Veggie Pizza

I’ve never been a huge pizza fan, mainly because most pies have ALL THAT CHEESE, which totally doesn’t work for me. Since I’ve found alternative cheeses that don’t make me sick I’ve been working my way back to slice or two every now and then. 

My favorite local place is Pizza Luce - they have great pizzas and vegan cheese and meat options. They have a soy cheese that I’m not crazy about but they also have a cashew cheese (they call it rinota) that is to die for and their vegan crumbles are noteworthy. 

Somedays I'm not excited about cooking - since the pandemic, I sometimes feel like it is endless and I need a break. However, I decided to make my own pie tonight. I started with a quick yeast dough and then raided the refrigerator and freezer for ingredients. I used a pesto base and then added artichokes, olives, onions, peppers, mushrooms and topped it off with vegan cheese. I have to say it was damn delicious and the absence of leftovers says Dan felt the same way. 

Pizza dough - ingredients:

2 tsp active dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

1 cup hot water (about 110–120 degrees)

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

2.5 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

Toppings:

Pesto - your favorite kind - I used 2 T vegan pesto that I made from our garden basil last fall

1 small onion - thinly sliced and sautéed in a small amount of oil to soften

1/2 yellow pepper

4 - thinly sliced baby bella mushrooms

8 - 10 cherry tomatoes - sliced

Marinated artichokes - sliced

10 - 12 Kalamata olives - cut in half 

vegan mozzarella 

Instructions:

Preheat oven and pizza stone in a 450-degree oven. 

Mix yeast, sugar, and hot water in a large bowl. Let stand 2-3 minutes until yeast begins to foam. Add olive oil and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir in 2 cups of the flour (you can use your hands for this OR you can use a sturdy spoon or spatula to bring the dough together).

Take a look at your dough. If it is still too wet, add the remaining flour 1/8 cup at a time and knead between each addition. The dough should pull itself into a ball as you stir but should still be slightly sticky to the touch. If the dough is too dry, add a splash of water or olive oil and stir or knead to work the liquid into the dough.

Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. (If you have more time, let it rest for up to an hour to develop more flavor).

While the dough is resting slice all vegetables and lightly saute onions, mushrooms, and peppers to soften. 

Turn dough onto a piece of floured parchment paper, dust the top with a sprinkle of flour, and roll or shape normally. Add toppings.

Carefully remove the pizza stone from the oven and slide parchment paper (with pizza) onto the stone. Return to oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, cut, and eat.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day! This weekend marks about a year since we have traveled on a plane and 2 years since we have vacationed in Mexico. Last year we struggled to get a decent airfare - accommodations were no problem but airfare - was totally out of line. So we decided to take a trip to Arizona, a state neither of us had ever traveled to, and visit my cousin and some good friends.

But this year is totally different - no vacations or vaccinations for that matter. I’m not yet 65 so I’m still waiting to get in line. If there was ever a time to be 65 now would be it. Like most everyone else I’m hanging out at home, reading, doing puzzles, ordering food from my favorite restaurant, and zooming with friends and family. 

I’m not a TikTok fan, although I understand there are many fun and interesting things on it - but not my thing. However, there has been this crazy pasta dish that has minimal ingredients and is super easy - so I had to try it right?

This was by far one of the easiest meals I’ve made in a while. You simply combine the sauce ingredients, bake it and then add cooked pasta. I used a chickpea pasta I found at Aldi - it added an earthy flavor to the dish which was very nice. 

Ingredients:

16 ounces cherry tomatoes

7-ounce block of feta cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

2 - 3 cloves garlic (minced)

Greek seasonings 

handful fresh basil

2 handfuls spinach 

large pinch red pepper flakes 

10 12 ounces pasta - any shape - I used @ 10 ounces of chickpea pasta 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to  450 degrees. Place cherry tomatoes in a baking dish so that they are touching each other, add olive oil, and stir. Make space in the middle of the tomatoes and add the block of feta sprinkle with pepper and greek seasoning. Bake for 35  minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 2 - 3 minutes - just until the tomatoes are browning. 

While the tomato/feta is baking, cook pasta until al dente and drain. Remove the tomato mixture from the oven, add the garlic, 1/2 of the basil, red pepper flakes, and spinach stir into a sauce. Add pasta, stir to combine, and top with remaining basil. Enjoy!

Honestly, if you are tired of spending time chopping, sautéing, and cooking this is your next meal. It was great as a leftover and it’s in the rotation - at least until the next best thing comes along. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Superbowl Nachos and Super Simple Pear Hand Pies

It’s Super Bowl Sunday, the day we gather with friends and family to cheer on our favorite team - oh wait we’re in the time of COVID - no large gatherings but we can still connect with our pods and enjoy the show. And by show, I mean - commercials, half-time show, and if you are inclined, cheering for your favorite team.

I am not a football fan but every year I choose a team and cheer them on - this year the I’m rooting for Kansas City Chiefs. As I write this, the 2nd half is in progress, and they are behind by 12 points - not a good spot to be in - but hey I am a fan of the underdog. 

My favorite part of the Super Bowl is the commercials - and there have been some good ones. In past years, gathering with friends and family - for food, fun, and camaraderie - is the best. This year, we’re on our own but not without good food (of course). I treated us to a giant plate of vegan nachos, and the fact that there were no leftovers - well I guess they were good. 

On another food note, we feasted on pear hand pies -  a delicious winter treat! Similar in taste to apple pie and oh so easy to make! Perfect for anyone who wants a quick single-serving treat without the guilt of eating an entire pie!

The best part of pear pie is that unlike apple pie, you don’t have to cook the fruit to soften it before filling the pie you just assemble, bake and then eat. My only regret was that we did not have any whipped cream or ice cream (vegan of course) to accompany it. It was, however, delicious. 

Ingredients:

1 double pie crust store-bought or homemade

1/2 cup white sugar

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon lemon zest

5 cups peeled and diced ripe pears

1 Tablespoon vegan butter

1 egg

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350*F

In a medium-sized bowl, combine sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Mix well

Add diced pears to sugar mixture and mix gently until well coated. Roll pie crust out.

Using a bowl as a pattern that is approximately 4 - 5 inches in diameter, cut out round circles for your hand pies. Reroll excess dough to create more crusts. Place crusts onto a lined baking sheet. Place pears in the center of one cut pie crust - leaving approximately 1/2 inch space around sides. Dot pear mixture with a small amount of butter and sprinkle with few drops of lemon juice.

In a small bowl beat egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush egg around the edge of the circle. This will act as a glue and top with another round of pie crust.  Crimp edges with a fork to ensure a good seal. Brush egg mixture on top of each hand pie. Slice slits on top and dust with coarse sugar if desired.

Place on a lined cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Vegan Nachos

Ingredients:

Tortilla chips - your choice 

Vegan refried black beans - stirred 

black olives - 1/4 can

frozen corn - 1/4 bag

3 - 4 green onions - finely chopped

1/2 red pepper - finely chopped 

10 -12 cherry tomatoes - quartered

1 jalapeno - thinly sliced 

vegan mozzarella and cheddar cheese - shredded 

1 avocado - finely chopped

Red and green salsa

Instructions:

Place tortilla chips on a large stone. Add beans, peppers, olives, onions, corn, tomatoes, and jalapenos. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake in a 375-degree oven for approximately 12 - 15 minutes - until cheese is melted and beans are hot. Remove from oven and add avocado and cilantro. 

Serve with red and/or green salsa. 

Thanks for stopping by - Enjoy!