Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Best Onion Rings Ever

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Old-Fashioned-Onion-Rings/Detail.aspx


RECIPE RATING:
The reviewer gave this recipe 322 stars. This recipe average a 4.8 star rating.
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PREP TIME 15 Min
COOK TIME 3 Min
READY IN 18 Min
SERVINGS
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Servings


US METRIC
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 1 large onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 egg
* 1 cup milk, or as needed
* 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
* seasoned salt to taste
* 1 quart oil for frying, or as needed

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DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
2. Separate the onion slices into rings, and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture until they are all coated; set aside. Whisk the egg and milk into the flour mixture using a fork. Dip the floured rings into the batter to coat, then place on a wire rack to drain until the batter stops dripping. The wire rack may be placed over a sheet of aluminum foil for easier clean up. Spread the bread crumbs out on a plate or shallow dish. Place rings one at a time into the crumbs, and scoop the crumbs up over the ring to coat. Give it a hard tap as you remove it from the crumbs. The coating should cling very well. Repeat with remaining rings.
4. Deep fry the rings a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. Season with seasoning salt, and serve.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Thai Fried Rice

http://www.thaitable.com/Thai/recipes/Fried_Rice.htm
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-thai-fried-rice

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Orange Chicken

For 2:
****Chicken***
2/3 pound chicken breast, 1" cubed
1/3 egg (•1 egg substitute = 2 Tbsp. water + 1 Tbsp. oil + 2 tsp. baking powder)
1/2 teaspoon salt
White pepper

***Breading***
1/6 cup cornstarch
1/3 tablespoon flour

***Heating Medium***
Oil (Canola oil)

***Flavor***
1/3 tablespoon minced ginger root
1/3 tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 tablespoon Mirin (rice wine)
1/3 teaspoon sesame oil

***Orange Chicken Sauce***
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon water
5 tablespoon brown sugar
5 tablespoon white vinegar (substitute White Balsamic)

***Optional***
1/3 dash crushed hot red chilies (optional)
1/12 cup chopped green onions (optional)
1/12 cup OJ (optional)
Orange zest (optional)

***The Magic Instructions***
-Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes and place in a bowl.
-Stir in egg replacement, salt, white pepper and 1 tbsp oil and mix well.
-Stir in 1 teaspoon flour. Stir in more cornstarch.
-Add in chicken and stir to coat.
-Heat oil for deep-frying in wok or small saucepan to 375 degrees (or until it sizzles furiously once a drop of water is dropped in)
-Cook the chicken in small batches for 3-4 minutes, (turning once if the oil does not cover the chicken ie. if you don't want to use as much oil for deepfrying), until golden brown. Remove the chicken to a plate with towels as soon as it is browned, or it will be tough from overcooking.
-Heat a saucepan with a tablespoon of oil and brown the garlic and ginger till fragrant.
-Add Chilies and green onions optionally.
-Add a splash of mirin (rice wine) and stir for a few seconds.
-Add orange sauce as prepared above and bring to a boil.
-Add 1 tbsp flour or 1 tbsp cornstarch (stickier) to thicken the sauce. -Bring to a boil and reduce to 4 tbsp or so.
-Add in a touch of orange juice here if you have it.
-Stir in sesame oil.
-Add in orange zest if you have it.
-Add chicken and toss to coat.
-Sprinkle sesame seeds and garnish with green onions if you have them for some presentation flair.
-Admire and eat till you're full.
-DELISH!


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Original recipe: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recipetemplate.php?scale=6&mid=10271
Original notes:

You have to modify this recipe a little bit. As it reads for 6 servings you Must reduce the amount of ginger to 1/2 tsp.
Use 2 egg whites instead of 1 egg.
Next substitute brown sugar for the sugar and reduce to 4 Tbsp.
Next substitute orange juice for the water, 1 and 1/2 Tbsp.
I also substituted chili paste for the dash of dried chili pepper
Added a green pepper cut into chuncks.
These small modifications to the ingredients will make a huge difference!

For those that like a crispier chicken in the final dish, try reversing the proportions of corn starch and flour. Also, highly recommend doubling the amount of orange sauce (also the water/cornstarch and sesame oil at the end) and letting it reduce just a bit. Very good over fried rice.

It's only "basic sauce"(pre maid to keep recipie a secret), sugar (lots), water, and vinigar. Thats it! But man, it tasted great!!!

Definitely need to double up the sauce for a good flavor. Also, cut the chicken smaller as well. That way the flavor can coat/soak into the meat more.

Add the orange juice and green pepper. How about peanuts too?

-Rice wine for cooking is often called Mirin (or Aji Mirin). Do not use rice vinegar or sake. Mirin should be available in any large grocery store that has a half decent Asian food section.

-Add 1/4 cup of brown sugar to the 'orange' sauce. It helps balance the flavor of the ginger.

Cook the chicken for 2.5 minutes per side, until lightly browned, in small batches. Change out the oil in the wok after every batch or it'll turn the coating a dark color.

When simmering the sauce down in the wok, add the water and cornmeal before putting the chicken back in the wok. It only takes a minute or two to thicken it; this way it won't make the chicken too soggy. (Putting crispy chicken into a wok and pouring water over it would make it soggy... DUH!)

-uhh yes I too work for panda and that is the recipe they use for the sauce...They have now added a very small amount of orange extract. Its about 1/8 tsp for 7 quarts of sauce or something like that. The only difference is panda uses a basic sauce instead of soy sauce...the basic sauce is soy sauce with a few other things added.Not sure what else is added because we just get it in 5 gallon buckets.

-CRISPY CHICKEN: When making the sauce for the chicken, first bring the sauce up to a boil, and add about about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of flour. Mix and let the sauce thicken up. Then toss the chicken in. This mill make the sauce thicker, and the chicken more crispier because it does not make it as soggy.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Alice's Dish:
Baked Halibut With Tomato Sauce Recipe
From LoveToKnow Recipes

Ingredients for Baked Halibut With Tomato Sauce

* 2 lbs. halibut
* 2 cups tomatoes
* 1 cup water
* 1 slice onion
* 3 cloves
* ½ tablespoon sugar
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons flour
* ¾ teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper

[edit]
Instructions

1. Cook twenty minutes tomatoes, water, onion, cloves, and sugar.
2. Melt butter, add flour, and stir into hot mixture.
3. Add salt and pepper, cook ten minutes, and strain.
4. Clean fish, put in baking-pan, pour around half the sauce, and bake thirty-five minutes, basting often.
5. Remove to hot platter, pour around remaining sauce, and garnish with parsley.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Antioxidant Superpower to the Rescue!

So, after eating pizza for a few weeks straight and entertaining Tom, Lizzie and Santosh, and watching hte Jon and Kate Plus 8 St. Jude episode, Alice felt a need to be more healthy and stay away from her constant fear of getting cancer.

So, we're gonna eat a bunch of antioxidants. This is the new initiative inspired by Pom Juice, Omega -3 supplements we've been talking about, blueberries, and Function: Urban Detox juice we bought this weekend after partying with Amanda (WilliamsSonoma friend).

Long story short, we came across Pom Juice, Pom vitamin supplements, Proleva

Top 10 List Of A|X:

The Top 10 Antioxidant Foods
by Lisa Turner
Better Nutrition, Jan. 2002

Natural Protection

We've known for years that antioxidants can help prevent heart disease and cancer, reduce blood pressure and slow the effects of aging. These naturally occurring compounds protect the body from harmful, excess free radicals, sweeping them up before they can cause damage. And the best way to lay an antioxidant-rich foundation that's inhospitable to toxins and free radicals is through a combination of whole foods.

BERRIES

Few fruits have quite the provocative allure, the fragile charm or the nutrients of berries. They're full of fiber, minerals and vitamins, and loaded with healing antioxidants. Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are rich in proanthocyanidins, antioxidants that can help prevent cancer and heart disease. Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries contain ellagic acid, a plant compound that combats carcinogens. Blueberries also appear to delay the onset of age-related loss of cognitive function.

Quick Tips: Stir raspberries into vanilla yogurt, add whole blueberries to salads, or dress up sliced strawberries with a little honey, balsamic vinegar and black pepper.

BROCCOLI

Maybe you never listened when Mom said, "Eat your broccoli." So listen now. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, can help prevent cancer and ward off heart disease. Cruciferous vegetables contain a compound called indole-3-carbinol (I3C - a potent antioxidant that breaks down estrogen in the body) that reduces the risk of breast cancer and other estrogen-sensitive cancers, like cancer of the ovaries and cervix. Other studies have shown that broccoli can help fight cervical dysplasia, a precancerous condition. Broccoli also contains other protective constituents like beta-carotene, which can help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Quick Tips: Wrap cooked, chilled broccoli with roasted pepper strips, or toss steamed broccoli with olive oil, chopped black olives and crushed red pepper flakes.

TOMATOES

Tomatoes are fast becoming one of our favorite modern foods, and for good reason -- they can ward off certain kinds of cancer, prevent macular degeneration and cataracts, and help maintain mental function as we age. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a relatively rare member of the carotenoid family, also found in pink grapefruit and twice as powerful as beta-carotene. Studies have shown that men who eat more tomatoes or tomato sauce have significantly lower rates of prostate cancer. Other studies suggest lycopene can help prevent lung, colon and breast cancers. Tomatoes also contain the antioxidant glutathione, which helps boost immune function. Note: cooked tomatoes are preferable, since heat allows more desirable antioxidants in tomatoes to be made available to the body. And because lycopene is fat-soluble, eating tomatoes with oil can improve absorption.

Quick Tips: Add minced sundried tomatoes to mashed potatoes, or toss Roma tomatoes with chopped fresh basil and olive oil and serve over pasta.

RED GRAPES

A little red wine can keep your heart beating longer and stronger. Why? Mostly because of substances called resveratrol and quercetin found in red grapes. These potent antioxidants boost heart health by acting as free-radical scavengers, reducing platelet aggregation and helping blood vessels remain open and flexible. Resveratrol can also protect against cancer and reduce the risk of inflammatory diseases, gastric ulcers, stroke and even osteoporosis.

Quick Tips: Snack on frozen red grapes for a sweet treat, or heat organic red wine with cinnamon sticks and a few whole cloves.

GARLIC

The "stinking rose," perhaps the world's oldest known medicinal and culinary herb, is packed with antioxidants that can help fend off cancer, heart disease and the effects of aging. The sulfur compounds that give garlic its pungent odor are thought to be responsible for its healing benefits. Studies have shown that garlic keeps the heart healthy by lowering cholesterol levels, reducing blood pressure, fighting free radicals and keeping blood from clotting. Other studies suggest that eating garlic regularly can help prevent cancer. It also has potent anti-fungal properties and can help treat asthma and yeast infections.

Quick Tips: Roast whole heads of garlic until soft, and spread on warm baguette slices or puree roasted peppers with garlic for a fast sauce.

SPINACH

Popeye may have thought eating spinach gave him strength, but it also allowed him to hit a nutritional jackpot. Because lutein (an antioxidant found in spinach) is the main pigment in the macula - the region of maximum visual sensitivity - it can help protect your vision. Studies have shown that people who eat spinach are less likely to develop cataracts and macular degeneration, the two most common causes of vision loss. Lutein appears to work by shielding the retina from sun damage and fighting free radicals that can harm the eyes. Some preliminary studies have suggested that lutein can also help prevent heart disease.

Quick Tips: Stir chopped, fresh spinach and crushed walnuts into steamed brown rice, or lightly wilt baby spinach leaves and toss with olive oil.

TEA

The most frequently consumed beverage in the world may also be one of the best ways to prevent a number of degenerative diseases. Tea has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and other diseases. It was originally thought that green tea had more antioxidants than black tea, but recent studies suggest that they are equally beneficial. The catechins in green tea are oxidized in the manufacturing process of black tea, forming free-radical fighting theaflavins.

Quick Tips: Poach salmon in an infusion of green tea and ginger. Or boil soba noodles in green tea and toss with sesame seeds and a dash of toasted sesame oil.

CARROTS

Carrots are loaded with a potent antioxidant called beta-carotene, a member of the healing family of carotenoids. Also found in beets, sweet potatoes and other yellow-orange vegetables, beta-carotene provides protection against: cancer, especially lung, bladder, breast, esophageal and stomach cancers; heart disease, and the progression of arthritis by as much as 70 percent. Note: Cooked carrots have considerably higher levels of antioxidants than uncooked, probably because heat breaks down the active compounds and makes them more available.

Quick Tips: Puree cooked carrots with low-fat chicken broth, rosemary and a dash of cream, or steam whole baby carrots and toss with nutmeg, honey and a little butter.

SOY

The enduring favorite of health-foods aficionados, soy can help prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, ward off osteoporosis and lessen the effects of menopause. Most of the health benefits of soy have been attributed to its content of Genistein and other isoflavones, which resemble natural estrogens in the body. Studies have shown that Genistein can help prevent breast, colon and prostate cancers. Additionally, soy can reduce both overall cholesterol levels and LDL (low-density lipoprotein or "bad") cholesterol levels, without affecting the levels of beneficial HDL. Soy can also prevent osteoporosis and help alleviate the symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes.

Quick Tips: Add cubed tempeh to pasta sauce, spread soy butter on a whole-wheat pita instead of peanut butter or toss soy sprouts on a salad or in stir-fry dishes.

WHOLE GRAINS

Your morning bowl of cereal may be a more potent source of phytochemicals than you think -- as long as it's whole-grain variety. Vitamin E in grains is a potent antioxidant that plays a role in preventing cancer, especially prostate cancer. Other studies have found that it can boost immunity, slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, treat and possibly prevent arthritis, prevent sunburn and treat male infertility. Grains are also rich in phytic acid, known as IP-6, a potent antioxidant that can help protect against breast, colon and liver cancers.

Quick Tips: Combine cooked bulgur wheat with chopped parsley, scallions and olive oil, or add raisins, dried apricots and minced basil to brown rice.

Source
-----
Foods are considered to be the preferred way of boosting antioxidant levels because they're thought to contain a wide array of antioxidant substances. Many of the them are also high in vitamins, minerals and fiber.

A USDA study analyzed the antioxidant content of commonly consumed foods. Researchers tested over 100 foods. Here is a ranked list of the top 20 fruits, vegetables and nuts:

1. Small red bean (dried), 1/2 cup
2. Wild blueberry, 1 cup
3. Red kidney bean (dried), 1/2 cup[br[
4. Pinto bean, 1/2 cup
5. Blueberry (cultivated), 1 cup
6. Cranberry, 1 cup (whole)
7. Artichoke (cooked hearts), 1 cup
8. Blackberry, 1 cup
9. Prune, 1/2 cup
10. Raspberry, 1 cup
11. Strawberry, 1 cup
12. Red delicious apple, 1
13. Granny Smith apple, 1
14. Pecan, 1 ounce
15. Sweet cherry, 1 cup
16. Black plum, 1
17. Russet potato, 1 cooked
18. Black bean (dried), 1/2 cup
19. Plum, 1
20. Gala apple, 1
Source

Pizza Recipes

I know it's called "Basic Pizza Dough", but the only thing basic about it is how to make it. Most people say "this is the best crust I've ever had."

Many times with grocery store or take out pizza the edge of the crustis left on the plate. Well, that won't happen with this crust. Your family and friends are sure to eat the whole thing.

When all your friends ask you for the recipe, you can come to the top of this page and email it them at the click of a button (we figured this would save you a lot of time copying or printing it out. ;)

This dough is easiest to make in a food processor or bread maker. You can, however, make it by hand (there's just a lot of mixing and kneading that way). Feel free to add ingredients to the dough to make it more interesting. I've often added minced garlic or rosemary or basil. I've even added chopped peanuts for the Thai Style Pizza (recipe link below). It's your pizza, be creative.


Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons yeast
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

To Mix Dough by Hand:
Pour warm water into a bowl. The water should be about 85 to 115° F. Test it with your hand. It should feel very warm, but comfortable. Add the honey and salt. Mix by and hand (or any other method) until well blended. Add the yeast and mix some more. Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of flour and the olive oil and mix until well blended. Add the rest of the flour (and any other additions) and mix well. The dough should turn into a ball. If the dough does not ball up because it's too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Adding water or flour as needed to get the right consistency will assure you always get a perfect dough. Just remember to do it in small amounts.

Once the dough is balled up, place the ball on a floured board and knead for about a minute. This builds the gluten which helps the dough to rise and become fluffy when cooked. Place the dough in a plastic grocery bag or a covered bowl and store in a warm, dry area to rise.

After about 45 minutes the dough should have about doubled in size. Show it who's boss and punch it down. That's right, give it a good smack so it deflates. Let it rise for another hour to an hour and a half. The dough is now ready to be rolled out. You can punch the dough down one more time if you want and wait another hour or two before rolling out. The choice is yours.

You're now ready for the next step: Rolling out the dough.
This dough can also be made in advance and refrigerated for a day or so, or even frozen. Be sure to let it come to room temperature before using.

Pizza Rolling Primer



Introduction
Ask just about anybody what their favorite food is. I can guarantee that one of the top three is likely to be pizza. Everyone loves pizza and everyone has different opinions about pizza. Thin or thick crust? What toppings? New York, California or Chicago style? Small, Medium or Large? Even pick-up or delivery? Now you can have your very own opinion,options and your very own pizza!

This article is intended to give you the basics of pizza preparation, condiments and cooking equipment. Pizza is very forgiving. It really doesn't care what you put on it or where you cook it. I've even made it on a barbecue! So don't worry and just have fun with it.
Equipment For Making Pizza

* Food processor - this is probably the most useful (although you can get by without it) piece of equipment.
* Rolling pin - for those who don't want to toss the dough.
* Baking stone or bricks - a heavy duty baking sheet can be used instead.
* Pizza peel - paddle like tool for removing pizza from the oven - a couple of spatulas will work fine too.
* Pizza cutter - don't have one? Use a big knife.
* Cooling rack

The method for making pizza no matter what kind or style you like

Pizza

1. Make the dough.
Bread flour is what I use, it produces a dough that's a little thicker, lighter and fluffier. If you prefer a thinner and crisper crust, use regular flour.

2. Make the sauce (not always necessary).
Some pizzas have sauces some don't. Not only does a sauce add flavor, it helps keep the cheese on the pizza.

3. Cut the cheese (Not the way you're thinking, Beavis!).
Cheese is probably the single most important ingredient. Don't be cheap when it comes to buying cheese. Buy fresh, whole cheeses. You and your taste buds will be glad you did. It's OK to grate the cheese in advance (I use the food processor for this) and keep refrigerated or frozen for later use.

4. Prepare the toppings.
I like to have all the toppings cut and ready prior to assembly. This makes the assembly fast, which is important.

5. Roll out the dough.
Roll out the dough on a clean dry surface. Use lots of flour so it won't stick. (Click on Page 2 of this article for detailed photo instructions.)

6. Assemble and bake.
Place the dough on a cookie sheet or on your pizza peel. If using a peel, first sprinkle it with a little corn meal. The cornmeal acts like tiny "ball bearings" that helps the pizza to slide off into the oven.

Put the sauce on leaving a quarter to half inch border around the edge. This gives your pizza that pizzeria look. Cover with cheese. Also leaving a quarter to half inch border. Place toppings on top. Put pizza in a 450° F. degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. If you are using a pizza stone or bricks, always sprinkle corn meal on stone just before the pizza goes in. This helps the pizza not to stick here too.

Remove and let cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes. If you don't let it cool a bit before cutting the molten hot cheese will flow like lava off your pizza and on to your counter.

7. Slice it up and share with family and friends.
Slice it up any way you like and be sure to have enough people around to tell you how great it is.

Every pizza is pretty much made the same way. Any technique unique to a particular pizza will be described within the recipe.

Enjoy!

Rolling Out Pizza Dough

One mistake most people make when working with dough is not using enough muscle. Dough fights back. You push it, it pushes back. Don't be afraid of the dough. It won't bite you and you can't really damage it, either. When working with dough, use plenty of flour, but don't let it get too dry. It should be fun to work with, not too sticky and not too crumbly.

Form it into a flat ball about six to eight inches wide.

Using both hands, one on top of the other, press from the center outwards on it to start stretching it out, turning the dough a bit on each push. You can also pick up the dough and squeeze the edges of it while turning it like a steering wheel. This allows the weight of the dough to stretch it.



Once the dough is about 1/2" thick all the way around, use a rolling pin to flatten it out to about 1/4" thick. I usually run the pin over once or twice, flip the dough over and give it a quarter turn and roll it again to make it even.

Take a fork and put puncture holes all over the dough. This keeps it from bubbling up while cooking and it also helps to hold the sauce on as well.

pizza peelputting on the toppings

Transfer dough to pizza peal sprinkled corn meal or place it on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Top with sauce, cheese and/or toppings and bake in a 400° F. oven until the crust is light brown. Bake on either baking stones or on the cookie sheet or a pizza pan.

Enjoy!


---
For Awesome pizza dough recipe

Put 2 tsp into 1 1/4 c warm water in a large bowl. Sit for 5 minutes. Add 2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt. Mix. Add 1 c of all-purpose flour at a time. Do this 3x for 3 c of flour. Knead for 10 minutes. Let sit for 1/2 hour.

----
THE BEST NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA

Cooking Tools:

1. Pizza stone (critical to the pizza crust texture)
2. Pizza peel (looks like a wooden pan, important in transferring the pizza to the oven
3. Thermometer (to measure water temperature)
4. Pizza cutter

Stage 1:

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
2/3 cups warm water (110°F to 115°F)
1 teaspoon sugar
5/8 teaspoon active dry yeast

Stage 2:

flour
cornmeal
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons pizza sauce
2/3 lb mozzarella cheese
1/4 lb Romano and Parmesan cheese
chopped basil
crushed red pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
oregano

Stage 1:

1. Mix the warm water and sugar in a small bowl until blended together.

2. Add the yeast and mix well. Then wait until the top becomes foamy (about 5-10 minutes).

3. In the meantime mix the flour, salt and olive oil in large bowl.

4. Once yeast/water mixture is ready, add it to the flour mixture and stir. Continue to mix until you get a doughy mass that is smooth and elastic. If it is still sticky, add some extra flour to it (It's okay if dough is slightly sticky).

5. Form the dough mass into a ball and place in an oiled bowl (you can use oil or a cooking spray). Roll the ball in the bowl so that it is covered in oil. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and place in a warm place; let rise for at least an hour. (I run my clothes dryer for a minute then stop it and put the bowl inside).

6. If you are planning on cooking the pizza immediately, preheat the oven to 475°F and place the pizza stone inside the oven on the lowest rack. The stone should be heated in the oven for around an hour before placing the pizza. This way, your dough and your pizza stone will be ready around the same time.


Stage 2:

1. Place dough ball on a flat (clean) floured surface.

2. Punch it down and work into a circular disc. At this point the dough should be smooth and elastic and easy to work with. If not, add a pinch full of flour and rub it on top of the dough.

3. Use your hands to spread out the dough (Don't use a rolling pin). You should work from the center and spread outwards (this ensures the center dough is thinner and keeps a thicker crust). You can also stretch the dough out by holding it on top of both fists and spreading them apart slowly.

Occasionally, flip the dough over and sprinkle a little flour on to make sure dough is not sticky. Continue to work dough until you have circular disc about 12"-14" in diameter.

4. Be sure when you have completed stretching out the dough that there are no parts of the dough that are sticky, as this will make transferring the pizza to the oven difficult.

Once ready, transfer dough to a pizza peel. The peel should be lightly covered in flour and corn meal (this will help keep the pizza from sticking to the peel).

5. Brush the pizza crust with olive oil. Then top with pizza sauce and cheeses.

6. Now add the spices over the cheese. Just add enough to lightly coat the surface with a single pass. You can add any toppings that you prefer to the pizza.

7. The pizza is now ready to be cooked. If you had your oven prepared with the pizza stone at 475°F for an hour, you are ready to go.

Using the pizza peel, slide the pizza on top of the stone. This can be tricky. Have the peel inside the oven at about a 20 degree angle. Then push the peel forward and jerk backwards. The pizza should slide right in like this.

8. Cook for 14 minutes and then remove only the pizza (use a pair of spatulas to remove the pizza). Let the stone remain in the oven and allow it to cool inside the oven.

9. Let the pizza cool for about 7 minutes before serving. Use a pizza cutter and make 8 slices.

Serves 2-4 people.

To clean the pizza stone:

Once it is cooled, use a metal spatula to scrape off any residue and use a wet paper towel to wipe off.

Don't use any soaps or detergents, the stone will absorb the chemicals and possibly affect the taste of the pizza. Stone will stain brown and is normal.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Original New York Style Recipe

1. For Awesome pizza dough recipe

Put 2 tsp dry active yeast into 1 1/4 c warm water in a large bowl. Sit for 5 minutes. Add 2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt. Mix. Add 1 c of all-purpose flour at a time. Do this 3x for 3 c of flour. Knead for 10 minutes. Let sit for 1/2 hour.

2.
THE BEST NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA

Cooking Tools:

1. Pizza stone (critical to the pizza crust texture)
2. Pizza peel (looks like a wooden pan, important in transferring the pizza to the oven
3. Thermometer (to measure water temperature)
4. Pizza cutter

Stage 1:

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
2/3 cups warm water (110°F to 115°F)
1 teaspoon sugar
5/8 teaspoon active dry yeast

Stage 2:

flour
cornmeal
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons pizza sauce
2/3 lb mozzarella cheese
1/4 lb Romano and Parmesan cheese
chopped basil
crushed red pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
oregano

Stage 1:

1. Mix the warm water and sugar in a small bowl until blended together.

2. Add the yeast and mix well. Then wait until the top becomes foamy (about 5-10 minutes).

3. In the meantime mix the flour, salt and olive oil in large bowl.

4. Once yeast/water mixture is ready, add it to the flour mixture and stir. Continue to mix until you get a doughy mass that is smooth and elastic. If it is still sticky, add some extra flour to it (It's okay if dough is slightly sticky).

5. Form the dough mass into a ball and place in an oiled bowl (you can use oil or a cooking spray). Roll the ball in the bowl so that it is covered in oil. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and place in a warm place; let rise for at least an hour. (I run my clothes dryer for a minute then stop it and put the bowl inside).

6. If you are planning on cooking the pizza immediately, preheat the oven to 475°F and place the pizza stone inside the oven on the lowest rack. The stone should be heated in the oven for around an hour before placing the pizza. This way, your dough and your pizza stone will be ready around the same time.


Stage 2:

1. Place dough ball on a flat (clean) floured surface.

2. Punch it down and work into a circular disc. At this point the dough should be smooth and elastic and easy to work with. If not, add a pinch full of flour and rub it on top of the dough.

3. Use your hands to spread out the dough (Don't use a rolling pin). You should work from the center and spread outwards (this ensures the center dough is thinner and keeps a thicker crust). You can also stretch the dough out by holding it on top of both fists and spreading them apart slowly.

Occasionally, flip the dough over and sprinkle a little flour on to make sure dough is not sticky. Continue to work dough until you have circular disc about 12"-14" in diameter.

4. Be sure when you have completed stretching out the dough that there are no parts of the dough that are sticky, as this will make transferring the pizza to the oven difficult.

Once ready, transfer dough to a pizza peel. The peel should be lightly covered in flour and corn meal (this will help keep the pizza from sticking to the peel).

5. Brush the pizza crust with olive oil. Then top with pizza sauce and cheeses.

6. Now add the spices over the cheese. Just add enough to lightly coat the surface with a single pass. You can add any toppings that you prefer to the pizza.

7. The pizza is now ready to be cooked. If you had your oven prepared with the pizza stone at 475°F for an hour, you are ready to go.

Using the pizza peel, slide the pizza on top of the stone. This can be tricky. Have the peel inside the oven at about a 20 degree angle. Then push the peel forward and jerk backwards. The pizza should slide right in like this.

8. Cook for 14 minutes and then remove only the pizza (use a pair of spatulas to remove the pizza). Let the stone remain in the oven and allow it to cool inside the oven.

9. Let the pizza cool for about 7 minutes before serving. Use a pizza cutter and make 8 slices.

Serves 2-4 people.

To clean the pizza stone:

Once it is cooled, use a metal spatula to scrape off any residue and use a wet paper towel to wipe off.

Don't use any soaps or detergents, the stone will absorb the chemicals and possibly affect the taste of the pizza. Stone will stain brown and is normal.