Homemade Pizza

I used Bob’s Red Mill Pizza Crust mix, made according to directions. I make my own Marinara sauce.( Will post at the bottom) I press the crust into the Stoneware, you don’t need oil or cooking spray with stoneware which saves calories. I spread a little Extra Virgin Olive oil over the dough and then spread the marinara sauce. Then I add the sauteed Onions and Garlic. mmmmm Now I’m getting hungry. I add whatever veggies I have on hand. Sometimes its Bell Peppers, sometimes Mushrooms, sometimes Spinach. Then I sprinkle my meat. I have used just about every kind of sausage, kielbasa, and ground meat. My favorite is either Apple Chicken Sausage(peel off the casings and chop up) or 80/20 Ground beef well seasoned. By now the Pizza is getting pretty tall. But now its time for the cheese! I like Mozzarella, Ricotta, and Parmesan. Obviously you can choose how much and whatever flavors you want! I will sprinkle some black pepper on it and fresh basil. Pop in the oven at 375. Bake for approx 16 minutes but keep an eye on it. When you smell it, its another 3 minutes. 🙂

Grateful

This weekend I was celebrating being married to my Husband for 8 years. After two kids, being broke, out of work, living with my Parents for two years with paper thin walls, Death’s in the family, being hospitalized for a week while pregnant with our second, leaving him to handle our 3 yr old all by hisself, and so much more that I don’t want to bore you with, we are still together. We got through it all. More than that, we fell in love again, and rekindled the flame that had died out. I am so Grateful for the man I chose so long ago. He has stood by me, and I him,sometimes when no one else did. Here’s to 8 more!

Multi-tasking meditation and children

I was reading my devotional book yesterday morning and I got two paragraphs in when my Selah climbed in my arms turned around and sat in my lap. She pointed to the pages, “Mah na mag na blah blah lapyday”. “Selah, Mommy is trying to learn about God and his heart. Can you please get off my lap?” Whoa. I bet God cried when he heard that. Here I was doing what I thought I needed to be “closer to God” and I missed the gift he put right in my lap. I have been trying to wake up earlier then my girls but the earlier I get up so do they. They must sense it or something. The problem is I’m not a morning person, even though I am much happier in general and I don’t want to get up before the sun rises just so I can read a book in peace. I think Children are the best lesson in learning who God is. My Isabelle is Strong. When she was born C-section almost 3 weeks early I was so worried that she was ready to enter the wolrd and I was waiting for the first cry. It didn’t come but Jeff said, “She’s perfect! So Beautiful! Just looking at everything.” She would only cry her first few weeks when she tried holding up her head. Her head was 50% percentile and her body was 25% percentile. She was always trying to be at the next stage of development. Even now at almost 5 years she is always trying to be older, she thinks she knows more than me. My sweet Isabelle is strong. She is also very gentle with babies, cats, bugs, her little sister. She has an adventurous side, jumping off the couch, tables, swings, into my arms whether I’m ready or not. She dances with abandon,she sings and makes up songs while playing with her dolls, will try any food once, and she loves deeply to the point of tears when she can’t be with the object of her love. She is my miracle, my angel, and every day I experience the Love of God through being her mom. Selah is a giver. She will clean up her tray if you give her a napkin or washcloth, will throw away her own diaper in the trash, will share a toy or her bear with a baby who is missing its mom at church. She freely gives hugs, blows kisses, puckers up on your cheek, and nuzzles my shoulder when its bed time. I adore her and the way she loves. It breaks my heart and reforms it daily. Her smile can snap me out of the sourest moods and she knows exactly when I need it.

Sometimes I stare at the both of them when their sleeping and I just am in awe. How did I come to deserve these two magical beings? How can I protect them always? How can I help them to Love God their whole life and never turn away?

I guess my Heavenly Father thought I was up for the task and sitting and contemplating THAT reality is enough to fill volumes of books. God is good and Faithful and he gives good gifts to his children. I am his. And they are mine.

Savory Beef, tomato feta hand pies

These entrée-worthy hand pies feature summer’s seasonal flavors. Use premade pie crust dough or make an easy Classic Pie Crust. If you don’t have a 5-inch cookie cutter, use a small bowl or make smaller pies.

Ingredients
4 teaspoons 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided 3/4 cup Diced Onion, 3/4lb Grass-fed Ground Beef, 1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn (from 2 or 3 ears) 2 tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped(Heirloom are wonderful) 1 cup Feta Crumbles, 1/4 cup chopped basil, All-purpose flour, for dusting 2 recipes prepared pie crust (or two rolled out 9-inch crusts)

Method
Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add onions and Beef, cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add corn and tomatoes and cook 5 minutes more. Remove from heat, stir in feta and basil and let cool.

On a floured surface, roll out dough until about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into twelve (5-inch) circles, rerolling dough as needed. Spoon about 1/3 cup filling into the center of half of the circles; brush edges with water. Top with remaining six circles, crimping edges to seal. Brush with remaining oil and cut three small slits in the top of each pie. Bake on a large, parchment-paper-lined baking sheet until golden brown, about 35 minutes.

Nutrition
Per serving: 470 calories (250 from fat), 28g total fat, 11g saturated fat, 20mg cholesterol, 600mg sodium, 46g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 7g sugar), 8g protein