Things and Pizza

I promised to post the recipe for my homemade pizza, but I felt compelled to also write about the events of Friday in Japan. I don't know if it is the nurse in me, but as I sat and watched the videos of the tsunami with my daughter, I couldn't help but be perplexed by how the events were being reports.  The news people went on and on about seeing trains, cars, homes, and boats being swept away, but what I saw...at least in my minds eye,..were people being swept away.  Did they think it too unpleasant to mention?  I know they couldn't have been in that much denial.

This kind of devastation goes way beyond the dollars and cents that are reported on the news and discussed by politicians.  As the tsunami cut its path through cities, towns, and villages, there were people in daycare centers, nursing homes, jails/prisons, hospitals, subway trains, etc that had no chance to get to higher ground.  The human cost is/will be higher than anything being reported.  I'm not just talking about the obvious loss of life that resulted from the earthquake and ensuing tsunami.  I'm talking of the people dying in office buildings, factories, homes, and hospitals while waiting to be found.  These people may be injured and die from their wounds or they may just die from lack of food and water.  Some may die due to exposure to the cold.  People only had minutes to respond to the tsunami warnings.  Just how many people do you think were able to escape?  I'm thinking not many. 

It has really bothered me to watch the news reports and hear the projected death tolls so grossly underestimated.  I suppose the only good thing in all of this is the fact that it is not summer over there so they do not have to worry about the spread bug-borne diseases.  Not only will people die of exposure to the cold and the lack of food and water.  They will die from infections that will develop from their injuries or from the toxins being released into the air from burning buildings, the burning refineries, and, of course, exposure to radiation.

From a mental health standpoint the negative effects will be great.  It will be difficult, if not impossible, for some people to recover from the enormous losses of family, friends, and possessions.  Many will never be able to bury their dead because they will never be found. 

How do you rebuild an infrastructure when an entire city is swept away?  How do you recover from having you child ripped from your arms by the raging waters?

My other burning question is what have the billions of dollars that have been spent on early warming systems been good for?  We have seismologists that do nothing but watch for these kinds of things.  Was there no warning the earthquake was coming?  Did it not occur to anyone when the floor of the volcano in Hawaii collapsed last week spewing lava 65ft into the air that something might be amiss?  How about all the smaller earthquakes that were recorded prior to the big one that hit Japan?  Why is all this money being spent if it isn't saving lives?

My last words on this topic are for those of you out there who are moaning and complaining about events and people in your lives and how terrible things are.  Get a grip!!  Whatever you have going on in your life right now is nothing compared to what some people are enduring right now.  You have food to eat, water to drink, and a roof over your head.

Chicken Spinach Pizza 

I make the dough in my bread machine.  If you do not have access to a bread machine, then you can substitute commercial dough.  You may use either a 12" or 16" pizza pan.

1 cup beer
1 T butter or olive oil
1 t salt (I use sea salt)
2 T sugar, stevia, or honey
2 3/4 C bread flour
1 T yeast

The ingredients go into the bread machine in the order listed.  Prepare the dough and preheat the oven to broil first.

This link will take you to a video on how to roast the red pepper.  http://video.about.com/italianfood/Roasted-Red-Pepper.htm   Prepare this ahead and then reduce the temp in the oven to 400 degrees.

Season to taste 4-5 boneless/skinless chicken tenders and cook in the oven for about 20 min.  When chicken is done, cut into small cubes.

When dough is ready, place it in the pan.  Let it rise if the instructions require it.  Once dough has risen, brush the dough with olive oil mixed with either crushed or chopped garlic.  Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese.  Take your fresh spinach leaves (use your judgment on how much based on the size pan you are using).  Stack the spinach leaves together and slice into strips.  Sprinkled the spinach strips around the dough.  Slice the roasted red pepper and place around the pizza.  Place the chopped chicken.  I get the fresh mozzarella balls (the small ones).  Cut the small balls in fours and place around the pizza.  Again, use your judgment on how much based on your taste and size of pan.  Sprinkle entire pizza with more olive oil and Parmesan cheese.  Cook in oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 min.  Serve hot and enjoy!