Okay, so it didn't snow much and you can't even see it in this picture because the flakes were so tiny, but it was definitely snowing and windy and cold. The kind of day you just want to curl up with a good book and a cup of hot tea. Of course, I didn't have time to do that yesterday or today (it's the same kind of weather today). I did get to cook though and that is another cloudy day activity that I love to do. I made three pizza dough recipes, pesto, and red pizza sauce. Jenna made a cake for a friend whose birthday was yesterday.
My Pizza Dough
On one of my email loops, we have been discussing pride and so I have been thinking a lot about dough and yeast and what the Bible says about them. I was thinking about this yesterday when I was making all this pizza dough. A cyber friend of mine (De'Etta and I think Yvonne was saying something about it too) said that pride is not taking satisfaction in a job well done, but in trying to compare ourselves with others. Okay, those weren't her exact words, but that's what I got out of it. If she reads this and needs to change the way I put it, I would welcome the comments. Sometimes I don't get things quite right. Anyway, as my pizza dough rose and then I "punched" it down, I thought of how God sometimes has to deflate our pride. I have read several places that it is better to gently punch down dough instead of actually pounding on it and I have found this is how God deals with us. Not that he doesn't have to make us completely fall sometimes to help us realize where our pride is, but I have found that if we look back to the situation that led to our fall, He gently began to punch it down first. Then I began to ask God where my pride is blocking something that He is trying to do in me or through me....no direct answers yet, but I am checking my "pride levels" so that it can be all about Him and not me.
Since I have been on a pizza making frenzy the last month or so, I thought I would post a couple of my recipes. I have found that if you have refrigerated them, it is best to pull them out of the refrigerator and let them rest for about 30 minutes before you use them and if you can make them and give them an overnight rest, the flavor develops much nicer.
Regular All Purpose Flour Dough
1 c + 2 T warm water (105-115 degrees)
1 1/2 T olive oil
3 1/2 c All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t sugar
1 1/2 t dry yeast
I also add some dry pizza-type herbs sometimes(i.e. Italian Seasoning, Oregano, Basil, etc.)
Put dry ingredients in mixer and mix. Put in wet ingredients and mix until it comes together in a shiny ball. Knead by hand until smooth and put in lightly oiled bowl to rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled. Punch down and let rise another 1 1/2 hours or put in refrigerator for overnight rise.
Sourdough Pizza Dough
1 c. sourdough starter
1/2 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
3 c. all-purpose or bread flour
1 t. salt
1 T olive oil
Combine flour and salt in mixer. Add liquid ingredients and mix on low until the dough begins to clump around the dough hook. Remove and knead on clean, floured surface for about 4-5 minutes. Place in lightly oiled bowl and put in warm place to rise for 2 hours. Punch down and let rise for 2 hours or so more or refrigerate for overnight rise.
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
3 3/4 c white whole wheat flour
1 T plus 1 1/2 t instant yeast
1 1/2 c cool water
1 T honey
1 T olive oil
2 t salt
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
1/2 t cayenne pepper
Measure 2 c of flour into a medium mixing bowl, and stir in the yeast. Combine the water and honey, add to the flour mixture and stir to mix well. Cover with plastic ans let rest for 1 hour.
Stir in olive oil, salt, herbs and cayenne, and then add the remaining 1 3/4 c flour. Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until it is shiny and elastic, but still quite soft. Resist the temptation to keep ading flour--this should be softer than a bread dough. Return the dough to the bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and dived it in half. Lightly form each half into a loose round, cover and let the halves rest for about 20 minutes.
