If your child has braces, tender yet tasty recipes are a must. How can you make them feel better on a tender-teeth day and satisfy their craving for “forbidden food?” Here are a few tips and a recipe for a special twist on easy-to-eat pizza:

1. Drink or eat something very cold, such as a fruit smoothie or frozen yogurt  – this delays the movement of today’s heat-responsive wires. 2. Try microwaving a frozen item instead ... Read More »]]>

I’ll bet you know at least one kid or teen in braces. What can they eat when their teeth hurt? And how can parents prepare meals that help avoid breaking off a bracket?

If your child has braces, tender yet tasty recipes are a must. How can you make them feel better on a tender-teeth day and satisfy their craving for “forbidden food?” Here are a few tips and a recipe for a special twist on easy-to-eat pizza:

1. Drink or eat something very cold, such as a fruit smoothie or frozen yogurt  – this delays the movement of today’s heat-responsive wires.
2. Try microwaving a frozen item instead of popping it in the toaster or oven. For example, frozen waffles come out tender instead of crunchy.
3. Eat leftovers! Many crispy items soften up overnight, especially in the refrigerator.

What about a pizza you can eat with a spoon? Served in squares, this dish is so different and yet so satisfying you’ll love it when just the thought of dealing with a traditional pizza crust gives you pause. Stock your kitchen with pouches of grated cheese and boxes of cornbread mix, and you’ll be ready to add whatever toppings strike your imagination.

Cornbread Pizza

By Pamela Waterman

INGREDIENTS

2 (8 ½-ounce) boxes dry cornbread mix

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 jar or can (about 26 ounces) spaghetti sauce, any flavor

1 teaspoon oregano

1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

Toppings of your choice, such as chopped green peppers, sliced mushrooms, olives and onions

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the 2 boxes of dry cornbread mix, 2 eggs, milk and Parmesan cheese. Grease a 9”x13” pan, and also grease 6 muffin-pan cups (or line them with cupcake papers). Spoon batter into the 6 muffin cups, about half-way, as this is extra batter. (You’ll have muffins for another meal – they’re great with chili.) Then spread the remaining batter into the 9”x13” pan and spread the spaghetti sauce over the top. Sprinkle with oregano. Bake the pizza and the muffins at 375 degrees for 15 minutes and remove both from oven. Sprinkle the pizza with the Mozzarella cheese and any other toppings, then bake it an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into squares.

Pamela Waterman is the author of The Braces Cookbook series of comfort-food recipes for tender teeth, along with books and articles about hands-on projects for children and teens. She had adult braces just a few years ago, and shares her experiences at www.BracesCookbook.com.

Here I am at 10:00 in the morning they are exhausted, physically exhausted and ... Read More »]]>

So like every mom in the 918 area code we are stuck home knee deep in snow.  The boys went outside this morning at 8:00 am to start shoveling….and I mean shoveling.  They cleared a path for the dogs to go outside and then shoveled out a “Cage Match” for the dogs to run around in when they are outside.  Now mind you, this cage area for the dogs is at least 8 feet by 6 feet…their arms were so sore when they came in from shoveling.

Here I am at 10:00 in the morning they are exhausted, physically exhausted and starving to death for lunch at 10:00 am!!!  I am thinking in my head this day will go on for hours before it is time for them to go to bed!

The question we all ask our children, “what can I make you for lunch, what sounds good?” Usually I get, mac-n-cheese, grilled cheese, bagel bites but no not today I got “do you think Mazzio’s delivers and can we get Pepperollies?” My answer was obvious, no and they stopped making them a few weeks ago.  I got the long, sad face from my youngest son…”oh, shoot…I was really in the mood for those…that’s okay mom, whatever is easy for you to make for lunch is fine with me.” Nothing is worse than the sad long face, with a sweet voice saying whatever is easiest for me?!?!?  I think it is obvious what I did next…Yes I attempted to make homemade Pepperollies!!!  Not only did I make them but THEY LOVED THEM!!  So much so that my youngest son asked if I could make them everyday they don’t have school this week for lunch.  Guess what were having tomorrow for lunch?!?!?

Here is how I put a smile on my boys face today at lunch:

Homemade Pepperollies

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls—   I put smooshed (technical cooking term) the two triangle pieces into one rectangle.  This makes four rectangles from one package.

I spread a little pizza sauce on each rectangle, cut up pepperonis into fourths and spread them onto the rectangles and topped them with mozzarella cheese over all of it.  Now I rolled, very slowly into a oblong roll and put the open slit towards the top a smooshed it closed a little.  Repeat for each rectangular piece.

I baked them at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  I let them cool for a few minutes and then the boys ate them in five minutes!!!!

Author Michelle Lehman of Organizing Solutions “Clear the Clutter” Michelle is a Professional Organizer in the Tulsa area. Her articles have been featured in the Tulsa World, The Oklahoman, Chicago Sun-Times and The Chicago Post-Tribune.  Michelle appears on TheNewsOn 6 KOTV and Fox23 News This Morning giving organizing tips and recommendations.

After we had been married a couple of years, we re-enlisted in the Marine Corps to go to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Once we arrived we soon realized that going out for dinner several times a week wasn’t an option. There was one restaurant we could go to, Blue Caribe, but it was run by the Navy and the ... Read More »]]>

I can’t remember when the tradition in our family of having pizza every Friday night began. I was gifted with The Joy of Cooking at my bridal shower and I sort of laughed because cooking wasn’t something I thought I would ever do.

After we had been married a couple of years, we re-enlisted in the Marine Corps to go to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Once we arrived we soon realized that going out for dinner several times a week wasn’t an option. There was one restaurant we could go to, Blue Caribe, but it was run by the Navy and the menu very much resembled the food we could get for free in the chow hall. The one difference is that it was brought to us by waiters as opposed to being collected on the tray as we passed through the line.

I learned how to cook.

Although the recipe has changed over time, I found the original recipe  in the Joy of Cooking and over the years, all of us has made the dough at one time or another. When the boys were in school and we were all busy, the first person home on Friday would be responsible for making the dough. This recipe is EASY and delicious and we are all pros at pizza dough making.

First you’ll want to combine the flour and the yeast in a mixing bowl.

Heat the water until it’s warm.

Add olive oil and mix into flour. Mix for 8 minutes or until dough is elastic.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl (I spray mine with olive oil spray!)

Let rise in a warm place until double. In Oklahoma in the summer time, this takes only about 20 minutes sitting on the patio!

You’ll want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees  when you start to put the pizza together. Prepare a pizza stone by pouring olive oil and spreading to cover.

Then dust the stone with cornmeal. You don’t want to miss this because it really adds to the flavor of the crust.

Press the dough onto the prepared stone.

Spread the dough with the tomato sauce.

Sprinkle with garlic salt and Italian seasoning.

Then sprinkle with shredded cheese. We like to use an Italian blend.

Add your toppings. We like Canadian bacon, green peppers and black olives.

Bake the pizza for around 25 minutes and enjoy!

PIZZA DOUGH

Two 12-inch crusts (or one fat one, our choice)

Combine in a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 package (2 1⁄4 teaspoons) active dry yeast

Heat:

1 1⁄3 cups warm (105° to 115°F) water – we do this in the microwave for 1 min 20 secs.

Add:

2 tablespoons olive oil

Knead for 8 minutes by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a bowl lightly coated with olive oil and turn it once to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and let rise in a warm place (75° to 85°F) until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 1 large pizza stone and dust with cornmeal (Do this! The cornmeal totally adds to the end result).

Press the dough onto the prepared pizza stone.

Prepare the desired toppings. We usually take an 8 oz can of tomato sauce and spread it on the dough. Sprinkle with garlic powder, oregano and basil, top with cheese and your choice of toppings. We love Canadian Bacon, green peppers and black olives. Mmmmm FABU!

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

Lauri Rottmayer is the author of the FABU Highway. When she’s not traveling the Highway, Lauri directs The Mrs. Oklahoma International Pageant, a competition for married Oklahoma women from ages 21-56.

You can visit Lauri’s websites at www.FABUHighway.com and www.TheMrsOklahomaPageant.com.

As a native New Yorker, I admit that I am a huge pizza snob! I have lived in many different cities, and have never seemed to find pizza that I have liked, except for New York Pizza. Well, my jet setters, that all changed this weekend. My brother-in-law, Pete, grew up in Connecticut and has always raved about how good the pizza is there. Being the snob that I am about pizza, I never really believed it, but was still intrigued to taste what he always talks about. Yesterday, Rich and I drove with his parents ... Read More »]]>

As a native New Yorker, I admit that I am a huge pizza snob! I have lived in many different cities, and have never seemed to find pizza that I have liked, except for New York Pizza. Well, my jet setters, that all changed this weekend. My brother-in-law, Pete, grew up in Connecticut and has always raved about how good the pizza is there. Being the snob that I am about pizza, I never really believed it, but was still intrigued to taste what he always talks about. Yesterday, Rich and I drove with his parents to New Haven, Connecticut to Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana and I was amazed!!!

Frank Pepe’s is located on Wooster Street, which is often called the “Little Italy” street of New Haven.

Along this street you can find quite a few Italian restaurants, Pizzerias, and Pastry Shops. I had done a lot of reading about Pepe’s before we went and learned that there is often a long line outside. We lucked out, and only waited about 15 minutes before we got seated.

Pepe’s has been around since 1925, and cooks the original Tomato Pie. This is a pizza that only comes with tomato sauce and grated Parmesan cheese on top…oh my gosh…it was one of the best pizzas I have ever tried!

Their dough is thin, crunchy, crusty, a little sweet and very light. Mozzarella cheese is even considered a topping at Pepe’s, so we ordered one Tomato Pie, one pie with half mozzarella and half pepperoni, one with sausage, peppers & onions…

And one of their White Clam Pies… I also had read a lot about this pie, and it was delicious. If you are a clam lover, this is for you! It’s loaded with big clams, which gives it a nice salty bite. Almost every pizza that we saw coming out of their oven was a White Clam Pie…this is what they are famous for besides the Tomato Pie! Slice, after slice, and none of us could stop eating! Pete, I have to give it to you, New Haven has awesome pizza! I can’t believe it, but I am a New York Pizza Snob No More!

Written By, Lori McNally, Chic Galleria Magazine