#7 Homemade Pizza

My nephew Shen once told the joke, "I have good news and bad news. The good news is we are landing immediately. The bad news is we are crash landing! AHHH!"

This week I too have good news and bad news concerning my 2011 New Year's Resolution. The bad news is that I too had a "crash landing" for the first time with a recipe that did NOT turn out. As it turns out, banana cream pie is harder to make than I had imagined.

The good news is that this gives me an opportunity to share one of my favorite recipes with you that is technically not new but slightly revamped thanks to a new homemade sauce. So don't judge me too harshly for putting up an oldie but a goodie, aka Dom's Homemade Game Night Pizza.

You see, I grew up loving games and craving competition. Over the last few years, homemade pizza and game night have merged as one whenever friends come over. So this week, instead of the banana cream pie which went awry, the classic homemade pizza "pie" is what's on the menu.

(This week's recipes have been taken and tweaked to be made by own from none other than allrecipes.com)

Homemade Pizza Crust

Ingredients:

1 cup of warm water

3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 teaspoons of honey

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of yeast

A few shakes of garlic powder &

Italian Seasoning

Directions:

1. Put warm water (80 to 110°F) into a bowl. Add salt and honey and mix with a spoon. Add yeast, mix and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

2. Gradually add flour (throw in a couple shakes of garlic powder and Italian seasoning to add extra flavor) and olive oil and start mixing.

3. When the mixture gets too heavy to mix, start kneading the dough with your hands.

4. Knead the dough until you have a smooth ball. If the dough cracks it is too dry. Add water bit by bit until if forms a nice coherent ball. If your dough feels more like batter, it is too wet and you need to add flour bit by bit. If you need to add water or flour, do it by small amounts.

5. Coat the dough with olive oil, place it in a large bowl and cover it with kitchen wrap or a grocery bag. Fill the sink with hot water and place the covered bowl in the sink. Let the dough rise for about an hour at room temperature, then push it down again so it deflates. Let it sit for about another hour or more depending on what you want. If you want to use it the next day, put it in a refrigerator.

6. Put the dough on a lightly floured surface, put a bit of flour on top and make it into the shape of a pie by stretching it out from the center outwards. Punch some holes in the dough with a fork to let the air escape while the pizza is in the oven.

Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
• 1 (29 ounce) can tomato puree
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

In a large saucepan, saute garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until sauce reaches desired thickness. Sauce may be refrigerated for up to a week.

Use whatever toppings and cheese you like to complete the perfect game night and pizza combo.

Buen Provecho and Game on!

#6 Beef Fajita Burger with Seared Peppers and Onions

There's something about a good juicy burger that just tastes good every now and then. Normally, I don't suffer from burger cravings, but occassionally it just sounds right. This week I had one of those moments, but rather than walk a few blocks to the outdoor burger stand, I decided to try my hand at forming my own patties and packing them with plenty of flavor. I admit, Rachel Ray once again gets most of the credit for this recipe and honestly you're gonna be craving burgers for awhile after this savory sandwich comes your way and as for me, I don't know if the big man behind the outdoor hamburger stand around the corner will be getting much more of my business.

Beef Fajita Burger with Seared Peppers and Onions

Ingredients:

Beef Fajita Burger

1 1/2 ground beef

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (eyeball it)

1 tbsp of chili powder (a palmful)

1 1/2 tsps of ground cumin (half a palmful)

2 to 3 tablespoons thyme

Several drops of hot sauce

1 tbsp grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), for drizzling

Seared Peppers and Onions

1 tbsp EVOO (once around the pan)

1 red and 1 green pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced lengthwise

1 medium onion, thinly sliced lengthwise

2 garlic cloves, smashed out of the skin and chopped/minced

1 jalapeno or serrano chili, seeded and chopped

2 cups prepared tomatillo salsa (green salsa)

4 crusty rolls (I used integral Chapata rolls)

Directions:

1. Heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium high heat (I once again used my George Foreman

grill)

2. For the beef fajita burgers: In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, Worcestershire, chili powder, cumin, thyme, hot sauce, and grill seasoning. Dived the mixture into 4 portions and make 4 patties, 1 inch thick. Drizzle with EVOO. Cook the patties for 4 minutes on each side for medium or until desired doneness.

3. To make the peppers and onions, heat a medium skillet over high heat. Add EVOO and the bell peppers and onions. Stir-fry the veggies, tossing them with tongs, to sear them at the edges. Add the garlic and japenos. Toss and turn the mixture for about 3 minutes, then add the salsa and toss for a minute longer. Place the burgers on each bun bottom and top with pepper and onion mixture and bun top. (Add cheese if you want too!)

Buen Provecho!

#5 Thai-Style Steak Salad

Wanting to try something a little

different this week yet still craving the cultural kick, instead of looking for food from Southern neighbors, I looked to the East. Not only is this meal quite tasty and filled with all sorts of flavors, it is hearty enough and healthy enough with the mound of vegetables under the grilled steak. This is a recipe I would definitely use again, enjoy! So thank you Rachel Ray for another winner this week.

Thai-Style Steak Salad

Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves, minced

2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated (or ginger powder)

2 tablespoons tamari (dark aged soy sauce)

2 teaspoons hot sauce (Tabasco)

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 pounds flank steak

1 cup sweeten

ed shredded coconut

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (eyeball it)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced

5 radishes, thinly sliced

2 cups shredded carrots

1/2 small red onion

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

10 fresh basil leaves

1 sack baby spinach

1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat a grill pan or grill (I used my George Foreman) to high heat

2. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, three fourths of the grated ginger (or ginger powder), the tamari, and hot sauce. Whisk in about 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Place the meat in a shallow dish and coat it evenly in marinade. Let stand for 10 minutes.

2. In a small skillet, toast the shredded coconut until lightly golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Keep an eye on it; the coconut can go from golden brown to burnt. (you'll smell it too!) Remove the toasted coconut from the skillet and reserve.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ginger, the sugar, rice wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a slow, steady stream.

4. In a salad bowl, combine the cucumbers, bell peppers, radishes, shredded carrots, onions, mint, cilantro, and basil. Pour the dressing over the veggies, toss to coat, and let sit while you cook the steak.

5. Grill the flank steak for 6 to 7 minutes on each side. Remove the flank steak fro the grill and let the juices redistribute before slicing, 5 to 10 minutes. Thinly slice the meat at an angle, cutting the meat against the grain. To the dressed veggies, add the spinach, sliced steak, toasted coconut, and chopped peanuts, toss thoroughly and serve.

Buen Provecho!