Deep dish personal pan pizza

This pizza was made with the other half of the dough I made for the BBQ chicken pizza.  I like a thick crust!

Here's the dough recipe (this made 2 pizzas):
Ingredients for the crust:
2-2 1/2 cups flour
1 pkg rapid rise yeast
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2/3 cup water 120-130 degrees
3 TB olive oil

Toppings:
a handful of sliced red onions
a handful of sliced roasted red peppers
a pinch of fresh rosemary, chopped
4 fresh mozzarella balls, sliced
olive oil

Mix flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a bowl.  Add water and oil and mix well.  Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 4 minutes.  Shape into a ball and let it rest for 15 minutes.  Divide dough in half and flatten with your hands into a deep dish pan that has been coated with olive oil.  Spread topping evenly over the crust and bake for 15-17 minutes on the top rack of the oven.  This recipe made a small personal pan pizza and a thin crust "flat bread" style pizza.

BBQ chicken pizza

What's better on a cold day than something warm out of the oven?!  This helped me clean out my frig tonight!

Ingredients for the crust:
2-2 1/4 cups flour
1 pkg rapid rise yeast
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2/3 cup water  (120 degrees-130 degrees)
3 TB olive oil

Toppings:
1 small chicken breast cooked, diced
1/4-1/2 cup BBQ sauce
2 TB Franks Red Hot
1 small red onion, sliced thin
8-10 fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine), sliced

Preheat oven to 425.  Mix 1 cup of the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl.  Add very warm water and mix well.  Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 4 minutes.  Shape into a ball and let it rest for 15 minutes.  Roll out with a rolling pin to a thickness you like.  I cut the dough ball in half, and rolled this one pretty thin.  Spread BBQ sauce over the crust, and top with onions, diced chicken, and fresh mozz.  Drizzle Red Hot over the whole thing.  Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes on the bottom rack.  The other half of the dough I used to make myself a small deep dish crust pizza!

Butternut squash linguini

I think the secret ingredient is the nutmeg!  This is creamy, thick and full of flavor!   You could make the sauce as thin or as thick as you like.

Arancini (rice balls)

As I was sifting through my gramma's recipes, I found one for rice balls, but they were stuffed with meat.  I've updated her version, and this is what I came up with.  I like my version better!

I used short grain brown rice, the original version called for white rice.  I did a little research and found some people even use leftover risotto.  Here's what I did:

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup short grain brown rice
fresh mozzarella balls, about 7
fontinella cheese chunks, about 1/4 lb
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 eggs, 4 are for breading
1/2 cup flour, for breading
2 cups panko bread crumbs, or cracker crumbs, for breading
olive oil, for frying
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Cook the rice in broth in a covered sauce pan.  After the rice is cooked, spread out on a plate or cookie sheet to cool.  I cooled mine in the frig.  After the rice has cooled, transfer to a bowl and add 2 eggs and grated parm cheese and mix together.  Add a sprinkle or two of salt and pepper.  Set up breading station: a bowl with flour, a bowl with scrambled eggs, and a bowl with cracker crumbs.  Preheat oven to 200, just to keep the balls warm after frying.  To assemble the balls, take a large pinch of rice and form it in the ball of your hand.  Put a chunk of cheese on the rice, then cover the cheese with another pinch of rice.  "Roll" into a ball shape and dip in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.  Mine turned out way bigger than I expected.  I will use mozzarella "pearls" the next time.  They are smaller than the Ciliegine I used today.  The Fontinella cheese was just cut into chunks.  Repeat the breading process until all the rice has been used.  Heat about 1/4 cup olive oil in a large frying pan.  When the oil is hot, place some of the balls in the pan to brown, being careful not to over crowd them.  You will have to turn them to brown on all sides.  Keep adding oil as needed.  When they are all browned, place on a cookie sheet and keep warm in the oven.  You could deep fry them if you want.  I don't own a deep fryer, so mine turned out sort of triangle shaped.   Serve with warm marinara.

Asian beef salad

You could also use the meat for lettuce wraps instead of a salad!

Ingredients:
1 lb. sirloin, cut into strips
1 cup soy
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
1 TB lime juice
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 TB crushed red pepper

Marinate beef overnight or for 4 hours.  Grill and serve over romaine salad.  Serve with rice wine vinaigrette, or heat the marinade to a boil and serve over salad.

Romaine Salad ingredients:

2 heads fresh romaine, chopped
8 oz broccoli slaw
1/4 cup slivered almonds
handful of cilantro, chopped

Rice wine vinaigrette:
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 TB Agave nectar or honey
1 tsp chopped shallots

Chicken cacciatore stew

E-A-S-Y

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 chicken thighs
2 chicken legs
1 onion, sliced
2 red AND green peppers, sliced
2 stalks celery, chunked
2 whole carrots, unpeeled and chunked
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large cans chopped tomatoes, plus juice
8 oz chicken stock, plus a little extra
3 TB flour
2 TB oregano
sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Layer everything, except flour, in the crock pot starting with the vegetables.  If you have 2 crock pots, it's easier to cook the chicken in a separate pot so you don't have to sift through the bones.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Take the skin and bone off of the thighs and legs, and pull apart the meat.  Add the meat to the vegetable crock pot.  Add the flour, mixed with a little chicken stock, and cook on high for another 3-4 hours.  It will thicken as it cooks.  Serve over barley or noodles.

    

Zucchini fritters

zucchini fritters

These could be made into "patty sized" for dinner!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh ricotta
2 eggs
2 TB fresh basil, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of 2 lemons
1 medium to large zucchini, shredded
1 1/2-2 cups crushed cracker crumbs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp sea salt
sprinkle of fresh ground pepper
olive oil, for frying

Directions:
Make ricotta cheese.  While ricotta is "thickening", preheat oven to 200.  Shred zucchini into a medium sized bowl.  Once ricotta has reached desired thickness (mine was ready in about 30 minutes), combine ricotta, eggs, basil, garlic, pepper and lemon zest in a large bowl.  Add zucchini to ricotta mixture and mix well.    Stir in cracker crumbs until mixture is no longer wet.  In a separate bowl,  add panko bread crumbs and shredded Parmesan.  Heat 1-2 TB olive oil in a large frying pan.  Take about a TB of zucchini mixture at a time and form into little patties.  Dredge in panko/cheese, and fry till golden brown.  Flip, sprinkle with salt, and brown the other side.  Keep warm in the oven while you finish the rest of the fritters.

Pork chops dijon

Ingredients:

4 pork chops
1 TBL olive oil
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 TBL dijon mustard
1 TBL mayo
sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground pepper
3-4 TBL fresh chopped herbs

Directions:
Heat oil in a skillet.  Add onions and saute for 2 minutes, then add pork chops.  Some of the onions will be nice and browned, some will not, that's ok.  Brown chops on both sides.  While chops are browning, mix remaining ingredients in a bowl.  I used basil and cilantro, because it's what I had on hand.  You could easily use parsley, tarragon, chives, etc.  When chops are browned, remove from pan and add mustard mix to pan.  It should thicken a little as it heats.  Pour sauce over chops and serve.
**Optional**  You could use honey mustard, or horseradish mustard instead of dijon mustard.

Tub cleaner

I absolutely love white vinegar for cleaning!  This is so easy, economical, and not toxic in case the kids or grandkids get under your cabinets!

Ingredients:
3 cups white vinegar
1 cup Dawn
spray bottle

Pour into a spray bottle and shake up to mix.  Spray on, let soak for a few, and wash clean.
**HINT**  Don't throw away your used mesh poufs after bathing or showering.  Used mesh poufs are great to clean the shower with!
**Recipe** adapted from One good thing by Jillee

Kitchen magic

Did you know peroxide and baking soda is good for whitening your teeth?  Well, move into the kitchen, cause this is awesome for cleaning your stove, dingy cookie sheets, etc.  What I really like it for is cutting boards!  It's much safer than bleaching your cutting boards, and it works on utensils as well!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup baking soda
squirt of hydrogen peroxide
3-4 drops Dawn

Put baking soda into a glass bowl and squirt enough peroxide into it to make a paste.  There's no perfect recipe here, just make it as thick or thin as you like it.  I added a few drops of Dawn for the suds action.
That's it!  I keep mine in a plastic carry out container from the Chinese restaurant.
**Recipe** adapted from One good thing by Jillee

Roasted red pepper alfredo

This is SO GOOD!

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 roasted red peppers, chopped

1 eggplant, roasted, peeled and chopped fine (optional)

4 oz plain goat cheese

10 oz good Parmesan cheese

1 TB olive oil

1 TB butter

8 oz heavy cream

1 # linguine

2 TB fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions on package.  While pasta cooks, heat butter and olive oil in a 2 QT saucepan.  Add minced garlic, red peppers, and eggplant.  Saute for about 10 minutes.  Add cream and turn down the heat to low.  Add cheeses and stir well.  Turn up heat to med low till cheese melts, then with an immersion blender, blend well.  Peppers and eggplant will be finely chopped at this point.  As the sauce heats, it will thicken.  If it gets too thick, add a little milk, or chicken broth.  Add drained, rinsed pasta.  Serve with fresh basil sprinkled on top.

**optional**  You could cheat a little and omit the eggplant and just use Trader Joe's roasted red pepper & eggplant spread.

Lemon Cannelli Bean pasta

This is somewhat of a "go to" meal for me.  It's quick, easy, and full of protein.

Ingredients:
1 lb pasta (whatever kind or shape you like)
1 can cannelli beans, drained and rinsed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1 container fresh mozzarella "pearls"
Juice of 3 lemons
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 TB cilantro, chopped
2 TB basil, chopped
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
1 TB agave nectar or sugar in the raw
1 TB Trader Joe's roasted red pepper spread OR diced roasted red peppers
olive oil, for saute


Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions on the box.  While the pasta is cooking,  saute onions and garlic in olive oil till translucent.  Mix beans, onions, garlic, tomatoes and mozzarella in a mixing bowl.  Once pasta is cooked, drain, rinse and add to bean mixture.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Top with Parmesan cheese for serving.

Pretzel bites

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a bread lover.  I'd rather eat bread than dessert.  These pretzel bites are perfect for snacking, appetizers or dessert!  Especially drizzled with salted caramel.  We tried them with honey mustard dip, but the caramel reigns supreme!  Adapted from  Guy's pretzel roll recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 package Rapid Rise yeast
• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 TB sugar, plus 1 tsp for sprinkling
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Olive oil to coat the bowl
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup baking soda

Directions:

Put 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F) in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Set aside to bloom, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

Add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture and mix with the dough hook on the lowest setting until the dough comes together. Increase the speed to medium and continue to mix until the dough is elastic and smooth, about 8 minutes.

Form the dough into a ball, place in a large oiled bowl and turn the dough to coat it with oil. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, 30 to 35 minutes. Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat, coat generously with cooking spray and set aside.

Punch down the dough, then turn out onto a floured surface. Knead just until the dough is smooth and springs back when poked, about 1 minute.  Roll out dough to 1/8 inch.  Cut strips about an inch wide, and flatten with rolling pin.  Cut each strip in half and simply roll up like a crescent roll.  Make an X in the top of the roll.  Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.

Stir the baking soda into the boiling water (it will foam up slightly).  Add 5-6 rolls at a time, and poach for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the rolls, drain and place on the baking sheet, cut-side up. Sprinkle with sugar and salt. Repeat with the remaining rolls.

Bake the rolls until golden, about 10 minutes.  Brush with butter after baking.  Sprinkle with cinnamon if using salted caramel sauce.  

Salted caramel

Ingredients for salted caramel sauce:

2 cups white sugar
12 TB unsalted butter, room temperature and sliced into chunks
1 cup heavy cream, room temperature
1 TB coarse sea salt

In a heavy bottom 5-6 QT stock pot, heat and whisk sugar on MED heat until it starts to melt.  I kept my heat just a tad below med because I didn't want to burn the sugar.  Whisk, whisk, whisk.   Keep whisking until the sugar is melted and reaches 350 degrees.  Slowly add the butter all at once but be careful it doesn't splatter up out of the pan.  Remove from heat and keep whisking.  It should have a nice, creamy, brown color to it.  Add heavy cream and whisk well.  Remove from stove top and whisk in sea salt.   It should have a beautiful deep brown color to it now and be creamy.  Cool and store in a glass jar or bowl. 

Creamy Onion Dip

This is a variation of my onion dip.

Ingredients:
4 med onions, sliced thin
(1) 8 oz. pkg cream cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded Asiago cheese
1/4 cup mayo

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Slice onions thin and put in a large mixing bowl.  In a food processor, mix cream cheese and mayo.  Add cheeses and mayo mixture to onions, mixing well.  I just use my hands so I can get every onion coated.  Bake in a 2 QT baking dish at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with butter crackers.

Beef ribs

The sauce on these ribs is so versatile.  It's a hot/sweet sauce.

Ingredients:
Beef ribs (short ribs is a great option)
3 cloves garlic
2 TB balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup beef broth
rub for ribs

Directions:
Sprinkle ribs with my rub.  Place in crock pot and add minced garlic, beef broth, and vinegar.  Cook on low for 7 hours.  Serve topped with hot/sweet sauce.

Hot/sweet sauce

This sauce is so versatile.  It's great for pork, ribs or chicken.  It's got some kick and after kick as well, so beware!

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped with seeds
1 chili pepper, chopped with seeds
1/4 cup soy
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 TB dijon mustard
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
olive oil, for sautéing

Directions:
Chop garlic and peppers, and sautee in olive oil for about 5 minutes.  Add soy, wine, vinegar, mustard and brown sugar and mix well.  When sauce comes to a boil, add cornstarch and whisk well.  Sauce will thicken.
**optional**  Add chives for looks.
**optional**  Make is asian by using rice wine vinegar instead of balsamic, and add 2 tsp sesame oil at the end, and/or add 1tsp minced ginger.

Hot corn dip

This is perfect for game day!  I think the tomato really makes this dish.  Of course you could kick it up a notch and add more jalapeno.

Ingredients:
16 oz corn (or 3 ears)
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup mayo
3 gloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced tomato, seeded
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4-1/2 cup red & green pepper, diced
2 jalapenos seeded and diced
2 TB cilantro
1/2 cup provolone cheese shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
2 TB butter
sea salt
fresh ground pepper


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Heat butter in a frying pan, and saute half of the corn, onion, peppers and garlic.  After a couple of minutes cooking, add tomatoes and continue to saute a few minutes.  Mash the other half of the corn (food processor works great).  Add in cilantro, cream cheese, and mayo.  Transfer to a bowl and add sauteed corn mixture, shredded cheeses, a dash of salt and pepper, and mix well.  Pour into a 2 QT baking dish and sprinkle the top with a little prove/mozz mix of cheese.  Bake 30 minutes at 350, or until golden brown.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Pesto

Ingredients:
5 cups basil leaves
12 cloves garlic
1/2 cup pine nuts
10 oz Parmesan
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Directions:
In a food processor, mince garlic.  Add pine nuts, basil leaves, Parmesan.  With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil through the feed tube.  Add in salt and pepper.  Puree thoroughly and use immediately.  You can freeze it in ice cube trays, covered.  Add to soups, stews, chicken pesto lasagna, or thaw for other recipes.  Keep covered in the freezer, or it will turn brown.

Chicken pesto lasagna

Ingredients:

2 grilled chicken breasts

1/2 cup pesto

1 1/2 QT tomato sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 med onion, sliced

1 TB olive oil

homemade ricotta (or 1 container store bought)

1 cup shredded provolone

5 lasagna noodles, broken into thirds

1 TB agave nectar, or sugar

Directions:

Make ricotta according to directions.  (Or you can use store bought, probably one container)  While the ricotta is firming up, broil or grill 2 chicken breasts.  Saute onion and garlic in olive oil.  When it starts to brown, add agave nectar (or sugar).  Cook a few minutes more and turn off heat.  Set aside.  Slice chicken thin after it's cooked.  Start layering items.  No need to cook the noodles ahead of time!  (yay!)  Start with tomato sauce on the bottom of the crock pot.  Just toss in broken noodles, a handful of chicken, handful of provolone, and dot with pesto, onions and ricotta.  Keep layering till crock pot is almost full,  making the top layer cheese and pesto.  Cook on low for about 1 1/2 hours, or until noodles are cooked.

Homemade Ricotta

Oh how I wish I had done this 20 years ago!  This was so easy and look at the creamy lemon-ish color to the ricotta!

Ingredients:

4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp sea or kosher salt
3 TB white vinegar


Bring milk, cream and salt to a boil on med heat in a stainless or heavy pot, stirring occasionally.  When it comes to a full boil, turn off heat and add vinegar.  Let it sit for about 2 minutes, until it starts to curdle.  Wet some cheesecloth and line a strainer over a large bowl.  Pour milk mixture into strainer and let it sit for about 25-30 minutes.  The longer it sits, the thicker it gets!

Fresh tomato sauce

This was my grandma Rock's recipe.  She always used fresh tomatoes from the garden.

Ingredients:

5 lbs ripe, fresh tomatoes

1/4 c olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

2 bunches fresh basil, chopped

sea salt 

fresh ground pepper

1 carrot, whole

Directions:

Wash and cut tomatoes into small wedges.  Cook for about 10 minutes, until tomatoes are soft.  Cool.  Press through a strainer.  In a dutch oven, brown garlic and onions in olive oil.   Add tomato puree, salt, pepper, carrot and basil.  Cook uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours, or until thick.  Stir occasionally.  This should make enough for 1 lb pasta.  Remove carrot before serving.  The carrot adds a little sweetness.

Eggplant parmesean

I think there are two secrets to this dish.

1)  Slice the eggplant thin

2)  Soak the sliced eggplant in salt water for a bit before cooking

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced thin

2 sleeves TJ golden round crackers, crushed

11/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 eggs, scrambled

sea salt

fresh ground pepper

8 oz pasta, cooked

Marinara sauce

Olive oil (for frying)

1 ball of fresh mozzarella

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300.  Crush crackers and mix with panko bread crumbs in a bowl.  Peel, slice the eggplant thin, and soak in a bowl of salt water for about 15-20 minutes.  While the eggplant is soaking, cook pasta according to directions on the box.  Put a plate on top of the eggplant so it gets covered with the salt water.  Beat eggs in a small bowl.  After the eggplant has soaked, drain and rinse well.  Heat the olive oil in a frying pan.  Dip the eggplant in egg, then the breadcrumb mixture.  Fry until golden brown, then turn.  Salt after you turn it over.  Pan fry till golden brown, and keep warm in a pan in the oven.  Slice mozzarella and put a slice on each piece of eggplant.  Melt in the oven for about 5 minutes.  Serve on top of pasta with your favorite marinara sauce and shredded Parmesan cheese.