Pizza

When I have the time, I love to make homeade pizza with fresh crust and sauce and toppings. The crust recipe (PW's) will make 2 large pizzas, or 3 really thin crust pizzas. You could also make 8 individual pizzas and let everyone create their own; very fun with kids! Whatever crust you don't use will keep in your refrigerator in a plastic bag for a week.

This picture is a good representation of my taste versus my husband's taste - my side has sauted baby spinach, mushrooms, onion and fresh tomato; his side....sausage.

Pizza

Crust:
4 c. unbleached flour (I use 1 c. whole wheat flour + 3 c. flour)
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. dry yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

Sauce:
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
15 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. basil
Good pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
1 t. sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Toppings:
Ham & pineapple
Sausage, cooked & crumbled
Pepperoni
Peppers
Onions
Olives
Sauted baby spinach w/mushrooms
Artichoke hearts
Goat cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
Be creative!

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups of warm water and let sit for a few minutes. With mixer, mix flour and salt. While mixing on low, pour in olive oil. Then pour in water/yeast mixture. Mix until just combined and sticky. Coat a bowl with olive oil and place dough in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set on the counter for 2 hours, or place in your refrigerator until ready to use. It's best to make this a couple days in advance if you can.

To make the sauce, heat olive oil in small saucepan. Add garlic and saute for a couple minutes. Add tomato sauce and seasonings to taste. Let simmer while you roll out your dough and prepare your toppings.

Preheat oven to 450.

Take half of your dough and roll out on a floured surface. Place on a cookie sheet or pizza pan drizzled with olive oil. Create a "lip" around the edges of your pizza to hold the sauce and toppings in. Top with some of your sauce, freshly grated mozzarella (don't use the icky pre-shredded junk here, please), and your toppings. Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes until brown.

Deluxe Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is from one of my church cookbooks. These are dangerously good - you won't be able to have just one....or two...or three! This makes about 5 dozen large cookies, so share!

Deluxe Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 c. oil
2 sticks butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 egg
3 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. coconut
1/2 c. Rice Krispies
12oz. bag chocolate chips
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

Mix oil, butter, and sugars until thouroughly combined. Add in egg and vanilla. Add in flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar until mixed. Add oatmeal, coconut, and Rice Krispies. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by heaping tablespoons on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

Veggie Lasagna

Inspiration for this came from the Pioneer Woman... and a big pot of homeade spaghetti sauce in my fridge! This isn't totally vegetarian because there is meat in the sauce I made. But it's loaded with veggies and you can add or omit what you want...mushrooms and baby spinach would be awesome additions. Everyone will eat it cause it's covered with sauce and cheese!
This recipe serves 4 and is for an 8x8 pan. Double everything if you're making a 9x13.

Veggie Lasagna
6 sheets Barilla lasagna (uncooked)
1 T. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
salt & pepper
1/4 c. white wine
fresh parsley, minced
2-3 c. spaghetti sauce (homeade or store-bought)
1 c. cottage cheese (or ricotta)
1 egg
1/4 c. fresh parmesan
2 c. mozzarella (please grate your own)

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add onion and garlic. Saute until they start to soften. Add red pepper, squash and zucchini. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, and saute a few minutes until the veggies soften. Add in white wine to deglaze the pan and cook a few more minutes. Add in spaghetti sauce and fresh parsley and heat through.

In small bowl, mix cottage cheese with egg and fresh parmesan. Grate your mozzarella and set aside.

In an 8x8 pan, ladle in your sauce on the bottom to cover. Add 2 lasagna sheets on top. Spread 1/2 of your cottage cheese mixture over lasagna noodles. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Ladle more sauce over mozzarella, 2 more sheets of lasagna, cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella, more sauce, 2 last sheets of lasagna, sauce and mozzarella over the top. Set the pan on a foil-lined cookie sheet when baking in case it bubbles over a bit.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

The Ultimate Spaghetti Sauce

This is my Aunt Ellen's recipe - it's amazing. She is an amazing cook and I wish she didn't live all they way in California! This makes A LOT, and that's what I love about it. You can share it, freeze leftovers in ziplock freezer bags, or use it for lasagna, eggplant parmesan, baked mostaccoli...anything!

Here's her recipe - I've used ground turkey with turkey sausage and it was equally delicious. I also like to add different color peppers, mushrooms, fresh oregano and basil (if I have them). This is so worth all the chopping, enjoy!

Ellen's Spaghetti Sauce
1 lb. hot or mild Italian sausage, sliced
1 lb. ground beef
1 T. olive oil
2 medium onions, or 1 large, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots, shredded
2 green peppers, chopped
8-12 cloves of garlic, minced
4-6 T. dried oregano
1 t. fennel seed (I omit this)
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
1/4 t. black pepper
2 beef bouillon cubes
12 oz. tomato paste
96 oz. tomato sauce (Costco/Sam's Club)
2-3 c. water (depending on how thick you like your sauce)

Brown Italian sausage in a very large sauce pot. Remove sausage from pan and drain grease. Brown ground beef in the same pan. Remove beef and drain grease.

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in same pan and add onion, celery, carrots, peppers and garlic. Saute until veggies are very soft. Add oregano, fennel, red pepper, black pepper, and saute another 2-3 minutes. Return sausage and beef to the pot and add the beef bouillon, tomato paste, sauce, and water to your desired consistancy. Bring to a boil and turn down heat to simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Sun-dried Tomato Artichoke Chicken

This is my favorite type of dinner - anything with lemon and chicken and pasta and artichokes, I LOVE! This recipe is really quick and easy too. I served this over angel hair pasta and fresh green beans. Enjoy this one! (This serves 2-3)

Sun-dried Tomato Artichoke Chicken
2 chicken breasts, cut in strips
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
pepper
1/2 c. white wine
1/2 c. chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon
1 (14oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
5-6 sundried tomoatoes (in olive oil), cut in strips
1 T. butter
1 t. fresh thyme leaves, minced
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Angel hair pasta, cooked

Preheat large saute pan and drizzle with olive oil. Place flour, salt & pepper in large ziplock bag. Add chicken and shake to coat. Place chicken in hot pan, saute and stir 2-3 minutes until brown. Stir in wine and chicken stock to remove brown bits from the bottom of the pan; boil until slightly reduced and thickened. Add lemon juice, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and butter. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 3-5 minutes until heated through and chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle fresh thyme over top and pour everything over cooked angel hair pasta. Sprinkle everything with freshly grated Parmesan!

Shrimp Tortellini Marinara

As with just about any recipe I post - switch this up how you want. I didn't have tortellini, so I made it with rotini. I also used a large can of whole plum tomatoes and broke them up in the sauce, but you can use any pasta/marinara sauce you want. Also, if you don't have white wine, use chicken stock instead. And if you don't like shrimp....well then you're just crazy! No really, I'm sure chicken or sausage would be good too! This recipe serves 3-4.

Shrimp Tortellini Marinara
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion, minced
4 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. large peeled/deveined shrimp
1 pkg. cheese tortellini, or 8 oz. of your favorite pasta, cooked/drained
1/2 c. white wine
1 t. Italian seasoning
2 oz. cream cheese
salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese

Preheat large skillet and add oil. Saute onions and mushrooms until tender. Add in garlic and stir for a couple minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Add white wine to the pan and cook for a couple minutes until reduced. Add marinara or tomatoes and italian seasoning, simmer for 10 minutes or so until bubbly and hot. Stir in cream cheese until all melted in sauce. Add shrimp and continue to cook 3-4 more minutes until the shrimp are just pink. Stir in cooked pasta and serve with a side of sauted spinach or salad and fresh bread! Sprinkle fresh parmesan over everything and enjoy!

Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad

I don't go to Applebee's very often, but I love this salad that's been on their menu forever. This recipe, in my opinion, is so darn close - if not better! It's worth getting the right lettuce and cabbage for this because it makes it so crispy and fresh. This makes one BIG entree-sized salad for one, so make more if you're feeding a family. I chose to make this for myself when my husband is gone for the night. It's especially delicious with a nice glass of wine!

Oriental Chicken Salad

Dressing:

3 T. honey

1 1/2 T. rice wine vinegar

1/4 c. mayo

1 t. dijon mustard

Whisk together until smooth and refrigerate until ready to pour over salad.

Salad:

1 breaded chicken breast fillet, baked and cut in large chunks

3 c. chopped romaine lettuce

1 c. chopped red cabbage

1 c. chopped napa cabbage

1/2 carrot, shredded

1 green onion, chopped

2 T. sliced almonds, toasted in a skillet until light brown

1/4 c. crispy chow mein noodles

In a large bowl, toss together the romaine, red cabbage, napa cabbage, green onion and salad dressing until everything is coated. Pour on a plate and top with sliced almonds, chow mein noodles, and your baked chicken breast chunks.

Sweet & Sour Chicken Stir Fry

This is a great fast and easy recipe. Add whatever veggies you like - carrots, broccoli, and water chestnuts would be good additions (I would partially cook/boil carrots or broccoli before adding to stir fry). You could also use pork loin instead of chicken. If you don't like pineapple - I'm sure mandarin oranges would be delicious too. Make it your own!

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2 large chicken breasts, cut in chunks

1 T. vegetable oil or olive oil

1 green pepper, cut in chunks

1 red pepper, cut in chunks

1/2 onion, cut in chunks

1 c. snow peas

1 c. pineapple, cut in chunks + 1 small can pineapple juice, OR 1 15oz. can pineapple chunks, reserve juice

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. white wine vinegar

1 T. cornstarch

2 T. soy sauce

Hot cooked white or brown rice

Preheat a large skillet drizzled with oil. Stir fry peppers, onion, snow peas, and pineapple over high heat for 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan. Add more oil, if needed, and add chicken. Stir fry until no longer pink. Add veggies back in pan.

In small saucepan, combine pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil for 1 minute until thickened, stirring constantly.

Pour sauce over chicken and veggies and cook until heated through and veggies are tender. Serve over rice.

Pretzel Dip

Add beer or sour cream to desired consistancy...enjoy your Superbowl parties!

Pretzel Dip

2 - 8oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 pkg. ranch mix

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 beer or 1/2 c. sour cream

Beat cream cheese and ranch until smooth. Stir in grated sharp cheddar, green onions and beer or sour cream. Serve with any variety of pretzels for dipping.

Chicken Pot Pie

There's a million variations of this comfort food, and I've made my own crust and filling and tried numerous recipes, but I always come back to this one because it's SO quick & easy. And my husband prefers this one over any of the others I've made. You can use any veggies you like, or switch it up with leftover pot roast and beef gravy, or skip the top crust and top it with leftover mashed potatoes. Make it your own!

Chicken Pot Pie

3 large chicken breasts, cooked & shredded, or use rotisserie chicken from the store

1 bag frozen veggies, thawed (I use the carrot, green bean, & corn mix, and add a handful of frozen peas)

2 jars chicken gravy

1 pkg. Pillbury pie crust (2 crusts in 1 package)

Mix together your cooked chicken, thawed veggies, and chicken gravy. Add salt & pepper to taste. Roll out 1 pie crust into a pie plate. Pour the filling in and unroll the other crust on top. Seal the edges all around by pinching them together. Cut a slit in the top so it can vent while baking. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes - until golden brown and bubbly. Serves 4-6