Day 39-- An un-recipe for homemade margarita pizza

This entry is a step-by-step process of fucking up a homemade margarita pizza via the Margarita Pizza recipe in What to Cook and How to Cook It.

Prologue:

I am a pizza addict.  I eat a slice of cheese pizza at least once a week, at my worst, 4 times a week.  So when I saw the homemade pizza recipe in What to Cook and How to Cook It I knew exactly what I wanted to make for dinner.  Let me tell you this: the best and only good part of this recipe was the thought of it while driving to the grocery store.  It was all downhill to shit from there.

Homemade Margarita Pizza

Step 1.) Ingredients:

WAY TOO EXPENSIVE.  The cheese alone cost me $11, the pepperoni about $3, the unneeded tomatoes about $2.50, and luckily I have a basil plant otherwise that would have added another $2.50.  So, before you've even started cooking you need to buy $19 worth of perishable items. 

Not worth it. And let's hope you already own flour [more on that in a sec] ($4) and tomato sauce ($1.50) and spices.  All in all, this dish cost me roughly $25 to make a crappy pizza

But it is here that the most egregious mistake was made.  The recipe called for bread flour.  I had no idea what that meant and Von's sure as fuck didn't carry it.  So I bought all-purpose flour.  Apparently there is a huge difference in the proteins of bread flour which interact better with the yeast to become more elastic and grow better = a better pizza 

After some fact checking, the only store in the San Diego area that carries bread flour is Williams-Sonoma ($12), and their bread flour is purposely designed for bread machines so I'm not even sure that would work. 

Directions:  

This recipe called for the dough to rest 10 minutes before kneading, and an hour to rise, plus almost 15 minutes to flatten it out to a pie shape.  If it tasted good, maybe this time would be worth it.  IT WAS NOT WORTH MY TIME.

Review:

Just awful.  Okay, the cheese and basil and pepperoni were tasty, but the dough killed the whole thing.  The crust was as flat and tasteless as a hospital cracker.  Utterly terrible.  Once again, use bread flour.

Actually, don't make it at all.  For $25 and an hour and a half of your time you can go out to a spiffy pizza restaurant and have not only an excellent night, but an excellent dinner as well.  

 

Day 38 -- Cooking challenge/breakfast recipe

So the bf and I have a food challenge that just started today.  I cook for two days (breakfast, lunch, dinner), he cooks for two days (breakfast, lunch, dinner), me one more day, then him one more day.  I'll be posting up recipes as I go along. 

So far I've made breakfast, which was a success.  For each recipe I'll be posting a prologue of why I chose the dish, and then a review after the recipe direction.

Prologue:

Eggs with fruit is a usual staple of our mornings but today I wanted to dress it up.  I happened to find these little glass dipping bowls in one of my moving boxes and thought they would be perfect to hold the strawberries and banana slices.  The cooked tomato idea was inspired by my favorite cookbook What to Cook and How to Cook It in their English Breakfast recipe. The trick to this dish is all about timing and order.

Fried Eggs over medium, with Cooked Tomato, and Mixed Fruit

prep time: 4 minutes

cook time total: 15 minutes

makes: 2 servings

Ingredients

4 eggs

2 slices of bread

1 small tomato

6 strawberries

1 banana

1 lettuce leaf torn in half for presentation

butter

salt and pepper

Directions

1.) This dish is all about timing so first and foremost turn on your oven to broiler.  While that heats up, wash your strawberries and split them up into two small dipping bowls.  Cut up one banana into the two bowls as well. Place the fruit bowls into the refrigerator until everything's cooked.

2.) Cut your tomato in half and place the slices face up directly onto the rack. Wait about 5-7 minutes for the tomatoes to get a head start cooking.  Leave them in there as you cook the rest of the dish.

3.) Take out two pans and crack two eggs into each pan.  As they sizzle, toast your two slices of toast and take out your lettuce leaf.  Wash the leaf and split into two pieces and place each piece on a plate.  This is what your tomato is going to be resting on.

4.) Cook your eggs as you like them--I tend to flip them like a pancake once the yolk is fairly firm and add a little salt and pepper.  By this time your toast should be done, so butter them up and cut each slice in half.  Place the slices on your plates.

5.) Transfer your cooked eggs onto the plate as well as your fruit bowls.  Lastly, take out the tomato slices using tongs and place on the leaves.  Done!

Review: 

This breakfast looked really pretty.  It's amazing what a dipping bowl and a lettuce leaf can do for look appeal.  I ate everything on my plate except for the whole tomato slice.  I've always been iffy about tomatoes but it definitely was a fun thing to try.  On a side note, the boyfriend ate everything on his plate so you might enjoy the whole dish a well.  Happy cooking!

 

Day 37-- Love

And then there are days like today when the bf and I were going for our daily walk and he stopped suddenly near the main strip.  He had a mischievous look in his eye and told me he was going to ask me to do something and this is the only time he'll ever ask this of me.  I insisted and insisted he tell me what the hell he was talking about and eventually I started getting annoyed because I was certain he was going to ask me to get him a burger to go.

We walked some more and ended up at a candy shop where he turned to me with a smile and said I should pick out one piece of candy I desired.  I was completely stunned.  He's always had this vow not to buy girls candy so I knew this was a big deal.  I had a huge smile on my face for this special occasion and asked why.  "Because you're beautiful," he said.  I was super giddy and picked out a dark chocolate rocky road cluster.  He picked out a raspberry chocolate.

I could stop laughing and smiling at this tiny gesture that made my day.  As usual we passed by the beach on the way home and today I decided to kick off my flip-flops and hop the wall down to the sand.  He jumped after me and we walked back holding hands.  Holding hands, I should say, as he decided we should chase after seagulls with me yelling, "I'm after you!" to the braver ones would just waddle faster.

This is way I moved here.  This is why I live in San Diego. =)

Day 36--Materialist Wednesday

I was feeling blue this morning.  It sucks to come back from a vacation and not really feel "home".  This isn't my room or my house or my neighborhood, and as I've mentioned previously, I very much like San Diego but it's not where I should be if I pursue a career in writing or publishing.  So.  I knew I needed to change my attitude.  I needed to do something that made me feel more invested here.  So I did as every good American should do: I went shopping, haha.  And Jesus, I shopped.

[tangent]

The bf: "You've been saying 'Jesus' a lot around kinda religious people."

Me: "Well, it's better than saying 'fuck'."

[end tangent]

 

Here's my materialist Wednesday to fight the blues:

Target

Finally bought my blue iPod Shuffle, and I fully plan on getting started with my fitness workout the rest of the summer.

A notebook to write letters to friends

Eyeliner 'cause I'm running out

Michael's

Bought two large candle vases

Black sand

Fake leaves

JcPenney's

Bought a job interview gray skirt 

A job interview green shirt

Anthropologie

Looked around

Pottery Barn

Looked around

Charolette Russe

Bought an interview white pinstripe skirt

Pier One

Looked around

Salvation Army

Bought some house decorations which, after a 'no' opinion, I will be returning those items.

My storage unit

Took out my external hard drive to upload pictures

Took out some cooking ware

Farmers market

Bought (for only $5 total!) a parsley plant, a basil plant, and a thyme plant

Food, fashion, and errands.  And catching up on an episode of True Blood.  So went my Wednesday. 

Day 34--Kayaking on a lake

Happy 4th of July!  It's been a really marvelous time out here in Arkansas for the bf's family reunion, including last night when we boated down to the lake to watch the fireworks off the dam (while munching on cinnamon popcorn, I might add). 

It's still snuggly humid out here, but it's been raining since last night which means I won't be kayaking today.

I am not a sporty girl, which isn't for lack of trying.  I've attempted snowboarding, snow skiing, indoor sky-diving, soccer, baseball, football, pool, jogging, bowling, swimming, yoga, ect ect.

Through it all I have found that I am good at exactly two sports: badminton (stop laughing) and as of this week, amateur kayaking on a calm lake.  

I can't tell you how excited I was to see three beautiful kayaking floating out on his parents' dock when we arrived a few days ago.  It's a sport I've been wanting to try for years and could never bring myself to sign up for a class by myself.  This week was the week to finally get out there!

Kayaking on a lake is surprisingly easy (thank God). There are two basic steps: (1) Get into the kayak and (2) Paddle.

1.) Get in the kayak

The kayaks I've been using have been tied up with a clip to the dock.  There seems to be two popular ways of getting in and I've done both this trip.  Before you do anything, put your paddle inside of the kayak so it's there once you're inside.  Now, the first option of getting inside is to be really careful and simply put one leg in, balance, put in the other foot, sit down, and have someone unclip you.  Several people have lost their balance while doing this option so it's not recommended.

The other option of getting into the kayak is to put the kayak half on shore to start off.  Once again, put the paddle inside the kayak so it's there before you get in.  Now put one leg in and then the other and sit down.  Use your hands to push off the shore and start paddling to deeper water.

2.) Paddle

 

The paddles have slightly curved blades at the ends which look like vague ice cream scoopers.  You're going to want your blades scooping the water like you're pushing the water back. This is what's going to propel you forward.

Hold the paddle about shoulder length wide with your two hands.  When you dip into the water to "scoop" it back (making your kayak go forward) you really don't have to dip more than just below the surface. 

Since both of your arms are on the paddle the more dipped one side is, the higher up the other side is. Dip shallow so that the paddle doesn't go higher than your shoulder otherwise your arms will be strained.  [see photo to right]

Dip/scoop on the right side to make your kayak go to the left. Dip/scoop on the left side to make your kayak go to the right.  Dip right, left, right, left, right, left, right, left to move your kayak forward.

To stop or slow down just stick the paddle blade flat into the water or start dipping/scooping in the opposite direction to move the water forward instead of behind you.

3.) Getting out.  

Just reverse how you did it getting in.  Either dock yourself sorta on shore and take one foot out and then the other, or, get someone to clip you to the dock and step one foot out on the dock and then the other while keeping balance.

Have fun out there!

Day 31--My 7 tips to pack with just one carry-on

Yikes, it's incredible that two flights of terrifying turbulence can get me to order my first in-flight cocktail while trying to remember all of the words to "Hail Mary, full of grace".  Anyway.

I've done a bit of traveling in my day, and always with just a carry-on.  I got chewed out once for having checked-in baggage so I've been able to travel places in all weather and all lengths of time with just one backpack.  It's saved me so much time and space, and I highly recommend it.

I'm sure you all know how to pack, but here are a few tips from me about packing your life for a week or less in just one backpack.

#1.) Get out a piece of paper and plot out each day's outfit.  

Yes, I know this sounds silly, but by visualizing everything beforehand you won't over-pack and you won't under-pack either.  Stick figures are totally fine, or just write it out.  This will also help in your packing order of Sun-bottom, Sat--next to bottom, Fri--middle, Thur--towards the top, Fri--pjs on top.  

#2.) Yes or no, are you taking your laptop?

Since you're using a backpack the flattest item should be placed along the back so it's flat against you.  The laptop, if you chose to bring it, should be the first thing you should put in (but if you're flying, put in last since you'll have to pull it out for security check).

#3.) Put things in packing order based on the days.

As I said in number #1, pack your clothes in the reverse order of your days.  Sun-bottom, Sat--next to bottom, Fri--middle, Thur--towards the top, Fri--pjs on top, ect  What I love about standard school backpacks is that they almost always have side pockets, and I use this for my shaving bag on one side, hair dryer or heels on the other.

#4.) Always bring a dress

You never know

#5.)  Invest in a shaving bag or a make-up bag (even a pencil case will work)

I love my little pink shaving bag.  It's pretty much an oversized pencil case and it's just big enough for my toothbrush, some make-up, my razor, and deodorant.  Having a little to-go bag saves you so much room in packing.

#6.) Don't for about the forgettables

Did you remember your

--Phone charger?

--Contact solution?

--Razor?

--Toothbrush?

--Hair brush/hair dryer?

I have forgotten my contact solution and contact case soooooo many times.  Make sure it's all 2oz or under for airports.

#7.) Bring socks

I don't care if you're going to Death Valley in July, bring socks.  This is a lesson I've been stupid about over and over again.  I don't care if it's hot as hell during the day, that hotel or that friend's house might be freezing at night.  Or maybe they just don't allow shoes in the house.

Happy travels, and cheers!