You say Foccacia, I say… Yummy!

Bil took me on a lunch date today 🙂  Lucky me!  We didn’t go anywhere fancy, just to the Princess Cafe (at the Princess Theater in uptown Waterloo, if you are a local…if you aren’t–too bad for you!).  This was my first visit there, and I have to say –WOW–what a GREAT way to enjoy lunch!

Over the last couple of years, we have ceased to go out to eat much for a couple of reasons:
1.  lack of funds,
2.  I really dislike paying for food I can make better/the same at home- Definitely my biggest pet peeve!
3.  It is hard to find good quality, healthy choices at a restaurant for a good price (meaning…I am a cheepo- and I don’t want to pay $50 for a lunch date out…$20 is more my style).  Generally speaking, the choices are limited to fast food, greasy spoon diners and pub grub–not my idea of a nice meal out…see my dilemma?

This was such a great experience–good quality, very fresh food, great price, and VERY delicious! Delightful!! Thank-you Princess Cafe for a wonderful lunch date!  We will most definitely go back soon.

So here we are with recipe #3 with our pizza dough.  This one is great as an appetizer, or side dish for pasta–and it makes the MOST delicious sandwich bread the day after…

Focaccia (Rustic Italian Herb Bread)
1 batch bread machine pizza dough
3tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup parmesan
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp parsley
*you can alter the amount of any of these herbs, depending on which you like better–there is no right or wrong amount…

In a bowl, combine the oil, garlic and herbs.
Oil a cookie sheet  (10×25 inch approx) lightly and gently stretch dough out to almost fit the pan (you want the dough to be about 1 inch thick).  Cover and let rise in a warm oven 30-40 minutes until doubled in height. (Tip: to warm oven slightly, turn oven on “warm setting” for 2 min., then turn off and place covered dough in oven to rise.–make sure you remove the pan before you preheat the oven for baking!)
With 2  fingers, poke holes all over the dough.  Drizzle oil/herb mixture over top of dough.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and cut into squares.
Enjoy!