Recipe Roundup - Pizza Dough (Bread Machine)

This is a great, and flavorful pizza dough recipe.  I use my bread machine to do the hard work.  Put the ingredients in the machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer, and select the dough setting.  This makes enough for two large pizza's.

1.5 Cups Warm Water

1 Tablespoon Honey

2Tablespoons Active Dry/or bread machine Yeast

1/4 Cup olive oil

2 1/2 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 Cup Flax Meal

1 teaspoon salt

I grind flax seeds into meal at home, but you can purchase flax meal at the store as well.  I add everything to the bread maching and include garlic, oregano, and other herbs for extra flavor.  I've even been know to throw in some sundried tomatoes on occasion.  :)  You can just toss in a bit of whatever you like for flavor, or nothing at all.

When the dough is done rising preheat the oven to 425 and dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Cut the dough into two balls.  (You can freeze half if you don't need two large pizza's.)

Oil a pizza pan or baking sheet.  Take one dough ball and spread onto your prepared pan working from the middle to the edges until desired thickness is reached.  Roll any excess dough onto itself at the edges to creat the outter crust.  Use a fork to poke holes in the crust.

Bake at 425 for 8-12 minutes.  The longer you pre-bake it, the crispier your crust will be.  Remove the crust from the oven and top with whatever toppings you like and return for the oven until cheese begins to brown.  I like to hide spinach and finely chopped onions between the sauce and the cheese, for the little one that thinks her slice is only pepperoni (or in this case veggie-roni).  Sometimes I brush the crust with butter, garlic, salt, and oregano for a garlic breadstick flavor. 

And Voila, you have a beautiful tastey pizza that your family will love.  Enjoy!

“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore.”

Jack Brooks

Recipe Round Up: Cheddar and Prosciutto Buttermilk Biscuits with Rosemary

4 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour (I used pastry flour for a finer consistency)
1/4 C Minced fresh rosemary
2 tbs baking powder
2tsp coarse salt
1tsp cracked black pepper
1.5 Cups (3 sticks) cold butter (unsalted), cut into pieces
2 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese (8oz)
3 ounces prosciutto finely chopped (3/4 C)
2 1/4 C cold buttermilk (and a little extra for brushing)

~Preheat oven to 400 with racks in the upper and lower thirds

~Prepare all ingredients.  I use fresh rosemary, put it in a very small bowl and use kitchen sheers to cut it down to size.  I find this method a little easier than cutting the rosemary on a cutting board.  I use the kitchen sheers to produce smaller pieces of chopped prosiutto as well. 

~Combine flours, rosemary, baking powder, salt, and pepper in large bowl.  Cut in butter with pastry blender, or your fingers.  I prefer the hands on finger method as I feel it gives me more control over the final consistency of the dough.  When the mixture resembles coarse meal with some remaining large chunks of butter, add the cheese and prosciutto.  Stir in the buttermilk just until the mixture forms dough.  It will still have dry parts and be a bit crumbly.

~Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to incorporate any remaining bits.  Squish the dough into about a 12inch square and cut into square biscuits (2-3").  Transfer biscuits to an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the top of each one with buttermilk. 

~Bake for 30-40 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown.  About halfway through rotate the baking sheets from front to back and from top to bottom for even browning.  Serve Hot.

These biscuits are fantastic on their own, are rich in flavor, but also go well with a dish.  We had them with black bean soup.

“Love doesn't just sit there, like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new.” Ursula K. LeGuin