Author: Dragonfly Home Recipes (Page 22 of 32)

Recipe for Homemade Pizza Crust

July 9, 2014 / Dragonfly Home Recipes / 2 Comments

Homemade Pizza Crust

Servings: two large pizzas
Print

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached white flour, plus more for adding to dough to get the right texture
1/4 ounce (7 g) package active dry yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup luke warm water
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour (I like to use the above combination of whole wheat and white flour–you can substitute more white for the wheat if you want), yeast, sugar, and salt. Pour in the luke warm water (it should not be hot–that could cause the dough not to rise) and the olive oil. Stir vigorously until dry and wet ingredients are well mixed. Gradually add white flour to the dough mixture until it gets more like dough and less like batter. When it can hold together as a ball, scrape the dough onto a floured counter top and begin to knead the dough. Gradually work in more flour as you knead until the dough feels elastic and smooth. If it is still sticky, knead in more flour. Knead for at least eight to ten minutes, till the dough is soft and pliable. Place the ball of dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover the bowl with a dishcloth. Let it rise in a warm (not hot) place for at least 45 minutes.

When dough has doubled in size, punch it down in the bowl (my kids’ favorite part of the process) and turn back out onto the floured counter top. Knead in a little more flour if it is sticky. Divide the dough into two balls, place them back in the same bowl, cover them with the towel, and let them rest for about ten minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Then turn the first ball of dough out onto the floured counter top. With a rolling pin, roll it to fit either a 15-inch pizza stone or a standard sized cookie sheet. It is not important to worry about the exact size of the pizza stone or baking sheet–the dough can stretch to fit as long as it is in the general vicinity of the above sizes. To prevent sticking, dust the pizza stone or baking sheet with cornmeal. Carefully transfer the rolled dough from the counter to the pizza stone or baking sheet. Gently press it to make it fit the surface evenly. Then repeat the process with the second ball of dough, and transfer it to the second pizza stone or baking sheet. I like to brush olive oil on the dough once it is spread onto the pizza stone/baking sheet.

Spread on your favorite pizza sauce, toppings, and cheeses. Bake in the 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or till the cheese is melted and the crust is lightly browned. Take out of the oven and let the pizzas cool for about five to ten minutes before slicing them.

Enjoy!

Vibrant Vegetables and Garden Candy

July 7, 2014 / Dragonfly Home Recipes / 2 Comments

One of the many things I like about summer is the availability and abundance of raw, fresh food. Although I truly enjoy recipes and baking and cooking, sometimes all you need is a few fresh ingredients and you’ve got a beautiful salad, and munching on fresh vegetables is the best kind of snack. When food is just-picked or recently harvested, the flavor really pops.

On a recent trip to a farmers market in northern Michigan, my sister-in-law and I found all kinds of yummy produce. She bought a variety of greens and lettuces, green onions, and radishes, and made a vibrant, crunchy salad. One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to make a salad out of whatever is in season. You can just taste the brightness, and the level of nutrients is at its highest when foods are recently harvested. As my husband would say, when we eat in-season vegetables, we can feel the nutrients flowing into our bodies and giving us energy. I have already written about the many nutritional benefits of leafy greens in a previous post, but as for radishes, they are full of vitamins and minerals as well. According to www.med-health.net/Health-Benefits-Of-Radishes.html, radishes also have anti-fungal and antibacterial properties and a high water content.

Another food that is in season right now, at least in our garden here at home, is green peas. They are just becoming ripe enough to harvest. At our house, peas rarely even make it to the kitchen, they are eaten so quickly. Maybe we just don’t grow enough of them. My kids love to pick them and eat them right out of the pod (the pod keeps the peas nice and clean too). My daughter calls them “garden candy” because they are so sweet. I don’t mind the fact that the peas are eaten before they even reach the kitchen–I know my kids are eating a really healthy snack. Some nutritional information about peas can be found at www.care2.com/greenliving/10-health-benefits-of-peas.html. This website states that peas have not only micronutrients and fiber, but also protein. That is a big bonus for our family, since we do not eat a lot of meat. Peas are also very portable and easy to pack as a snack–you just have to open the pod and pop them into your mouth.

I hope you enjoy all the fresh vegetables you can find this summer. They are such a treat for the senses and great for our health.

Lemon-Mint Sunshine Water

June 30, 2014 / Dragonfly Home Recipes / 0 Comments

Now that the temperature is heating up outside, we need to think about staying hydrated more than ever. I have been reading a book called Superfoods by Tonia Reinhard, and she includes water in the top 200 superfoods, or healthiest foods on the planet. She reminds us that water is one of the six essential nutrients necessary not only for survival, but for good health as well. It is so easy to reach for some kind of sweetened drink when we are thirsty, but water delivers the best hydration without all the sugar and additives. Sometimes it can feel like work to drink enough water, so in the summer, I like to make my own version of herb-infused water. It is more fun than drinking plain water–it gives the water a delicate flavor and adds some extra health benefits as well. According to www.naturalnews.com/042942_lemon_balm_health_benefits_antioxidants.html, lemonbalm is a calming herb. It also contains antioxidants. Mint adds some assets to the water too. Besides a refreshing flavor, mint boosts our health. An article at www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-mint.html says that mint is soothing to our bodies. It can help with nausea and even boosts our mood, among other things. Both lemonbalm and mint are really easy to grow. In fact they are so easy to grow, that you need to either plant them in a pot, or plant them somewhere where they are contained somehow. Otherwise they will spread like crazy.

We grow our own herbs here at home, so in the summer, I love to just walk outside and pick a handful of lemonbalm and a handful of mint, and prepare to make what I like to call lemon-mint sunshine water. (You can also find lemonbalm and mint leaves in the herb section of many grocery stores). After you wash the herbs, just fill a glass container with water (I use a 3 quart glass jar) and place a handful of the herbs in the water. (You can experiment with the amount of herbs, depending on how much flavor you want.) Cover the jar and set it outside in direct sun. This water works best if it can steep out in the sun for the whole day, so I start it in the morning and pull it in when the sun gets lower, in the early evening. It tastes best cold, so refrigerate it and give your some true refreshment!