Bonjour! Did you eat yourself silly over Thanksgiving? I sure hope you did! Did you have an extra piece of dessert for me? An extra cup of tea? 3 helpings of your favorite side dish too? Oh, thank you, I knew I could count on you! I bet you are totally sick of all that Thanksgiving food love, right? Well, I have something exciting to share with you! Homeade pizza, cooking in your oven!!
I was going through magazines while suffering through my own stomach ache after Thanksgiving, sipping the ever so tasty alka-seltzer… Feeling much better actually, when, in an old issue of Metropolitan home, I found a few interesting recipes. One recipe really got my attention. I have been in search of a good easy to make pizza dough FOREVER. I am not a huge pizza eater. I don’t like the tangyness in the cheese and sauce of most pizzas. It is not a fulfilling munching food for me. I am just not into it. If I had my dream pizza, it would have lots of fresh herbs, carmelized onions, mushrooms. A mild cheese… A fresh mozzarella… The recipe I found was for a Duck Confit pizza. Not really my taste, but the dough recipe, that really got me.
So I made the dough, and invented my own topping… (recipe at the end)
It was a really easy dough to make. I learned alot. I bake bread and knew some rules. However, in this case, you must let your dough rise in a very warm place. You must make sure it stays inside the oiled plastic wrap. The higher you let it rise, the thicker your crust. And, most wonderfully, in the second rising, when you grab your little ball of dough (you will have 6) it is so easy to simply stretch quickly into a pizza shape. You will be surprised at how easy.
I made my own sauce with a can of stewed tomatoes with onion and bell pepper in it (Del Monte). I threw it all in a blender, added 5 shakes of garlic salt with parsley, and Voila! Delicious mild sweet pizza sauce… I used a few chopped mushrooms with a small amount of Jarlsberg on some of the pizzas, some had carmelized onions (which I carmelized), and others had fresh Mozzarella and fresh Basil from my garden. But, the very best part? The pizza cooks in 10 MINUTES (not including dough rising time)!!! Yes, I know, amazing!
Mr. Lovee loved it! A huge success!! So we nibbled in the garden…
It is so much fun, to have someone enjoy your cooking so much (Mr. Lovee’s hand)…
They were so lovely and light… I felt like I was in Italy, under the trees eating gourmet pizza…
The sky was dreamy, the trees just lovely.. And, listen to this, it is finally cool here. Actually, my fingers and toes are frozen right now, so I am happy.
Don’t forget to enjoy your pizza in your favorite nightgown (I use my flannel nightgowns as robes)!
Now, I know, this post is going to be way too long, but, I must share another super EASY EASY EASY recipe for Apple Pie!!! I felt like I didn’t get to bake my own pie over the holiday, so, I went online, I Googled Easy Apple Pie, and found a wonderful recipe on Cooks.com!
This apple pie is so rustic and wonderful. We decided it is kind of like mideval fairytale pie. Have you seen the movie Legend, where Lily goes into a cottage where a woman is baking and there are all of these cakes and amazing looking foods… Welllllll, this pie fits right in! I LOVED it! I took some bad photos for you Legend fans! Another movie that plays on repeat in this house.
Back to the pie… It is crustless, but the cookie like topping melds its way down into the apples. My important tips for the pie are, use sweet apples and peel them. I used crunchy Gala Apples and peeled… There are nuts in the topping and they are wonderful. Don’t worry if they get burnt looking, they aren’t. Oh, and you can’t really "pour" the dough over the top, so I just glopped it on with my fingers…
The finished product! YUMMMM!
Once you have baked your pie, make sure to take it with you through the hidden Rabbitwood forest…
When you see the magical smiling face tree, turn right…
And you will see Mr. Rabbit and Mr.Conehat bird having a ball. Feasting on toasted seeds and crunchy leaves… Mr. Rabbit found himself a little fireplace, and he even built a bed up above the ground and encircled it with peach leaves… See you there!!! (more photos in Flickr. Sparkly birds in my shop)
See you soon!!!
Recipes:
Pizza Dough, (Metropolitan Home Magazine), click on recipe to enlarge, and/or print:
Easy Apple Pie From Cooks.Com:
Oh how lovely! We baked pumpkin bread today, and remarked about how much you can eat during the holidays…when it finally gets cold. How lovely! It was in the 20’s this morning, so it must have been cold down your way as well…
Now where’s all the real snow!?!?!
Pizza Party!! Oh my girl, you really should print a little booklette on noshing, for I find your goodies – pictures and recipes – so tempting and such a feast! Next time, I shall come by for a bite of your lovely crafted pizzas, and bring a fine bottle of chianti for sipping… a delight to indulge in…thank you for the party! : )
VB
OH YES Vivi. I’ve been eating home made Pizza!! BUT not in my flannel Nightie. Need to try that one! Thank you for the recipes and for being YOU!
Oh my! As tasty as the apple pie looks, the pizza looks absolutely mouth watering! And I am with you, there are 2 things I am super picky about…pizza sauce and barbecue sauce. I like sweet, NOT tangy! It’s taken me forever to find both a pizza and barbecue sauce I love so I am really excited about trying your pizza dough recipe! Next weekend for sure! Mmmm….a fresh mozzarella and basil pizza, a mushroom pizza, onions and black olives….I want them all!!
Hi Vanessa….I have seen you on some of my friends blogs. I live in Az. too! What part of Az. do you live in???? I enjoyed looking around here and love your art. Stop by to see my blog sometime.
http://www.adesertgarden.blogspot.com
xx
Oh look at you, Miss Domesticity! And a flannel nightgown too. I’m gonna have to try that dough! And apple pie? Mmm mmm good!
Right now, we are baking blueberry muffins (from our frozen stash of blueberries!).
Happy week to you, thanks for the recipes!
xo,
melissa
You have a flickr account? Wonderful! And that pie – wonderful as well. I am spoiled for pizza, as Mr. Knitsonya is quite the pizza-maker. It was wonderful to see dine al fresco with you though. I’ve been working on our al fresco eating area, mosaic-ing an indoor table that wasn’t doing well in the rain. Messy fingers covered with thinset. But you know how that goes. Take care sweetie!
yum, just yum.
We sooo live in a parallel universe! The day after Thanksgiving we had BBQ chicken pizza!
Vanessa, I’m here by way of Carmen at Strawberries & Champagne. She was right, you are incredibly talented and inspirational. The siren’s one wish turned out beautifully!
Pizza? Pie? Flannel night gowns? Anthropologie dishtowels EXACTLY like mine? fire up the oven and put on the tea I’m saddling up my horse and galloping over!
What is this? Are you food blogging now? And it looks good to, that pizza looks just like it should!
Uh, no I did not eat myself silly. I ate myself FAT! And now I must atone for my sins until Christmas. 😀
The pizza, in particular, looks fabulous! (Only because I have had my fill of pies until Christmas). When I go to London, will have to stock up on some ingredients missing in Paris. Glad you had such a lovely holiday and lots of good food. xoxox
What a treat!! 🙂 That pizza…oh oh! And the pie!! Oh my!! Thank You ever so much for sharing these recipes….I will be trying both , methinks!! 🙂 Hoooooray!! 🙂
I’m totally going to try that pizza dough recipe….I LOVE pizza!!! 🙂
I always wanted to make my OWN pizza, with all the yummy toppings that *i* like….oh, dreamy…BUT, it’s another one of those things that only i would eat (and i sure DO NOT need to eat a whole pizza all by my plump self! :D…the boys here seem to only like plain old nasty pepperoni, with nary a veggie even daring to THINK of touching their slices. Le Sigh….yours looks perfect with the beautiful basil sprigs. Carmelized onions make me quiver with joy at the very thought! 🙂
So glad you had a lovely holiday…and Legend is a special favorite of mine too…hmmmm…maybe i should go watch it now….
xoxoxo
Yes….! YOu have cold weather. I relate to the loving of the changing seasons, one needs a bit of this and that through the year!
The pizza dough sounds great, and I bet you could sub organic ingredients for an even healthier one! Yours looks yum-o! And you needn’t have explained that was MR.Lovee’s hand, it sure wasn’t yours! 🙂
Mr. Conehat birdie looks cute as a button. I am also surprised that you don’t have to watch what you eat…you are lucky lucky!
xoxo
Gillian
Those recipes are absolutely great! Thanks for sharing especially the dough recipe. I’m trying different ones out lately!
Love the pizza idea! I may just copy that!
Hugs!
Michelle
Oh…your lovely little environment!! Your pizza lunch does look to be in Italy…not AZ!
Tess and I had a FABULOUS pizza from our local pie shop…very very thin crust with olive oil, herbs, basil, feta cheese, if only we were in Spain, a glass of wine would have been perfect, but alas wine at lunch here is not very practical 🙂
Oh my gosh! I’ve just had dinner, but now I am craving for pizza…….
Oh yum!! Apple pie and homemade pizza are my *favorites*!! hehe! I may just have to try that pizza crust myself at some point; my dad makes pizza every weekend, but sometimes I like to try my own toppings/crust (he makes a whole wheat crust which is a bit heavier than white-flour crust… which I prefer! ;). Thanks for sharing these! Hope you’re having a lovely Monday!! 🙂
I am so with you on the caramelized onions. Oh how I *love* them. Fresh basil and cheese. Yummy! I don’t like a thick crust, as I enjoy the toppings more than bread. Sounds so delicious. Little Miss Homemaker.
I have one request. Next time rabbit and dunce cap birdy decide to picnic, can I please be invited?
xo
Not fair! It’s lunchtime, I’ve not eaten yet and now I’m starving for your delicious pizza! 🙁
I’ll get over it I guess. (???!)
Another magical post…. 🙂
Your pizza looks and sounds delicious! I’m printing out that recipe. I love carmelized onion too! Yummy!
Bonjour indeed Curiosa!
Such a gourmet you are! I haven’t seen this movie so I will now on your recommendation 🙂 Legend.
Next time can we have artichokes, mushrooms and feta?
Those recipes look wonderful. I have pizza on the menu this week actually!! I’m always in for an easy apple pie recipe too. I see I have other messages from you, sorry I’ve been out and about all week, altho this weekend I was home but it was cold and I felt like I was living in a cacoon. So weird! But I hatched I guess and am back out into the world. heh!
Everything looks delicious. I love the pizza pictures too. That looks so yummy. Hmmmm. Makes me hungry. I think it’s time for lunch now-lol.
a scrumptious post…
isn’t it great when you have a partner who loves your food? i think i would have given up cooking awhile ago if i didn’t have jordan as my cheerleader!
Scrumptious, I’m sure! Mr. Lovey has lovely hands too.
Christine
You are one very talented young woman..in the studio, in the garden, with the friendly forest creatures..the photos of the food are very artistically done…and you’ve made me very, very hungry!!!
Ok, you succeeded in making me hungry! I can’t believe that you were searching for these things with a stomach ache.
Off to lunch,
KJ
Hi! Thanks for your visit! I was in the middle of eating due to your edible enticements here!
FYI – I liked the music on my blog so much that I downloaded the entire album off of iTunes. It’s amazingly beautiful– very worth the investment!
Hope to see you again,
KJ
The pizza recipe sounds amazing!! I love the old world Italian feel to it. Rustic indeed.
Your posts are so enchanting and mesmerising which always makes my day! 🙂
Your pizza and pie look delicious!!! Can’t wait to try the pizza dough recipe!! THanks so much for sharing!!! Just starting with the cool weather?? we have snow .. want some? I love snow!
That pizza looks divine!!
Isn’t it funny how cooking and art are so related?!
And you are clearly a Master at both!
Thanks for the recipes!
Sandra Evertson
oh my that fresh basil…
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…
xox – eb.
They both look wonderful BUT the apple pie looks easy. Guess which one I might actually try to make.
So cooking is another talent of yours I get to envy, huh?
Bonjour Vanessa! I am so pleased to meet you! I found your comments on my blog and just visited your site, which is incredible! Thanks so much for comments abou the sculpture and for your good words about my disappeared cat Zoe. I will make a point to come and visit you regularly. Please come and visit my blog any time you like! I LOVE your art! Your pizza recipes all look delicious… We make homemade pizza every saturday night, even my 11-year old son Ulysse can prepare the dough himself and bake the pizza, we have been doing it forever. As for apple pies, I literally live in apple orchards here in Southern Quebec. My favorite kind of apple pie is the rustic galette, with a free-form sweet dough thst you can eat with your fingers. Miam….Take care, LuLu
You are so delightful Vanessa! Yum, Yum and more Yums to all your gorgeous culinary treats!!
Thanks for the love on my new collage too:) xoxoxo…jenn
Yummmmmm! It all looks so good. We finally watched Ratatoulle with the kids and oddly enough now hubby and I are in the mood for some good food. May have to try these! Love the photos, love your creative brain!
those pizzas just look too delicious! I love traditional style pizza. As soon as I move into my new house with an oven (how stupid is it that my apartment doesnt have an oven? I’m so sick of stir-fries) I’ll be cooking these up! yumm
Those pizza’s look amazing!!! Ã am so hungry right now at work and I’m almost falling of my chair because of this hehe…
Wow and they tasted well also, homemade pizza’s usually never work I heard but these really are amazing!! But you can leave out the chicken right? I don’t eat meat and I really don’t like it. I’m not that into unions aswell hehe, so I hope there’s something left to make a pizza with then… I’ve printed the recipe now at work and my boss looks a bit suspicious but I don’t mind ;). But Ill really try this, looks so nice! And the apple pie and that crunchy fruit oatmeal dish you made a while ago aswell!
And yes it looked just like Italy! Have you ever been there? Last year was my first time and I never thought you can fall in love with a country but I did with Italy… It’s beautiful… The cities, the people, the nature, the food… I really miss it!
Well hope you are doing fine Vanessa, thank you for this cheering up post!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Les
Yay for pajamas!!!
Thank you for the recipes, too!
I make often pizzas and aple-pie at home..I don’t like too much tomato-sauce on pizza, but I use fresh good riped and thin sliced tomato instead..try this other time,it’s delicious!
And I love the aple-pie with alot cinnamon..
We have the frost each morning but it is still about 5 degree of Celsius during the day..days are going shorter and shorter and at 5pm we have the right night..I can’t imagine going out in my night shirt,I would die by frost 🙂
Oh, those look good! I have had the hardest time finding good pizza dough recipes, so I’ll hve to try this, AND the crustless apple pie! Yum!
~Angela 🙂
That pizza recipe is rockin’ Vanessa! I must try it. It looked super delicious and seeing fresh basil made my heart leap. All my herbs went bye bye for the winter, so it’s nice to know someone else is enjoying basil from their garden.
Oh My! That pizza looks delicious! I am glad I stopped by your blog!
Penny
Dear one
your food looks sooooo nummy! Do have some lovely days ahead!
Vanessa, I have found someone who I think you will love to “meet”! Her name is Suziblutube and she does vlogs on Youtube. If you have time go check her out. And I also thought that it would be amazing if you did a vlog so we could have a real tour of your studio and see your beautiful self in action painting away! Just an idea. Enjoy your week sweetpea!
Oh yum yum yum!!!! That pizza looks heavenly! Eating in the garden sounds delightful… none of that around here… brrrrrrr!
Stop by my place… I am hosting a little celebration…
Have a happy day!
Yes, what is it about three days after Thanksgiving? Here, we always fry up tacos. So you with pizza, me with tacos.
Your last name fits waaay better than mine.Donna O’Brien? nah, Dona Valencia. Much better!!Stealing your name and Mr. Lovee’s hands, too.
D.
Wow. This was one of the most enjoyable posts I’ve read in a long time. Thanks! Love it.
im hungry now, you little minx!
i love that nightgown too!
xxx
That pizza looks so pretty!
now i’m hungry…blessings, rebecca
oh my goodness…what a wonderful, wonderful, WONDRFUL looking pizza pie that is! And I am starting to get super envious of your beautiful beautiful weather…the fact that you are eating outdoors makes me want to live somewhere WARM (I have been feeling very cold recently and although I like the cold I miss summers warmth!)
Mwah!
What a lovely pizza
Mmmm…. carmelized onions…. Yummy!
OOOooo! Mz. Fanciful’s Trattoria! FOOD food! Stop it! I am still trying to lose ! Oh..it’s okay…I can have a slice of the pizza and the apple pie… cyberally! (I just made up that word)
how ever did you get
a photo of *me*
standing in my kitchen?
🙂
i adore how the sun always
shines in like that,
night or day…
oh you are making me drool! those pies look soooooo scrumptous!!! hurray for baking!!
i’m happy that you finally have cold fingers and toes!! there is something wonderful about being cold, snuggling under cosy blankies and sipping hot cocoa, wearing beautiful knit sweaters and dreaming of Christmas!
stay tuned for my blog in a few days, i will post some photos of Christmasy things!
I love, love, love homemade pizza. It’s my favorite kind. I can’t believe that you make your own sauce. I’ve never master that. I’ll have to try again. Have a great Thursday night. Blessings… Polly
wow, i had to ignore all that food having gained 4 lbs over the holiday 🙁 instead, i looked at your glittery birds oo la la!!! old fashioned and dazzlishous! now close your eyes and picture me with a scrunched up face. my fists are pounding the desk while i chant: PLATES!PLATES!PLATES!
Beautiful pizzas and food photography, this is making me hungry 🙂
Hi
Thank you so much for sharing this I made it last night please check out my blog I did a entire post on it would love your feed back. This is the best crust ever. I really love your blog I am fairly new to this but it is fun.
BettyJo
The apple pie looks yummy — though I’d call it more like apple crisp. My mouth is watering. And the homemade pizza — I must go and buy some more Pilsbury pizza dough, which gives me the requisite (Italian) very thin crust. I’ve only been once, but I never had a thick crust in Italy. I use pure tomato puree for a very sweet sauce, though I usually pinch on dried Italian spices, too. And I’m with you — mild cheeses only — I prefer pure mozzarella. Here’s to making pizzas to personal specifications, whatever they are!
Pizza….Hmmm Its yummy I just love the pizza…whenever I am free at my home at that time I suppose to cook pizza at my home…And I love to cook and eat food at my own kitchen…!