Co-Schooling

Here's a term I'd not yet heard till this evening (umm, actually morning... it's nearly 2 - eep!).  While I'm sure this would require some serious "clicking" together to be successful, it sounds simply wonderful.  I sighed aloud reading the post :).

http://arlinghaus.typepad.com/blog/2010/05/coschooling-5-greeting-rituals.html

Empty Cupboard Roundup

Here's your chance y'all - send in a link to your own empty-cupboard meal post and share the oh-crap-what's-for-dinner wisdom!

Okay, let's get that empty cupboard round-up on

Lego Maniac's Dream

Can I just say? THIS IS AWESOME. My Little Gems: DIY Lego Table {from an old Coffee or End Table}

Eating on Empty: Pizza Party!

This post has been written for inclusion in the Empty Cupboard Meals recipe roundup hosted by Bearing Blog.

Our family has a few go-to meals for when we've run out of food, ideas, or gumption.  One of my favorites is homemade pizza!  Even when our cupboards are otherwise quite bare, we always have flour, yeast, and salt on hand.  Well, and water.  But water's free.  I like free.  Sometimes I'm exceptionally well-organized and actually make up some pizza dough a few hours or even a day or so in advance.  It freezes well too, but we've never had any last long enough to freeze more than a few days - we really like bread in this house!

Anyway, homemade pizza night usually runs something like this:

1. Realize I'm hungry and it's 6pm.  Hubby's due for dinner soon.
2. Open the fridge.
3. Close the fridge.
4. Open the cupboards.
5. Close the cupboards.
6. Bemoan the fact that I'm hungry and didn't think far enough ahead to have dinner brewing already.
7. Repeat steps 2-6 at least twice.
8. 6:30.  Crunch time.  Hungry means decision-making apparatus is fried.  Whining, hungry, tired munchkin isn't helping.
9. Recheck the fridge.  HA!  I thought I saw some leftovers lurking back there!
10. Empty fridge of all non-growing leftovers, piling said leftovers all over the counter.
11. PREHEAT THE OVEN.  Important step.  Forgetting this one means intensification of hunger pangs and whining while perfectly good dinner waits to be cooked.  Not fun.  Whining might me mine or munchkin's.
12. Use the one clean bowl in the house to make some Quick and Easy Pizza Dough.  Waiting is not my specialty. (NOTE:  It says to mix the yeast and water and let it hang out 10 minutes to get creamy.  Yeah, you totally don't have to do this.  Just make sure your yeast isn't expired.)
13. Roll, stretch, or squish the dough into a relatively flat slab.  Shape doesn't really matter.  You're just going to eat it, right?  Shape adds character.  Call it rustic and people will think you're a chef.
14. Commence leftover sprinkling*.
15. Toss in the oven and bake till your mouth starts to water and the crust is light golden brown.
16. Voila! Homemade gourmet dinner from apparently empty cupboards in 30 minutes or less!  Add a bottle of wine and some of last year's Christmas chocolates and you've a feast :).

*leftover sprinkling -    

[left-oh-ver spring-kling]-noun 1.   to shred, cut, dice, crumble, or otherwise make your gourmet toppings (yes, the two tablespoons of leftover meatloaf you just couldn't bring yourself to throw away count as gourmet when you're talkin' homemade rustic pizza) bite-size and dump all over your pizza dough.  Sauce is optional.  So is cheese.  Can't live without them?  Try olive oil and garlic, leftover spaghetti or alfredo sauce, BBQ, ranch, sweet chili sauce, whatever looks decent and will help your toppings stick to the dough.  Cheese?  Try ricotta, cheddar, the last slice of sandwich cheese, anything but American.  Unless you REALLY like American cheese - at which point, well, you're just crazy.  But that's okay cuz' we still love you.



Some Pizza combinations we've tried:

• Naked: Just the dough (maybe some herbs), with some dipping sauce on the side.
• Blanca pizza: Ricotta, mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan cheese
• BBQ: BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, shredded meat, bell peppers, pineapple chunks, onion
• Margherita: Olive oil, garlic, tomatoes (any kind), sprinkle of mozzarella and basil
• Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, bacon bits, diced veggies, Tobasco
• Meat lovers: Tomato sauce, bacon bits, ham, hamburger, any other meat, mozzarella cheese
• Kitchen Sink: BBQ sauce, tomato sauce, corn, shredded meat, onions, goat cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, broccoli, spinach

This meal is guaranteed to a) go over well and b) clean out your fridge of even the tiniest bowls of leftovers.  One cherry tomato? Three bites of leftover wilted broccoli? Only one cup of spaghetti sauce and 4 people?  No sweat.  Sprinkle it all on and it tastes great :).  Let me know if you come up with any out-of-this-world combos!