Pizza Pinwheels

I wanted to share my experimentation with the two ingredient pizza dough that I posted earlier in the week.

I was in need of some comfort measures for a friend and used the dough recipe to make pizza pinwheels to accompany a big pot of homemade soup.

On a large sheet of parchment, I rolled out one ball of Two Ingredient Pizza Dough  ( I added a tablespoon of pesto to the dough while mixing it up) into a large rectangle and spread it with about a 1/4 cup of thick pizza sauce, 1/4 cup finely diced red onions, 1/4 cup slivered pepperoni and about 1/2 cup of pizza mozzarella.

I rolled the dough jelly-roll fashion, pinched the seam shut and cut the dough into about 12 pieces placing the cut side down on a parchment lined baking pan.

I sprinkled the tops with a bit more pepperoni and cheese for good measure and a shake of Italian seasoning blend and popped them in a preheated 400 degree over for about 25 minutes (or until nicely browned and bubbling).

You want to make sure the inside is cooked and not doughy.

I'm guessing the possibilities are endless with these little gems.  I want to try some salty black olives, spinach, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes next.

Ooooh, artichoke caponata might work nicely, and of course I did also read that others had made cinnamon buns with this dough ...quite possibly more updates to follow!

Serve warm with more pizza sauce for dipping.

Hopefully it's comforting with a bowl of warm soup - likely perfect with a big green salad or a pot of chili.

Other good things today... Rhubarb is sprouting in the garden!

Finally Spring seems to have arrived!

The sunshine and warmth this weekend appears to be quickly coaxing my rhubarb plants from their long hibernation.

It won't be long before we can enjoy more of Oma's Rhubarb Cake!

Burrito Bowls

Today's goodness comes in the form of good vibes and good food fast.  Have you heard about edible spoons?!

This Karma Tube video, "Eat your Spoon," is really intriguing. Even if you do not fancy yourself an environmental enthusiast, the concept of reducing waste, creating a spoon that does not leach toxins into your food, and creates jobs opportunities will leave you with some very good vibes today.

Research scientist, Narayana Peesapaty has created 100% natural, edible cutlery made of millet that can be eaten or left to decompose in only 7 days.  Not that one would necessarily want to start eating a spoon with every meal, but the thought that when you did need a portable spoon, there is a non-leaching, compostable alternative that could create jobs and revive the growth of more sustainable millet crops for local farmers is pretty darn innovative, don't you think?

For some good food fast tonight, these Burrito Bowls are the perfect addition to your Meatless-Monday meal repertoire.

They are fresh and healthy, and besides cooking your rice and a little chopping, they are pretty low on prep time.  Leftovers store easily and transport well!

If you have little people who like to cook (shout out to my favourite pint-sized master chefs) or teens that want a quick meal they can put together for themselves, add these bowls to your next weekly dinner line-up.


Left over rice or grains
A tin of black beans rinsed and drained
Frozen (thawed) or fresh corn
Diced tomato and avocado
Sauted peppers and onions
Roasted sweet potato
Chopped green onions
Chopped fresh cilantro or other herbs/greens

For the Drizzle:

Half a cup of Greek yogurt
Salsa/taco sauce
Hot banana peppers or jalapeno peppers

If you don't have any leftovers, cook your rice or grain accordingly and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and chop your sweet potatoes, toss in a little olive oil, salt and cayenne pepper, and roast for about 25 minutes or until brown and nicely roasted. Or better still, pull some leftover roast sweet potatoes from your fridge and bring to room temperature.

Rinse and drain your black beans.  Thaw your corn or cut previously cooked corn from the cob.

Thinly slice your peppers and onions and saute at high heat with a little olive oil and salt and pepper until slightly blackened.

Chop your tomatoes, green onions, avocado, herbs and any other veggies/toppings you like.

Mix Greek yogurt with whatever proportions of salsa or taco sauce and/ or hot pepper puree if you would like to make a spicy drizzle for your bowls.

Set out your ingredients buffet-style and let everyone create their own bowl.

Simple Strata

 Never let a stale hunk of bread, nub of cheese, or leftover stray veggie go to waste in your house ever again with this very simple strata.

This dish is so easy and delicious you will be planning leftovers so you can make it again!

A couple handfuls of stale, cubed bread (we're talking stale, not moldy here!)
A handful of leftover veggies (steamed broccoli, roast asparagus, a handful or two of baby spinach, leftover pepper/onion saute from fajitas; anything!)
A sprinkle of chopped fresh herbs and/or 2 or three chopped green onions
A handful of leftover roast ham, diced chicken, bacon crumbles, or diced sausages, or leave it out entirely for a vegetarian meal
8 eggs
A cup of milk
Salt and pepper
Pesto, hot peppers, a spicy salsa for a southwest fix!
Assorted cheese nubs








Toss your cubed bread in the bottom of a buttered 9x13 casserole dish followed by your veggies, meat (if you are using), herbs, and green onions.

Whisk your eggs with a cup of milk and add your salt and pepper, hot peppers and/or salsa/pesto.

Pour the egg mixture over the bread and veggies, sprinkle with the assorted grated cheese nubs you have lurking in your fridge, cover, and allow to sit in the fridge to soak up the liquid until dinner time or overnight.
If you find you were a little generous with your bread and veggies and the mixture appears too dry, whisk another egg with 2 Tablespoons of milk and add.  It should look just barely covered as opposed to swimming in the egg/milk mixture.  8 eggs to a cup of milk is generally plenty, but amounts are easily variable.

Bake uncovered in a preheated 375 degree oven until golden and bubbling - about 35 minutes, or until the centre does not jiggle.

Adapted from Julie VanRosendaal's recipe found here.  Tonight I used sour dough bread, leftover baked sausage, baby spinach, green onions, fresh oregano, and hot banana peppers sprinkled with a sharp, old cheddar cheese.

No Knead No Rise Two Ingredient Pizza Dough!

Or perhaps more appropriately titled "PURE MAGIC!!"

I have come across several recipes for two ingredient pizza dough on various other blogs and never stopped to give it a try until now. This is for real.  No kneading, no rising, NO WAITING, no sticky dough that springs back when you roll it out with literally TWO INGREDIENTS: self-rising flour and Greek yogurt.

I mixed, I rolled, I topped and baked in the oven in 20 minutes (possibly less!) from start to finish.

The end result was a beautifully home-baked pizza from scratch. Did I mention there are only two ingredients?!

I read many reviews by others who said they used the same dough to make garlic bread sticks, dessert pizzas, and cinnamon sticks with the same basic recipe and others who had experimented with gluten-free flour blends and also had success.
I also read you can make the dough up to two days ahead and store in the fridge, bringing to room temperature before you roll it out.

I followed the above recipe (found here ) without modification, and it was perfect!

1 and 1/2 cups self rising flour
(If you do not have self rising flour, add 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder to your 1 1/2 cups flour.  I did not have self-rising flour and this worked just fine for me!)

1 cup of plain Greek yogurt ( I used Astro Balkan Yogurt )

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Mix your flour and yogurt in a large bowl until it starts to come together, turn onto a lightly floured surface and continue to shape into a smooth ball adding more flour if the dough is too sticky.  It should form a smooth ball that does not stick to your hands when you roll it.

Roll into whatever shape and size pizza you like (I rolled mine quite thin), transfer to a pizza pan or baking sheet, brush the top with olive oil, and top with pizza sauce, toppings and grated cheese.

Bake in your preheated oven for 12 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling (longer if you like a crispier crust).

Invite over some friends and enjoy because this pizza is too good not to share!

Lemon, Lavender Shortbread

After shoveling what felt like entirely too much snow for the the first week of April,  I came inside feeling like infusing the snowy day with something more spring-like... something bright, something fragrant and delicious.

This thought of infusing the day with some light made me think about reading one of Mabel's favourite picture books to her when she was younger, Mrs. Biddlebox, written by the late Linda Smith and illustrated by the very talented Marla Frazee, illustrator of All the World and author and illustrator of The Farmer and the Clown.

Mrs. Biddlebox has woken up "on the wrong side of her bunk" and resolves to tackle the gloomy day head on...  "I will cook this rotten morning!  I will turn it into cake!  I will fire up my oven!  I will set the day to bake!"

Anyone who knows Mabel will appreciate that she (and her sweet tooth!) loved this notion of turning the dark, dank day into something delicious, ever-hopeful after reading the book that we too might "turn the day into cake".  :)

I turned the day into Lemon, Lavender Shortbread and "set the day to bake".

1 cup of soft butter
1/4 cup each white sugar and icing sugar
1/2 a teaspoon of baking powder
A pinch of salt
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 Tablespoon of dried culinary lavender
The zest of a bright, yellow lemon

Beat the butter and sugars together.  Stir in the vanilla.

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, lavender and lemon zest and add to your creamed butter.

Stir to combine.

Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a stoneware shortbread disk or an 8 inch baking dish or save one half in the fridge to bake later.

Prick the surface of the dough with a fork and sprinkle with some course sugar.

Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven until golden (about 35 minutes).

Cool slightly and cut into wedges.