Quick Pizza Dough

Pizza is one of those meals that everybody loves.

I've gotten really picky about how I like my pizza 

(no marinara or pepperoni please)

and prefer it homemade with: a yummy crust brushed with olive oil and slices of fresh mozzarella. It's amazing what a difference good ingredients makes!

I really like the Pioneer Woman's pizza crust recipe if I'm planning ahead and can remember to make it in time to let it chill for a couple of days. However, a lot of times I'm throwing meals together on the spot, so this recipe is perfect for when I need a crust in ten minutes. 

What You'll Need:

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.)
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 
2 1/2 cups flour

What To Do:

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the rest of the ingredients in and mix. Dump onto a floured surface. Knead into a smooth dough (five minutes or so). Roll out and press down onto a greased pizza pan. Add toppings. Bake at 450 degrees F. for around 12-15 minutes until the crust looks crispy and lightly browned.

Some of my favorite toppings combinations

Olive Oil, Mozzarella, Caramelized Onions, Spinach, Mushrooms, Bacon/Prosciutto

Alfredo Sauce, Mozzarella and White Cheddar, Spinach, Tomato Slices 

Barbecue Sauce, Cheddarjack cheese, Red Onions, Grilled Chicken

(recipe from Oven Love, originally from Money Saving Mom)

Macaroni and Cheese- Panera Bread Recipe

Panera Bread is one of my favorite spots to have a lunch date,

or take my huge backpack and camp out 

while preparing lessons and studying the Word.

Of course, I like that they have wifi and power outlets and booths,

but the best part is their food!

Everything always tastes fresh and is healthier than other fast food options.

Plus, on their website they offer recipes for some of their most popular items

including their mac n cheese.

This macaroni and cheese is rich and creamy and super cheesy! 

I thought it turned out really good and tasted just like the side dish you get there.

What You'll Need:
1 lb. pasta shapes, such as shells
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2½ cups milk or half-and-half
1 tsp. salt
1½-2 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. hot sauce
4 oz. white American cheese, finely chopped
8 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded

What To Do:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Drain well.  Return to the stockpot off the heat.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Stir in the flour and cook until light golden brown, whisking constantly, about 1½-2  minutes.  Slowly whisk in the milk until no lumps remain.  Stir in the salt, mustard, and hot sauce.  Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook the sauce, stirring frequently, until it bubbles and thickens, about 6-8 minutes.
• Remove the sauce from the heat.  Stir in the cheese a handful at a time, mixing until fully melted before adding more.  Once all the cheese has been added and the sauce is smooth, pour the sauce over the pasta in the stockpot.  Mix well until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce.  Serve immediately.

from Annie's Eats, originally from Panera Bread

Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

You might have read about my first attempt at Swiss meringue buttercream.

It did not end well.

This attempt turned out SO much better!

It is time consuming because of all of the steps and the very necessary mixing time, but it is amazing what a stand mixer and a food thermometer can help you accomplish! This frosting tastes light, not too sweet and has the perfect strawberry consistency. Some students just licked this frosting off of the cake. It was described as tasting like strawberry ice cream. So yeah. It was good. I topped some basic white cake with the strawberry goodness, but it would be just as delicious on yellow, strawberry or chocolate cake as well.

This recipe makes quite a large batch- perfect for frosting a cake! But I think I'm going to use the leftover as fruit dip (and completely minimize all nutritional value of fruit)

(are you lovin this tacky cupcake tower too?!)

What You'll Need:

1½ cups fresh strawberries (8 oz.), rinsed, hulled and coarsely chopped
4 large egg whites
1¼ cups sugar
3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature

What To Do:

Place the strawberries in a food processor or blender.  Puree until completely smooth.  Combine the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.  (The bowl should be cool to the touch.)

Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated.  If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (or longer – don’t worry, it will come together!)  Blend in the strawberry puree until smooth and completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip with the frosting.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired, and garnish with fresh berries or berry slices.

Source: Annie's Eats, originally from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

Meet Rachel from Along the Way with Rae!

I'm really excited to share with y'all about an upcoming gift swap
celebrating spring and helping to create new friendships!


It is so much fun to get mail,
(especially mail that's not bills or credit card applications!)

so Erin at Sweetness Itself and L at All Glorious Within are hosting a Spring Fling blogging gift swap. They've paired up 100 bloggers to send each other a pair of flip flops and other goodies and encouragement! Doesn't that sound awesome? I've had a lot of fun shopping for my gift package!

My awesome partner is Rachel at Along the Way with Rae. She is such a sweetheart! She loves the Lord with all her heart and frequently writes about her faith. She is also intentional about being active and living a healthy lifestyle. She plays college volleyball and has began running. (I definitely need to take a note from her book. I'm eating a muffin right now.)


Check her out and send her some love!

My name is Rachel, and I blog over at Along The Way With Rae. My parents call me "Rae" all the time and I love that nickname, but no one else calls me that, so hence my use of "Rae" in my blog name :) I am a 20-something, college student, new to the blogging world. I've had my blog for about 3 months now, and I must say that I LOVE BLOGGING and all of the wonderful bloggers out there. Blogging is my outlet. It's my way to express myself and get my thoughts out there. I am a Christian gal, and God is, and always will be at the center of my life and at the core of my blog. I love being encouraged by other Christian bloggers and wanted to do the same! You will also find the musings and randoms of my every day life and experiences, fitness tips, wedding inspiration {I'm not engaged or married, but I LOVE weddings!}, style inspiration, or anything else that may be on my mind or heart. Now come on over and say hi, I love meeting new people, and it would make my day if you were one of them! :) 

You can also connect with me on:

Twitter: @rachlarz

Facebook:  Along The Way With Rae

Pinterest: Pinterest Addict

Instagram: rachel__elizabeth__larson

Obey Conference 2012 Recap

This past weekend I got to take my students to the Obey Conference. 

We had a blast hanging out in San Antonio!

Friday night, we were led in worship by the Sweet 180 Band

and we looked at how Jesus gives us power to overcome... anything!

John 16:33 "... In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! 

I have overcome the world."

We looked at the story of Lazarus, especially John 11:25.

"Jesus told her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. 

Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying."

It is such powerful story!

We got a little bit of sleep 

(thanks to some pesky roosters),

stopped by Starbucks...

...and were all ready for Saturday morning's session

where two of our students received college scholarships!

(I do write pretty awesome letters of recommendation, if I do say so myself)

And then we discussed Joshua and Caleb 

and how one generation's faith can change everything.

I so believe that this generation can be like Joshua and Caleb

with faith strong enough to turn the tides of their culture,

and that is one reason I love youth ministry. 

Our group had a beautiful time of prayer together

and then began our lunch adventure.

We ventured out to Lulu's Cafe and Bakery, home of the 3lb Cinnamon Roll!

The regular menu was delicious, but this monster pastry definitely stole the show

It fed fifteen of us!

with warm, ooey-gooey goodness

Then we spent the rest of our afternoon exploring Ripley's Believe It Or Not,

an odd and interesting museum or world artifacts.

My favorite was an entire floor dedicated to The Titanic!

a model of "The Human Unicorn"

 a piece of The Berlin Wall

 an awesome sewing machine

and other silly things

the tallest man on record

and lots of fun things in the gift shop

 

And then through a series of events, I had to drive the van home!

Whew, but we survived.

We only sort of kinda got stuck in a parking garage.

It was quite funny!

It was an awesome weekend of worshiping the Lord

uniting our group 

and having loooots of fun!

New Home Inspiration: Bedroom Edition

In August, I'll be moving to Ft Worth, and for the first time ever, living by myself.

It's gotten me thinking though. 

If, for the first time ever, 

I'm not sharing spaces and can have complete control over what kind of colors, 

motifs and overall vibes go into my home, what kind of space do I want to create? 

There are a couple of conditions going into this decision process.

1. Any new purchases must be affordable. [I'm talkin Goodwill and Craigslist affordable.] 
2. I must make use of what I already have. 
3. The end result should be a place that is: a reflection of my personality/taste, relaxing, and somewhere that I want to spend time.

(I don't know about you guys, but clutter, disorganization and some color combos actually stress me out! I know that's totally weird, but I want to be sure that as I'm planning I remember that.)

So here is my initial inspiration for my bedroom

current:

Right now my bedroom looks like a middle school girls room. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my polka dots, but I'd like to retire the bedspread and photo collages and invest in a more mature color palette. 

So, since I already have a beautiful matching bed frame and dresser+mirror in a rustic brown (and by rustic brown, I mean it's made of wood, old and worn down) , plus a brown upholstered rocking chair, and brown sheets for the bed... I'm sticking with brown as a solid neutral.

To that, I'll  be adding white, deep purple, and pops of turquoise! 


Kinda like this

(pinned here)

Replacing the beige comforter with a crisp basic white bedspread

Replacing the polka dot blanket with a deep purple, ruffled blanket.

Instead of purchasing this beauty from Urban Outfitters, my roommate and I are going to team up DIY it!

.... using this tutorial.

Personalizing throw pillows I already have with brightly patterned cases 

and handmade embellishments like this in purple, turquoise, white and brown

Add art to the walls by printing out and framing free printables

 

and making use of my Naptime Diaries, Willow of Wonder, and Magnolia Moonlight prints

by spray painting cheap frames in coordinating colors.

What do you think? 

Grab and Go Breakfast Bars

I've mentioned before how hard mornings are for me

I totally agree with Zooey.

pinned here

When I wake up, I don't have the mental function or energy 

to whip up a delicious breakfast,

so last week I whipped up a batch of these one evening and grabbed one 

on the way out the door each morning. It was super easy!

These are a great alternative to sugary cereal bars 

for a simple and nutritious, on-the-go breakfast!

These bars are packed with good-for-you ingredients

and have no added sugars (not even honey!)

What You Need:

(makes 12)

1/2 cup peanut butter or other nut butter

2 bananas, mashed

1/2 cup whole nuts (choose your favorite)

1 ½ cup total of dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, apricots, raisins, coconut, etc.)

1 cup rolled oats

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Pinch cinnamon (optional)

1/4 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds (optional)

What To Do:

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a food processor, coarsely chop nuts and dried fruits. Mix nut butter and bananas until a paste forms. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Spoon into lightly greased muffin cups and bake for 15 minutes. (I used cupcake liners so I didn't have the wash the muffin pan. Score) These can be stored in refrigerator for 5 days.

For one granola bite (12 in recipe) = 190 calories, 8.4 g fat, 26.7 g carbohydrates, 5.4 g protein, 3.1 g fiber, 52 mg sodium, 5 PointsPlus

Recipe from Snack Girl