My Sisters Pizza

Come on now who doesn't like a cheesy slice of heaven cooked to perfection with zesty sauce and a heavily mix of basil and fresh ingredients.  Pizza is one of those simple crowdpleasers and each community has recreated its own version and the options are endless.   We all have had good pizza and some of us have had the best.  Living in NYC you can find a mixture of both.  Either way pizza is a classic and if you can't find the best perhaps its time to toss some dough in the air and get those perfectly manicured fingers dirty.

Let there be pizza correction: Let there be good pizza..

Dough Recipe:

2 cups of flour (plus more if dough is sticky)

1 packet of yeast

1 tsp of salt

3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (Plus 1-2 more tbsp as needed)

3/4 cups of warm water

Put the packet of yeast in warm water let activate for 5 minutes. Then add all the ingredients into a bowl and stir either by hand or mixer for a couple of minutes. Pour dough out on a floured board. If dough is to sticky just add a couple of tablespoons of floor.  Kneed dough for 5 minutes until dough is smooth and not sticky.  Finally place dough in a clean bowl that is coated with olive oil.  Place dough in bowl with a light layer of olive oil on the dough. Place in a warm dry place for an hour.  When dough has rested, punch down and kneed for 5 minutes.  Preheat oven to 425.  Place dough on a lightly greased pan either square or circle and press out until just barely over the edges.

Pizza Sauce:

1 can of tomato sauce 

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 clove of chopped garlic

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp dried basil

Put all ingredients in a medium sauce pan on med to low heat.  Let simmer for 15 minutes. Place on low heat until ready to use on dough.

Pizza Toppings:

This is the beauty of pizza, it caters to our creativity and mood.  My personal favorite toppings are mushrooms, onions, peppers, sausage, pepperoni, olives, jalepeneos and don't forget the cheese!! This recipe is so versatile, it can be made in advance and if the dough seems to plain for you add rosemary, garlic or any other pizza flavors that appeal to you.  

The cooking time may vary depending on crispier crust.  I cooked mine for almost a 30 minutes.  It should be watched because the top cooks faster than the crust and the cheese might get a little burnt.  I actually prefer a nice crisp crust and golden brown cheese.  

Thanks Brittney, recipes should be shared agreed?

Ummmm yes they should be shared.  If you have a awesome recipe that you would like to contribute don't hesitate to email me at danielle.mueller@ymail.com and you can be featured in my blog.  Lets share.

The BEST Banana Bread Recipe (you can stop searching for that perfect recipe, I found it).

So I am known for buying bananas that I never get around to eating.  My freezer slowly fills up with brown bananas and before I know it know it I run out of room for my frozen peas.  I always put off baking as if the baking will bake itself and when it comes to banana bread I never found the right recipe.  Until now.  It is so easy, moist and you will find yourself snacking on it all day.  This is THE recipe and only recipe you will ever need to make the most perfect BB (yes we are on those terms with each other).

The Best Banana Bread:

Preheat oven to 350.

3-4 ripe bananas, smashed.  (I have gotten away with only having  2, right before they turn brown throw them in the freezer and they will be good whenever you are ready to bake). 
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon (or pinch) baking soda
1 teaspoon (or splash) vanilla
pinch of salt and cinnamon
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional but why wouldn't you)
3/4 cups walnuts (optional but they are good for you so why wouldn't you)
2 cups of whiskey (this is a joke, don't but whiskey into your bread unless you are an alcoholic).

No mixer for this recipe.  Mix butter into mashed bananas in a large bowl.  Mix in sugar, egg and vanilla.  Add baking soda and salt over the mixture and stir.  Add flour last, mix.  Pour mixture into buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon   Take a shot of whiskey.  Bake 1 hour, cool on rack and enjoy.  You could also make muffins even though I have never done it.  Sometimes it took longer then an hour so make sure its golden brown on the outside and very dense and heavy when you take it out of the oven.

Ummm so your probably wondering where the pictures are but the bread went so fast I failed to get a picture...But trust me this will be your go to recipe because its easy, comes out perfect and gets eaten in no time.

Homemade Tomato Soup

Currently in NYC winter is nearing an end which means the rain has set in.  On a rainy day this soup is perfect and light so you won't feel guilty about going in for seconds.  Now that spring is slowly making itself known there still are those colder nights which make this soup an easy go to.  The longer it sits the better it gets and it's also easy to freeze so you can enjoy it on those colder spring or summer nights.

Homemade Tomato Soup:

2 big cans of crushed/pureed tomatoes (go organic or buy the best since this is the bulk of your recipe)
1 small white onion
1 small red pepper
1 bundle of basil
3 tablespoons dried oregano
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes
4 cloves garlic 
1 1/2 cups white wine (buy white wine you would drink)
1 1/2 cups of half and half (depending on how blushed you want the soup to be)


In a big soup pot add some olive oil and finely diced onion and pepper till they are softened.  Add the diced garlic cloves and dried oregano, cook for 30 seconds then add the wine.  Pour a glass of wine and take a sip.  Once wine has cooked out add all the tomatoes.  You want it to be thinner like soup and not thick like a pasta sauce.  I usually add 2-3 cups of water depending on what cans of tomatoes I buy.  Heavy salt and pepper, allow to cook for 30 minutes.  At the very end of the bottle of wine I mean 30 minutes throw in about 1 1/2 cups of chopped fresh basil and the half and half.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes while you make whatever grilled cheese you want.

The secret to a good grilled cheese (taught to me by my boyfriend) is butter and a low cooking temp so that the cheese can melt and the bread can toast.   I also think the bread has to have a dense crust on the outside but then again we have made grilled cheese with a pita so what do I know.

ENJOY:-) I almost forgot, top with good Parmesan cheese.