B00AFU6252 EBOK (40 page)
Authors: Jessica Alba
7
One or 2 hours before cooking, remove the dough from the fridge and punch it down, then “scale it out,” which means cutting and shaping it into round balls to make individual pizzas.
8
Place the balls gently in a big casserole dish or covered fiberglass pizza dough box and let the dough come to room temperature, then gently stretch and shape the balls into individual pies. Dust a pizza stone or an oiled baking sheet with cornmeal or flour to prevent the pies from sticking, then place the pies one at a time on the stone or sheet.
9
Cook plain pie dough for a minute to make it easier to handle, then add your toppings and bake about 15 minutes (less if pies are small), until the dough is golden and crispy and the cheese is melted.
A roasted bird-centric meal looks impressive, but it comes together quickly. You can work it around the kids’ bath time—get the chicken in the oven before you take them up, and it will be ready to come out by the time your first guests arrive. Rely on store-bought nuts, cheese, and olives for your apps—and ask friends to bring wine and dessert. Done!
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Materials
2 whole chickens (about 3 pounds each)
2 whole lemons
Seasonings of your choice: I like rosemary, garlic, olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper
For a spicy version, add a jalapeno to the lemon in the cavity, then rub ground pepper, paprika, salt, and lemon pepper on the outside.
How-To
1
Preheat the oven to 450°F and place two cast-iron skillets or a casserole dish inside the oven to heat.
2
Season the birds. I like to put one or two sliced lemons inside the cavities and really season the heck out of the outside: Combine 4 teaspoons chopped rosemary, 4 cloves minced garlic, 2 tablespoon olive oil. Spread the mixture over the surface of the chickens, then sprinkle them with sea salt and pepper.
3
When the oven and the skillets are hot, carefully place the chickens breast sides up. Roast for 45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 155°F in the thigh (you typically need about 15 minutes per pound). Remove from the oven and let rest about 15 minutes. Carve and serve.
SUPER SIDES
- Kale Salad:
Thinly slice 2 bunches kale, as well as some red cabbage, carrots and Swiss chard. Toss with ½ cup olive oil and juice from 4 lemons and let sit for 30 minutes to soften tough leaves. Sprinkle with ½ cup slivered blanched almonds, salt and pepper. - Zucchini Salad:
Ribbon 2 to 3 pounds zucchini with a vegetable peeler. Dress with 3 tablespoons olive oil and juice from 1 or 2 lemons, plus sea salt and pepper. Top with ½ cup shaved Parmesan and ½ cup toasted pine nuts.
My girls and I cannot get enough of homemade ice pops. They are a cinch to whip up, super delicious—and you get to skip the added sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and other crap that comes in most of the store-bought kinds. Plus you can even sneak in some veggies—kids will totally gobble up anything that looks like an icy sweet! Here’s how to make our favorites:
Makes 4 to 6 pops
Materials
Small paper cups or empty yogurt containers repurposed as ice-pop molds—or invest in reusable BPA-free molds from Tovolo (stars and rocket ship shapes!) or Kinderville
Ice-pop sticks (if you’re DIYing)
Flavor combos—see ingredient lists, right
How-To
For all of these combinations, place the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Puree to a smoothielike consistency, then pour into molds and freeze for 1 to 3 hours. When you are ready to serve the pops, you’ll find that the molds will slide off more easily if you run them under warm water for 30 seconds first. Enjoy!
STRAWBERRY LOVER’S ICE POPS
2 cups strawberries, stems removed
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
RED, WHITE & BLUE POPS
Organic plain or vanilla yogurt
1 cup strawberries
1 cup blueberries
Organic honey to taste
Tip: Puree each kind of berry separately, then swirl them into the yogurt or pour into the molds in red, white, and blue layers for a fun design.
GO GREEN ICE POPS
3 bananas
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup water, milk of your choice, or 100% natural pineapple juice (depending on the creaminess or sweetness desired)
O
NE WAY
I offset some of the higher-priced products in my bathroom cabinets is by figuring out which kinds of products I don’t have to buy—because I can make them myself right in my own kitchen. I grew up watching my grandmother and my mother do the same, so I wanted to share a few favorite recipes with you.
Coffee Scrub
Stir 1 tablespoon finely ground coffee into ½ cup full-fat Greek yogurt with a squirt of lemon juice if you have oily skin or a tablespoon of coconut oil for dry skin. Then apply to your skin using a gentle, circular motion. Let dry and wash off.
