annie blog

Memories and a Sore Right Leg
Exactly 10 years ago today, Jon and I were on our way to St. Louis. We thought that it would be for 3 years, while he got his MDiv at Covenant. At the time, I remember thinking that these years of my life would mean lots of moving and lots of change. I was right about the change part.

I vividly remember pulling up here on that day a decade ago. We had some automotive troubles on the way here. Somewhere in Arkansas all of the oil in my Honda Accord that I was driving leaked out and we were forced to put it on the car carrier. Jon then drove his stick-shift car, instead of the moving van, because I couldn’t drive the stick-shift car. (Still can’t.) That left the moving van for me to drive. Those moving vans with the regulated speed — what a drag. I remember flooring it the whole rest of the way up here. Hence, the sore right leg. Unpacking as a 9-months married, 6-months pregnant girl…..wow. I had no idea what the next years would hold. I’ve learned so much — a lot of it stuff that I didn’t think I’d ever have to learn. I’ve been blessed, too. One thing is for certain, the 20 or so years that preceeded the last ten were serene by comparison.

What will the next ten bring? And will I ever pack another moving van? 🙂 I hope so, but I don’t know. One thing that I do know, one nugget of wisdom that I learned from the last 10 years is this: Unless the place where you’re living is truly temporary — live there like you are going to live there for the rest of your life. Putting down and pulling up roots is painful. But always thinking that you’re going to leave isn’t good either.

Pizza

Now, I know that I put a lot of recipes on this blog. And, I know that they are not universally appealing. I wouldn’t cook the things that I do without the financial, time and picky eater constraints that are presently upon me. This recipe is different. I would probably make it even if I had no constraints. A friend gave it to me months ago and I’ve made it once a week. Now, it is hard for me to even think about ordering a pizza. That is how good this crust is. Now, not only is this crust good, but it is easy. There is no misting of the oven with water, no kneading of dough by hand, no semolina or bread flour needed, no heating of a pizza stone. You just need a standing mixer (you actually could do it by hand, but I couldn’t instruct you on that) and three 9-inch cake pans. And, you can let it rise for 2 hours. I find this particularly convenient. So, you can make up the dough and go play outside, run to the store, etc. If you like pan pizza, please give it a try. It is really, really good and super easy.

Pan Pizza
Dough:
1-1/3 cup warm water
1/4 cup non-fat dry milk
1/2 t. salt
4 cups flour
1 T sugar
1 package of dry yeast or 2 t. instant yeast
1 T oil (for dough)
9 T oil (for the pans/3 T per pan)

Put yeast, sugar, salt and dry milk in the bowl of your standing mixer. Add water and stir into mix. Allow to sit for 2 minutes. Add 1 T oil. Stir again. Add flour by the cup pretty quickly while the dough hook is running in the mixer. Knead it for 4-5 minutes with your dough hook, until the dough has a smooth, elastic texture and isn’t too sticky. I know that it is getting close to being ready after the dough has cleaned the inner surface of the bowl. Remove it from the bowl to a floured work surface and knead it a few times. Divide into 3 even sections.

Divide the 9 T. oil between 3 cake pans. Tilt the pans so that the oil spreads out. Roll out each section of dough with a rolling pin until it is the size of the pan. Put the dough into the pan and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1-2 hours.

Top with toppings and bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is starting to turn brown.

Pizza

Now, I know that I put a lot of recipes on this blog. And, I know that they are not universally appealing. I wouldn’t cook the things that I do without the financial, time and picky eater constraints that are presently upon me. This recipe is different. I would probably make it even if I had no constraints. A friend gave it to me months ago and I’ve made it once a week. Now, it is hard for me to even think about ordering a pizza. That is how good this crust is. Now, not only is this crust good, but it is easy. There is no misting of the oven with water, no kneading of dough by hand, no semolina or bread flour needed, no heating of a pizza stone. You just need a standing mixer (you actually could do it by hand, but I couldn’t instruct you on that) and three 9-inch cake pans. And, you can let it rise for 2 hours. I find this particularly convenient. So, you can make up the dough and go play outside, run to the store, etc. If you like pan pizza, please give it a try. It is really, really good and super easy.

Pan Pizza
Dough:
1-1/3 cup warm water
1/4 cup non-fat dry milk
1/2 t. salt
4 cups flour
1 T sugar
1 package of dry yeast or 2 t. instant yeast
1 T oil (for dough)
9 T oil (for the pans/3 T per pan)

Put yeast, sugar, salt and dry milk in the bowl of your standing mixer. Add water and stir into mix. Allow to sit for 2 minutes. Add 1 T oil. Stir again. Add flour by the cup pretty quickly while the dough hook is running in the mixer. Knead it for 4-5 minutes with your dough hook, until the dough has a smooth, elastic texture and isn’t too sticky. I know that it is getting close to being ready after the dough has cleaned the inner surface of the bowl. Remove it from the bowl to a floured work surface and knead it a few times. Divide into 3 even sections.

Divide the 9 T. oil between 3 cake pans. Tilt the pans so that the oil spreads out. Roll out each section of dough with a rolling pin until it is the size of the pan. Put the dough into the pan and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1-2 hours.

Top with toppings and bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is starting to turn brown.

Pizza

Now, I know that I put a lot of recipes on this blog. And, I know that they are not universally appealing. I wouldn’t cook the things that I do without the financial, time and picky eater constraints that are presently upon me. This recipe is different. I would probably make it even if I had no constraints. A friend gave it to me months ago and I’ve made it once a week. Now, it is hard for me to even think about ordering a pizza. That is how good this crust is. Now, not only is this crust good, but it is easy. There is no misting of the oven with water, no kneading of dough by hand, no semolina or bread flour needed, no heating of a pizza stone. You just need a standing mixer (you actually could do it by hand, but I couldn’t instruct you on that) and three 9-inch cake pans. And, you can let it rise for 2 hours. I find this particularly convenient. So, you can make up the dough and go play outside, run to the store, etc. If you like pan pizza, please give it a try. It is really, really good and super easy.

Pan Pizza
Dough:
1-1/3 cup warm water
1/4 cup non-fat dry milk
1/2 t. salt
4 cups flour
1 T sugar
1 package of dry yeast or 2 t. instant yeast
1 T oil (for dough)
9 T oil (for the pans/3 T per pan)

Put yeast, sugar, salt and dry milk in the bowl of your standing mixer. Add water and stir into mix. Allow to sit for 2 minutes. Add 1 T oil. Stir again. Add flour by the cup pretty quickly while the dough hook is running in the mixer. Knead it for 4-5 minutes with your dough hook, until the dough has a smooth, elastic texture and isn’t too sticky. I know that it is getting close to being ready after the dough has cleaned the inner surface of the bowl. Remove it from the bowl to a floured work surface and knead it a few times. Divide into 3 even sections.

Divide the 9 T. oil between 3 cake pans. Tilt the pans so that the oil spreads out. Roll out each section of dough with a rolling pin until it is the size of the pan. Put the dough into the pan and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1-2 hours.

Top with toppings and bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is starting to turn brown.

Another Silly Thing Crossed Off the To-Do List
After 15 years of talking about it and 6 years of clipping and then not using coupons….my hair is auburn. And, I think that April was right, it must have nearly been there, anyway, because it doesn’t look that different. Of course, having the skin of a redhead and orange freckles probably makes it look more at home.

Another Silly Thing Crossed Off the To-Do List
After 15 years of talking about it and 6 years of clipping and then not using coupons….my hair is auburn. And, I think that April was right, it must have nearly been there, anyway, because it doesn’t look that different. Of course, having the skin of a redhead and orange freckles probably makes it look more at home.

Another Silly Thing Crossed Off the To-Do List
After 15 years of talking about it and 6 years of clipping and then not using coupons….my hair is auburn. And, I think that April was right, it must have nearly been there, anyway, because it doesn’t look that different. Of course, having the skin of a redhead and orange freckles probably makes it look more at home.

2 Yahoos!
First Yahoo!: The 2 year old who has been resistant about naps lately is sleeping right now. I hope that he takes a proper nap today. That would be great.

Second Yahoo!: I talked to Miss Liz today. She sounds like she is, mentally and emotionally, back to being her old self! This feels like a miracle to me. I was starting to wonder if she would ever get back to being herself. But today, she sounded really great. Happy, happy, HAPPY!!!!

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

2 Yahoos!
First Yahoo!: The 2 year old who has been resistant about naps lately is sleeping right now. I hope that he takes a proper nap today. That would be great.

Second Yahoo!: I talked to Miss Liz today. She sounds like she is, mentally and emotionally, back to being her old self! This feels like a miracle to me. I was starting to wonder if she would ever get back to being herself. But today, she sounded really great. Happy, happy, HAPPY!!!!

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

2 Yahoos!
First Yahoo!: The 2 year old who has been resistant about naps lately is sleeping right now. I hope that he takes a proper nap today. That would be great.

Second Yahoo!: I talked to Miss Liz today. She sounds like she is, mentally and emotionally, back to being her old self! This feels like a miracle to me. I was starting to wonder if she would ever get back to being herself. But today, she sounded really great. Happy, happy, HAPPY!!!!

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂