My favorite Pizza Dough recipe!

     I apologize for such a long time since I posted a Blog! Today's post is special, it's one of my favorite recipes. For my favorite pizza dough! That's right pizza dough! I worked part-time at a pizza shop many, many years ago and became really good at making pizzas! I told my friend Laura I had the recipe and would share it with her! That was super Bowl Sunday! But at long last here it is!


4 1/2 cups          unbleached flour (preferable chilled0
2 tsp                   salt (maybe a little less)
1 tsp                   instant yeast
1/4 cup               olive oil
1 3/4 cups           cold water (really cold, like ice water)

     Stir the flour,salt, and yeast together in a bowl or mixer. If you have a dough hook, use that. Mix in the oil and cold water. Do this for 5 minutes or so. Switch directions a couple times to mix things up evenly. If the dough is sticking to the sides sprinkle in a bit of flour. If the dough doesn't stick to the bottom of the bowl and a bit (tsp) of cold water. (those last notes were for using a dough hook in a mixer). Mix should be cold still.The dough should be soft but not sticky.

      Put flour on the counter and your hands. Then put the dough on the counter. Cut the dough into 4 or 6 pieces and roll into balls. Put the balls on a cookie sheet that has been misted with spray oil and cover with plastic wrap. (make sure to put spray oil on the plastic wrap or it will be a pain to get off!) Put in the fridge and let it rest overnight.

     About 2 hours before you make your pizza, pull the dough out of the fridge and let it stand at room temperature. Then with a flour covered counter, stretch the dough out to the shape of a pizza! Small stretches as you turn the dough is the best method  I have found. If you cut out dough into 6 pieces then the pie should be about 12 inches in diameter.

     I use a pizza stone. I put the oven as hot as I can get it, about 500. I start the oven, with the stone in it, about an hour before I put in the first pizza. Corn meal on the stone keeps the pizza from sticking. Once the pizza is in, close the door and wait 2-3 minutes, then check it. You may have turn turn the pizza 180 degrees to bake evenly. After about 8-10 minutes the pizza should be finished. Lift the crust with a spatula to check the bottom for crispness. If the crust is crisp and the cheese is brown it's done! If the bottom gets crispy before the cheese and toppings are browned then the stone needs to go on a higher rack. If the cheese and toppings are browned before the crust is crispy then it needs to go down a rack. WARNING! The rack is hot! If you have to move it, PLEASE BE CAREFUL!

     I hope you like the dough! The olive oil makes it so soft and tasty! Some people use vegetable oil but I recommend the olive oil. For the best results. Any questions just post them here in the comments and I will respond as quick as I can!

     Thanks,
      Steven

P.S. The directions are the best I can remember. The measurements are right though, (I wrote them down) I have a quick sauce recipe too. It's a real good one that you don't have to cook ahead of time! Let me know if you need it.

Exercise!

Welcome everyone!
       Well as I promised, I'm am now going to tell you about my exercise routine.It's easy and you can do it until you're 100, or more! I'm not even joking!
       Not everyone knows this but I am a yoga instructor. I have been doing yoga for 10 years now. I bet you are thinking "Steve, why did you start doing yoga?". Well it's simple really. An ex of mine and I broke up our relationship and she took everything, basically. I had a TV, a VCR (remember those), a futon, and a dining room table. After a few nights of sleeping on the futon I could barely move! BTW "futon" is Japanese for "unwelcome houseguest", or so I have been told. Back to what I was saying, my back hurt! As I was digging through stacks of VHS tapes on the floor trying to find something to watch, I found a tape called "Back Care Yoga". It was 2 AM and I thought to myself, "I'm just going to see what this is all about". So I watched it, didn't look to hard, nobody is going to see me doing it, I gave it a try. It was really basic and actually it was easy! After that I went to bed on my worn out futon. I slept better than I had in years! So I did the tape every single day!
       After a couple weeks the tape was boring so I went and looked for more tapes and did them. Then I bought books about yoga. Then I started going to yoga seminars and taking classes! I practiced everyday for about 2 hours! I got really good at it! At last I was offered the opportunity to get certified to teach a yoga class! I am now certified to teach 3 types of yoga! Hatha, Astanga, and my personal favorite Power Vinyasa. I taught the Astanga yoga to fill in for a studio owner who was going on maternity leave. Once she came back, I started my own class on Saturdays.
       I haven't taught a weekly class in just over  year. Over this last year I have honestly not been practicing like I should be. I am getting back to it now though. My body has been stiff and sore lately and I haven't had the energy I used to have, when I was practicing regularly. It takes a commitment of time and as much effort as you can muster but the payout is unbelievable! If you want to stay limber or get more limber you can practice once a week. That is a good lace to start. If you want to really get your body going then practice 3 times a week. To really change your life around, do it everyday!
       You can do it like I did with tapes and books. A class is nice because an instructor can point out the things you are doing good and give tips to improve the areas you need help in. For the most part, instructors are a caring group of people! You may have a teacher that you don't care for or be trying a style you are not fond of doing, but don't give up! Try a different style and/or a different teacher! There is a class someplace that you will fit in and enjoy! Just go at it with an open mind and an open heart! Don't worry if you can't do a pose your first class! You may not get a certain pose until you are in your 150th class! The important thing is to keep trying! Don't worry if you are not very limber or can't touch your toes, that will change with time. Keep at it! If you have a hard time standing on one foot that's okay, it just means you need to practice. Keep at it!
       You can't take free weights on vacation. You can't take a treadmill on vacation. You can take a yoga mat on vacation! A good yoga mat only $20. A $20 yoga book packs easy too! Take them everywhere! Yoga can also be done by people of any age! How many 70 years old people lift weights? I know half a dozen that do yoga. why wouldn't someone want to learn an exercise program that they could use until they are in their 70's, 80's, or older!
       In closing, that is what I do for exercise. I have had some amazing results and amazing experiences doing yoga. This is the story I share with everyone. Including the college health class I give a presentation to every spring semester. I hope you give it a try, if not, I hope you can find some exercise program you do like and give that one your all!

Have fun everyone! Namaste!

Steven

Media, Media, Media

      Most people know this blog is a compliment to my YouTube Channel. This is a place where I can be a bit more serious. although I seldom get serious. Today I am going to give out a little info about what I have been up to lately.
     I have started to do the news! I am no Brokaw or Williams by any means, I do however like to read ridiculous stories in the news. Dumb criminals are every where. They get caught and I get to tell everyone about it! What a good time for me!
     I am also going to start doing product reviews. Stuff that you may not know about or could use but didn't know there was such a thing! Like I recently bought an inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket in the car. It puts out 175w AC power. That isn't going to run your hair dryer (you shouldn't be drying your hair on the road anyhow). It is enough to charge a laptop, portable DVD player, Nintendo DS, charge a cordless drill battery, and run the pump to inflate an air mattress! If you are camping that is nice! It also has a USB port on it for charging phones, bluetooth devices and what ever else you charge USB style.
      People may have noticed that there are adds on the Blog page. These ads are there to help me cover the cost of a website. I am on a very limited budget and the ad money will help me get it going and keep it going, so please help the Blog and Channel out by using the search box on this page.
      Next blog will be about my workout for the weight loss challenge. We have just over a month left in the contest and I am about to really turn up the pressure on everyone!
       Thanks for taking the time to read this!
Steven

Hello all!
       After all my talk, I finally got here to put up the rules and regs for the t-shirt design contest! I have been wanting to do this for a long time, since I started my videos as a matter of fact. I just don't have the skills or time to sit down and make up a design! So, I humbly ask my viewers to help me!
       First of all, if you have never seen the show, you should go see them so you can get an idea of what I am like. That should help you get a start. Second, have fun while you are doing it! I am all about having fun and want you to have fun too! So let's get on with the rules.
      Number 1: It has to be original.
      Number 2: Has to be representative of what the show is about. I don't drink and don't promote drinking so a bottle of booze on the shirt would probably get disqualified right away, just saying.
      Number 3: No cussing. It's just not necessary.
      Number 4: Once the design is submitted, it becomes my property. I hold all legal rights to the submission. That being said, if your design isn't picked at this time but is picked later, I will pay you the same fee I paid for the winner. It's only fair you get something for your effort. Just saying.
       Number 5: The submission has to be in JPEG format. If it is in another format, I may be able to convert it but we will have to discuss that between the two of us.
       Number 6: The prize is $150 Amazon gift card.
       Number 7: The contest ends February 29, 2012. Winner will be selected by votes from The Mebuzzfree Viewers. Popular vote on the Facebook page. So get Subscribed to mebuzzfree on YouTube and get on the Facebook page so you can vote for yourself!
        Number 8: send entries to: mebuzzfreefanmail@gmail.com Good Luck!
Thanks for entering! I wish you all the best!
Steven

What I Did To Lose Weight- Talking Diet Here

Hello Everybody!,

      It's been a while since I posted here a The Extra Stuff. I think in the next few months I will be doing this more regularly. I have a lot to talk about and with winter on the doorstep, time to talk!

      Many know that I recently decided to lose some weight and get healthier. Even have a contest going on with my YouTube viewers. I just want to give people some motivation to get healthy! Most people want to change their lifestyle to a healthier one, but they need a kick in the seat to get them off the couch! (I do understand you cannot kick someone in the seat when they are sitting down but you get my point, don't be so literal!) I just thought I would take some time to tell everyone what I am doing to lose weight as far as my diet goes.
      The human body is totally amazing really! Just the fact that it works is really a miracle. The body also tries to protect itself. I'm not just talking reflexes and using he senses to avoid danger, I'm talking about preserving it's food source. Fat. Stored energy. Tissue that can be used up if the body needs energy but doesn't have any coming in! When people cut ALL the fat from their diet, the body goes into a safety mode where it will save the fat it has because, well, it may need it someday. Just the body trying to protect itself! So a dieter has to have some fat coming into the body to keep this from happening! After all, we dieters are trying to get rid of that extra weight! So I keep my fat intake between 25 and 30 grams a day. The 2000 calorie diet that is what all the food nutrition labels are based on is about twice that much.
        Cutting out the obvious things from the diet is what I did first. Ice cream, cookies, candy, etc. Then I added fruit and vegetables, lots of fruit and vegetables! These things don't have a lot of fats and some have none at all.They are also low in calories. That's where I get into trouble. I don't get enough calories coming into my body! I have to count calories to make sure I get enough of them! Again, if you are burning them off, the body has to believe there are more coming in, or it will save up the fatty tissue for an emergency! I try to keep my intake at 1200 calories. This is sometimes difficult, really, not joking.The RDA allowances are based on a 2000 calorie diet. So 1200 calories is a reduced calorie diet by those standards but you still have calories coming in!

      The next big thing I cut out of my diet is sodium. Salt keeps water in, water is weight, I want less weight, I need less salt. Simple isn't it. Seeing as I cut my soda intake to get rid of empty calories, my water intake went up! Plus salt adds to hypertension and all the other heart-blood maladies, better out than in I say. ( sorry, felt the need to quote Shrek there). I find that water with lemon is the best. The body can't absorb anything if it isn't slightly acidic. Lemon juice contains citric acid, AHA! the body can get it in quicker! As gross as it may seem, a glass of warm water with half a lemon squeezed in it first thing in the morning is great for your digestion. You lose water when you sleep (moisture in your breath) and usually wake up thirsty and have to go to the bathroom. The body needs that water back! The water being warm causes parastolitic action in the intestines to start and gets the body digesting the food that is already inside you! Another great side effect of lemon water is that it kills the morning breath!
      These are just a few things that I do. I will be coming back and telling you more in the very near future. I begin the exercise portion of my weight loss plan next week. It's true, I have done no exercise this week other than a few long walks. That is about to change! Stay tuned and comment on what you have read, tell me what it is that you do exercise, Good luck at getting healthier!

Talk to you soon,
Steven

A Different Approach To Caring

      Sorry everyone, it has been some time since I wrote a new Blog. Unfortunately, most of my video subjects have not been Blogworthy! However, today is different. I didn't really have a subject to cover on today's video, so I hit the interwebs for some inspiration. I was surprised at what I found, a bit shocked, and in the end delighted.
      I found the video for Give-a-Shit.org. which I first thought was a joke of some sort. I thought that might be a funny subject to cover. When I watched the video, I realized that it was not a joke at all. They are very serious in their drive to get people to really give-a-shit! In case you didn't see the video or check the website (which I recommend you do) I'll recap for you. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has basically said that if everyone thinks of caring and kindness, whether they do anything or not, helps the world to heal and care. Although most people I know are not Buddhists, there are thoughts in the Bible that echo agreement. Like if you think of sinning then don't waste your time, you already sinned. The same could be said for doing good, as opposed to sinning. It's all in the thought, that is the parallel I am trying to draw here.
        Now the Give-a-Shit.org approach is to get you to check their site out by the name of the site, which worked in my case, and then have a Hollywood personality that has popularity with the younger crowd to relay their message. What a brilliant plan! I mean really, how well thought out is that! I really feel that it is the perfect way to reach people that can make the change. Besides, when you are sitting on the pot, with basically nothing to do, why not think of something you give-a-shit about.
      I'm not sure that I want to post to Twitter or Facebook that I give-a-shit because then in my status, everyone will know I'm taking a shit but I will probably THINK about something I care about and try to work it that way. I think that is the point that the Dalai Lama was trying to drive home. Even If you are not Buddhist, I would recommend watching a video of the Dalai Lama speaking. He is a compassionate, educated, well spoken, and kind man with a lot of wisdom. Overall, one of the most interesting orators I have ever heard.
       In closing, watch the video and check the website: http://www.give-a-shit.org. Whether you post from the toilet or not doesn't matter, but your thoughts do matter. Thanks for reading my thoughts on this.

Steven

Monthly Maintenance

       Well It's the beginning of a new month! First thing I think of is: time to clean up the computers! That's right. I use a lot of freeware. That is software, that is free for those who don't know. These utilities do a great job of keeping the nasties out! (ie:malware, spyware, etc.) The main drawback to freeware is that it doesn't scan automatically. You the user must initiate the scans! So the important thing to do is remember to do them.
      I use Microsoft Security Essentials for my primary anti-virus. As with everything I will mention here, it is free. It is also a very effective anti-virus. It was ranked last year right next to Norton Internet Security, which is $50 per year. So you are up $50 already.
      I also use MalwareBytes Anti-Malware. This program pulls out malware like trojans with ease. If you can get it on an infected computer, it can remove the bugs and save you a trip to the tech shop!
      Next is SuperAntiSpyware. This utility also pulls out a lot of bugs that are dug in deep! I have used it to pull out the Defender virus which pops up and says your infected when you are not in fact.
      For these two I always update the profile to the latest version and run the scans, in the order which I named them.Once those scans are done I run Glary Utilities to clean up any registry errors that may have appeared.
       Every other month I run WinDirStat. This program scours your hard drives and shows you which programs are hogging up space on your drives. I have cleared 15G of temporary files from a DVD copy software program! I never knew the temp file was even there until I ran this scan!
       Another tip is to use Revo Uninstaller to remove software from your computer. It will run the softwares uninstaller and then scan from fragments it leaves behind. Once the scans are complete, you can just click and clean up the little bits! Very nice program,
      All of these can be downloaded at http://www.download.cnet.com. Just type in the software name and download it! Good luck and happy computing folks!

Your friend,
Steven