Home made pizza

I have never met a person who doesn't like pizza, who didn't have the cravings for pizza.. Now that was me last week.. I didn't want store brought pizzas since it is not up to my standard these days. I wanted to make one just the way I like.
Came home talked to Noel( my daughter). She is all for it. So here it comes

Pizza Dough

All purpose flour 2 1/4 cup
Active dry yeast 1 tsp
Sugar 2 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Vegetable oil 2 tbsp
Warm water 1 cup
In a small bowl combine flour salt sugar yeast. stir well to combine. Add vegetable oil and water to the mixture. Make a soft dough. Cover and keep it in a warm place to rise until it doubled in volume.It takes about 40 minutes. (I used my oven)
Take the dough out and spread it on to the pizza pan. use your hands to spread. put it back in to the oven to rise again for about 10 15 minutes.
While the dough is rising, prepare your favourite toppings.

For Toppings

Pizza sauce/ tomato sauce enough to cover the pizza
Mozzarella cheese 1 ball
Pepper flakes to sprinkle
Bacon
Peperoni
Red Onion sliced
Jalapeño pepper
Olives circles

chop the bacon and fry to a golden brown. Grate mozzarella cheese.
Take the pizza dough out spread the tomato sauce with a spoon. Spread 1/4 of grated cheese now add all your favourite toppings. Top with the rest of the cheese. Pre heat your oven to 450 . Bake for about 20 minutes.

I would add some oregano and basil and garlic if using plain tomato sauce

Vegetable pulo

Basmati rice         2 cup

Water                   4 cup

Mixed vegetable  2 cup

Cardamom           4

Star anise             1

Clove                   5

Bay leaves           2

Butter                  2-3 Tbsp

Ginger                 1 small piece

Garlic                  3 cloves

Wash and soak the rice for about 15 minutes.
In a heavy bottom pan Heat butter  add the whole spices and fry.
Add chopped ginger garlic and  sliced onion  fry well.
Add the drained rice and fry for about 2-3 minutes.  Add 2 cups of mixed vegetables. ( carrots, peas Green beans, Corn,potatoes etc. I did not use peas and potatoes with this pulao.
Add 4 cups of water and let it boil. Once it starts boiling add a tsp lemon juice and salt and mix well. cover the pot with a lid and cook under low heat. until rice reaches the desired consistency. Or until the water is absorbed. leave it covered for another 5 minutes. Use a fork to fluff the rice .
Enjoy with a Raita 

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa              1 cup

Water                 2 cup

Salt                    1/2 tsp

Olive oil                              1/8 cup

Cucumber                            1/2 chopped

Tomato                                2-3 diced

Onion                                  1 diced

Mixed nuts( Trial mix)        1cup

Pepper flakes                       1tsp

Lime juice                            1 tsp 

cumin                                   1/4 tsp

Bring water to boil in saucepan. add quinoa and salt, Cover the pan, reduce the heat to a medium  cook for about 10-15 minutes until quinoa is cooked well and all the water is absorbed. Set it aside to cool. add the rest of the ingredients and mix well

Vegetable stir fried noodle

Egg noodle                            1 pack
Green beans                           2 cup
Cabbage shredded                  2.1/4 cup
Read pepper                           1/2 cup
Onion                                      1 medium size
sesame Oil or vegetable Oil      2 tbsp
Low sodium soy sauce             4 tbsp
Peanut butter                            1 tbsp

          Cook the noodle as per package direction and drain it in to a colander. Heat the pan  add oil add the vegetables and onion and saute well. Add the cooked egg noodles and mix well. Add say sauce and peanut butter. Mix well until the sauces and peanut butter coats the noodles well. Supper is ready.

Meatballs Indian styl

1.Ground beef 2.5lb
Salt for taste
2.Fennel seed 1/4 tsp
3.Cloves 7
4.Black pepper 1tsp
5.Garlic 3 cloves
6.Cardamom 2
7.Chili pepper 1/2 tsp ( as needed)
8.Tomato puree 3 tomato

Grind 2- 7 ingredients together. Mix the spice mix and salt well with ground beef. Make a lemon size balls and fry them under medium heat. I use a non stick pan for this. You do not need to add extra oil for frying. The oil from the meat will be enough. Fry the meatballs for about 10 minutes turning as needed. Add tomato puree and fry until all the water is evaporated.
Have it with your favourite pasta.

In the picture I used spaghetti with store bought alfredo sauce

Fried Rice

 Long grain rice                     2 cup
Water                                                  3 cup
Oil                                                       1 tsp
Green bean thin sliced                          1/4 cup
Carrot Julienne cut                                1/4 cup
Corn  kernels                                        1/4 cup
Cabbage  shredded                               1/4 cup
Chicken shredded                                 1 cup
Turmeric                                                1/8 tsp
Eggs scrambled                                     2
Sesame oil                                            3 tbsp
Soy sauce                                             4 tablespoon

Wash and drain the rice and set it aside. Boil water with salt and 1 tsp oil. while the water is boiling cook the shredded chicken with salt and turmeric. Add rice to the water. let it boil for about 2  minutes. Then cover and cook under low heat. Transfer it to a long pan and let it cool. keep it in the fridge for at least 2 hrs. Even better if you make the rice the day before. Heat a large bottom heavy wok. Add oil and stir fry all the vegetables and chicken. Add the eggs and scramble well add the cold rice and soy sauce to the vegetable   fry for another 10  minutes under medium heat.

If you like the vegetarian option in place of chicken use Soy chunks.
Soak the soy chunks in hot salty water. the squeeze them well

Rotini with Meat sauce

Ground beef             1lb
Pasta sauce              1 container I use Regu
Garlic Chopped          1 clove
Onion  Chopped       1
Basil                         1/4 tsp
Oregano                   1/2 tsp
Black pepper            1/2 tsp

Brown the ground beef well Drain the excess fat off. Be sure to stir well so that the meat wouldn't form any lumps. Add Garlic, onion, Basil, oregano and Black pepper  fry for another 5 minutes.  Add the pasta sauce to the meat cook it under medium heat for about 10 minutes. serve on top of rotini. top with shredded marble cheese and Parmesan cheese


For Pasta:

Boil pot full of water. add 1 tsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt.
When the water boils add the pasta. Be sure to have lots of water. so that the past wouldn't stick together. when the pasta reach your consistency drain it.

Rice and Beans

Rice              1/2 cup
Beans            1/2 cup
Coconut         1/2 cup
Geera              1/4 tsp
Black pepper    1/2 tsp
Garlic                2
Salt                    1/2 tsp
Oil                     2 tbsp

Soak the beans  over night (Optional). cook the beans with all the ingredients except the rice . Once the beans are almost cooked add the rice. the water should be 1/2 finger above the rice level. Cover and bring to boil. boil the rice for about 15 minutes.Now turn them heat  down to low. cook it until the rice is done to your consistency. Have it with moru and pappadam.

This dish is good when you don't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen and wants some comfort food.