so, here is what's going on in a nutshell. california is burning. after watching the hurricanes tear through the south and eastern part of the us, i couldn't help but wonder if we had some crazy weather of our own headed our way. well, it is here.

i have been glued to the tv, studying the evacuations and constantly communicating with my mom who is right on the border of the evacuation zones of the second canyon fire. my grandmother who lives in anaheim hills has already evacuated. it's the closest a fire has been to my childhood home since i was in the second grade. i am on edge, and i know i'm not alone.

when things started getting crazy, i rang my mom to ask what she was doing. her answer? cleaning the pool. why? because she can't just sit and do nothing! her words, not mine. 

well, the apple must not fall from the tree.because i also can't just sit still. i have already gone through drawers and folded laundry. on to baking. the only bright light of the day is this delicious plum crumble. if you need a healthy distraction, something to do with idle hands or just a delicious dessert, this crumble has you covered.

plum + pistachio crumble
serves: 5-6
prep time: 10 minutes
active time: 5 minutes
bake time: 45 minutes
total time: 1 hour
ingredients: 4 plums, thinly sliced (about 3 cups). .25 cup white sugar. 1 tbs corn starch. 1 tsp orange zest. .25 tsp vanilla extract. 5 tbs butter, melted. .5 cup rolled oats. .5 cup all purpose flour. .25 packed cup of brown sugar. .25 cup crushed pistachios. .5 tsp cinnamon. .25 tsp nutmeg. .25 tsp kosher salt. medium sized baking dish. optional whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 

start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees f. in a large bowl, combine the plums, white sugar, corn starch, zest and vanilla extract. stir well to combine. 

pour the plum mixture into your baking dish. 

in a second bowl, combine all but the melted butter and mix well. 

drizzle in your butter and mix until the mixture is moist and crumbly. 

pour the topping over the fruit. spread the topping out evenly. 

i saved a couple plum slices to decorate but it is not required. 

bake for 45 minutes until the fruit starts to bubble and the topping is golden brown. 

allow to cool slightly and serve warm. 

xo, a

plum + pistachio crumble serves: 5-6 prep time: 10 minutes
active time: 5 minutes
bake time: 45 minutes
total time: 1 hour
ingredients: 4 plums, thinly sliced (about 3 cups). .25 cup white sugar. 1 tbs corn starch. 1 tsp orange zest. .25 tsp vanilla extract. 5 tbs butter, melted. .5 cup rolled oats. .5 cup all purpose flour. .25 packed cup of brown sugar. .25 cup crushed pistachios. .5 tsp cinnamon. .25 tsp nutmeg. .25 tsp kosher salt. medium sized baking dish. optional whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
tart by preheating your oven to 350 degrees f. in a large bowl, combine the plums, white sugar, corn starch, zest and vanilla extract. stir well to combine. pour the plum mixture into your baking dish. in a second bowl, combine all but the melted butter and mix well. drizzle in your butter and mix until the mixture is moist and crumbly. pour the topping over the fruit. spread the topping out evenly. i saved a couple plum slices to decorate but it is not required. bake for 45 minutes until the fruit starts to bubble and the topping is golden brown. allow to cool slightly and serve warm. 

this weekend, wes and i are catering for a small back yard wedding. and the very clever hostess of the party selected a menu of mostly pizzas. in the past, i've always used a dough purchased at the local italian specialty store. but it has always been my experience that things made fresh and with excited, passionate hands, make the best tasting foods. so i decided it was time to take the dough into my own hands and develop my own recipe and technique. 

homemade pizza dough is surprisingly easy to make. it requires few ingredients and little effort. the one main ingredient you need to make it right? time. 

don't try to rush your dough. make it the night before. giving your yeast time to activate and make your dough rise is not enough. it needs time for the starches to transform to delicious sugars that will give your crust extra doses of flavor. sure, you cane make the dough a few ours a head if you are in a pinch, but for full results, be patient! 

homemade pizza dough
serves: 4 small pizza crusts (each pizza serves 2 people)
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 30 minutes
inactive time: 12 hours
total time: 12 hours 35 minutes
ingredients: 4.5 cups bread flour + a bit extra for dusting the surface and rolling pins. 1.5 cups warm water (about 105-110 degrees f). 4 tbs olive oil, divided. 2.25 tsp dry active yeast. 2 tsp salt. 1 tsp sugar. stand mixer with dough hook attachment. large bowl. plastic wrap. rolling pin. 

start by combining 3.75 cups of flour, the yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. turn your mixer on slow to gently combine the ingredients. 

with the mixer on, pour in the warm water and let it mix to combine. 

as it is mixing, pour in 2 tbs of your olive oil. 

when all of your liquid is combined, and the dough is starting to become more of a wet mixture, turn the speed on your mixer up to medium. mix your dough until it starts to form a rough, but still sticky ball. here is where you will need to use your judgement. many factors like the temperature and humidity in the air can effect how wet or dry your dough is. if it seems too sticky and unworkable, add a bit more flour to the dough, 1 tbs at a time until right. if it seems really dry and not sticky at all, add in some warm water 1 tbs at a time. getting your dough together should take about 4-6 minutes in the mixer. while your dough is mixing, use 1 tbs of olive oil to lightly oil the inside of your bowl. 

on a clean and dry work surface, sprinkle half of the remaining flour. turn the sticky dough out onto the surface and light work it till it starts to come together in a ball. by the time you are done with it, it should not be be sticky, but should not be covered in flour and difficult to work. 

when your dough is in a ball, place it in your bowl and cover with plastic wrap. place the dough in a warm, dry spot and allow it to rise for 12 hours.

when the dough has risen, sprinkle a dry, clean work surface with the remaining flour. turn out your dough onto the surface. cut the dough into equal quarters and work each into its own dough ball. now you have a choice. you can use the dough right away or you can store balls of dough individually in an airtight container lightly brushed with oil for up to 5 days. 

to use your dough, start by preheating your oven to 450-500 degrees f. whatever you are baking your pizza on, put it in the oven while it preheats. gently flatten out your ball of dough onto a lightly floured surface. lightly dust your rolling pin with flour and roll the dough until your dough is about an eighth of an inch thick. add any desired toppings and brush the crust with the remaining 1 tbs of olive oil. use a pizza peel or large, lightly floured spatula to move the pizza to its hot baking vehicle. bake the pizza for 7-10 minutes, till the crust is golden brown and the pizza is crispy. allow the pizza to cool till the cheese has stopped bubbling and has solidified a bit. slice and serve.

xo, a

homemade pizza dough
serves: 4 small pizza crusts (each pizza serves 2 people)
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 30 minutes
inactive time: 12 hours
total time: 12 hours 35 minutes
ingredients: 4.5 cups bread flour + a bit extra for dusting the surface and rolling pins. 1.5 cups warm water (about 105-110 degrees f). 4 tbs olive oil, divided. 2.25 tsp dry active yeast. 2 tsp salt. 1 tsp sugar. stand mixer with dough hook attachment. large bowl. plastic wrap. rolling pin. start by combining 3.75 cups of flour, the yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. turn your mixer on slow to gently combine the ingredients. with the mixer on, pour in the warm water and let it mix to combine. as it is mixing, pour in 2 tbs of your olive oil. when all of your liquid is combined, and the dough is starting to become more of a wet mixture, turn the speed on your mixer up to medium. mix your dough until it starts to form a rough, but still sticky ball. here is where you will need to use your judgement. many factors like the temperature and humidity in the air can effect how wet or dry your dough is. if it seems too sticky and unworkable, add a bit more flour to the dough, 1 tbs at a time until right. if it seems really dry and not sticky at all, add in some warm water 1 tbs at a time. getting your dough together should take about 4-6 minutes in the mixer. while your dough is mixing, use 1 tbs of olive oil to lightly oil the inside of your bowl. on a clean and dry work surface, sprinkle half of the remaining flour. turn the sticky dough out onto the surface and light work it till it starts to come together in a ball. by the time you are done with it, it should not be be sticky, but should not be covered in flour and difficult to work. when your dough is in a ball, place it in your bowl and cover with plastic wrap. place the dough in a warm, dry spot and allow it to rise for 12 hours. when the dough has risen, sprinkle a dry, clean work surface with the remaining flour. turn out your dough onto the surface. cut the dough into equal quarters and work each into its own dough ball. now you have a choice. you can use the dough right away or you can store balls of dough individually in an airtight container lightly brushed with oil for up to 5 days. to use your dough, start by preheating your oven to 450-500 degrees f. whatever you are baking your pizza on, put it in the oven while it preheats. gently flatten out your ball of dough onto a lightly floured surface. lightly dust your rolling pin with flour and roll the dough until your dough is about an eighth of an inch thick. add any desired toppings and brush the crust with the remaining 1 tbs of olive oil. use a pizza peel or large, lightly floured spatula to move the pizza to its hot baking vehicle. bake the pizza for 7-10 minutes, till the crust is golden brown and the pizza is crispy. allow the pizza to cool till the cheese has stopped bubbling and has solidified a bit. slice and serve.