Cheap-o Night: Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce with Penne and Tomato Basil Bread

Chris loves this bread but I have only made it once for him. The time we had it before we loved it so much we vowed to not make it again, it is that good. We kept nibbling on it all night. As a surprise and because we happen to have the ingredients on hand I made it again. I did not have dried onion flakes so I made mine with onion powder, and I used fresh basil as I did not have dried on hand. To make vegan, use powdered soy milk or go with 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp warm soy milk (leave out the water if you go with this option). I used a whole package of yeast in this recipe and hand kneaded it. That means I let it rise the first time 1 1/2 hours and 1-1 1/2 hours once it is in the bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees F until loaf is golden and sounds hollowed when tapped.

 

I think that I have mentioned this recipe for Tomato Basil Pizza Sauce and I liked it so much I decided to make it again for pasta. I used 16 ounces of tomato sauce instead of the diced tomatoes, also I added oregano and sugar to my recipe. I doubled the recipe to use later in the week for more pasta and pizza ;)

 

Totally cheap and homemade, with fresh ingredients....Italian Night. From scratch and you probably have all of these ingredients laying around your home and it doesn't taste "cheap". Enjoy!

Gorgonzola, Mushroom and Carmelized Onion Pizza

I based the pizza sauce off of this recipe being that I had no canned tomatoes, I used some tomato sauce (16 ounces) instead and I threw in maybe a teaspoon of sugar and about 1/2 tsp. dried oregano.

I used my regular pizza dough that I always use when making a pizza

3 cups all purpose white flour OR 1 cup whole wheat flour and 2 cups AP white flour
1 Pkg. yeast either fast rise or regular
1 cup warm water (110 degrees or warm to touch)
1 tbsp. applesauce OR 1 tbsp. olive oil (I always use the oil, it works just as well with the applesauce though)
1 tsp. sugar OR 1 tbsp. corn syrup OR 1 tbsp. golden syrup
1 tsp. salt

Place water, salt, sweetener of choice and yeast in large bowl. It will proof in about 5 minutes.
Add oil.
Add 2 cups flour and mix.
Add the rest of the flour, mix and turn onto floured board, adding additional flour if necessary.
Knead 5-10 minutes.
Cover with bowl, let rise at least 30 minutes to one hour or until doubled in bulk. It will hold an indention of your thumb if doubled in bulk.
Punch dough down, and roll out in oiled pizza pan.
Cover for about 30 minutes with clean tea towel or you can skip this step however the crust will be very thin.

Cut up 2 medium onions into very thin slices. Saute in a pot over medium heat about 15-20 minutes in about 2 tbsp. oil until fragrant and slightly brown. Set aside.

Place tomato sauce (however much you like) on rolled out pizza that has risen covered, for 30 minutes. Top with 1 pkg. (or 2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese (I used 2%), your caramelized onions, about 1/4-1/3 cup Gorgonzola cheese, and maybe 4 ounces sliced mushrooms. Bake at 425 degrees F for about 10-15 minutes until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly and bottom crust is golden brown. Enjoy. I think this is the best pizza I have ever had.

Pre-baked Pizza

 Baked Pizza, if you can wait 5-10 minutes it will cut better.