Homemade Pizza Crust

I had heard about this easy recipe from a fellow blogger and decided to try it last night for some yummy homemade pizza.  IT WAS SOOOOOOO GOOD!  The recipe is called "Jay's Signature Pizza Crust" and I got it off http://www.allrecipes.com/.  It has 4 1/2 stars and A TON of reviews, so it had to be good right?  Right!
And so easy!  Here is the original recipe:

Ingredients
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions
1.In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
2.Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
3.Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.
4.Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
5.Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Here are my add-ins:  I put in some Italian Seasoning and some garlic powder and onion powder in the yeast/oil mixture, right before adding in the flour.  It made it very savory!  I also put pieces of string cheese in the edges of the crust before baking to get that cheesy crust all the pizza places are raving about!  
 
On my homemade pizza, I just use a traditional pasta sauce (special pizza sauce is so overrated!), mozzarella, and whatever veggies and meats I have on hand.  Last night, I topped my pizza with a small can of mushrooms (drained of course), 2 sliced up LARGE tomatoes, some thick cut ham, and a red bell pepper.  I had to cook it on my pizza stone for 20 minutes because of all the juices, but it was so good!  
I ate it again for lunch.  Cold.  Straight from the fridge.  I love eating pizza leftovers!
(Sorry no pictures, my camera battery is dead and is yet to be charged.  I haven't taken pictures for 3 weeks!  lol)

Baked Potato Casserole

I love twice-baked potatoes but have never actually made them. I found this recipe for potato casserole, which is basically just the easy version of twice-baked potatoes, in casserole-form (with my additions in italics).

Baked Potato Casserole (from simplifysupper.com)

6 Small baking potatoes *I used 3 regular russet potatoes
.75 cup cottage cheese *I don't like cottage cheese, so I did 1/2 cottage cheese, 1/2 cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup sour cream *I used fat free and it worked just fine
1/2 cup cheddar or favorite mixed cheeses *I used cheddar and monterey jack
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika, optional

Scrub potatoes with a brush and pat dry. Pierce with a fork and cover each individual potato with aluminum foil, matte side facing out. Bake at 425 40 to 60 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Allow to cool slightly until they are cool enough to handle. Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Then add cottage cheese, sour cream, garlic salt, and paprika. Mix well and add to a greased casserole dish. Add shredded cheese to top. Bake uncovered at 325 for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden.


It was delicious! When I showed my sister the recipe, she suggested using cream-of-whatever soup instead of cottage cheese (we both dislike cottage cheese - guess it runs in the pants!). Of course cottage cheese is slightly better for you than creamed soups, so I just decided to mix the 2 on a whim. You could still see the cottage cheese in the casserole but you couldn't taste it. And my husband suggested adding a little more sour cream because "sour cream is good on potatoes." (It was really good just how it was, but more sour cream probably wouldn't hurt either.)

Chicken Pot Pie

Another recipe I tried from www.ourbestbites.com!!! It turned out wonderful. I also had plenty of filling left over, it wouldn't all fit in one pan, so plan on making 4 pie crusts. I put my pot pie in a small 8*8 casserole dish instead of a pie pan, and used a little bit of leftover pie crust to cover a small individual dish (that turned out great!).
Like they suggested on the website, you can make one (or two) larger chicken pot pies, or make several individual-sized ones by using prep bowls or anything small that you can put in the oven. For those little pies, you only need to cover it with a crust (you don't need to put any lining the bowl), so you'd save on crust there. It is also GREAT to freeze and reheat later! Or to take as a lunch!

Ingredients:
2 unbaked pie crusts
1 lb leftover chicken, chopped (you can use any kind of chicken really)
1 12-16 oz bag of mixed veggies, thawed
1 onion, minced
butter
5 medium potatoes (red), diced (I used regular potatoes, worked just fine)
2 cans of cream of chicken soup (or see the homemade recipe below)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat +/- 1 tbs butter in a medium skillet. Saute the onion (and I put in my chopped raw chicken as well) until translucent and fragrant.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine cream of chicken soup, chicken, veggies, onion and potatoes. Season to taste.
5. Place 1 pie crust on the bottom of a pie plate, add filling, top w/ other crust. Crimp the edges and cut vent holes on top.
6. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Allow to stand a few minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8. Enjoy!

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

Have you ever run out of cream of chicken soup when you bake a casserole or make chicken pot pie? Well, I made this last night for our chicken pot pie cause I didn't have any canned stuff, and it turned out WONDERFUL! And soooooo easy!
I got this recipe off www.ourbestbites.com, great website.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp parsley
dash of paprika
1 1/2 c milk, divided
3/4 c flour

Instructions:

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring chicken broth, seasonings and 1/2 c of the milk to a boil.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk and the flour.
3. Add to boiling mixture and whisk briskly until mixture thickens (shouldn't take long at all, mine was done almost immediately).
4. Cook until desired consistency is reached, keeping in mind that it will continue to thicken as it stands.

Makes the equivalent of 2 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup!

Chicken, Spinach, Mushroom Quesadillas

These turned out to be quite delicious and simple! All you need is tortillas, chicken (I boiled mine and shredded it), cheese, mushrooms, spinach leaves, and tomatoes (opt.)

Combine all of the ingredients into the tortilla.

And then I used my george foreman to grill them. Yum in the tum!

Cheesy Potato Soup (w/ bacon)

I got this award-winning recipe from my friend Bethany. I made it tonight. It feeds 6-8 people (or more, it is so rich!) and is also great in a bread bowl.

In large pot combine:

4 cubes or 2 Tbs. granules Chicken bouillon
3 Cups hot water
5 cups diced potatoes
1 cup diced celery
1 cup chopped carrots
½ cup chopped onion
Cook above ingredients until tender.

In second pan melt butter and whisk in flour. Add the half and half and mix until smooth. Add Velveeta and grated cheese and mix until smooth and then add to vegetables.

¾ cup butter
¾ cup flour
8 oz cubed Velveeta
4 cups half and half
½ cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
You can add milk to it after it is all cooked to make it a little thinner and it helps make it not as rich tasting.
I also added about 8 slices of bacon, cut up and cooked, as I mixed everything together. Good stuff.

Enjoy the yum-yums!

Ruth's Casserole

Named Ruth's Casserole after my great grandmother, Ruth, whose recipe this is. Some people say it's like Shepherd's Pie, my husband called it Poor Man's Casserole, or Peasant Casserole...anyway, seems like a fairly popular recipe, and this is just one variation, but I love it and always have.

1 lb ground beef
3-4 potatoes (I usually use russet, but used red tonight and they worked just great)
1-2 cans green beans (My mom always used 2, I always use 1. I think 1 is plenty)
2 cans tomato soup (or, as discovered tonight, 1 can tomato soup and some milk. Not as flavorful, but still yummy)

Brown the beef while cooking the potatoes, either by boiling or in the microwave. Once they are cooked, peel (optional) and chop potatoes (bite-size chunks, not super small). Combine all ingredients and eat!

Makes 3-5 servings

Coconut Curry Chicken!

Oh my yummy goodness! I made this for dinner tonight and just had to share! I got it off the Utah Deal Diva blog, and is way cheap to make!


Ingredients:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used a little more)
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed, diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Assemble ingredients
2. Dice onion & cut up chicken. Season chicken with salt & pepper.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add curry and mix thoroughly. Let flavors meld for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, cook for 5-7 minutes, till chicken is mostly cooked through.
5. Transfer mixture to heated crockpot. Add coconut milk, tomatoes and sugar, stir. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours.
6. Cook 2 1/2 cups of rice according to package directions. Serve sauce over rice. Enjoy!

This makes 6 servings at only $.63 per serving!

Veggie Wraps

So a friend of mine just made these awesome veggie wraps for dinner and posted the recipe on her blog. And I figured I would share. Thanks Amy!

1/4 cup tub-style fat-free creme cheese
4 (10-inch) fat-free tortillas (i got the spinach ones)
4 curly leaf lettuce leaves
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup crumbled cheese of your choice (feta, blue cheese etc.)
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion

Spread one tablespoon cream cheese over each tortilla; top each with a lettuce leaf. Divide sprouts and remaining ingredients evenly among tortillas; roll up. Cut each rolled wrap in half diagonally. Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato and Zucchini Pasta

Ingredients:

- Cherry or grape tomatoes (I used one package)
- 2 Zucchini squash
- Pasta (anything will work, I used angel hair)
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- Parmesean cheese
- Spaghetti Sauce (optional)

Instructions:

Cut up the zucchini squash into fourths. I cut it down the middle (the long way), and then take the 2 halves and cut them down the middle, and chop them into small pieces. Put the cut up zucchini and tomatoes on a cookie sheet. Pour olive oil, salt, and pepper over them and mix it with your hands. Cook the veggies in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes. Then cook your pasta. When the veggies were done I put them in a little spaghetti sauce and sprinkled cheese on top. That's it! It is easy, and pretty healthy. If you use wheat pasta, it would be even better! Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but I am going to! It is easy and looks yummy! I saw it on Studio 5 on KSL the other day. A gal from the USU extension in SLC was on the show to make it. They hold a free menu planning class during the summer if anyone is interested. They help you learn to plan a menu, cook healthy, and shop wisely. I am signed up for the July 15th class, and there is another one in August. Click here to get the info on it :)

Ingredients:

* 1 can (15 - 20 oz) pineapple chunks
* 1 cup water
* ¼ cup vinegar
* 1/3 cup brown sugar
* ¼ tsp. ginger
* 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
* 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
* 2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts cut into thin strips
* 1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
* 2 carrots, thinly sliced
* 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
* 1 onion, chopped
* Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Drain the pineapple juice into a bowl and reserve the pineapple chunks. Add water, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger and cornstarch to the juice and mix well. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Sauté the chicken over medium-high heat until all juices run clear. Add the onion, green pepper, celery and carrots; then sauté until tender. Add the pineapple juice mixture and stir while the sauce thickens. Mix in the pineapple chunks. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve over hot rice.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Citrus Marinated Shrimp

Citrus Marinated Shrimp - 6 servings

1 cup orange juice
1 cup fresh lemon juice
¾ cup ketchup
¼ teaspoon tabasco
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½-2 pounds of large(Costco)shrimp
1 small red onion *thinly sliced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Combine juices, ketchup, and tabasco in large bowl. Whisk in oil. Add onion, cilantro and cooked shrimp and mix well. Place in a ziplock bag and chill for a few hours or overnight. Drain well before serving. ENJOY!

Russian Chicken

RUSSIAN CHICKEN

Ingredients:
frozen chicken breasts or tenders
1 bottle of Wishbone Russian dressing
1 jar of pineapple apricot jam
1 envelope of Lipton Onion Soup

Place frozen chicken in a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with Pam. In a bowl combine, dressing, jam, and Lipton Onion Soup. Mix together and pour over chicken. Place tin foil over the top of the pan and cook at 325 for an hour and a half. It tastes sooooo good, and is super easy! Enjoy!

Italian Chicken

Super easy.

Ingredients:

Chicken breast(s)
Italian dressing (I used low-fat)


Partially cook chicken in frying pan. Pour a little dressing over the top and finish cooking.

I served it with some rice on the side. It was delicious, and can it get any easier?


Nutrition Facts:

Serving size: 1/2 chicken breast

• Calories: 154.7

• Total Fat: 1.4 g
• Cholesterol: 65.7 mg
• Sodium: 1,033.7 mg
• Total Carbs: 6.0 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.0 g
• Protein: 26.2 g

Tomato-Cream Penne for 2

Super quick and easy, and delicious.

1/2 jar tomato pasta sauce
1/4 cup half-and-half
3 cups hot cooked penne

Mix and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese!

Twice Baked Potatoes for 2

2 potatoes
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 can cream of broccoli soup
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Bake potatoes at 400 degrees for 2 hours. Remove, slide in half longways and scoop out insides. Mash with butter, sour cream, soup, and half of cheese. Add salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste. Refill skins and top with remaining cheese. Return to oven for 15 minutes. Serve.

Crockpot Chicken

2-3 chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can french onion soup
1 bag of mini carrots

Place all items in your crockpot and stir to combine. Cook on low 6-8 hours. I like to make mash potatoes on the side and use the soup sauce as a gravy. You could also put the potatoes right into the crockpot as well. **Use this same recipe to cook a roast instead of chicken!