NomNom: Homemade Pizza

As promised from my last food post I'm continuing with the Italian theme. How much more Italian can you get other then pizza, right? Homemade pizza has been a trial and error for me because of the crust but I think I finally found a recipe for the perfect thin crust pizza! I didn't really have a theme for my pizza (ie Hawaiian, Veggie) other then the fact it was toppings I wanted to have on mine:)

 

This is probably the most crucial part of the process. The temperature of the water has to be warm and you musn't bother the yeast while it does its thing. Shhhhhh....

 

The dough will double in size after about 30 minutes.

Just to warn you, kneading is a work out of its own. My hands were sore after doing this but maybe that's a good indication that I might be a weaksauce? Hmmmm...

 

 

Toppings I used were mushrooms, black olives, Italian sausage, green peppers and goat cheese. Nomnomnom.

Ready to be baked in the oven. Go go go!

Every time I look at this picture I start to salivate--no joke. The melted goat cheese with the combination of the mushroom and salty olives..sigh let me stop, I think you get the picture. This recipe is definitely a keeper because it really was all that and then some AND it's also a great interactive way to enjoy with friends, kids, or loved ones!

Recipe (yields 2)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (may substitute whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the all-purpose) 

1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon of dry oregano

1 cup warm water

1/2-1 tablespoon olive oil

Procedure

1. Mix a little sugar into the warm water.

2. Sprinkle yeast on top.

3. Wait for 10 minutes or until it gets all foamy.

4. Pour into a large bowl.

5. Add flour, salt, olive oil and combine.

6. Knead for 6-8 minutes until you have a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (add a bit more flour if you need to).

7. Cover and let rest for 20-30 minutes.

8. Lightly grease two 12-inch pizza pans.

9. Divide dough in half.

10. Place each half on a pizza pan and pat it with your fingers until it stretches over the whole pan.

11. Try to make it thicker around the edge.

12. If desired, pre-bake at 425 F for 10 minutes (I don't always do this).

13. Then spread with pizza sauce and use the toppings of your choice.

14. Bake at 425 F for 10-20 minutes longer or until bubbly and hot.

15. Makes 2 12-inch pizzas.

16. If you don't want to use all the dough, you can freeze it.

17. Take a portion of dough, form into a ball, rub olive oil over it and place it in a freezer bag (the oil makes it easier to take out of the bag).

18. When you want to make a pizza, take dough out of freezer and allow to thaw before using.

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall

Sweater-H&M

Blouse-Banana Republic

Denim-Citizens of Humanity

Necklace-David Yurman

Cuff-Hermes

Sunglasses-Stella McCartney

Belt-Banana Republic

Shoes-BCBG

Fall is officially here and I've been very reluctant to embrace this season because I know that winter will creep up soon enough. However, the weather has been funny lately where it's not exactly summer and not exactly fall either which happens to be great for layers. This outfit was actually perfect for the weird in between weather we've been having because the layers keep me warm yet wearing shorts sort of downplay the layers and keep me cool. I recently picked up this sweater from H&M for $9.99 (such a steal!!) and was immediately drawn to the colors. I don't own any pick colored items in my closet because I've always associated pink as too girly for me, but I've been enjoying playing around with the color to offset the girliness of it. As I welcome this new color into my wardrobe I also welcome the new season with open arms because sometimes change can definitely be a good thing.

NomNom: Spaghetti and meatballs

I'm leaving for Italy in about a week and I couldn't be more excited. Work has been a bit stressful and this trip couldn't have come at a more perfect time. Traveling teaches me new things that I was unaware of before and rejuvenates my soul, which I'm in need of right now. I visited Italy about 4 years ago but only have been to Rome; however, this time around, l'll be traveling to Pisa, Florence, and Cinque Terre! In honor of this upcoming trip, I will be posting a series of Italian themed dishes for you starting with good ol' spaghetti and meatballs.

I'm a big meat lover and my meal feels incomplete without some sort of meat in it--spaghetti is no exception. Homemade meatballs are great because you can control how big you want the meatballs to be. There will be none of that itty bitty meatball here.

 

Baking them first for about 20 minutes drains some of the oil from the meat. This will cook further in the sauce.

Dump the cooked pasta into the sauce and make sure the noodles are covered in the delicious sauce.

There's something very warm and inviting about having this dish, whether it brings you back to childhood memories or simply because you find enjoyment from eating it. It's a classic Italian dish that uses simple ingredients you can't go wrong with.

Recipe: Meatballs (adapted from All Recipes)
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg, beaten

Recipe: Sauce (adapted from All Recipes)
3/4 cup chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 bay leaf
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Procedure 
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook the onion until lightly brown. Mix in 2 cloves garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 1/2 the oregano, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer while preparing meatballs.
2. In a bowl, mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, remaining oregano, remaining garlic, parsley, eggs, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Roll into 1 inch balls. 
3. Bake them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and drop into the sauce. Cook 40 minutes in the sauce, or until internal temperature of meatballs reaches a minimum of 160 degrees F (72 degrees C). 
4. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and stir in the spaghetti. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the cooked spaghetti.
5. Grate and top with more Parmesan cheese if desired and serve with a nice glass of red wine;)

Emmys' Fashion Hits

Whenever there's a big Hollywood awards show on, the first thing I think about is which designer will the celebrities be dressed in. The Emmys were last night and there was a definite trend on the red carpet with the color red. I'm a huge fan of this color because it's such a vibrant and sexy color to to have in your wardrobe, and practially all my favorite looks from that night happened to be in this shade!

 Nina Dobrev in Donna Karan. My favorite look of the night--absolute perfection from dress, hair, and jewels.

Kerry Washington in Zuhair Murad Couture. Fits like a glove, just fabulous.

 Sofia Verga in Vera Wang. Draped in all the right places.

Evan Rachel Wood in Elie Saab. One of the few non-red gowns I loved. Simple yet glamorous.

Minka Kelly in Dior. So lady like and elegant.

All images taken by www.radaronline.com

What were some of your favorite looks?

NomNom: Banchan: Spicy Bean Sprouts and Spicy Steamed Egg

Banchan in Korean refers to small side dishes. If you've ever been to a Korean restaurant you'll notice that they always give you a plethora of banchan that may vary from pickled vegetables, tofu, and kimchi which are meant to be shared. This is a staple in Korean cuisine because aside from the main dishes you always need an accompaniment(s).

"Kongnamul muchim" is a soybean sprout side dish that can be prepared either spicy or not. I chose to make the spicy version because, well, I just like a little heat in my dishes. After all, I am Korean;)

Kongnamul Muchim
1/2 lb soybean sprouts
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1.5 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 chopped green onion
2 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste

1. Break off the end pieces or the soybean sprouts and throw out any wilted ones.
2. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a pot and put sprouts into the pot. Close lid. Boil for 10 minutes.
3. Drain the soybean sprouts and rinse with cold water.
4. Move to a bowl.
5. Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, green onions, garlic, salt, and sugar with the cooked soybean.
6. Mix with hand.

"Mae woon gye ran jjim" translates to spicy steamed egg. Similar to the soybean sprout side dish, this can be prepared spicy or non spicy and again, I made the spicy version. HA! What can I say, spicy runs in my blood. This is such a simple yet savory dish that you can whip up in less then 20 minutes. I've seen this dish cooked using the microwave but I chose to steam it because I find that the texture is more silky, almost pudding like when steamed, which I prefer.

Mae woon gye ran jjim (adapted from beyondkimchee)
2 eggs
1/2 cup of chicken stock
1 green onion
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sesame oil (optional)

1. Combine all the ingredients minus the sesame oil in a steam proof bowl. Cover the bowl with foil.

2. In a pot filled with water that can reach to the half way up to the steam proof bowl in it, place a small plate on the bottom of the pot to secure the bowl during boiling. 

3. Place the bowl and cover the pot with a lid. Boil over medium high heat for 7-9 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Be cautious! It is very hot.

4. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve hot or warm.