How To Make a Homemade Pizza
By Rob Coffey
homemade pizza.
I grew up in New York City a long time ago (Remember those big old yellow checker cabs?) Back when I was a kid I remember going around the corner to Sal’s pizzeria and for twenty five cents I got the largest, most delicious slice of pizza you could imagine. If you got it right out of the oven all of the cheese and sauce would ooze out of the sides as you gave yourself third degree burns to the insides of your mouth. Oh, it hurt so good.
I have moved around the country a lot since I left and discovered that not all pizza is created equal. When I first went to Chicago I was shocked to see that people there actually ate their pizza with a knife and a fork and even claimed to have invented it. In Conneticut, brick oven fired, Neopolitian style is king and in California you’re lucky if you can find the cheese with all of the various toppings they use (Tofu, pinapple, lobster pizza anyone?)
The point is good pizza is good based on where you come from. I can’t think of any other type of food that can be so different and still be called by the same name.For me, I set out to make my own pizza to see if I could get close to the taste I remembered as a kid.
At first I went the boxed Chef Boy-Ar-Dee route and all I could say was Ugh-h-h-h. So much for trusting that jovial old Italian chef on the box cover. It was the first time I knew what cardboard must actually taste like. Even the cheese was terrible. I mean it was powdered cheese in an envelope for crying out loud.
Undeterred, I pressed on in my quest to make a decent homemade pizza. I decided to go to the local grocery store where I bought some fresh dough (Now we’re cookin), some Ragu Pizza sauce and some shredded mozzarella cheese. I even splurged for one of those pizza stones. Now I was ready to make my masterpiece.
The first thing I did was set the store bought dough in a bowl and put aside to warm up. Then I turned on the oven with the pizza stone inside. I remember that in the old days those pizza ovens we’re pretty hot, upwards of 500-600 degrees. I wasn’t going to do that with my old Kenmore electric oven but I set it at 475 and hoped it wouldn’t smoke too much. At least not enough to set off the smoke detectors.
I also remember that when the pizza guys worked they had everything right in front of them, so I pre-cooked my sausage and laid all of the other ingredients out in front of me. Now I was ready to start preparing the dough.
Throwing a little flour on the cutting board, I plopped down the dough and started to smack it around and knead it just like I remember seeing at Sal’s. After about 3 minutes of doing this along with singing a few verses of Che La Luna, I realized my crust was about 3 inches wider than it was than when I started. Three more minutes of this activity gained me another 2 inches but my hands were starting to bruise up and sting just like they did back in th 4th grade when Sister Mary Needaman smacked me with her ruler for not having my homework. This was not going to work. It was time for the rolling pin.
Now, traditional pizza makers would probably just shake their heads and snicker at this activity, but I was getting desperate, never mind hungry (Remember the cooked sausage sitting in a bowl next to me?)
Rolling it actually got me closer to the size I was looking for but alas the crust was no longer round, in fact you would be stretching the truth to even call it elliptical. It was at this point that I made my second fatal mistake.
Back at Sals, the pizza guy would throw the crust way up in the air with a spinning motion and make a spectacular catch to the O-o-o’s and A-h-h-h’s of all who observed.
I said to myself, “Why not? I can do that”.
Smart guy that I am, I realized that it was the centrifical force that stretched out the dough and made it circular. I started out carefully, only throwing it up a few inches and everything was fine. Getting a little cocky now I gave it a more of a twist as I tossed it even higher. After five or six of these I was ready for the pizza maker Olympics. Starting a new chorus of Che La Luna, I gave it a big twist and hurled it up to the ceiling.
Here in Buffalo we have a saying we use to describe anything that goes wrong. It goes back to the missed field goal that allowed the N.Y. Giants to win the Superbowl a few years back. We say things like “That guy is just a little bit wide right” or “I won’t be at work today because I’m feeling a little wide right”.
Well that’s where that crust went, wide right. It looked like a frisby sailing across a field on a tranquil summer’s day. Boy, was it beautiful. My dog must of thought so too because he came right out of the sleeping position to 3 feet off the ground and snagged that crust in mid air. Lucky me, here I thought It was going to hit the dirty floor.
I got it back, minus a few puncture marks and one large U-shapped hole. No harm done (My wife wasn’t home.)
At this point I had had quite enough so I took the stone out of the oven and placed it on a pan holder (You see, I’m not a complete moron), pieced the torn up dough back together on the hot stone, very carefully I might add, and added some sauce and cheese. Everything now was getting somewhat back to normal and I was feeling a little happier about the whole situation. I wasn’t back to singing yet, but I was getting there.Working quickly so as not to let the stone cool too much, I added some oregeno, basil, pepper and salt. Then I topped with my sliced sausage and sprinkled some olive oil on top. Voila, I was ready.
Into the oven it went. I cooked it for around 25 minutes and it was done. I have to say except for that single lava stream of sauce and cheese which was erupting from the side of the broken crust it looked pretty good. It tasted pretty good too, but it wasn’t the same as I remembered.
Since that time I have been looking on how to improve my pizza making. The internet has made it a lot easier to find resources on how to make a homemade pizza. I continued making improvements over the years but it wasn’t until a few months ago that I stumbled upon a resource that taught me how to make the best pizza I have ever tasted.
Like I said earlier, I’m from New York City and that is the style of pizza that I personally crave. I know most of you folks don’t come from New York City but if any of you have ever tasted this type of pizza while while visiting, you know what I’m talking about. If you’ve never tasted New York City pizza before but would like to without actually having to travel there, this is your chance. I can now also make many other styles of pizza like Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and Sicilean. Over the years I’ve learned how to make great pizza, I wish I could say the same about my singing.
If you would like to learn not only how to make a pizza at home but actually make the best pizza you ever tasted just follow my link.
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Do yourself a favor and not only skip the mess I made in the kitchen but, start right off making the best darn pizza you ever had - right in your own kitchen! See some of the secrets the experts use and learn pizza making the right way. This not just a receipe book. The FREE DVD actually shows you professional pizza making from start to finish. Since I’ve learned how to properly toss the dough into the air, the only one who’s sorry that I ordered this is the dog. He really misses the edible frisbee.
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Would You Make an Ideal Chef?
By M James
Here are 10 great reasons to become a chef
1. You Enjoy Food
Sounds obvious, but those who enjoy their food, and are creative in the kitchen can make a good chef.
2. You Enjoy Cooking
You might know what sort of foods you like, and what flavours and styles are your favourites, but can you cook them? If you can, then why not consider doing it for a living?
3. You Enjoy Learning
A chef is constantly learning, and can pick up tips from all sorts of people, whether relatives or celebrity chefs. How many of your family recipes could you produce? How do you create the classic dishes that are the staple of many restaurants?
4. You Strive for Perfection
Whilst certain celebrity chefs spend a great deal of time agonising over ingredient combinations, and creating unique fusions of flavours, the majority of chefs have to prepare and cook each meal quickly, and aren’t afforded this luxury. As restaurants usually need to be full, the customers need to get their meals quickly. This isn’t to say that there isn’t a need for fantastic attention to detail and to produce each dish to the best of your ability.
5. You Enjoy Having a Good Time
The catering industry is known for its hard work ethics. This doesn’t mean that those involved in catering don’t play hard too. It’s an exciting industry to be in, and can be very rewarding.
6. You Work Well Under Pressure
We’ve all seen chefs under pressure, whether in real life, or on TV. Whilst the majority of kitchen staff and restaurant workers work hard and have the best interests of the business at heart, the catering industry is no place for passengers, and those who don’t work well under pressure will not last long.
7. You Like to Try New Things
Being adventurous and trying new foods, or suggesting new combinations, or taking inspiration from other cultures or countries is important in the catering world. Although some successful restaurants stick to classic regional or local dishes, there is something to be said for a restaurant that can add some versatility to its menu.
8. You Are Committed to Customer Service
Great customer service is essential to almost every industry, and probably none more so than in the catering industry. The success or failure of a restaurant depends on attracting new customers, and ensuring that customers keep returning. Exceeding customer’s expectations will help to ensure that the restaurant is always busy. Whilst the waiting staff and the bar staff are visible, and often get the praise, it’s the chef who does the hard work
9. If You Want Job Security
Good chefs are always in demand, and with the right skills and experience, you can ensure that you are always employed, no matter how tough the economic climate.
10. If You Don’t Want a 9-5 Job
Chef jobs are very rarely 9-5, and often the hours are long and unsociable as people want to eat at meal times, not during office hours. Find yourself in the right chef job, and you will be working with a great bunch of people, providing excellent quality meals from fine ingredients to appreciative customers who keep coming back. What could be better?
Now you know whether you’ve got what it takes to be a chef, why not see what chef jobs are available locally, and find out if you have got what it takes?
If this has tempted you into looking at Chef Jobs, why not find out why you should Work For Revolution?
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Chicken & Black Bean Soft Tacos
By Cristie Will
CHICKEN & BLACK BEAN SOFT TACOS
Ingredients:
1-package (10 small) Flour tortillas
1-packet Taco seasoning mix
2-cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
2-tablespoons Oil
1-pound Chicken breasts, boneless & skinless, sliced
1-medium Onion, chopped
15-ounce can Black beans, drained
1-cup Whole kernel corn, drained
½-cup Black olives, sliced
½-cup Water
2-tablespoons Lime juice, fresh
1-tablespoon Lemon juice, fresh
2-cups Salsa
Instructions:
Slice chicken into 2-inch strips and set aside. Heat oil in a large skilled over medium-high heat; add chicken strips and chopped onion; cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in taco seasoning mix, beans, corn, black olives, water, lemon juice and lime juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring often for 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened.
Take tortillas out of plastic bag and microwave on high, 100% power for 15 seconds or until warm. Or heat each tortilla one at a time in a small to a medium skillet over medium-high heat until warm.
Fill each tortilla with ½-cup chicken mixture, 1-tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese. Serve warm.
Makes 10 tacos
You can find these and many more recipes at Cristie’s Cookin. While you are visiting don’t forget to submit your favorite recipe for a chance to win a free “Gotcha Covered” apron. Check out Cristie’s unique specialty spices and if you love high suspense novels then you will want to check out Cristie’s “11.11.11″ by TJ stokes.
Cooking lessons for Cristie began at 8 years old with the best teacher in the world — her Mom! Later, she cooked for the restaurant the family owned, and her love of the “trade” has grown ever since. Cristie’s creative cooking has continued for over 40 years. Her creations can soon be on your kitchen table. Check out Cristie’s books at http://www.cristiescookin.com and http://www.tjstokes.com
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Secrets To Budget Cooking
By cutting a few corners and carefully controlling what you spend, you can definitely eat healthy while not breaking your bank account. Below is a list of excellent points that you can start today to help you save some money on home cooking:
1.) The first step is to decide on a grocery budget and ensure to stick to it before you go to the grocery store.
2.) Every week many families will receive grocery flyers in the mail that contain discount sales items. Sit down and go through the flyer making a list of the discounted items that you plan on purchasing before you leave to the grocery store. A substantial amount of money can be saved by taking the time to do this.
3.) Goods that you will not use for sometime are great items to stock up on. You can store items such as tuna fish, canned soups and beans for a long period of time. If you find deals on these items then you may want to purchase several months worth. Other items that can be stored for a few months include dry goods such as breakfast cereals. Make sure to watch for cheap prices when you see them, and stock up on them.
4.) An excellent place to store foods are in the freezer. Large quantities of various food items can be bought and stored in the freezer. You can buy large sized bags of fruits and vegetables and store them for weeks in the freezer. Storing them this way will allow you to keep them for a few weeks which in turn will save you money in the long run. Other items that you can freeze are various meats such as chicken, turkey or burgers. You may want to refrigerate these items if can find them on sale. Putting them into freezer bags or enclosing them in aluminum foil will allow them to last even longer. Purchasing a few loaves of bread can also be a good idea. You can eat one for the week, and freeze the other loaves for the following week.
5.) Do your best to try and buy foods that are in season. Choosing out of season foods can be quite pricey.
6.) Cut and use vouchers from the weekly flyers. Look out for coupons for brand name foods, always compare them with the prices of generic brands, they can be cheaper. Also use coupons on items that you are likely to buy every week. Be sure to buy items that you will use, not just because they’re on sale, this will surely increase your grocery bill.
To find out more about how to save money on easy home cooking during these rough economic times. Read the comprehensive digital report “Times Are Tough - So Eat Cheap”. It is available for instant download. You will find detailed information to help you save money.
