Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

Inspired by the butternut squash enchiladas as Cactus restaurant here in Seattle, I threw together these tacos last week on a complete whim.  David was unsure about how these would turn out, but he went along with the plan (as long as I promised not to put any zucchini in as well).  These turned out to be pretty darn good and won even David's seal of approval.  Enjoy on homemade tortillas for an extra special treat.

Ingredients

8 homemade tortillas
1 shallot, diced
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and finely diced
1 medium head of broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces
1 can of black beans drainer
goat cheese for sprinkling on top

1. Drizzle olive oil into a large saute pan.  When oil is hot add shallot and cook 2-3 minutes.
2. Add potatoes and stir with shallot.  Then add broccoli and combine.
3. Let the veggies cook for at least 15 minutes.
4. After 15 minutes, sprinkle salt and black pepper on top for taste.
5. Next, stir in black beans to allow them to warm up with the other veggies
6. Once heated through, you are ready to serve.
7. Fill like you would any other tortilla and top with goat cheese and salsa as an extra treat!

Brussels Spout Saute + Asian Noodles

This recipe will make you never want to order Chinese take out ever again.  The inspiration for this recipe goes out to my friend Betsy who informed me that fish sauce and brussels sprouts were an unbeatable combination.  Intrigued I had to try this combination and put my own spin on it adding some homemade yakisoba noodles.  If you don't have times to make your own noodles then please feel free to pick up some noodles from the grocery store (though you might be slightly disappointed).  Betsy, my hat is off to you!

Ingredients

Veggie Saute

1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts
1/2 pound bok choy
1 medium carrot
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 garlic clove minced
1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (Rooster sauce!)

Noodles

1 1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Trim ends off brussels sprouts and remove outer nasty leaves.  Trim ends off bok choy as well.  Peel carrot and roughly chop.
3. Put veggies on a cookie sheet and lightly toss with vegetable oil.
4. Cook 20 minutes until veggies are crisp.
5. Meanwhile combine fish sauce through sriracha sauce in a glass or small tupperware to create your "dressing".  Set aside.  If you are not making your own noodles, skip to step 12.
6. Meanwhile combine flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.  Add eggs and pulse to combine.  If the dough is wet, add a bit more of flour.
7. Kneed dough for a minute or two on a clean counter and let it rest 30 minutes.
8. Using a pasta roller or rolling ping, roll out dough until 1/4 in thick (setting number 4).
9. Heat a pot of chicken stock (4 cups) on the stove.
10. Take rolled out dough and cut into noodle shape or put dough through spaghetti pasta attachment to cut the noodles.
11. Cook the noodles in the boiling chicken broth for 2-3 minutes in small batches until cooked.  Set aside in a large bowl.
12. Combine noodles and roasted veggies in the large bowl and cover with "dressing".  Toss to evenly coat and serve immediately.

Sunchoke and Leek Soup

Sunchokes are also known as Jerusalem Artichokes.  They have an artichoke flavor but are basically the consistency of a potato.  They are perfect in this soup recipe because they add heft to the soup but also add a unique flavor (slightly different than the traditional potato and leek soup).  This recipes calls for lime juice, but feel free to substitute lemon or balsamic vinegar instead.  Serve with crusty bread and cheese for a complete meal.   Another note about the sunchokes and leeks.  Both can be vegetables that still have dirt on them so feel free to rinse in a cold bath of water before hand to get the grime off.

Ingredients

1 large leek, chopped (up to the light green parts)
2 lbs sunchokes cleaned, peeled (if possible) and finely chopped
1 small yukon gold potato, peeled and chopped
1 quart chicken broth
salt/pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup heavy cream

1. In a large dutch oven, heat a few swirls of olive oil.  When hot, add the chopped leeks and stir to coat with olive oil.  Let cook 3-5 minutes until softened. 
2. Set heavy cream out so it can come to room temperature.
3. Add chopped sunchokes to the mixture and stir well.  Cook another 5 minutes until beginning to soften.
4. Add potato and chicken broth, let cook 30 minutes until all veggies are soft and soup is beginning to meld together.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste then add lime juice and let cook another 10 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and wait 5 minutes.  Then stir in heavy cream.  You are trying to prevent the cream from curdling here.
7. Serve in bowls with crusty bread for dipping!

Entertaining - Hosting an Autumn Harvest Social

This time of year is the perfect time to gather your friends around and celebrate the bounty of the harvest and enjoy the delicious foods that come with Autumn.  This can be your "friends-giving" or just an excuse to get together and carve pumpkins.  These recipes are easy to put together and really show the flavors of the season.  All you need to make this a perfect party are some nice martini glasses and simple plates and flatware.  The rest of the atmosphere will come from the relief of being inside during a cold and rainy day.

Menu for a fabulous party!

Cocktail - Blood and Sand Martini
Appetizer - Sesame Seed Kale Chips
Salad - Beet, Pear and Avocado Salad
Dinner - Shepard's Pie
Dessert - Pumpkin Cookies with Chocolate Frosting

Roasted Apple, Carrot and Shallots

We had the most fantastic summer in memory so the transition to autumn was definitely hard to do.  The first day of bad weather I made this dish and it was so delicious that I was able to make peace with the fact we are changing seasons and that isn't always a bad thing.  I love using season foods and right now, these three items are your best friends.  The apple adds a touch of sweet but doesn't overpower the other flavors.  Serving it with pork chops or chicken is a must!

Ingredients

1 small apple, a Grannysmith is perfect
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
1 medium shallot, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
2 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Core the apple and dice and place in a medium bowl.
3. Add sliced carrots and shallot to the apples
4. Sprinkle thyme, salt/pepper and then add olive oil and toss veggies to coat with oil.
5. Place on cookie sheet (even on a piece of foil to make clean up easy) and cook in the oven 30 minutes until shallots are starting to brown.
6. Remove and serve with your favorite autumn main dish (this veal piccata would be perfect!)

Sesame Seed Kale Chips

I've been making kale chips all summer, but I finally decided to brighten up the dish with some of my favorite flavors...tahini and lemon!  These chips are irresistible so be prepared to add this to your weekly grocery list.  You will never look at kale the same way again (and that is a good thing!)

Ingredients

1 lb kale, leaves torn from stems
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
1 small lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Pull out two cookie sheets.  You do not need to pre-grease these.
2. Whisk olive oil, tahini, lemon juice and salt together in the bottom of a large bowl.
3. Add kale and use tongs to evenly toss the dressing over the leaves
4. Lay out on cookie sheets so the leaves are not overlapping each other
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds
6. Cook 20-25 minutes until leaves are dry and crispy.
7. Devour!

Carrot and Coconut Curry Soup

I love soups that don't require a lot of ingredients or a lot of babysitting.  This time of year there are a lot of carrots in the farmer's markets and this recipe is a great way to use them up and have a nutritional and satisfying meal.  This soup is definitely best served with naan or pita bread.

Ingredients

2 pounds of carrots, peeled and topped
1 red onion, cut into big chunks
2 tablespoons curry
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
olive oil
1 15 oz can coconut milk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. On a rimmed cookie sheet, add carrots, onion and sprinkle with curry, cumin, salt and then drizzle with olive oil.
3. Allow to roast in the oven for about an hour.
4. When done, remove from the oven and place in a large soup pot.  Fill with water until veggies are almost covered.
5. Stir in coconut milk and reheat until bubbling.
6. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.
7. Serve with naan or pita bread.

Beet, Pear and Avocado Salad

This recipe comes straight from Mollie Katzen's "The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without".  The combination might sound really strange, but everyone I made this for loved it!  Feel free to substitute apple for the pear.

Ingredients 

4 roasted beets (see note below)
1 large pear (just barely ripe)
1 avocado
juice of one lemon
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup goat cheese crumbles
olive oil
salt
pepper

1. Roasted beets are pretty easy.  I tend to always have some ready this time of year due to a plethora of beets in the area.  Remove the tops of the beets, wash well to remove the dirt, dry with a paper towel, place on foil, drizzle with olive oil and create a "packet" with the foil.  The steam will cook them in an 375 degree oven in about 45 minutes.
2. Slice cooled beets and place on serving dish
3. Repeat with pear and avocado
4. Juice lemon over the salad mixture to prevent it from turning brown
5. Sprinkle chopped walnuts and goat cheese over the salad
6. Finally sprinkle a few tablespoons of olive oil over the salad and sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper.
7. Serve as a delicious side dish or autumn lunch with some fresh homemade bread.

Autumn Fruit and Nut Cake + Maple Glaze

My friend Hillary is an awesome baker and she made a version of this cake for a family friend's birthday.  I wanted to make this into a breakfast dish that would really hold up to a good cup of coffee and here is the final result.  This is also co-worker and husband tested and approved!

Ingredients

Cake
1/2 cup raisins + 1 tablespoon flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick butter, melted
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 medium size pear, cored and diced
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
1 cup chopped walnuts

Glaze
3 tablespoons real maple syrup
1/3 cup powdered sugar

1. Combine raisins and 1 tablespoon flour to coat the raisins.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a springform pan or other cake pan (even a muffin tin will work)
2. Beat 2 eggs on high speed about 1 minute.
3. Add sugar and beat until combined, another 1-2 minutes.
4. Add vanilla and melted butter and beat until combined, about 1 minute.
5. In a separate bowl combine remaining flour, baking soda, spices and whisk together to incorporate.
6. Slowly add to the liquid mixture and stir until combined.  This might seem a little dry, but that is okay because we are adding fruit and carrots.
7. Use a spatula to incorporate pear, carrot, walnuts and raisins.
8. Carefully pour into the greased cake pan and use the spatula to evenly spread the batter in the pan.
9. Cook about 45 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean and top is a beautiful even brown.
10. Let cool 15 minutes.
11. While cool, combine maple syrup and powdered sugar to create the maple glaze.  If it needs a bit more liquid, add a touch more of the maple syrup.
12.  Pour over the cooled cake and serve with some coffee.

Poached Salmon Sliders + Curry Aioli

Here is one of those meals that comes to being when the stars align and everything is in it's right place.  Salmon is so quintessentially Northwest that sometimes we take it for granted.  This salmon was given to us by my husband's family, caught in Alaska and immediately frozen to preserve the flavor.  Whether you make this for date night or game day, this will become a classic recipe in your house.  Thanks Hilde and Chi for the salmon!

Ingredients

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1 small shallot, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup beer or wine (whatever you are drinking)
2 cups water
1 lb wild caught salmon fillet, cut into four equal pieces
3/4 cup mayonnaise
 3 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 small green onion chopped
1-2 cups arugula or other lettuce
8 rolls (we used Macrena bakery olive rolls)

1. Heat large sauce pan over medium heat, add a tablespoon or so of olive oil.
2. When hot, add the carrot, shallot, cumin, curry, red pepper flakes and saute 5 minutes
3. Add beer and let cook down 1 minute
4. Add water and bring to a boil
5. When boiling add salmon fillets (skin side down) and cook 4-5 minutes
6. Immediately remove from heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the salmon from the hot liquid.  There is nothing worse than overcooked salmon.
7. Meanwhile, prepare aioli.  Mix mayonnaise, curry powder, lime juice and green onion.
8. Carefully peel salmon meat away from the skin
9. Cut the rolls in half add a few leaves of arugula, add salmon and serve with the mayonnaise.

NOTE - You might have to cut the fillet into half again (thus having 8 pieces) depending on the size of your rolls.

Pear Rosemary Coffee Cafe

What do you do when someone gives you 10 pounds of fresh pears?  Make a lot of pear recipes!  This cake came together really quickly and hit the spot on a Sunday morning.  This is really adaptable and could be modified for any of your favorite flavors, even lavender instead of rosemary would be amazing!

Ingredients

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch of salt
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
1 cup all purpose flour
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 small pears (your favorite type), cored and thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a spring form pan and set aside.
2. Mix all dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl.  Set aside.
3. Use a mixer or eggbeater to cream together softened butter and sugar.
4. When light and fluffy (or after 4 minutes) add eggs one at a time and incorporate into the sugar and butter mixture.
5. Add vanilla and let mix for 30 more seconds.
6. Slowly add flour mixture to the "wet" butter mixture.  Add about 1/3 cup of ingredients at a time. It should all be incorporated within 2 minutes.
7. Transfer to a pre-greased cake pan and use a spatula to evenly distribute the batter.
8. Top with pear slices
9. Cook about 45 minutes, until tooth pick comes out clean and the cake is golden brown on top.
10. Let cool 15 minutes before removing from spring form.

Roasted Corn and Tomatillo Enchiladas

I've never been so excited for a dinner to come out of the oven on an 80 degree day.  It was totally worth turning the oven on and the meal came together surprisingly fast.  I love enchiladas but rarely make them at home so this recipe was a nice surprise!

Ingredients

3 ears of corn
1 shallot
1 lime, juiced
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained
6-8 tortillas (these homemade tortillas are the best!)
2 cups tomatillo sauce
2 cups Mexican style cheese
Toppings - Salsa, Sour Cream, Hot Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Remove corn husks and corn silk.  Take a sturdy butcher knife and remove the corn kernels from the cob.
3. Finely chop shallot
4. Heat skillet over medium high heat.  A a swirl or olive oil.  When hot add the shallot and corn and cook about 10 minutes.
5. Add beans to the veggies and squeeze lime juice over the veggies and remove from heat.
6. Take about 1/3 cup of tomatillo sauce and pour in bottom of 9''x13'' pyrex or other dish you will be using for the enchiladas.
7. Take a tortilla and fill with about a scoop of veggies.  Fold tortilla "burrito" style and lay in the dish.
8. Repeat with remaining tortilla and filling
9. Cover with remaining tomatillo sauce and then sprinkle the cheese over the dish.
10. Cook in the oven until cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes.
11. Serve with salsa, sour cream, hot sauce and Corona beer!

Sauerkraut

I resisted this for so long and I'm so happy I finally gave in.  I thought for sure this would smell up the house or cause some crazy bacteria growth, but actually, homemade sauerkraut is officially a winner in my book.  Insanely easy and delicious on hot dogs (think upcoming BBQ holiday), sandwiches, salads, etc. you definitely have to give this a try.  The biggest thing here is to get a container that can hold all the ingredients. We used a large plastic container and draped a clean dish cloth over it to keep dust, etc. out.

Ingredients for 1 lb sauerkraut

1/2 head of cabbage, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 jalopeno, seeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons salt

1. Thinly slice all the veggies and add to the plastic or ceramnic container you will store the kraut.  A 2 gallon container is plenty big enough.
2. Add oregano, red pepper flakes and salt to the veggies and stir very well to coat
3. Place a smaller tupperware filled with water on an extra cabbage leaf to create a barrier.  Once the salt starts to extra the liquid from the veggies, it will eventually cover this and protect the kraut from bacteria.  If you don't have it covered by about 1 day, you can add water to cover the veggies.
4. Let sit at least four days to marinate
5. As you want to eat it, remove it from the container and serve.

Pulled Pork Green Chili

This recipe is adapted from an insanely awesome looking Mexican Pulled Pork Stew from Rachael Ray.  I used less ingredients here to make it more user friendly and I was very pleased with the result.  I love pulled pork and I always forget how economical a piece of pork shoulder can be (and how many people it can feed!).  This recipe can feed a lot of people (6+), so make sure you are ready to serve to a crowd.

Ingredients

2 lbs pork shoulder
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
12 oz bottle of amber beer
1 onion or leek chopped
2 14.5 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes
1 7 oz can green chilis
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 275.  Combine pork shoulder, spices, salt, beer and onion in a dutch oven.  Place lid on dutch oven and put in oven for 4 hours.
2. Remove from oven after 4 hours, check that meat is tender and pulling away easily.
3. Use a fork to carefully pull the pork apart (watch out for the hot liquid)
4. Add fire roasted tomatoes and their juices, green chilis, beans and chicken broth to the pot.
5. Heat over medium high heat until the soup is bubbling.
6. Serve with homemade tortillas, sour cream, cheese and scallions!

Whole Wheat Dutch Oven Bread

The inspiration for this bread came from my dear friend Hillary who is the best baker I know.  I combined two of her favorite recipes (one using a dutch oven and the other all white flour), but I doctored this one up with some whole wheat flour to see if it would still taste good.  Lucky for you, it does!  Cooking the bread in a dutch oven is absolutely required and will give the results a normal home oven can't normally replicate.  Try mixing in any of your favorite bread inclusions (rosemary, cheddar cheese, thyme, etc.)!

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 cups unbleached whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups warm water

1. Combine dry ingredients with a spatula in a plastic bowl and stir with a spoon to incorporate.
2. Add water until dough is looks like a shaggy ball (I don't really know what a shaggy ball would be defined as, but go with your gut here).  Mine looked like a mostly wet doughy substance.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 12-18 hours
4. Preheat dutch oven in a regular oven to 450 degrees.
5. Generously cover hands and counter with flour and turn dough onto the counter.
6. Shape into desired shape (remember if has to fit in your dutch oven) and let rest until regular oven is preheated.
7. CAREFULLY remove dutch oven and carefully put bread in the pan.  Place lid on top and put in oven for 30 minutes.
8. Remove lid after 30 minutes and return dutch oven to the regular oven for another 15 minutes to let the bread brown
9. CAREFULLY remove the entire apparatus from the oven and take the bread out with oven mitts and place on a cooling rack
10. Cut and serve after letting cool about 15 minutes

Roasted Cauliflower and Onion Soup

There is nothing better than a delicious and easy homemade soup.  My friend Betsy recently told me about a roasted cauliflower soup she had so I decided to make my own version.  It literally is four ingredients (including the olive oil) so you have no excuse not to make this as your next weeknight quick dinner.  Serve with cheesy toasts and salad for a complete meal.

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower cut into bite size pieces
1 red onion diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
4-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Add chopped cauliflower and onion to a bowl and add olive oil.  Mix to coat evenly.
3. Evenly scatter on cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven until roasted and golden brown, which will be about 25 minutes
4. Remove from oven, let cook a few minutes and add to soup pan.
5. Cover with stock (about 4 cups) and use immersion blender to puree the soup.  If you want a more soupy consistency, add more stock.
5. Salt/pepper to taste and serve

Leek and Goat Cheese Bread Pudding - Post #100!

I'm finding it really hard to believe that this is my 100th post for Cooked in My Kitchen.  It's been such a joy to bring all these recipes to life and I look forward to sharing more recipes here in the years to come!

This bread pudding is the culmination of many of our featured items and favorite foods to cook with.  It is also an extremely easy and versatile recipe that you can serve for all groups and at any time of the day.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

5 cups bread cubes, from stale two or three day old bread

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1/3 cup heavy cream

3 large leeks, white parts chopped

2 tablespoons thyme

1 teaspoon pepper

salt to taste

3 oz goat cheese crumbles

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

2. Combine milk, eggs, heavy cream in a bowl and whisk about 30 seconds to incorporate.

3. Add bread cubes to mixture and stir to coat evenly

4. Heat a saute pan over medium high heat, add a swirl of olive oil.

5. When hot, saute the leeks, thyme and pepper about 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and mix into bread mixture

6. Sprinkle with salt and stir to incorporate

7. Grease a bread pan or brownie pan and set a layer of bread mixture.  

8. Evenly cover with coat cheese and repeat making two layers

9. Cook in oven about 30 minutes or until goat cheese crumbles are slightly golden brown and bread pudding is steaming hot!

10. Serve with a friend egg and salad!

Matzo Ball Soup with Curry and Cilantro

Matzo ball soup is one of the best soups to have around the house.  The matzo meal stays in the cupboard and if you have some chicken broth you basically have a soup.  In this version I add curry powder and cilantro to give it a unique flavor.

Ingredients


Matzo balls
2 eggs
1/8 cup olive oil
1/8 cup seltzer water
1/2 cup matzo meal
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Soup
1 carrot peeled and chopped
1/2 onion peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons curry
4 cups chicken broth
10 sprigs cilantro

1. Start with the matzo first.  Mix eggs, water and oil together in a medium bowl.
2. Add salt and pepper and stir again.
3. Add matzo meal and stir to combine well.  Put in the fridge for 30 minutes to let set.
4. About 10 minutes before matzo is ready, heat a soup pot over medium high heat.  Add a swirl of olive oil and cook onion and carrot for three minutes.
5. Add curry and stir to coat evenly.  Let cook another 2 minutes.
6. Then add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
7. Wet your hands and roll the matzo into 1 1/2 inch size balls.
8. When soup is boiling, add the matzo balls into the pot being careful not to disturb the others.
9. Reduce heat to low and cook 25-30 minutes.
10. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and a pinch or two of salt and serve!

Lamb Chili

Don't let the word "lamb" get in your way of trying this hearty chili recipe.  If you can't get a good source for lamb, of course you could do pork or beef, but please try and get some lamb if you can!  Serve this with some of our fresh homemade bread and you will not be sorry!

Ingredients


olive oil
1/2 yellow onion finely chopped
2 jalopenos seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
1/2 pound ground lamb
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup tomato paste
2 cans pinto beans, drained
salt (to taste)

1. Set a deep heavy pot on medium high heat.  When hot, add swirl or two of olive oil.  Then add onion, jalopeno and garlic.  Stir to coat and let cook about 3 minutes.
2. Add lamb and stir with spoon to break up the meat
3. After five minutes, add cumin and stir for another minute.
4. Add tomatoes, paste and beans
5. Let sit over medium heat for 20 minutes until heated through
6. Serve with bread, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese!

Potato and Beet Pizza

Most of my friends know my favorite color is purple and it is no coincidence that this pizza is all purple too!  I had some extra purple potatoes, beets and kalamata olives so I decided to turn it into a delicious and healthy pizza.  I topped it with onions and feta cheese and served with a kale salad for a healthy finish.  Pizza is one of the most versatile foods and here is just one of the many recipes you can try!

Pizza Dough (prepare at least two hours before you are ready to make pizza)

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
1 teaspoon sugar


Mix yeast and sugar in 1 cup measuring cup.  Add room temp water and let sit for five minutes.  Meanwhile add flour and salt to the food processor and process for 10 seconds to mix together.  When yeast mixture is ready, add to the flour while the processor is running.  If dough is still not combined add another 1/4 of water at a time until dough forms a ball.

Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with kitchen towel.  Allow to rest for at least two hours (you can even let this sit for 24 hours!).



Pizza toppings


1 medium purple potato (or yukon gold if you have) peeled and thinly sliced
1 beet peeled and thinly sliced
6-7 kalamata olives pitted and chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup olive oil + 1/4 cup olive oil


Putting it all together


1. Preheat oven to 425 greens.  Roll out pizza dough on parchment paper until about 3/4 inch thick.  
2. Brush 1/2 cup olive oil on the dough then top with potato slices and beet slices, brush oil on the veggies as well
3. Top with olives and feta
4. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until crust is golden brown and veggies are golden as well.