Pizzas, Pumkin Cookies, and Past Recipes,... oh my!

Happy Tuesday!  I am sharing the recipe that I used for the homemade frozen pizzas from the great site called favoritefreezerfoods.com.  I par baked 10 pizza crusts as well as assembling the pizza topping "kits" in about four hours, which I didn't think was too bad considering I don't have a Little Caesar's hidden in my pantry.   I know my family eats more pizza than I would like to admit, so hopefully this quick and easy crowd-pleaser will work for your families! 

 

Pizza Dough Recipe (makes 2 medium pizza crusts)

 

• 2 ½ tsp yeast (or one package)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• ¼ cup olive oil

Start by proofing your yeast. Heat the water until it’s warm to the touch but not hot, then add the yeast and sugar. The sugar helps the yeast grow, salt prohibits yeast growth so don’t add the salt yet.

The yeast will start to foam if it’s still good. This can take up to 10 minutes but if you know your yeast is good you can skip this step.

Mix the flour, salt, garlic powder together. Now add the olive oil and the warm water and mix together.

I usually use my kitchen aid mixer with the bread hook. If you don’t have one you’ll have to knead the dough by hand.

Mix or knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, it shouldn’t stick to your hands, mixing bowl or countertop.

If the dough is too sticky add more flour, if it’s too dry add more water.Try not to overwork the dough.

Shape the dough into a ball and let the pizza dough double in size for about 30-45 minutes.

Place the dough in a bowl and lightly coat in olive oil to keep it from drying out, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.

Keeping the dough someplace warm helps it rise faster. If your kitchen is cold turn your oven on to the lowest temperature for two minutes then turn off the heat, turn on the dome light and put the bowl of dough in the oven.

It should be warm but not hot when you stick your hand in there. You also might want a metal pan just in case.

After the dough doubles punch it down with your fists to remove all the air and preheat the oven to 500 F (250 C). Prepare your sauce, cheese and other toppings as the dough rest for 10 minutes or so.

Cut the dough in half and then roll. Top as desired or leave off topping and par bake the crust for the freezer.

I don’t have a pizza peel or pizza stone so I use a cookie sheet to bake the pizza on.

A par baked crust will take 3 minutes, just until the outside starts to cook, the middle is still raw and it’s not golden yet.

Remove the pizzas from the oven and let cool on a wire rack completely.  wrap with plastic wrap or waxed paper individually, and then cover both crusts with foil. Put in freezer on a flat surface until needed.  Assemble pizza toppings kit if desired.  Idea to follow... 

Pizza Kit Assembly:

I used a gallon size Ziploc bag to contain all the topping ingredients for the two pizzas. I put three cups of grated mozzarella in one gallon bag and rolled it up.  I then put 2 cups of sauce into a different sandwich size Ziploc and sealed it.  I quartered five large slices of Canadian bacon and sealed in another sandwich size Ziploc, and pepperoni in another.  I put all the separate baggies into the "kit" bag and called it good...

 

The Best Part... Baking and EATING!

To get these babies ready to eat, throw it (gently) into your refrigerator or counter top to thaw, and when the crust is softer again, top it with your handy-dandy pizza kit and BAM!  Toss them in the oven @ 400 degrees for 15-20 min. until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is lightly browned around the edges.

Then, your home will be filled with the smell of homemade bread and the family fav will be on the table in no time!   So in the immortal words of "Little Ceasar" himself,... "PIZZA! PIZZA!"  

*Thanks to favoritefreezerfoods.com for the idea!

 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

For these little cuties, I found a recipe from iheartnaptime.net.  What a fun site, and soooo many desserts.  Sounds like a kindred spirit. (Don't tell me you don't remember that phrase from "Anne of Avonlea"?!?)   It's pumpkin justified by chocolate!!!  What's not to love!?!

 

 Ingredients

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp milk
• 1 TB vanilla
• 1 11oz bag chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir into the wet ingredients. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Stir for about one minute.
2. Add vanilla and chocolate chips and stir until combined.
3. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop cookies on by the spoonful. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

 

Whew,... you're gonna feel sorry for inviting me to contribute with my long windedness.  I have one last request to contribute: The Vegetarian Enchiladas:

 

Yeah,... it's a Martha Stewart recipe, and that is the third of three recipes that I have contributed that are from other people or blogs.  THERE'S NO NEED TO INVENT THE WHEEL HERE PEOPLE!!!  Be prepared, cause a big ol' picture is coming up!  *(I do have to say that in my recipe, I accidentally forgot to put in the frozen spinach and they turned out just fine.  Cooked spinach still reminds me of "Swamp Thing."  Anybody want any frozen spinach?  Maybe those who are younger than me and have no idea what movie I am talking about?...)  :0)

 

Vegetable Enchiladas           

Get a freezable Mexican meal rolling in no time with a no-cook filling and a sauce made from pantry ingredients. Jack cheese and a combination of black beans and corn tortillas give this meatless dish complete protein.

• prep: 30 mins
  total time: 55 mins
• servings: 8

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Photography: Anna Williams

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking dishes
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 cups grated pepper Jack cheese (12 ounces)
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 16 corn tortillas (6-inch)

Cook's Note

Prepare enchiladas through step 3; top with cheese, and cover baking dishes with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Place sauce in an airtight container. Freeze enchiladas and sauce for up to 2 months. To bake from frozen: Thaw sauce in refrigerator overnight (or microwave on high 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through). Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove foil and plastic wrap from baking dishes, and pour sauce over enchiladas; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes; remove foil, and bake until bubbly, about 15 minutes more. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Directions

1. Step 1

   Make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add 1 teaspoon cumin, flour, and tomato paste; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

2. Step 2

   Make filling: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups cheese, beans, spinach, corn, scallion whites, and remaining 1 teaspoon cumin; season with salt and pepper.

3. Step 3

   Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch square baking dishes; set aside. Stack tortillas, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute. Or stack and wrap in aluminum foil, and heat in oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Top each tortilla with a heaping 1/3 cup of filling; roll up tightly and arrange, seam side down, in prepared baking dishes.

4. Step 4

   Dividing evenly, sprinkle enchiladas with remaining 1 cup cheese, and top with sauce. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; serve garnished with scallion greens.

 

 

Enjoy all three ripped off meals!!! (Although I did give credit where due, didn't I?)  :0)  Happy Eating!