potatos and eggs

AHHHH! food blogs are so cool! you can learn so much! I have been doing a bit of food blog research and have picked a few favorites and made a few things. So far my favs are:

http://noteatingoutinny.com/
http://smittenkitchen.com/
http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/

These links have already taught me so much. I've snagged a few recipes, modified slightly of course, and brushed up on the typical food blog nomenclature.

Although I have been enjoying this food blog safari I'm afraid I've run into a few problems.
For starters, I don't have a camera. You can't see what I'm eating and I miss taking awesome pictures of some crazy food (ex.desert pizza, baked sweet potato, Potato gratin and apple salad). Dang I wish I could show you but unfortunately I already ate it!

I also have not been publishing my receipts, sorry, I have been watching the wallet though. I spent a total of 5 dollars last week, (yeah that right) mostly change too. But I have not, as my very first follower has pointed out to me, been updating this information. I could be lying. I'm not, trust me, but the meal calculator is going to be swinging back into motion asap.

My third problem is that I am finishing finals, its not really a problem, its an excuse but a valid one in my opinion.

So last night I stole a recipe from Smitten Kitchen for pizza dough. It was off the chain. As a pseudo-avid bread baker this was hands down one of the simplest dough recipes I have ever used.

3 cups of flour
1 tsp of salt
3/4 tsp
1 tsp yeast
1 cup of cold water

now it calls for a mixer if you have one use it, other wise you can do it old country style like me a beat it crazy with a wooden spoon. You mix all the dry ingredients, slowly adding the cup of water and mixing slowly, then "beat it crazy hard with a wooden spoon" until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the bowl. You then place the dough in a bowl with about a tablespoon and a half of olive oil in it cover with a damp towel and let rise for 2-4 hours until its doubled. THEN you roll out a super light, elastic, delicious pizza crust that you can put anything on and it will taste amazing.

Side note: OK so everyone should always have a bag of wheat flour and a bag of all purpose flour at the house. I like to keep mine in the freezer cuz that is what my mom does and flour is just so chill.

So the two to four hours of rising is a bit daunting, but if you have anything you have to do in the house or a two hour errand to run, or feel like catching a brewski with a friend its really no biggie.

I made one with just olive oil and red onion, I didn't have any cheese. When it was finished I added a little extra olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Me and my mouth were very happy.
Then i was like omg I want desert pizza.

It started with a layer of nutella and peanut butter. Then I added about 3 tablespoons of coconut milk. I baked it for maybe ten minutes added butter, cinnamin, and some cream cheese and sugar. It sounds like an overload, it wasn't really. It was instead, the perfect midnight snack. The ingredients mentioned were used conservatively and then i added a little lemon juice. It was good.

So the other thing I've been hopped up on this week is this other recipe I stole for a simple potato gratin. I made it on sunday, its great with a salad, packs well in lunch, even can be used for breakfast (if you're really hungry.)

hmmmm, i've also been really into ice water and lemon, and iced tea. We had a sudden rise of temperature it was 80 but alas its 50 again.

ok so prices??
I barely have gone grocery shopping but it helps to have at the house
milk and butter are always in my fridge
flour in my freezer
oilive oil sits on the stove
That way if lets say you want to make potato gratin you spend like $2.00 on potatos and you're set.

Oh I think I'm getting into cream cheese again.

ok recipes

pizza!!

Jim Lahey’s Pizza Bianca
Makes two long pizzas

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 sprig fresh rosemary

1. Combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer, and slowly add 1 cup cold water. Mix on low speed until ingredients begin to combine, increase speed to medium-high, and continue to mix for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and cleanly pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl.

2. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and allow to rest for 2 to 4 hours until it has doubled in size. Split the dough into halves, and form each into a log. Place each log on a generously floured surface, and allow it to rest until the formed dough doubles in size again, at least 1 hour.

3. Put dough on a lightly floured surface. Dimple dough by pressing it down with your fingertips. Work the dough outward toward the edges of the peel until you reach your desired size and thickness, about 1/4 inch. [Or in our case, realize that I forgot to do this, and instead rolled it out!] Drizzle with remaining olive oil, rosemary and sprinkle with remaining salt.

4. Place a baking stone, sometimes known as a pizza stone, in the oven. Set oven to broil, about 520 degrees. Slide pizza onto baking stone. Bake until the bubbles range from golden to deep brown in color, 10 to 12 minutes.

Potato Gratin

Serves 4-6 or one for 4 days

4 large yellow potatoes

4 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of cream cheese

a cup and a bit more of whole milk

slice the potatos thinly and place in the bottom of a baking dish ( I used a 9x6) placing a few tabs of butter and and a little bit of cream cheese inbetween each layer. When finished pour the milk. Place a piece of seran wrap over the sish and place a plate/dish with some weight on it, let it sit for two hours.

Place in 350 degree oven for about an hour or until the top is golden brown and seductively bubbling.
Serve with salad (romaine, apple, balsamic vinegar, cider vinegar, olive oil and salt.)