on my first trip to chicago in 7th grade, i had a slice of chicago style pizza.  it was love at first bite.   years later, i discovered that my mom had a stonewear chicago style pizza pan and have been making my own chicago style pizza ever since.  (thanks for giving me your pan, mom! )

i have been through a few different recipes for dough.  it all started with freezer section bread dough, which was great, but difficult to find in stores that are not vg’s.  then, i tried a variety of box mixes, and none had the same texture or flavor.  this most recent recipe is the closest that i’ve found to a true chicago style crust.  it’s full of cornmeal and is very buttery.  it’s the perfect pizza crust!

also, as a side note… i’m very excited about my new wa kitchen because it has a skylight and helps with making great pics for the blog!  this is one of my first blogs with sky-lit pics and hopefully there will be plenty more to come!

source: pizzamaking.com

• 3 1/2 c flour
• 1 1/2 c water
• 1/2 c cornmeal
• 1/2 c canola oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (i’m a fan of fleischmann’s pizza crust yeast, it is designed just for kneading out pizza crust)
• part-skim mozzarella cheese
• assorted toppings
• pizza sauce
• parmesan cheese
• oregano flakes

1. you’ll want to get started the day before you want the pizza.  greatness takes time!
2. in a bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook, add water, sugar, yeast, flour, cornmeal and salt.
3. mix on low speed for a few minutes until the dough comes together and then add the oil.  mix dough for 5 more minutes.
   
   
4. form the dough into a ball and place into a bowl.  (use the stand mixer bowl, if you don’t have any other plans for it.)  cover loosely with plastic wrap and then a dish towel.
   
   
5. place in the fridge overnight to rise.
   
   
6. one hour prior to baking, remove the dough from the fridge and pre-heat the oven to 450°, about 30 min before you put your pizza in the oven.
   
   
7. coat your baking pan with some evoo.  after resting for an hour, start kneading your dough out into your pizza pan. press it out until it covers the bottom of the pan and then begin to press the dough up the sides of the pan.  this may require some pulling, make sure the dough reaches the top of the pan.
8. cover the bottom of the dough with slices of cheese.
   
   
9. add your toppings.  tom is a meat lover, so we added ham, pepperoni and sausage.
   
   
10. top with another layer of cheese.  i am the cheese lover, so that’s how we roll around here.
    
    
11. spoon pizza sauce on top of the cheese.  don’t be shy, the more the merrier.  you don’t have to worry about making your crust overly soggy, since it is on top.
    
    
12. top with grated parmesan cheese and dried oregano.
    
    
13. bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.  remove the pizza from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
    
    

italian food is my absolute favorite food on the planet.  i am always looking for new  to try and when i came across this recipe for lasagne soup, i just knew that i had to try it.  i have made it twice now and really enjoy it.  tom really enjoys it, it is one of his favorites!  it’s very simple to throw together and tastes just like the real thing!  i’ll quit babbling about my love for italian food and get on with the recipe!

source: afarmgirlsdabbles.com

• 1 lb. italian sausage
• 1 1/2 c chopped onion
• 2 tsp minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp crushed pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 14 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 3 mediterranean bay leaves
• 3 c chicken stock
• 4 oz. campanelle pasta
• 1/4 c finely chopped basil leaves
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 oz. ricotta
• 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
• 1/8 tsp salt
• pepper, to taste
• 1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

1. cook pasta, per box directions.  rinse pasta with cool water, to stop the cooking and set aside.  i love campanelle pasta because it looks like mini lasagne noodles…. see?
   
   
2. in a medium sized pan, brown sausage and drain excess grease.
3. in a large stock pot, add sausage and onions, cook until the onions are softened.  add garlic, oregano and pepper flakes, cook for a minute.  add tomato past and stir to combine, cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
4. add tomatoes, bay leaves and chicken stock.  stir, bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 min.
5. while the soup is simmering make the “cheesy yum.”  combine the ricotta, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  divide up between your serving bowls.
   
   
6. just before getting ready to serve, add the pasta and basil to the soup.  retrieve the bay leaves, if you can find them.
7. when serving, ladle soup over the cheesy yum and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

i wish that i could be italian… making meatballs, homemade pasta and cannolis filled with marscapone cheese.  but i’m not.  i was, however, elated when i received “the italian issue” of the food network magazine a few months back.  it was full of all things italian and made me a very happy italian wannabe.

anyways, this is a really fun dish to throw together.  i thought that i was making it for two, by significantly cutting down the original amounts listed in the article.  let’s just say that moderation isn’t my strong suit when cooking.  i was going for a 8″ square dish, but it made enough for a 9×13″ pan and we had it for leftovers and lunch.  a few times.  it was still very delicious!  this dish is also very customizable, based on your own personal tastes.  my choices are in bold, below.

slightly adapted from: food network magazine

• 2 c pasta: farfalle, cavatappi, rigatoni, penne

sauce:

• 1 tbsp evoo
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• 14 oz. can whole tomatoes
• tomato paste
• 1/4 c water
• 2 tsp basil
• 2 tbsp sugar

sauce mix-ins:

• 1/2 c of one of the following:
  herb sauce: freshly chopped basil and parsley
  creamy sauce: ricotta
  meat sauce: diced and browned pancetta

mix-ins:

• 1 1/2 cups of pretty much anything you’d like:
  pre-cooked meat/poultry: italian sausage, pepperoni, chicken, eggs
  veggies: roasted red peppers, artichokes, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, spinach

cheese:

• 1 c melting cheese and 1/2 c grating cheese
  melting cheese: mozzarella, provolone, fontina, asiago
  grating cheese: parmesan, pecorino, ricotta salata

1. pre-heat the oven to 450°.
2. bring a med pot of water to boil.  cook pasta for 2-3 min. less than the label directs.  drain.
3. in a large skillet, heat evoo over med heat.  add garlic and a pinch of pepper flakes.  cook until garlic is golden.  add the tomatoes/paste, crushing tomatoes with your hands as you add them.  (it is messy, but adds a nice chunky tomato taste that is worth it!)   invest in a red apron.  add water, basil and sugar and simmer, uncovered until the sauce is thickened for about 15 min. or the amt. of time it takes to prepare the mix-ins.
4. prep your mix-ins.
5. add your choice of mix-ins to the sauce.
6. toss the pasta with sauce and half of each cheese.  spread in a greased 8″ square baking dish.  sprinkle remaining cheese over pasta.  bake, uncovered for about 15 min. or until browned.

buon appetito!

bran came over and made dinner last night!  she found this dandy of a recipe from publix and it was delicious… not very nutritious, but our healthy sides made up for it.  i sautéed  broccoli with red pepper flakes, minced garlic and evoo and we also made a spinach salad with mandarin oranges, pecans and ken’s fat free raspberry pecan dressing.  we also threw in some garlic breadsticks.  now onto the main course…

• 1/4 c roasted red peppers
• 1/4 c sun dried tomatoes
• 6 slices smoked bacon
• 1 lb. boneless chicken tenders
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 c pre-sliced green onions, divided
• 8 oz. linguine pasta (bran went for a whole wheat and linguine florentine combination)
• 1 1/2 jars of alfredo sauce (bran used classico sun dried tomato alfredo)

1. bring water to a boil for pasta.  add salt, evoo and oregano flakes to water.  coarsely chop red peppers.  cut bacon into bite size pieces.  cut chicken into 1 inch chunks, sprinkle with season salt.
2. preheat large sauté pan on medium high for 2-3 min.  place bacon and 2 tbsp green onions in pan; cook and stir 4-5 min. or until bacon begins to brown.
3. cook pasta following pasta following package instructions.  add chicken to bacon; cook and stir 4-5 min.
4. reduce heat (on chicken) to low.  stir in alfredo sauce, red peppers, sundried tomatoes and 2 tbsp green onions; cover and cook 4-5 min. or until heated.  drain pasta; stir into chicken.  serve.

thanks for dinner bran!

enjoy!

lasagne is one of my signature dishes, i don’t think that i’ve made it the same way twice.  it has changed and evolved over time, depending on how much prep time i have, what i’ve got in the kitchen and how many people i’m cooking for.  i like to make lasagne split up between two ez-foil pans.  i like the long loaf pans because they accommodate lasagne noodles so well and i can freeze one for later.   they’re also very easy to clean up!  you can find these pans at larger grocery stores, such as meijer’s and wal-mart.

• 2 boxes lasagne noodles
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. italian sausage, removed from casings
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• italian seasoning
• salt and pepper, as desired
• 2 jars spaghetti sauce, your choice of flavor, brand
• 1 qt. tomato juice
• 16 oz. ricotta cheese
• 12 oz. cottage cheese
• 6 oz. cream cheese
• 4 c mozzarella cheese, separated in half
• garlic powder
• grated parmesan cheese to top

1. in a large pan, brown beef and sausage with minced garlic and onion.  season with italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  drain off excess oil.
2. in a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, cottage, cream and 2 c of mozzarella cheeses.  season lightly with garlic powder.
3. in another large bowl, combine tomato sauce and juice.
4. now it’s time to assemble!  divide meat in half, with the amounts listed, you will make a 7 layer lasagne.  start layering with meat and 3/4 c of sauce.  evenly spread the sauce with a spatula or spoon.  place two uncooked lasagne noodles between each mixture. spread a layer of the cheese mixture over the noodles and top with two additional noodles.  repeat until you reach the top of the pans or end on a meat/sauce layer.
5. the second pan can be frozen, top with a layer of saran wrap and aluminum foil.  it takes about 12 hours to unthaw, when you’re ready to bake it.
6. bake at 375° for 30 min.  top with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for an additional 15 min. until bubbly and browned on top.  serve with freshly grated parmesan on top.

enjoy!

i may have mentioned this before, but i think that italian food is my favorite type of food to consume and to make.  these suckers were time consuming to make, but definitely worth the effort. source also, as a side note, check the price of the cheese that you’re purchasing.  back in michigan, i used to purchase wedges of parmesan cheese.  i couldn’t find plain parmesan cheese at the store, so i went ahead and purchased the parmigiano-reggiano cheese that was called for.  it wasn’t until after i got back home and started cooking that i noticed the $11.89 price tag on the back of the cheese.  i just about fell over!  next time, i’ll have to shop around to find economical cheese.  it was really good cheese, though.

filling

• 1 1/4 c ricotta (i use part skim, it makes me feel better about consuming so many carbs.)
• 1 c grated parmigiano reggiano (or plain parmesan, whichever won’t break the bank)
• 1/3 c finely chopped parsley (or 1/2 tbsp italian seasoning)
• 1 egg yolk
• generous pinch of salt and several grinds of fresh pepper

egg wash

• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbsp water, combined well with a fork to fully emulsify

pasta dough

you can purchase pasta dough at the store, but being the cook that i am, i decided to make my own.  this was the most time consuming part of the whole meal.  having a pasta maker or a sweet attachment for your kitchenaid mixer (hint, tom!) would make this process go much more smoothly.  the pasta dough is very springy and takes a long time to roll out.  my non-stick rolling pin was pretty useful.

• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp water
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

1. place all ingredients into a food processor and combine until the mixture begins to form a ball.
2. remove from the food processor (be careful, it’s sharp! i learned the hard way.) and place on a floured work surface.  knead by hand, adding flour if necessary, until dough becomes smooth and elastic.
3. flatten the dough into a manageably-sized rectangle and roll out until it is 1/16″ thick.
4. make the filling in a large bowl.  combine all ingredients and taste test to make sure that the seasoning is right.  set aside until you’re ready to assemble.
5. cut your fresh pasta into strips of manageable size.  to make finished ravioli pieces that are each about 3 inches square, it’s best to make three at a time.  cut strips that are 9″ by 3″.
6. using a teaspoon, place heaping tsp of ricotta filling on  the strips, each about 3″ apart.  be consistent.
7. place another 9″ by 3″ strip of pasta dough on top of the one with the ricotta and using your fingers, gently press around all of the edges and in between the mounds of cheese filling.  carefully push excess air out of the pockets, but don’t push the filling out.  you do not want to tear the dough.
8. using the serrated edge of your ravioli cutter (i used a sharp knife), cut each pocket into it’s own separate parcel, trimming around each edge to fully seal it.
9. if you’re going to wait a while to cook ravioli, place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and cornmeal or flour.  i only lined my sheet with wax paper and learned the hard way again, that you need cornmeal or flour to keep your ravioli from sticking to the wax paper.  cover sheet with saran wrap and place in fridge.
10. when you’re ready to eat the ravioli, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
11. using a slotted spoon, place about 3-4 ravioli into the pot of water, cook for 3-4 min.  drain very carefully.
12. serve on a bed of your favorite tomato sauce.  i added 1 lb. ground italian sausage to my sauce.  grate cheese over top and serve.

enjoy!

i have been on an italian kick this week.  well, i think i could be on italian kick every week.  i love italian food and one of my favorite restaurants is carraba’s italian grill.  they often feature sausage and lentil soup as their soup of the day and it is delicious!  here’s my version of this soup:

• 1 lb. italian sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 6 c chicken broth
• 2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 c dry lentils, rinsed
• pepper, to taste
• italian seasoning, to taste

1. brown sausage, drain off fat.
2. in a large pot, combine all ingredients, bring to a boil.
3. reduce heat, cover.
4. simmer for about 1 hour, or until lentils are tender.  add water, if necessary for desired consistency.
5. sprinkle with parmesan cheese, serve.

courtesy of recipesecrets.net

enjoy!

tom is a HUGE fan of meatloaf.  i hate meatloaf.  i’m just not a beef fan.  however, my mom learned this trick a long time ago… if you dress up meatloaf to smell like pizza and add cheese, i’ll eat it!   so i created an italian meatloaf all of my very own.

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb. italian sausage
• 3/4 c cracker crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 med. onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 c pizza sauce
• 1/2 med. bell pepper, chopped

filling:

• 1/4 lb. deli ham
• 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. mix the first eleven ingredients together in a large bowl.  reserve half of the sauce.
2. on a large sheet of wax paper, or cookie sheet,  pat meat to a 9.5″ x 13″ rectangle.   arrange a layer of ham on rectangle, cover with half of the shredded cheese leaving a small portion of meatloaf exposed at one end of the rectangle.  roll the meatloaf towards the exposed end.  tightly seal edges and place seam side down in a meatloaf pan.
3. brush top with remaining pizza sauce.
4. bake for 1 hour 15 minutes at 375°.  When ten minutes remain, cover with remaining cheese and finish baking.

enjoy!

coming down from the holiday sugar buzz…

here’s a dish that’s simple to make for dinner tonight!

this is what you will need:

• one package sausage of your choice, sliced into bite size pieces.  tom likes cajun style andouille.  i like sweet mild italian sausage.  the choice is entirely up to you.
• 2 heaping cups of uncooked pasta.  i like to use penne pasta.
• 1 green bell pepper sliced in strips and cut in half

vodka sauce:

• 1/2 c butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 c vodka
• 2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp italian seasoning
• 1 pint heavy cream

1. in a large pan, saute onions in butter until soft and slightly brown.  pour in vodka and let cook for 10 minutes.   mix in crushed tomatoes and italian seasoning; cook for 30 minutes. pour in heavy cream and let cook for 30 minutes.
2. after you pour in the cream, start to boil the water for pasta and begin to cook the sausage.  once the sausage is cooked, add some evoo to the pan and saute the peppers with the sausage.
3. when 10 minutes are left with the sauce, start to boil your pasta per the directions on the box.
4. when the sauce is finished (!) stir in sausage and green pepper.
5. strain and plate pasta.  pour desired amount of  sausage ala vodka overtop of pasta.
6. top with grated parmesan cheese

there is plenty of sauce, sausage and peppers leftover for later, so i will save it and boil fresh pasta on leftover night!

enjoy!