It's Friday Night!!!

aaaand.... this is how we do it! I have created the perfect Friday night formula for our family. 

Pizza + popcorn + movie = happy family in a snuggle pile on the couch.

It just doesn't get much better than that on a regular school & work kind of week. In the summer we might go camping or traveling and abandon our routine for more adventurous pursuits. But for the rest of the year when we are caught in the grind of school and work this is our small haven of family time.

And it all starts with the pizza. 

Foster family classic: ham and bacon zalala

This is a 'mom special' with gluten free crust and 'weird veggies'

Another veggie lovers!

Perfect Pizza Dough

Water, honey, yeast

makes one pie

1 cup hot water

2 tsp honey

2 tsp active dry yeast

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp flax seed meal

2 1/2 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour

method: (note on oven temp: 

allow the yeast to activate

Cover and wait ten mintues

this will bake in a 425 degree oven. that's hot! but only for 15 minutes... so time your preheat just right so as not to heat up your kitchen and waste your resources. ) Add the first three ingredients (water, honey, yeast) in a large bowl and whisk together. Cover and let this rise for 10 minutes. The perfect amount of time to prep your toppings. Once your yeast is properly activated add the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, flax seed meal and whisk. Add the flour a cup or so at a time in three additions. Whip the first cup of flour well to activate the gluten in the flour. This makes for a spongier crust with more tear than crumble. Form into a ball that has enough body to it that it doesn't fill in a light finger depression.This means you're good.

"... a light finger depression"

Drizzle a little olive oil over the ball and twist and flip it so that the entire ball is coated and set this aside to rest while you prep your pans. (a note on pans: I have used many different kinds. Invariably the best results are with a Lodge cast iron pan. Fabulous crusty, crisp bottom and an evenly chewy top... no complaints here. Go get some love.) I  have had the yummiest crusts with a generous layer of olive oil sprinkled with some corn meal.

Lodge Cast Iron Pans

Once your pan is set to receive the dough dampen your hands with water (This is a fabulous secret. Use it well.) and then form a flattened circle in your hands and lay this in the center of the pan. gradually, pressing from the inside to the outside, smoosh your dough into the pan. Try to keep it as even and flat as possible. Then simply add your favorite toppings and cook for 15 minutes in a 425 degree oven.

Stove Top Popcorn

there is never enough. ever.

2 Tbsp high heat oil

2/3 cup pop corn kernels

method: In your stove top popper (or even just a dutch oven or stew pot with a lid) pour in your oil and add only three of your kernels. Put the burner onto low-med heat and wait for the three first to pop. This is your signal that the pan is at the proper heat. Immediately pour in the rest of the 2/3 cup of kernels. Stir constantly and wait for the cacophony of many splendid pops. As soon as they slow to about 3 seconds between pops remove the pan from the heat. turn off the burner. Keep stirring until no more pops. Dump it into a huge bowl. Sprinkle with salt, drizzle with butter, grate some Parmesan cheese over it... or my personal favorite a few swift grinds of black pepper! Leave everything out... cause you will want more.

So yeah.... ITS FRIDAY NIGHT!!! WHOOHOO!

A gift given, a seed planted...

Myself and Silas, August 2013

Silas helping with his birthday cupcakes August 2013... seven!

Silas is my oldest child. He is a sweet hearted, loyal, literary kind of guy. This past November he went out to spend some quality time with his Dad at the local used bookstore. While they were there he got to thinking he would like to bring a present home to his sweet ol' Mama. And I was so, so tickled that he did! He chose well. 

Silas has learned from an early age (probably with a few nudges of help and explanation) that mom spends a lot of time in the kitchen because she loves him. And that every warm dinner on the table is an expression of that love. We have used this understanding in his favor and have tried to expose him to many kind of foods and flavors so that he will live a healthy, happy life full of a variety of fresh foods. I'm not sure if he knew fully what he was getting himself into... but probably he was thinking of how much he likes my Chicken Curry in Yogurt Sauce... or perhaps his soft spot for fresh Garlic Na'an steaming from the oven was wafting through his mind. Whatever the case, he not only bought me this cookbook as a present... he expressed upon giving it his wild enthusiasm for trying out some new recipes from far off places. This made my heart grow a few sizes for two reasons. 1) My seven year old has enough grasp of the world and culture to know that there is soooo much that he doesn't know and he has a hungery curiosity. 2) He has absolute, never-questioned-it-for-a-second faith that I can successfully make these dishes and that they will be delicious.

love

So after he gives me the book the holiday wave crashed upon the social calendar and throws a curve ball through my regularly scheduled programming in the kitchen. Silas doesn't loose heart though. He asked me very, very sweetly about once a week or so when was I planning on trying out a dinner from that new cookbook he gave me? I was a little intimidated from the strangeness and exotic nature of many of the recipes I was seeing.... the hours and hours involved in the crafting of these foods that I have no idea how they should be in their ideal forms. Not the mention the nagging idea that perhaps my family of young children would turn their sweet little noses up at my efforts and food and effort would go to waste! But eventually the new year came around... and since 2014 just feels so full of possibility and promise... I went for it. I have resolved to 'travel' around the world on a 'magic table ride'. Every Sunday afternoon I will be spending hours in the kitchen listening to the music from the country being visited. I will google up information and at least read the Wikipedia article if not more... and find some pictures to show the kids the general topography, geographical location, traditional dress and a few fun facts about the nation being visited. 

And, if Simon and Shuster respond to my request in a positive manner, I will also share the recipes here with you! Until such a time as I hear back from them, out of respect to the authors intellectual effort, I will only give partial notes to my very favorites dishes and of course... pictures!