pizza

mmmm! this was so good, and pretty simple. to prepare, we steamed broccoli (halfway, leaving it slightly undercooked because it'll cook more in the oven), seeded and chopped tomatoes), pitted and diced black olives, made my marinara sauce, and sliced mozzarella cheese. after baking the crust on its own, i let it cool a bit then added the sauce, cheese, and toppings. along the crust, i brushed olive oil then sprinkled some dried spices. after adding the spices, i baked it ad 375 for about 14-17 minutes straight on the rack. ok ok, here's the pizza dough recipe. i used wheat flour, which took about 2 1/2 c. flour but if we weren't on this no white flour thing, i would use about 1 c. wheat flour and the rest white (though you'll have to use a little more than 1 1/2 c.... i haven't worked out the measurements).

Pizza Crust

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)
1 tbsp white sugar
1 c. warm water
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 c. wheat flour

Stir sugar and yeast with warm water to dissolve. Stir in salt and olive oil. Add flour about 1/2 c. at a time. Turn onto floured surface to knead for about 8-10 minutes. Let rise in an oiled bowl, covered with a damp cloth, until doubled (30 minutes to an hour). Shape onto pan and poke a few holes into crust with a fork. Bake at 400 for 7-10 minutes.

asparagus quiche

with a wheat crust. yum!

Pie Crust

1 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c. crisco (or lard, if you prefer)
2 tbsp. water

you can use your own, or buy one, but i really think that this crust makes the dish as good as it is. it is so flaky, but because of this, it can be really hard to handle.

Mix the flour and salt. Cut the crisco in with a pastry blender (a fork will work fine if you don't have one). If you're using wheat flour like i did, add about 1-2 tbsp of vegetable oil too and mix in with a fork. Sprinkle with the water and mix with a fork until all flour is moistened. Gather the dough innto a ball and turn over onto your work surface. flour your rolling pin liberally and re-flour it often as you're rolling the dough. also, roll it out on parchment paper to make it easier to transfer to the pie tin. Roll out to about 1/8 inch thickness then place the pie tin upside down in the center. slide your hands under and holding it on top and bottom, flip it over. form the crust in the pan and cut the edges. with what's left at the top, use your finger and thumb to flute the edges. there will mostly likely be a few rips and holes in the crust, so take spare dough that was cut off the edges to patch it up before you bake it. bake at 475 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. check often to make sure the crust is not bubbling up with air pockets. Let cool before adding filling.

Asparagus Quiche

1 lb asparagus
2 tbsp butter
1 pie crust
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 c. cream
1 1/4 c. milk
1/4 tsp. dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste

Clean asparagus and snap the hard ends off. Cut into inch-long pieces and saute in butter to remove some moisture. Asparagus should be tender and green, not soft. Place the asparagus in the bottom of the crust.

Mix the eggs, cream, milk, dill weed, salt, and pepper. Fill the crust and bake at 375 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Can also be served room temperature.

brown rice casserole

don't you think this photo came out good?
casseroles aren't known for their prettines

Last night, i was craving some kind of pinto bean salad, and while i didn't find quite what i wanted, this was still really amazing... besides the little bit of cornstarch i added, it's a perfectly diabetic friendly dish, too. i didn't add bread crumbs because i haven't made any wheat bread yet, but i'm adding it to the recipe because i know it'll make this even better.

3/4 c. quick cook brown rice
2 c. vegetable broth
1/2 c. broccoli, cut into small pieces
1/2 c. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
about 1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed in cold water
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
salt, pepper, sage, and red pepper flakes (or add fresh peppers)
1 c. mozzarella
wheat bread crumbs

Combine rice, vegetable broth, broccoli, and asparagus in saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add cornstarch a little at a time, stirring after adding some, until leftover vegetable broth thickens to become gravy-like.

Add tomatoes, pinto beans, and spices, and cook uncovered for 5-10 minutes. Pour into casserole pan and cover with cheese and bread crumbs. Bake at 400 F until cheese is starting to bubble and bread crumbs are toasted.

bread sticks

yum yum yummmm... i'm so very proud of this recipe cause i made all myself. well, with some breadstick guidance from other recipes. but this dough is all mine. and it's wonderful. they are so soft and each piece pulls apart so delicately. you can do whatever you want with them also. here, i sprinkled garlic powder on top before baking, but i think next time i'll also add some parmesan cheese. maybe after they're done, put a light coat of olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings (basil? oregano? maybe even paprika?!). my main issue was with shaping them. ahem... the recipe (a work in progress):

the ingredients:
1 tsp active dry yeast
1/3 c. warm water
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c. milk
3 tbsp. butter (melted) or olive oil
1 3/4 c. all purpose (or bread) flour

the method:
Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add sugar, salt, milk, and butter or oil. Add flour 1/2 c. at a time. Turn the dough onto a well floured surface (dough should be very soft). Knead, then place into an oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let dough rise about 1 hour.

Shape the dough and place on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with oil. Cover again with damp cloth and let rise about 30 minutes. Add garlic powder or grated parmesan cheese if you want, and bake in oven (preheated to 375 degrees F) for 15-18 minutes.


voila! please try them and let me know what you think ;)