Thin Crust Pizza Dough: 2 hours 30 minutes

I still need to test out the ball of pizza dough that we froze (update: it holds up in the freezer!!) but this is my new go-to thin crust dough and if the freezer ball works out it will be a good day indeed. We paired with our homemade pizza sauce and the hamburger tomato pizza toppings.

Thin Crust Pizza Dough
2 hours 30 minutes
Adapted from Dinner: A Love Story
Makes 2 pizza crusts

• 3 3/4 cups flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/3 cup room temperature water
• cornmeal for dusting

In a medium bowl stir all the ingredients up to water together.  Add the water and mix well with a spatula or your hands for 30 seconds. The dough should be stiff, not wet.  Cover the bowl and let sit 2 hours.

Divide the dough in half and shape each into balls (can be frozen at this point).

Put a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500F. Roll out one of the balls. When the oven is preheated, take out the hot pizza stone and dust with cornmeal. Place the rolled out dough on the stone then make the pizza.

Cook at 500F for 15 minutes.

Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil

A sheet pan (and one pot...and one bowl) dinner. Of course no pictures, but we both agreed this was better than a typical shrimp boil. Something about that extra char from the oven.

Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil
Serves 4
Adapted from Damn Delicious

• 1 pound baby dutch yellow potatoes (I couldn't find baby so just cut yellow potatoes in chunks)
• 3 corn on the cob, cut into sections - I used frozen and it was great
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon cajun season
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 12 ounce package of smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon
• fresh parsley leaves, chopped for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Boil a large pot of salted water.  Cook potatoes for about 10-13 minutes until just tender.  Add corn in the last 5 of those minutes.  Drain

Meanwhile in a small bowl combine butter, garlic, and Cajun seasoning.

Place potatoes, corn, shrimp, and sausage on the baking sheet and toss with the butter seasoning.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until shrimp are pink and corn is tender.

Serve with lemon wedges and parsley.

Mac n Cheese

The quest for the best mac n cheese still continues.  There isn't such a thing as bad mac n cheese, I just haven't found one that hits the spot.  This one was pretty dang close.

Stove Top Mac n Cheese
From Serious Eats

• 1 part elbow macaroni
• salt
• 1 part evaporated milk (usually sold in 5 oz or 12 oz cans)
• 1 part grated cheddar cheese (I used strong, next time I'll go medium)

Place macaroni in a pot with just enough cold water to cover it (this is important, the less water the better). Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat.  Since there isn't much water you need to stir frequently. Cook until most of the water is gone and the macaroni is almost done. About 6 minutes.

Add evaporated milk and bring to a boil. Add cheese and reduce heat to low.  Stir continuously until cheese is completely melted and turns into a creamy sauce (about 2 minutes). Season with more salt and serve.

Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

Because I have like no Asian side dishes besides like...rice.

Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

• head of broccoli with the florets cut into bite size peices
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Steam broccoli until tender. 

While steaming combine the rest of the ingredients in a small skillet. Cook over medium heat until boiling then turn to low heat and cook until thick.

Drizzle sauce over broccoli and serve.

Swiss Steak

Swiss Steak
Adapted from Everyday Slow Cooker

• 2 pounds boneless beef round steak, cut into 6 serving pieces
• 1.1 ounce package of beefy onion soup mix
• 1 1/2 onions, sliced (about 3 cups)
• 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• garnish: parlsey

Place steak in the slow cooker. Sprinkle with the beefy onion soup mix. Add sliced onions all around, then throw the tomatoes on top. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Next time: when everything is done cooking, remove all the meat and vegetables from the slow cooker.  Make a thickening mix of 3 tablespoons flour with 1 cup water.  Add the thickening mix to the slow cooker and stir until thick. Add gravy on top of steak.

Winter Vegetables with Gnocchi

Winter Vegetables with Gnocchi

Adapted from Southern Living

• 16 ounces pre chopped fresh butternut squash (trust me, get it precut)
• 8 oz mushrooms, halved
• 1 cup frozen pearl onions
• 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 16 ounce package of potato gnocchi
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated and divided
• Chopped parsley for garnish

Toss together butternut squash, mushrooms, onions, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a 13x9in baking pan. Place in oven (before you preheat).  Heat the oven to 450 and bake until the squash in tender about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare gnocchi according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.

Remove vegetables from oven. Stir in gnocchi and butter.  Gradually add up to 1 cup of the pasta water 1/4 cup at a time. I only needed 1/4 cup. Stir until a thick sauce forms at the bottom.  Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese.

Sprinkle the rest of the cheese and parsley on top and serve.

Roasted Cabbage

Because somehow I always have leftover cabbage in my fridge.

Roasted Cabbage

Adapted from Gimme Some Oven

• one head green cabbage (or whatever you have leftover)
• drizzle of oil
• salt and pepper

Preheat to 450F and have an aluminum lined baking sheet. 

Cut cabbage into wedges about 8 for the whole head. Drizzle with oil, salt and pepper. Flip and repeat.

Bake for 10 minutes, flip the wedges and bake for 10 more minutes.

Next time: add some lemon juice or cooked bacon bits on top