Pizza Crust

Basic Cheese Pizza
Prep Time: 1 hrs Total Time: 1 hrs 13 minsServes: 8, Yield: 1 pizza

Ingredients
1/4 ounce dry yeast
1 cup water, lukewarm
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups bread flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
Directions
Dough:.
In a glass or plastic bowl, combine yeast, water, and sugar (the water can just be water from the tap, make sure it's below 100°F).
Stir to dissolve the yeast and let the yeast "bloom" for 15 minutes.
Stir in 1 cup flour, add salt, and then stir in another cup of flour (the remaining cup of flour will be your "bench" flour and added flour).
Dump mixture onto kneading board and work in last cup of flour, kneading until dough is soft and elastic, but not sticky. Form dough into a ball.
In another bowl, pour in the 1 tbsp olive oil and spread around.
Coat ball of dough with oil and cover bowl with a damp towel and let dough rise for 40 minutes.
Punch down dough and knead on board about 2 minutes. Dough is now ready to spread in the pan.
Page 2 of 2Basic Cheese Pizza (cont.)
Directions
To avoid sticking of crust, lightly spray pizza pan with olive oil or vegetable oil spray and then work dough to pan (or use free form pan) - this dough is enough for 1 14-in pizza with a thin bottom crust and enough dough around the edge to munch.
Sauce:.
Combine pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, minced garlic, and basil.
Spread onto prepared pizza dough.
Top with sliced mozzarella cheese and bake at 500°F for 11-13 minutes.

Navajo Tacos Filling

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis
• salt and pepper, to taste

Restaurant Eve’s Cake

Restaurant Eve’s Cake--sugar cookie cake
from The Washington Post, April 2006

My favorite part of this recipe is how hard it is to mess up: you’re actually told not to worry about overmixing. Doesn’t that make you excited? Let your mixer do the work, and you reap the benefits.

A word on the frosting: As sweet and delicious as this frosting is, I have decided, I think officially, that I do not prefer buttercream. Next cake, it will be whipped, and that’s a decision I will stand by.

Ingredients:
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus additional to grease pans
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk (may substitute low-fat or nonfat)
Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Melt butter and let it cool to room temperature.

Combine the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in the large bowl of a stand mixer. (A stand mixer is preferable for this recipe, though a hand-held electric mixer may be used.) On medium speed, add the butter, incorporating in several additions. Beat for about 2 minutes, or until combined; the texture should resemble cornmeal.

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla extract and milk. Add to the flour-butter mixture in two batches (scraping the bowl once), and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until smooth.

Distribute the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 20 minutes. Remove cakes from pans to cool completely. Frost the cake. It can stand at room temperature for 1 hour; otherwise, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Frosting
Ingredients:
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 pounds (7 1/2 -8 cups) confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream, (may substitute whole, low-fat or nonfat milk)
Food coloring (optional)

Directions:
In a stand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until fluffy. On low speed, add the sugar in batches, increasing the speed to high after each addition is incorporated. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract and cream in a steady stream on low speed until incorporated. Add a few drops of food coloring, if desired. (Restaurant Eve uses red to make pink.) Beat on high speed for 8-10 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins

"When we were growing up, my mom made these warm, delicious muffins on chilly mornings," recalls Tory Ross of Cincinnati, Ohio. "I'm now in college and enjoy baking them for friends."

12 ServingsPrep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min.

Ingredients

• 2 cups biscuit/baking mix
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the biscuit mix and 3/4 cup sugar. In a
• small bowl, combine eggs and sour cream; stir into the dry
• ingredients just until combined. Fold in blueberries.
• Fill greased muffin cups three-fourths full. Sprinkle with remaining
• sugar. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes
• out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire
• rack. Yield: 1 dozen.

The Best Ground Beef Tacos

YIELD: SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 to 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced fine (alternately, you can add hot pepper sauce to taste or canned jalapenos OR just leave out the heat altogether, although I think the meat really needs a little kick and adding the jalapeno without seeds didn't make the dish overly spicy)
• Taco shells
• Additional taco garnishes

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and chopped onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat into smaller chunks, until it is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, drain the grease from the meat.
2. Return the skillet to the heat and stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds and then add the tomato sauce and jalapeno. Turn the heat to low and simmer the meat mixture for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in taco shells with your choice of toppings.

Delicious Ground Beef {or Turkey} Stroganoff

YIELD: SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 ounces sliced white button mushrooms
• 4 ounces light cream cheese, cubed
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1/2 cup lowfat milk
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cooked egg noodles or rice for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the meat, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to break up the meat into small pieces, until the meat is almost cooked through but still slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Drain excess grease. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft and browned and the meat is cooked through, another 5 minutes or so.
2. Add the cubed cream cheese and let the cream cheese melt over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes, before stirring in. Mix gently until the cream cheese is incorporated throughout the meat mixture. In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the beef broth and milk. Whisk in the flour until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps of flour remaining.
3. Stir the beef broth/milk mixture into the meat and cook over medium or medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Let the mixture bubble and simmer until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked egg noodles or hot, cooked rice. Sprinkle each serving with fresh parsley, if desired.

To Die for Crock Pot Roast

By yooper on May 03, 2002

Photo by Marg (CaymanDesigns)

1527 Reviews

• 
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 9 hrs 5 mins
• Servings: 8

About This Recipe

"Amazing flavor, and so simple! No salt needed here. In fact, you may wish to use half the ranch dressing mix to cut back on the saltiness. Found this Crock-Pot pot roast recipe on of a website called www.recipegoldmine.com. It's all the rage there, so I thought I'd try it."

Ingredients

• 1 (4 -5 lb) beef roast, any kind
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) packages brown gravy mix, dry
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) packages dried Italian salad dressing mix
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) packages ranch dressing mix, dry
• 1/2 cup water

Directions

1. Place beef roast in crock pot.
2. Mix the dried mixes together in a bowl and sprinkle over the roast.
3. Pour the water around the roast.
4. Cook on low for 7-9 hours.

Buttermilk Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 9 tablespoons very cold butter cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, more or less

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is like coarse meal and the butter is in small, pellet-sized pieces (slightly smaller than a pea). This will take a few short pulses in the food processor.
2. Pour in the buttermilk and mix/pulse only until just combined. The dough should start to come together but you don't want to overmix the dough. If there are lots of dry patches throughout the dough, add a bit more buttermilk, just a tablespoon or two at a time until the dough comes together.
3. Scrape the dough out of the food processor or bowl onto a lightly floured counter. Gently pat (do not roll with a rolling pin!) the dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Gently fold the dough in half or in thirds, repeating for a total of 4-5 times and pressing it gently to 1-inch thick after the last fold. These folds, combined with the cold butter, are what help to create flaky layers in the biscuits.
4. Use a round biscuit or cookie cutter to cut into circles. Do not turn the cutter while pressing into the dough, just press firmly enough to cut all the way through the dough.
5. Line a large, rimmed cookie sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper. Place the biscuits on the pan with the sides barely touching each other. This helps the biscuits rise up instead of out. If you like crustier sides to your biscuits, space them further apart. They won't rise as high but they'll have golden edges.
6. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until the biscuits are lightly golden on top and bottom, taking care to not overbake. Serve immediately.

SMORES CUPS:

• 7 whole graham crackers, finely crushed
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 6 tbsp butter, melted
• 4 bars milk chocolate candy
• 12 large marshmallows

You are going to be shocked how easy these are.
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Place graham crackers into a large resealable plastic bag. Finely crush into crumbs using Baker’s Roller®;. Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and butter in Small Batter Bowl

Step 2:
Using Small Scoop, place scant scoop of crumb mixture in each cup of a Mini-Muffin Pan. Press crumbs to form shallow cups with Mini-Tart Shaper. Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling

Step 3:
While the crust is in the oven, break two of the candy bars into rectangles. Remove pan from oven; place one rectangle into each cup.

Step 4:
Cut marshmallows in half crosswise using shears dipped in cold water. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. Return to oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are just slightly softened. Remove from oven to a cooling rack; cool 15 minutes. Carefully remove cups from pan. Cool completely.

Step 5:
Break remaining candy bars and place in (1-cup/250 mL) Prep Bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute-1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds. Dip the top of each marshmallow in melted chocolate. Turn top-side up and let stand 40 minutes-1 hour or until set.

Yield: 24 cups
Store the cups in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freezing is not recommended. For a richer chocolate flavor, substitute dark chocolate candy bars for the milk chocolate.

CREAM CHEESE JALAPENO CRESCENT POPPERS

1 tube regular Crescent Rolls
1 (4 ounce) can Diced Jalapenos (you will actually only use half of this can)
3/4 (8 ounce) cube cream cheese, room temperature
1 Tbsp. sugar

Note:  The ingredients above make 32 little Crescent Poppers.  It's easy for a grown man to shovel about 8 of these in his mouth without thinking about it.  So depending on who you're having over, you might want to get another tube of Crescent Rolls and one more cube of cream cheese.  Don't worry about the Jalapenos, you will have enough for a second batch with this one can.  Unless you want over the top spicy poppers.

Preheat oven 375 degrees.

Cut your cube of cream cheese and throw about 3/4 of it into a bowl.  Now take almost half of your Jalapenos from the can and throw in with your cream cheese. 

This is the type of jalapenos I can get at my local grocery store.  They are diced up really fine and work perfectly.  But if you prefer to use fresh Jalapenos, then go for it.  I just didn't want to get my fingers all spicy in case I need to rub my eyes anytime soon.

To your bowl with your cream cheese and Jalapenos, add your Tablespoon of sugar.  

To me, this sugar addition is important.  I like the sweet, spicy taste. The sugar is not overwhelming, it's just the perfect accent.  I mean really, anyone can add cream cheese and jalapenos to a crescent roll, but not everyone adds sugar.  It's our little secret.

Take your fork and mash it all up really well.  Be sure to incorporate all that sugar in really well.

This is where I like to do a little taste test.  I prefer a bit more spicy poppers, so I added just a bit more jalapenos.

These are not really as hot as they might appear, but then maybe that's just me.  So ya better test it first.

Set your bowl of cream cheese jalapenos aside for now.

Open up your tube of crescent rolls and place on your cutting board.

Separate them into two rectangles, it should look like this, with all the little perforations.

Now pinch together the perforations to create two nice rectangles.  Sometimes I like to use my little mini rolling pin afterwards, to make it a nice and smooth rectangle.



With the back of your spoon, spread half of the cream cheese mixture, onto one of the rectangles. Save the other half of the mixture for the other rectangle.  (You will have TWO rectangles per tube of crescent rolls.)

Get to spreading.

Once you've spread your half portion of cream cheese on one of your rectangles, start with the LONG end of the roll, and get to rolling.

Once it's all rolled up, you will need to cut your log into 16 pinwheels.

Don't be nervous, I'm not very good at math, but I've found a really easy way to do this so it all comes out evenly.

Get a sharp knife. Really sharp if you have one.

Cut your log right in half. Now you should have two logs.  Then cut those two logs in half, and now you should have four logs. 

Get the idea?  I'm so smart, I amaze myself sometimes.

So now you should have four logs.

Now, cut these dolls in half and now you have eight smaller logs.

I bet you didn't think you were gonna get a math lesson did ya?

Now of course, last but not least, cut these little sweet-ums in half.

You now have 16 pinwheel poppers.

Note:  This is where you could refrigerate these little guys if you wanted to make them ahead of time.  Then just bake them right when the Gang is getting antsy.

Place your 16 poppers, standing up, on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Pam.  Don't forget this step cause you sure don't want to be prying off your stuck-on poppers in front of your guests now do ya?

Make sure you stand them up, with the cream cheese facing upward.

Aren't they so cute?

Pop these into the oven for about 13 minutes until they are golden brown.  Keep an eye on them, as each oven varies.

Once your first batch is in the oven, get to spreading and rollin and cutting the other rectangle. Man I'm bossy.

Once they are done, immediately slide them off the cookie sheet, onto a plate, walk that plate into your crowd of hungry guests, and hear the Ohhs and Ahhs.

Then watch these poppers, pop, one by one, into the mouths of your ever thankful house guests.

Six Minute Caramels

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light Karo syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Directions:

1 Combine all ingredients.
2 Cook 6 minutes in microwave (medium high, stirring every two minutes.)
3 Stir and pour into lightly greased dish.
4 Let cool.
5 Cut, wrap in wax paper & store in an air tight container.

Homemade Reese's Eggs

Rating: 5 stars  Difficulty of Recipe: 2 stars
Review:  Loved how easy these were and they tasted just like the real thing!  Because all of my family loves Reese's eggs, we will definitely be making these again!

Ingredients:

• 3 Cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine melted
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1-2 Bags milk chocolate chips
• 2 Tablespoons shortening

1.  Beat together powdered sugar, peanut butter, and butter together.  At this point the dough will be crumbly.  Add two tablespoons of milk and continue to beat together until the dough softens.  If the dough still seems crumbly that is ok.

2.  On a floured surface, roll the dough out to desired thickness.  About 1/2 thickness.  You can use egg cookie cutters or with a knife, shape the dough to look like eggs.

3.  Place eggs on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer for an hour.

4.  When you are ready to dip them, add the chocolate and 1 Tbsp shortening in a microwave and melt 30 seconds at a time.  Stirring it after every 30 seconds and being careful not to cook the chocolate to burn.

5.  Dip each egg in chocolate.  I used a spoon to help cover in the chocolate.  Place them on wax paper to set.  

6.  If more chocolate is needed, melt the second bag with the shortening.  Enjoy!
*Makes approx 20 eggs