Tasty Thursday

 Mom tried out a new recipe.   It's called Authentic White Pizza.

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup warm water (110°F/43°C)
• 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella, torn
• 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Fresh basil or thyme leaves
• Salt, to taste

---

Instructions

1. Activate Yeast: Mix water, yeast, and sugar; let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
2. Make Dough: Mix flour, salt, and yeast mixture; knead until smooth. Let rise for 1-1½ hours.
3. Preheat and Prepare Toppings: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and prepare ricotta mixture.
4. Shape Dough: Roll out dough, transfer to baking surface, and brush with olive oil.
5. Add Toppings: Spread ricotta, add mozzarella and Pecorino, and sprinkle with herbs.
6. Bake: Bake for 12-15 minutes, garnish with olive oil and arugula if desired, then serve.
7. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8. Mom doesn't make her own pizza dough.  She buys it already made at our local veggie market.     She made the pizza according to the directions but added sauteed spinach that she wanted to use up.  We didn't use garlic.  We used Mrs Dash's garlic seasoning and the herb seasoning too.  We didn't add salt because Parmesan cheese is salty enough and we baked it for the full 15 minutes.  
9. 
   And now for the tasteTest~
10. 
    I thought it was the best thing that I ever tasted but mom doesn't agree.   She prefers the frozen one that our grocery store sells and it's far less work!
11. Happy Thursday!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

No April Fool

 Yesterday, I had my monthly bath, which led to laundry and cleaning the bathroom and then mom groomed me and then finally, she said that we could go for a walk.  This all happened before 10am.  

She kept telling me to please stop pulling and slow down, Duke.  I am VERY tired and I need a nap☺  Naps don't happen this early, mom!

Happy Wednesday!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Sunday Walk on Monday

 Our temps started off cold enough that mom had me wear my coat.   I don't mind.  I love wearing my nice warm coats!

Mom just loves this bird house!

Finally, we saw beautiful crocus!

We found this superTwisted vine~

Happy Monday!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Silent Sunday Selfie

 

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Nature Friday

 We are joining Rosy this week for Nature Friday~~

The Daffies are waking up~

At home, our Hyacinths are almost ready to pick so mom can enjoy their wonderful fragrance inside the house!

My buddy, Tommy and his helper, Chris, were here on Wednesday to leaf blow our yard FINALLY!

We took a longer walk on Thursday morning after the showers stopped.  We aren't seeing much color yet but we did see a beautiful flying copper piggy on this cupola~

Birdie!!

Happy Friday!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

My Friend Carlie

 Yesterday, we saw my friend Carlie on our walk.   I hadn't seen her since November and we were beginning to worry~

It was wonderful to see her and her dad again after all of these months!

Happy Wednesday!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Terrific Tuesday

 The mailman came yesterday and delivered Spring pressies - to both me and mom!

I got a colorful new collar with frogs and flowers!

I am raising my paw for a homemade peanut butter treat that the Etsy seller sent me!

In 2010, mom bought her very first pair of Joules Wellibobs.   Maggie and Mitch were there to help her open the box!  She wore them until they cracked and leaked and she finally decided to get herself a new pair.  Ebay had a pair that she couldn't refuse.  

She would have loved to have another pair with WFT's on them but they weren't available.  

Mom is so psyched to have a brand new pair of Wellibobs and if it wasn't raining out, she'd be out there raking!

Happy Spring!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Sunday Selfie

 The first Saturday of Spring was a warmish one and the sun feels so good on my face and furs!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Nature Friday

 We are joining Rosy this week for Nature Friday~~

We have had a cold week.    It's hard to believe that this is the first day of Spring~

The snow is almost all gone~

We saw enough ice to go skating!

I wonder if anyone lives in this tree?

The Daylilies are emerging~

Our Lenten Rose is flowering~   

Mom took the shot from underneath.

And then upright~

I was sporting my green for St Patrick's Day~

Happy first day of Spring~~

We hope it feels warmer soon!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Wordless Wednesday

 

Love ya lots♥

Duke

St Patrick's Day

 May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow and may trouble avoid you wherever you go~

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Silent Sunday Selfie

 

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Nature Friday

 We are joining Rosy this week for Nature Friday~~

We have a hodge podge of shots this week.  The weather was all over the place with melting snow and warm temps and now returning back to winter cold.  

We loved the circle melting happening around the trees.

We loved the skating mallard duckies~

The snowplow made quite the mess.  They shattered curbing on so many streets!    Because the temps are warming, there are birdies singing and chirping everywhere!

Mom has her own cleanup to do in our driveway.  Back breaking heavy sod to move - oh yay.   

The hyacinths are coming up☺

Our orchids are still blooming away~

Puzzling is still happening~

Happy Friday the 13th!

Love ya lots♥

Duke

Tasty Thursday

 Mom found this recipe on FB and she was intrigued.   How could Tomato Soup Muffins not taste like tomato soup?

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 (10 3/4 oz) can of condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts (coarsely broken)

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 2 1/2 TBS butter, at room temperature
• 4 TBS cream cheese, at room temperature
• few drops of vanilla extract
• 1 cup 10X icing sugar 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven 350 degrees.  Butter an 8 by 4 inch loaf tin and line with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.  Beat in the tomato soup.
3. Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder and spices.  Add to the creamed mixture and mix together just to combine.  Fold in the raisins and nuts.
4. Spread in the loaf pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Our muffins baked for 30 minutes.  
5. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then tip out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. When the cake has cooled make the frosting. Beat everything together until smooth, adding enough icing sugar to give you a smooth, thickish yet spreadable frosting. Spread over the top of the cake. 
7. Cut into thick slices to serve

~~We made muffins and not a loaf cake.  We did not make the frosting and we didn't use raisins.  We used dried cranberries because we dogs can't eat raisins.   

Check out the color of the batter~

As your taste tester, I say this is delicious!

The muffins are out of the oven and they are a beautiful color!

And now for the best part - the eats☺

They are spicy and taste similar to gingerbread.  You would never guess that canned tomato soup was an ingredient!

The recipe is a keeper, mom!

Love ya lots♥

Duke