Let's try baking pizza's

I've never baked or cooked with Kiki, but it seemed like a good idea to try.
Again, my OCD was making me grimace at the thought of the mess, but I did the black bags taped to the table thing, works so well. 

I decided to make pizza's for our lunch, but didn't have any yeast, so looked online for a yeast free recipe and found one at allrecipes.co.uk.

Ingredients 

Serves: 4 

• 225g self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 60g butter
• 150ml milk
• pizza toppings of your choice 

Method

Prep:10min  ›  Cook:20min  ›  Ready in:30min 

1. Preheat the oven to 190 C / Gas 5.
2. Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour the milk into the bowl and mix to a soft dough.
3. Knead the dough and roll out into a large circle about 1cm thick. Place on oiled/buttered baking tray.
4. Add whatever toppings you like.
5. Bake the pizza in the preheated oven until the crust is golden, about 20 minutes.

Tip

You can bake the dough in the oven for 2 minutes before adding the toppings and cooking it. This results in a softer more 'pan' type dough compared to thin and crispy.

Toppings

• Cheese - As Kiki is a bit picky about cheese, I pulled some cheese strings apart, that's a tedious job, in future I'd grate some mild cheddar or buy spaghetti cheese strings.
• Sliced hot dogs
• Sliced ham
• Sliced cherry tomatoes
• Red onions
• Tomato Puree

Kiki didn't quite understand the concept of tomato puree, much more fun to squeeze and eat, so I spread a thin layer on the dough, but she enjoyed scraping it off, so gave up!

I put the toppings in separate tubs and we got to work.

 The end result

Family Portrait

We got a deal for a photo shoot back in December 2013, and to be honest, I struggled to find the one print I wanted for free, well included in the price. I just didn't like the pictures at all, too staged, cliché, not relaxed enough, all looking away, etc.

I was reluctant to book another, but I wanted a decent picture of me, Daddy, and Kiki. A deal came up for the Model Experience, so I did what most people do these days and Googled them. I found their website engaging and reviews were favourable. I bit the bullet and booked. 

Then I forgot to check the expiry date of the deal, I'm usually really good at reading T&C's too.

I received an 'about to expire' email from the deal company, panicked, and tried to book. In between Daddy working shifts and our impending holiday, we were pushing it to get booked in, but the staff were great and booked our appointment. 

However, a few days before they rang to ask if we could change it as they had some modelling work come in; obviously this is their bread and butter and definitely pays more than I could, so I was happy to rearrange, after they had been kind enough to help me.

Then the night before our second appointment, the photographer texts me a long message apologising profusely, but he's ill and had been putting off calling, hoping he'd be up to it, but he knew he had no chance now. By now it's too late before our holiday, we agree to book in when we get back.

Third time lucky? We booked the third appointment and got to studio, unfortunately they were having a problem with the electrics, but electrician was on site, and they supplied us with coffee whilst we waited. Eventually, all up and running again, and lots of apologises from the team, we went into the studio room. 

Kiki was getting tired and cranky, seriously not up to being photographed. Our photographer waited whilst we cajoled, bribed, and pleaded with her. The photographer constantly suggesting things to work around Kiki and what she was doing. I was getting stressed as I was thinking these photographs are going to be crap!

But you know what, I struggled to get the photo shoot down to 11 pictures! I love them, they capture 'us', the pouty child, me and daddy laughing as she runs away...

 

  I love these two, especially the right one, she looks so cheeky!

If you would like to book a photographer in Leeds for parties, family shoots, modelling, etc. I can't recommend The Model Experience enough. I am so pleased with our photo's and will be using them again. Check our their website for all their services.

The Model Experience
The Model Experience on Twitter
The Model Experience on Facebook
The Model Experience on YouTube

 

Silent Sunday