Who Needs Delivery?

Not with this recipe! Make several and freeze before cooking for a quick meal any time.

Here's what you'll need:

*Crust:
4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp honey
3 cups warm water (110*F)
2 tsp salt
1 TB Italian seasoning
1/4 cup olive oil
6 1/2-7 1/2 cups bread flour

Sauce:
1 large can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1 TB Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp honey


Toppings:

Whatever floats your boat - I used raw milk cheese topped with chicken, bacon, red onion, and fresh tomatoes drizzled with a bit of olive oil.

Other favorites:
Chicken, tomatoes and pineapple
Spinach, red onion and tomatoes
Beef, red onion and green bell peppers

Directions:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast, honey and water. Let sit 10 minutes.
• Stir in about 3 cups of flour along with the salt, italian seasoning, and oil.
• Turn dough out onto a clean, floured surface and knead in more flour until dough is moist but not sticky. Put back in bowl, cover with damp cloth and let rise until double; about one hour.
• Meanwhile, stir together sauce and grate cheese.
  
• Punch down and form a tight ball. Allow to relax for about 5 minutes before rolling out.
• Coat pizza pan with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal.
  
• Top with sauce, cheese, and goodies. :P
• Bake at 425* for 15-20 minutes.

NOTE: If using a pizza stone top and bake immediately. If not, let rolled out dough rise for about 15 minutes before topping.

*Makes 3 large pizzas.

Family fun: Make small pizzas and let everyone top their own! You can also do this for a get together.

Our GREEN Christmas

REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE....What's that gotta do with Christmas?! Well, let me tell you what our family decided to do.

First off, many families have taken the focus of Jesus' birth, love, the gift He is to us, joy, peace, and being grateful and have turned it into such a mess of busyness, parties, expensive gifts that I have just been revolted and disheartened with the whole thing. As many of you have already chose to do, we just have to take a stand and continue to celebrate Jesus.

That said...here's what we decided to do. No going into debt...no putting off bills that need paid. We took what little money we had left in the budget and decided to purchase gifts for the kids. They LOVE presents as does anyone! :) Presents aren't bad it's the spirit of the season that has upset me. With my husband just returning to work after being off for almost 3 months we had $20 to spend on each kiddo. I searched the local supercenters and found nothing worthy of purchase.

Then a thought occurred to me! We shop second hand for clothing and miscellaneous household items as well as toys and games throughout the year...why not NOW! Not only can I find more for our money but we can help the environment at the same time! All that extra packaging and boxes on the new items would not be in the land fill (reducing) and we are re-using/recycling someone else's past treasure into one of our own! So, it's good on the pocket book and good for the earth that our God created so lovingly for us to enjoy!

Here's what the girls got: the Fisher Price doll house w/ accessories from Craigslist.com, 2 Ballerina dolls (one not pictured) with 2 Angelina Ballerina videos (not pictured) from Craigslist, and a Doll head for accessorizing from a local thrift store. I purchased some small clips and a brush for a few dollars but everything else was used. Total spent: About $40 The doll house alone could have cost over $85 new.

And the boys? Well, from the thrift store they got a light brite cube w/ tons of pegs and accessories, a talking GI Joe to add to the collection, bug domino game, 3 in 1 Golf chipping game (new in package), an electronic golf game and an electronic educational word game (not pictured). Their other gift is the repair of a go cart that someone gave us. It needs a new tire and some engine work which my hubby is so good at. ;) Total spent: about $40 as well.


Of course, Grandpa and their Nanny bought them some other items but we feel really good about what we chose to do this year. I feel SO good that next year I plan to shop thrift stores and Craigslist in advance rather then trying to gather all these items within the last few days before Christmas! ;)

So...Go Jesus! (by keeping Him the focus) and Go Green (by buying used)!

Christmas Cookies and Girls Day In

While the guys went to Bass Pro the girls decided to have some fun at home. We started off with make up and curls!

Next, we decided to make cookies! We have to wash the cookie cutters first (Baby E and Lil A hard at work in their little aprons).
Mixing up the molasses cookies and the gingerbread cookies. "Stir carefully!"

Gingerbread ready to chill. Merry Christmas from my lil sweeties. :)
Taste testing the molasses cookies, my favorite! YUM! We lost Baby E to Sleepy - Land.
One batch of molasses cookies cooled and ready to eat!
Time to shape the sugar cookies. We are rolling and cutting out the gingerbread cookies so we rolled into balls and flattened the sugar cookies instead.

I had to run an errand so we put the cookie stuff up and will decorate tomorrow. Upon returning home most of my molasses cookies had disappeared. ;)

Day 2

YUMMY!

Mmmm...lots of colored sugar for Lil A
Caught Big D with his mouth full


Zac mixed the food coloring and sugar to make the sprinkles for us to enjoy!
Zac says, "Mom, you didn't get a pic of me decorating one!"
So, here he is. Poor guy isn't feeling well with an earache so you won't see him 'showing off' his gingerbread man.

Time to roll out the gingerbread cookies!
Baby E rolls and cuts her gingerbell

Ready to eat!
Lil A's gingerkitty
Big D's gingertree

And that is our Christmas Cookies and More story...