Pizza --economics

Almost every Friday we make homemade pizza.  John was gone and I was a little bored, so I was curious to see how much we save making our own pizza.  I figured this out from my recipe that follows, which makes 3 large (12-14 inch) pizzas.

flour                                           .65

yeast                                          .10

sugar                                         .08

pepperoni                                 .22

cheese (5 oz per pizza)          1.72

pizza seasonings                      .24

tomato paste                            .41

salt                          

Total                                       $3.42  for 3 large pizzas

I usually make the crust with 1/2 ground wheat flour which would bring the cost down even more.  More importantly, I am happy I am serving my family pizza which is healthier (a little wheat,less grease and no preservatives, etc).  I also usually zap the pepperoni in the microwave for 40 seconds to dab off most of the grease.

Here is my Pizza Crust Recipe(turns out great every time!!!)

2 Cups warm water

1 T Yeast saf instant yeast

5 C. Flour

3 T brown sugar

1 tsp salt

cornmeal

In mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water.  Add flour, salt, and sugar. mix well and knead for 3 minutes.  Divide into 3 sections put olive oil on hands and shape into balls.  Set on baking sheet with seran wrap over and let rise 1-2 hours.  Preheat oven to 500 (we heat a pizza stone).  Roll out pizza on pizza board sprinkled liberally with corn meal.  Brush with olive oil and spread with sauce and toppings.  Slide onto hot pizza stone.  Bake for 6-7 minutes.  If you don't have a pizza stone or board, just roll out on counter and put in your regular pizza pan.

Variations:

Wheat--add 2-3 cups

Honey Pizza-- (my kids love this--had some at a restaurant in Moab) spread with honey and sprinkle a little mozzarella cheese.  When done you may put a little more honey on top.

BBQ Chicken pizza:    brush dough with olive oil, and top with about 1/3 cup BBQ sauce.  I prefer Sweet Baby Ray's.  Sprinkle with cheese, sliced red onions and cooked BBQ chicken.  Bake 6 minutes and sprinkle with chopped cilantro when done.

I make this recipe in my 14 C cuisinart and put dry ingredients in first then pulse and then add water and let knead for 45 seconds once in a ball.  So FAST!!!

It's Greek to me!!

Johnny's mission president sent a dvd of the interview and training he did with Johnny and his companion.  This is a little clip from that dvd.   It was fun and a little strange to hear Johnny speak Greek so fluently.  I really enjoyed watching this even though I have no idea what he is saying.  Its Greek to me!!! ha ha

5th Grade Wax Museum

Caroline choose Gloria Estefan who is from Florida to dress up as for the wax museum.  The classrooms are full of different famous "wax" people from each of the states.   This is a fun event to attend and learn about all the amazing people from our wonderful country.

.

Sweet Hearts Dance

                                  Josh had a fun time on his date last weekend. 

Valentines Party

My mother loves Valentines Day and has thrown a huge party every year.  There are cookies to decorate, cards to make, games to play, food to eat and a program to watch.  The picture above with the little children give a sense of fun when many of us are together--and that is minus 14 children who were elsewhere when this picture was taken.  I think there was 54 of the family gathered.  It is always a little chaotic, but always a good time.  I loved the poem My Dad wrote and read to my mom.  Each of the kids went home with handfuls of dollar store prizes and treasures.

Caroline Cake Tips

For a moist cake:  let cool 5 minutes then wrap in plastic and freeze until you frost.  It will be easier to frost and yummier to eat.  

If you live in high altitude add 1/4 c. flour.

Instead of spraying the pan with PAM mix equal parts crisco, flour, and oil.  This can be stored in the cupboard or refrigerator.  Brush this on the pan sides and bottom and the cake will come right out.  I added 1/4 C of each and saved the rest.

This cake is called a mosaic cake and I made some of the roses and my teacher made some.  I did all the rest.   Roses were hard and I need to practice some more.

by: Caroline

White Chile

This is one of my fast food recipes.  I adapted this recipe from my friend Lori for my electric pressure cooker.  Not only is this recipe fast, healthy but also economical.  It also is in the clean bowl club--all my children love it except one (there is always one).  I also love that I do not have defrost or soak anything.  I love my electric pressure cooker!!!

1 lb. bag Great Northern Beans

2 frozen chicken breasts

1 medium onion chopped

1-2 garlic minced

6-7 cups water

5-7 chicken bouillon cubes 

2 1/2 tsp cumin

1-2 can can chopped green chilies

Set your pressure cooker to saute and saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil.  Add frozen chicken breast, beans, water, and bouillon.  Set the pressure cooker to high pressure for 37 minutes with slow release.  When pressure comes down add rest of ingredients.  It will stay warm in pressure cooker till ready to serve. You can serve it with grated cheese, green onions, sour cream, and tortilla strips.

Homemade Aprons

Last Friday Natalie and I attended Al's sewing birthday party.  Al graduated in fashion design from BYU and is always coming up with creative projects.  She copied this pattern from one of her aprons.  I thought they turned out cute.  If I make another one I will double over the bias tape like on Natalie's Apron so it is thinner.  It was fun to do a project with all my sisters and sister-laws. 

Dance-"Rules"

Where we live, you do not just call up a girl and ask her to a dance.  Instead you "must" ask her in a cute and creative way.  The girl then responds also in a clever manner.  Two days ago Josh ask a girl to an upcoming dance by buying a box of chocolates and writing on the inside lid "It would be sweet to go to the Valentines dance with you" --under each chocolate was a letter to his name. Yesterday the doorbell rang and on the door step was a box of Honeycomb cereal with a note attached which said "Honey,comb your hair....... cause we're going dancing" from Cassie. Josh was thrilled.  It has been fun helping my boys figure out different ways to ask.  Johnny once made a tiny incision in the bottom of a pumpkin and slipped a note wrapped in cellophane into the pumpkin.  He then stabbed the pumpkin with a knife with a note attached that said "carve" and left it on her doorstep.  Another time a girl asked Johnny to a dance and decorated his room.  Later I found out she had put glow in the dark stickers on the ceiling--which were impossible to come off(some are still stuck on).  AUG!  With Natalie and Jake soon to enter this dating ritual with Josh- any fun ideas for the future would be welcomed. :)

Wordfull Wednesdays

In our family we have a secret code for saying "I love You" when we are not able to do it verbally or physically with a hug or kiss.  When I squeeze a child's hand 3 times that child will know I'm saying "I love you".  I remember one Sunday morning a particular teenage son was not in the best of moods at church.  During the meeting I grabbed his hand and gave it three little squeezes.  Instantly, a smile emerged on his face and I felt my hand squeezed 3 times back.  Everyone needs to feel and know they are loved and this is just one of the many ways we express it in our family.  There can never be too many ways to say "I love you".  The children think it is fun to have a secret code that only we know.

More Wordfull Wednesdays here.

Eagle Project

Josh has been working hard on his Eagle project and we have been busy helping him.  He is making brown plaques for the Hutchings museum to give to the children for a rock art activity.  The children will be given a brown "rock", nails, and a sheet of rock art symbols.  The students then will be able to etch out their own petro glyphs.    We poured 200 "rocks" on Saturday and then on Monday our friends came over to help paint them.  Tonight, Josh's  scout troop came over to help pour some more "rocks".  Josh's goal was to do 300 and he now has more than 350 "rocks".  He has gathered supplies, solicited donations, and lead and organized volunteers.  We are very proud of his hard work.  I just wish he would have done this project in the summer---it was a little stressful with all that paint and plaster in the house. :)