Momma Mia!

Homemade marinara simmering on
the  stove for tonight's pizza.
After a rough week, this sauce
will be the perfect medicine.

Are there few things better than the smell of garlic, onions and peppers sauteing on the stove? 

It's one of the best smells in the world to me, and the house is getting all warm and cozy as I prepare sauce to top tonight's pizza. I'm thinking of starting pizza and movie night Fridays, with tonight being our inaugural night. Now, I know our movie nights will get more entertaining as the babies get older (lots of action flicks with explosions and fast cars!). Tonight, though, I imagine we'll watch the classic 101 Dalmations or a Barney movie. (Can you sense the excitement?)

But, I digress...

Pizza is just the perfect way to end this week. It's been quite a doozie. The babies aren't sleeping well, Mommy has bronchitis, my husband is overworked and our kitty has a kidney stone that's causing lots of problems (his surgery is Thursday).

Thursday's dinner: chicken
pot pie.

Pizza nights were always special treats when I was a kid, especially when it was homemade pizza courtesy of my mom's kitchen. And I know the kids love pizza. In fact, when my older daughter turned 3 last month, she wanted pizza, so I had her and her friends make their own little personal pizzas. They had a great time decorating, but I have to say, once they saw the cake on the counter, the whole notion of eating pizza was off the table, so to speak. 

I used my sick day yesterday (doctor's orders) to get ahead on some cooking (umm, not doctor's orders). I made chicken pot pie, a few dozen delectable oatmeal butterscotch cookies and a few batches of pizza dough and popped them in the freezer.

Oatmeal butterscotch
cookies

The hubby loved the pot pie, as did our 20 month old. I kept hearing, "More chicken, Mommy." But, I still can't figure out what will satisfy our 3 year old; although, I know she'll be enjoying some pizza tonight. (I just have to figure out what -- beyond pizza -- she will eat.)

We'll do our menu planning and shopping tomorrow (or early Sunday) and do what we can to get ahead for the week. I'm looking forward to my day off next Friday, where I'll be able to do a lot of prep for the week -- and maybe even get a few full frozen family dinners cooked, portioned and in the freezer.

Off to top the pizza and pop it in the oven. Yum!

***

Pie crust (makes a 2-crust pie)

12 ounce chilled butter
2.5 cups All purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
3-4 Tbsp ice water

In food processor, with the pastry blade, add flour and salt. Process until blended. Cut butter into 1 Tbsp pieces. Place butter in the food processor.  Take lid off food processor and sprinkle with 3 Tbsp water. Combine. If dough does not stick into pea-size pieces, add a  little more water with processor running.