Tacos & Pizza

My third most commonly prepared meal last year was a tie:  tacos and pizza.  Anyone who has been around us much knows that we love Mexican food and eat it at least once a week.  Tacos are a family favorite.  It has always been a family project to prepare.  Sheila usually cooks up the ground meat (which at our house means venison) and seasons it with salt, chili powder, garlic and cumin,;while I fry up the taco shells (we do NOT like the boxed kind of shells!).  Chop some tomatoes and onions, open a can of black olives, and make up some guacamole salad, queso or fresh salsa to serve with tortilla chips and you have a happy group of diners! 

Pizza is about my favorite food of all time.  I could eat it even when pregnant and nothing else sounded good.  I always like to make more than needed, because I love eating it leftover, for lunch or breakfast.  I have used the same basic recipe for 35 years…experimenting with the cooking process occasionally.  I have used a pizza stone many times in the past, but I've found that a pizza pan with holes in it works best for me (and is easier!).  Here is my crust recipe:

Pizza Crust

1 pkg. dry yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 3/4 cup bread flour (you can substitute some white whole wheat flour for some of the flour, depending on your preferences)

In large mixing bowl, mix yeast and warm water.  Let set until bubbly.  Add olive oil, salt and a cup of the flour and mix well.  Continue mixing while adding flour until you have a dough that holds together and isn't too sticky.  Knead by machine for 3 minutes (or by hand for 7 minutes).  Place in lightly greased bowl, turn dough over to grease the top, and cover.  Let rise in warm place for about an hour, until doubled in size. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Divide dough in half.  Roll out half of dough on lightly floured surface into a large circle.  Continue rolling or toss until circle fits pizza pan (I use a 14" or 16" pan).  Spray pan with cooking spray.  Fit crust in pan, coat with pizza sauce, top with grated Italian style (or mozzarella) cheese, and then add  your choice of toppings.  Repeat with 2nd half of dough.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until crust is lightly browned and cheese is bubbly.

This recipe can easily be divided in half, or you can bake the extra crust for about 5-10 minutes (until it can be handled without pan) and then freeze.

Pizza Sauce

1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
8 oz. can tomato sauce (I like to use the garlic flavored - I LOVE garlic)
1 tsp. dried basil

I place the garlic and onion in the (microwaveable) cup in which I measured the olive oil (there will still be a little oil coating the bottom of the cup).  Microwave on high for about 45 seconds, being careful not to brown the garlic.  Add tomato sauce and basil and stir. Microwave on high for 1 minute.   I like to make this up after mixing my dough, so the flavors can mingle while the dough rises.

Enjoy!

Pr 31:14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.  (I like to think preparing different ethnic dishes falls into this instruction!)