Wild Rice with leeks, dried apricots and hazelnuts

This is a great side dish and its simple enough to make. You will cook the wild rice and while its cooking you can prepare the other items that will be folded into the rice once it is fully cooked.

Rice:
8 oz of wild rice- this is just a little more than a cup
2 1/3 cups water or stock

Place the water into a non stick sauce pan (I am using about a 4 quart). Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add in the rice and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low (or to a simmer) and cook the rice, covered, for 45-50 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook the rice over high heat until all of the extra liquid has been cook off, this should take about 8 minutes of cooking, while stirring often.

Add in:
3 medium leeks, cleaned and sliced into 1/8" slices- you will then, sauté the leeks in
1 tablespoon oil for about 5-8 minutes over medium heat.
1 cup toasted hazelnuts
3/4-1 cup of dried apricots, roughly chopped
a hand full of dried cranberries
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
large pinch of kosher salt- to taste but 1 like about 1/2 tablespoon or more

Simply fold these ingredients into the rice and serve.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

This is basic pizza dough but with some whole wheat flour added in. I have tried to switch my family over to mostly whole wheat products. Regular pizza dough is easy enough to find in the frozen section of most markets, but it isn't always as easy to find frozen whole wheat pizza dough.

To Start:
3/4 teaspoon yeast ( I am using a rapid rise)
1 cup warm water
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon honey

Also:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
extra flour as needed (1/8-1/4 cup)

1 medium mixing bowl brushed lightly with oil


Mix the yeast, water, flour, and honey together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Combine with a spoon until the mixture looks lumpy. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let mixture rest 30 minutes.

Combine the wheat flour, 1/2 cup white flour and salt. Pour into the stand mixer bowl and kneed for about 5 minutes until mixture is springy and elastic. Add more flour if dough seems wet.

Turn dough out into a bowl which has been brushed with a little oil. Form dough into a "ball" shape then, cover and let dough rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Form dough into pizzas, top with toppings and bake.