honey or pure maple syrup Archives

Remember that time you got that genius idea to make homemade pizza with whole wheat flour and it was a total flop? Been there, done that! There has always been something I really hated about how the crust turned out, because truth be told shaping a pizza is really hard!

I was looking for recipes on Martha Stewart’s website and there it was..one of the most genius food hacks I have ever seen! A pizza in a cast iron skillet! Where has this idea been my whole life? I know, I know, Pizza Hut has essentially been doing this forever and calling it panned pizza but it never occurred to me that maybe this would be the tool I needed to fix my homemade pizza problems.

I decided to incorporated kale into our grocery list this week, because it isn’t something I pick up very often. This week was different though, because Jennifer Tyler Lee’s new book, The 52 New Foods Challenge, made me realize I have been ignoring a few vegetables that I’d like to start using regularly. You know, when you get into a grocery shopping routine and forget about all the other stuff the grocery store has? Yeah, that has been me lately and I wanted to challenge my family to trying something new!

What better a way to introduce kale to my children then pizza? I can’t remember a time my kids refused pizza and the dough is an awesome way to get the kids involved and having fun. I kid you not, my toddler had a piece of dough that he played with for hours. Who needs toys when you have pizza dough? 🙂

If you haven’t checked out my Sweet-Fire Chilli post, Jennifer’s book is based upon challenging your family to try just one new food a week. This is a genius way to handle transitioning to cooking from scratch and eating healthier because we all know how busy life with kids can get. Jennifer suggests dedicating at least one day a week to cooking with the whole family and trying something new. Not just that, she has made it into a game for kids to play to entice them to actually eat the new food! Again, where has this idea been my whole life?

Sometimes it is important to step back and take a look at the big picture. With Jennifer’s book, the big picture of eating healthier, getting your kids to try healthy foods, and cutting processed foods seems so much more attainable for families who aren’t sure where to start. Can you imagine though, a year from now having 52 new healthy ingredients to cook for your family with? How amazing is that big picture?

Pizza Dough = Hours of fun! I do believe that is Batman getting wrapped in dough!

I know this question is coming, so I’m going to go ahead an answer it! Is prosciutto processed?

No. Prosciutto is cured, which means it was heavily salted to draw moisture out of the ham and make it safe for consumption. Although this is a process, the prosciutto I used only had 2 ingredients that were ham and salt. Some companies will use nitrates as well, but shop around and find a brand that doesn’t. Since the prosciutto is cured, it is very high in sodium, so I wouldn’t suggest using it as anything other then a heavy garnish in a dish like this. Just a few shreds will give you flavor enough to bring a really great taste without adding gobs of sodium.

If you are intimidated by mixing the pizza dough and using yeast, do not be! It is honestly easier then making cookies, I promise. 🙂 The dough only takes about 8 minutes to mix up, then rests in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, although you can refrigerate it for up to 24. I highly suggest using whole wheat white flour which is a softer wheat, therefore yields a softer and less dense product. Whole wheat white flour can be confusing because it sounds like it is similar to bleached, enriched, white flour but it IS NOT.

The Giveaway

Jennifer’s book can be pre-ordered below, PLUS I am giving away a copy this week! Simply leave a comment with 1 ingredient you’d like to challenge yourself to cook with this week! Next Thursday, I will randomly select a winner. 🙂
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*Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Recipe adapted from 100 Days of Real Food’s recipe Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza. Thanks Lisa!

Lunchboxes Love Mini-Whole Wheat Pizzas Too!

If you find yourself with extra dough, simply cut it into squares and press it into muffin tins. Top with garlic oil, cheese, and veggies.

Yesterday was my mom’s birthday and since her friends and co-workers took her out to eat I decided to cook her a meal at home. With 3 young kids going out to eat is an ordeal every…single…time! I know anyone with kids has sat through an excruciating meal at a restaurant thinking “I’m never doing this again” the whole time. One kid is yelling, one kid is under the table, and the other one has to pee… at that very moment you promise yourself NEVER AGAIN! Yet somehow…. someway… you end up right back in that situation, reminding yourself again why going to a restaurant with kids is a horrible idea. On top of that, I know when I go out to eat trying to find something with real ingredients is nearly impossible unless I’m going somewhere that specializes in real food, and I don’t know of any places like that in my area. There are a few small cafes that I trust for some things, but most “from scratch” kitchens still use some ingredients I don’t use at home. The great thing in my situation is that I know how to cook restaurant quality food at home, from scratch with ingredients I don’t feel guilty about eating. This Balsamic and Bleu Alfredo recipe did not disappoint!

I admit, this idea came from Olive Garden’s menu (don’t get me started on their ingredient lists and unethical marketing). My husband’s company had a Christmas party there last year and just about everyone ordered the dish that inspired this recipe. I don’t quite remember what they called it but the flavor combination was a bleu cheese Alfredo sauce, steak, and balsamic reduction. My version of this meal is definitely upscale, from scratch restaurant quality, but hey, Olive Garden gave it a good shot!

I started this recipe by making a balsamic reduction to put on my sirloin before I grilled it. I admit, this part of the recipe stinks, literally, but open a window in your kitchen and have at it! Making a balsamic reduction is really easy and is a flavorful addition to meals, fresh veggies, and even fruit. If you’ve never made a reduction before the name speaks for itself. All you are doing is reducing a liquid into a sauce-like consistency that would coat the back of a spoon when held sideways. Look for a vinegar that contains only naturally occurring sulfites and no preservatives!

After I made the reduction I trimmed the fat from my sirloin, cut it into chunks, and then used a tenderizer to flatten the sirloin a bit. I did this because it makes it a heck of a lot easier to grill, and the acidity from the balsamic reduction will work wonders in all of the little nooks the tenderizer impresses on the meat. Once I had all of the chunks cut and thinned, I GENEROUSLY sprinkled the meat with garlic powder, freshly cracked black pepper, salt, and whole wheat white flour. I really emphasize the word generously because if you don’t season your meat correctly, this dish will be lacking in the flavor department as far as the meat is concerned. You want to see a coating of garlic powder and black pepper on every piece of meat. This will ensure that your meat is not under flavored.

I used a cast iron grill pan to “grill” the sirloin, and it worked wonderfully. When I use cast iron, I always heat it up over medium heat in advance. Once it is nice and hot, I melt some ghee (clarified butter) on the pan, and reduce the heat to low. A temperature that is too high will increase the chances of sticking and that is never a good thing. I would recommend NOT to purchase a grill pan with a non-stick surface because some of the chemicals they use on the non-stick cookware are highly questionable. By using cast iron and a pat of ghee, there is no need for any additional chemicals to prevent sticking. If you’ve tried cast iron and had problems with sticking in the past, don’t give up! Reduce your heat and your sticking problems will probably be resolved.

Back to the sirloin! 🙂 Once my sirloin was on the grill I gave each piece a nice drizzle of balsamic reduction, and ohhhhh they were so sticky and delicious! Once I drizzled the balsamic on I turned every piece to get a nice coating and allowed each piece to cook for 2-3 minutes per side. You should have a really sticky, flavorful outside and a tender inside. It doesn’t get much more flavorful then this!

For the Alfredo sauce, I knew I didn’t want to over-do the bleu cheese. I purchased a serious block of bleu cheese a few weeks ago, and I knew I wanted to make an Alfredo sauce with it. The only thing is, my bleu cheese is powerful. It is super stinky and super tangy so a little bit goes a long way. I only used about an ounce of bleu cheese in the recipe, but some bleu cheese’s are different. If your not getting a good hint of bleu cheese in your sauce, go ahead and add more.

*If you are looking for a high quality, relatively inexpensive cast iron grill I highly recommend the brand Lodge! Here is a link to the grill pan I used.
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