So, how was your day?

I had to drive 3 hours to Albany to pick my daughter up from her train from Rochester, NY.

Then drive the 3 hours back home.

But, you know what?

I PICKED UP MY DAUGHTER!

My eldest and only girl being away at college has been truly difficult for me. I am beyond excited by the thought of the next few weeks with her home.

Just have to figure out if we can get her back to school in January with a little less driving on my part. :)

On to the food.

What sets this deep dish pizza apart from others is the delicious dough scented with Italian seasonings. That stellar crust gets packed with sausage, cheese, veggies and pepperoni (I used bacon–yum). Be sure to drain the sausage and tomatoes well so that the pizza bottom does not get soggy while baking.

Deep-Dish Sausage Pizza

Ingredients:

Herbed Pizza Dough (recipe follows)
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano, basil and marjoram (I used 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound bulk pork sausage, cooked and well drained
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, well drained
2 ounces sliced pepperoni

Directions:

1. Punch risen dough down and roll out into a 15-inch circle. Transfer to a well-greased 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet or round baking pan, letting dough drape over edges. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella.

2. In a skillet, sauté the green pepper, onion and seasonings in oil until tender.

3. Layer half of the vegetable mixture over crust. Layer with half of the Parmesan, cooked sausage and tomatoes. Sprinkle with 2 cups mozzarella. Repeat layers. Fold crust over to form an edge.

4. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.

5. Sprinkle pizza with pepperoni and remaining mozzarella.

6. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until crust is browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8

Herbed Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water (110°F)
1-3/4 to 2 cups flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon each dried oregano, basil and marjoram (I used 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion salt

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.

2. Add 1 cup flour, oil and seasonings; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. (I did this with a stand mixer using the dough hook.)

4. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to grease top.

5. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Recipes from Taste of Home Magazine

I knew I had to hear ‘The Centre Of Me’ just from the band’s description of the song.

“It’s about control.
A possessive relationship.
Two actors a) possessor; b) the possessed (controlled partner).
One person yielding control over the other long after the relationship has ended.
An addiction, that eventually paralyses both actors.
The result, an inability to truly love another.”

Wow.

Set to a dance beat with a catchy hook, you’d have a hard time believing how dark the tune is. Love it.

Check out Dublin-based Ivy Nations on Facebook. You can buy their music here.

Cheers!