Just call me Nigella!

Hello! I love being at home all day sometimes. I am a total home girl no matter hard I try not to be. Friends tell me about all the things they like doing away from home like holidays, walking, days out, shopping etc. etc. and whilst I understand why they like to do those things, I can't help but admit that there is no place I would rather be than home, especially in the winter. To me it makes perfect sense. It contains the people I love most in the world, it is the environment I feel completely safe in, and that I created (hmmm...creating maybe!), and I get to spend hours doing all the things I love. Summed up...it's where I am happiest. I think I am very similar to my Grandmother in this sense. People did accuse her of being agoraphobic, I don't believe she was at all - I think that she was very like me (or me very like her I guess), I think she just loved her home, and being in it.

So today, the furthest I went was the local Morrisons for cooking supplies (a 2 minute drive). I decided that, as the weather was rubbish, that I would stay at home and take on a bit of cooking challenge. I have to face cooking things that kind of scare me...it is the whole point of me doing this recipe challenge thing really. Forcing myself to cook those things that I previously ignored the recipes for on the basis that 'it just never goes right'. 

One of the problems I face with this project is 3, well 2 mainly, offspring that don't like eating 'weird food'. 'Weird food' to them is anything with vegetables they don't eat on a regular basis, anything with lentils and pulses etc, and anything else they decide isn't 'normal'. Don't even mention Polenta or Tofu...its just not worth the battle! So I guess announcing that I was planning on cooking everything in a vegetarian cookery book, that is packed with 'Weird food' wasn't their favourite moment. Determined to prove them wrong, I trawled through the book this morning looking for something that I knew they would like. Remembering that it was Friday (anyone else having problems keeping up with days of the week lately??) I realised that traditionally, at Vivod, this was 'Pizza day' (aka...I have been working all week and really can't be bothered with any food that requires either time or effort). 

Well that was simple then...Pizza it was....GULP! I have tried making various breads and rolls etc in the past...'it just never goes right'. I realised I would have to get over this issue with Yeast and Dough pretty quickly considering this book contains a whole section on the damn stuff! So off to Morrisons I went.

It was midday when I returned so I decided that before attempting anything more complicated, that I would make myself some lunch. Baked eggs with mozzarella and fresh tomatoes! It looks and sounds delicious, and I love eggs. Half and hour later I took this out of the oven, and it was nothing less than DIVINE!

I am considering making them again tomorrow. 2 of the nest even looked mildly intrigued too so they may be persuaded to try them too. :-)

Following this it was time to face Dough making. I admit now, that whilst I was a little dubious at first, it was actually ok!  Before long I had produced 2 of these (Basic pizza base)...

These were then baked and turned into these...

Later toppings were added, one vegetarian (Cheese and tomato pizza) and one non vegetarian to keep the nest happy and on side...

And then baked...

I think I could of left them in for a few minutes longer but on the whole I would give them an 8 out 10 - not bad for my first ever totally home made pizzas!

I did even make the topping (Classic tomato pizza topping)...

So that's four recipes in one day! - The project page has been updated. Vivod & Sarah Brown Project.

The finished result was delicious and did receive full nest approval. Long may it continue.