Momma Foodie...Good Eats

Making Family Mealtime a Priority
By Momma Foodie

Many of days are spent working, going to and from play date/play group, recreational activities, enrichment classes, school duties, errands and a plethora of other daily routines that involve our significant others, family and children. So understandably it is difficult to sit down to a meal as a family every night or even prepare a meal that everyone can sit down to and enjoy. In my home we strive to make meal preparation a family activity, as well as eating together. My daughter enjoys being my sous chef in whatever way she can. Mostly its just as simple as me giving her a bowl and a spoon to play with while I chop veggies or put water on for pasta, other times it is as simple as putting my ipod on shuffle for her to dance around the kitchen while I cook. Whatever gets the job done! I try to teach her names and colors of foods and utensils as I go along too.

          When it comes down to getting everyone to sit down to a meal to eat together, I know it is hard for some of us with varying schedules and extracurricular activities. You have to do the best that you can with what time you have to work with and if you can get some of your family and not all, I figure you are still making it a priority! You do what you can! When I was growing up my family made it a priority to eat together every night even though my step-father worked rotating shifts we still set him a plate and took turns dishing out his portion as if he was there and wrapped it for him for when he got home later. I also have fond memories of food shopping with my mother and helping her pick out the foods we would be eating as a family in the coming week. There is no shortage of ways of creating the meals together even if you cannot sit down to eat together. Include your children and significant others in shopping for the foods, meal planning, food prep, cleanup, etc. Do what works for you!

          A favorite meal in our house to make together is homemade pizza dough. This allows for each member of the family to be creative and make their own pizza based on what they prefer. You can make it fun by allowing the family to make the dough together, knead it, and roll it out the shape and size they want. We also use a variety of ways to dress our pizzas from traditional pizza sauce, pesto, alfredo, sliced tomatoes, basil, various veggies, proscuitto, pepperoni, mushrooms, etc. The sky is the limit! And of course there is always the cheese! Some like no cheese; others want globs of cheese falling off the slice! It is certainly fun to be able create and eat your own pizza and then sit down and enjoy it with your family discussing the day’s events together.

Foodie Mamma’s Best Pizza Dough Ever!

3 Cups of “warm water” (*see tip below)

2 Tablespoons of yeast

2 Tablespoons of sugar

1 Teaspoon of salt

6 – 7 Cups of flour

(If you don’t own a mixer, a large bowl and whisk will do just fine and will make you feel even more domestic!)

*Tip: The yeast needs “warm water” to activate.  If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast, and if it is too cool, it won’t allow the yeast to grow.  So let’s define “warm water”. Don’t break out a thermometer every time you make this, however if you must know the optimal temperature needed to activate yeast happens to be between 105 and 110 F.  In plain and simple terms, all you do is run your finger under the tap and adjust the temperature so that you almost want to take your finger out because it’s too hot. Active dry yeast does need a bit of heat to dissolve and grow, but if you can’t leave your finger under the water, it’s too hot for your yeast too.  

1. Measure “warm water” and add to the mixer or bowl.

2. Add the yeast to the water and let it dissolve for a couple of minutes.

It should form a froth on the surface.

3. Next, add the sugar, salt and about 2 – 3 cups of the flour and whisk together.

If you’re using a mixer, put it to no more than about speed 2 with the whisk attachment. At this point your mixture will be smooth and resemble somewhat of a batter more than a dough.

4. Stir in the remaining flour.

Change your whisk out for a large wooden spoon or the kneading hook attachment on your mixer. Start up your mixer or start up your muscles and mix.  Continue to add flour to the dough “cleans” itself away from the side of the bowl. This is usually somewhere between 6 – 7 cups.

5. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. (about 6 minutes).

You want a soft dough, but not sticky.  If it sticks to your hand and stays there, add a bit more flour in small increments. If it sticks to your hand, but comes off clean, you’re good to go.

6. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.

This allows the dough to relax and become malleable again to roll out for your pizza. Once you have rolled out your pizza, no need to wait for it to rise.  Top it, and bake it at 400 for 16 -20 minutes depending on the thickness of your dough.

This Momma usually makes her dough in the morning and lets it rise and punches it down twice before refrigerating until about 2 hours before baking. I also tend to preheat my oven at 500 for about an hour before cooking. We also cook on a permanent removable pizza stone on the bottom of my oven. When cooking the pizza I drop the temperature down to 475 and cook from anywhere from 8-12 minutes depending on how thick your crust is. If you do not have a pizza stone I recommend using the directions above in item #6. I also roll out my dough on a piece of parchment paper with a small amount of flour present.

          I hope this inspires you to get in the kitchen with your family and not only cook a meal together but enjoy each other’s company in sitting down to a meal together.

Food Is Love,
Momma Foodie

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