Home Is Where The Pizza Is

Home Is Where The Pizza Is

by | Jun 10, 2020 | My Texas Kitchen Recipes

Home is where the pizza is because it’s fun!

Six Steps:

  1. Mix
  2. Knead
  3. Rise
  4. Shape
  5. Top
  6. Bake

For a soft and chewier crust:

  • Stretching the dough by hand creates a soft and chewier crust.
  • Lightly flour a work surface.
  • Shape the dough into a 1″ disk.
  • Starting at the center, press the dough out with the heel of your hand in all directions.
  • Next, hold one hand in the center of the dough while gently stretching the dough with the other hand, work in a circular pattern so that the dough stretches out evenly.
  • Continue until the desired thickness and size is reached.
  • If a hole in the dough appears, gently pinch together and continue.
  • Be sure the surface remains lightly floured so that the dough doesn’t stick.
  • Lightly sprinkle cornmeal on the pizza peel. Place the pizza on it.
  • Brush the edges lightly with olive oil.
  • Add your favorite toppings, leaving a 1/2″ border around the edges.
  • Place the pizza on the baking stone – quickly jerk the pizza peel 2 or 3 times to release the pizza.

For a crispier crust:

  • Lightly flour a work surface.
  • Shape the dough into a slightly flattened disk.
  • Lightly sprinkle the dough and a rolling pin with flour.
  • Roll the dough out until it s 1/2″ thick keeping the edges a little thicker than the center.
  • Pick up the dough and turn it over several times while rolling it out. Be sure to lightly sprinkle the work surface with flour.
  • Lightly sprinkle cornmeal on the pizza peel. Place the pizza on it.
  • Brush the edges lightly with olive oil.
  • Add your favorite toppings, leaving a 1/2″ border around the edges.
  • Place the pizza on the baking stone – quickly jerk the pizza peel 2 or 3 times to release the pizza.

Equipment:

Home is where the pizza is!

 

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Basic Pizza Dough

This pizza dough is easy to work with. I always double the batch so that we have plenty of pizzas!

Ingredients

  • 1 T. active-dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm water(110Fº)
  • 1 T. sugar
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup warm water(110Fº)
  • 3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. In a Pyrex liquid measuring cup, mix the yeast, 1/4 cup warm water and sugar; set aside and proof until frothy.

  2. Place all of the flour, cornmeal and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together. Add the water, olive oil and proofed yeast; mix until ingredients come together. Switch from the paddle attachment to the dough hook. Knead for 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and elastic. Add more water or flour to make it a solid but not too stiff dough.

  3. Lightly oil a large bowl with olive oil. Place the dough inside the bowl. Roll around until th dough is covered on all sides with the oil. Cover with a clean dish towel. Set aside in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk.

  4. Place a pizza stone in an oven. Preheat to 475Fº.

  5. Divide the dough into quarters.

    Shape the dough into pizza. Place on a pizza peel lightly covered with cornmeal. Brush lightly with olive oil. Add the toppings. Be sure the pizza is loose from the pizza peel. Place on the pizza oven, giving it a couple of quick tugs to set free form the pizza peel. Bake for 15b to 17 minutes. Remove from the oven with a pizza peel.

  6. Cool on a wire rack. Place on cutting board. Cut into serving pieces. Serve!

From 0 to 1,800

From 0 to 1,800

by | Jun 9, 2020 | Creative Pursuits

From 0 to 1,800 – This is the number of face masks produced in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Launching a food blog in January 2009, I began sharing my life-long pursuit of cooking southern cuisine at its best! Since then, I have tested and typed recipes, photographed and written about food for my food blog, www.mytexaskitchen.com.

In 2009, a crazy thing happened . . . my original Blue Ribbon Lemon Cake won ‘Best of Show’ in the State Fair of Texas cake contest. This victory led to competing in Oprah’s cooking contests and a guest appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Several years later, my friend, Grace-anne and I competed on a Food Network Show with Bobby Flay.

On March 17th, 2020 everything changed. The coronavirus pandemic and shelter-in-place orders affected our world. On April 2, a friend called with the news that Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins might soon recommend face masks. Although it was uncertain, I followed my intuition, put my food blog on hold and focused all of my efforts on a new line of stylish face masks. Risky at the time, the quick response paid off by vaulting my face masks production ahead of other startups.

Drawing from my experiences with Susan Apple, Inc., an apparel company I founded in my college dorm room in 1982, I took some tools of manufacturing apparel in the 80’s and 90’s fashion industry and retooled them for face masks production. Drafting a pattern, sewing the first sample, searching for local seamstresses, estimating and ordering fabrics and elastic.

Within days, I posted about my new face mask project on Facebook. Years of dedication to cultivating a large Facebook/Instagram following and food blog following gave me the chance to reach a wide audience. It paid off with steady stream of orders. The first face masks were delivered within a week. Since this day, Susan Apple, Inc. has become known as a reliable source for stylish face masks. Orders have been shipped from coast to coast. New orders are received daily.

The coronavirus has presented me with an opportunity to demonstrate that I have the resources and tenacity to manufacture top-quality products in the USA. Best of all, it has given me a chance to provide employment for local seamstresses.

Seizing this opportunity allows me to prove a thesis that I truly believe: people continue to appreciate better quality products over disposable quality so common in our world today. A fact proven by one face mask returned – and that was due to an accidental snip in the elastic. Such a low-return rate is unheard of in today’s global fashion industry.

Face masks are in stock and ready to ship!

They’re Back

They’re Back

by | Jun 8, 2020 | My Texas Kitchen Recipes

They’re back . . . ripe red tomatoes right off the vine. I am shopping at the St Michaels’ Farmers Market. They have the best pick in town!

There is an endless amount of recipes that are tasty, tempting, full-flavored and good to eat. The classic BLT is my favorite!

Followed by:

  • Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil
  • Tomato Salsa
  • Tomato Slices with Feta & Herbs
  • Creamy Tomato Soup
  • Tomato Sauce
  • Fresh Tomato Aspic
  • Savory Tomato Pie
  • Tomato Tarragon Pizza
  • Tomato & Bread Salad
  • Mexican Tomato Eggs
  • Tomato Souffle
  • Smoked Tomatoes
  • Oven-Cured Tomatoes
  • Tomatoes Provencal
  • Fresh Tomato Chutney

They’re back . . . ripe red tomatoes and the St Michael’s Farmers Market. See you next Saturday!

 

Ice Cream Is Good For The Soul

Ice Cream Is Good For The Soul

by | Jun 7, 2020 | My Texas Kitchen Recipes

“Remember ice cream is good for the soul.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach

In Sarah’s best-selling book “Simple Abundance”, she recommends freezing a homemade batch of ice cream in June. So that is exactly what we are doing today. In fact, we are celebrating National Chocolate Ice Cream Day with a batch of homemade ice cream.

This chocolate ice cream is so delicious. We are planning more homemade batches of ice cream.  After all, ice cream is good for the soul!

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Chocolate Ice Cream

The best chocolate, cream and eggs are blended together to create this delicious, soothing summer dessert! Gherardelli® semi-sweet premium baking bar works well with this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate baking bar
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/8 t. salt
  • 1 1/2 t. vanilla

Instructions

  1. In the top of a double boiler over hot water, melt the chocolate. Stir in the milk and cream; set aside.

  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until light and fluffy, a couple of minutes. Whisk in the sugar a little at a time. Whisk until blended well. Stir in the salt and vanilla.

  3. Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture; blend together. Cool.

  4. Pour into a Cuisinart® ice cream maker's frozen canister. Freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

    Once the ice cream is thick and creamy, remove the dasher. Cover with saran wrap and chill for a couple of hours before serving.

 

Go Vegan Baking

Go Vegan Baking

by | Jun 3, 2020 | My Texas Kitchen Recipes

Go Vegan Baking – two firsts today . . .

  • First Giveaway for My Texas Kitchen
  • First vegan bread recipe to bake

The winner of our first Giveaway is Megan McWilliams with her Vegan Banana Bread.

Confession – this is my first vegan bread recipe to bake. The recipe looks great until I reach the part where no eggs where included. (Of course, it’s vegan!) I continue smashing bananas, blending ingredients, pouring the batter into the pan, and baking. Forty-five minutes later, the bread is golden brown. Slicing, spreading a bit of butter and finally . . . the moment we have been waiting for . . . the first taste. Wow! it’s full of flavor and moist. We have a winner!

Please try it for your self and let me know how you like it!

One thing is for sure . . . I will never let those too-ripe-bananas go to waste again. :- )

BTW . . . this is my first blog post since April 7th because I have focused on quality face masks production. I am happy to report that I have cut and local seamstresses have sewn 1,800 face masks within 8 weeks.

I’m happy to get back to the joy of baking.

Go vegan!

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Vegan Banana Bread

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cup Whole-Wheat Flour
  • 1/3 cup organic pure cane sugar
  • 2 t. baking powder
  • 1/2 t. baking soda
  • 1/3 cup neutral flavored oil - corn oil is okay
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • 3-4 large ripe bananas, smashed
  • 1/4 cup almond milk, only if needed

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350Fº.

  2. Spray a 5 X 9 X 3 pan. Set aside.

  3. In a mixing bowl, blend the dry ingredients together.

  4. Add the oil, vanilla, and bananas; stir together just until blended.

    Add the milk if needed.

  5. Pour into the prepared pan.

  6. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown.

  7. Serve with plenty of butter!