pizza

2 Ingredient Pizza Dough

Abby H.

My kids love pizza, but sometimes I don’t have time or energy to make a full-blown yeast-based pizza dough that takes 3-4 hours to fully rise and develop before it’s ready to top and bake.

Recently I stumbled across this recipe and it’s a definite keeper.

2 Ingredient Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups self rising flour (plus extra for kneading)
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

  1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine both ingredients until a shaggy dough forms.
  2. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes to activate the gluten in the flour.
  3. Roll the dough out  and parbake on a greased cookie sheet or flat baking dish for 5-7 minutes at 500 degrees.
  4. Remove from oven, top with preferred sauce (about 1/3-1/2 cup), cheese, and meat/veggies. 
  5. Return to oven for 7-9 minutes at 500 degrees.
  6. Allow the pizza to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

This recipe makes 1 pizza crust.

October is National Pizza Month!

Abby H.

October is National Pizza Month, so I thought I’d share with y’all some of our favorite pizza stuff: recipes, pizza swag, and even ways to save money on ordering pizza.

Goodness knows we have pizza about once a week (Friday take-out night is usually pizza), so I have all kinds of tips and tricks.

If you are new to making your own pizza at home, here is a list of my must-haves, including ingredients and kitchen tools!

Need a break from cooking and want to order takeout, here are a few suggestions for saving money and/or earning cash back on your next pizza night:

  • Mogl partners with local restaurants to give you cashback. In our area, there are a lot of pizza restaurants.
  • Dosh is similar to Mogl, in that you can earn cashback from specific restaurants and other stores. In our area, they partner with Round Table pizza!
  • Dominos has its Piece of the Pie rewards club. for every $10 spent, you earn 10 points, once you reach 60 points, you’ll earn a free pizza. More details can be found here.
  • If Pizza Hut is more your style, they have Hut Rewards. Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend. They have several different rewards, depending on point values. From breadsticks (75 points)  to a Large pizza (300 points), there is something for everyone.
  • Little Caesar’s has an app with various deals, and they also have a merch shop with all sorts of cool stuff, like this pizza slice blanket.

If you are looking to snuggle with your loved one while eating pizza, this pizza blanket is perfect. My kids found this while looking for a new blanket for the car.

Talk Back: What is your favorite pizza topping?

 

Large Free Classic Pizza from Little Caesar’s!

Abby H.

Looking for some pizza for the next NFL game? Every Monday, Thursday, and Sunday in September when you spend $20 or more at Little Caesar’s you can score a FREE Large Classic Pizza with Coupon Code CLASSICPLAY6 at checkout in the Little Caesar’s App!

For those of you looking for pizza on a budget, this is a great deal. The boy kid loves pizza, and Little Caesar’s is usually requested.

2022 Summer Reading Programs

Abby H.

Summer is just around the corner. And you know what that means- keeping kids occupied so we don’t have to hear choruses of, “I’M BORED!” And how do we do that?

Around these parts, both kids go to summer school, but we also take advantage of free and low-cost summer programs. One of my favorites is the Summer Reading Programs that are sponsored by both the City of San Diego Library system, but also the County of San Diego Library system.

The City of San Diego Summer Reading Program starts June 1st. You can find out more details here.

The County of Sa Diego Library system has not yet released their Summer Reading Program at the time of this post, but their website should be updated with information closer to June 1st, the usual start date.

If you want your family to experience a multi-cultural world through reading, I  recommend PJ Library.  PJ Library sends free, award-winning books that celebrate Jewish values and culture to families with children from birth through 12 years old.

My kids love learning about faraway places and experiences different from their own. The PJ library books have opened their eyes to new holidays, customs, and ways of life.

Read Conmigo provides free books for kids by mail in Spanish and English to children ages preschool to fifth grade. They are only available to kids in CA, TX, and Florida. We used to receive the books, and they are ok, but my kids aren’t interested in learning Spanish.

Barnes and Noble has a summer reading program starting July 1st. More info here.

Dolly Parton has established the Imagination library, it is available in select regions (sadly not available in San Diego California), and those who live in areas that are participating can receive one book for their kids every month via mail.

Book It has a summer program called Camp Book it, where kids can read, and earn free personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut! Book It is the FAVORITE reading program in my house.

And if you haven’t done it yet, don’t forget to sign your kids up for the 2022-2023 school year Book It program. Teachers can sign their classes up too!

 

Talk Back: If you know of any other reading programs in the San Diego/Southern California area, please leave a comment!

Celebrate Pi Day (3.14) with Some Tasty Deals

Abby H.

It’s Pi Day (March 14th, or 3.14 as it’s written out). 

This made-up holiday is to celebrate the mathematical constant π (pi), which is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. 

Basically, it’s a way to get people to eat more pi(e). 

Here are a few deals to celebrate various types of pi(e) today. I’ve only included offers with locations in Southern California, you may know of other deals, please feel free to leave a comment. 

I’m pretty bummed that Marie Callendar’s Restaurant isn’t doing a deal, but you can get a whole lemon meringue pie for just $9.99. 

Round Table Pizza: This is where we are headed for dinner tonight! Buy a personal-size cheese pizza for $3.14 on Pi Day at participating locations. Join the rewards clubs to take advantage of the offer (you can download their app and join- check your favorite spot to download apps).

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse: Get a mini, one-topping version of the restaurant’s deep-dish pizza for $3.14. Available all day Monday, dine-in only.

7-Eleven: Members of the 7Rewards loyalty program can buy a large pizza for $3.14 on Monday at  participating stores.

Chuck E. Cheese: Chuck E. Cheese said its Spring-tastic Family Fun Pack is available through April 24 for delivery or carryout. For $34.99, get two large pizzas, Unicorn Cotton Candy, a goody bag and spring activity sheet, and 250 e-tickets for your next Chuck E. Cheese visit.

 

Book It is back!

Abby H.

Book It is back for the 2021-2022 School year!

Book It is still alive and well! Enrollment is now open for the 2021-22 BOOK IT! Program year. Parents can now enroll their homeschool children!

It’s quick and easy. teachers can enroll their individual classes, parents can enroll homeschooled or distance learning kiddos.

My kids love Book It (just like their mama did!). It’s a great way to encourage reading and share a tasty, nostalgic memory.

Make Tracking even easier for your kiddos too- download and print tracking calendars for each kid!

 

Little Caesar’s Pizza: Free Pizza This Week!

Abby H.

It’s pizza time! We order pizza every Friday. Usually, I go pick it up, but this week, we might spring for delivery, because if we do, we’ll score a free Extramostbestest pizza (that’s a pizza with TONS of pepperoni or TONS of cheese) when I order online through their app and use coupon code EXTRAPIZZA6. This coupon code is good through 8/22/2021.

Space Jam opens Friday…in theaters and on HBOMax

Abby H.

I know my kids are excited to see Space Jam: A New Legacy on HBO Max Friday night as they chomp down on pizza with Daddy. I’m heading out of town for a girls’ weekend!

While you wait for your chance to see it, there are tons of fun activities and games that you and your kids can play. Check out this page for all sorts of fun: Download an activity pack, check out the AR lens, there is a pinball game, GIF stickers, and downloadable wallpaper!

Talk Back: Are you digging the new movies being released directly on premium channels? Are you and your fam going to watch Space Jam: A New Legacy?

 

#SPACEJAMMOVIE

@SPACEJAMMOVIE

Copycat Recipe: Souplantation Cheesy Garlic Foccacia Bread

Abby H.
It’s so good, it practically evaporates.

When my big kid found out that Souplantation (or Sweet Tomatoes, depending on where you live up) had closed permanently due to the pandemic, he cried.

When you have food texture aversions, you rely a lot on your favorite standby foods and restaurants. I was on a mission to try and recreate one of his Souplantation favorites, which was the Cheesy Garlic Focaccia Bread.

I started with my pizza dough base (the recipe can be found here). And here’s where it gets crazy (and by crazy I mean this is not super healthy, so don’t eat it daily). The remaining ingredients are:

  • 1/2 cup melted butter (that’s 1 stick)
  • 2T. granulated garlic
  • 1t. of each of the following: dried rosemary, dried tarragon, dried oregano, dried basil
  • 2cups+ Italian cheese

Directions:

  1. Make dough as directed here. I only let it rise once for this recipe.
  2. While dough rises, combine melted butter, garlic, and herbs. Set aside.
  3. Once the dough is down rising, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
  4. Separate dough into two pieces and roll out to fit onto your pizza pan (I use a cookie sheet that is covered in tin foil and sprayed with spray release).
  5. Spread half of the herbed butter onto the dough, top with cheese. Repeat for the other half of the dough.
  6. If there is any butter left, drizzle it over the bread.
  7. Bake at 450 degrees for 11-14 minutes.
  8. Remove from the baking sheet and slice into long skinny pieces to mimic the Souplantation feel.
The garlicky, herby, buttery goodness….
Cheese and more buttery goodness. Into the oven it does!

2021-2022 School Year BOOK IT Enrollment Open!

Abby H.

80’s and 90’s kids know what’s up!

Book It is still alive and well! Enrollment is now open for the 2021-22 BOOK IT! Program year. Parents can now enroll their homeschool children!

You also have the option to enroll in Camp BOOK IT!, which will run June-August, 2021. Just check the box to opt-in when you enroll!

PreK students (age 4 by Sept. 1st, 2021) are now eligible for BOOK IT! Be sure to include those students in your enrollment!

Another awesome feature of the 2021-2022 school year is that your entire school doesn’t have to participate, teachers can sign up their individual classes!

Please share this post with the parents and teachers in your life! More info about Book It and FAQ can be found here.