pizza night!

Pizza has always been on my list of favorite foods.  In fact, in high school I thought marrying a youth pastor was just about the best idea ever because who eats more pizza than a youth pastor and his wife?  So, when a dr. looks at me and tells me I no longer can have any gluten – nothing with wheat, barley or rye – without it damaging my body, immediately my mind goes to pizza…what am I going to do about my affection for pizza?  I went to Border’s, collected all the gluten-free cookbooks with good pictures in them and scoured which had the best-sounding pizza recipe, bought the book, came home and made it.  Success on the first try.  So, the Royers can still have our pizza night even if my husband is no longer a youth pastor :)

 

This was my Pizza Crust recipe for years:

1 ½ c. warm water

2 T. olive oil

2 t. salt

3 c. flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

¼ c. ground flaxmeal

2 t. sugar

1 pkg. yeast

Dough setting in breadmaker.  Parbake the crust before adding toppings. Makes 2 large crusts.

And now, GF Pizza Crust (AKA, "Mama Johns" Pizza)

1 ½ c. warm water

2 T. honey

2 pkg. yeast

2 T. olive oil

2 t. xanthan gum

2 t. dried basil (I've been using our fresh herbs: oregano, thyme and basil)

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. garlic powder (I use 1 T. fresh minced garlic)

2 t. salt

2 1/3 c. artisan GF flour mix (see below)

1/3 c. ground flax meal

Oven to 400.  Combine water, honey and yeast in large bowl and let stand until mixture bubbles, about 5 min.  Stir in olive oil, xanthan gum, herbs, garlic and salt.  Mix in flour to firm dough that is soft, but not sticky to touch.  Drizzle 1 T. olive oil into mixing bowl, and roll dough to coat it.  Cover, set in warm location and let rise 20 min.  Grease fingers with olive oil and spread on 2 pizza pans.  Par-bake dough 10 min.  Add toppings and bake until desired doneness.

Artisan GF Flour Mix

1 ¼ c. brown rice flour

¾ c. sorghum flour

2/3 c. cornstarch

¼ c. potato starch

1 T. + 1 t. potato flour

1 t. xanthan gum

This crust freezes well if you bake it 8 minutes, cool, then wrap in plastic and foil.  I double this recipe and freeze half for a quick gluten-free meal.

Source: Adapted from Artisinal Gluten-Free Cooking by Kelli and Peter Bronski

I spent this afternoon at a friend's learning how to make Indian dosa and sambar.  Oh man, am I excited to make those rice pancakes more of a staple in our home.  I first tasted them a few months ago and have craved them ever since!  

I came home to a combine in our backyard.  Jack's dream come true!  I imagine he will be out there as long as the farmer will...


There is just something about waking up to roosters crowing, the sunrise and sunset over an open field, watching the harvest in our backyard, feeding horses in a pasture nearby apples every night that fills my heart.  I love it out here in the country.