Rosemary Bread

I've been itching to try this recipe for years but never had the right opportunity.  Until my mama came for a mid-winter visit and we made the yummiest creamy broccoli soup for supper.  This bread would be the perfect accompaniment, and my mama, who used to make all her own bread from scratch (and without a bread machine!) would be the perfect advisor since my bread-making experience is rather limited.  My kitchen smelled divine as this bread was baking, my husband raved about its deliciousness,  my kids loved dipping it into their soup, and I shared the second loaf with my mama as a gift.  Very rarely does my own cooking look so similarly to the picture in the cookbooks, but this was pretty close!  The recipe seems long (it's bread) and fussy (again, bread) but it's not overly complicated, and so worth it in the end.  I will be making this bread again and again!

3 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1 cup milk, at room temperature

1/4 cup olive oil

5 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/4 cup minced fresh rosemary (or 1 1/2 tablespoons crushed dried)

4 teaspoons fine salt

1-1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

white cornmeal, for baking

In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir the yeast into the warm water.  Let stand until frothy, 10 minutes.  Stir in the milk and oil.  Combine 4 1/2 cups of the flour in another bowl with the rosemary and fine salt and stir to mix.  Add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture and blend with the paddle attachment at low speed until the flour is absorbed.  Using the dough hook, knead the dough on medium speed until velvety, elastic, smooth, and somewhat moist.  Gradually add enough of the remaining flour until the dough stick to the bottom and sides of the bowl (this step may be omitted based on the consistency of your dough; I did not need additional flour).  Finish kneading the dough in an oiled bowl, turning the dough so the surface is lightly and evenly coated in oil all over, cover with a dry dish towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Gently punch the dough down on a floured surface but do not knead it.  Cut the dough in half and shape each half into a round ball.  Put the loaves on a lightly floured bread board, cover loosely with a dry dish towel, and let rise until almost doubled, 45-55 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450.  Put a baking stone in the cold oven and preheat in the oven 30 minutes before baking.  Just before you put the loaves in the oven, make as asterisk of shallow slashes in the top of each loaf with a sharp knife, and sprinkle with the coarse salt inside the slits.  Carefully sprinkle the hot stone with cornmeal, then slide the loaves onto it.  Alternatively, you may place the loaves on a lightly oiled baking sheet, omitting the cornmeal and baking stone.

Bake for 10 minutes.  As soon as you place the bread in the oven, use a spray bottle of water (like you use for ironing) to spray the inside of the oven three times.  This will help develop a chewy crust.  After the initial 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 400 and bake until the bread is nicely browned and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, 15-20 minutes.  The original recipe called for 30-35 minutes, so your bread may take longer, but my bread was perfect much sooner!  Let bread cool on wire racks before cutting to serve.

Makes 2 loaves.

Recipe adapted from Celebrate the Rain, by the Junior League of Seattle.

Bavarian Pretzels

One of my favorite after-school snacks as a kid was a warm pretzel dipped in mustard.  Even as an adult, I love to stop at the mall pretzel place, or at a food kart at the amusement park, and get a giant pretzel to share with my kids.  Several years ago, when I attended an Oktoberfest celebration with my husband and then four-month old, I couldn't wait for a warm, just slightly salted pretzel, slightly crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside.  When I decided to plan an Oktoberfest-themed meal this year, I knew this carb bomb was a must!  Enjoy...I know I will!

3 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon white sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/3 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons baking soda

3 cups water

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt, or to taste

In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir together 1 cup of flour, yeast, sugar, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 1 1/3 cup water.  Let this mixture stand until bubble begin to form, about 15 minutes.  Stir in the salt and gradually stir in the remaining flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, adding more flour if needed.

Divide the dough into 6 pieces and let them rest for a few minutes.  Roll out one piece at a time into a rope about 15 inches long.  Loop and twist into that cool pretzel shape.  Set on a baking sheet while you roll out the remaining portions.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Bring the remaining 3 cups of water to a boil and add the baking soda.  Remove from the heat.  Dip pretzels into the water bath for about 45 seconds, flipping over about halfway through.  Place the soaked pretzels on a greased baking sheet and brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with coarse salt.

Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve warm, with your favorite mustard for dipping!

Artisan Bread

When I was a baby, my mama made all her own bread.  Later, when I was a teenager, she used a bread machine, and I remember the wonderful smell of homemade bread baking throughout the house.  I've only ever made beer bread and banana bread, and, while I have no plans to make 100% of my family's bread from scratch, it's nice to make every now and then.  Especially when you're making a pot of mussels and have an amazing pot of cooking juices in which to dip torn off bites of crusty-on-the-outside-and-chewy-on-the-inside homemade bread!  This recipe is super easy, pretty fast (for bread), and incredibly tasty!  I hope you'll enjoy it as much as me!

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup bread flour

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir together the flour, salt and yeast. Add water, mixing on slow speed until the mixture forms a shaggy but cohesive dough. Do not over-work the dough. 

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8-24 hours, until it bubbles up and doubles in size.

After dough is ready, preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place a Dutch oven, uncovered, into the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

While the Dutch oven preheats, turn dough onto a well-floured surface.  With floured hands, form the dough into a ball.  Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap and let rest.

One the oven is preheated, remove the Dutch oven and, with floured hands, place the dough into it.Cover and bake for 30 minutes.  Carefully remove cover and bake for 7-15 minutes more, uncovered.

Lemon-Poppyseed Scones

Living in England as a teenager, I came to love scones at an early age.  Fresh from the oven with a piping hot cup of herbal tea is such a special treat and comfort to me.  That said, I've always been wary of pastries and things that involve skills like cutting in butter or pulsing to just the right consistency.  Typically my Easter scones are store-bought.  Well, not this year!  This year I found a recipe that promised to be fool-proof and delicious and I was determined to make my own.  I'm so glad I did, because these were well worth the effort and there are plenty of leftovers for my teatime treats later this week!

3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup (or more) whole milk

Preheat oven to 375°F. Position rack in top third of oven.  Mix flour, 1 cup sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, lemon peel, and salt in processor.  Add butter and cut in, pulsing, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk egg and lemon juice in medium bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture. Pulse until moist clumps form.  Add 1/3 cup milk. Pulse just until dough comes together, adding more milk if dough seems dry.  Using floured hands, gather dough into ball.  Flatten into 8-inch round.  Cut round into 8 wedges.  Transfer scones to large baking sheet; brush with milk.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake until scones are golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool. 

Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.  

Serve warm plain, buttered, or with fruit preserves (I'm a fan of raspberry!).

Vanilla-Pear Muffins

I saw this recipe online and knew I needed to buy the entire cookbook.  I also knew I needed to make these muffins for Christmas morning.  Our family tradition is to have muffins or bagels with coffee and tea while the kids marvel over their gifts from Santa (we don't wrap those) and we all open our stockings.  While we're opening stockings, a breakfast casserole is typically baking away in the oven, and we'll eat breakfast before tearing into the wrapped gifts under the tree.  These are fabulous.  They're a little time-consuming when you have excited toddlers, so feel free to make them ahead and reheat just before serving, like I did.

For the topping:

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the muffins:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4-5 firm, ripe pears, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with butter.

Make the topping.  Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Stir and set aside.

Make the muffins.  Whisk together the eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla until blended.  Add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt, stirring until just evenly moistened; the batter will be lumpy.  Fold in the pears and walnuts until evenly distributed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling them level with the rim.  Sprinkle the topping over the muffins.  Bake until golden, dry, and springy to the touch, 20-25 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes before turning out.

Serve warm or at room temperature, with butter.

Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook, by Gayle Pirie & John Clark.

This Month: Holiday Brunch

Last year I was in charge of Christmas.  Totally in charge.  My mom and my in-laws were in town.  Both my brothers were here.  We had a 6-month old and a 2 ½  year old.  It was a crazy few days of cooking.  Since Mama's birthday is Christmas Eve, in addition to hosting Christmas Brunch and Dinner, I also prepared a birthday breakfast and dinner at our house.  It was hectic.  My kitchen was a mess.  My dishwasher didn't stop running for three days.  But I wouldn't complain.  Ever.  Because my whole family was here, and having spent a Christmas in California without any extended family just two years before, my husband and I decided that we had little desire to be "alone" during the holidays ever again.  Anyway, here's my version of Christmas Brunch, which was served after we opened stockings but before we tore into the wrapped gifts under the tree.

Hot Mama Bloody Marys

Vanilla-Pear Muffins

Grapefruit Brulee

Shrimp & Grits

The whole menu:

Bloody Marys

Peach Bellinis

Fruit Salad 

(Honeydew, blackberries, raspberries, star fruit, 

and a sprig of rosemary drizzled with Grand Marnier)

Sweet Potato Biscuits with 

Raspberry-Peach Champagne Jam

Vanilla-Pear Muffins

Shrimp & Grits

Tomato Tart

Copycat California Pizza Kitchen Honey-Wheat Dough

Yes, I've posted this recipe before, but it's worth it to give it another go-round!  I've made this dough almost weekly since my first try, and I have to say, it's just fabulous!  And easy, too, so if you've never made your own pizza dough, give this a try, you won't regret it.  Try some favorite pizza recipes or create your own.  Also, feel free to add in some extra flavor with garlic powder, dried herbs, flavored olive oils, cheese, or more.  The world is your oyster, so jump right in!

Honey-Wheat Pizza Dough

1 teaspoon yeast (I used pizza crust yeast)

1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon warm water (105-110 degrees)

3/4 cup bread flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons clover honey

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for coating

Dissolve the yeast in the water and set aside for 5-10 minutes.  Be sure the water is not hot as temperatures above 120 degrees will kill the yeast, causing your dough to not rise.

If using an electric mixer (Kitchen Aid) use the mixing paddle since this batch is too small for the dough hook to be effective.  Combine all other ingredients (except the additional teaspoon olive oil) and combine them with the dissolved yeast in the mixing bowl.  Don't pour the salt directly into the yeast-water since the salt will kill the yeast; these ingredients must combine gradually.  Use only the lowest/slowest two speed settings and mix the dough 2-3 minutes, until smooth and elastic.  Overmixing will produce tough, rubbery dough, and friction will cause the dough to rise too quickly.

If using a food processor, use a dough "blade" made of plastic rather than the steel knife attachment, which cuts the gluten strands and ruins the consistency of the dough.  As with the mixer method, be mindful of speed and total mixing time so as to not cause friction and kill the yeast.  Mix only until a smooth dough ball is formed.

If mixing by hand, place the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Make a well in the middle and add the wet ingredients.  Use a wooden spoon to combine.  Once initial mixing is done, oil your hands and knead the dough for five minutes until slightly tacky.

Regardless of the mixing method used...  Use the remaining teaspoon olive oil to oil the dough ball and the inside of a 1-quart glass bowl.  Place the dough bowl in the bowl and seal with saran wrap, making sure the dish is air-tight.  Set aside at room temperature to rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2-2 hours.

Punch down the dough, reform into a ball, and return it to the same bowl.  Cover again with saran wrap, and place in refrigerator overnight, covered air-tight.

Two hours before assembling your pizza, take the dough from the refrigerator, leaving the glass bowl covered and air-tight.  Set aside at room temperature once again until doubled in size (smooth and fluffy), about 2 hours.

Sprinkle a dry pizza peel (or other smooth surface) with cornmeal or flour.  Remove the dough ball from the glass bowl, being careful to maintain the round shape and dust with cornmeal or flour as well; place on the pizza peel.  Use a rolling pin (dust this with corn meal or flour as well) to press the dough into a circle about 12-14 inches in diameter (about 1/4-inch thick). Around the edge, pinch the edges up to form a lip that rises about 1/4-inch above the rest of the crust.  Delicately lift the edges of the pizza crust and ensure it will slide on the pizza peel after dressing.  Sprinkle more cornmeal/flour as necessary.

Apple-Streusel Muffins

These muffins just say "Fall".  Juicy apples.  Nutty pecans.  Spicy cinnamon and nutmeg.  Mmmm.  Guess I need to fire up my oven...again!  I just know you'll love having these as you enjoy the loot you toted off from your last apple picking adventure with your family!

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons canola oil

3/4 cup shredded apple with skin (about one apple)

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

1 tablespoon flaxseed

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat the oven to 375.  Lightly grease (or line) 12 muffin cups and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine both types flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  

Mix in eggs, buttermilk, and oil.  Fold in apple.  Divide evenly between prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, combine pecans, flaxseed, and remaining brown sugar.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Spoon mixture on top of muffin batter.  In a pinch, simply fold streusel topping into batter before dividing into muffin tins...

Bake 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

Lemon-Poppyseed Muffins

There's something so comforting and homey about a warm muffin and cup of piping hot tea in the morning, especially in the autumn, that I can't resist.  So I thought I'd post, as a side note this month, some yummy muffins I've discovered recently.  These are great in the morning, as an accompaniment to a bowl of soup for supper, or even just as a midday snack!  Bon appetit!

1/2 cup white flour

1/2 cup wheat flour

1 cup oats

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup lemon curd

Preheat oven to 375.  Mix all ingredients together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Divide among 12 prepared (greased or lined) muffin cups.  Bake 12-15 minutes.

Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

I tasted this recipe months ago when I was visiting my aunt and uncle in San Diego with my mom.  The hint of lemon mingling with juicy blueberries was amazing and I just knew I had to have this recipe and make these muffins again and again (and again)!  Little did I know, I already had the recipe, as it resides in a cookbook I received as a wedding gift more than four years ago!

2 cups cake flour (of 1 3/4 cups flour, sifted twice)

1/3 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons lemon zest (1-2 lemons)

1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 400.  Combine first six ingredients, blending well.  Stir in lemon zest.  Fold in blueberries.

Fill greased or lined muffin tins 3/4 full.  Bake 15-20 minutes, or until golden on the edges.

Makes 12 good sized muffins.

Recipe adapted from Tidewater on the Half Shell by The Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach.  And also featured here!

Banana Bread

I love all things banana.  Banana pudding, banana milkshakes (oh when I was pregnant did these relieve my heartburn!), banana cake, banana with crunchy peanut butter (what a tasty snack), banana bread!  Oh yes, I love me some banana bread.  Warm, and still a little bit gooey in the middle.  Perfect for a "healthy" dessert, a side to tropical dishes, or with a hot cup of tea for breakfast.  And this recipe is just perfect...and makes two loaves!!  Bonus!

2 cups sugar

1 cups softened butter

6 ripe bananas, mashed

4 eggs

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350.

With electric beater, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add bananas and eggs, beating until well-mixed.  Add remaining dry ingredients, and mix until incorporated; do not overmix.

Pour into two lightly-greased loaf pans. Bake 45-60 minutes, until firm in the centers and edges begin to separate from pans.

Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans. These freeze beaufiully. Can also be made into muffins successfully.

Banana Chocolate Gorilla Bread

Ever need a little something special to have on hand for breakfast and munching?  If you're like me, this is how big holiday meals start!  But who wants a boring store-bought coffee cake when you can make something tasty instead?  I saw this recipe on Paula Deen's show a while back and made it Thanksgiving morning (well, I put it together the night before and baked it first thing in the morning) so we'd have something to snack on while I cooked.  I changed Paula's recipe just a tad, but this was perfectly sweet and tasty!!


Nonstick cooking spray

3 tablespoons granulated sugar*

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*

1 cup packed light brown sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

2 (12-ounce) tubes refrigerated crescent roll dough

6 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

4-5 bananas, sliced 1/4-inch thick

4 ounces (about 2/3 cup) semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

*Or cheat, like I did and use some pre-mixed cinnamon-sugar you might have on hand

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

Chop the walnut pieces into even smaller pieces (a few pulses in a food processor will do the trick).  Set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar with the butter over low heat. 

In the Bundt pan, sprinkle about 1/4 cup walnut pieces.  Then drizzle 1/3 of the brown sugar and butter mixture over the nuts.

Break open the crescent roll packages and separate the triangles of dough. Brush each triangle with sweetened condensed milk and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.  Then top with 4-5 banana slices, 1 teaspoon chocolate chips, and 1 teaspoon walnut pieces.  

Fold the edges of the triangle together and seal into a small "packages".  

Place half the packages in the Bundt pan and sprinkle with more cinnamon-sugar.  Drizzle with another 1/3 of the brown sugar mixture and another 1/4 cup walnut pieces.

Repeat a second layer of dough packages.  Once again, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, the remainder of the brown sugar mixture, and the remaining walnut pieces.  

Bake until puffed, golden brown, and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer it to a rack and allow it to cool for 15 minutes. Put a platter on top of the Bundt pan and invert. Slice and serve warm.

Lemon Lavender Blueberry Muffins

As soon as this month's Crazy Cooking Challenge was announced, I went on the hunt!  I was originally looking for a recipe similar to one in a cookbook I own, which I'd recently tasted at my aunt's house and couldn't wait to make myself (that recipe will just have to wait for another post I suppose).  However, the minute I discovered this gem, I knew that this was my recipe!  These muffins are a piece of heaven and I can't wait to make another batch!    The lemony flavor from the zest, along with the hint of lavender just screams springtime fresh!  I think these muffins are begging me to make them for an upcoming baby shower! Thanks, Laura for sharing these one your fabulous blog, Dark Red Crema!!

1 cup sugar

3 teaspoons lavender buds (you can buy them at Whole Foods or here)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup yogurt

zest of 3 lemons

2 3/4 cups cake flour (I only had 1 cup cake flour, so the rest I used all purpose)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

heavy pinch salt

1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 380 degrees.  Lightly grease a muffin tin (or use paper liners).

In a food processor or mini chopper, pulse sugar and lavender buds together until buds are crushed and dispersed throughout the sugar.

In a separate bowl, whisk together lavender infused sugar, oil, egg, and yogurt and lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients. Stir just until dry ingredients are incorporated, and fold in blueberries.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full (using an ice cream scoop works great to ensure each muffin is the same size...and to save on the mess a bit!).

Place muffins in the oven to bake and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake for 15-18 minutes for mini muffins and 20 to 25 minutes for larger muffins, rotating pan halfway through.

Remove from heat and turn over and out, to cool completely. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Makes 12 huge muffins.

Honey-Wheat Pizza Dough and Mushroom, Pepperoni, & Sausage Pizza

Remember back in September, when I did a series on fabulous homemade pizzas, and promised I was going to make my own pizza crust some day?  Well, I've finally come through on my claim!  My husband bought me a pizza stone and pizza peel (and a fabulous wooden cutting board...I'd been using a plastic/rubber one) for Christmas and this week I tried it out for the first time to celebrate my husband's first day of class this quarter (he's working on his MBA through the Navy).  I must say, this was the best pizza I've ever made, and the crust was definitely what made the pie!

Honey-Wheat Pizza Dough

1 teaspoon yeast (I used pizza crust yeast)

1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon warm water (105-110 degrees)

1 cup bread flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

5 teaspoons clover honey

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for coating

Dissolve the yeast in the water and set aside for 5-10 minutes.  Be sure the water is not hot as temperatures above 120 degrees will kill the yeast, causing your dough to not rise.

If using an electric mixer (Kitchen Aid) use the mixing paddle since this batch is too small for the dough hook to be effective.  Combine all other ingredients (except the additional teaspoon olive oil) and combine them with the dissolved yeast in the mixing bowl.  Don't pour the salt directly into the yeast-water since the salt will kill the yeast; these ingredients must combine gradually.  Use only the lowest/slowest two speed settings and mix the dough 2-3 minutes, until smooth and elastic.  Overmixing will produce tough, rubbery dough, and friction will cause the dough to rise too quickly.

If using a food processor, use a dough "blade" made of plastic rather than the steel knife attachment, which cuts the gluten strands and ruins the consistency of the dough.  As with the mixer method, be mindful of speed and total mixing time so as to not cause friction and kill the yeast.  Mix only until a smooth dough ball is formed.

If mixing by hand, place the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Make a well in the middle and add the wet ingredients.  Use a wooden spoon to combine.  Once initial mixing is done, oil your hands and knead the dough for five minutes until slightly tacky.

Regardless of the mixing method used...  Use the remaining teaspoon olive oil to oil the dough ball and the inside of a 1-quart glass bowl.  Place the dough bowl in the bowl and seal with saran wrap, making sure the dish is air-tight.  Set aside at room temperature to rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2-2 hours.

Punch down the dough, reform into a ball, and return it to the same bowl.  Cover again with saran wrap, and place in refrigerator overnight, covered air-tight.

Two hours before assembling your pizza, take the dough from the refrigerator, leaving the glass bowl covered and air-tight.  Set aside at room temperature once again until doubled in size (smooth and fluffy), about 2 hours.

Sprinkle a dry pizza peel (or other smooth surface) with cornmeal or flour.  Remove the dough ball from the glass bowl, being careful to maintain the round shape and dust with cornmeal or flour as well; place on the pizza peel.  Use a rolling pin (dust this with corn meal or flour as well) to press the dough into a circle about 12-14 inches in diameter (about 1/4-inch thick). Around the edge, pinch the edges up to form a lip that rises about 1/4-inch above the rest of the crust.  Delicately lift the edges of the pizza crust and ensure it will slide on the pizza peel after dressing.  Sprinkle more cornmeal/flour as necessary.

Mushroom, Pepperoni, and Sausage Pizza

Olive oil

2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Dried basil

tomato sauce (choose your favorite, I used Bertolli Portobello with Merlot)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 red onion, diced

1/4 pound hot and spicy Italian turkey sausage, browned, crumbled, and drained of excess oil/fat

1/2 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms

24-36 slices pepperoni

Place pizza stone in the center of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees for an hour before cooking the pizza.

Drizzle olive oil over fresh pizza dough.  Sprinkle garlic and basil over top.  Spread tomato sauce all over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch perimeter "clean".  Spread cheese evenly over entire pizza dough.  Top cheese with onion, sausage, mushrooms, and pepperoni.

Using the pizza peel, transfer the pizza to the pizza stone and bake 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden around the edges and the cheese is bubbling.

Recipes adapted from The California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook, by Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield.