The Best Pizza Dough Ever!!!

I have been on the look out for a great pizza dough recipe, and I think I have found one! Not only is this dough super easy to make, it tastes as good as the crust you would find in any respectable NYC pizza parlor. The pictures featured are of a "salad pizza" I made last night via the Delicious TV's Totally Vegetarian podcast. Thanks so much to Phil's wonderful mom, Anita, for this recipe!

Pizza Dough (for the food processor or mixer)

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 2/3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tbs. olive oil (plus more to oil the bowl)

Mix yeast with warm water and sugar in a 2 cup measure. Let stand in a warm place for up to 10 mins. With metal blade in place in food processor (or dough hook in mixer), mix flour salt and oil together. With the food processor or mixer running, pour yeast mixture in a steady stream, but only as fast as the flour absorbs it. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary. Let processor or mixer run for 40-50 seconds until dough is kneaded, smooth and elastic. It will be sticky!

Transfer dough to a well oiled bowl. Rotate so entire surface is oiled. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise in a warm place (80-85 degrees) until doubled in bulk, about 1-1 1/2 hours. Roll out dough on a floured board. Place on greased pan and top as desired. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until bottom of crust is browned.

Bunny Salad

Inspired by a recipe in this month's Veg News, and a salad I ate at Whole Foods a few weeks ago... Silly name, I know...

Bunny Salad

*1 cup water
*1/4 cup + 1 tbs. orange juice
*1 cup whole wheat couscous
*1/3 cup raisins
*1/2 cup diced carrots
*1 tbs. olive oil
*2 tbs. chopped parsley
*salt
*pepper
*1/4 cup toasted almonds (optional)

Boil water and 1/4 orange juice together. Once at a boil, add couscous and remove from heat, cover and let steam for 5 mins. Then lift lid and add carefully mix in raisins, fluffing couscous with a fork. The heat will make the raisins plump up, so let the pot sit uncovered for about 10 mins. Then carefully add carrots.

Whisk remaining tbs. orange juice, olive oil, parsley and a pinch salt and pepper together and then drizzle over couscous and carefully mix in with a fork. Top with toasted almonds, if desired. Can be served cold or at room temperature.

Salad... Ick?

I have always thought I hated salad. I would eat it sometimes when I was out to dinner, but I never made it at home. However, I recently tried making my own vinaigrette, and now I am throwing together a salad with dinner a couple times a week.

You could make this using a whisk, but using one of my favorite pieces of equipment, an immersion blender (thanks again, Mom!), makes the vinaigrette frothy and creamy.

Here's what you need, this is just a guess of the measurements, it's really a judgment and preference call. It's pretty tangy-tasting, so if that is not your thing use less lemon and garlic.

1/3 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, pressed
Pinch salt
Pinch pepper

Put everything together in a bowl or the handy-dandy cup that comes with your immersion blender. Blend until creamy. Toss together with some mixed baby greens. Perfection!