PW Pesto Pizza - The Finale!

The secret's out - I didn't make my own pesto for this recipe. I know, if you're going to make the cheese and the bread, why not throw some things in the food processor and call it a day? I'll tell you why - we have 4, I repeat, 4 jars of pesto in our cupboards. Not sure how we created such a stockpile, but nonetheless, I did not make the pesto...

 

which made this part easy: spread the pesto as evenly as you can on your rolled out crust (see Part Deux below).

  

Wait, hold that thought. Don't forget to sprinkle some cornmeal on whatever you're putting the pizza on to get it in the oven. We just so happen to have a baking stone AND a pizza peel (I told you, we eat a lot of pizza!), so I put a good layer of cornmeal on the peel and made sure that the stone was in the middle of the oven during preheat. About 40 minutes before you think you'll be ready to put the pie in the oven, go ahead and preheat to 500 degrees. Hot and crispy, yes sirree.

  

Following the Pioneer Woman's instructions, sprinkle the pesto with some kosher salt -- or grind it, you know, be creative. Using the thin layers of mozza from Part One, cover the pizza with your cheese.

 

And then come the tomatoes, roma, to be exact. Mmm.

  

With a little grated Parmesan and a little luck, carefully slide your pizza onto your baking surface or peel (unless of course you had the foresight to construct the pizza on the actual surface... ahem). Bake in your preheated oven for 10-15 minutes - I usually bake a little longer until the cheese really starts to brown and get crispy around the edges.

  

At this point, you might as well take a seat and get down to business.

  

There's no holding back when this guy rolls into town. 

I know - you might be feeling a little pizza lust right now. Don't fret, there's enough cheesy love to go around - just check out all the other recipes waiting for you over at The Kitchn. Happy Pizza-ing!

PW Pesto Pizza - Part Deux (Bread/Crust)

I'd planned to do a separate post on this in the near future - so consider this your introduction. I can't get enough of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day - as someone who lives at high altitude, I've found baking really challenging at times.... that is, until someone around these parts recommend that I give this book/method a try!

For those of you who haven't heard about the book, the idea is that you use a basic, no-knead recipe to make a large batch of dough (or small, if you don't eat that much in 2 weeks) that doesn't need any special treatment and can be stored in the fridge until you want to slice off a piece and bake it. Really, I promise, it works just like that. Nothing but yeast, salt, water, and flour.

Which brings me to the bread portion of the PW Pesto Pizza experiment! In addition to the Master Recipe, the original book (they also now have a Healthy Bread book) includes quite a few additional recipes over a couple of chapters focused on flatbreads, ciabatta, pastries, and more. The recipe I used for this meal was the Olive Oil Dough - perfecto!

  

And with a little help from Down South, I was off to a good start!

 

 

After mixing the dough in a stand mixer WITHOUT KNEADING, the dough is placed in a plastic storage container or bucket for a few hours without an airtight seal. I've never seen such a ridiculous rise before this method!

In addition to the crust, I used the same recipe to make a half dozen breadsticks. After twisting two sections together, I sprayed the dough with some olive oil spray, dusted on some italian seasonings, and grated a little romano cheese on top.

 

Ooooh yeah...

  

20 minutes later...

  

Once I was ready to make the pizza - well, about an hour before - I cut a good hunk of the dough off from the main container, dusted it with flour and let it sit for a little less than an hour.

 

On a lightly floured surface, I was able to roll out, stretch, and use my hands to make a thin crust. Unlike other doughs I've worked with to make pizza (and with a husband from Chicago, we make A LOT of pizza) this dough was versatile, soft, and didn't tear once! When you get the dough to the right size and shape (hey, go crazy, make a rectangle), carefully transplant the dough on to a cornmeal covered surface.

Part III Coming Tomorrow: The Finale- Putting it All Together!

Alright, now I feel bad that I haven't exactly given you a bonafide pizza crust recipe. Since not everyone out there has access to the Artisan book/recipe, here's a quick list of thin crust recipes for your enjoyment:

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza from The Kitchn
Jay's Signature Pizza Crust
Thin n' Crispy Pizza Crust from Sugar & Spice
Thin and Crispy Pizza Dough from Country Living
Pizza Dough from Jamie Oliver
Thin Cracker-Crust Pizza Crust from Creatively Domestic

PW Pesto Pizza - Part One (Cheese)

In continuing the review of my Valentine's Day dinner extravaganza, here's the first installment of my experiment with the Pioneer Woman's Tomato-Basil Pesto Pizza recipe - and it's all about the CHEESE!

One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year (ever?) was the Deluxe Cheesemaking Kit from UrbanCheesecraft on Etsy.  I haven't branched out from basic mozzarella yet, but I've been planning my foray into goat cheese as soon as I can get my hands on some non-ultra pasteurized milk. Anyways, one of the best things about making your own cheese is that you can make it in any shape or form that you need it for. Case in point - making mozza for my pizza!

In support of UrbanCheesecraft, I won't disclose the specifics of their instructions, but I do want to share how incredibly easy it is to make your own cheese...

  

One of the integral parts of cheese making is the rennet tablet. According to WiseGeek, rennet is"an enzymatic extract made from the lining of the stomachs of young ruminants, such as cows, sheep, and goats. These animals produce enzymes to help them digest the milk produced by their parents, breaking down the milk so that the maximum nutrition can be extracted from it in the stomach and intestinal tract. These same enzymes can be used to curdle or thicken milk to make a variety of foods."

  

Next up, citric acid - used to coagulate the cheese.

  

Raw or (non-ultra) pasteurized milk - I've managed to hunt down some "local" milk from Idaho Falls and Teton Valley

 

The rennet and citric acid are added at specific temperatures.

Curds begin to form in the milk.

 

The curds are ladled into a microwave-safe bowl...

  

... and separated from the whey to get ready for a litle more heating and stretching to achieve the desired texture and shape.

  

I typically make the mozza into rounds/balls, but in this case I stretched the cheese into long, thin layers to make it easier to lay across the pizza.

  

And that concludes Part One of the PW Pesto Pizza adventure!

Next up tomorrow: breadsticks and a tasty thin crust...

Strawberry Pretzel Squares

I'm playing a little catch-up this week and posting the photos and recipes from our Valentine's Day dinner  and the weekend- the pesto pizza from Pioneer Woman (in 3 parts - homemade mozza cheese, bread/crust, and final pizza prep), Strawberry Pretzel Squares, Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches, and Pupcakes for Argo's birthday.

As I mentioned before, I was looking for something a little different and mostly healthy for a Valentine's Day dessert. A family member has brought this dish (or something similar) to family gatherings in Illinois and I thought it would fit the bill --- and help us celebrate National Jello Week, which ran the week leading up to V-Day.

I found the recipe for Strawberry Pretzel Squares on trusty Allrecipes and used most of the low-calorie modifications suggested there, including using Cool Whip Free, Low Fat Cream Cheese, and Sugar Free Jell-O. Here's the recipe in step-by-step photos - note that I halved the recipe in all aspects except the Jell-O and made it in an 8 x 8" pan with no problem:

You'll Need:

2 cups finely crushed pretzels (food processor those suckers)
1/2 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
12 ounces PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened (or Low-Fat)
2 tablespoons milk (fat free, if you please)
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (low-cal, if you so desire)
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (8 serving size) JELL-O Brand Strawberry Flavor Gelatin (2 is better)
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 quart strawberries, sliced

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix pretzels, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the butter.

 

Press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake 10 min. Cool.

 

While I was waiting for the crust to bake and then cool, I figured I had enough time to jump ahead and slice the strawberries - it is my favorite part, afterall. 

 

Sidenote - I found that just slicing the berries didn't really end well when trying to cut, serve, and devour later on. If I was going to make this again, I would go for quarters. 

Beat cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and milk until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping.

  

Spread over crust. Refrigerate until ready to use.

  

I covered mine in Saran and left it in the fridge for hours. 

Meanwhile, stir boiling water into gelatin in large bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until thickened (spoon drawn through leaves definite impression). Stir in strawberries.

  

Spoon over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.

 

Cut into squares to serve. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator. Ours kept really well for about a week! Perfect for red holidays, summer gatherings, or just any old day of the week!

Home Craft Parties

Photo from Miss Malaprop

Miss Malaprop recently posted a few tips for participating in Handmade Craft Shopping Parties (subsequently buzzed about HERE and HERE) - and I was instantly intrigued by the concept. Of course, I had seem my mom participate in Tupperware, Pampered Chef, and stamping parties growing up, but this makes a whole lot of sense for the crafting community. By hosting a seller or group of sellers, a home essentially becomes a private or selective craft fair without the distractions, competition, and pressure of larger events or a commissions/marketing based event (like Pampered Chef, for example). She also started a great thread in the Etsy forums about the topic - and recommends checking out craft-selling-parties.com for more ideas and inspiration. 

Being the party-planning-lover that I am, I couldn't help myself from investigating some fun extras that would make the evening a little... upscale/classy/party-like - which may or may not be appropriate depending on the price ranges and types of products for sale. More expensive items - artwork, jewelry, home decor, etc - might require a different "feel" than children's clothing, for example. Having a knitting-oriented party? Maybe you'll feel super adventurous and try making this amazing knitting basket cake from CakeJournal!

Even after brainstorming for just a few minutes, I was able to come up with all sorts of themes - a lot of them centering around a relaxed atmosphere with cocktails and little nibbles. Maybe this only applies around here, but my general impression is that women are always looking for a "night with the girls" to socialize, be a little (or a lot) gossipy, have a drink or three, and put on footware that doesn't involve rubber soles. Based on that assumption, I think that an event that caters to all of those things AND can result in sales will be highly successful. Here are a few of my favorite ideas: 

Brunch & Buy - think mimosas, fruit kebabs, little pastries in the AM 

Sew Sweet - with these adorable shortbread buttons, pound cake petit fours, and white wine spritzers or coffee/tea/lemonade; focus on needle and thread crafts, can also easily transform into a "Home Sweet Home" theme

Cocktails & Crafty Sales - evening event with wine or one or two signature cocktails; consider a Wonder Woman or a Desperate Housewife for a few laughs 

Homemade Happy Hour - red & white wines or coolers/hard lemonade, finger foods (check out this Sewing Club Dip) 

Hot for Handcrafted -a great winter event with hot chocolate/cider/mulled cranberry drink bar and winter-geared items (such as felting or knitting)

Mementos & Mojitos - serve up regular Mojitos - or maybe Mango or Blackberry Pineapple - at this early evening, Friday night-type cocktail event; a good jewelry party theme 

Crafts & Cran - another cocktail-based evening serving up crafts and Crantinis or a non-alcoholic Cran-Ginger Granita

Handcrafted at Home - a more general event focused on home decor/lifestyle crafts; think late Saturday afternoon with wines, cheeses, fruits, and dessert bars 

Sew Worth It - gather up your favorite sewing gals (or guys) and donate a percentage of the proceeds to the charity chosen by the host; tag line on the invitations could read, "Crafting for .... 10% of Proceeds Donated to ...."

Clearly, I find this whole notion very appealing. At the craft show I did in December, I was approached by no less than 3 other vendors asking about the feasibility/interest in a sort of craft cooperative to sell wares at a central location in town during the winter holiday season. I think that home-based craft parties can also help to fill this vending void year-round. Maybe you do seasonal parties - Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall. It would certainly be easier to plan an inventory, create a new line, or find hosts on a quarterly basis. You might even consider teaching a tutorial or hosting a little workshop to get your potential buyers really invested in the process!

Looking for a little more inspiration? Check out these super cute invitations from Polka Dot Design that might work for your home-based crafty event: Chicks Night Out, Teal or Peach "Home Sweet Home" Chandelier, Aqua or Lime or Pink Chairs, Posh House, Elegant Cocktails, Mod Wine, and Floral Glass. Evite even has some pre-made templates for Craft & Jewelry events - try Get Crafty or Jewelry Party! Invitations would be a great place to set your theme/tone and also provide important information about your seller(s), including a website or Etsy store.

Party on!