Margherita Pizza

This is a definite all time favorite of ours. I love this pizza in the summer because it is so fresh and light. This pizza is the main reason we grow Basil in our garden. So, if you live close to me come over and pick some fresh basil and make this tonight, you will not be disappointed.

Margherita Pizza
Pizza Dough

Starter

1 cup bread flour
1/2 T yeast
1 cup warm water
1 T sugar or honey

Mix all the ingredients together and let them sit for at least 3 hours, then add...

3 Cups bread flour
1 cup warm water
1/2 T yeast
2 egg whites
2 T olive oil
2 t salt

Toppings

olive oil
garlic
mozzarella cheese
fresh tomatoes, sliced
fresh basil, sliced

Mix the dough for 7 minutes in a kitchen aid or Bosch, if you do it by hand, I don't know what to tell you, just knead away. The dough should be like soft play dough but not sticky, so adjust flour accordingly. Split the dough in half and let it rise on a floured surface, covered, for an hour or so. Each dough ball will make a large 8 slice pizza. If you want to make smaller pizzas divide the dough into smaller pieces. The crust turns out the best the less you handle it so instead of punching it down I just grab an edge with both hands and let the weight of the dough do the stretching. I slowly move my hands around the outside until it is the size I want it. Don't give into the temptation to roll the dough, this will make your dough more tough and it will shrink when you cook it. It doesn't need to be perfectly round because when you place it on your pan you can shape it. After your dough is on the pan, brush it with olive oil and spread minced garlic on it (I use about a tablespoon of garlic). Cook it just like this in a 500 degree oven until it no longer sticks to the pan but is NOT browned (about 3-5 minutes). Take it out of the oven and add mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato, and fresh basil. Continue cooking it for 8-10 more minutes until the crust is lightly browned and the cheese is melted.

Dutch Oven Cooking

We went camping last week with some great friends of ours so I had to try my hand at a little Dutch Oven cooking. I totally loved it! There is something so cool about being out of doors and having great food. Especially since it was a little cold and rainy. I tried a few different recipes but this was my favorite. I am excited to try again in our backyard as there are tons of amazing sounding recipes, but for now here is the winner of the first round. I am also including a neat little chart that shows how many coals to use for certain temperatures.

Au Gratin Ham and Potatoes

4 T butter
1 onion
3 T flour
2 cups milk
seasoning salt
pepper
1-1/2 cups cooked ham, diced
3 cups potatoes, diced (I used red)
1/2 c grated cheddar
1/4-1/2 c bread crumbs

Preheat dutch oven to 325. Melt butter and saute onion until translucent. Blend in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Add pepper and seasoning salt. Mix in ham and potatoes and mix well. Sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs on top. Cover and bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Coal chart for Dutch Oven

Temperature	10" Oven		12" Oven		14" Oven
Degrees F	Top	Bottom	Top	Bottom	Top	Bottom
300	12	5	14	7	15	9
325	13	6	15	7	17	9
350	14	6	16	8	18	10
375	15	6	17	9	19	11

Blueberry Muffins

Summer means blueberries in Michigan and although I don't totally love the little things alone, blueberry muffins are heaven! This is a great recipe too! I found it at Allrecipes.com but of course altered it a little.

Blueberries Muffins

3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 t salt
4 t baking powder
3/4 cup oil
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
3/4 cup milk
3 cups fresh blueberries

Crumb Topping

1 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks
3 t cinnamon
*mix all together with a fork or pastry cutter until crumbly

Preheat oven to 400. mix dry ingredients, then add the wet. Fold in blueberries last. Grease or line muffin pan. Fill the cups right to the top and generously sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. This makes 24 muffins.

Fruit Dip

I got this recipe from my friend Summer years ago, when we lived in Provo, and have loved it ever since. It is amazing with all sorts of fruit but my husband's favorite is watermelon. It is the perfect accompaniment to any BBQ or for that fresh summer dessert.

Fruit Dip

8 oz cream cheese
1 cup marshmallow cream
1 cup cool whip

Mix cream cheese and marshmallow cream together. Then stir in cool whip and serve with your favorite fruit.

Banana Muffins (or Mini Loaves)

This is by far me favorite banana bread/muffin recipe ever! It comes from my sister in law Adena. I first had it at a family reunion when I was pregnant with my first son and I have not used another recipe since. I would say that it can be considered cake, it is so sweet and moist. They are heaven plain, with butter, or iced. You just may never go back to your other recipe!

Banana Muffins

3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/3 cups butter, softened
2 1/4 cups banana, mashed (around 3 large)
3 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
3 cups flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 cup nuts, optional

Cream together butter and sugars. Add bananas, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla and mix. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Bake in greased muffin tin at 350 for 16-18 minutes. Mini loaves will take longer, about 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. This will make 24 muffins or 8 mini loaves.

Triple Chocolate Cookies

I got this recipe from the Sister's Cafe. !!Warning!! These are addicting! I went on a cooking spree with these last summer and made them like once a week. I know, ok, I have cut back, don't judge! I haven't made them in a few months and I had forgotten how good they really are. I add a mix of white, dark, and milk chocolate instead of just white and it is heaven! I also enjoy walnuts in these. Oh, and my favorite thing to do with cookie dough, besides eat it (yes, I am one of "those" people and yes I know there are raw eggs in it and no I haven't contracted any disease or died yet, and I am going to keep on eating, so there!) is to freeze it. I just make all the dough into balls and freeze them on a cookie sheet and once they are hard I put them in a freezer bag. This way I don't eat ALL the cookies and I can cook only a few at a time when I NEED them. Besides we all know cookies are best hot out of the oven. Just make sure to let them thaw before you cook them otherwise the bottoms burn and the rest is still dough. Ok, Ok, enough already! Here is the recipe.

Triple Chocolate Cookies

1 c butter, softened
1 c white sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 c flour
1 1/4 c dutch cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
2 c white chocolate chips (or a mix of whatever kind you like)

Cream the butter and sugars together. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla and salt. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda then mix into the creamed ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips. Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary

My friend Abby Showed me this little jewel of a recipe. Not a recipe really, more just a technique. But whatever you want to call it, it is yummy.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary

Cut as many red potatoes as you want into quarters, smaller if they are big. They should be about bite size. Toss them with some extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with dried rosemary, salt and pepper. Put them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and put them in your oven on broil. Stir them every couple of minutes so they don't stick and they turn brown on every side. They usually take about 15-20 minutes in my oven. About half way through, I add sliced onion. These cook much faster than the potatoes. These are great as a side to anything BBQ.