Landon Curtis

Landon Curtis grew up in this area, graduating from Valley Springs High School before finishing his education at Missouri State University. His wife, Allie, is also a Harrison native, and Curtis says they’re thankful to be raising their two boys in this community. One of his favorite quotes from the couple’s oldest son is, “Daddy cooks, Mommy cleans.” Curtis works for Anstaff Bank and serves on the board of the Buffalo National River Partners.

Curtis learned to cook when his uncle, Matt, taught him how to make Chicken Marsala when he was 16 so he could make it for his future wife Allie’s birthday. His family is full of cooks but he learned the most from his mom and granny.

Curtis shares that garlic is one ingredient any cook should always have handy, “It’s versatile. Soups, sauces, meats, you name it. You should always have fresh garlic.” The most useful tool in his kitchen is the Kitchenaid, he says, “Baking, shredding meat, making pasta, we use it a ton!”

Chicken Alfredo with broccoli and mushroom is Curtis’s favorite recipe to make, “My picky son gets excited for it, and I hope that’s the meal that his friends want to come to our house for — maybe minus the veggies.”

Homemade Pizza

Combine cheese mixture:

50% mozzarella

25%provolone

25% Parmesan

Combine dough ingredients:

1 cup (227g) sourdough discard (call me at the bank if you need some)

1/2 cup water

2 1/2 cups (300g) Unbleached All Purpose Flour

2 tsp table salt

1/2 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

Knead combined ingredients. While kneading, add water 1 tablespoon at a time if the dough looks dry. Knead for about 7 minutes or until the dough cleans the sides of the mixing bowl.

Place the dough in a lightly greased container, cover, and let rise until almost doubled in bulk, about 2-4 hours. 

For a thick, large pizza, oil a 14" round pizza pan or 18" x 13" half-sheet pan. Place the dough in the pan and press it out to the edges, giving it a 15-minute rest before continuing if it starts to recoil back to the center.

Add your sauce of choice and bake for ten minutes at 450 degrees.

Remove from oven, and butter the edges of crust with salted butter. Then, add toppings of choice and cheese mix to top! Remove from pan and bake for five minutes at 450 directly on the oven rack. Finish your bake with 2-4 minutes of high broil until your cheese has golden bubbles.

Enjoy a pizza that will make you do all of this work again.