FAM FAVORITE 1 HOUR PIZZA DOUGH

Pizza night just became a weekly staple on Fridays at our house PLUS a whole lot easier with this 1-hour pizza dough recipe. This recipe is a favorite in our house, duplicated in other houses and a WIN with my toddler, Atlas. It’s quick, simple, and fun to make together, too!

Ingredients:

• 3-⅓ cups bread flour or all-purpose flour (dipped and leveled)

• 1 packet instant (rapid-rise) dry yeast (2-½ teaspoons)

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

• 1-¼ cups warm water

• Extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Stir until everything is mixed together.

2. Add Water: Pour in the warm water and stir until a shaggy dough forms, with just a little bit of dry flour left at the bottom of the bowl.

3. Knead the Dough: Remove any rings from your fingers. Knead the dough in the bowl with both hands until no more dry flour remains and the dough comes together into a ball. This should only take a few minutes.

4. Let It Rise: Drizzle some olive oil inside a large bowl (or clean the one you used). Place the dough ball in the greased bowl, cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for at least 45 minutes to 2 hours.

5. Check the Dough: After 45 minutes, your dough should have grown by at least 50 percent and have little bubbles on the bottom. If you want a slightly airier dough, let it rise for another hour.

6. Divide and Rest: Dust a clean work surface with flour. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form each piece into a ball. Place the dough balls on the floured surface and cover with an inverted bowl or plastic wrap. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

7. Stretch/Roll the Dough: Take one dough ball and place it on a lightly floured surface. Flatten it a little with your hand or a rolling pin, then pick up the dough and gently stretch or roll it out until you have a 12-inch round. Repeat with the second dough ball.

8. Top and Bake: Top your stretched dough with your favorite toppings and bake according to your preferred pizza recipe. If you're only using one dough ball, you can freeze the second one or refrigerate it for up to 2 days.

My favorite way to cook is using my cast iron, On high heat brown one side of the crust. When a slight smoke rises from the pan, flip the dough. Quickly sauce + top and place in the oven on Broil. Watch it bubble and brown. Slice and Serve!

This 1-hour pizza dough is a game-changer for us. It's straightforward, quick, and yields a delicious crust that holds up to any toppings you throw on it. Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or just starting, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite, just like it has for Atlas and me. Happy pizza making!

XoXo

Britt

FEASTING, FOOTBALL & FIRSTS: OUR INAUGURAL THANKSGIVING HOSTING

Oh, the excitement of hosting our very first Thanksgiving bash. We welcomed friends and fam into our home filled with love and a touch of chaos. Grateful doesn't even begin to cover it. Thankful for the belly laughs, the warm embraces, and the simple joy of having everyone we love under one roof.

Cue the kitchen magic! Tried and tested, Sunny's Texas Two-Step Turkey Recipe became our kitchen sidekick, turning our humble turkey into the superstar of the feast. The air buzzed with the scent of success, and let me tell you, it was chef's kiss perfect! We made sure all the sides were covered: Sweet potato skewers, green bean casserole, mac and cheese, cranberry sauce, so much more but let’s not forget my signature cobbler!

Our table was a Pinterest-worthy dream- our long table became the epicenter of joy and laughter. Kiddos had a blast with activities galore. Plus, we took our living room to the patio with the three-game marathon on the screen for our football fanatics!

As we gathered round, it wasn't just about the grub; it was a about the memories. Celebrating in a place we once shared out vows, now passing gravy and coloring turkeys. Here's to many more more laughter-filled, food coma-inducing gatherings!

I also wanted to say thank you; if you are reading this you mean a lot to me. Finding Arizona Podcast has allowed me to share so much about our life + special memories, like this, with you. You are part of our family. Our doors are always open + mics are always on. Drop a message if you want an invite to Thanksgiving 2025!

XoXo

Britt

QUARANTINE COOK BOOK CLUB: HALF BAKED HARVEST

It wasn’t supposed to be like this; we aren’t supposed to still be locked up; but here we are. I remember our first cook book club where we got together IRL over an Aperol Spritz and carbs, but now our second book turned into our third. BUT, at least it is a fantastic one at that! Half Baked Harvest Cookbook by Tieghan Gerard has your new favorite recipe; I guarantee it. I’ll share a few we’ve been working on bellow.

Spinach & Artichoke Mac & Cheese Bake

Difficulty: Easy

Taste: Delicious

We made this for a family night (before the quarantine) and the in-laws. I loved that it was essentially one pot and we had all the ingredients. Sneaking in veggies maybe tricky for your picky eaters out there, but this was fool proof! I would also recommending adding chicken and or broccoli.

Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Difficulty: Medium

Taste: Game Changer

I am always testing out chocolate chip cookie recipes. It is not like there are bad ones, I am just in search for the best. Although this isn’t HOLY enough, its pretty darn close to heaven. Two words: Brown Butter. I just discovered it, but it is a simple act of almost heating your butter tp brown perfect before you use it in a recipe. This simple change amplifies the taste of the creamy sugar and egg combo that is not too sweet. Plus add a little fresh sea seal on top, yum! Mine didn’t look the same, but sure did taste good.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup & Seasoned Pretzels

Difficulty: Hard

Taste: Okay

I am a soup fanatic. I make my own copy cat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar soup. But after seeing Ms. Gerard has one in the book, I had to try. I prefer my soup a little more chunky vs pureed. Also it was missing that extra something. Even with the pretzels, which were delicious, just a lot of work for little flavor. I want to play around with the seasoned pretzel recipe a bit more, but still sticking with my soup.

Black Pepper Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Difficulty: Hard

Taste: Okay

I was most excited for this one andI think that is why. graded it so hard. I try all the time to find “healthy” “vegetarian” options for my favorite snacks. This one looked good on paper, but the execution was sub par. The spicy bread crumb mix did not stick to the cauliflower and ended up just falling off in the baking process. The cauliflower steamed in stead of roasted and sogged its way into the dip. The dip was great and inspired me to make various creations including a taziki that I hope to share on the blog one day. Overall, would not recommend or remake these.

Potato & Burrata Pizza

Difficulty: Easy

Taste: Perfecto

Pizza dough from scratch- don’t be afraid- it is made with beer! That is right a can of beer and a packet of yeast gets you the perfect pizza dough. We followed her recipe for the Potato & Burrata Pizza, minus the Burrata because where can you find it at a time like this? We also made out own sausage pizza with the remaining dough and it was delicious. We will be using this pizza dough recipe for future Make Your Own Pizza Night at home #PostCorona.

Gingered Thai Steak & Peppered Salad

Difficulty: Medium

Taste: Beefy

This dish was a perfect dinner steak. Hearty with the beef and balanced with the light greens and dressing. There is so much delicious spicy ginger flavor in this dish without even trying you feel like an iron chef. One thing you do have to love is rare steak. I had a harder time searing the meat because personally I like a medium to well done steak and there is no way you can do this (and it tastes good) with this meal. Overall wouldn’t make again, but would recommend.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondie Brownie Bars

Difficulty: Hard

Taste: Phenomenal

I have always wanted to make blondies! I was a bit surprised to find the recipe called for a box of brownie mix, but I went along with it. First, let me re-state baking is difficult.It is a science and you always have to account for other elements. Second, with that being said I think this is why I had some difficulty with this dish: Consistency. My batter wasn’t drizzling in the pan, my peanut butter after much attention didn’t melt and the pan size called for was not in my kitchen. But did they taste great? Yes. Would I make them again? Absolutely! Chocolate and peanut butter- you can’t go wrong.

As quarantine continues, and while we still have flour, we will be continues to cook up delicious treats and crafting our own. Let me know what you have been cooking up and if you have any recommendations for our next cookbook when we get out of this!

XoXo
Britt.

COOK BOOK CLUB

Cook Book Club meet up number one is in the books and I am here to dish up the deets behind it. You’ve have heard about book clubs, wine clubs, but how about a cook book club? How did the idea come about? How can you start your own? Let’s dig in!

The idea started from a conversation with Chelsea of Simple Jane. We both had been involved in book clubs before but this idea seemed intriguing. The premise is similar- one book per month, but this time instead of reading cover to cover you try out recipes that you may have never tested before, try a new method of cooking that will get you our of your comfort zone, or add spices to meals you never had in your pantry. After the month is over gather everyone and prepare potluck style from the book. It is that simple.

Our first book was: Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman. It was great pick to start because the recipes were crowd favorites and it features a variety of flavors. I opted to check out the book from the local library and save $30. I figured if I was obsessed with it by the EOM I would make the splurge. When I got home I immediately sticky noted recipes that stood out to me and found that I bookmarked mostly desserts.

We have a Facebook Group for the club where we can post photos and share stories throughout the month of dishes we tried and our thoughts on them. I made the Almost Angel Food Cake and it was so good! Honestly, that was it, I wish I would have made more, but the first time going about it I learned I didn’t have it with meal at the grocery store to shop and also didn’t consider what meals would be good for prepping lunches for the week. Needless to say, I knew it wasn’t one I was going to be purchasing.

The week of the Cook Book Club I panicked! What do I make? Some clubs suggest delegating dishes or sharing what your bringing, but we decided that just surprise us and see how it goes! Of course, I made the Chickpea Salad and so did someone else. But, what was great was trying and comparing not only the taste but how it was made. I loved the idea in the end of two of the same dishes.

Our dinner party featured mostly bites and salads and of course a delicious Aperol Spritz. The conversation was guided by the book, but the tangents allowed for a great night of getting to know some new, incredible women in the valley. We mixed together dips and salads and found that everything really completed each other perfectly. We even had left overs to take back to the husbands.

What’s in store for next month? We will be selecting our next book and trying out recipes until our scheduled meet up again, the first Thursday of the month. I will be trying out more recipes before hand and the night of I want to bring a main course that really highlights the table.

How can you start your own?

1. Find a group of friends who like food- be careful about any special diets because although cookbooks have variety you don’t want anyone to feel left out.

2. Pick a book and start digging into it. Encourage your family to get in the kitchen with you and try out a new skill.

3. Plan an evening you can get together and bring a dish to share. You can always delegate a desert or drink or main course person or just wing it because when there is food involved it is always a good time.

If you are local and interested in joining ours, shoot me a message and we would love to have you!

Cheers!

XoXo

Britt.

FINALLY! FOOD TASTING!

I recently rediscovered a show on TLC called “Four Weddings” where 4 brides attend each other’s weddings and rate the food, dress, and overall experience. Rewatching it really made me think about the food served at a wedding as a bigger deal than I was picturing. Surprising, I know coming from such a foodie! But after planning this for almost a year we just recently locked in the BEST menu you will ever taste at a wedding.

Our food style was easy to pick! We wanted pasta! We both love Italian food; spaghetti can be easy on the budget and everyone loves carbs! At first our catering suggestions were the basics and after tasting a few I was not impressed. The sauce was too watery, the prices were too outrageous for the product and the menu was not what we envisioned. After almost resorting to an Italian chain restaurant for catering, I asked my Maid of Honor for another duty, help me find a caterer! It took her 2 seconds to suggest a person. Chris is a family member of a close friend. (He is practically family because he has spent some time with us at OTL, lol.) He works in the valley alongside some award winning chefs at top restaurants. We have run into him at music festivals and he has suggested some amazing places to brunch. But when I reached out for catering suggestions from him, what I was not expecting was offering his own services.

We invited Chris over to talk details and run through the space with him. He has experience catering events himself, but this will be his first wedding. After discussing budget and menu we set up a tasting.

First:

Fregola Salad – Fresh Fregola pasta mixed with zucchini, tomatoes, basil, and roasted pine nuts topped with parm. My mouth is watering just talking about this dish again. From the warm pine nuts against the cold salad and the sweetness of the tomatoes contrasting the sharpness of the parmesan cheese- I could eat just this and be content.

Second:

Spaghetti and Pancetta Meatballs. Perfectly cooked al dente pasta with a fresh tomatoes sauce is the base, but what really makes this dish pop are the meatballs. Combo pork and beef the pancetta in the meatballs takes it to another level.

Third:

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Mushroom Butter Sauce and Fried Sage- Yes, fried sage! That touch was our favorite because it really does correlate with our theme. First the sweetness of the butternut squash hits your tastebuds and melted butter with fresh mushrooms is the meat of this dish, but wait- the crunch of the sage it a perfect touch. Oh my yum!

We decided on a buffet style dinner, no formal serving and seconds are encouraged! That is how our family does it so why would we change? We skipped the fine china and ordered plastic plates. Sorry not sorry for the tasteless touch but we want easy clean up, budget friendly and more importantly, no glass around the pool.

 This is the breakdown of the dinner provided by Chef Chris Andrade.

 Looking forward to the large charcuterie board, mustache pretzels and mezcal tastings!

Who’s excited?

XoXo Britt

NO MORE ALMONDS- YOU'RE NUTS

The test results for my food sensitivities test are in. What!? Food sensitivities!? Yes! I took an Everlywell at home test to be more aware of what I am feeding my body. As you can tell by my title, ALMONDS are at the top of the list! And it’s all I can think about eating. But, here are the #5W’s to share my journey from eating nuts to being a healthier nut.

This idea sparked a few years ago when I took an at home DNA test for my golden birthday. I was rehashed with a food test and didn’t bite. I saw a few people on the socials trying the sensitivities test and fascinated with their results. And, finally, over the last 3 years I have tried changing my habits and incorporating juice cleanses, but need the cold, hard facts to tell me what to do.

What is the difference between sensitivities and allergies? The Mayo Clinic best defines it:“Food allergies cause an immune system reaction, where food intolerance/sensitivities symptoms are often limited to digestive problems.” I realized that drinking an overload of kombucha did not produce any more benefits than just a delicious refreshing drink after a certain point. And after my initial I’m hungry and have a bad headache from the first day of juice cleanse feeling I felt great and wanted to carry on that.

I ordered my Everlywell test and it arrived in 3 days. The test kit had everything I needed. First, I created a profile online and registered my code. The registration allowed me to get text confirmations and immediate notifications when my results were ready. Then it was time to collect the sample. I had Jose prick my finger and pool just enough blood to fill three dots on the collection card. Lancets are provided and my brave, strong, future husband did all the work! A few bandaids later, I let the sample paper dry and properly enveloped it to drop off for mailing.

Everly Well’s testing labs are CLIA certified and the test results are independently validated by a doctor. My test results were ready in exactly 7 business days.

My food sensitivity results showed 1 food that was a high reactivity, 4 that were moderate reactivity, 16 that were mild reactivity, and 75 that were low reactivity. Low Reactivity are considered largely non-reactive, as this level of reactivity is considered normal, while High Reactivity (Class 3) foods are considered very reactive and guess what was there- ALMONDS! My favorite nut, my favorite candy bar, my favorite cookie….. now my new love will be Cashews.

Not surprising were my moderate reactivity foods: MILK- COWS, WHEAT, CHEESE- MOZZARELLA, CHEESE- COTTAGE. Well, surprising because I LOVE CHEESE, but not because we all should be more aware of the gluten and dairy we’re intaking. One of my intentions for June was to eat 1 raw meal per day and I have honored that by replacing a meal with a juice or a salad everyday since.

I’ll wrap up my results with my mild reactivity foods, the 16 are: GLUTEN, MALT, POTATO- WHITE, BARLEY, TURKEY, CORN, LETTUCE, CABBAGE, PINEAPPLE, LEMON. PEACH, SOLE. MUSHROOM. COCOA. CHICKEN. WATERMELON. My alcohol reactions now make sense as my body is not tolerating it any more, but if I have to suffer a tummy ache for cocoa, I just might. I can give up Vodka, but not Chocolate.

I will continue my bio hacking journey and taking any tips and tricks to avoid cheese. I will use this info to make healthier decisions for myself and encourage those I love to honor their health too. I loved my experience with Everlywell. They have easy-to-use tests that range from Food Sensitivity to Thyroid, and 30 others. Use my link and get 20% off your purchase!

XoXo

Britt

MAKING MEMORIES AT THE ARIZONA STATE FAIR

SInce 1946 the Arizona State Fair has been held annually, but 2018 was the first time Brose visited! We wanted to give you an insider’s guide to the Arizona State Fair and how to experience it the FInding Arizona Way.

Discalimer: this is not a visitor’s guide of where to park, how to purchase tickets, or what to pack. You can visit the State Fair Webiste for all that info.

It rained all day Friday so by the time we both got off work, the skies were clear and it was a perfect time to experience the Arizona State Fair. We decided to go in the evening to maximize on the sunset views and grab some delicious fair food. Just a few hours is all you need.

We had 3 things on the list and first up was the Ferris Wheel. Well technically its not a Ferris wheel because this architect created one of the largest moveable sky viewers in history. The La Grande Wheel XL is fully enclosed but tested all my fears of heights. In between a mild panic attack we were able to catch some great views. Boy did we get high up there.

Next on the list was fair food! At the beginning of summer we visited the San Diego County Fair (see post) and ate all kinds of fried foods. This Arizona fair we wanted to savor and share a few flavors. We grubbed on philly cheese steaks with strawberry lemonade and shared a warm cinnamon roll dripping in cream cheese frosting as a dessert.

Last on the list of fair adventures is entertainment. We will start from least interesting to most. This year the fair was showcasing velvet paintings featuring famous historical figures like John Mccain and Elvis Presley, But more than half of the collection were various clowns. Very strange.

Next entertainment was a Bee Gees Cover band called The Bee Gees Gold. Their music was spot on to the original sound and had us laughing and grooving over dinner.

The most interesting form of entertainment was called The Turkey Stampede. Again, we are used to obscure fair attractions being fans of the Swift Swine Pig Races, but this was something unlike we have ever seen before. A remote controlled candy apple red truck filled with turkey feed in the bed raced around a track while 5 turkeys chased it for food and ultimately deciding a winner for the crowd. No animals were harmed in the making of this event. You have to see it to believe it! Honestly!

We were the oldest kids on the carousel and the youngest in the art in crafts tent, but we definitely made the fair the experience we wanted. This is something the Arizona State Fair has really captured: no matter what your age or your interest the fair has something for you.

Let me know if you have had a chance to visit the Arizona State Fair and also what your favorite attraction is! Thanks for joining us on another journey.

XoXo Britt