fat bottom fridays... perfecting homemade pizza

now i don't know about you guys, but fridays in my house is movie and pizza night... it's something that i think me and my boys look forward to... its a chance to start the weekday wind-down...

 

 being a New Yorker i was always spoiled by amazingly delicious pizza... every New Yorker says it's one thing that makes the pizza, the artisan breads and the bagels stand way above the rest... the water... it has some sort of magical bread making property :)

so whats a Mainer to do... i guess, try my hardest to make some really good homemade pizza-pies to fulfill those cravings...

 so... i have been working with different kind of dough: simple 5 minute doughs (blaahhhh, they are tough and dull)... and dough's that need to rise 24 hours (i'm too impatient)... and then there is the standard 2 hour yeast doughs, now these are more my speed...

here is the recipe i have been using lately, it's not perfect but it's pretty darn good and easy to make...

basic pizza dough (makes a single pizza)
prep: 10 minutes  rise: 2 hours
ingredients:
1 cup warm water (about 110)
2 1/4 tsp (or one package) of active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
*sometimes i add a little garlic powder, maybe a little dried oregano to the dough

directions:
1. place water in a bowl and add the yeast (let it bloom for 5 minutes)
2. in a large bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour, the salt, and the sugar... make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and the olive oil... with the dough hook attachment stir the dough until it comes together, adding in as much of the remaining 1/4 cup of flour, until the dough forms a ball
3. place the dough in lightly oiled bowl (turning over so the dough is coated with olive oil), and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until 2 hours
4. punch down the dough, place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out into desired diameter and begin to assemble your pizza

 one of the things i like to do, is right before i put the pizza in the oven, i brush the crust with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt and maybe a bit of grated parmesan cheese... this makes an amazing almost breadstick like crust... my boys love it...
speaking of my boys, they are strictly plain cheese pizza guys... but i love anything on pizza... fresh spinach, red wine sauteed mushrooms and onions, zucchini... lots of fresh mozzarella cheese... or creamy melty goat cheese... the sky is the limit... and the pizza dough is the canvas

here are some of my culinary masterpieces... enjoy :)

 

 

until next week...mangia! mangia!

 

and don't forget to check me out over at fat bottom for more deliciousness :)

fat bottom friday... how about some oatmeal bites

i have a confession to make...

i don't really eat all that healthy... i like julia childs philosophies on eating, like "fat gives things flavor" or "the only time to eat diet food is while waiting for the steak to cook"...

 

my breakfast is usually an entire pot of coffee... lunch... well, i usually try and have something, like a sandwich, a salad or some leftovers with a redbull... and then dinner... well, that all depends on if the hubby is home or not... when the hubs is gone, i let my boys dictate the menu for the most part, except i pick the veggie they will be having, no if's, and's or but's about it... i fix their plates and my dinner is usually what they don't finish... then once they go to bed, i settle down with a glass of wine, then by 9:30 i'm starving and i raid the fridge... my late night choices are sometimes hummus and pita chips, chips and guacamole, or a hunk of bread and brie with some cucumbers... other times i'm making things like ramen noodles or cramming 3 brownies in my face... i try not to have junk food in the house... the hubs doesn't eat it, and i don't want it tempting me... the only real junk food is the stuff i bake... but i bake it all from scratch, so i know that i'm using good ingredients with no preservatives and chemicals... right now i have cupcakes, homemade ice cream and banana bread lurking about my kitchen... not to mention what i am about to share with you today...

 anyways, being that my sister is a advocate for healthy living and eating, i thought i would change it up a bit and post something that isn't covered in butter cream and bacon... but just as delicious... not to mention easy to make, and it's not a bad snackin' option for both me and the boys...

oatmeal chocolate chip bites

ingredients:

2 1/2 cups quick or old fashioned oats

1/2 cup rice krispies

2 tablespoon flax seed

1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup dried blueberries, or craisins

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 all natural peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions:

1. preheat the oven to 350, mix all ingredients except for the chocolate chips together really well... i started with a spoon then i got in their with my hands... make sure everything is blended together

2. if your mixture seems dry after mixing add a little more peanut butter or honey (i kinda just eyeballed it)... add a little at a time until the mixture starts to come together... then stir in the chocolate chips

3. add the granola mixture to a mini muffin pan that has been sprayed with non stick baking spray, and press the granola into the molds using your hand or the back of a spoon... press mixture firmly, compacting it as well as you can

4. bake for 12-13 minutes

5. remove from oven and let sit in pan for about 30 minutes to 1 hour... remove them from the pan

6. enjoy... enjoy... enjoy!!

 

have a wonderful weekend everyone... until next time... happy and somewhat healthy baking!!

fat bottom friday... cinnamon chocolate lava cakes

happy friday everyone, from me, fat bottom... i hope your excited it's the weekend... i know i am... i just have my fingers crossed that the rain will stop and that the sun will peak out...

anyways, i didn't get a chance for a couple of weeks to post, because i was selfishly enjoying my time out in france with my little sis meggie, her manfriend kyle, and our good friend john...

on my last night there i prepared a yummy dinner with a delicious dessert... unfortunately i didn't get to take any pictures, and because it was so tasty, i figured i would make them again when i got home... and i'm so happy i did...

chocolate lava cakes (makes 6)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for muffin tins

1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for muffin tins

3 large eggs

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-2 tbsp of ground cinnamon

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

+ confectioners' sugar, for dusting

directions:

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. generously butter 6 cups of a standard muffin tin... dust with granulated sugar, and tap out excess 3. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy

4. add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition

5. with the mixer on low speed, beat in flour, salt and cinnamon until just combined

6. beat in chocolate until just combined, then divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups

7. place muffin tin on a baking sheet and bjust until tops of the cakes no longer jiggle when the pan is lightly shaken, 8 to 10 minutes

8. remove from oven, let stand 10 minutes... dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve with whipped cream, if desired

what i like about this recipe is that the center isn't liquidy and runny, but thick and fudgy... warm and gooey... with cinnamon undertones... mmmm... definatly serve with a glass of cold milk, or either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream...

happy friday everyone... until next week :)

banana muffcakes :)

well hello there everyone... aren't you beyond excited it's friday... i know i am!! and not just because it's the weekend, but my hubby is finally back from a 2 month trip... and now home really feels like home...and it's a great feeling :)

so, in honor of his return i wanted to make something fun... and something with ingredients i know he loves... especially peanutbutter... the hubs could live off of peanut butter...

so here's our friday treat... banana muffcakes... a delicious hybrid of muffins and cupcakes... not as dense as a muffin, not as sweet as a cupcake... and it wears frosting really well...

and if the word muffcake doesn't make you smile and giggle, then you must have no sense of humor... but being a mommy of two little guys, i don't call them muffcakes in front of them... i try to be mature as much as possible... well... i try...

some of them were topped with a peanut butter cream... and some where topped with marshmallow fluff, peanut butter cream and a chocolate ganache drizzle... fluffernutter muffcakes...

banana muffcakes:

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp.salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter, cooled

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

2 lrg. eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla bean extract

directions:

1. preheat the oven to 350

2. in a medium bowl, sift well and combine all the dry ingredients

3. make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add all the wet ingredients

4. using a wooden spoon, incorporate the ingredients together but don't over mix

5. divide the batter evenly among prepared muffin tins, and bake between 20-22 minutes

6. remove from oven, cool momentarily in the tin, then cool completely on a wire rack

7. frost or don't frost... but enjoy

well i hope you enjoyed this installment of fatbottom fridays... have a wonderful weekend...

happy baking everyone :)

A Perfect Game and A Day Trip.

Happy Monday and Happy April Loves! I hope you ended March on a high note and are ready to tackle a new month, filled new goals and big smiles. I enjoyed a great weekend, one of the best I've had in awhile.

It all started on Friday as I watched something spectacular unfold before my eyes. Kyle and his team Limoges CSP had an away game in Evereux, which is right outside of Paris. I hate when I can't watch the games in person, I like to be there cheering on Kyle and his team, after what happened Friday night I was really bummed I didn't get to see the game live. I was home in our apartment in Limoges with Wooden watching the game and losing my mind as Kyle was having the "perfect" game, he was shooting 100%, which isn't a simple fete. I was on the edge of my seat after he hit shot after shot and breathed a sigh of relief as the game ended, Limoges won and Kyle had his perfect game, ending the night with 22 points. He shot 4/4 from the three point line, 4/4 from inside the arc and 2/2 from the free throw line, he also had 5 assists and nabbed 3 rebounds. I can't tell you how proud I am of Kyle and I know I'm not the only one, the outpouring of support from family, friends and CSP fans was phenomenal, everyone leaving kind words for Kyle and his amazing achievement.

This achievement however, doesn't surprise me. Kyle has been working his butt off to get to this point and it is very well deserved, I'm not just saying this because I happen to live with the guy. I'm saying it because I see day in and day out how hard he works and how focused he is on being the best player and professional he can be. I know there are still big things to come for Kyle and his career as a professional basketball player and it couldn't be more deserving. Below is a awesome clip that the CSP organization released of Kyle's perfect game, check it out it's really cool.

Yes, We Kyle ! from LIMOGES CSP on Vimeo.

After Kyle's success Friday night it made our day trip to Bordeaux even more desirable, we needed to celebrate. As I mentioned on Friday in my vlog, which you can check it out here (VLOG) if you missed it, I was quite nervous as this would be Wooden's first trip. Well, he blew Kyle and I away with how good he was, from the 2-1/2 hour car ride where he mainly looked out the window, to how he took over the city of Bordeaux like a seasoned traveler. His good behavior made the day even better. The weather was perfect in the city and we had such a great day, exploring, enjoying an amazing lunch and a sweet treat while we walked the streets.

Bordeaux is definitely one of my favorite places in France. The city has such a great vibe, it reminds me so much of Chicago. The weekend was a total success, I feel very blessed to be able to experience all these amazing things, which become even more amazing when I have my guy by my side and my dog at my feet. For a while I felt like a wanderer, traveling and living in different countries, in different cities, it used to be a scary feeling, not knowing what to call home, I felt lost. But now I am learning that not all who wander are lost, you can make a home anywhere, and it's crazy to think that Kyle and I managed to make a home in France, where we barely speak the language but it's all about making the best of your situation and having your best friend by your side does make the everyday challenges a lot easier.

Wooden and I

Taking in the sights of Bordeaux.

Bordeaux, France

Spring has sprung in Bordeaux.

Kyle taking in the sun and a yummy meal at Les Docks.

Salmon = The Best

Wooden being such a good puppy during our lunch.

Amazing Duck, which was more like a steak.

My boys. 

<3

Refreshing Slushie.

Outfit: Forever21 Coral Jeans, H&M Knit Tank, UrbanOutfitters Light Weight Blazer, Tory Burch Flats, Michael Kors Watch, Rayban Sunglasses.

Notes:

Today is the last day to enter the MKaltenbach Giveaway! Check out the post here -> MKaltenbach Giveaway , for your chance to win the beautiful Carmel Fly Necklace, all you have to do is leave a comment.

Did you check out Fat Bottom Fridays? What did you think? I know I wanted those doughnuts in my belly the minute I saw them. I can't wait to see what Becky whips up in the kitchen this week. If you missed it, click here -> Fat Bottom Fridays

Tomorrow is the return of Pinteresting Finds and Challenge, sorry for the hiatus! I promise tomorrow will not dissapoint.

Fat Bottom Fridays... First Edition... Baked Cake Doughnuts

Hello everyone and a very happy Friday... and I'd like to welcome you to the first installment of Fat Bottom Fridays... what an amazing idea... two sisters combining their awesomeness for all the world to see... well, i should say blogging world... my sister and i combine our awesomeness at every family function and holiday festivity... our mother is so proud...

anyways... for all of you who don't know me, my name is Becky... i am a wife and mother of 2 amazing little boys... currently i live in Maine... my husband is in the U.S. Coast Guard so every few years we are off for a new adventure...

As for what got me into baking... well... it kind of just happened... after college i was a private tutor/teacher/nanny for a young broadway actor... i worked as a manager for Abercrombie and Fitch... along with my sister, and thats actually where i met my hubby... i had the upper hand then as his manager, and come to think of it, not much has changed :)

But after i had my first son, and i was at home all the time, baking became more than a hobby... i realized that i had a knack for it... from developing my own recipes to making figures out of fondant... and i was hooked... and that my friends is when Fat Bottom was born...

But enough about me... lets get onto the goodies..

i finally got my hands on a doughnut pan... and i was itching to give it a whirl... when i lived in cape may, new jersey one of my favorite treats was a glazed blueberry cake doughnut from WaWa... so needless to say i was happy to bake some of these up...

i found a recipe on a delicious blog baking serendipity ... check her out... good looking goodies... anyways... and this delicious recipe had me hooked... i tweeked them a bit for what i was craving... and i have to say... these were fantastic... they had a slightly crunchy crust with a delicate and fluffy cakey center... and the slight coffee flavor along with the chocolate chips... perfect...

Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Doughnuts

ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp. instant espresso powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup chocolate chips

directions:
1. preheat the oven to 425 degrees...combine flour, sugar, baking powder, espresso powder and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl
2. in a separate, smaller bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla
3. fold wet ingredients into dry, being careful not to over-mix... then fold in the chocolate chips
4. spoon the batter into a greased doughnut pan (fill a generous 3/4 of the way) and bake for 10 minutes, or until doughnuts are golden brown and spring back to the touch
5. let them cool slightly in the pan, before transferring to a cooling rack to cool entirely before frosting

once they were cooled, i coated them in a simple vanilla bean glaze...  sprinkled some with guittard chocolate sprinkles and some with a cinnamon sugar crunch... ahhh-mazing...

well... thats it for this edition of Fat Bottom Fridays... i hope you enjoyed this post...

happy baking everyone :)

and remember... fat gives things flavor