What's for Dinner: Homemade Pizza

I can't tell you firsthand how the pizza tasted...I forgot to make one for myself!  But judging by how much was eaten, I would say it was a hit.

First we made our pizza sauce, to let the flavors meld together.  We used organic tomato paste and olive oil, many yummy smelling spices, and fresh garlic.  It smelled so good!  The recipe came from HERE, from a favorite Blogger of mine, Alli 'n Son: Motherhood, baking and boys, with a side of chocolate. (which was inspired by AllRecipes.com).  Thanks, Alli!

Then we made our crust; so much fun!  With an hour and a half class, it's tough to make dough that has to rise a long time.  The recipe is so quick and easy, and I have no idea where it came from.

While we waited for the things we had to wait for, we did a pizza word search.  They begged me to print one for them..honest!  These kids apparently never tire of school work.

The one thing we did not do is try to throw our pizza dough in the air.  I was a little concerned that the boys would plaster my ceiling with it.  Maybe next time.... :)

·       3  cups  all-purpose flour, divided

·       1  package  active dry yeast

·       1/2  teaspoon  salt

·       1  cup  warm water

·       2  tablespoons  canola oil or olive oil

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix 1-3/4 cups flour with yeast and salt; add warm water and oil. Beat with a whisk for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in another 1-1/4 cups flour, or enough so mixture holds together.  Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead in 1/4 to 1/2 cup more flour- stop once it's lump-free. (NOTE:  We did NOT do this.  It had enough flour, and we even added a bit more olive oil).  Wrap half the dough in plastic and freeze for later use; cover remainder and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

2. Heat oven to 425°F. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 4 portions and roll each into a 6-inch circle. Transfer to a greased baking sheet. Build up edges slightly; prick bottom of crusts. Bake about 8 minutes. Spread sauce and toppings onto crust and bake for another 8 minutes.

New apron for "Miss Dub"

I was so happy to have little Miss Hailey in class!  She is a big 3 1/2 now, and it's her first one without her big brother. She did wonderful, as I knew she would.  Every day she would come in and say "hi Miss Dub, what are we making today?"

When we went for a stretch without a class, she apparently forgot my name and called me The Apron Lady.  See, she was really all about the aprons!  I had planned on making all kinds of sparkly designs on some aprons, and only got so far as to make one....a butterfly on a purple apron.  That is now her special apron.  The stones are falling off, and eventually it won't look like a butterfly, but it's hers.  I need to make some new ones.  I have the tool, but the stones are so darned expensive!

So, Hailey comes in today and hands me a bag.  It's a new apron for me, and I absolutely love it!  Thank you so much Hailey and M.E.!!!

A to Z Class: Ants in my Applesauce, Wednesday

Day 2 went well....and we remembered to put Ants in today!  I realized this morning that we forgot our ants yesterday.

I am going to really enjoy this session...even though the Tuesday and Wednesday classes are making the same recipe, the classes are very different.  On Wednesdays I get to enjoy the company of helpers.  The children in this class are younger and I need more than just my 2 hands (though these kids were pros with the Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer--so independent!)  We chopped up our apples with our choppers today instead of knives.  It's faster for them to chop, more fun than a knife, and the apples cook faster.  Everyone helped with cleanup, including loading the dishwasher.

Two of the children are younger siblings of previous Budding Chefs; it just amazes me how time flies and children grow up so fast.

For those who asked about the recipe box, here is the link:

My A to Z Recipe Box: An Alphabet of Recipes for Kids

A to Z Class: "Ants in my Applesauce"

I found a great resource:  "My A to Z Recipe Box:  An Alphabet of Recipes for Kids".  My preschool classes will be completing each recipe in order.  Most will work for our short class time; some will not, so I will be substituting other recipes.  Today was Ants in my Applesauce.  It was very yummy, though a little sweet for my taste. (The boys didn't seem to mind...."can we have more?!!)  We will probably use a little less sweetener in the Wednesday class.  The Tuesday boys are the "test chefs" when I haven't tried the recipe ahead of time!

The boys enjoyed using the Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer.  They each got to peel their own apple, and then cut them into chunks.  We smelled cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, which is so much more fragrant than the stuff that comes in a container.  The recipe did not call for nutmeg, but since it's my absolute favorite spice, it had to go in the applesauce.  We had fun using the masher to smash up the warm apples.  We started with a very chunky applesauce, and for seconds, I mashed them quite a bit finer.  Yummmm!

http://www.amazon.com/My-Recipe-Box-Alphabet-Recipes/dp/081185521X

Ready to eat!! 

Keep cranking!