Quick and Easy Pizza Dough, PIZZA & Gina's Garlic Bread UPDATED

 

Recipe source: The Recipe Rebel

"You’ll need instant yeast, all-purpose flour, sugar, spices, and oil, as well as a large mixing bowl. No need for a stand mixer!"  Comment from The Recipe Rebel

It is easier than you think.  I have been making bread from scratch since I was a teenager learning from my nana.  Just be organized and set aside some time to get it down.  Treat it like fun because it can be.  The results are delicious.  

My favorite is my nana's garlic bread that was made like a thick pizza dough drizzled with olive oil and sliced garlic spread throughout the dough topped with parmesan and mozzarella cheese.  That is it except to bake it. 
 

Click here to go to the Recipe Rebel recipe page which includes different pizza variations.

How To Make Pizza At Home by Crazy For Crust

Pizza Recipes from Sip and Feast

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

How can you go wrong with a shrimp meal from Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian?

The Kitchen is becoming one of my favorite shows on the Food Network and I try not to miss it on Saturday mornings.  It is repeated during the week . . . refer to the schedule from the website and check out this show!

I have directed the link to the show page this recipe was featured on instead of the recipe itself.  It was a great show with too many recipes to leave out, like homemade mayonnaise recipes, churros, various tacos . . . a hot and spicy Cinco de Mayo show!

While I am very adventurous in the kitchen, I am fearful of the flambe.  The last thing I want to do is put my kitchen on fire!  This recipe calls for a step that includes flambe . . . I'm just going to skip it!  Any thoughts on flambe? Please leave a comment!  I'm curious how many home cooks actually do this.

Another thing I would do different . . . of course I would serve this with angel hair pasta!  Yes!  Another shrimp pasta recipe :)

Recipe courtesy of Geoffrey Zakarian
The Food Network
SHOW:  The Kitchen
EPISODE: Cinco de Mayo with Bobby Flay


Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound jumbo or U-12 shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 serrano chile, seeded and finely minced
• 1/4 cup limoncello or sambuca
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 cups crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh basil leaves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Garlic Bread, recipe follows

Garlic Bread:

• 1 baguette, split lengthwise
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon chile flakes, optional

Directions

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the shrimp with a generous pinch each salt and pepper, and then sear on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side. 

Add the chile flakes, garlic and serrano chile. 

Remove from the heat, add the limoncello, and then flambe. (I'm a bit leary of this step!)

Add the white wine and tomatoes and cook the sauce until it reduces by half, about 5 minutes.

Finish with the grated cheese, parsley, basil and oregano. Then swirl in the extra-virgin olive oil and butter, and season with the lemon zest and juice. 

Serve immediately with Garlic Bread.


Garlic Bread:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly toast the baguette cut-side up in the oven, 4 minutes.

Combine the butter, olive oil, garlic, shallots and some salt and pepper in a bowl, and stir to mix. 

Slather the mixture generously on the cut side of the toasted baguette. 

Sprinkle the cheese, parsley and chile flakes if using evenly over one side of the baguette. Top with the other side and wrap in foil. 

Warm in the oven until the cheese is melted. 

Cut into 3-inch slices and serve warm.