Do you see it? Kizzi’s curious nature regularly finds her deeply focused in her environment.
On this day, she’d located a praying mantis on the porch. Found out that it was a fighter, too, and the inquisitive predatory interest on her behalf lasted for the better part of an hour before she finally went on to new adventures. (Mantis 1, Kizzi 0)
When you think of pizza, do you think of a flat crust with toppings? Most of us would, I think.
The recipe in Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan, submitted by Nick Malgieri is a pie plate version with a slightly sweet crust with lattice crust topping filled with a slightly salty mixture of ricotta, romano and mozzarella cheeses with egg and prosciutto… A delight for the taste buds and easy to assemble. The hosts for this week will have the recipe posted on their blogs Emily of Capital Region Dining and Raelynn of The Place They Call Home.
I used an aluminum edge protector to keep the fluted edge from over baking. If you don’t have one, use a piece of aluminum foil scrunched and set lightly upon the edge of the pie plate. Remove it once the top of the “pie” is browning and complete the baking time as directed.
It was suggested that the pizza be allowed to cool completely before serving. That was a tough assignment after smelling the wonderful aromas while it baked! Honestly? My taste tester and I did try it slightly warm and again after refrigerated- both were wonderful!
After making this, I think it would be a great make-ahead candidate for brunches, a late supper or a potluck dish and could be easily adapted to a vegetarian fare by omitting the prosciutto and adding a few tasty substitutions. I did a test-freeze of one slice and found that the textures and flavors were most acceptable.
What would you choose on your pizza?
Wintry February greetings from the midwestern bread basket, the “Land of Ah’s” and Kansas-grown wheat …
The Tuesday With Dorie: “Baking with Julia” (TWD) bakers- including yours truly- are off to bake through Dorie Greenspan’s cookbook. Making two recipes a month, it will be a nice addition to my “adventure” theme for my year, don’t you think? You’ll find the recipe for the white bread posted by this month’s host, here: (http://someonekitchen.blogspot.com/ ).
The recipe developed by Craig Kominiak, worked up well. Ingredients and procedures for the recipe are straightforward and easily accomplished. A basic recipe worth noting. Haven’t baked bread before? You could turn out a nice loaf to enjoy with this one!
Having learned to make breads years ago, the techniques were familiar to me, but the late addition of the butter was a bit of a challenge to get kneaded in. I used my Kitchen Aid for the mixing and initial kneading- and she got a good workout. I chose to do the final kneading by hand, which was a delight. Love the feel of the dough under the heel of my hand! It is important to train yourself to know what the dough should feel and look like- your mixer cannot tell you when the dough has had enough
I made two batches, making two regular loaves of the first, and a baker’s dozen mini-loaves to share. (One of the other loaves found a home this morning, fortunately. Fun to share the goodies from one’s kitchen, isn’t it?) I can see this as a great recipe to use for making cinnamon swirl breads, etc. From experience, I can tell you it makes a fine toast!
Simple pleasures! Dare you to make it just once….
Enjoy!
White Bread made for Tuesdays with Dorie on-line bakers' group
As mentioned in my previous post, “adventure” *2 will be via the camera and Photo shop elements software the tools of my second personal opportunity to grow and develop skills/interests this year.
Kim Klassen is opening doors and giving participants opportunity to develop their creative selves and share common interests in this year-long class. This international group of photographers is deep into their homework and their results are A!Mazing!
My homework? Well, with the second of Kim’s classes, Photoshop essentials- beginning tomorrow- I, too- will be getting my homework done and posted. I will, I will, I WILL. Really excited to be expanding this horizon in such a nurturing group!
I’ll post links to Kim’s site and to my homework at Flikr, “grab buttons” etc as I get more adept at the blog writing.
Finally getting to the kitchen to bake white bread, tonite. I was distracted by a briefly colorful sunset and a massive fly-over of geese…and I stopped everything and enjoyed the few moments of its marvel. Camera in-hand, of course.
In this year of “adventure” I signed up for two opportunities to grow and continue to develop my skills/interests. One opportunity is with the TWD bakers. More on the second opportunity in a following post.
Tuesdays With Dorrie Greenspan will have me pushing my baking skills a bit further as we bake through the cookbook at two recipes per month. Any guinea pigs for testing the results???
Golden loaves of white bread from the Baking With Julia book by Dorrie Greenspan, will be rolling out of the oven before the head hits the pillow! :)
I’ll be posting results of my baking session and more on my other adventure/opportunity, later tonite or in the morning.
In Northeast Kansas, in this early February, the weather is not very wintry. Yet…
Enjoy some of my images from the past few years’ Kansas winter scenes while waiting for winter to arrive in Kansas, won’t you?
Taken Winter 2006 , it is February 2012 and it should look more like this
I’m basking in the sun as often as I can. Yet…
Whether the land is snow-covered or just shades of brown, there is plenty of color!
When it is wonderful outdoors, the “winter projects” list indoors is easily snubbed and I flee the wall’s boundaries to breathe deeply the fresh air, soak up some sunbeams on the porch, and tease along a few early spring projects without further confusing the plants, so no pruning, yet…
Snowscapes on the farm
Where ever you are, whatever your winter weather, grab a friend, the neighbor kids, your “better half”… and make some marvelous memories for them, before the season passes. God Bless!
You’d have enjoyed his “Whoop” as my “Ol Farmer” and I slid down his hill! (My Ol’ Farmer 1920-2012)Over the past couple of years, I’ve enjoyed reading intriguing blogs by a number of friends and acquaintances, and decided to add my voice to the chorus of bloggers.
Some folks might suggest I’m working on my “bucket list”… However, I prefer to look at each day as a smaller pail to fill with memories of the important things in life – sunrises, lives shared, sweat on the brow, fabric in the hand, laughing at the antics of the canine family members, hikes through the farmland… You know…the important little things one does in a day’s waking hours… Each daily pailful will have contributed richly to a full bucket at some point, right?
I look forward to sharing tidbits of my handiwork, observations from where life inspires me, lessons learned along the way and perhaps even some words or images to inspire you. In this world, we have much to share with-and learn from- one another.
Create a great day!
C
