Bread Baking With the Best of Them

I've discovered the best tension relieving technique…bread baking. 

Between the Chicago Teachers Strike and the one year anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, yesterday's early morning NBC shift was four straight hours of updating galleries and pulling videos. Add to it 150 pages of reading and a way too long journalism class, and you've found the equation for my typical freakout.  But, yesterday I traded in my Manic Monday for some good old fashion carbs.

 In an effort to ease their transition to NYU, 80 Laf hosted a pizza making session specifically for new students at Le Pain Quotidien. Being the amateur baker that I am, of course I volunteered to go too. 

With just four simple ingredients-bread flour, water, salt, and yeast-we made our pizza dough. Just like the chef from my favorite pizzeria, I kneaded the crust and attempted to toss it in the air. Add to it the homemade tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, diced red peppers, and favorable artichoke hearts and you've got my delicious dinner. 

And, the best part is I brought home enough dough to make four more pizzas;
it looks like I know what I'll be eating for dinner the rest of this week!