The fall season is definitely here, the mornings have been cool and foggy while the afternoons still feel like summer. With the change in the weather, I’ve been thinking more about cozy things and comfort food. At the beginning of the week I made our favorite Salmon Chowder followed by Chicken Rice Soup, and ended the week with Beef Stroganoff. The one thing we’ve been enjoying almost everyday for breakfast and for snacks is Homemade Granola!
It’s official:
the first week of school completed, the after school activities began, and the football {high school, college, and the NFL} season is here.
It was a busy week for our family, and when it came time for dinner, the thought of ordering out was tempting, but I didn’t. With a few preparations made earlier in the week I was able to put together some quick and easy dinners. One popular item our family couldn’t get enough of lately is homemade pan pizzas {twice in a week}. I made the dough a few days ahead and kept it in the refrigerator until needed. The supply of grated mozzarella cheese was in the freezer. Ready made pizza sauce was in the pantry. I used what pizza toppings I had on hand. With salad as a side dish, dinner was served.
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Hot and delicious pan pizza with melted cheese and crispy/puffy crust.
The pizza dough recipe will make two 10-inch pan pizzas. I used a cast-iron skillet and a LaCreuset pan to bake them in. They will tolerate high heat and make the crust crispy.
The joy of gardening…
from nurturing tiny seedlings at spring time, to caring for them throughout the summer, then finally reaping the harvest of fresh vine-ripened tomatoes. They are juicy, sweet, delicious, and full of fiber, vitamin C and vitamin A.
Puff pastry is the ingredient that makes the simple and/or ordinary dishes, such as ham and cheese sandwiches, a little more special. It’s a light, buttery, and flaky dough used in making croissants, palmiers, turnovers, beef Wellington, and tarts. It is also known as Pâté feuilletée, in France. Puff pastry is readily available in the frozen section at the grocery store and specialty stores. The three main brands I’ve used are Dufour, Trader Joe’s, and Pepperidge Farm. I like to keep puff pastry on hand in the freezer for whenever it is needed.
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It was a busy Sunday morning at my house preparing for brunch with friends after church. I decided to assemble the puff pastry sandwiches first thing in the morning, and have them ready in the refrigerator to be baked later in the afternoon. All that was needed when I got back home was to give them a quick brush of egg wash over the top and placed into the oven to bake.
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Mixed greens and strawberries drizzled with tangy-sweet homemade balsamic vinaigrette make for an ideal fresh and light summer salad. This is a nice side dish to accompany almost any entree {chicken, beef, pork, and salmon}.
