Friday, January 11, 2008

Farmgirl Fare


I have been spending a lot of time at a new site I have found~Farmgirl Fare. Well actually, the site is not new, Susan has been posting on this site since June of 2005, but I am new to it. She has the most beautiful and often inspiring photos from life on her 240 acre farm in Missouri. Now, right away you can figure out my attraction to the site. Having the heart and soul of an old-fashioned farmgirl, the photography just drew me right in, moth-to-the flame style. But what keeps me going back are the RECIPES!!

Such as the one I made last night. In going back to the earliest posts, I found a recipe for Three Onion & Three Cheese Pizza. What intrigued me most was the simple pizza dough recipe. I have mentioned my love of bread making and although I don't have near the experience that Susan has, I have been known to turn out some tasty loaves.

I was so excited to try some of her bread recipes that I went out and purchased a wooden dough bowl.....which was no easy feat as my precious son can attest to. I had to visit at least a dozen stores before I found one that was just the right shape and size and made of natural unfinished wood (it can not be painted or stained). Toward the end of the search, each time we would enter a different store my son would start chanting, "Please, let them have a wooden dough bowl. Please let them have a wooden dough bowl." At last, I found one at Crate & Barrel that was exactly what I was looking for:)


Last night, I put it to the test and made homemade pizza using Susan's dough recipe. I made one modification. I decided to incorporate some of my own wheat flour, so I ground up a cup of the Soft Winter wheat and replaced one of the the cups of bread flour with it.

My dough was not as soft as she described and did not rise up as high as I thought it should~probably from the addition of the whole wheat or possibly because the only Instant Yeast I could find was in a package written in German where it originated, before it was shipped to Australia and finally made it's way here to the U.S.. Even though the date was still good, it makes me wonder if it was a wee bit weary from the travel.

There was enough dough to make two nice size pizzas, my first crust was a bit misshapen....hey what can I say, I'm learning:)
I topped it with some homemade pizza sauce, Canadian bacon, caramelized onions~from Susan's recipe, freshly grated mozzarella, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
I cooked it on my baking stone at 500 degrees F, for 10 minutes and although the crust was more of a thin and crispy style, it was simply delicious.

The second pizza had a bit more of the round traditional pizza shape to it~see, I'm getting better already.

I highly recommend that you stop by and pay Susan a visit, especially if you love to cook, but even if you don't, her style of writing and photos are worth the trip.

22 comments:

Hope said...

Hey Rhonda,
Boy that pizza looks good, even the crooked one!! lol I found Susan's site a long time ago and love it. Actually what I found was her "Read Stories About My Early Adventures On The Farm". I was laughing hysterically when I read this and I left her a comment telling her she should write a book. She has some wonderful looking bread recipes but I haven't been brave enough to try them yet.
If you haven't read about her adventures please go there and read especially the part where she goes to a farm auction. So funny!!

Hugs,
Hope

Sandra Evertson said...

Oh, my gosh!
You made me hungry! That looks Delicious!
Sandra Evertson

Kirstin said...

Yummy! I like the look of the oddly shaped one! It looks rustic and authentic. I'm definately going to check out her site. Soooo in grinding your own wheat flour I'm assuming that makes it even healthier? Or do you just like to do it? where do you purchase your wheat? I love bread, and yet am trying to go healthier and healthier, my hubby is ready to boycott bread...oh, no! Don't do that! I'm half Italian, I can't give up my bread.

Mary said...

OK, I'm drooling all over the keyboard!
xxo,
Mary

Kathleen Grace said...

Thanks for sharing the site Rhonda, I will check it out. By the way, that is a freeform or "artisan" pizza and you should be proud of it! It shows it was handmade with love. Anyone can buy a perfectly round frozen pizza (ugh!) I think it's beautiful:>)

Michelle said...

I'm having pizza tonight..but yours looks SO good! I'm going to pay Susan a visit :)

By the way, I love the tee pee you made your son! Very talented :)

I have a half dozen of those dough bowls..I didn't realize they were so hard to find. I just love them.

Have a great weekend!

Michelle

Dena said...

Holy Cow Rhonda! I am totally impressed and feeling very unworthy with my frozen pizza over here...your own wheat flour on top of all of that! Can I come to your house? LOL! I laughed at that chant from your little one - I've hear those chants from the lips of all three of my guys!

Hugs
Dena

BittersweetPunkin said...

Oooh..that looks yummy!!
I love wooden bowls..I collect them whenever I see them at thrift!
Hugs,
Robin

velocraig said...

DH chiming in here...
I ate 6 pieces before the night was over...great recipe and fantastic execution!! :)

Meggie said...

Hey Rhonda: I will certainly check out Susan at Farmgirl Fare...since I live in an old farmhouse. I must say I do not have the enthusiasm and you do for old fashion bread making...you are amazing, woman! Thanks for the tip.

Anonymous said...

Yum Yum.. I collect old dough bowls. I just love them and think of all the bread the women made in them. This will be something in years you will be happy to pass on.

Cottage Contessa said...

Oh Rhonda, that pizza looks so delicious! Since I love to cook (my passionate hobby!) I will definitely be paying Susan a visit. Thanks for the heads up sweetie! Have a terrific weekend!
Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)

Jan said...

Ok...it's not 7 a.m here yet and I'm wantin' some pizza! *lol* They look delicious! I'm afraid I'm going to have to try this on my own..which is a very scary thought because a cook I am not! Thanks for sharing!!

Jan

Linda said...

Hi Rhonda, your pizzas looks so delicious...were planning on going out for pizza tonight...but I'm going get this recipe.
Susan's blog is great, not only do I love her heart collection but she has so many wonderful recipes I'm getting lots of yummy ideas. Have a great weekend. Hugs, Linda

Linda said...

Hi Rhonda, your pizzas looks so delicious...were planning on going out for pizza tonight...but I'm going get this recipe.
Susan's blog is great, not only do I love her heart collection but she has so many wonderful recipes I'm getting lots of yummy ideas. Have a great weekend. Hugs, Linda

Back Through Time said...

That pizza looks wonderful!! Who cares how it looks, it is how it tastes that is important, YUM!!
I might have to try that recipe sometime
Have a great weekend! keep cooking and sharing w/ us!
Michelle

Farmgirl Susan said...

Hi Rhonda,
Well aren't you the sweetest! Thanks so much for your kind words and for sending people over to my blog. And thanks to everyone else for all the nice comments.

Your pizzas look fantastic, and I'm tickled that I inspired you to make them. Personally I love the rustic, handmade look of the crusts. I did a quick double take when I first opened the post and saw the top phhoto because your bread bowl looks like mine (only bigger and prettier--I must visit Crate & Barrel next time I'm in the Big City!), I have a pizza peel that looks like that, and I use those same glass storage jars (aren't they wonderful?)! But my KitchenAid isn't that gorgeous red. ; )

I think it's so cool that you ground up some of your own wheat for the pizza. I had no idea KitchenAid made that attachment; I definitely need to look into getting one.

Thanks again. Have a delicious weekend!

Susan

Esther Sunday said...

Yummy. Thank you. I was wondering what I would have for lunch today! I love all the nesting that you do. My mother always made our bread as kids. When I was a teen, she and I took a breadmaking class together. Thanks for stirring up warm memories this morning. Love ya - Esther

Sweet Remembrance said...

That pizza looks delish...
I will have to go visit, thanks!
Priscilla

Karen said...

Oh that looks so yummy - I think I need to give it a try. One of my new year's goals is to get back into baking. It's something I haven't done a lot lately with no one but hubby and I at home, we would eat it all. But I can always send it to work with him. Thanks for getting me inspired again and loved visiting the blog you suggested.

Have a great weekend - karen

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Yummy! Both pizza's look great! I love thin and crispy crust pizza. I have tried a couple of homemade dough recipes and they have been too thick. I usually buy fresh dough made at Publix....but I am going to visit her site and try this one! Thanks Rhonda....
Penny
p.s. I am having a giveaway...stop by!

April Russell said...

thanks for the post! It can be addicting!!