Food fight by Trace Hillman
Do we need to have a food fight? Do we need to watch what we are putting in our body? Should we be concerned with obesity problem? Well, duh!!!
There are many ways to enjoy life and food happens to be pretty high up on the list for most people, including myself. I enjoy food; I enjoy the creativity, the chemistry, the passion, and the fact that it is also a necessary component to our everyday lives, it is the fuel that keeps us ALIVE! I like being alive. A song just popped in my head—Albert Finney in Scrooge singing, "I like life, life likes me…"ummm that is what I do—I cook and I sing, neither of them well enough to pay the bills.
Anyway, I have decided that although it is all around me, I am going to eat as little processed food as possible. I have made a pledge that my kids will grow up healthy and fit despite what their father looks like. I have also decided that if I want them to eat right, then I have to eat right also. How hard could it be, right? Harder than you think.
It used to be that your food came from the farm or the ranch or at very least the local market. Now your food comes from other continents and chemistry labs. It is entirely possible to make a delicious meal from basic ingredients that everyone in your family can pronounce, and you will feel better if you do it.
Ok, I have much more to say about this subject, but let's cook some pizza instead.
"When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore…" (singing again). Actually when the pizza hits my taste buds that is amore.
Homemade pizza is easy when you use a few tricks. My trick is buying fresh pizza crust from a local business (on a soapbox). I use pizza dough from Johnny 50's Pizza and Subs in Clifton. The little pizza shop is next to Coronado City Market and they offer pizza, subs, ice cream, shakes, malts, and of course, pizza dough. I think I actually took them by surprise the first time I asked, but now they know who I am and are able to get my dough loaded up quickly and easily. For less than 3 bucks I can take home a delicious ball of dough that can be turned in to pizza, bread, breadsticks, garlic bread, cinnamon rolls – the possibilities are enormous. http://www.johnny50s.com/
Toppings: anything can be a topping, but we tend to go with pretty easy choices, like zucchini, peppers, onions, mushrooms, ham, bacon bits, hamburger, taco meat, etc.
Cheese: I prefer to have my cheese on the crust with just a sprinkle on the toppings. I use a combination of mozzarella and colby jack cheese.
Sauce: you can use spaghetti sauce from a jar or you can throw together a few herbs and spices with a can of tomato sauce. I also use olive oil as a sauce, and for my Mexican pizza I use refried beans.
Tools: I prefer to start my pizza on a stone (heated or cold—your choice) and then transfer to the rack for the ultimate crack in the crust.
So, here we go:
Easy summer pizza
Ingredients:
1 ball of pizza dough
1 oz olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 medium zucchini
1 bell pepper (red or orange are my favorite)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
3 tbsp real bacon bits (optional)
1 cup shredded cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Put the dough in a bowl, toss with a little splash of the oil and turn to coat. Leave bowl in a warm (not hot) place covered by a towel so that the dough can rise.
While the dough rises start your veggie prep.
Wash all veggies.
Zucchini: Slice off the ends of the zucchini and, depending on the size, cut into 2 to 3 sections. Cut each section in half long ways to make 4 to 6 half circle shaped zucchinis. Slice slowly to the desired thickness and set aside.
Pepper: slice small piece off of end to make flat surface. Slice off the top of the pepper and pull out the core. Slice pepper in half and then slice into thin strips and set aside.
Garlic: peel and mince garlic cloves with either a garlic press or a knife.
Prep any other veggies and set aside.
Heat a medium sauté pan with the remaining oil. Add minced garlic and veggies to hot pan and quickly sauté to crisp tender. Set aside to cool.
Prepping the dough: remove the risen dough from the bowl and place on floured surface big enough to roll out. Punch dough down in the center and then press out the sides by rolling with a rolling pin, wine bottle, or a clean baseball bat, to the desired thickness.
Place flattened dough on pizza pan/stone and press out to the sides, pinching up the edges to make a lip. Using a basting brush, take some of the garlic oil from the pan and brush all over the crust. Add three-fourths of the cheese to the oiled crust and then place veggies on top and then covering with the remaining cheese (I add the bacon bits at this point).
Back pizza for 12 minutes and then remove the pan (if possible) to allow the crust to crisp on the oven rack for 4 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes, slice and enjoy.
Visit www.cookingwithtrace.blogspot.com for more recipes.
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