It's not wheat, but it's MADE FROM SCRATCH pizza dough

Good morning all
Personally I have come to only eat whole wheat pizza dough that I make from scratch. I was buying the dough for awhile and adding garlic oil, etc to make it edible; but still feeling good about eating wheat. Then voila I after a few different recipes I settled on one that I LOVE, didn't have to acquire  a taste for it and there is no need for garlic (though I use it anyway). The dough I am speaking of posted in a previous entry.

Today, however, is about white dough, partially white anyway. It was given to me by a baker friend who swears by it and whe doesn't east white bread. Sonce I am trying to convert my family I am going to be making this for them tomorrow instead of buying the wite dough.  I'll keep you posted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                   

PIZZA DOUGH
from cookbook...Fields of Greens: New Vegetarian Recipes From The Celebrated Greens Restaurant - by Anne Somerville
This basic dough is perfectly delicious made with all white flour, but we like the earthy flavor the cornmeal and rye flour add. Be sure to soak the cornmeal in the milk; it needs the moisture to soften it. The milk enriches the dough, but if you prefer to make the dough without it, use the variation at the end of the recipe.

Makes One 15-Inch Pizza Or Two 9-Inch Pizzas

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
6 tablespoons warm (110°F) water
6 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fine cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rye flour
About 1 3/4 cups unbleached white flour
1 to 3 tablespoons additional flour for rolling the dough

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set aside in a warm place for 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the milk, oil, and cornmeal in a 1-quart bowl. Add the yeast mixture, then the salt and rye flour; mix well. Gradually add the white flour, making a soft, workable dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, sprinkling in a little flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the surface. Put the dough into an oiled bowl and turn it once so the surface is coated with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Prepare the topping.

Preheat the oven to 500°F and heat the pizza stone, if you're using one, for 20 minutes.

To shape the pizza, first form the dough into 1 round ball or 2 equal-size smaller balls. Roll out on a floured surface, turning it regularly to keep a round shape. It should be about 1/8 inch thick, slightly thicker at the edges. Lay the dough on an oiled pizza pan or a well-floured wooden peel. Cover with the topping you have chosen.

Bake the pizza on its pan or slide it onto the heated pizza stone.

VARIATION MADE WITHOUT MILK: We've replaced the milk by increasing the water and doubling the olive oil, which the flour easily absorbs. The additional oil makes a very soft, easy-to-work dough.

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
10 tablespoons warm (110°F) water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fine cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rye flour
About 1 3/4 cups unbleached white flow
1 to 3 tablespoons additional flour for rolling dough

Prepare and roll out the dough as directed.

TO FREEZE: Immediately after mixing the dough, form it into 1 or 2 balls and wrap tightly in 2 layers of plastic wrap. When you're ready to use the dough, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, or set it in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours. Roll out as directed.

GARLIC OIL
We brush our rolled pizza dough with this garlic-infused oil before spreading on the topping—the garlic oil adds extra garlic flavor and forms a seal that helps protect the crust from moist toppings. To make it, finely chop a clove or two of garlic and cover generously with olive oil. Store garlic oil in a sealed container in the refrigerator and we it to saute or season other dishes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sounds great.! I'll make it once as directed, and if it is a hit at home, I'll make 4 times as much and freeze for quicker meal prep.


Come on all, let's make the healthy effort to COOK FROM SCRATCH

I use this site for conversions: http://www.worldwidemetric.com/metcal.htm

Favorite Flours, Distributers and Flour Sharing

What types of flours do you all use in your breads? So far I've been using King Arthur's Flour (KAF) and Bob's Red Mill, also Hodgson Mill. Prices vary depending on where you go. And I'm trying to determine most cost efficient way to keep up my flour supply. I'd like to buy locally, KAF is in VT, their shipping prices are reasonable.


I'm aiming to bake daily (LOVE LOVE LOVE my new Viking Stand Mixer). My LAST NEW purchase- it was a Chrismtas gift from my hubby and children!
 
I plan to focus this entire year... and thes rest of my life on better health, buying locally, recycling, composting, I'll continue my gardening and hope for a better tomato crop this year. Last year in rained the entire month of June! On the bright side I had a never ending supply of lettuces and herbs...really bugged me to have to buy tomatoes though.
 
You see, I've done bits and pieces of GREEN LIVING for years but never wholeheartedly.
 
It's a funny psychologically seaonal feeling with me. The holidays end and I put the ornaments and decorations away, then at the same time...take my gardenig books out. My mind drifts to seedlings. Last year was my first year successfully starting from seed! :) All it took was a couple of flourescent lights from home depot!
 
ok going off on tangents, bursting with excitement about the days, months years to come.
 
Focus on appreciating every moment and your daily life wll be filled to the bring with love. My dad taught me that without even realizing it.
 
Finally, does anyone know if there are any food co-ops in (or around) the Boston, South Shore area? My freind in NH buys everthing from her local food co-op, she's so fortunate. You don't pay for fancy packaging, marketing, etc.

And BREAD BAKERS check out this incredible forum on all types of bread baking http://www.thefreshloaf.com/ . My username on there is garden chef.
have a green day

Happy New Year

2010 It's hard to believe how quickly time goes by. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with your friends and loved ones.

So New Years has come and gone, a time for resolutions. I don't like the word resolution, folks never seem to keep them, too much pressure.

I have my 'wish list' that I plan to work thru this year...

• Live an even more family oriented life.
• Walk somewhere, no matter how little, EVERY DAY
• Really focus on living a simpler, more old-fashioned life! How? Ordering less take-out, a lot more cooking... healthy, but hardy meals, baking regulary...and EVERYONE sitting at the table together for dinner. I'm embarassed a bit that I have to work toward this, but our lives have been so busy in recent years and somehow the basics slipped away in the hustle and bustle of school, activities, and the kids growing social lives.
• Live GREEN in more ways than I have been. I know being green is a fad these days I but feel my shop of vintage collectibles http://www.footbridgecove.com/    finding new homes for precious pieces of our past has been a form of living green.
• Sustainable, another trendy word at the moment. I am going to commit to  making my purchases locally, and order from family owned companies whenever possible.

Well that's a start. Who has wishes for their future they would like to commit to here? Please comment. It makes it seem more authentic (a little more pressure when you need to be accountable to something, even if it is a blog) when you put something in writing.

Wishing you a Blessed year.