Foodie Friday: Upside Down Pizza

Here is another recipe that I discovered through Pinterest. (I love that site!) The original recipe is called Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza Pot Pie, but I like the name Upside Down Pizza better. I have decided that we will have some form of pizza one night a week at our house and this delicious recipe was last week's pizza.

Upside Down Pizza
Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 pkg. yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp.)
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour (you can use all-purpose, but bread flour makes a fluffier crust)

For the filling:

• 1 lb. Italian sausage
• Pepperoni, sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
• 2-3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 jar pizza sauce

For top of crust:

• 2 Tbs. melted butter
• dried oregano and basil

Directions:

Make the dough first.  Dissolve the yeast in the water.  Mix in the other ingredients until they are well blended.  I use a stand mixer with a dough hook, but you can also do this by hand.  Let the dough rest while you cook the sausage.

Brown the sausage with the onion and garlic.  Drain and rinse under hot water to remove the extra fat.

Heavily grease a 9×13 casserole dish.  Layer the mozzarella and then the sausage over the top.  Pour the sauce over the sausage, using a spoon the spread it out.

On a floured surface, roll out the pizza dough with a rolling pin.  It should be about the shape and size of the casserole dish.  Carefully lift the dough and place it on the casserole dish.  Trim any dough that is hanging over the sides.  Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with oregano and basil, if desired.  Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes.

You can flip the pieces upside down for serving. The cheese ends up on top. 

The Other Shoe

I really debated about whether or not to publish this post. Not because I am embarrassed or want to hide it, but more because of how personal this issue is. I use this blog to write about my day to day life, but I don't share many of my opinions and feelings on it. That is just the way I have gone about things. However, I don't want my experience to be for nothing. If one person reads this and understands just a little bit more about postpartum issues, then I have succeeded. It is not something to be ashamed or embarrassed about. Rather it is something that we should feel free to openly discuss and support each other through.

About a month after I had Peachy I started to realize that I just wasn't feeling myself. I was still super emotional. There were times when I would wake up in the middle of the night with my heart pounding unable to sleep. I would feel extremely anxious throughout the day for no apparent reason. At first I chalked it up to normal postpartum feelings. But soon I realized I might be experiencing something more. I talked to a doctor about it and started taking antidepressants and slowly started to feel more like myself.

I was waiting to experience the same thing after Cream was born. I reached the one month mark and still felt good. Sure I still had my moments, but what new mom  doesn't. Friends would ask how I was feeling and I told them that I was feeling good, but waiting for the other shoe to drop. Waiting to see if I would have postpartum issues again or if I would make it through this time.

Unfortunately I began to experience postpartum anxiety again around 5 weeks postpartum. Thankfully I could recognize it this time and talk to my doctor about it at my 6 week check up. He put me back on my medication. It has been two weeks now and I am starting to feel the medication at work. I no longer wake in the middle of the night with an overwhelming feeling. I can have more patience as I deal with Peachy in all her two year old glory. I am starting to feel a bit more like myself.

I know that it is different for every mom out there. For some having a child brings about feelings of complete happiness and fulfillment. For others there is more of a learning curve. And for some of us it just doesn't sort itself out. I consider myself to have a pretty mild case. Some are not as fortunate as I am and end up being hospitalized in order to sort everything out. A low dose of antidepressants is all that I need to control the hormones that are going wonky in my body. Others need to try different forms and dosages of medications until they find the right combination.

And medication isn't the only answer. I have been pouring myself into God's Word. Leaning on the support of friends and family. And talking about what I am feeling. Mr. Cherry is a rock as usual and has been a shoulder to cry on and an understanding ear to listen. And just because I am now on medication I am not automatically the mother I would like to be. There are still times of anxiety. There are still times I am not patient with my girls. There always will be. But to be able to feel a little more like myself and struggle a little less is a victory to me.

Preschool

Peachy on her first day of "preschool"

After retiring my teacher hat in order to stay home when Peachy was born, I have decided to put it back on for a very limited amount of time. This year I am running a once a week preschool out of the house for some of my friends. The kiddos head over on Thursday morning. One mom stays as my helper and we work on movement, singing, and letters. We have had two sessions so far. It is very casual, but also fun.

Cream's Baptism Affirmation

Peachy enjoying some time with her cousin E.

In our family, we have decided to baptize our children in the hospital. We do this to avoid putting baptisms off while waiting for a convenient time for extended family to be available to come to the actual baptism in church.

Cream being cuddle by her aunt J.

We then acknowledge our child's baptism during a church service in an affirmation of baptism. We did the same for Peachy when she was born. (Funnily enough, that post about Peachy's affirmation is the post that gets the most spam comments in my inbox. Must be the combination of words.)

It was a nice enough weekend we could enjoy some time on the deck.

Several weekends ago the members of our families who could make it joined us for a quick weekend celebration of Cream becoming a child of God. It was wonderful to have house full of visiting family.

Grandpa with Miss Cream

And of course to introduce many of them to our newest daughter. Unfortunately Peachy was battling quite the cold at the time.

Cream with one of her great grandmas

She had a rough night of it before affirmation, but made it through the service with some extra cuddles.

Cream with her sponsors and aunties

Grandmas, grandpas, and great grandma with Cream

The best we could do for a family picture

Candy Corn Shirt

After seeing this shirt on Pinterest I was inspired to make some of my own candy corn shirts. Instead of using felt, I used cotton fabric and Heat and Bond Lite. I found an image of candy corn using Google and traced each piece onto the Heat and Bond and then ironed them onto the correct color of fabric. After cutting them out, I ironed them onto the shirt and stitched around each piece. I was going to add the googly eyes, but decided I liked it without. A simple and fun Halloween shirt!

I am linking to these wonderful parties this week.
Today's Creative Blog