The Pressure Cooker Saved Dinner

It's been awhile since I had a chance to blog. My cooking lessons and private clients schedule has certainly kept me busy this month. I'm frequently asked if I cook dinner for my own family, even when I've been out cooking all day. The answer is an emphatic "YES"! My family and me are spoiled with fresh made dinners. In fact, on the odd day where I really can't prepare a meal, our most prized takeout would be sushi - something I love to make, but don't like how long it takes to make. We've tried other foods and are usually disappointed after our meal.

Last night, I was really running around trying to get my work done, taxi my daughter to her martial arts class and get dinner on the table. With the clock ticking away, it seemed it wasn't going to happen. However, I grabbed one of my favorite new cookbooks, "The Healthy Hedonist", by Myra Kornfeld and quickly scanned over the index as to what I could do with that butternut squash on the counter. Mind you, I only had 30 minutes to get dinner on the table (..this truly happens...Rachael Ray!)and everyone knows how long it takes to make anything with butternut squash. However, after a minute of thought I quickly realized that I could throw together Myra's "Autumn Harvest Red Lentil Soup" if I used my pressure cooker.

It was a terrific success. I simply utilized the ingredients she suggests, converted the cooking times to that of the pressure cooker. Served with a side of mesclun greens with fennel, proscuitto and vinaigrette, with a crustly loaf of Italian bread, we had a complete meal. In fact, I ate the leftover soup today for lunch and it was delicious.

Many recipes can be converted to be cooked in a pressure cooker. You can find so much information from the various manufacturers and popular pressure cooking cookbooks.

Below are a few of the popular brands and cookbooks. And, I've included a link to Myra's cookbook - so many delicious recipes for people who like to be vegetarian part of the time or as they say, Flexitarian.

Enjoy!

National Pizza Month

Besides the fact that I love the Fall; watching the leaves turn, picking pumpkins and feeling that warm sun and cool air at the same time, I absolutely love the fact that it's National Pizza Month. And, although we eat it regularly, there's no better time to create an excuse to have a pizza party.

Truthfully, I can eat pizza with just about any toppings. The variety of ways in which to top a pizza is endless and truly can be left to much imagination. Probably the most interesting combination of toppings I ever ate was pizza with pineapple and ham. I had ordered a "veggie" pizza in California and this is what they came back with. Here in New York, a veggie pizza is made with vegetables not fruit. However, it was truly a delicious change. It always amazes me how different pizza can be depending upon where you are in the country. But that's what makes it fascinating as well. There are really so many variations, you can never get board with this great chameleon of a meal!

My favorite pizza party is one in which you provide everyone a piece of dough that they stretch out into their own personal pizza. This is a great rainy-day activity. Or, even better when it's snowing out as heating the oven can save on those ever-increasing oil bills!

Select a large combination of toppings and then let each person make their own pie. Once they are baked, everyone gets to share their pie (or not...) with the others. It makes for a truly fun eating experience.

To get you started on your way to making your own pizza party, here is a very basic recipe. Keep in mind that the crust can also be made with whole wheat or even with added herbs for variety. There is an abundance of pizza recipes out there and with a little of your own imagination I'm sure you will come up with pizza combinations of ingredients you love.

And, if you're not up to making your own dough, you can simply ask to buy some at your favorite pizza place. They are usually very happy to sell the dough as well. Or buy, pre-baked pizza shells at your local grocery. They work just as well for the decorating portion of the party.

Bon Appetit!

Basic Pizza Dough
makes 3 crusts


2 Packages Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 Cups Warm Water (105º to 115º)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 3/4 Cups All-purpose Flour (3 3/4 to 4 Cups, you need some for dusting)
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil


Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Wait a few minutes to let the yeast activate. Mix the flour with the salt. When the yeast has "bloomed" stir in half of the flour, then the oil. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place for 20 minutes. (If you have a stand mixer with dough hook, you can easily knead the dough in the mixer).

Punch down dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but no longer than 48 hours. (Punch down dough as necessary.)

Note: Letting the dough rest will allow the gluten in the flour to relax making it easier to stretch the dough into your pizza pie.

To assemble pizza:

Heat oven to 500°F. Place pizza stone at bottom rack of oven and preheat for at least 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 3 pieces. On floured table, stretch each piece into a flat round. Lift pizza circle and stretch with knuckles into larger circle being careful not to tear the dough. When slightly stretched, place on floured table and roll out into larger circle with rolling pin, turning dough slightly each time to complete the round.

(Topping ingredient quantities are for one pie)

Spread over dough with rubber scraper:
1 can (8 ounces) pizza sauce

Choose 2 or 3 of your favorite toppings and sprinkle them over the sauce:
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
A few thinly sliced onion rings
1/2 package (3 1/2-ounce size) thinly sliced pepperoni
1/4 pound hamburger or sausage, cooked
Other favorite topping (I love smoked gouda with carmelized mushrooms and onions with a bit of chopped rosemary leaves...yummmm! No sauce..just a "white" pizza).

Sprinkle over the toppings:
1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese (6 ounces)

Here are some recommended pizza cookbooks that you might be interested in: