Category Archives: Vegetarian

White Pizza with Herb and Garlic Crust

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I’m finally back! It’s been a whirlwind few months since I’ve truly blogged regularly, but I’ve accomplished some very important things.

1. Eating my way through pizza in the southwest. Okay, so I haven’t eaten ALL the pizza in the southwest, but I’ve eaten quite a bit. Here are some of the highlights…

  • Last weekend I went to the famed Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, Arizona. It was splendiforous and wonderful and delicious. Apparently Pizzeria Bianco is supposed to be the best pizza in the country. Don’t get me wrong, the pizza was completely fabulous, but my dad and I both agreed that a greasy slice of pizza from any small shop in NYC is pretty darn great too.

    Biancoverde Pizza from Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, Arizona

    Biancoverde Pizza from Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, Arizona

  • Oh, and I had pizza at this place called Reilly Craft Pizza and Drink. They do this butternut squash and homemade ricotta pizza that is PHE-NOM-EN-AL. I’ve also had their potato and pecorino pie. It was supah yum.
Potato and Pecorino Pizza from Reilly Craft Pizza in Tucson, AZ

Potato and Pecorino Pizza from Reilly Craft Pizza in Tucson, AZ

  • I told you a little while back about another pizza that stole my heart. I had it in San Diego at this place called Cucina Urbana. Mushrooms + cheese + truffle oil = love.
Mushroom and Truffle Oil Pizza from Cucina Urbana in San Diego, CA

Mushroom and Truffle Oil Pizza from Cucina Urbana in San Diego, CA

  • In the last few months I’ve also MADE a ton of pizza. There was the homemade pumpkin stuffed crust pizza in January…
Homemade Stuffed Crust White Pizza

Homemade Stuffed Crust White Pizza

  • And the pizza that stole my heart in February: beet dough, lots of mozz, and veggies galore. Maybe it was because it was pink and awesome.
  • And finally the garlic-y herby, three cheese pizza pie in March. This pie kept the vampires away and stole my heart back from the beet pizza in February. Disclaimer: I apologize for the sub-par Instagram photo. The pie was truly a lot more impressive than my iPhone could capture.
White Pizza with Herb and Garlic Crust

White Pizza with Herb and Garlic Crust

2. Actually that’s basically all I did.

Last Year: Chocolate Chip Strawberry Pancakes

Two Years Ago: Butternut Squash and Tomato Soup with Pesto Cream

White Pizza with Herb and Garlic Crust

Makes 1 pizza (can easily feed 4-5)

This pizza is delicious! The crust is wonderfully spiced and has a nice bite. You can change how thin or thick you make the crust by using a large (or smaller) pan. I made my pizza on a baking sheet and pulled it out to the sides of the sheet. A pizza stone is wonderful because it creates a crispy crust (I just didn’t have one). 

The toppings I used are only suggestions. Feel free to get wild!

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 1 1/8 cups warm water (100-105 degrees)
  • 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed or very finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

For the Toppings

  • 3-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or more/less depending on preference)
  • 1-1/2 cups ricotta salata cheese (this is the hard, crumbly ricotta, not the soft, creamy stuff that you use in lasagne)
  • Parmesan for garnish

Other topping ideas: spinach, artichoke, olives, mushrooms (there are so many to choose), chicken, meatballs, pesto, fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, pepperoni, eggs (I’ve heard this is really good, but I’ve never tried it myself), feta cheese, goat cheese, sweet potato, etc…

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour, salt, garlic powder and dried basil, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but it still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work the additional 1/2 cup flour (you don’t need to use all if it is not needed) in to the dough, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1 1/2 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Alternatively if you’re not making your pizza now read the STORAGE directions below.

3. After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on the floured surface. Using a roll pin or your hands (I found hands to be more effective), form it into your desired shape (sometimes I use baking sheets and do rectangles or free form pizzas). Place the towel back over the dough and let sit in the warm place for 10 minutes. While the dough is rising again, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Mix it with the garlic and 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese.

Bring the dough back out and using a spoon or pastry brush, douse the outside edges with the butter and garlic mixture. You can spread the butter all over, just make sure to focus on the edges. Use it all up! Continue to top your pizza with the mozzarella, ricotta salata, and parmesan (or other toppings!). Bake the pizza for 23-25 minutes (or longer if needed, depending on your toppings), or until crust and cheese are both golden. While pizza is baking, melt remaining butter and combine with the last tablespoon of parmesan.

Remove pizza from over and immediately brush the outside edges with parmesan butter, using it all up. Sprinkle a bit of parmesan over top if desired. Serve! *The cheese will be hot right out of the oven, be careful!*

Storage: For the DOUGH: Store dough in the fridge well-wrapped (I used plastic wrap) for up to one week. If it’s not well-wrapped, it will bust out of the plastic wrap because the yeast is still doing it’s thing. Let the dough come to room temp for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. The dough may also be frozen for up to 1 month (I haven’t actually tried longer). Let the dough sit in the fridge overnight before cooking and then take it out 20-30 minutes before baking to get to room temp.

For the COOKED PIZZA: Wrap the pizza well or put in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Pizza may be frozen for up to one month.

Recipe from How Sweet Eats

Related Recipes

Homemade Pumpkin Crust Pizza

Garlic Knots with Homemade Pumpkin Crust

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Blue Ribbon Vegan Cornbread

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 Vegan Cornbread

I love Tennessee somethin’ fierce. I went back to my homeland over winter break and relished it (and I don’t mean the pickle kind).

I love the twangy way the grocery store cashier says, “How ya’ doin’, honey?” Anywhere else, I’d think he was trying to flirt with me.

I love the Smoky Mountains. They are just so… smoky.

I love the crappy seasonal weather (I’ve been living in Arizona for several years now, so I may be a bit biased to 70°F winters).

Vegan Cornbread

I love their night scene. And what I mean by night scene is visiting Walmart at midnight.

I love the music, bluegrass especially. I love twangy dobros, old men playing fiddles, and jam sessions until the wee hours of the morning. My hometown is the birthplace of country music, so I think it’s in my genes.

Oh, and I love, love, love cornbread. Buttery, iron-skillet baked cornbread.

Real cornbread enthusiasts might roll their eyes at this recipe. There is not a pat of butter or a single egg – BUT it is most probably the moistest, tenderest, yummiest, crispy on the outside-est cornbread you’ll ever eat.  Have I sold you yet?

Vegan Cornbread

Please don’t judge my horrible slices, I was absent that day in Geometry.

 

Last Year: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Blue Ribbon Vegan Cornbread

Makes 1 loaf? round? of cornbread, about 8 servings

This cornbread is amazing! I began searching for a recipe after making the most abominable cornbread of all time. I was skeptical since there were no eggs or butter, but writes Cook’s Illustrated in consistently amazing recipes, so I knew I shouldn’t be too worried. This cornbread doesn’t have the same look as cornbread I’ve had in the past, probably because of the flax meal, but either way, it’s wonderful. 

You can make this with soy or regular milk. I haven’t tried subbing the sugar, but I think cane sugar could also be used. Normally, when I make flax eggs, I don’t heat the flax and the water, but take the extra time to do this because the texture becomes very eggy. 

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons flax meal (ground flax seed)
  • 6 Tablespoons water
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 cup soy milk
  • 1/4 cup canola oil

Method

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; preheat to 425°F. Place an iron skillet in the oven to heat while the oven warms. Alternatively, spray an 8-in square baking dish or pie dish with nonstick coking spray.

2. Boil water in a small saucepan. Add the flax meal and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to simmer for about 3 minutes or until thickened. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

4. Add the flax misture, soy milk, and oil to the flour and mix until smooth (don’t overbeat).

5. If using a baking dish or pie dish, pour mix into prepared dish. If using an iron skillet, remove it from warmed oven, drizzle a bit of oil in skillet and swirl it around, then pour mix into skillet. Baked for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

6. allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert cornbread onto rack, then turn it right side up and allow it to continue to cool.

Storage keep in airtight container for up to 5 days.

Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated

Related Recipes

Caraway Rye Corn Muffins

Caraway-Rye Corn Muffins

Caraway-Rye Corn Muffins

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Thursday

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Today. It’s Thursday and it’s wonderful.

Because Grey’s Anatomy comes on tonight.

Because tomorrow is Friday.

Because I finished my Italian exam (and got very little sleep).

Because I got the coolest, most beautiful DSLR camera! And I took this picture of my puppy with it.

Because last night I registered for the most important test in my undergraduate career.

Because it’s 84 degrees outside.

Because I love this picture and it always makes me smile.

Because I’m eating dinner here tonight with a friend.

Because season 9 of One Tree Hill just came to Netflix.

Because I can finally play Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake” on my guitar.

Because I ate this for lunch. And I didn’t write a recipe. I just went with it.

And it was the bomb-diggity.

I’m glad it’s Thursday. I hope you’re having a wonderful day!

Last Year: Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread

Refried Bean and Portobello Mushroom Quesadilla

This is a completely random, but completely delicious lunch option. I omitted the cheese, but you could definitely add some if you like. Feel free to also play with the seasonings.

Ingredients

  • 1 flour tortilla (if gf, look for tortillas labeled gluten free)
  • 1 portobello mushroom, chopped
  • handful of fresh spinach
  • 1/2 refried beans (if vegetarian or vegan, make sure to get refried beans labeled vegetarian)
  • cheese, optional
  • red pepper flakes to taste, optional
  • salt and pepper

Method

1. In a medium pan with a bit of oil, saute mushroom until tender, about 5 minutes. Add desired seasonings and spinach and cook until spinach is lightly wilted. Remove from pan and set aside. Meanwhile, heat beans until warmed.

2. In the same pan, lightly toast the tortilla on each side, 1 minute. Spread beans on tortilla and add vegetables (and cheese, if using), let cook open faced until heated through. Fold over tortilla to make into quesadilla. Remove from pan and cut into desired size. Eat immediately.

Recipe from Cooking College Chick

Related Recipes

Black Bean Tacos with Spicy Peach Salsa

Looking for more Cooking College Chick? Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest! You can also subscribe on the upper right hand bar to receive email updates! Happy Cooking!!!

Homemade Pizza with Pumpkin! Crust

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Last week I had an interesting day.

I was filling up my gas tank when I noticed a nice looking older  gentleman (like older than my dad) smiling at me. Normally I wouldn’t pay any attention (because OBVIOUSLY this happens all the time), but his smiling became persistent.

Soon I couldn’t wait for my gas tank to fill up fast enough, because I couldn’t figure out why he kept smiling. Was my dress caught on my underwear like in those movies? Did a bird land in my hair?

But the gas was filling so slow. $34.50… $34.51… $34.52…

When it was done, I tried to swiftly jump into my car (in my mind I looked like a superhero ready for action; in real life I looked like an awkward girl trying to awkwardly jump into a tiny car), but he appeared right by my drivers side door.

He held up two lottery tickets.

“I bought these two lottery tickets today and I’m going to win because I saw you.”

“Oh, really?” I said.

“And when I win, if I ever see you again, I will give you half of my earnings.”

I could only awkwardly chuckle, say “thank you”, and quickly drive away.

As completely random, and mildly creepy, as that experience was, it made me feel good. And pretty. But mostly creeped out.

This pizza is like that experience. It’s like winning the lottery with a random stranger. Okay, so maybe I’m reaching a little far with that analogy.

But, it is AMAZING and totally easy. I’ve made it twice already and both times, my mind has been blown. Like across the street.

The recipe for the crust is exactly the same as that for that for the garlic knots I gave you a few days ago. The only difference is that instead of making the dough into knots, you roll it out into a big circle and pizza-fy it.

Homemade Pizza with Pumpkin! Crust

This pizza is positively scrumptious. It tastes so much better than anything you get for takeout. I don’t think I can ever go back. Feel free to dress the crust however you wish. I’ll give you some of my favorite options, but go crazy!

The garlic knots recipe which has photos of the dough process (which is exactly the same for this pizza) is here. I’m going to repost it for you though!

Ingredients

For Dough

  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 envelope (2-1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoon agave nectar
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin — or any of smooth puree, sweet potato, carrot, etc.
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
  • 3-1/2 cups unbleached bread flour

For Pizza Toppings

White Pizza

  • olive oil
  • garlic
  • mozzarella cheese
  • ricotta cheese

Pizza with red sauce

  • tomato sauce
  • mozzarella
  • mushrooms
  • broccoli rabe

Or any other toppings that you’d like!

Method

1. Pour the warm water into a medium bowl and whisk in the yeast. Let sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. Then add your agave nectar, olive oil, and pumpkin and whisk until smooth.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Make an impression with you fist in the center. It should be large enough to hold your wet ingredients. Pour in the wet ingredients.

3. Start pulling everything together with a spatula. When you can no longer mix, use your hands to start kneading the dough. Keep kneading — and adding more flour as necessary — until you have a ball that’s smooth and elastic, but not sticky. This really only took a few minutes for me, maybe 5 or so.

4. Lightly oil another large bowl and put your dough ball inside it — rolling in the bowl once to coat both sides lightly with oil. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours.

5. Once the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F, put in a pizza stone (you may use a flipped over pan, but it works best with a stone), and divide the dough into two equal pieces. You can wrap the dough in plastic wrap to use later. If planning to use very soon, it can remain in the fridge, but you may want to place it in the freezer so that it lasts a bit longer (up to 3 weeks). Either storage method you use, make sure that you allow the dough to come to room temperature before you use it. Otherwise, it won’t be very elastic.

6. When ready to bake. Preheat a pizza stone at 425°F. If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can use a sheet pan – although I wouldn’t heat it beforehand.

7. Flatten out your dough into a round. Once stone is preheated, bake on one side for 4 to 5 minutes.

8. Then remove from oven, flip over and start building your pizza on the baked side.

9. Top the pizza with desired amounts of toppings – I just kind of wing it and bake for another 12 minutes, until browned and bubbly.

Recipe from (never)home maker

Related Recipes

Garlic Knots

Focaccia

Looking for more Cooking College Chick? Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest! You can also subscribe on the upper right hand bar to receive email updates! Happy Cooking!!!