All Purpose Pizza Dough

As you can see, we didn't use this dough for pizza this time. We used it for Stromboli, but this is the best recipe I've found for recipes needing a fairly easy, rising dough. We usually use this dough recipe for Pizza, Stromboli, and Scones.

1 C Warm Water

1 Tbsp (or 1 package) Yeast

1 Tbsp Sugar

1.5 tsp Salt

2 Tbsp Oil

2 3/4 - 3 1/4 C Flour

1. In a mixer (or bowl) combine your water, yeast, and sugar. Wait five minutes and allow yeast to activate (get foamy).

2. Add remaining ingredients, adding flour a little at a time until you have a moderately-sticky dough.

3. Knead dough (adding flour as needed--no pun intended!) for about 200 turns. I let my KitchenAide run for between 5 - 10 minutes.

4. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

5. Make your pizza!

For Pizza Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. On a slightly floured board, roll dough out to fit your pan(s). Place dough in/on your pan(s).

3. Bake for 6 minutes. Prick any big bubbles with a fork.

4. Bake 6 minutes more. Add pizza toppings and bake until the cheese is melted and toppings are hot.

This is enough dough for 1 big 15 x 11 pan, or two 12" pans.

Source: From My House To Yours: Big Piney-Marbleton Communities 1995 Cookbook

~Kara

Brown Sugar Brownies

Okay, who took one of the brownies?  I need to do a photo shoot on this for the blog!

I am always on the look-out for the ultimate brownie recipe.  Mike thinks the ultimate is the Hershey's Brownie Mix that I buy at Sam's--has about 6 pouches.  It is REALLY good, but I can't always find it anywhere else and I don't get to Sam's often with my work schedule.  So I want something I can make from scratch that is really yum.  I am trying this recipe that I..wait for it...tore out of a magazine.  I think Better Homes & Gardens.  But it was on a Domino Sugar Ad, if that helps.  I made these at the beach last week and they were a big hit.  Dad says if he ever has to go to the hospital he wants me to bring him some of these.  That was weird...

Ingredients:

1 cup packed Domino Light Brown Sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate, melted

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1.  Preheat oven to 325. Grease 8x8x2-inch baking pan.

2.  In large bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Beat in chocolate, then flour.  Stir in nuts. Pour into pan.

3.  Bake 25 minutes.

4.  Cool in pan and cut into bars.  MAKES 2 DOZEN small brownies, about 9 normal size, or one dang good single serving if you are needing a chocolate fix.

Source:  2011 Domino Foods, Inc., via magazine.

"Most Delicious" Baked Macaroni and Cheese

In our home there has been a quest for the "most delicious" Macaroni and Cheese. One of our daughters has looked through and tried many recipes. This recipe has been created using many things gleaned from this search and is one of her favorite things to make and eat. It is yummy anytime of the year.

If you don't have time to bake it; you can eat it after the cheesy sauce has been stirred in and sprinkle extra shredded cheddar on top.

This also freezes well - up to 6 weeks. Do not "bake" before freezing .

Ingredients:
2 cups dry macaroni noodles cooked and drained (cooking 1 less minute than required if baking it).
1.5 - 2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Non-Stick Spray

Cheesy Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
3 cups milk
1/3 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup shredded (not powdered) Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp ground pepper

The Cheesy Sauce can be made in the Microwave or on the stove top. The method is the same.

1. Melt butter in 8 cup microwavable bowl.
2. Stir in flour with a wire whisk until smooth.
3. Very gradually add milk, stirring smooth with each addition.
4. Microwave for 1 minute.
5. Add Cheeses until blended, Microwave for 1.5 minutes, and Stir
6. Microwave 30 seconds at a time stirring well after each time until sauce is slightly thick and bubbly.
7. Add pepper, stir until incorporated.
8. Assemble

Assemble:
1. Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray, place a layer of cooked macaroni in dish.
2. Pour white sauce over to cover.
3. Sprinkle with grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese.
4. Repeat layers ending with cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until it bubbles at the edges.

Source: Created from many ideas - by Angela

Chicken Stew with Dumplings

The "sniffles" and "coughs" have had a party at my house this past week. So, its obvious that we need chicken stew, even if it is 90+ degrees outside. This is really good stuff! My family loves it! Especially the dumplings!

Stew:
2-1/2 to 3 lbs. chicken thighs, or chicken breast
5 c. water
4 new red potatoes (or whatever you have)
3-4 carrots
2-3 stalks celery
1 med. onion
10 oz. pkg. frozen peas
salt
pepper

Dumplings:
1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

In Dutch, or pot, place chicken; cover with wter. Cover and cook over med heat until fork tender. Meanwhile chopped veggies. If using the red potatoes, leave the peel on! (I didn't have any the afternoon when I made this pot.)
When chicken is done, remove from broth; skim fat.

Remove chicken from bones; return to broth. Add remaining stew ingredients. Cover and cook over med. heat until veggies are fork tender (15 - 20 min). In large bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in milk and parsley. Drop dumplings by rounded tablespoonfuls into hot stew. Cook, uncovered, 10 min.

Cover and continue cooking until dumplings are tender (8-10 min). Delicous!

(I did add one can of creamed corn to this pot and it was yummy. But that is not something I always do.)

recipe adapted from Land O Lakes Treasury of Country Recipes

Red Velvet Cake Balls

I know that red velvet probably looks prettier bathed in white chocolate or white cream cheese frosting but these sweet little addictions taste better robed in darker shades of chocolate. You can find a scratch recipe at www.velveteenbaker.com (a girl with a little bit of passion and a lot of red food dye) if you prefer homemade ingredients. ENJOY!

Ingredients:

1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 9x13 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 0z.)
*1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)

Directions:

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.

2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix
together, but be warned it will get messy).

3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make around 45-50.
You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper but sometimes I like to hand roll them.)

4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)

5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.

6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in
chocolate and then tap off extra.)

*I use real chocolate as opposed to chocolate flavored bark. It's just a matter of taste. I also only melt a small amount of chocolate at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It's easier to work with when it's hot.

Source: www.bakerella.com

Pumpkin/Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins

Okay, I'm going to go ahead & forewarn you that these are soooo good, just not so good for a diet. You'll see why in a second. This makes a decent sized batch and they freeze and warm up well (if you haven't figured out by now I love something I can make more of now to freeze for later-if you're already making a mess, just go ahead and get it over with for a while and only have to clean up once).


Beat together:

4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 16 oz can pumpkin or 16 oz (that's 2 cups) pureed sweet potato (for instructions on making sweet potato puree see this post)
3/4 c. milk
3/4 c. oil
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour (I've used both red & white wheat & they both work well-don't forget to spoon it into the measuring cup!)
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt

1-Beat liquid ingredients together.
2-In a separate bowl sift the dry ingredients.
3-Combine the two and mix until just combined.
4-Fold in chocolate chips (I use one bag per recipe).
5-Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 16-20 minutes for regular sized muffins, 8-13 minutes for mini muffins.

This recipe was found over at the frugal girl

Butter Dips

These are great quick bread sticks.  We usually have them with pasta and salad.  My kids love them.

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 tsp. salt
garlic powder to taste
1 cup milk
shredded Parmesan cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place butter in 9x13 pan and place in oven.  Take out when butter is melted.
2.  Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder in bowl.  Add milk and stir until well-combined.
3.  Roll or pat dough out onto a floured surface.  Form a 5"x13" rectangle.  Cut unto dough into strips 1" wide.  Make twists out of each strip.  Carefully place strips into butter pan, turning to coat.  (I start with 5" long strips because as you twist and transfer them to the dish, they stretch.)
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Source:  from a friend