Pizza on the BBQ – living the outdoor lifestyle

The sun is shining, the birds a humming… and… the tummy’s a rumbling.  Who reaaaaally wants to turn on the oven on when there’s so much to do outside?  When the house feels like it’s a 100F?! NOT ME. During the warmer months (okok, maybe even during the not so warm ones as well), my BBQ is my cooking appliance of choice.  I believe I take after my dad in that respect.  He could BBQ anything…and it always came out mouthwatering delicious.  Well, Dad... how about this… Homemade Pizza cooked.. in a third of the time (compared to a regular old oven)… on the BBQ.  YEEEEEEUUUUP.  It’s going to be hard to look back now! Can you tell I'm super-duper EXCITED about this new-to-me-knowledge?!  The crust was nice and crisp on the outside…soft and doughy on the inside… as close as I’ve been able to come in mimicking the “fast food- greasy-pricey variety” - BUT without all the grease and price tag!  While the dough was rising, I even had a chance to take advantage of a beautiful spring evening and play a little bit with my point and shoot camera, it’s amazing how our yard has just come alive in what seems to be just a few weeks!

Now, I will not claim to have re-invented the wheel on the pizza dough.  I’m sure that everyone has their own style… own recipe…and own ways to make the dough restaurant quality.  I’ll share what worked for me…  as with all yeasted dough, a warm, draft free place along with a little time… works in your favor.  Of course, submitting this to Yeastspotting, without sites like this.. I wouldn’t even have a clue. 

Pizza on the BBQ

Pizza Dough

·         ¾ cup warm water

·         1 ½ tsp active dry yeast

·         1 tbsp olive oil (plus a bit more for coating bowl)

·         1 tsp sea salt (I love the bacon flavored version, but any sea salt will do)

·         1 ¾ cup all purpose flour

- Put the warm water in your stand mixer bowl and sprinkle the surface with the yeast. Let stand for 2 minutes to soften, then whisk with a fork to blend. Let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes.

- Whisk in the olive oil and salt.

- Using your dough hook, then begin adding the flour gradually, until fully incorporated. The dough will be very moist and sticky.

- The dough should be moist and a little tacky. Shape into a ball.  

- Generously oil  a bowl, place dough in bowl  and turn the dough to coat it in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm draft free place until doubled in size.  (mine took about an hour)

- Punch dough, cover, and let rise until doubled again.

While dough is rising prepare your toppings.  What I’ve learned with this whole “BBQ Pizza thing”, is that less is more.  The pizza cooks in under 8 minutes, and requires you not only to be ready with the toppings, however, that to ensure you have a perfectly cooked topping at the same time as your crust is golden brown and crisp, you need to make sure the heat of the BBQ can melt and cook your topping as desired.  For a reference, I’ve been using a small side plate as my guide.  1 for the toppings, and 1 for the cheese. 

- When you are ready to go, generously oil a pizza pan, and carefully shaping the dough, spread out onto the pan, cover and let stand for 10 mins.

- In meantime, turn your BBQ on, my grill has 4 burners, and to start I keep all 4 on high to heat it up as hot as it will get (above 600F)

-Turn burners to low, and place the Pizza pan, with the plain dough on the grill, lid down, for about 2 – 3 mins, or until the bottom is just starting to turn golden.

-Working quickly, remove from BBQ, generously oil top of crust, and flip the crust over.

-Top pizza as desired and return to the BBQ until cheese is bubbling, and crust is golden brown. (5 mins)

-Remove from grill, and let stand for 5 mins, slice and enjoy! YUM YUM!

Hints and Tips:

-          If the top of your crust isn’t browning as desired, brushing or spraying oil (or melted butter) along the crust will help brown it up quickly.

-          For the Pizza shown, I used spinach, red pepper, chorizo, black forest ham with a mixture of feta cheese and marbled cheese

-          Having everything ready, and outside next to the grill is absolutely necessary to ensure a fast cook

-          Pre-cook all meat toppings to ensure they are fully done when the rest of the pizza is cooked

Below are the pictures taken – with an old point and shoot camera – during the time the pizza dough was rising! 

This time of year is when Mother Nature seriously shines, all the new life, vibrant colors.  I’m lucky enough to have these all growing in our front and back yard!

Whatever you choose to do this weekend..try and take a moment or two  to get outside... For those on the West Coast... It's supposed to be a beauty!  Cheers!

Spinach Lasagna Soup with a side of Rally

Roadtrips.  You either like em’ or dread em’.  Me…. After many  hours…days…WEEKS spent traveling via car growing up (thanks Mom & Dad), I can honestly say… I like them – (that’s IF I can stay awake long enough to enjoy the ever changing scenery)  Now, toss in some good old fast cars, rustic environments, dirt roads and a bit of dust…wooo… I’m in heaven!   This past weekend we decided to do a ROADTRIP down to the Oregon Trail Rally . What a gorgeous drive..what a fun, exciting weekend! 

We came home uber late Sunday night…after what seemed like visits to every rest stop from The Dalles, OR to Vancouver,BC  leaving those precious hours of sleep knocked down to a bare minimum… let alone meal planning…or even grocery shopping for that matter.  After a weekend of cheap “natural” beverages (gotta love cross border shopping)  and fast  food, a good, hearty – but light meal was in order so I served up my Spinach Lasagna Soup… Tuesday night. (Sleep won over Monday’s meal planning and making).

It’s made using ground turkey…only a few links of mild Italian Sausage to boost flavor, and to up to nutritional goodness, a whopping pile of fresh chopped spinach.  YUM YUM.  Just a pinch of cheese…and a handful of noodles quenched my pasta craving without all the heaviness of a regular lasagna dish. 

As always, the rally did not disappoint…..The setting with Mt. Hood in the background was breathtaking.

The cars...well as always - entertaining!  Fast turns, rocks flying....great racing!

For more information regarding the sport of rally, visit the Rally America Website or the Canadian Rally Championship Circuit… In the meantime… here’s a few more peaks at the events in Oregon this past weekend.

Of course...there's the cars that take a turn a little tight... or get a little loose.... oopps....Least this car stayed right side up!

If you ever get a chance to go and spectate one of these events…just do it.  Maybe I’ll even see you at the Pacific Forest Rally, held right in our backyard in Merritt, B.C every year in the fall.

Of course, if ANYONE was going to "stumble" upon a cool winery... it would be me.  You can't help but *giggle* when you read their labels.... and when it comes to naming, well... haha I think I can use another one in my list of nicknames.  "Outdoor Wino"... from Naked Winery - when do those cross border limits increase?! LOVED their fun, fresh wines.

Spinach Lasagna Soup

·         1 lbs ground turkey

·         4 links of mini-mild Italian sausage

·         2 cups fresh chopped spinach

·         3 garlic cloves, minced

·         2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

·         1 can diced tomatoes (I used Italian seasoned)

·         1 jar of favorite pasta sauce

·         1 tablespoon dried parsley

·         5 oven-ready lasagna noodles, broken into pieces

·         ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

- Remove casings from Italian sausage and break into small chunks, fully cook with ground turkey over medium-high heat in a large sauce pan.

- Break Lasagna noodles and set aside for addition later

- Add in minced garlic and chopped spinach, cook stirring well until spinach is wilted

- Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, pasta sauce – combine well and bring to a slow simmer

- Let simmer for 20 mins, or until lasagna noodles are cooked to taste

- Once noodles are cooked to your taste, set oven rack to top half of oven, and turn on broiler to high.

- Scoop out soup into individual servings, and sprinkle top with a pinch of the mozzarella cheese

- Place soup under the broiler until cheese is golden in colour

- Remove from oven and let sit for a couple of mins

Enjoy with a side of warmed up garlic breadsticks, or a fresh salad!  Leftovers are great the next day, just heat in a microwave!   One last picture of my favorite rally friends……   See you in Merritt!

Pizza Bread…adding a new dimension

We’re still IN IT!  (Canucks I mean) – WOOOO! It’s “Foodie Friday”, and, since it IS the weekend, and we all have SOOOO much time to spend in the kitchen playing, I thought I’d share a new favorite way to make up Pizza…using the sauce as a dip, instead.. of a…well… topping? base? Layer that you put the toppings on?... what do you call the sauce on a pizza??  ANYWHO!

I present… Pizza Bread.  Not quite a loaf of bread… as I think there’s basically more toppings that “bread”…  Not quite a Pizza… as pizza’s are typically round (or rectangle-ish) and flat.  This is definitely a bread loaf… that is LOADED full of your favorite Pizza Toppings, baked – then you can use your favorite Pizza Sauce (Pasta sauce works too) to dip the warm slices in.  Perfect for a light dinner, a group Appetizer, or even a herd of hungry kids that needs a creative dinner dish to settle em' down around the dinner table..   It’s like pizza in a whole new dimension!  (hmmm, maybe I need some more coffee… or vino… or… )  Of course sending this to yeastspotting, as without sites like that... I wouldn't be able to do half the things with bread / yeasted dough!  love!!

Our household loves meat – just about any kind – on pizza, so I added a little more there, then tossed in some diced fresh peppers, and onions to add some sort of vegetable aspect (and colour!) I will warn ya… this could become the “NEW” pizza style…  so simple! Play with the “toppings”  - add in olives, feta, spinach – make it “greek style”…  or toss in some shredded cooked chicken, carmalized onions, bacon and serve with BBQ Sauce instead of pizza sauce.  Oh the options! Oh I’m starting to get the craving…..

Pizza Bread

·         1 teaspoon yeast

·         3.4 cup warm water

·         1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1 ½ cups TOTAL of favorite toppings, chopped

·         1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

·         1 table spoon olive oil

-          Sprinkle yeast over warm water in mixer bowl.  Let sit for about 3 mins (until foamy)

-          Add in flour, salt, and using dough hook, mix until it just comes together



-          Add in 1 ½ cups favorite toppings and combine well.  Dough should be tacky, but still form a decent dough ball (add more flour or water if needed)

-         Let rise for about 1 hour; then put in the refrigerator for another hour.

-         Take the dough out of the refrigerator and flour counter space. Roll out into a rectangle shape

-          Sprinkle cheese over top. Carefully fold along the long side, like an envelope. Seal sides so cheese is not exposed.

-         Let rest, covered, while Oven is Preheated  to 450F

-         Let oven stay at 450 degrees for  20 minutes.

-         Bake the bread, either on a pizza stone or baking sheet, for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.

-         About 5 minutes before taking it out, lightly brush the top with olive oil and let it finish baking.

-         Let rest on a wire rack to cool slightly before slicing as like “regular” pizza – Toppings are HOT-TA TA!

-         Cut up in slices, and served with warmed up pizza sauce (or pasta sauce), dunking in the slices as you go!

In preparation for Sunday’s game, and in case I’ve started something here….

GO CANUCKS GO!!

Mini Cannelloni... April Is that you?!

Happy April!  I’m happy to report, there were no MAJOR April Fool’s jokes in my neck of the woods, except perhaps the weather.  As on the morning of April 1^st, we awoke to SNOW.  …I know right!?!?!  EEEEK.  This after just the day before we were walking up and down the aisles in numerous garden centers, planning our soon to be refreshed front yard.  Granted, it was “only” a dusting… but still… white stuff- on ground - friggin’ cold. BOOO.   Enough of my rant, I mean, at least it turned sunny, the “white dusting” is since gone, and though it’s still chilly… at least it’s not snowy.  ANNNNNDD, it’s April 3rd, 3 days closer to May, how does that saying go… April Shower’s Bring May Flowers…. Sooo come on FLOWERS… warm sun…patio parties, annnnd…. Boating Season. **sigh**  Back to reality and Whats for Dinner this week: 



Mini Cannelloni's.. mmmmmm YUM



Cannelloni, one of my all time favorite dinners.  Pasta tubes stuff full of meat and cheese, tomato sauce drowning the pasta and a thick ooey-gooey layer of even more cheese melted perfectly on top. (what’s not to love?!)  BUT, with the approaching warmer months, I really need to stay focused on “lightening up” if you know what I mean.  SO, I went to work using my top ingredient of late…Wonton Wrappers, and just using LESS of everything I typically would of loaded into those delicious round tubes typical of the full version of Cannelloni I love to much.   In my opinion only, these puppies are packed full of flavor, are perfect paired with a light salad or you could even serve them solo as light appetizers. However you decide to make these… just make them will ya?

Mini Cannelloni

• 
  

  1 package (1 lb) Johnsonville sausage ground meat (HOT)
• 
  

  2 cups Chopped Spinach
• 
  

  3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 
  

  ½ cup Ricotta Cheese
• 
  

  Wonton Wrappers (18-20)
• 
  

  2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 
  

  1 Cup Tomato Sauce

-          Cook sausage in large frying pan until no longer pink, medium-high heat. 

-          Add chopped spinach , garlic to meat and stir frequently until spinach is wilted

-          Place meat mixture into a medium bowl, add in ricotta cheese and mix well.  Taste – add salt if needed.(per taste)

-          Turn oven on, and preheat to 400F

-     Placing wonton wrapper on counter, add a spoonful of mixture to middle of wrapper

-      Gently roll Wonton Wrapper, tucking in any filling that tries to seep out. 

-      Place seam side down on a non-stick baking sheet or silpat

-      Continue with remaining wonton wrappers, and filling, placing each cannelloni on baking sheet close together, but not touching.



-     Brush tops lightly with olive oil

-     Bake at 400F for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are crispy and golden, and centers are puffed up

-     Remove from oven and plate, drizzling sauce over top.  – Enjoy!!

** These are great to make ahead.  Just make the filling, roll, and freeze on a cookie sheet, once completely frozen, put mini cannelloni’s in a freezer bag.  Increase baking time accordingly if cooking from frozen.

Lasagna Roll-ups...and a small plea for Spring to hurry and WARM up!

Happy First Day of Spring!  I would love to report that it was warm…and sunny… and all the Cherry Blossoms are blooming here on the West Coast – BUT *sigh* I’d be fibbing.   In some of the higher areas… we’re still getting snow! (nope, no bitterness detected here... pfft! Think Mother Nature is messing with our minds! (well, she’s messing with mine at least)  BUT, trying to find the little positives on what seems like Winters last ditch effort of sticking around…. It also means cool nights…which ALSO means comfort food.   Though I am the type of person who fully believes BBQ Season is year-round… there’s something about a good hearty comfort food meal on a chilly night that seems to warm you from the inside out.   Lasagna Roll-ups fit that perfectly, putting a creative twist on the ole’stand-by yummy pasta dish, pairing perfectly with some fresh bread and glass of vino. 

First of all, let me say, this is recipe is easy to change around.  Pretty much anything you would put into your own normal Lasagna dish could apply here.  So be creative, clean out your veggie crisper drawer in your fridge… or indulge a little (like I did a bit---heehee) and toss in some different cheeses and such. (Moderation is still the word of the month... guess I'll just have to go round' the block a few more times with the pooch!)  This would also be great to make night before, so when you get home from work you can just pop it into the oven.  Of course… toss a salad, bake up some no-knead Sourdough Bread (I threw in Asiago Cheese and Roasted Garlic…holy YUM!!!) aannnnddd  you’ve got yourself a hearty-comfortfood-homemade-warmyourinsides-yummy meal.

Lasagna Roll-ups

• 1 package Johnsonville Ground Sausage
• ½ lb ground pork
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 package fresh Lasagna Sheets
• 1 Jar of your favorite pasta sauce
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese
• 8 slices provolone cheese
• Salt/pepper to taste

- Cook ground meat over med-high heat in a large frying pan until no longer pink.

- Add in chopped spinach, garlic to meat mixture and stir frequently until spinach is wilted

- Remove from heat, stir in ricotta cheese, ½ cup of pasta sauce – TASTE… add salt/pepper if desired

- Lay out 1 lasagna sheet, add a spoonful of meat mixture

- Carefully / loosely roll up noodle and place in a 9 x 13” pan.

- Continue with remaining pasta sheets/meat mixture, carefully placing each roll-up next to eachother in pan so they don’t unravel

-Top roll-ups with remaining pasta sauce, making sure they are well covered

- Add provolone cheese slices, layering on top of pasta sauce (yes yes, this is part of my induldgence)

- Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.  Then cover with Aluminum foil and bake in a 350F preheated oven for 35-40 mins or until cheese is melted and fork is easily inserted/removed from a roll-up. 

**if you like, remove foil for last 5 or so min and brown up cheese (Broiler on High works well for this, just watch it carefully as the cheese burns easily!)

- Remove from oven and let sit for 10 mins before serving.

Serve with some fresh bread, pour yourself a glass of vino and enjoy! 

Now….come on SPRING (I know it's your "first day this year" BUUUUUT)… WARM WEATHER… SUNSHINE…  I’m just about done with Winter....pretty please?!  With a Cherry Blossom on top?!

NOT-Deep Fried Pickles & NOT-Deep Fried Buffalo Chicken Strips served NOT at a Pub night

M- MARCH, M-Moderation, M-Me getting food cravings!  The only way (I believe) to curb some of these said cravings is to give in a little, but what’s even better, is if you are able to cave in a little, curb that craving, however, not even HAVE to have the full fat – totally fried food that you love.  It could be the several years of Pittsburgh in me, or maybe it could be trying to relive some of those College Memories, BUT “Deep Fried Pickles” are something that as soon as I see them on a menu… I just HAVE to have.  (Don’t judge!!) haha , The only thing now is that since I’ve moved to the West Coast, seeing this delicacy *sigh* (again, no judging please) on a menu is few and far between.  Let ALONE the whole “fried factor” and the stuff about steering away from fried foods in general….  As I was pinning my way through Pinterest  (come see what I've found and pinned!)

I came across this wonderful picture and title “NOT-Deep Fried Pickles”, and I’m not gonna lie here folks… I seriously did the “OMG, HOLY…., YUM” in my head, and (of course “pinned it”) took and made up my mind right then and there… YUP, gotta make me some of those!  The recipe link clicks over to Chew Nibble Nosh over on Blogher… oh the fast growing world of blogs eh?!


Not-Deep Fried Pickes & Not-Deep Fried Buffalo Chicken Strips



OKOK, so, although personally, that would be more than enough for me, I figured why not make it a “NOT-at a  Pub Night” and toss in some “better for you” Buffalo Chicken Strips, and not to leave out the all important “side dip”, I whipped up a quick buttermilk dip to go with the above.  YUM YUM! 

NOT-Deep Fried Pickles

(Recipe adapted from “Chew Nibble Nosh” )

•  Pickles – enough to make about 12 sliced wedges
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Cajun Seasoning
• 1 tsp Seasoning Salt
• 1 ½ Cups of Panko Crumbs

- Preheat broiler to high and move oven rack to the level one down from the top.

- Line a baking sheet with foil and place a spray with nonstick spray.

- Remove the pickles from jar and lay out on a plate with some paper towel to drain/dry a bit before dipping

- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and the flour until smooth.  Stir in remaining seasonings.

- In a separate, shallow bowl/dish pour Panko breadcrumbs

- Set up a “production line” on your counter for ease, as if you cook anything like me, your fingers are going to get a little messy, and carrying these around the kitchen probably isn’t a good idea!

- Carefully dip each pickle slice in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off.  Dredge the pickle slices in the breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere.

- Lay the pickles out on the prepared rack.

- Broil for 2-3 minutes (watch them carefully as the bread crumbs can burn easily!!).  Turn the pickles over and broil for another 2-3 minutes until golden

NOT-Deep Fried Buffalo Chicken Fingers

• 2-3 boneless/skinless chicken breast cut into strips
• 1 cup Buffalo Hot Wing Sauce (I used “Franks Hot Wing Sauce”)
•  1/4 cup Buttermilk
• 2 egg whites
• ½ cup Buffalo Hot Wing Sauce
• 1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Cayenne seasoning
• 1 tsp Seasoning Salt
• 1 ½ Cups of Panko Crumbs

- Place first 3 ingredients in a large freezer bag, mix well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight even better)

- Line a baking sheet with foil and place a baking rack on top of the sheet.  Spray with nonstick spray

- In a separate, shallow bowl/dish mix flour, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne seasoning, salt

- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites and hot wing sauce thoroughly.

- In a clean Large freezer bag, add Panko Bread Crumbs

- Set up a “production line” on your counter for ease

- Working down your “production line”, take 1 chicken strip at a time, and dip/coat into each bowl, ending with placing strip in bag with Panko Crumbs.  Now… shake shake shake! Make sure the strip is well covered with crumbs and lay carefully on prepared rack.

- Repeat with remaining chicken strips.

- Bake on centre rack in Preheated over at 425F for 15 mins, flipping once half way.  Enjoy!!

I made both of these on the same night, putting chicken in first, and cooking until they were pretty much ready – turning on the broiler, and placing the pickles on top rack (keeping chicken in oven) and broiled per directions above.  Plated them both, through in a buttermilk dip and added a side of carrots!  Who needs to pay pub food prices, when you can have a “Not at a Pub Night” in.  Now go crack open a beer!  Cheers!