I Can Make That...

Since I stopped working, my new mantra in the kitchen...or rather when looking at a restaurant menu...is "I can make that..." I've also had those thoughts when looking at the ingredient list on pretty much anything in the grocery store. I'm not a total prude about dyes and preservatives, but I suspect less is more, in terms of what my kids consume.

Anyway...I went looking recently for a white pizza sauce to mimic that of Papa Murphy's, and today fulfilled my quest to make my version of their Gourmet Chicken Garlic pizza.

For the crust I mixed...

• one packet of yeast
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt.

Then I added...

• 2 Tbsp (plus a smidge) olive oil
• one cup of warm water (125 degrees).

Blend all that with an electric mixer for 3 minutes, then use a heavy spoon to stir in another 1 1/2 - 2 cups of flour, until the dough isn't sticky anymore. Knead it for 6-8 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Split it in half and roll it into a circle, at least 12 inches. Preheat the oven with a pizza stone in it to 425. Put the crust on the hot stone, then poke it all over with a fork to prevent bubbles. Bake it for 10 minutes, pull it out of the oven, add the toppings, then bake another 10 - 15 minutes. The hot pizza stone isn't necessary, but it makes for a super crispy crust. If you don't use a pizza stone, grease the pan that you do use.

I used this sauce recipe... http://www.food.com/recipe/white-pizza-sauce-279060

I added chicken, roma tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and a random pizza seasoning.

I can't tell you if it was good. We haven't eaten it yet. But I'm hungry and can't wait to try it!

Is it beautiful? Do I love it? Has it been used in the last year?

Sigh. I'm a bit of a hoarder. I keep stuff. It drives my husband crazy. It drives me a little crazy too, sometimes. So when I saw a free download for my kindle of this book
http://www.amazon.com/Organized-Simplicity-Clutter-Free-Approach-Intentional/dp/1440302634

I gave it a shot. And now I'm going through my house...each drawer, cupboard, closet, nook, and cranny and asking myself, "Do I love it? Is it beautiful? Have I used it in the past 3-12 months?"

I'm surprised at how often I say no to all 3 questions. I'm having a hard time letting go of all this stuff, though. So I'm putting it in 3 piles...give to someone specific, give to goodwill, and look at it again later. I've chosen June 30th as my look at it later date (a lot of it is clothing, so if I haven't worn it between now and June, when it will all be seasonally appropriate at some point, then it's time to go). I'm making a list of the locations of these items, a shelf in my closet for clothes, a bin of household items in the basement, and a box of kids toys in one of their closets...and I will make a final decision on their fates around the end of June.

Wish me luck. I'm going to need it because I like to keep stuff.