Pizza and a Puppy

*** The winner of the giveaway is: Pastrywitch!!! As soon as I get your info I will mail these right out. I will be posting a new giveaway on Monday!!!



When we take road trips I like to pack something to eat to avoid all of the fast food places. Though Teddy does love her egg mc muffins. Pizza makes good road food and it is also a good way to clean out the refrigerator before a trip. I made a double recipe of basic dough so I had enough to give to the Blog Tech who was driving separately. I also left some for my daughter since she could not make this trip. She was paid off with pizza. The basic dough is:

3 cups flour
1 T. sugar
2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
3 T. olive oil
1 Tsp. salt
Enough water to pull this all together and make a soft dough. I used about 1 1/2 cups.


Julia Chow decided to nap during the dough making. She was resting up for the pizza making stage and dreaming of cheese raining down on the floor.


I made the dough in two batches.


Place them together in a greased bowl and covered with plastic wrap and put them to proof.


After about 1 1/2 hours the dough is ready.


While the dough was rising I prepared all my toppings. I took out everything I could find in the frig that would work. I used provolone, mozzarella, fresh basil, pepperoni and black olives.


I had some poblano peppers, mushrooms and onions so I sliced them very fine.


I laid out 4 sheets of parchment and preheated the ovens to 450 degrees with pizza stones inside.


I sprinkled cornmeal on the parchment papers.


And then divided the dough into 4 pieces and shaped them into rounds. Notice that Teddy/Julia has awakened and begun floor patrol.


When I make spaghetti sauce I always keep a bit aside and add a bit of sweetener (honey in this case), oregano and some Parmesan cheese and feeze it as pizza sauce. I spread about 1/2 cup on each round of dough.


You can use more or less depending on your taste.


First I sprinkle on some onions. You can use any sort of topping you like and eliminate what you don't care for.


Then I add a bit of cheese and some of the peppers.


More cheese.


I also added some grated cheese.


I had some fontinella and fontina so I grated it.


Then I add the shredded basil.


And add pieces of pepperoni and black olives.


Some slices of fresh mushrooms.


More cheese.


I have several pet peeves when it comes to cooking. This is where I get even more quirkier than usual. I HATE it when people throw obvious good ingredients away. For instance, draining oil from tuna.....there is so much flavor in it. Why waste it? I read a recipe recently that told you to drain the oil off of sundried tomatoes and then two steps later it told you to add olive oil. Maybe it's just me but this makes no sense at all. In the above photo you see the juice and oil from the olives. I drizzled it over the tops of the finished pizzas.




Then add some Italian spices. Just sprinkle them over the tops of the pies. This happened to be the first one I pulled out of my cluttered spice cabinet. It is a real mess in there and I promised myself to alphabetize it right after I clean out my craft area. Ha! Guess it will remain cluttered for a while.


Guess what else needs to be cleaned. But then i would have to go without cooking for a day and I have no idea when that will happen. The ovens and the pizza stone need to be very hot to get a crisp crust. I need a new stone. Memo: do not pour water on a hot pizza stone to steam bread. They crack...duh!!!


I slide the pizza onto the stone on the parchment. You can remove the parchment half way through cooking if you wish but I just leave it in there until the end.


I always cook my pizza on the well done side. I hate gummy pizza.


And there you have it. Road trip pizza.


When the Blog Tech showed up at the farmhouse, Teddy was very excited to see that he had made the trip.


She shook his hand to show him how excited she was.


Then she gave him many puppy kisses. I told him to marry the girl that treats him this way.


She sure loves the Blog Tech but so do I. He is very lovable.


He knows how much she loves ear scratches. Check out that look of shear bliss. She had that same look when she got a piece of pizza crust.

*** Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!

Comments

Bridgett said…
Your food always seems to turn out perfect. I have a feeling if I made the same thing, everything would melt off the pizza onto the stove. Because that's just my luck.

And here's the weird thing...I don't even like pizza. But yours looks mouth-watering.

I love, love, love that final picture of Teddy. Bliss, indeed!

Congrats to the giveaway winner!
greekwitch said…
The blog tech is really cute!
Pizza looks yummy too. I am so hungry!
Melodie said…
I wanna go on a road trip with you! Can I ,can I ...please! I would be happy to eat those pizzas for you!

I made your navy bean soup,it was a hit,Thanks!

Who could resist Teddy!?!
Gourmet pizza, a handsome Blog Tech and Teddy! What a perfect road trip!
Next time I embark on a road trip I think I am having you plan my menu.....
Now that is some delicious looking pizza. You really are a great cook! Love the photos of Blog Tech and Teddy! Mutual love I would call it! Happy Valentine's Day to you.
William Bezek said…
That's pretty much my recipe! I use cormeal too which adds a little something to the flavor, but I precook my onions till they just start to carmelize...it takes that "bite" away.
Julie Jaz makes yummie pizza's and doesn't waste ingredients. This is a wise womand and a good rule of thumb.

Julia Chow is a big flirt and loves the Blog Tech....the Charming Chow wows them all.

Looking to see you and Teddy do a combo...cookbook...around the Farmhouse, the Thrift Queen rules...and Life as Teddy lives it...book. Whatcha think???
Cynthia said…
I enjoyed riding along with you and Teddy to Skaneateles. I used to live near there and loved that town. Teddy is such a good little traveler. Wish that I could introduce him to my son's dog "Murphy" who I am babysitting for this weekend!

Your pizza's look wonderful. I have made the same dough in the bread maker. Have a great time in Skaneateles!
pastrywitch said…
Thanks! What a great start to Chinese New Year!
The pizza looks divine, I love pizza. So does my furry little helper, who dances for pizza crust. Have a lovely weekend, and Gung Hay Fat Choy!
Sharon Day said…
Teddy's in love, huh? Cross species can be a hard relationship, but she's a persistent girl. Love the pizza recipe. Never thought of fontina. I like that!
One can never get to much cheese on a pizza :-) and if You take away those olives I´ll come over and taste a slice or two :-) :-)

I can see how much Teddy enjoys that ear scratching :-)
Have a great day now!
Christer.
The pizza looks yummy! What temp do you cook it at? That's where I always seem to have problems. Either to overdone or the dough is gooey. Does the pizza stone really make a big difference? Thanks for sharing. Enjoy your trip.
Tammy
brokenteepee said…
What?! No pizza peel?!

I take some of my goat's milk ricotta add some garlic or pesto and spread it on the dough. Then I add rehydrated tomatoes, anchovies for the male person, whatever meat I might have leftover in the fridge and whatever hard goat cheese we are eating at the moment - colby, cheddar or monteray jack - shredded on top. I always have dough in the freezer for a quick and easy meal..

I think we are twins separated at birth
Lucie Le Blanc said…
Yummyyyyyyyyyyy ! The blog tech too ! lollll
Callie Brady said…
Happy Valentine's Day!

That sure looks yummy!
Mama Feoneafey said…
Congrats to Pastrywitch on the giveaway !!! Jaz, That Pizza looks so yummy! Hope all of you have had a bliss filled Valentines Day and Road trip!
Stay safe and no speeding home (if you can help it) Blessings Ma fey
You make the most delicious-looking things!!

I hope you and Teddy have a great Valentine's Day♥
Anonymous said…
I just found this blog via Confessions of a Pagan Soccer Mom--... I love your puppy XD. And all of the foods, 'course.
Rue said…
Is it me, or does Blog Tech look a bit like Harry Potter, but more rugged? Handsome!

It's no wonder everyone shows up when the pizza is done - it looks wonderful! Have a great trip!
Aussiemade said…
Wow they do look fantastic
Sure beats the terrible pizzas we had last night. Frozen massed produced rubbish, I think the cardboard box would have more flavour. I was so tired and we thought well we will do this..but I ended up adding sweet chilli sauce, garlic and parmesan to the meat lovers.. bearable than..should have made them would have been much better.
Suzie said…
What yummy looking pizza! Once you have had homemade, the ones you get from a take out just can't compare, and don't even mention the frozen ones! Like a whole different animal!

And speaking of animals. .the look of adoration she has in her eyes for "her" blog tech is priceless. Then she is soaking in all of those good feeling scratches and pets. .if a dog could purr, she would be making some major noise!

And since Blog Tech is doing exactly what he knows that Teddy loves, I get the feeling that he loves her just as much. :-)

What a great family you have!!!
Anya said…
Hi Nice to meet you !!!
Lovely blog you have :-)
Kareltje =^.^=
send hugs to your puppy
woof.woof..

(@^.^@)
Anonymous said…
i tried your pizza recipe and philly chess steak recipe and I wanted to say that we absolutly loved it. And the baby sitter did also. Thanks missababy