The crust and the sauce....

I may have posted these recipes before, but I just didn't feel like digging through the archives. Here they, possibly again.

The Best Pizza Crust Ever

(This make four pizzas for me using one 13" round stone, two of the 10x14 stones, and one deep dish baker)

2 1/3 c warm water, divided
3 t active dry yeast
2 t sugar
1/4 c olive oil
6 c flour (can use all purpose, bread. whole wheat or a combo of flours)
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t onion powder
1 t baking powder
1 1/2 t salt
3 T cornmeal

In a small bowl mix 1/3 c of the water, the yeast and sugar. Let rest while you gather the other ingredients. In the bowl of a standing mixer place 2 c warm water and olive oil. In a separate medium bowl measure out 2 c of flour, add the garlic powder, onion powder, baking powder, salt and cornmeal. Whisk and slowly add to the water/oil in the mixer using the paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed until creamy and blended well. On low speed, slowly add yeast mixture (the yeast should have bubbled up in the small bowl by now) until blended. Measure out another 2 c flour in the separate medium bowl and add 1/2 c at a time to mixer. Measure and slowly add remaining 2 c flour switching to the dough hook for the last cup. Depending on the air in your house, you may not need all 6 cups of flour. Make sure the dough is not dry, a little sticky is good. Transfer the dough to an oiled, deep bowl and place in a warm area (like the oven turned off with the light on) to let rise until doubled.

Turn out dough onto a floured surface and divide into four equal parts (if you want thicker crust divide into only two or three). Shape into balls and let rest five minutes. Oil whatever pizzas pans you will be using with olive oil (I use stones, but have used cheap pizza cookie sheets and it works fine, just not quite as crusty). Slowly start to stretch the dough to ft your pan. Just let it rest a minute or two in between stretches and it will cooperate a little nicer.

Top with sauce, meats, veggies, cheese and whatever you like on your pizza. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes rotating as necessary. Enjoy!

The Best Pizza Sauce Ever!

My sister, Nicole, came up with this...so glad she wrote it down as she went!

1 T olive oil
3-5 cloves garlic
2-3 6oz cans tomato paste (depending on how thick you like it)
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 T sugar
2 t Italian seasoning
1/4 t red pepper flakes

Saute garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat for two minutes. Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Let the sauce simmer 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies...revamped!

Most of you know, I am the cookie monster. Rather, the chocolate chip cookie monster. I'd really like to think of myself as a connoisseur, but monster is probably more applicable. I love them. Everywhere I go, if someone or someplace is selling a chocolate chip cookie...it's mine. If we've gone more than three days without making some, you will promptly smell them in the oven. So, in my effort to make things as healthy as possible with all kinds of nutritional goodies inside, I tackled my last hold out...er, recipe, here is the makeover:

Lizzie's Really Good, Somewhat more Healthy, Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup Flour (you can use whole wheat, all-purpose, spelt, gluten-free, whatever)
1 1/4 C Oats
1/2 t Salt
1/2 t Baking Soda
1/4 c Shredded Coconut (I used the unsweetened organic coconut)
1/4 c Flaxseed Meal (ground finer in my coffee grinder...I cleaned it out first)
1/2 c Butter (you could also use a vegan substitute like yummy Earth Balance)
1/4 c Almond Butter (you could use peanut butter or any other nut butter)
1/2 c Brown Sugar (you could use maple sugar, sucanat, agave-use less, etc)
1 egg (or egg replacement)
1 T vanilla (cuz I like it)
1/2-1 c Chocolate Chips (or you could break up a dark chocolate bar..or two....mmmm)

Preheat oven to 365 degrees.
Pulverize the oats until fine (or however you like it) in the blender. Mix the flour, pulverized oats, salt, baking soda, coconut, and flaxseed meal in a medium bowl, set aside. Cream butter, almond butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Add vanilla and egg to butter mixture mix until blended. Slowly add flour mixture until blended, batter will be thick. Add chocolate chips and stir. If you and any little hands around you don't eat all of the batter, place rounded teaspoonful on cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Try it and let me know what you think, or any other alterations you made!!

Tree hugger.....

One of my favorite little restaurants in San Diego serves the best french toast in the world! Tree hugger, granola french toast, to be exact. After catching a good tip the other day, I decided to try and make it myself-again. You see, I've tried to duplicate this dish for years and just kept winding up with burnt granola that would never stick to the bread. The other day I saw someone grind up the granola in the food processor first and then coat the bread, so I gave it another try......it was awesome! Here is the recipe:

First you have to make the granola:
3 1/2 c Rolled Oats
1/2 c toasted coconut (I use the unsweetened and I don't pre-toast)
1/2 c wheat germ (you can also use ground flaxseed)
1/2 c chopped almonds
1/2 c shopped pecans
1/4-1/2 t salt
1/3 c vegetable or canola oil
2/3 c pure maple syrup
1/2 T vanilla extract
Any other dried fruits and nuts you desire!


Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Mix the oats, coconut, wheat germ, almonds and pecans in a large bowl. In a small bowl combine salt, oil and syrup. Add the syrup mixture the the oats and blend. Spread out in a large jelly roll pan and bake in the oven for 1-1 1/2 hours, occasionally mixing the granola for even toasting.



French toast dip recipe (Enough for six slices of sandwich bread):
2 large eggs
3 T Milk
2 T Flour
1 T Brown Sugar
1/4 t vanilla extract


Whisk all of the ingredients until smooth. I mix it in a 9x13 pan to making soaking the bread easy.

Putting it all together:

After the granola has cooled, place a portion in a food processor or blender and chop until it is coarse crumbs. Spread on a plate and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat an electric griddle to 325 degrees (this temp will keep the granola from getting burned).

Soak the bread slices for thirty seconds each side in the egg mixture. Dip the soaked bread in the granola crumbs until evenly coated. You can press it on with your hands to help coat more evenly.

Spray griddle with cooking spray and place the bread slices on. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden. Keep a careful watch not to burn, but the lower temp helps with that. Enjoy!!!

***The granola can be used on its own with soy,rice or cow's milk for a great bowl of cereal. We also sprinkle it on our yogurt or just eat it by itself for a snack, the kids love it!!