CAST IRON SKILLET PIZZA (a 3-4 banana difficulty level)

Oh Pizza, how I do love thee...pretty much everyone loves pizza, right?! I saw someone post a link to making "Cast Iron Skillet Pizza" not too long ago and I thought 'hey, I have a cast iron skillet. I should make this!'

I've done pizza making on my pizza stone and even out on my grill. Believe or not, I've even made pizza in my Cast Iron Skillet before...about 5 years ago...and I totally forgot about it. It appears to have been an Eggplant Hummus Pizza. I never did the post...I think we all know why. I mean, Eggplant Hummus Pizza?!?...what was I thinking! Anyway, here's some embarassing photos of the event...

Well, I learned my lesson. Today's pizza had Sausage, Mushrooms, & Onions. 

Now, some of the videos I've seen about making "Cast Iron Skillet Pizza" shows cutting the pizza while it's still in the skillet. Those skillets are tough, but I don't recommend using them as a cutting board. The pizza comes out easily so just use an actual cutting board!

The difficulty level of making homemade pizza varies a bit. How complicated are your toppings? Are you making the sauce from scratch? Is the dough made from scratch? Once those things are taken care of, then the actual baking of the pizza is pretty simple!

Enough talking...let's get started. Today 'this monkey' will show you how to make "Cast Iron Skillet Pizza"!

WHAT YOU NEED:

Pizza Crust: I used this one... Pizza Dough . (It makes enough for 2 pizzas so halve the recipe if you just want 1 pizza)

Sauce (I chose a Spicy Red Pepper Spaghetti Sauce from the store)

Toppings (Why not use the Roasted Sausage, Mushrooms, & Onions  from yesterday)

1-2 c Shredded Cheese (Mozzarella Cheese with a sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese)

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED:

Large Cast Iron Skillet

Spatula (Small Turner)

Cutting Board

Pizza Cutter

WHAT YOU DO:

1. Follow the recipe for making the Pizza Dough. Dough needs to rise. This will take at least 2 hours. 

2. Once the dough is ready, Pre-Heat Oven & the Skillet to 500 degrees & begin shaping the dough into your pizza crust. (I rub my hands with olive oil before I start working with the dough. Also lightly flour your working surface)

1 will go Cast Iron Skillet & the other on the Pizza Stone

3. After everything is pre-heated, carefully slide your dough into the VERY HOT Skillet. To ensure the crust is ready when the toppings are ready, bake the CRUST for 8 minutes before adding the toppings)

4. Remove the Skillet containing the partially baked Crust from the oven & Add the Sauce (keep the sauce from interacting with the Cast Iron Skillet as they don't play nice)

5. Add the Mozzarella Cheese

6. Add your toppings

7. Give it a little sprinkle of the Parmesan Cheese

8. Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes, remove from oven, & use a Spatula (Small Turner) to slide your pizza onto the Cutting Board.

9. Serve & Enjoy!

Mom's homemade pizza was one of my favorite meals growing up! In fact, I often request it when I go home for a visit. The process of making homemade pizza is interesting & fun, but it does take patience & prep especially when making the dough from scratch. I know it is easy just to pick up the phone & order from the local pizzeria, but give this one a try!

Until next time...your favorite neighbor-web monkey! 

ROASTED SAUSAGE, MUSHROOMS, and ONIONS with SPINACH (a 2 banana level difficulty)

Roasting vegetables is one of the easiest & best ways to release a lot of goodness! What kicks this up to the next level is that as the sausage roasts it drips down on to the mushrooms & onions. The mushrooms basically act like a sponge & absorb the flavorful drippings. Healthy, no...Delicious, YES!!

This works really well as a topping for pasta & rice dishes. Let's get started...

Today, 'this monkey' will show you how to make Roasted Sausage, Mushrooms, & Onions with Spinach!

WHAT YOU NEED:
1/2 Red Onion (sliced & coarsely chopped)
8 oz Whole Baby Bella Mushrooms (cut in half...feel free to choose the mushrooms that make you happiest!)
1 lb Sausage (cut in small pieces)
2-3 c Spinach

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED:
Large Cast Iron Skillet (or something oven safe)
Chef's Knife
Cutting Board

WHAT YOU DO:
1. Pre-Heat Oven to 425 degrees with Cast Iron Skillet in the oven to pre-heat as well. Prep your ingredients while the oven & the skillet are pre-heating.
2. Add your Onions to the Hot Skillet

3. Add your Mushrooms on top of the Onions

4. Add the Sausage on top of the Mushrooms & Onions

5. Roast for 30 minutes at 425 degrees. Rotate Skillet after 15 minutes for even Roasting.

6. Add the Spinach/Greens & stir into the dish until they are nicely wilted.

7. Serve over a pasta or grain that you like & top with some shredded cheese

This is simply a straightforward dish that 'anymonkeycan' cook! I guess you could just use it as a small side by itself, but the sausage does make it fairly rich.

Enjoy & until next time...your friendly neighbor-web monkey!

(ABRIDGED RECIPE)

WHAT YOU DO:
1. Pre-Heat Oven to 425 degrees with Cast Iron Skillet in the oven to pre-heat as well. Prep your ingredients while the oven & the skillet are pre-heating.
2. Add your Onions to the Hot Skillet
3. Add your Mushrooms on top of the Onions
4. Add the Sausage on top of the Mushrooms & Onions
5. Roast for 30 minutes at 425 degrees. Rotate Skillet after 15 minutes for even Roasting.
6. Add the Spinach/Greens & stir into the dish until they are nicely wilted.
7. Serve over a pasta or grain that you like & top with some shredded cheese.

BROWN BUTTER MAPLE CORNBREAD (a 2 banana level difficulty)

I made this Cornbread earlier this year & it was quite good. Thanksgiving comes around & I decide I want to serve Cornbread, but I couldn't find this recipe. So I went with the 'Joy of Cooking' version & was frankly underwhelmed. However, it's a bit like bringing a knife to a gun fight. JoC called for 2-3 T of butter & the one we are making originally called for 1 1/2 STICKS of butter, but I've found 1 stick works quite well! Luckily I re-discovered my recipe & today we will be making "Brown Butter Maple Cornbread." (adapted from NYT)

WHAT YOU NEED:
8 T (1 stick) of Unsalted Butter
1/2 c Maple Syrup
2 1/4 c Buttermilk (it's Christmas so I made it with eggnog bc 'why not?')
3 Large Eggs
1 1/2 c Yellow Cornmeal
1/2 c Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 c All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 T Baking Powder
1 1/2 t Kosher Salt
1/2 t Baking Soda

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED:
Whisk
Large Bowl
Medium Bowl (nice to measure your dry ingredients into while the butter is melting)
Large Cast Iron Skillet or other oven proof skillet (12 inches)
Cooling Rack (optional as all cooling can be done in the skillet)
Rubber Spatula

WHAT YOU DO:
1. Pre-Heat Oven to 375 degrees & Melt Butter over Medium-High heat. (Swirl occasionally to avoid burning & to coat sides of the skillet)

2. Pour Melted Butter into Large Bowl (don't wipe out the skillet, turn off the burner and place the skillet BACK on the burner so it remains warm). Whisk in the Maple Syrup followed by the Buttermilk (or eggnog).

3. Next whisk in the eggs & then finally the Dry Ingredients (Cornmeal, Flours, Baking Powder, Salt, & Baking Soda)

4. Pour batter back into your skillet & Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top is a lovely golden brown color & a toothpick can be inserted & removed clean.

5. Cool in the Skillet for 10 minutes & then it's time to enjoy!

Yeah, this isn't going to earn any awards from the American Heart Association, but it sure is good! I mean maple syrup AND a stick of butter, that is some good stuff! Honestly, you don't even need to put butter on it...

Until next time...your favorite neighbor-web monkey!

(ABRIDGED RECIPE)

WHAT YOU DO:
1. Pre-Heat Oven to 375 degrees & Melt Butter over Medium-High heat. (Swirl occasionally to avoid burning & to coat sides of the skillet)
2. Pour Melted Butter into Large Bowl (don't wipe out the skillet, turn off the burner and place the skillet BACK on the burner so it remains warm). Whisk in the Maple Syrup followed by the Buttermilk (or eggnog).
3. Next whisk in the eggs & then finally the Dry Ingredients (Cornmeal, Flours, Baking Powder, Salt, & Baking Soda)
4. Pour batter back into your skillet & Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top is a lovely golden brown color & a toothpick can be inserted & removed clean.
5. Cool in the Skillet for 10 minutes & then it's time to enjoy!

ROASTED SWEET POTATO and CARROT SOUP (a 3 banana level difficulty)

I was a little worried that this would be my first post in 2015, however it does look like I managed to post in 2015 so this is #2! Even though it has been sunny & 70 in Texas this past week, it is still the time of year for soup!

This is a nice, healthy fall/winter soup...unless you go for the optional heavy cream and/or top the finished product with shredded cheese! There's also a neat, little trick I'll show you along the way to make potato peeling easier.

'This monkey' will show you how to make a delicious Roasted Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup. This isn't that difficult to make, however it does take some time to roast the veggies, bring things to a boil, & then blend it into a soup (about 90 minutes)...let's get started!

WHAT YOU NEED:
2 lbs Baby Carrots
4 lbs Sweet Potatoes (4-5 potatoes)
1/2 Red Onion (diced)
4-5 Garlic Cloves (peeled & diced)
2 T Butter
8 c Vegetable Stock
Kosher or Sea Salt (to taste)
Extra Water/Stock (for thinning as needed)
Up to 1 c Heavy Cream (Optional)
Shredded Cheese for topping (Optional)

WHAT ELSE YOU NEED:
Chef's Knife
Paring Knife
Fork
Large Pot (at least 6 quarts)
Large Roasting Pan
Immersion Blender

WHAT YOU DO:
1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees
2. Wash & lightly scrub Sweet Potatoes as needed. Pierce with fork & shallowly score the Potatoes with the paring knife (this is the start of the peeling trick!)

3. Place the Carrots & the Sweet Potatoes in the Roasting Pan & Roast at 425 degrees for 45-60 minutes. (Sweet Potatoes need to feel soft when a fork is inserted)
4. Prep the Garlic & Onions while you are roasting the other veggies

4. Melt the Butter over Medium-High heat, add the Onions & saute for 2 minutes. (Be sure to stir occasionally)
5. Reduce heat to Medium, add the Garlic & cook with the Onions for another 6 minutes (Continue to occasionally stir)

6. Peel the Sweet Potatoes while the Onions & Garlic are sauteing, Briefly rinse each Sweet Potato under cold water to make the skin easier to handle (I use a fork to help hold the hot potato while rinsing under cold water)

Evidently this scoring trick also works while boiling potatoes

7. Add the Roasted Carrots to the sauteed Onions & Garlic. Stir to coat the Carrots. (This actually makes a good side dish...go ahead & try a carrot!)

8. Turn the heat to High & pour in the Vegetable Stock.

9. Cube the Roasted Sweet Potatoes & carefully add them to the pot.

I needed a little bigger pot or a little less ingredients!

10. Bring to a soft boil (add the heavy cream if you'd like), then reduce heat to Low & allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
11. Carefully use the Immersion Blender to puree your soup (Be careful as this can be messy & this is hot soup!) Add Water or extra Stock to thin as needed.

12. Salt & Pepper to taste...enjoy with some good bread and/or shredded cheese!

This does make A LOT of soup! I imagine it freezes pretty well so it may be worth making a bunch so you can freeze, then eat later.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays...until next time...

your favorite neighbor-web monkey!

(ABRIDGED RECIPE)

WHAT YOU DO:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees
2. Wash & lightly scrub Sweet Potatoes as needed. Pierce with fork & shallowly score the Potatoes with the paring knife (this is the start of the peeling trick!)
3. Place the Carrots & the Sweet Potatoes in the Roasting Pan & Roast at 425 degrees for 45-60 minutes. (Sweet Potatoes need to feel soft when a fork is inserted)
4. Prep the Garlic & Onions while you are roasting the other veggies
5. Reduce heat to Medium, add the Garlic & cook with the Onions for another 6 minutes (Continue to occasionally stir)
6. Peel the Sweet Potatoes while the Onions & Garlic are sauteing, Briefly rinse each Sweet Potato under cold water to make the skin easier to handle (I use a fork to help hold the hot potato while rinsing under cold water)
7. Add the Roasted Carrots to the sauteed Onions & Garlic. Stir to coat the Carrots. (This actually makes a good side dish...go ahead & try a carrot!)
8. Turn the heat to High & pour in the Vegetable Stock.
9. Cube the Roasted Sweet Potatoes & carefully add them to the pot.
10. Bring to a soft boil (add the heavy cream if you'd like), then reduce heat to Low & allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
11. Carefully use the Immersion Blender to puree your soup (Be careful as this can be messy & this is hot soup!) Add Water or extra Stock to thin as needed.
12. Salt & Pepper to taste...enjoy with some good bread and/or shredded cheese!