Last week, I shared my tip for using parchment paper to get your pizza in and out of the oven. Then, it occurred to me that I haven’t shared my secrets for making homemade pizza dough. What good is a trick for transporting your homemade pizza if you don’t have a great recipe for the pizza dough?
Never fear… The recipe is here.
This weekend, I finally got back into the kitchen… I’m not just talking about reheating soup and tossing salads (which is what I had been doing for most of last week). I did some serious cooking and baking!
It all started on Friday with a lack of inspiration for dinner. I had no idea what I wanted to make, and frankly, I didn’t really feel like cooking at all. I hadn’t really gotten back into the kitchen, and I was finding the whole transition somewhat difficult. Instead, I called our favorite restaurant to see if we could squeeze in a reservation, but they were booked for the night (no big surprise, but it was worth a try). I had to make dinner, and it was too late to go to the store for groceries, so I had to use what I had on hand – sweet potatoes.
I use my slow cooker a lot throughout the year, but I think it probably gets used the most when January rolls around. Perhaps you can relate…
Though I do my best to stay organized and cook healthy meals throughout the year, I find that I am extra motivated in January. I get back to my weekly meal planning and plan out healthy meals for the week. One of the ways that I cope with busy weeks is to pull out my slow cooker. I love meals that can be prepped ahead of time (often the night before), allowing me an entire day free of worrying about preparing dinner. I also love that most of the meals that I prepare in my slow cooker yield enough food for at least two meals for my husband and I. It’s even better when I can repurpose the leftovers into a new dish with minimal effort!
Do you ever start to tire of certain items in your CSA box from week to week?
Though I always do my best to find creative uses for all of the produce that we get each week, this year I have definitely started to have my fill of a few things – especially mini orange peppers and collard greens. I’ve never been much of a greens person, so that’s always one of my big CSA challenges. We get kale, chard, collards, and lots of varieties of lettuce. While they may all be good for me, I have to admit that I usually end up going back to the same things over and over when it comes to cooking with them.
One of my tried and true flavor combinations for greens is to pair them with spicy Italian sausage. I know I’m not the first person to utilize that flavor combo and I’m certain that I won’t be the last, either. Though I have revisited the flavors a few times (like this butternut quiche a few weeks ago…), I do try to find ways to incorporate the flavors into new dishes.
I always have to chuckle at those commercials where a family accuses a mother of being “roaster-phobic.” The solution is a chicken that comes prepped and…
