Basic Pizza Dough

So for last Sunday Dinner, I made homemade Pizza! Because I had a dinner party of five, I made my own pizza dough! These day's you do have already made pizza dough in the supermarket, but if you have a bigger party for dinner it's cheaper to make some dough your self. It is easy to do, too! And in case you made too much dough you can always wrap it up in plastic foil and freeze it! The recipe I have is for about 2 medium size thin crusted pizza's, try it!

Basic Pizza Dough

Ingredients
(For about 2 medium size thin crusted pizza's)

• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 2 1/2 tsp dry Yeast (I used one small packages)
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour + extra 
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil + extra
• 2 Tbsp salt

Directions
Step 1: In a small saucepan heat the water and milk on a low heat until it is lukewarm.
Step 2: When lukewarm, pour into a large bowl. Add the yeast and the sugar and stir it with a wooden spoon so it is combined. Then let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Step 3: When the yeast is set after 5 minutes, stir in the Olive Oil, Salt and 2 1/4 Cup of Flour. Stir it all together with he wooden spoon if needed add some more of the flour. You don't want you dough to sticky but not to dry eather.
Step 4: Lightly flour your counter or the surface you want to knead your dough. Also put some flour on your hands so it won't stick. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic for about 10 to 15 minutes.

• If your dough is to sticky, you'll need to add a little more flour. (some dusting of flour)
• If your dough is not smooth and spongy, you'll need to add a little more water. (just a few drops of water)
• The dough needs to be smooth and spongy.

Step 5: Brush Olive Oil in a large bowl for your dough to rest. Put the ball of dough in the bowl and lightly brush some of the olive oil on the top. Cover the bowl and let it sit for about 3 hours. Let it rest in a warm place so the dough can double it's size.
Step 6: After 3 or more hours you can use the dough to make your Pizza. Divide the dough in the nummer and sizes of pizza's you like. Place the ball of dough on a baking sheet and roll it out so it is ready to become a real Pizza.

Some tips for finishing your Pizza:
Step 7: Pre-heat your oven at 450 F. (230 C.)
Step 8: Brush you pie with some olive oil. Spread the tomato sauce and oregano on your pie.
Step 9: Slide the pizza in the oven and cook for about 10.

Step 10: After 10 minutes you get the pizza out of the oven and add your toppings. Slide the pizza back in the oven for about 5 to 10 minutes. Depending on your oven.
Step 11: Cut up the Pizza and Enjoy!

(Incorporated from MartheSteward.com)

Sunday Dinner: Topping Party

So last Sunday was Mothers Day, because of this I didn't have a Sunday Dinner with friends. This week however it is finaly our turn for Sunday Dinner and I can cook something lovely for my friends. I can't wait to make something and make great use of my new big stove and oven. However since we don't have a dinnertable yet we are going to keep it easy this week: Making Homemade Pizza. With the idea of home made pizza and the topping I thought of a Topping Party: A Main Course, Side Dish and Dessert where you can have different toppings for your guests to chose from.

Sunday Dinner: Topping Party

Main Course
Homemade Pizza, a perfect dinner idea if you don't have a dinner table and your having dinner with some friends. Everyone can choose there own toppings and who doesn't love a good pizza.

These days you can find plain pizza dough in your supermarket but if your having a dinner party like me for five people it's cheaper to make the pizza dough your self. Use the Basic Pizza Dough recipe of Buzz in the Kitchen which is is easy to make, you may even have the ingredients right in your home! The recipe makes 4 small pizza's or 2 medium size ones.

As I said the pro's on Homemade Pizza is that you can chose your own toppings to put on it. If you want to try something new I found a funny pizza recipe to try on Cookstr.com: Red Grape Pizza with Honey Rosemary and Pecorino. Normally I am not a big fan of fruits on pizza's but this intrigued me with the red grapes. Maybe I'll try it this sunday, how about you? Click here for the recipe.

Side dish
As a side I thought of making a salad. A nice fresh salad. As inspiration i found a Tomato, Onion, Avocado Salad  on simplyrecipes.com.  Fresh green filled salad which will be very nice with your pizza. Off course you can always add some of your pizza toppings to your salad.

Dessert
Dessert my speciality and until now I haven't had any complaints. What better to end a night of Pizza at Sunday Dinner that with an Ice cream Sunday! On Bon Appetit.com I found a great ice cream sunday recipe: Marshmallow Creme Hot Fudge Sundaes. Just like your pizza you can add some extra toppings that you like and make it a Topping Party!

Drink
For a drink how about a nice spring/summer drink: Limoncello and Prosecco Cooler with Raspberry Ice Cubes. The recipe by Creative-Culinary.com. Limoncello a real summer Italian drink and Prosecco the drink of last year. This combined must bring a summer feeling, great for in the spring. Because it's Strawberry season why not try it with Strawberry Ice Cubes?

Sunday Dinner: Mothers Day

We try to have dinner with some of our friends every Sunday. One week we cook, the other week they cook. Sometimes we try out recipes, other times we keep it simple. The dinner always consists of a Main Course and a Dessert! The recipe's we try out can be our own, inspired by other recipe's or just from a book or a blogg.

Because of this I decided to share some Sunday Dinner idea's with you, some recipe's of my own other links to other food bloggers or food websites i found. So you can start your own Sunday Dinner tradition withn your friends of family.  Though we only do Main Course and Dessert, for you ill to also find a appetizer/side dish and a drink if possible.

Every Friday, i'll try to share a dinner plan with you. So you have plenty of time to do all your grocery shopping and have planty of preparation time for Sunday! For the first Sunday Dinner Post, because it's Mothersday (well in the Netherlands it is) i'll share a Sunday Motherday Day Dinner with you!

Sunday Dinner: Mothers Day

Side Dish
It's Asparagus season and I love Asparagus. To bad for my, my boyfriend doesn't. So found a asparagus recipe as a side on framedcooks.com, Honey Breadcrumb Asparagus. Like the idea, try out the recipe.

Main Course
So what to make with Honey Breadcrumb Asparagus as a side disk? What about some potatoes and salmon. How about Roasted Salmon with Pink Peppercorn Sauce from A Spicy Perspective.com. With the salmon you can make some potatoes and of course have some lemon wedges. Check out the recipe.  

Dessert
The is only one answer here posible:

Make your Mom's Favorite!

Almost Every Mom has a sweet she loves, in case you don't know here favorite and want to make it a real suprice. With Mothersday there are alot of Bakery and sweet shops that will sell special Mothers Day sweets. So in case your not a baker and want a focus on The Bruch or Dinner, Buy your dessert.

For those who want to make there mom's, Mother day extra special, here is some inspiration for your dessert. A Strawberry Parfaits.

This Strawberry Trifle, is really quick and easy to make. It's strawberry season so ideal to make. If your Mom is not a Strawberry fan you can always make it with another berry's like Raspberry's. Click here for the recipe. 


Drinks
It's Mothers day and Spring so a special drink for your Mom. How about a Sparkling Strawberry Cocktail by Martha Steward.com. A nice strawberry drink with your strawberry dessert. Must try this recipe out!

Easy Strawberry Trifle

I love Trifle's and Puddings especially when there made with fruits. One of my favorite receipe's is my Banana Pudding Recipe with Meringes. Especially when the pudding is still hot and homemade. It's Strawberry season so I decided to make a strawberry Trifle very much like my Banana Pudding recipe. It's really easy to make and also Quick to do. Try it out!

Easy Strawberry Trifle

Ingredients
- Strawberries (2 boxes)
- Milk (see instant pudding box)
- Instant Vanilla Pudding
- Double Creme (250 ml) - To make Whipped Cream
-  3 tsp + some extra Sugar
- Strawberry Jam

Directions
Step 1: Make the instant pudding by mixing the Instant Vanilla Pudding and Milk. Just Follow the directions on the instant Pudding box.
Step 2: Pour the Pudding in Tall Glasses for about 1/2 Full. Look at the box how long the glasses should stay in the refrigerator. Mine took 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 3: Make your own Whipped cream by mixing the double cream until it's whipped cream. When it almost is Whipped Cream add about 3 tsp of sugar to make it sweeter.
Step 3: Wash the Strawberries an cut them in slices.
Step 4: When the pudding is set, device the strawberries over the glasses.
Step 5: Sprinkle some suger over the strawberries to you liking.
Step 7: Put the Whipped cream on top till the top of the glass.
Step 8: Add a tsp of Strawberry Jam (or any other berry) on the top as a syrup.
Step 9: Enjoy!