December 6, 2006 | Mama Smith

a smith family favorite

I don’t know how many of you have attempted to make whole wheat pizza dough, but my experience in the past has always yielded a rock-hard blob of gritty foulness. About a year ago I purchased Recipes from the Old Mill: Baking with Whole Grains. This book was worth it’s weight in gold just for the prize-winning (at least to Matthew and I) whole wheat pizza dough it offered us.

This has become a welcomed regular to our table. We’re hooked on the calzones it produces, of which we feast on at least twice a month if not more. I thought I’d pass on the recipe for those of you who’d like to try it out:

2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 c. warm water
3/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. white flour

Combine yeast & sugar in warm water. Stir until dissolved. Add salt, oil, 1 1/2 c. wheat flour, 1 c. white flour. Stir well. Then add 1/2 – 1 c. of wheat flour, enough to make a soft dough. It should be smooth and elastic. If you aren’t using a Kitchenaid with the dough attachment, then knead the dough for 5 minutes until you gain that same consistancy. Place in a lightly greased bowl turning the dough until it’s greased all over, then cover and let rise 20-30 minutes.

You can be creative with how you want to use the dough. Like I said, we’re hooked on calzones and this amount of dough usually makes 4-6, since we like the dough really thin and our calzones a managable serving size.

Whatever your creation ends up being, make sure to lightly grease the cookie sheet or pan. Then bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes depending on the thickness of your dough and type of toppings you use.

Since B refuses to stay up and eat dinner with us, I made him his own personal pizza pictured above – chicken & spinach. He devoured the entire thing. That one only took about 15 minutes in the toaster oven.

Enough of the kitchen talk, on to more exciting news…

Brighton has thoroughly been enjoying his Christmas present he just received from Matthew’s grandparents. A beautiful little wooden rocking chair.

He’s still trying to master getting in and out of it without tipping over, but I think within a few months and a few added inches to his frame, he should be fine. Here he is signing away to his video cozily situated in it.

And unfortunately for Matthew, I think we have another Christmas addict in the making. Brighton absolutely adores the Christmas tree. It is the funniest thing to observe. Every time he wakes up from a nap or gets up in the morning, he walks into the den and his whole face lights up. He runs over to the tree, clasps his hands and bends over squealing with excitement. As if he’s saying “Yeay! You’re still here!!”

Yesterday I was in the kitchen and began to wondering why he was suddenly so quiet in the den. I went in to find him just sitting in front of the tree, staring at it. Not pulling on the ornaments or “brushing” the branches with his toy rake (both of which we have to put a stop to pretty much every day), but just peacefully taking in the site. I think he’s even slowly making a believer in the magic of Christmas out of Matthew.

Our calzones just came out of the oven and Matthew is in the kitchen mumbling dirty talk to them so I better head in there to make sure he doesn’t ravage mine before I get to it. Enjoy this blustery evening.

Enough of the paparazzi pictures, Mom!!