Orzo Salad with Pine Nuts and Sundried Tomatoes

It was delightfully hot today in Minnesota - reaching 90 degrees! These are the days I miss living in the country and being able to easily transition between indoors and outdoors. Living in an apartment complex just seems to make getting outdoors harder. There's just nothing like being able to lounge in the comfort of your own yard... Anyway, the hubby and I did get a lot of sunlight today watering and weeding our community garden plots. This originally was supposed to be his little hobby for the summer,but now I find myself assuming greater responsibilities. It is kind of fun to see the little plants grow and excel with sunshine and water. Plus, I'm excited to find ways to use the crops in the kitchen come harvest time.

With all the heat of the day, I really started craving my husband's orzo salad. It's a pasta dish filled with veggies, and unlike traditional macaroni salad which has a mayonnaise dressing, this dish uses olive oil, which is much lighter. That lightness is so nice when it's extremely hot. So, I decided to whip up a batch for us to enjoy when we returned from gardening. It totally hit the spot.

Orzo Salad

From my hubby

1 1/2 cup orzo pasta

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup high quality balsamic vinegar

1 cucumber, diced

1 medium tomato, diced

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

2-3 sundried tomatoes, finely chopped

5 basil leaves, finely chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts

Other options: artichoke hearts, olives, fresh mozzarella, dill

Salt and Pepper to taste

1.) Cook orzo pasta in boiling, salted water until it is cooked through. Strain and rinse with cold water.

2.) While the pasta is cooking, toast the pine nuts by placing them in a dry pan and turning the heat to medium. Allow them to cook on the stove, stirring occasionally, until they become fragrant or start to slightly darken/become golden (usually about 5 minutes). Remove the pine nuts from the heat.

3.) Place pasta, pine-nuts, and veggies in a salad bowl. Toss with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

4.) Refrigerate the salad until ready to serve.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

Ok, I'll be honest, for a long time I didn't understand the concept of a blondie (the lighter version of a brownie). I guess I associated them with "bar cookies" which I mean, why mess with the perfection that is a chocolate chip cookie? So, I didn't really get it... But then, I was surfing on FoodGawker and saw the most delicious picture of a blondie - with peanut butter! Now, a peanut butter brownie/blondie is just something totally different and beautiful. So, I gave it a try. The first recipe was too cakey (yuck), so I cut the number of eggs and settled on this recipe by Bake At 350. It's magical. Seriously. I'm not saying it's going to replace my favorite brownies because it can't (nothing can), but it's a nice side-kick for sure. The moist chewy consistency is great, and the peanut butter is just wow. Delish. You should definitely whip up your own batch today!

Peanut Butter Blondies with Chocolate Chips

Adapted from Bake at 350 and originally created in the King Arthur Flour's Cookie Companion

6 Tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter (I used 'Better 'N' Peanut Butter, which I loooove)

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 cup chocolate chips

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.) In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

3.) With a hand mixer (preferably), cream the butter and peanut butter. Add in the sugar and continue to mix until combined.

4.) Add in the eggs one at a time. Then, stir in the vanilla.

5.) Stir in the flour mixture. Then add in the chocolate chips and stir until just combined.

6.) Butter an 11 x 8 (or 8x8 or 9x13 depending on how thick you want these to be). Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick (or knife) inserted in the center comes out clean.

7.) Cool completely before cutting.

Fresh Tomato Risotto

I'd call this one of my staple recipes -- especially good for entertaining. It's quite easy to make, but since people generally don't have the patience for risotto, it's a nice treat for guests. I find the trick is not to rush this dish. Keep your the liquid stock you're adding to the rice hot (simmering) and add it slowly (like a fourth cup at a time). Let the rice fully soak up what you've added before you give it more liquid.

Amazingly, the dish can be made vegan very easily without any compromise in taste - just omit the butter and cheese. (Although I will admit that without the cheese the dish does lack a certain depth, but you also don't leave the table feeling that heaviness).

The original recipe can be found on cookingfriend. I will write the vegan version below. Enjoy!

Fresh Tomato Risotto

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons olive oil

6 cups vegan vegetable broth of your choosing

salt to taste

2 cups tomato sauce

2 cups arborio rice

3/4 cup white (or red) wine

1-2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1-2 Tablespoons fresh basil

1.) Saute the onion in the olive oil over low-medium heat until it is soft.

2.) Heat the broth and the sauce in two separate pans until they are simmering. Try to keep them almost simmering the whole time while cooking. The key to a good risotto is a hot broth, fairly constant stirring, and having patience.

3.) Add in the rice to the onions and olive oil. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes.

4.) Add the white wine, continuing to stir for additional minute.

5.) Pour in a ladle of broth into the rice mixture (about 1/4 cup of broth). Stir intermittently until it is fully absorbed.

6.) Then, pour in a full ladle of tomato broth. Stir intermittently until this is fully absorbed.

7.) Alternate between adding the broth and tomato sauce (waiting until each is absorbed before adding the other) until the tomato sauce is gone. Then, continue to add the remaining broth slowly 1/4 cup at a time. This will probably take 30-45 minutes. The rice should no longer be tough, but very soft and creamy.

8.) Add in the fresh herbs and cheese. Stir and serve immediately.

Caribbean Rum Punch

This past weekend I had the fortune of traveling to Canada to attend a good friend's fabulous wedding. Since both he and his new wife are from the Caribbean, the food and music reflected this - to all the guests delight! The meal was especially delicious, but I was personally wowed by the rum punch served during cocktail hour. I subsequently learned that the groom's parents had made it! Let's just say that the punch was such a crowd pleaser that there was literally one in all the guests' hands and only a few lucky guests got seconds. I especially loved the 'recipe' description I received from the groom. He said that since everyone loves the rum punch (and therefore generally overindulges), the recipe has to be very easy to remember, or else they'll soon forget it after drinking too much. (I made sure this wouldn't happen to me by writing the recipe down in lipgloss on my name card...). So, here it goes:

Caribbean Rum Punch

Courtesy of Dr. Simon

1 of sour

2 of sweet

3 of strong

4 of weak

(sour = lemon / lime juice; sweet = simple sugar; strong = rum!; weak = juice (generally orange & pineapple)).

Beer-Braised Turkey Tacos

This last weekend, before a road trip up to Canada for a friend's wedding, one of my good med school friends and I went to a cooking-class dinner at Delish in Buffalo. I had known them for their incredible bakery, but upstairs they also offer cooking classes where you get to learn and then sample all the dishes. What a fun concept! It was very interactive and the food was so tasty! My favorite recipe of the night, which I cannot wait to re-create in my own kitchen, were the Beer-Braised Turkey Tacos. Seriously good, and soooo much better than just cheap ground beef with a packet of taco seasoning. Definitely put this recipe at the top of your "to try" list!!

Beer-Braised Turkey Tacos

From Delish (and including the adaptations we did in class)

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds raw boneless/skinless turkey breast

salt & fresh ground pepper

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 medium white onions: one diced (for cooking) and one minced (for serving)

1 large oregano sprig

1 large jalapeno - stemmed, seeded, and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick

1/2 - 1 can tomato paste

1 teaspoon sugar

1 ancho chile (or chipotle/adobo) - stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped or torn

One 2-inch cinnamon stick

One 12-ounce bottle Mexican dark beer (Modelo Negro)

1 cup water

12 corn tortillas

1 ripe avocado, skinned, pitted, and sliced, for serving

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds and cilantro sprigs, for serving

Sour cream (optional)

1.) In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Season the turkey with salt and pepper. Place the turkey in the olive oil and cook until richly browned on all side, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the turkey to a plate.

2.) Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the casserole along with the garlic, diced onion, oregano, and jalapeno and cook over moderate heat, until the onion is soft. Add the tomato paste, sugar, ancho chile, and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes.

3.) return the turkey to the casserole, add the beer and water, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat, turning once, until the turkey is tender - about one hour.

4.) Transfer the turkey to a plate and let cool. Discard the oregano sprig and cinnamon stick. Boil the remaining sauce over high heat until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup (about 12 minutes). Allow the sauce to cool some and then transfer it to a food processor/blender and puree. (You could also use an immersion blender). Shred the turkey meat. Return the sauce to the pot and stir in the shredded turkey.

5.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wrap the corn tortillas in foil and bake them until they are warm - about 8 minutes.

6.) Spoon turkey onto the tortillas. Top with minced onion, sesame seeds, cilantro, avocado, and a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy!

Homemade Sandwich Rolls, BBQ Beef, and Cabbage Salad

It's hot in Minnesota, and I love it! It's light out until 9 PM at night. I can walk outside without adorning a parka (literally). Summer is here - and early! yay! In honor of the lovely weather, I made one of my favorite dishes: Barbeque Beef Sandwiches. I love this recipe because it takes about five minutes to start in the morning as you put everything into the slow cooker/crock pot, then a few more minutes at the end to shred the beef, and then done and delicious! When I lived in New York, I always used Dinosaur Barbeque Sauce in my BBQ Beef, but now I don't have immediate access to it. : ( I plan on trying to come up with my own personal BBQ sauce, but in the meantime, I'm experimenting with the types sold in the local grocery.

I decided to make my own rolls since I didn't have any laying around the house. Bread products are generally tricky for our household with the hubby being vegan. Often there can be milk or an egg wash that might sneak its way into the recipe, so I've been making more bread at home so I know what goes into it. I found this recipe for No Knead Sandwich Rolls. The advantage to these rolls are that you can start them at the same time as the beef, and then let them sit all day, and them work on them an hour or so before you want to eat, and you're done! The hubby liked the rolls so much he requested them when he went away for a conference this last weekend. The rolls have a nice crunchy crust and are nice and soft in the middle. Mmmm.

The cabbage salad recipe is my mother's. You can add more or less mayo depending on how creamy you like yours. I prefer mine a little lighter. I'm also a purist when it comes to mayonnaise and always use the real stuff. I'd rather eat less food with more taste than more food with less taste, but that's me.

I hope that you'll enjoy these delicious and refreshingly easy recipes soon!

Barbeque Beef

2.5 - 3 pounds beef chuck roast

1 cup (roughly) of BBQ sauce of your choice

1 chopped onion

1.) Trim fat off the beef and place it into the crock-pot.

2.) Add onions and BBQ sauce.

3.) Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours until beef is tender.

4.) Shred meat using two forks.

5.) Serve either alone or with buns for a sandwich.

No Knead Sandwich Rolls

From About.com

1 1/2 cups warm (but not hot) water

1/4 teaspoon dry active yeast

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar (I used raw sugar)

3 cups flour

cornmeal for the baking pans

1.) Add all ingredients (except the cornmeal) to a bowl and mix with a spoon until the ingredients are decently mixed. The dough is going to be very sticky. Once mixed, cover the bowl with a towel or saran wrap and let the dough sit for 12 hours. (I've done as little as 8 hours with success.) After the dough has sat for at least 8 hours (ideally 12), it will be bubbly and at least doubled in size.

2.) Place a 'generous' amount of cornmeal on a baking sheet - this prevents the rolls from sticking while baking. (Note: The first time I did this, I practically covered the bottom of the baking sheet with cornmeal, and then while the rolls were cooking, my whole place smelled like toasted cornmeal. The second time I made the recipe, I just put cornmeal in the areas where the rolls would be, and it worked just fine and smelled less toasty).

3.) To prepare the rolls, place a 1/4-1/2 cup of flour on a plate or counter top. Separate the dough into 8 pieces; since the dough is very sticky, I found it easiest to take a piece of the dough and roll/dust the outside with the flour on my plate so that the outside wasn't so sticky. Then, I could mold the piece of dough into a round shape and place it on my cornmeal-covered baking sheet.

4.) Once all the rolls are made and placed on the baking sheet, let them sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour so they may rise some more.

5.) Place a pie pan half filled with water on the bottom rack of the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the rolls on the middle / top rack for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden on the outside and sound hollow when tapped on top. Remove from the oven, and let them cool some before using.

Mom's Cabbage Salad

1 small cabbage finely chopped or shredded

1 apple sliced thinly

1/2 red onion sliced thinly

1-2 carrots cut into fine matchsticks or coarsely grated

Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons celery seeds

1.) Place all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.

2.) In a large bowl, place veggies. Pour in dressing and toss thoroughly.

3.) If you like a crunchier salad/slaw, serve immediately. If you'd like it to soften, cover the salad and refrigerate it for 1-2 hours before serving.

Falafel & Tahini Dressing

After dropping $6 for six balls of falafel at our local food co-op, I decided to try to attempt to make it at home, especially since it's vegan and tasty. I happened upon TasteSpotting and FoodGawker, which by the way I am newly addicted to, and found some beautiful pictures of falafel and a recipe from the blog Use Real Butter. So, I decided to use both his recipe and that of the New York Times to create my own recipe. It turned out delicious: classic falafel flavor with a crunchy outside revealing a soft interior. My talented husband created the Tahini sauce, which was perfect. The recipe does require a little bit of preparation as you must soak the dried chick peas for 24 hours. Once that's done, though, you just pop everything into the food processor, roll the balls, and start frying! Mmm. I hope that you enjoy!

Falafel

Note: You must soak the beans for 24 hours before starting the rest of this recipe.

Helpful tips from the New York Times before we start:

First, keep the amount of water you use when grinding the beans to an absolute minimum. More water makes grinding easier, but it also virtually guarantees that the batter will fall apart when it hits the hot oil. If this happens, bind the remaining mixture by stirring in a little flour.

The second essential step is to get the oil hot enough: 350 degrees or a little higher. If you don't have a thermometer, just wait until the oil shimmers and then add a pinch of the batter. When it sizzles immediately, sinks about halfway to the bottom, then rises to the top, the oil is ready. If it sinks and stays down, the oil is too cold; if it doesn't sink at all, the oil is too hot.

1 3/4 cups dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

4 cloves garlic

1 small onion

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1-2 Tablespoons corriander

1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne

3/4 cup parsley

1.5 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

6 Tablespoons flour

canola oil for frying

1.) Put the beans in a large bowl and cover with water until they are covered by 3-4 inches of water. Soak for 24 hours. Add more water if necessary. You may want to change the water after 12 hours, but that is optional.

2.) Drain the beans well and transfer them to the food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients (not the oil!) until all the ingredients are ground but not to the point where it's all a paste.

3.) Roll the mixture into balls - a little smaller than a golf ball.

4.) Put oil into a pan or wok so that there's 2-3 inches of oil in it (enough to cover the falafels 3/4 of the way at least). Turn the heat to medium. The New York Times article gives some good tips as to when the oil is ready. I generally just flick a little water off my fingers into the oil and when it sizzles, I call the oil ready, although this is quite an inexact science.

5.) Fry the balls in batches until they are golden in color - roughly 4 minutes. Place the falafel on paper towels or on wire racks to drain. You can stop the frying now if you'd like and dig in, but if you are looking for that crispy outside, re-fry all the falafel balls for about 2 minutes. They should not really change color. Again, place them on paper towels or wire racks to drain.

6.) Serve with tahini dressing and cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, or other veggies of your choice.

Tahini Dressing

4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup tahini

1/4 cup quality olive oil

1/4 cup water OR alternatively, 1/2 of a peeled cucumber

juice of 2 lemons

1/2 teaspoon salt

1.) Place all into the food processor and pulse until smooth.

Indian Lime Soda

When my husband and I went on our 'mini' honeymoon to Toronto in the Fall, we found this delicious vegetarian/vegan Indian restaurant. We liked their food so much, we actually went back there again for another meal during our trip. I especially loved their Lime Soda, which was sweet but not overly sweet and full of Indian Spices. It was delicious, and I think I've come up with a close approximation. If you don't mind spices in your drink, it's certainly delicious - and a healthier alternative to classic overly sugary soda. Let me know what you think!

Indian Lime Soda

3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

1-2 Tablespoons agave nectar (or 1-2 teaspoons regular old sugar)

1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala (we make our own, but you can find this easily at the grocery store or Indian grocery)

for every cup (approximately) of sparkling water

1.) Pour all into a glass. Stir. Enjoy!!

Homemade Tomato Soup

After a long day of cleaning, gardening, and running (3 miles!), the hubs and I came home and wanted something comforting for dinner, so I thought of grilled cheese and tomato soup. Mmm.

Two of my best girlfriends and I had a virtual dinner a few months ago (since we all live in different time zones), and we all made cream of tomato soup, grilled cheese, and 'wedding' salad. I immediately thought of this soup as the one I wanted to make tonight, but since hubby is vegan the soup had to be altered. It turned out fabulously - and less heavy than the creamy version, which was nice. Unfortunately, vegan cheese just cannot compare to the real stuff, so only I ate the grilled cheese filled with Irish Cheddar. Maybe some day there will be a better vegan cheese product... :)

Overall, this recipe is very tasty and easy to whip up, so please give it (or the creamy version) a try! Enjoy!

Fresh Tomato Soup

3-4 Tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced (or half of those mega onions)

2 carrots, diced

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons flour

1 28-ounce can crushed organic tomatoes (or 2 pounds fresh (in season!), peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes)

2 cups vegetable broth (I used 2 vegan (no salt) bouillon cubes and water)

1 Tablespoon tomato paste (but you can do without it if you have to)

1 teaspoon fresh or dried basil

salt and pepper

1.) Sauté the onions and carrots with the olive oil over low heat until they just start to turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook that until you just start to notice its fragrance (a minute or two).

2.) Add the flour and stir for about 20 seconds. Pour in the tomatoes, broth, and tomato paste, and bring to a boil.

3.) Reduce heat, and let simmer for roughly 15 minutes.

4.) Leave the soup as is if you like it chunky; alternatively, you can use an immersion blender or pour parts into a regular blender to smooth the soup, which is how we prefer it.

5.) Add basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Homemade Vanilla

If you're a baker, you probably have a large bottle of vanilla extract in your cupboard. If you're a serious baker, you've learned that not all vanilla is created equal, and journeyed away from the imitation stuff in search of the best 'real' extract. Unfortunately, that real stuff doesn't come cheap. That's what I found at least. During one fateful trip to Philadelphia, though, I stopped at a Penzy's Spices, and learned from the cashier that you can actually make your OWN vanilla extract - and for cheap! It makes a fabulous Christmas/Holiday gift, but you have to get started now to allow the extraction process enough time. I guest blogged about the process on my BFF's blog "Annie Get Your Glue Gun." So, check it out now, buy your beans, take a trip to the liquor store, and be prepared to take your baking up a notch. : )

PS - I highly suggest Southern Comfort as your extracting liquor.

The Best Brownie Recipe - Seriously

If there's one thing you should absolutely know about me, it's that I love brownies. There's nothing better than their chocolately, sweet, soft, gooeyness. I can easily eat a whole pan myself, although I generally try to give most of them away before I do that. In college, I always had a box of brownie mix in the dorm room or apartment so I could whip up a box when I felt the craving. As I got more into baking, though, I tried to wean myself from my dependency on the box. So, I tried a bunch of 'delicious' brownie recipes, which ended up cakey, dry, crumbly, gross. Seriously, if I wanted cake, I would make CAKE! When I want a brownie, I want gooey! The love-hate relationship with the box continued, until one fateful day in med school when a fellow baker-friend introduced me to her brownie recipe, and quite honestly, life has not been the same since. So, I can't take credit from her, but I can spread the tasty news: This recipe makes the PERFECT brownie. The chocolate glaze adds a certain pizazz, but it is by no means necessary (and if you're like me, you can't wait for that once you start to smell delicious brownies cooking in your oven). Enjoy!!

All the ingredients you need (plus baking powder and salt):

Ooey gooey good.

Although you can put the batter into a 9x9 or 9x13 pan, I think an 8x11 works the best.

Ingredients and recipe here!

Perfect Pizza Pie

So sorry that it's been so long since I blogged!!! I baked so many delicious things for Easter, but in the craziness, I totally forgot to take pictures and notes... So, that was a waste. Then, it was a two week road trip around the western United States. (I know, such a hard life...)

Finally, I got back home and wanted to start baking. I found some new recipes to try, but I didn't find them pleasing - definitely not blog-worthy. So, there's been a dry spell, but today I have one of my favorite recipes for you: pizza dough and the recipe to make a perfect pizza! With the hubby being vegan, it's sometimes hard for us to find recipes that we can mutually enjoy. Making pizza, though, is perfect because we get to customize our own pies. I prefer a 'plain pizza' topped with homemade sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil, and a few scattered onions. The hubs enjoys any assortment of veggies. Hawaiian pizza with sauce, ham, and crushed pineapple is also delicious. (Believe it or not). It's a fun way to make dinner and great when friends are over, too. Enjoy!

Pizza Dough Recipe

1 2/3 cups warm (but not hot) water

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons raw sugar (or white if that's all you have)

2 teaspoons salt

4 1/2 cups bread flour

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1.) Combine water, oil, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add in flour and yeast and knead until smooth (about 10 minutes).

2.) Cover bowl, place in warm area, and let dough rest until it doubles in size (approximately 1 hour).

Alternatively, you can put the ingredients into your bread machine and place it on the 'dough' cycle (which is what I do :) ).

Perfect Homemade Pizza Sauce

1 large can crushed organic tomatoes (I prefer the Tree of Life brand)

1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonings (a mixture of oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and sweet basil)

1 teaspoon (or more!) fresh chopped or granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1.) Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust spices accordingly. (Sometimes adding a little sugar helps with the acidity).

Crust Enhancing Oil

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh chopped or granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonings (a mixture of oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and sweet basil)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1.) Place all in a small bowl and mix. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to allow oil to soak up the flavors.

Making The Pizza

1.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. If you are using a pizza stone, place the stone in the oven (or work according to its instructions).

2.) Now that the dough has risen, transfer it to a large surface where you can easily roll it out - a counter top or board works well. Gently separate the dough into 4 pieces. Lightly flour your surface and roll out each piece into a circle, roughly 1/4" thick. (I highly recommend a French rolling pin for this task). You want the dough to be thin, but not so thin that it will rip as you transfer it to your pizza pan or stone.

3.) Transfer one of your rolled out pieces of dough to your pizza pan or pizza stone. We use Martha Stewart's 13" pizza pan and love it, but some people swear by pizza stones. Fold over any excess dough to create the crust. I like very little crust, so I try to make a smaller circle than my pan, and then only fold over about 1/2".

4.) Place the dough in the oven for five minutes. This first baking allows the dough to bake enough so that when you add the sauce it doesn't make the dough all soupy/soggy.

5.) Take the pie out of the oven. Brush the Crust Enhancing Oil along the crust edge. Take roughly 3/4 cup of pizza sauce and fill the center of the pizza pie with it. (More or less to your liking). Top with your favorite toppings!

6.) Place the pizza back in the oven for about 7-8 minutes until the crust starts to become golden and your cheese (if you're using it) is melted. The bottom of the crust should be crispy.

7.) Similarly bake the other 3 pizza dough crusts.

8.) Enjoy!