Vegan Pizza

Four days into vegan month there is only one thing I can say for sure, eating too many flax seeds is a bad idea. Day one I tried sleeping as my stomach dealt with the little beasts and it almost turned me carnivore.

Tonight (by tonight I really mean last night) I’m making vegan pizza from scratch. Compared to the flax seed incident it should be a cinch.

My homemade dough is rising. (It’s egg less of course.)

My sauce is bubbling and I’ve added some chili flakes to kick up the flavor.

And down the hall my neighbor is frying up sausage for dinner-Damn. But I will persevere.

Since this is resolution time, I’m wondering what you’re all fighting against out there. Let me know and remember, if I can do it, you can do it.

Below are a super simple pizza dough and sauce recipe that can be used for vegan and non-vegan pizzas alike.

Simple Pizza Sauce

2 tbs olive oil
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
¼ tsp salt
2 tbs honey
¼ tsp red chili flakes
1 clove garlic

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan or frying pan.

Simmer on low for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces 1/3.

Taste test and adjust to your liking.

Simple Pizza Dough

3 cups flour
1 ¼ cup warm water
3/4 tsp yeast
1 ½ tsp salt
(makes enough for 2 medium sized pizzas or 3 servings)

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.

Combine warm water and yeast letting mixture sit for ten minutes. Bubbles will confirm active yeast.

Using your hands, blend flour and yeast in a bowl.

The result should be a moist, but firm ball.

Knead dough either in the bowl or on a flat flour dusted surface for about five minutes.

Return dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough sit and rise for at least two hours.

Punch dough down and knead for another two or three minutes.

Roll dough out onto a greased sheet of aluminum foil.

Par bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes.

Remove from oven, add your desired toppings and return to oven for another 20-30 minutes.

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Casseroles and the Midwest

My roommate in collage used to make corn flake, Campbell’s soup and Velveeta cheese casseroles. I thought she was out of her mind. Like 90% of a recipe shouldn’t come out of a vacuum sealed package, right? But after seeing the world a bit, I’ve learned to look at foreign cultures differently. With complete cultural relativity I’d like to introduce you to the most famous casserole in the American Midwest.

Actually in the Midwest casseroles are called hot dishes. My friend Alex, who grew up in Michigan, is half Belgian, speaks a gaggle of languages, and has visited many many countries, introduced me to THE hot dish classic, tater tot casserole. This little baked number is a combo of ground beef, Campbell’s cream soup, shredded cheddar and tater tots. You had no idea, did you?

For those of you who don’t know, tater tots are processed potato nuggets that are often served at school lunches. The exterior is brown and crisp while the interior has the texture of a potato that’s been through a wood chipper. Once baked up in the casserole, the tots disintegrate into a single gooey layer covered in dairy and beef.

I have to be honest, tater tot casserole will not make my death-row dinner list, but it’s good. It’s good like Wendy’s chicken nuggets are good or Pizza Hut is good. It’s good like Cheetos or Cool Ranch Doritos. There is something so wrong about this dish that it’s right. It will fill you up, keep you warm and remind you that some things can only be found right here in the U.S. of A.

Tater Tot Casserole

1 pound ground beef
1 can (approx. 10 ounces) cream of chicken condensed soup
1 can (approx. 10 ounces) cream of mushroom (or celery) condensed soup
1 1/2 cup milk or sour cream or mixture of the two
1 package (1 pound) frozen tater tots
1/4 pound each: shredded Cheddar and Colby Jack cheese (or 1/2 pound of either type)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Brown ground beef in medium saucepan; drain. Add soup and milk. Mix together over med-heat. Add 3/4 of cheese and mix until melted. At the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish, arrange tater tots in single layer.

Pour meat/soup/sour cream mixture over the top, spreading evenly over all tater tots. Sprinkle remainder of cheese over the top. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until center is bubbling and top cheese is golden brown.

As a final note, I’d like to thank George for his casserole post. Thanks for the inspiration.

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Warm Gingerbread with Vanilla Ice Cream

When it’s cold and you want to bring some warmth in, gingerbread does the trick. The prep time is only about 20 minutes so in less than an hour you can go from frigid and sad to toasty and happy. I was able to make this without going anywhere near a grocery store which is also a big plus. If you have ever made a gingery baked good, you are bound to have the molasses and ginger powder staples kicking around your cabinets and they keep forever. The recipe below comes from a Better Homes cookbook my Mom bought me a few Christmases back. It makes a light, moist, cake with a crumbly crumb. Warm up and enjoy!

Gingerbread

1 ½ cups flour
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup shortening
¼ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup molasses
½ cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream shortening and add sugar until well combined.
Add egg and molasses, blending well.
Alternately add flour mixture and water to shortening mixture.
Pour batter into a well buttered 9 ½ inch round baking pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes.
Cool in pan.
Serve warm for the best results.

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