Butternut Squash Pizza

Last week, we went to this beautiful farm right outside of Yellow Springs, OH. I don't remember the name of this farm, but we did get some beautiful produce. We picked raspberries, got some jonathan apples, heirloom tomatoes and butternut squash.

I made a meal with the butternut squash the day we bought the squash, but had all this leftover squash and decided to make a pizza with it.

First, I made a pizza crust using Fleischmann's Pizza Crust Yeast. It's an easy recipe and has no wait to rise time, as it rises while it cooks. I highly suggest it for those who don't want to spend the day waiting for their pizza dough to be ready.

Half-way through the caramelizing process

Next, I caramelized a yellow onion. For those of you who don't cook a lot, or even those who do caramelizing onions is different from cooking them down, as I learned last night. It takes about 25-30 minutes of cooking the onions really well to really pull out all the sweetness from the onions. It's worth taking the time to do this because it was delicious.

I had already sauteed the butternut squash for the meal I'd made earlier in the week, so I just cubed what I had remaining.

It was then time to assemble the pizza, first I spread out the pizza dough onto a pizza stone and brushed it with some olive oil.

Then I put the butternut squash on the pizza.

Then came the caramelized onions.

Then I crumbled on the goat cheese. The final step was to put some salt, pepper and oregano  on the pizza for seasoning. I baked this at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.

And this was the final product. It was super yummy. While this crust is delicious, I think these toppings are better for a flat bread pizza, so with the left over toppings, I'm going to try that tomorrow. Does anyone want to hear the results of that?

Enjoy!

Etsy Site Opens!

At the urging of many of you who have been super supportive of my new sewing efforts, I've opened an etsy site. Right now I just have some small clutch style wallets and one purse, but I do hope to move onto more purses, aprons and possibly some jewelry.

So for all of you who have said, I would buy one of those - now is your chance. I don't have all of the bags up, but try to add a couple everyday, so if you don't see one you like check back. Or I can make you a bag with specific material if I can get it.

And because I like pictures, I've included pictures of a few of my favorite bags below the jump.

Hope you enjoy!

Vanilla & Whipped Cream

Vanilla and whipped cream are two things that can be really pricey at the grocery, but are also super easy to make. I made vanilla for the first time recently and finally used it to make whipped cream yesterday. It was easily the best whipped cream I have ever made. I'm attributing it to the homemade vanilla and thought since it was so good, I would have to share with all of you.

Making Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup 100 proof vodka
vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Glass jar with Lid

You can make as much as you'd like, but keep the ratio 3/4 cup of vodka to one split vanilla bean. Place the split vanilla bean in the jar and pour the vodka over it. Be sure the entire vanilla bean is covered in vodka. You screw the lid on tight and let it sit for one month. That's it. It will turn a very nice caramel color. You remove the beans, strain the vanilla (if any of the seeds are sitting at the bottom) and have some great vanilla.

If you dry out the vanilla beans they can still be used to make vanilla sugar. I haven't done that yet, but know that it can be done.

This picture is about two hours after I put it up, it gets a much deeper color before it's ready.

Making Whipped Cream
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Pour the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla into a bowl and mix together. Once everything is combined, place the bowl and what you're going to use to whisk it in the fridge for about 30 minutes. This is not necessary, but I find that it helps it become whipped cream a bit faster. After that 30 minutes (or immediately if you'd like) you need to whisk it, whether by hand, handheld beaters or a kitchen aid, until it forms soft peaks.

If you're like I was when I first made whipped cream, you'll wonder what does that mean. Imagine what any whipped cream or even cool whip has looked and felt like when you've put your finger in it to taste some. It forms a soft peak when you pull your finger out.

Also, I can't tell you how long to whip it because it depends on the speed you use and how much you're making. However, I can warn you not to whip it too long. If you pass the point it will start to get thicker, almost like an icing and if you go past that it will turn into butter. And not yummy butter, but sweet vanilla butter - which I can tell you from experience is not very good.

So, that's how to make vanilla & whipped cream. Two easy things that everyone is impressed by when they hear you've made it at home. Enjoy!

Apple Crisp

While at my aunt's house for Sunday night dinner, I noticed she had an apple tree with tons of small green apples on it. They are either crab apples or granny smith, but I'm not 100% sure. So I picked a few dozen apples and brought them home.  I knew I had to find something to do with these fresh apples, especially since I knew I'd go back for more.

The first thing to come to mind was this amazing apple crisp a friend had brought over for dessert not too long ago. It had oatmeal in it and she served it with vanilla ice cream, so I had to figure out how to repeat this. And after looking at dozens of apple crisp recipes, this is what I came up with.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup melted butter
4 - 5 cups chopped apples (peeled)
1/2 cup white sugar
2-3 tbs of cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350F. In one bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, oatmeal and melted butter. In another bowl, mix together the chopped apples, white sugar and cinnamon. 

Layer half of the oatmeal mixture on the bottom of an 8" pan. Layer the apple mixture over that and finally, top with the remainder of the oatmeal mixture. Bake this for 45 minutes. The top should get golden brown.

It's a really simple recipe, but is really delicious. I suggest you serve this warm and with ice cream. Or do what I do and eat what's left over for breakfast. :)

Thrift Store Decorating

I know this is the first post in a while, but life took over and this blog had to take a back seat. But I'm already back into the swing of my housewife life and I have a project I did over the weekend that I wanted to share.

At my house, we are big fans of the thrift store. There is a really great one a short distance from where we live and we try to go there twice a week or so. This week we got some really great stuff that made a project that looked like it could cost around $80, but it only cost us $11.

This is what we got for $10.73. It was a halloween decoration, two pillows, a sheet and a thick blanket. We're using the halloween decoration for the big party we have every year, the pillows to decorate the guest room, the sheet for dish/dust rags and the thick blanket for the project I'm about to share with you. A great deal for all the use we're use we're going to get out of everything.




Using mostly recycled materials, I made a decorative headboard for the guest bedroom. I used old plywood from cabinets I had torn down in our kitchen (It's painted grey from a failed art project I had started last year), the thick blanket from the thrift store ($1.99) and upholstery quality material I purchased on sale at JoAnn's Fabrics ($9). To put this project together I used an upholstery staple gun to put this project together.

First, I folded and cut the thick blanket around the piece of plywood. I stapled it around the back of the board until it was secure. After that was finished, I cut the exterior material about 6 inches wider and taller than the plywood board.  I then folded the material over the board and the thick blanket and over itself so there would be no loose threads showing and stapled it very securely all around the board.

The final project turned out really great and was super cheap. Hinges or brackets can be used to attach this to either the bed frame or the wall. Currently, we're still in discussions as to which we're going to use. But I will keep you advised as to which way we go.





Below is how the guest room turned out. We used the decorative pillows to add to the eclectic feel we were going for in the room. The duvet cover on the bed was a previous thrift store find for $8. The picture doesn't do it justice, but it's really nice. The blue sheet was turned into 28 dish rags and since we don't use paper towels at our house, it was a huge help. As you can see, it was a great deal for the $10.73 spent at the thrift store.

Click below the jump to see before and after pictures of the guest bedroom.

Crab Cake Night

My wife and dearest friend both love crab cakes and tonight was one of the nights I made them. I was really intimidated the first time I made them, but they were so much easier than I thought. And they're super delish. Here is the recipe I use:

1 lb crab meat (lump)
1 egg

2 green onion (finely chopped)

1/2 red pepper (finely chopped)
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup mayo
1 tsp old bay seasoning
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs parsley
salt & pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp each)
1/2 tsp Frank's Hot Sauce (any work, that's our fav)
olive oil for frying

When I made the recipe today, I made a double batch, so in the pictures you'll see double of everything. So basically, I mix all of the seasonings in a small bowl and all of the other ingredients in a big bowl. There is no particular reason I do this, but I usually do. Sometimes I just put them all in the big bowl together.

I mix it all up with my hands and then form patties. As I'm forming the patties, I'm heating up olive oil in a pan. I fry each patty for about 5-7 minutes on each side until there is a nice golden brown crust on each side. I usually put mine in the oven at 350-400 for five minutes or so to be sure it's heated all the way through, although that isn't really necessary.

We had steamed asparagus and green beans with the crab cakes. Sometimes we'll do salad. It's a really good, relatively easy meal. Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

I offered to make a dessert of my friend's choosing and she requested peanut butter, chocolate or strawberry. I decided two out of three was good and found a great recipe for a chocolate peanut butter cake.

I made a boxed chocolate cake, triple chocolate fudge. I found a great recipe for peanut butter cream cheese icing and a chocolate peanut butter ganache on the Smitten Kitchen from August of 2008. A friend of mine referred me to this blog and it has some mouth watering recipes, although these are the first ones I've tried.

The author doesn't encourage natural peanut butter because the oil separates from the peanut butter so much, however when you make it fresh, like I did today, that problem doesn't exist. Plus, I've fallen in love with home made peanut butter and don't think I could make myself buy some.



I did two 8" round cakes and decided to cut both cakes, which I usually don't do. I put a layer of peanut butter icing between the two layers of cake and then iced the entire thing.

Then, following the suggestion of Smitten Kitchen, I made the chocolate peanut butter ganache, which I love because it sounds so fancy. Then I poured it over the top of the iced cake.








The final product turned out super pretty and very yummy. We had our friends over to share it with us and I think they enjoyed it.

Trying sew many new things

Last week I took the intro to sewing class at Sew to Speak. It was a really nice class. It gave us the basic understanding of how to use a sewing machine. 

I have had the opportunity to learn how each machine is a little different because between my mom and mother-in-law I had the opportunity to work with five different machines in the last three weeks. My favorite is the Singer circa 1935ish. It is the most sturdy of the five and the prettiest. It’s in amazing condition and even still has the owner’s manual.

I’ve made a few wallet/small purses and, thanks to the encouragement of my DC friends and fam, I will hopefully be putting them on esty in the next month or so. If you don’t want to wait, send me an email and I can get one for you before then.

I’m going to take another class with Sew to Speak before the end of the summer and have two big sewing projects coming up soon, so stay tuned.

There are pictures of some of the bags I've made below the break. So click on read more to check them out.

The Journey of Being Martha Begins

Hello everyone. As this is my first post, I want to tell you a little bit more about my journey. A month ago I left my job as a fundraiser, as it was time to move on to my next adventure. My original hope was to be a housewife, and while it doesn’t look like the housewife path will exist for much longer, my housewife passions still exist.  So below is a sneak peak of what you will see if you continue to read my blog.

Baking. I’ve started baking a lot. I’ve made some delicious breads, cakes and cupcakes. I’m not so good on the cookies yet, but I’m working on it. I will be sharing some of my favorite recipes as well as successes (and failures) on the baking front.

Sewing. I’ve already taken my first sewing class. My machine is about thirty years old and seems to be very fickle, but I am learning its moodiness and am ready to dive into many new projects.

Gardening. I’m a big subscriber to the square foot gardening techniques and this year we went into it full swing with three 16 ft² beds and a few potted herb gardens. I am not a great gardener, but do look forward to tending, harvesting and eating food grown at our own home.

Cooking. I do love cooking and trying  new recipes. I go back and forth on the various ways we should eat. From vegan meals to homemade take-out to full-course decadence, I love a variety of options in the food I cook. 

Home Upgrades. This one may be the furthest stretch for me. It will go from small projects, such as creating art and updating furniture to large projects such as making over the basement and repainting the exterior of our house.

Further Greening our Home.  From using cloth napkins exclusively to having a worm composter in our home, we’ve went deeper and deeper into our green lifestyle and were long before the movement got big. I imagine this will happen more and more as time progresses. 

So these are the variety of things you will see if you continue to visit Being Martha. And I sure hope you do.