When I look back on our life the last few years, I feel like we have been living life in the fast lane. Seems we are always on the run, always connected to technology and less connected to one another. Both Drew and I have been trying to change this fast pace by being more focused on one another, turning off the technology and taking the time to sit together and just talk, spend time as a family doing leisurely things like swimming or skating. Sounds easy but throw in work, school, sports, all of our schedules and it can be real tempting to take the easy way out and lose yourself in Facebook, tv and video games. We’ve never been a family who eats in restaurants or on the run as I’ve always been determined to cook home cooked meals. Even at our busiest times, I cook simple nutritious meals that don’t take long to make. I’m a big believer that food is an important part of bonding – good food, not fast food you’re running at a 100 miles an hour through the drive through. Lately I’ve been focusing on cooking ahead or making double the amount so I can put left-overs away for lunch or the next dinner. Butter chicken has become a favourite and I cook up my butter chicken recipe at least once a week. This past Friday I had some butter chicken left over in the fridge and decided to make a pizza with the butter chicken theme. The pizza was a hit and I must say it was delicious. I make the dough in a bread maker, set it all up in the morning before I go to work and set for the dough to be ready when I walk in the door. There is nothing more tasty than fresh dough pizza. Below is the recipe and I warn you, I throw food together with a pinch of that and bit of this! I will try to get the recipe right but I find the tastiest dinners I’ve made have been the dinners I’ve thrown together with spices here and there and grab this and that , so go ahead and experiment. Recipe below – enjoy!
BREAD MACHINE PIZZA DOUGH
Two 30 cm (12′) rounds or three 20cm (8″) rounds
325 ml / 1 1/4 cups of water
35 ml / 3 tbsp olive oil
7 ml / 1 1/2 tsp salt
375 ml / 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
375 ml 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
15 ml / 1 tbsp bread machine yeast
cornmeal (optional) for sprinkling on sheet
Place all ingredients in the order listed (don’t add the cornmeal) in bread machine pan.
Set to dough setting. (takes 2 hours)
Grease pans and sprinkle with cornmeal. Knead risen dough on floured surface until no longer sticky. Place on pan; stretch dough with oiled fingers – careful of tearing the dough – or roll out on pan with rolling pin, to edge of pan (dough will be springy so keep stretching until it stays in place)
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
spread your favourite pizza sauce on dough and spread a bit of masala garam spice, salt and pepper and pressed fresh garlic on the pizza sauce.
Chop red onions into small wedges and grill in olive oil preferably in a cast iron pan on stovetop until soft and sweetened. Add a little balsamic vinegar grill a few more seconds and remove from heat.
Place left over buttered chicken, red peppers, and grilled onions on pizza dough.(grilled mushrooms would be delicious on this pizza as well)
Top with lots of mozzarella cheese and bake in a hot oven for 12 – 15 minutes until dough is cooked and cheese is browned.
Double click on the link below for butter chicken recipe:
MOMWHEARINGLOSS 