Herb Pizza Dough

Herb Pizza Dough

Introduction: 
This was just like the plain dough but with a little twist, the active ingredient in it is the yeast, this makes the dough rise because the yeast eats the sugars and releases C02. The key to making good dough is letting it sit so that the yeast can do its job. This time I added herbs.

Materials:

2 and 1/4 tsp. Active Dry Yeast

1 tsp. white sugar

1 cup warm water

2 and 1/2 cups bread flour plus a little more for kneeding the dough

1 tsp. salt

2 and 1/2 tbsp. olive oil plus a couple more for brushing crust and pan

1/2 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. rosemary

A couple of grinds of fresh black pepper or a couple of dashes of ground pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Procedure:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Heat 1 cup of water in a microwave safe bowl on medium-high heat for 45 seconds.  Place the 1 tsp. white sugar and 2 and 1/4 tsp. Active Dry Yeast inside.  Stir until dissolved.  Let it stand for 10 minutes until creamy and foamy.

2.  Mix 2 and 1/2 tbsp. olive oil with basil, oregano, onion powder, rosemary, and black pepper.  Set aside.

3.  Take yeast mixture and combine it with the flour and salt in a big bowl.  Add in the herb oil.  Beat until smooth.  Let it rest for 5 minutes.  

4.  Take dough out and place onto lightly floured surface. Kneed dough until smooth to the touch.  Mix the remaining olive oil with 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder.  Brush the surface of the pan.

5.  Take dough, place it on the pan.  Mold and shape into pan until it starts to form a crust.   Brush dough with remaining oil and garlic.

6.  Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.  Top with desired toppings.  

7.  Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until crust comes out golden.  We like to make a little pan of bread sticks to go with our pizza.

8.  Let it rest 5 minutes before serving.

Results:
I turned this pizza into a mixed veggie pizza with half pesto, half red sauce. The dough was able to develop the herb flavor as it was cooked. Tasty and easy to make!

 http://www.cookingwithlibby.com/2012/07/basic-herb-pizza-crust.html#sthash.05q6raN8.dpuf

Plain Pizza Dough

Plain Pizza Dough

Introduction:
This pizza dough was a little tough to make because I have never made it before. The active ingredient in it is the yeast, this makes the dough rise because the yeast eats the sugars and releases C02. The key to making a good dough is letting it sit so that the yeast can do it's job.

Materials

3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling (Chef's Note: Using bread flour will give you a much crisper crust. If you can't find bread flour, you can substitute it with all-purpose flour which will give you a chewier crust.)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 envelope instant dry yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups water, 110 degrees F
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

Procedure:

Combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running, add the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.

Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm area to let it double in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cover each with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Results:
I ended up making a prosciutto, tomato, and basil pizza with a red sauce. The dough was able to get crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. instead of buying dough I will continue to make it from scratch.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/pizza-dough-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Vanilla Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream

Introduction: America's favorite dessert. What can be said about it other than it tastes great and its fun to watch the liquid mix turn into a thick ice cream. This happens through the constant turning of the cold town that it was in.

Materials:
2 Cups of cream
1 Cup of milk
3/4 Cups of sugar
1Tablespoon Vanilla

Procedure:

1. Before you begin, make sure that your freezer bowl is completely frozen, it's a good idea to put it in the freezer a full 24 hours before you plan to make the ice cream.
2. When you're ready to make your ice cream, remove the freezer bowl from the freezer and assemble your machine. Turn the machine on first, then pour in the ice cream base.
3. The ice cream will take 15 to 20 minutes to thicken up. When it's finished, the ice cream should hold its shape when scooped with a spoon, but you can freeze it to the firmness you want.
4. When the ice cream is done, transfer it immediately to a freezer-safe container and put it in the freezer… or serve yourself a scoop or two! By the way, many homemade ice creams get very hard when they're frozen for any length of time. So if you are making your ice cream to serve at a later time, take it out of the freezer about 15 to 20 minutes before you plan to serve it so that it'll be scoop able.

Result:

When we made Ice Cream, it turned more into soft serve because the bowl was not quite cold enough, with that being said, it still tasted great!

Caramel

Introduction: 
Why go to the store and buy caramel when you can make it at home? It is made up of basic household ingredients and requires very little time. You can eat it with ice cream or on its own. The sugar acts as a ingredient that when melted, creates a gooey consistency that everybody loves with caramel.


Materials:
1 packed cup brown sugar
1/2 cup half-and-half
4 tablespoons butter
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Procedure:

Mix the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until it gets thicker. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat, cool slightly and pour the sauce into a jar. Refrigerate until cold.

Results:
It would be pretty hard to mess this one up. Today we used it as a sauce to put on the melted ice-cream. I think that it was a delicious treat to eat and i would make it again and again at home.

Fresh Strawberry Sauce

Introduction:

This was a sauce that was to accompany the angel food cake. It was easy and took minimal 
experience to make. The science behind this dish lays in the cornstarch, when added to cold water,
and then added to a thin sauce, it helps make it thicken up and makes it more like syrup.

Materials:

• 1 pint strawberries, rinsed, green tops removed
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved into 2 tablespoons water

Procedure:

Place strawberries, sugar, balsamic vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook on medium low for 10-15 minutes, or until strawberries begin to soften. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook stirring for 1 minutes, or until it returns to a simmer. Process in a blender until smooth. Chill thoroughly before using.

Results:

The sauce tasted too much like vinegar. Next time i would exclude the 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar.

http://americanfood.about.com/od/desserts/r/Fresh-Strawberry-Sauce-Recipe.htm

French Onion Grilled Cheese

French Onion Grilled Cheese

Introduction: If you like french onion soup, you'll love this snack. but even if you don't like french onion soup, you will still love this snack. the onions made the dish. caramelized and soaked in beer, what could possibly be better? They were so good you could eat them on their own. The science behind this dish that onions have a defensive entity that burns people's eyes(see picture below...) this is in hope that they will not get eaten. but if you chew gum it helps alleviate the tears just a little bit.

Materials:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 cups sliced sweet onions (about 2 pounds)
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1/2 cup unsalted beef stock, preferably homemade
1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves stripped from the stem
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
4 thick slices French or Italian bread
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to turn light golden, about 10-15 minutes. Continue to cook without stirring, until a brown crust starts to form. Add a splash of water and stir, scraping the fond from the bottom, and until the water evaporates. Repeat this two or three times, until the onions are golden brown and very tender.

Pour the sherry into the pan with the onions and continue cooking until it has completely evaporated. Add the beef stock and thyme to the skillet. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the stock has reduced by half, about 3-5 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet on medium heat. Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter on one side of each bread slice. Place two pieces of bread, butter side down, on the skillet. Add a handful of gruyere, followed by a generous heap of onion mixture (it can be a little messy, in a good way). Top with the remaining bread slices, butter side up, and cook, flipping once, until cheese is melted and each side is golden brown.

Results:
This sandwich was ridiculously good. It had a sweetness from the onions with the saltiness of the cheese and buttered bread. The majority of the cooking time was in the onions. I would recommend making a large batch so that you can use the left overs to make more sandwiches late or use it as a dip for chips.

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-french-onion-soup-grilled-cheese-recipes-from-the-kitchn-182119