go ahead and set either a large skillet or griddle pan to heat over medium heat.


4. Once the vegetables have done their first somersault, go ahead and add the chicken. After about 3 minutes, time for another somersault. It will also be time to deglaze the pan with a little bit of water to scrape up some of those bits that may have stuck. Allow this to cook for about 6-10 minutes depending on what kind of meat you chose to use.\



5. Heating the torillas: Add either some olive oil or butter to your skillet and place the tortilla inside. Once the tortilla starts to inflate, it's ready to be flipped. Let the second side cook for about 1 minute to a minute and a half more.

Done.

When it comes to assembly, I say to each his own. I like to spread some of the filling down the middle of my tortilla then add the shredded cheese so that it melts followd by some lettuce, sour cream, salsa and the diced tomatoes. Wrap it up and take a HUGE bite.

If you want a little something more than plain,diced tomatoes here's a quick recipe for a spicy Pico De Gallo:

• 1 roma tomato, diced
• 2 tbs diced red onion
• 1 Jalapeno, Minced.
• 1.5 tbs Jose Cuervo Tequila
• Chopped Cilantro
  

Combine first 4 ingredients. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and top off with chopped cilantro. Not spicy enough? Add some crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat.