It’s no secret I’m from Chicago where the BEST Pizza comes from.  Since moving to the South I don’t eat pizza like I use to, unless I make it myself.  One thing I haven’t had in 6 years is Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.  Now you have to understand, Real Authentic Deep Dish Pizza isn’t regular pizza with a deep crust, it’s made with deep cheese AND the toppings are put on backwards. Cheese on the bottom, sauce on top.  You need a knife and fork to eat this stuff.

I searched the internet to find a deep dish recipe and found several copycat recipes for Pizzeria Uno, which is a Chicago favorite.  Sorry, this didn’t cut it.  The crust was hard and crunchy or as Don said “Ellie May Crust”  (for those who never watched The Beverly Hillbillies you won’t understand what he meant but lets just say, you could chip a tooth on that stuff).  The crust rose quite a bit and was about an inch thick and the cheese was just a coating.  Then there was no sauce.  The recipe or should I say recipes since all 5 of them said the same thing.  One 15 oz can of tomatoes squished by hand and sprinkle oregano and basil on top.  Only one recipe called for garlic.

This was NOT pizza.  I’m going to try to adapt my homemade thin crust pizza recipe for another attempt at Chicago Deep Dish and when I do succeed you all will hear about it first.  In the mean time I’m going to share my pizza recipe which comes from a good friend in Chicago.  Yes, she’s Italian and she experimented with the crust to get it just right.  I’m posting the recipe the way it was originally given to me and towards the bottom are some tweaks that have been made…………………Enjoy.

PIZZA

CRUST (2 Pizza’s)
1 cup lukewarm water
1 pkg yeast
1 tblsp sugar
3 cups flour
seasonings of choice (example: oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder or minced onions, italian seasonings)

PIZZA TOPPINGS
Pizza sauce (I like “Chef Pastorelli” but have used “Ragu”)
Toppings of choice (example: pepperoni, cooked italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers, ham, pineapple, cooked hamburger, cooked bacon)
Cheese (mozzarella or pizza cheese (combination of mozzarella and cheddar)

PREPARATION
Sprinkle yeast into water and add sugar.   Stir and let it sit about 5-10 minutes.   If the mixture developes a foam on top the yeast is active and OK for use.   Add this to the 3 cups of flour and mix well using your hands.   When all is mixed put the dough on a floured surface and knead about 10 minutes until dough is soft and springy.   Place in warm area and cover for about 30 minutes and allow to rise.

Place 1/2 of dough on floured surface and roll out into shape of pan you are using making sure dough is a little larger than the pan.   Place dough on a greased pizza pan or cookie sheet, pinch edges over to create a lip around the pizza cutting off excess if necessary.   Grease top of dough, prick with fork or knive several times and add seasonings.   (garlic, onion, oregano, basil, italian seasoning or any other seasonings you desire).   Place pan into 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes or until dough pulls slightly away from side of pan.

ASSEMBLY
1/2 jar or can of pizza sauce on each pizza crust.   Add toppings of choice, cheese (avoid having cheese hang off the crust) and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until cheese starts to turn a golden color.   Let cool about 5 minutes before slicing.

NOTE: If 2 pizzas are a bit much for one sitting, let one crust cool completely.   Add toppings and cheese and place in freezer for about 1/2 hour to flash freeze.   Remove from freezer and pan and wrap pizza twice in foil.   Place back in freezer.   When you are ready to enjoy it, place frozen pizza directly on rack in oven and bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes.

I put foil on the bottom of the oven or on the lower rack to catch any drips from cheese.

Well, anyway, to the point.  Tonight I was talking to him about pizza sauce (the sauce on his pizza bread is a LITTLE different than his pizza sauce).  He makes his own sauces and says there’s no difference between Homemade sauce:  Make basic spaghetti sauce but adds  little brown sugar.  The sauce will thickens as it cooks on the pizza.

OPTIONAL HINTS: DO NOT ADD SUGAR TO THE YEAST, can cause the yeast not to work well.

For 2 crusts add about 2 tblsp oil and a tblsp or so of honey instead of sugar.  The oil in the dough makes it stretchier and you don’t have to roll it in flour as long or as hard.  Makes his dough ahead of time and refrigerate it a couple days.  Usually 3 days but not over a week.  Thatt adds a little moisture to the dough and makes it crispier when you bake it.

Our cooking class is over until after the holidays and I’m sure going to miss seeing everyone these next few months but we had a great end to our sessions the other day.  We had a potluck with everyone bringing in their signature or favorite dish.  I of course made my Homemade Chicken & Noodles.  Since Don’s father was Cajun he made authentic Gumbo complete with Okra.  Chef Michael brought in a cheese cake that was to die for and he won my heart when it had raspberries instead of strawberries.  The dish that was the favorite of Don and I was the Tomato Pie.  It was light, creamy and yummy.

Tomato Pie

1 pie crust (ready made is fine)

2-3 chopped green onions

2-3 sliced ripe tomatoes

salt & pepper to taste

Put crust in pie pan and layer rest of ingredients over crust

1-8oz cream cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

8 oz shredded parmesan or Italian Blend cheeses

Mix together and put over tomatoes.   Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes.

Slice and serve like a pie.

Yes, it’s been a while since you’ve heard from me.  Sorry about that, just trying to hone my Domestic Goddess skills.

Later today we’re going to a BBQ at a friend’s house and as any good guest I asked if I could bring anything (see mom I did listen when you talked).   The response to was “how about a side dish.”  It didn’t take me long to blurt out that I’d make a Snicker Salad.

I know some of you are saying;  what the heck is a Snicker Salad, I’ve heard of Snicker Candy Bars and Snicker Ice Cream Bars but not a Snicker Salad.  My answer to that is; you don’t know what you’re missing.  A Snicker Salad is a mixture of crunchy and chewy goodness like your palate has never experienced before.

First I’ll tell you how you’re SUPPOSE to make a Snicker Salad, then I’ll tell you how NOT to make it.  Yes, I’ve been making this for years but this time I had a mental lapse at the store and had a mess yesterday but I was able to fix it so I guess my road to Domestic Goddessness is still on course.

INGREDIENTS:

Snicker Salad

8 oz carton Cool Whip

Large package French Vanilla Pudding (NOT INSTANT)

2-3 Granny Smith Apples

2-3 Snicker Bars (refrigerated is better)

PREPARATION:

Mix the dry pudding and Cool Whip together.  Cut the apples into bite size pieces leaving skin in place and mix into Cool Whip, Pudding mixture.  Cut up the Snicker Bars and add to other ingredients, stirring well.  Yes, it will be very chunky at this point but that’s how you want it to be.  Refrigerate and serve.

I usually make mine the day ahead of the event but making it that morning is OK also.

Now for what NOT to do.

Whenever I decide to make this and I’m at the store I forget whether the pudding is to be instant or not.  I usually get the right one but this time I got the instant pudding which is a mistake.  Instant and Non Instant puddings are not created equal.   Since you don’t make the pudding but use the dry powder this is where the differences is noticed and it’s not in a good way.  When I mixed the pudding and Cool Whip the consistency was not fluffy as in the past but rather hard to mix. This is when I got the electric mixer which is something I’ve never had to use for this before.  I quickly had something the consistency of Play Dough.  That’s when dawned on me why the recipe specifies NOT INSTANT.

OK, what can I do to fix this.  I don’t want to go back to the store but if I have to I will.  I had 1/2 a carton of French Vanilla Cool Whip in the freezer so I quickly nuked that and tried mixing it with the glob of stiff dough that was to be my salad and it didn’t help that much.  Milk, that’s what I need milk.  By this time I transferred my mess to a different bowl and added some milk to the original to try to get some of the chunks off of the bottom and sides and slowly started adding the milk to my thick dough a little at a time and mixing with the electric mixer.  Little by little it started coming back to life and I had the consistency I was looking for.  Don tasted it for me and he was very pleased with the result so I cut up my apples and Snicker Bars and now have a perfect Snicker Salad to take to the BBQ.

Our cooking class today traveled to Egypt with Chef Michael.  We had some wonderful dishes, 2 we prepared in class and several others that he made ahead of time and brought them in for us.  I must say I’m having a hard time trying to figure out which country I like the best since each has it’s own unique flavor.  The ingredients might be the same or similar but the results are uniquely different.

Today we made a Cucumber Chickpea Salad and Egyptian Koshary Pasta.  Me being a devout carnivore was hesitant about anything with something called a chickpea or as it’s also known garbanzo bean in it.  I mean I don’t eat peas or beans of any kind unless it’s my mom’s navy bean soup and even then in moderation and I know I dislike cucumbers.

Well, I dug in avoiding the cucumbers and actually tasted what I guess in my case was just Chickpea Salad.  It was good, not at all what my brain was telling me it would taste like.  Next I tried the Egyptian Koshary Pasta.  It was good but not as good as the salad.

Now for the treats Chef Michael brought in for us and my review.

• Red Pepper Hummus; A dip or spread made of blended garbanzo beans or chickpeas. This we served with bread and spinach tortillas.  I really liked this and would make and eat it again.
• Fig and Date Bread;  (good and not too sweet)
• Olive Oil with Du’a (Dukka);   A is homemade spice and nut mixture that was added to olive oil.  We dipped bread or tortillas in that
• Basbousa-Egyptian Semolina Cake;  This was my favorite of the breads and cakes.  I just had to go back for seconds
• Yermarina Yewotet Dabo or Honey Bread;  I think this was Don’s favorite of the bread and cake selection.

Now for my tough decision.  Which recipe to share with you.  I think I may give you one recipe now and revisit this country again and share the rest of them at a later time.  So today you’ll get the dish that surprised me.

Cucumber Chickpea Salad

or as I’ll refer to it

Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

2 cans drained chickpeas.

1 cup chopped tomatoes, you can use more if you like tomatoes (we used canned diced tomatoes and I tried to drain most of the liquid)

1/2 cup minced onions (we used a red onion and it added a little bit of color.

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 cucumber sliced and chopped (next time I make this I’m omitting the cucumbers)

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp dill weed (I love dill)

salt & pepper

3 tsp red wine vinegar (we used white and it was still good)

1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Mix oil and vinegar and set aside

Mix all other ingredients then add the oil and vinegar.  toss well.  Serve chilled, can add a garnish of fresh parsley if desired.

Moroccan Spread in cooking class. Muhammara is front row between book and cake

Today was our cooking class and we had a blast.  We’re traveling the world in our cooking.  Last week was Indian and today was Moroccan.  Chef Michael’s wife Jeannie joined us and she always brings something extra when she’s there.   Usually it’s a bubbly personality and great stories.  They’ve traveled all over the world and have great stories to share with us.

I have some great recipes from this class and will be posting them periodically.  Today I’m going to post a recipe for Muhammara or Middle Eastern Spicy roasted pepper dip. This dip looks harmless but looks can be deceiving.  The first bite is good, the second better and after that it really packs a punch to the taste buds but it’s so good you keep eating it despite the clear your sinuses burn.

Muhammara

(Middle Eastern Spicy Roasted Pepper dip)

Ingredients:

4 red bell peppers

3/4 cup toasted and chopped walnuts

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2-3 cloves crushed garlic

1-2 tblsp lemon juice

1 tblsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp ground cumin

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Roast the peppers whole under a broiler or on top of the stove turning frequently until the skin has turned black. Remove to large bowl and cover tightly for 10 minutes.  Once cooled peel off skin and remove stems and seeds.  Rinse under running water (quickly) and pat dry.  Roughly chop.

In food processor or blender add remaining ingredients EXCEPT OLIVE OIL and add roughly chopped red peppers.  Pulse to roughly chop the ingredients and with the processor or blender running pour in the olive oil.  Try not to puree the ingredients too much.  YOu want the dip to have some texture.

Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve as a dip or spread on pita wedges, vegetables or kebabs.

We had the dip with celery sticks and spinach tortillas.  This was a great dish and something I’m going to be making for my next party or gathering.

Photo Courtesy of Jeannie Sigler

This recipe is not only low carb but also peanut free for those who have peanut allergies.

Ingredients:

6 tbsp soynut butter

1 egg

4 tsp Splenda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp wheat gluten

You will also need a cookie sheet or baking pan (ungreased)

2 mixing bowls

2 spoons

Preparation:

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

In first bowl stir all ingredients together thoroughly.

Drop seven rounded portions of dough onto ungreased cookie sheet or baking pan.  Since dough is sticky you may need the second spoon to remove from first spoon.

Gently press each cookie with spoon to flatten tops a bit

Bake in 400 degree oven for 6-10 minutes.  Check after 6 minutes and every minute after until top is slightly cripsed and brown.

Nutritional Info:

Serving Size 1 cookie

Calories:  about 100    Carbs:  4 gms net carbs (total carbs minus fiber)

This recipe was submitted by Stacy.  You can read more from Stacy on her 2 blogs:  Making Healthy Food Choices and Cheap & Healthy Meals

Full glass of ice
1/4 cup of half/half
4-5 packs of splenda
fill the rest of the cup up with coffee, hot or cold
Note: Add a dash of vanilla if you wish

**tastes BETTER than the mcdonalds Sugar Free vanilla iced coffees

This recipe was submitted by Kristin a member of  WAHM Message board (happysoulmama).  Kristin has a blog listing Work At Home Jobs:   No Fee WAH Jobs

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp dried whole oregano

1 cup canned, stewed tomatoes

4 eggs

1 tblsp all-purpose flour

2 cups shredded zucchini

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded low-fat process American cheese

1 1/2 cups skin milk

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Vegetable cooking spray

PREPARATION:

Combine cornstarch and oregano in small saucepan.  Add tomatoes, stirring well; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes or until thickened.  Keep warm.

Combine milk, eggs and flour in a large bowl; beat well with wire whisk.  Add zucchini, onion and cheese stirring well.

Pour egg mixture into a 9-inch round quiche dish coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350  for 1 hour.

Spoon tomato mixture over quiche, cut into wedges.  Serve warm.

This is a light meal and my husband who isn’t fond of eggs said to add this to our recipes.  When we ate this it had diced ham added and it was delicious.

NUTRITIONAL VALUES:

Serving amount:  1 wedge

Calories: 102     Carbs:   7 gms       Protein:   9 gms      Fat:    4 gms      Fiber:    trace    Sodium:  278 mg    Chol:   126 mg

This hasn’t been a good month for my foray into Domestic Goddessness. I’m having to learn a new way of eating and with that shopping and cooking. And I’ve had to give up my beloved Pepsi. Why, you might ask. I was diagnosed with diabetes. With that comes a whole lifestyle change which even though difficult might be a blessing because it’s forced us to be more aware of the nutrition labels on processed foods and make different choices. But I still miss my carbohydrate laden foods.

Now that I’ve had a month to get use to the changes I’ve been forced to make I’m delving back into my quest to be THE Domestic Goddess. I’m looking for ways to make favorite recipes low carb or diabetic friendly. I’m also looking for new recipes to try that are low carb and diabetic friendly. If you have a recipe you’d be willing to share please send email it to me at notdomesticgoddess@gmail.com. I’ll be posting those recipes along with the contributors name and if you have a blog of your own I’ll list that along with the recipe. If you’d prefer the recipe be added anonymously just let me know and I’ll be sure to omit your name.

Thanks in advance for your help.

If you’ve been here before you probably know I have a problem with flies in my house. Well, a problem is an understatement. We’re getting dive bombed during dinner and every evening after dinner Don opens the kitchen curtains, turns out the lights, pulls up a chair and grabs our nifty 50 cent fly swatter. For the record, fly swatters are a lot flimsier than they were when I was a kid. Anyway, back to my story. He’ll sit there for about 15 minutes swatting and cackling. He usually kills anywhere from 10-20 flies in each session.

Now you might think we must have garbage all over the house to attract that many flies. No, sorry we don’t. Those little suckers come into the garage when we let the dogs in and out. They come in the garage when we come home from the grocery store and unload the car. They sit in the garage in wait for us to open the inside door and they swarm into the house. I know they’re attracted to light so we try not to turn the garage light on when we let the dogs in and out but that’s rather hard to do at night because we close the inside door quickly and there’s only 1 tiny window in there so we can’t see where we’re going and well, you know garages, there’s a lot of stuff to bump into and trip over. So, every evening Don kills most of the flies and the next day they all come back.

While at a friends one evening for dinner we were complaining about those awful flies and the wife said someone had told her to hang a plastic bag of water on the door. That set off something in my memory. When I was doing homecare I’d see patients with baggies of water hanging off their doorknobs, mailboxes or from the outside lights. When asked why they said it keeps flies away.

Willing to try anything I did some research and found several places where that method was talked about and every article I read with the exception of 1 said it worked so I filled 2 small baggies half way with water and taped one to the outside back garage door and 1 in the garage next to the door leading to the house. Those bags have been there 3 days now and our fly population had been drastically reduced. We still get a few but I think they’re coming in from the front door and from the overhead garage door when we open that.

Now that I know it works I’m going to fix one for outside the front door. Yes, I was hesitant to hang one in the front so the neighbors wouldn’t laugh when it didn’t work but I’m over that now. We also have to figure a way to get one by the overhead door. I’m thinking of hanging it from the ceiling but I really think it should be outside. Something about the light reflecting off the movement of the water or the water magnifying everything that scares the flies and keeps them away. Hey, I don’t care how it works, just that it works is good enough for me.