A Take-Out Take-Down

It’s been a few days since you’ve heard from me, but don’t worry, it’s only because I’ve been so busy cooking and crafting, which means there will be plenty of new posts to come!  But before I can get to some of the (not quite finished) bigger projects, I wanted to give you a few simple ideas for how to cut costs and eat better at the same time.

First:  Homemade Pizza!

If you couldn’t tell from the unnecessary exclamation point, I love homemade pizza.  It tastes fresher than the frozen variety (um, duh) and less greasy than what you get at most restaurants.  Beyond that, it’s easy, inexpensive, fully customizable, and can be made in about the time it takes to preheat the oven. So what’s stopping you from making your own pizza?

Pizza Crust

Makes:  1 medium pizza

• 2 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 T. oil
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2/3 cup water

1. Add liquids to dry ingredients
2. Knead 6-8 times by hand
3. Roll dough (I just used my hands) onto baking sheet or stone
4. Add sauce and other toppings
5. Bake 18-20 minutes at 400°

How easy is that?  To top the crust I used an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce, green peppers, onions, and a blend of mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan cheeses. I forgot to season the sauce, so I sprinkled a good amount of italian seasoning over the cheese, which actually made the pizza look even better, so I might do it on purpose next time!

I will warn you, this isn’t going to be a [insert your favorite pizza chain here] type of crust, because it’s made without yeast.  That means it’s more dense than fluffy.  I thought both the taste and consistency of this crust were great, but I’d love to hear your thoughts if you get a chance to make this.  Also, I’ll be back soon with a pizza crust recipe made with yeast and my comparison of the two.  Until then, I hope you enjoy this one!

Second:  Homemade French Fries

Here’s another amazingly simple recipe.  It’s so easy, in fact, that it makes me wonder how companies can charge so much for a bag of frozen, sliced potatoes when we can do the same thing at home for so much less.

Baked French Fries

• potatoes, about 1 medium per person/serving (russet are best, but I used what I had: red)
• seasoning (I used sage, basil, parsley, and a little parmesan cheese, but use whatever you like. Maybe garlic salt or cajun seasoning?)

1. Wash potatoes, peel if desired
2. Slice potatoes evenly, about 1/4 inch thickness
3. Soak in cold water at least 10 minutes, then dry fully on a towel
4. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray
5. Spread potatoes out on cookie sheet and add seasoning
6. Bake 25 minutes at 400° or until golden brown and crispy, turning over halfway through

I loved that these fries were well-seasoned without being too salty, which I often find to be a problem at restaurants.  And they were great the next day, too.  I just popped them back into a 400° oven for a few minutes and they were just as good as before – maybe better.  Also, in case you were wondering, we did not eat pizza and french fries at the same meal.  Even if they are healthier, homemade alternatives, what kind of wife would I be if I let my husband have all of his favorite foods at one meal?

As easy as we all find it to run to the drive-thru for a burger and fries or to order a pizza from the couch, next time you’re tempted, I hope you’ll reach for one of these recipes instead of the keys or phone.  Your wallet and your heart will thank you later!

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