Menu Plan

I loved having another three day weekend! I was able to accomplish so much around the house and spend some time in the kitchen. Now I'm sure when we have to make up the ice day on spring break  I won't be as excited but for now the extra time was much appreciated.

I have a few more meals planned this week than last. We actually had dinner on Sunday night which can sometimes be a hit or miss depending on what we had for Sunday lunch. There have been many Sundays where we just have popcorn for dinner!

I hope you can get some ideas to add to you meal plan for the week.

Sunday: Stuffed Shells, Garlic Parmesan pull apart bread (I will post the recipe this week), Green beans
Monday: Grilled Deli Sandwiches using my bread I made on my extra day off!
Tuesday: Unstuffed Peppers
Wednesday: Dinner at Church
Thursday: Chicken Tortilla Soup
Friday: Out

Breakfast for the week: Strawberry Sweet Rolls (I will also be adding the recipe later this week)

Menu Plan

Thank goodness for three day weekends! I usually do my meal planning on Saturdays along with my grocery shopping but yesterday we took it easy around here. My husband was recovering earlier this week from being sick when all of a sudden he got a horrible ear infection. So, together we just chilled out and did a whole lot of nothing. For dinner we ordered pizza from one of our favorite places and watched a few movies.

I usually only plan for about 3-4 meals a week. I eat dinner at church on Wednesdays so I don't plan for that day and most Fridays we eat out or have something super simple like a frozen pizza. I will plan what I am having for Saturday nights on that day, before I head to the store. On Saturdays I enjoy cooking something that might take a little more time and  many times I do a lot of baking on Saturdays.

Here is what I have for this week:

Sunday: Taco Bake
Monday: I have the day off and Chad decided to take it off also. We are going to go to an early movie and have dinner out!
Tuesday: English Muffin Pizzas
Wedneday: Dinner at Church
Thursday: Zesty Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Hopefully these give you some ideas to add to your weekly menu!

Cheese and Corn Chowder + potatoes

Wow, it has been a while since I have posted huh? It has been on mind a lot lately to get this blog back up. I definitely haven't stopped cooking I just haven't taken the time to get on here and upload anything.




So, this weekend I was dying to get back in the kitchen after a busy week and easy dinners.
I have been craving soups lately! I jumped on my pinterest boards and noticed I had pinned The Pioneer Woman's corn and cheese chowder. I decided to make the soup and to also add some red potatoes to it as I knew it would get my husband more on board with eating it!
This recipe was super easy to put together. Besides chopping some veggies and potatoes, pretty much the rest was to just dump it in the pot! I love that! I would definitely make this on a weeknight especially if I had chopped all my veggies before. Enjoy this delicious soup!

I love the smell of onions cooking!

Corn and Cheese Chowder
Source: The Pioneer Woman
Ingredients
4 Tablespoons 1/2 Stick Butter
1 whole Onion, Chopped
3 slices Bacon, Cut Into Pieces
3 whole Bell Peppers, Finely Diced (red, Yellow, Orange) (I only used a green pepper)
5 ears Corn, Kernels Sliced Off (I used frozen corn)
1/4 cup All-purpose Flour 3 cups Chicken Stock Or Broth
2 cups Half-and-half 1 cup (heaping)
Grated Monterey Jack 1 cup (heaping)
 Pepper Jack 1/3 cup
Sliced Green Onions
Bread Bowls
Preparation Instructions In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.
Cook onions for a couple of minutes. Add bacon and cook for another minute or so, then add diced bell peppers and cook for a couple of minutes.  Finally, add corn and cook for a minute.
  Sprinkle flour evenly over the top and stir to combine. Pour in broth and stir well. Allow this to thicken for 3 or 4 minutes, then reduce heat to low.
Stir in half-and-half, then cover and allow to simmer/thicken for 15 minutes or so.
Stir in cheeses and green onions. When cheese is melted and the soup is hot, check seasonings. Add salt and pepper as needed.
Ladle into hollowed out boules and serve immediately.(I did not serve mine in bread bowls).

http://thelarsonlingo.blogspot.com/search/label/soup'son

 

BBQ Chicken Kabobs

Summer gives me more time to be in the kitchen and it makes me so excited to try my ever growning list of recipes.
We had these kabobs for dinner the other night and they were delicious. I was also able to conquer a new kitchen feat with this meal! I had never bought a fresh pineapple before so instead of using can or store prepared pineapple I cut the whole thing up myself and it is delicious!! I think it's all I can buy from now on, it was so simple and so much better than out of a can.

Sweet BBQ Chicken Kabobs Recipe:
Source: Hoosier Homemade
Ingredients:
1-2 pounds chicken, boneless skinless, cut into chunks
1 whole fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
1 each red, yellow and green peppers {you can use orange too if you like}
1 cup BBQ sauce {we used Sweet Baby Rays}
6 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, thawed
Directions:

1.Soak wooden skewers in water about 15-20 minutes.
2.Thread chicken, peppers and pineapple onto skewers.
3.Mix barbecue sauce and orange juice concentrate in a small bowl and set aside.
4.Heat the grill to medium-high.
5.Brush half of the sauce onto the skewers.
6.Grill 8-10 minutes or until chicken is done, turning occasionally.
7.Brush on remainder of sauce while skewers are cooking.
Servings:

This recipe makes about 18-20 skewers, with a little sauce left over. You can easily cut the recipe in half.

To grill pineapple, cut a 1/2 inch thick slice of fresh pineapple and place on grill. Turning once until the pineapple is slightly brown and there are grill marks on the pineapple

Chicken Stir Fry

This meal was delicious!! I love that it is so simple and so good. I have had it starred in my google reader for sometime now but just never got around to it. Now I could make this once a week!




Chicken Stir Fry
Source: Meal Planning Mommies


Ingredients
1-2 eggs, uncooked
1 lb chicken cut into pieces
1 tsp. garlic (1-2 garlic cloves)
1-2 cups rice cooked
vegetable oil
soy sauce (I used about 1/4 cup)
Frozen veggies

Begin to cook rice, according to the directions on the package. Pour 2-3 Tbs. oil into skillet and begin to heat oil. Toss in 1-2 eggs and scramble. Add 1-2 cloves garlic and chicken. Allow to cook until chicken is no longer pink on the inside. Throw in vegetables and cook for 6-8 minutes or until veggies are tender. Stir in rice and soy sauce. (more or less according to taste)

Herbed Rubbed Chicken

We are always looking for new ideas for dinner, aren't we? I have been in a rut the last couple of weeks and I was determined to step out of that rut this week. Since it is a shorter work week it gave me a little more motivation to get back in the kitchen.
The picture of this dish is what drew me to it. Sorry if mine doesn't do the same for you! :) Talk about easy! This dish is so simple. You just put everything in the pan and let it be! I had my kitchen cleaned up by the time this was ready to eat! I love that.
I think the flavor of this is wonderful. I love the angel hair pasta in it too!


Herbed Rubbed Chicken
Source: The Mess Pot from Annie's Eats
Ingredients:

8 oz. orzo pasta, uncooked ( I used a handful of Angel Hair)
2 chicken breasts, butterflied into halves (4 pieces total)
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. Herbes de Provence
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
2 cups broccoli florets
½ cup heavy cream
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Bring a saucepan of salted water to boil. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.

Season both sides of the chicken breast halves with salt and pepper. Sprinkle evenly with the Herbes de Provence. Heat the olive oil in a 12- or 14-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breast halves to the pan and cook about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallot to the pan and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté an additional minute, until fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes with juices and the broccoli florets to the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer over medium-low. Cover and let cook until the broccoli florets are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked orzo, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Mix until well blended and the cheese has melted. If necessary, add some of the reserved pasta water to smooth out the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Grilled Honey Balsamic Chicken

I left school today with absolutely no energy. I really wanted to push this dinner to another night and instead just grab some fast food. On my way home I had to convince myself to stick with dinner and get it done. Alas, I stuck with it and also whipped up a dessert! What???

I am so happy I didn't give in and was able to try something new. This chicken is delicious. It received compliments from my husband which is always a plus! I served this with mashed potatoes and corn. (It was supposed to be corn on the cob but the grocery had not a single good looking cob!)

Enoy such a simple and delicious meal!



Grilled Honey Balsamic Chicken
Source: Delish

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste

Pound chicken to even thickness. Approximately 1/2inch to 3/4 inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper. In large dish (or ziploc bag) combine oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and garlic salt. Add chicken and allow to marinate 2-3 hours or overnight. Grill until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Pizza Baked Spaghetti

I took dinner to some friends last night that just had a baby. This meal was one of the easiest meals I've put together! I made pizza baked spaghetti, corn on the cob, garlic bread and dessert.

Pizza Baked Spaghetti
Source: The Burton's Block

Ingredients:
Spaghetti (I used an entire box which made a large casserole pan)
Jar of spaghetti sauce
1 Bag of mozzarella cheese
Pepperonis

Cook the spaghetti then layer ingredients in a greased pan.
Noodles, sauce, cheese pepperoni
Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

Spaghetti Sauce

I am loving my summer vacation so far. I have a list of new recipes to try and a list of things to make to stock up my freezer!
Tonight I decided to try a new spaghetti sauce recipe. I had this recipe starred in my google reader and the picture is what drew me to trying this. I was really impressed with this sauce. It was delicious and so easy. It does not take much time except for chopping up your veggies which you could always do ahead of time. I hope you take the time to make this it is so much better than a jar of sauce.

Spaghetti Sauce
Source: Carrie's Sweet Life

•1 lb. Hamburger
•1 large onion diced
•1 green pepper diced
•dash of cyan pepper
•1 lg. Can of sliced tomato
•1 med. can of tomato sauce
•1 sm. can of tomato paste
•Thin with tomato juice
•Bay leaves
•Sweet Basil
•Oregano
•Hot Sauce
Brown the hamburger, onion and green peper together in a pan, drain off excess fat. In large pot add meat and veggies, tomato products and seasonings to taste. Simmer on very low heat for around 10 hours(I let mine simmer four about 30 minutes and it still tasted great) Add salt and pepper to taste.

Taco Pie

Summer break is finally here! I have not cooked in my kitchen in two weeks. The last three weeks of school I had something to do each night! I am so happy for summer to be here and the busyness to be done! I have a list of recipes to try and old favorites to get to as well.
For dinner tonight I chose this taco pie. Super easy and super delicious! I found this recipe from Meal Planning Mommies and as their site shows it is also a very inexpensive meal for your family. I hope you enjoy!


Taco Pie
Source: Meal Planning Mommies

Here is what you need:

1 tube crescent rolls
1 pound hamburger
1 package taco seasoning
1/2 cup water
2 cups sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese
2 cups crushed taco chips(Fritos)

Step 1: Brown hamburger, drain fat and then add taco seasoning and 1/2 cup of water. Cook until most of the water has evaporated.
Step 2: Put crescent rolls along the bottom and up the sides of a 9x9 dish. Sealing around the edges. (Instead of buying crescent rolls I bought "crescent creations", it is basically the crescent dough in a sheet instead of triangles)
Step 3: Place 1 cup taco chips on crescent rolls
Step 4: Put meat on top of crushed chips
Step 5: Put 2 cups of sour cream on top of meat and spread around.
Step 6: Place 1 cup cheddar cheese on top of sour cream
Step 7: BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 20 MINUTES.
Step 8: Take out and add 1 cup of crushed taco chips, then bake for 5 more minutes.

Cheddar & Cracker Chicken

Jolen did it again! She made another meal (which she found from Real Simple) I can add to my list! This recipe takes barely anytime to put together. With the cracker cheddar mix you can always make enough to have extra left over for another night. (Just be sure to set aside what you want to save before you dip the raw chicken into it.)

Cheddar and Cracker Chicken
Source: Joelen's Culinary Adventures

16 buttery crackers (such as Ritz), crushed (about 3⁄4 cup)
6 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1-2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
kosher salt and black pepper
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Heat oven to 350° F. In a bowl, combine the crackers, cheese, garlic, scallions and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Pound the chicken to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thickeness with a meat mallet. Dip the pounded chicken in the butter, then in the cracker mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Sprinkle any remaining cracker mixture on the chicken and drizzle with any remaining butter. Bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Beef and Broccoli

I took another step in my cooking journey! I want to be more adventurous but yet I haven't put those words into action. Now when I say I cook Mexican or Italian cuisine I'm talking spaghetti and tacos! I finally stepped out of those genres and stepped into asian cuisine!
I know I'm a wimp. What was I thinking, this was so easy I don't know why I get so nervous to try something different!
Thanks to Joeleen for such a great recipe. This really was easy and of course delicious!


Beef & Broccoli
original Joelen recipe

Marinade:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce (regular or low sodium)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb boneless round steak, cut into thin strips

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (I searched and searched for this but could not find it in my grocery!)
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
salt & pepper to taste




In a bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, water, garlic powder, and beef. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.

When ready to prepare, warm up a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil to heat up. Once hot, saute the garlic and onion until softened.

Add the marinated beef and marinade to the skillet. Saute the beef until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the water, oyster sauce and broccoli florets. Let it come to a boil and allow the liquid to reduce and the broccoli cooks from the steam.


When the liquid has reduced almost completely, season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and serve over steamed rice or noodles

Zesty Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

This was on the menu for last week but unfortunately I got sick! Thankfully all is well now and I was able to make this tonight. This is a great recipe. I'm also happy it included borccoli! Chad won't eat it usually but mixed in with something he is more likely to like it :)
Give it a try!

Zesty Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Source: A Taste of Home Cooking

3-4 broccoli crowns, cut into bite-size pieces
3/4 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium)
2 tablespoons oil
3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise (or sour cream)
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cook broccoli and onion in a pan with 1 tablespoon oil until broccoli is just tender. Arrange in an even layer in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with butter; set aside. Add second tablespoon oil to pan and cook chicken until golden-brown. Arrange on top of broccoli mixture.

Melt two tablespoons butter in empty pan over medium-high heat then add flour. Cook for 1 minute, then add milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Add cheddar and cream cheeses; stir until smooth. Stir in mayonnaise and water chestnuts. Spoon cheese mixture evenly over broccoli.

Place panko in a small bowl. Drizzle with remaining two tablespoons melted butter, and toss. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over broccoli mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble and breadcrumbs brown.

Cheesy Potato Soup

I finally made a good potato soup! Chad loves potato soup from O'Charley's and I have been trying to make his grandma's recipe but it never came out right. I thought I would try this recipe. It seemed easy enough and it was. It turned out great :) The only drawback was that it took some time to chop everything. I didn't even think about this when planning when to eat dinner so we ate slightly later than planned but it's ok we still ate :) I know I could have chopped my veggies when I brought home everything from the grocery but I was in a rush that day.
Definitely try this recipe!

Cheesy Potato Soup
Source: Crystal's Creations

Ingredients -
8-10 medium Red Potatoes
Water to cover potatoes
1 Green Pepper
1 large Onion
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 package Bacon, cut into 1" pieces
1 cup Milk
1/3 package Velveeta, cut into 1" cubes
1 teaspoon Celery Seed (I omitted)
Salt and Pepper, to taste


Preparation:
Quarter and cut potatoes into small pieces. ( I cut mine into sticks) You can peel them or scrub and leave skin on. You may leave the skin on for red or new potatoes, and peel if using others.Place potatoes in large pot and cover with water; add salt. Boil, covered until tender.

While potatoes are boiling, place bacon, onion, garlic, and green pepper in another large pot and sauté until bacon is cooked, green peppers are tender, and onions are clear.

Drain bacon fat, except for about 1 tablespoon. Add celery seed, salt, and ground pepper and sauté for 1 more minute.

Add sautéd ingredients to undrained boiled potatoes. Turn heat to medium.

Add Velveeta and stir soup until cheese melts. Add milk, and stirring constantly, heat until soup is hot.

Be careful not to burn it.

Baked Lemon Pasta

The Pioneer Woman doesn't usually disappoint and she didn't with this recipe.
I found this recipe on the Realistic Eats blog. This was simple and quick which is what I am always looking for. I loved the creamy taste of this too.
I changed this up a bit and added some chicken to it. I just threw it in the pan with the olive oil and browned it. When I added the lemon juice and garlic I let it sit in there for another minute our so. I removed it and added the sour cream. I then just mixed it in with the spaghetti in the dish!


Baked Lemon Pasta
Source: Realistic Eats from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
1 pound Thin Spaghetti
4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested
2 cups Sour Cream
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
Extra Lemon Juice
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.
In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.
Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.
Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)
When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.
Serve with crusty French bread and a simple green salad.

Garlic Ranch Biscuit Topped Chicken Pot Pie!

Whew thats a long title! :) So I noticed I only tend to post chicken recipes! My husband only cares for beef and chicken. No pork and very few pasta recipes! So I'm stuck with two options. If we are going to choose beef it's going to be hamburgers or tacos mostly! So all I get is to do is experiment with chicken! Good thing chicken is so versatile and there are so many recipes out there!

This recipe came together of course really quickly! Now I'm not too big on using the cream of whatever soups but decided to go for it with this recipe. It was delicious!

I halved this recipe since it was only for me and leftovers for lunch.

Poppin’ Garlic Ranch Biscuit Topped Chicken Pot Pie
Source: Picky Palate

4 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (either bake, crockpot or pressure cook chicken for easy shredding)

1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Mix, reserve 1/2 teaspoon for topping

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 fresh cracked black pepper

2 10 oz cans cream of chicken soup

10 oz can cheddar cheese soup

1 Cup chicken broth

1 Cup milk

2 15 oz cans Mixed Veggis, drained

3/4 Cup crumbled bacon pieces, already cooked

1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 6 count can Pillsbury Homestyle Biscuits

1/2 teaspoon Lawry’s Garlic Salt

1/2 teaspoon reserved dry Ranch Dressing Mix

1/2 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cholula Hot Sauce to top, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place shredded chicken into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle in ranch mix (reserve 1/2 teaspoon for later), salt and pepper. Toss to combine seasonings.

2. In a large rimmed skillet or dutch oven, place soups, broth and milk over medium heat; whisk until combined. Stir in mixed veggis then shredded chicken. Transfer to a large 9×13 inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle bacon and cheese over top.

3. Open biscuits and place onto wax paper. Cut each biscuit into 10 little triangle pieces (cut biscuit in half then cut each half into fifths). Place little pieces of biscuit over top of chicken mixture until it’s all covered. Sprinkle biscuits with remaining ranch dressing mix, garlic salt and 1/2 Cup cheese. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and biscuits are cooked through underneath. Cover with foil the last 25 minutes of baking to prevent too much browning. Let cool for 10 minutes then serve. Serve with Cholula hot sauce if you like it spicy! Enjoy.

8 servings

Garlic Cream Chicken

I know I haven't been too great at posting lately! I am still cooking but haven't had much energy to try new things. I am experiencing extreme tiredness and I haven't had any energy lately. Since I have been feeling this way I have been on the lookout for easy and quick recipes. This recipe definitely fit the bill. Chad wasn't home the night I made it but it just gives me an excuse to make it again soon. I know it is something he will really like!


Garlic Cream Chicken and Rice
Source: Burnt Toast who Adapted it from Elizabeth's Cooking Experiments, which she adapted from www.adamandmonika.com

6 cloves garlic, pressed (I only used 2)
4 chicken cutlets (or 2 full size breasts)
salt & freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 1/2tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
flat leaf parsley, rough chopped, for garnish
cayenne pepper, sprinkled over the top



Season chicken liberally with salt & pepper. Heat the butter and oil n a large deep pan over medium heat. Sauté chicken until nicely browned (~5 min per side). Chicken does not have to be fully cooked at this point. Transfer chicken to a plate and get the rice cooking.


Add garlic to the pan, lower heat to medium, and sauté until soft. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add stock and bring to a boil. Return chicken to the pot. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove chicken to a platter and cover with foil.

Add cream and boil for about 3 minutes. Plate rice, sprinkle parmesan cheese over the rice. Add a little sauce then chicken and more sauce. Top with parsley and sprinkle with cayenne pepper.

Pizza Pizza

I have not been very daring or successful when it comes to making homemade pizza. I usually use a pre-made crust as I have not been too brave when it comes to working with yeast. I also haven't found a sauce that Chad likes they always seemed to make him sick somehow. Well I think this recipe was finally a winner!

This pizza turned out great. The only downside was that it did take some time to put it all together. I also found out I won't be winning any pizza tossing contests anytime soon. My pizzas barely resembled a circle!!
I hope you enjoy this recipe!


Pizza:
Source:Jaime Cooks

Dough:
•2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for rising
•½ teaspoon dried herbs, i.e. oregano
•22 ounces (4 cups) bread flour
•1¾ teaspoons salt
•1 teaspoon sugar
•2 teaspoons instant yeast
•¼ cups white wine (I used chicken stock)
•1½ cups water
•cornmeal for dusting

Sauce:
•1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
•salt and pepper
•5 cloves garlic, roasted*
•2 Tbsp to ¼ cup fresh basil, torn

Assembly:
•10 ounces (2½ cups) part-skim mozzarella, shredded or sliced
•2 ounces (1 cup) parmesan, grated
•toppings of your choice, such as:
◦Sausage – hot, mild, pork, turkey, chicken, etc.
◦Pepperoni
◦Bacon
◦Ham
◦Chicken
◦Bell Peppers
◦Onions
◦Mushrooms
◦Black Olives
◦Diced Tomatoes
◦Jalapeño
◦Pineapple
◦Basil
◦Fresh Mozzarella

Garlic Bread:
•6 cloves garlic, roasted*
•6 Tbsp butter, room temperature
•1 tsp Kosher salt, added to taste
•¾ cup pizza sauce
•¼ tsp red pepper flakes

Directions:


For the dough:
1.Heat the oil and herbs in a small saucepan over low heat until fragrant. Mix in the water and wine.

2.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. With the mixer on low speed, pour in the liquid mixture. Continue mixing on medium-low speed until the dough comes together, and then knead on medium-low speed for 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour or water as necessary to form a dough that is sticky but does not cling to the sides of the bowl. When the mixer is running on medium-low speed, the dough should not stick to the bottom of the bowl.

3.Drizzle about 2 Tbsp of olive oil into the bowl. Rub your hands on the sprayed bowl to coat them with oil, then quickly form the dough into a ball. Place the ball of dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

4.Either set the dough aside to rise at room temperature, which will take 1½ to 2 hours, or refrigerate it until the next day. If it’s chilled overnight, it will take about 5 hours at room temperature to warm and finish rising. You can also reduce the yeast to ½ teaspoon and let the dough rise on the counter for about 8 hours after it has been chilled overnight.

For the sauce:
1.Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor 10-12 times, until they’re pureed.

2.Transfer them to a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl and let them drain, stirring occasionally for at least 10 minutes. You can get away with less time if you actively stir and press the tomatoes through the strainer; if you wait longer, you can stir less.

3.Transfer the tomatoes from the strainer back to the bowl of the food processor or previous bowl, and roasted garlic, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Start adding to the sauce slowly, tasting along the way. You can always add in more seasoning, but once it’s in there, . . . well, you know the rest.

Assembly:
1.Place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 500ºC. Place the garlic on the hot pizza stone for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant.

2.Divide the dough and shape each portion into a ball. You have a few options of how to divide it. It makes enough dough for three 12-inch pizzas. However, I always cut it in half and freeze half. Then I divide the remaining dough into two more parts, one twice the size of the other. I make the larger one into pizza and the smaller into cheese bread (no sauce or toppings). Let the balls of dough relax for 10-30 minutes.

3.Using tongs remove the garlic from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Mince.

4.Work with one ball of dough at a time on a lightly floured surface. Flatten the dough, then pick it up and gently stretch it out, trying to keep it as circular as possible. Curl your fingers and let the dough hang on your knuckles, moving and rotating the dough so it stretches evenly. If it tears, just piece it together. If the dough stretches too much, put it down and gently tug on the thick spots.

5.Dust a pizza peel lightly with cornmeal and transfer the round of dough to the peel. Rearrange the dough to something reasonably circular; stab it several times with a fork. Add 1/3 of each of the garlic, sauce, and cheese, followed by toppings of your preference, and then transfer to a hot pizza stone.

6.Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is spotty brown. Let the pizza cool on the peel for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Garlic Bread Sticks:
1.If using hand blender, place garlic, salt, and butter into blender cup and blend until smooth. Otherwise, mince garlic as finely as possible and blend into butter and salt. You’ll have to taste the mixture when you first make it, as you want the salt to bring out the garlic flavor rather than overpower it.

2.Shape the reserved dough into a rectangle of your desired thickness. I usually aim for a 11×14″ sized sheet.

3.Spread butter mixture over dough, leaving a slight edge. If you wanted a cheesy bread, you could sprinkle with mozzarella and/or parmesan at this point.

4.Bake for 10 minutes at 500º. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.

5.If you want a dipping sauce, simply use some extra pizza sauce. I give ours a kick by blending in some crushed red pepper flakes.

Notes:
•You can substitute up to 7 ounces (about 1½ cups) of whole wheat flour for the white bread flour, but expect longer rising times and a more stubborn dough. But if you’re patient during shaping, your crust will be just as light and crisp as dough made completely with white flour.

•Another important aspect of pizza crust is how you work with it. Be gentle with your dough. I need to stress that you really don’t want to use a rolling pin. Pull and stretch the dough. Pick it up, hanging the edges on your knuckles, and let gravity do the work. If it’s tearing or thinning unevenly, put it back down and just pull at the thicker parts. If it’s fighting you, walk away for five minutes to let it relax.

Cheddar Bacon Ranch-Chicken Bake

We have another winner! I made this casserole dish tonight and it was delicous. The best part is that even though Chad was leary of it at first he ended up enjoying it :) This meal also ended up being super simple. After dicing up the peppers it took me about 5 minutes to put together. I hope this meal is something you can add to your menu!


Cheddar-Bacon-Ranch Chicken & Rice Bake
Source:Vintage Victuals

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (white or brown)
1 10.5-ounce can of condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can of water
1 can of milk
1 1-ounce packet of ranch seasoning mix
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
4 medium-sized chicken breasts
2 cups cheddar cheese
6-8 slices of bacon, cut into 1″ pieces ( I forgot to grab this at the store so I didn't include it)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the rice, the soup, the water, the milk, the ranch seasoning, and the diced peppers. Stir until well combined. Place the chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture. Cover the dish with tin foil and wrap tightly.

Bake for 45 minutes. In the meantime, lightly brown the bacon pieces over medium heat in a small frying pan. When you remove the chicken and rice from the oven, check the chicken to make sure it is cooked through (I like to use a meat thermometer for this). Then, sprinkle with the shredded cheese and the browned bacon pieces. Return to the oven for about 5-7 minutes so that the cheese melts and bubbles. Serve hot. Yield 4-6 servings

BBQ chicken crusted smoked cheddar mac

I found something that Chad said was delicious! Usually Chad likes what I make but never raves about it! Tonight he said "It was epic"! He was really skeptical at first but luckily it turned out great! This meal was actually pretty easy to put together and didn't take a lot of time.


BBQ Chicken Crusted Smoked Cheddar Mac
Source:Picky Palate

(I halved this recipe and it still made a good amount for the 2 of us!)

1 lb mini farfalle pasta (use any pasta of choice)

5 Tablespoons butter
5 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
4 Cups milk, I used 2%
5 Cups shredded cheddar cheese (you could use any cheddar cheese)

2 Cups shredded BBQ Chicken ( I boiled some chicken and covered it in baby jack BBQ sauce and let it simmer on the stove for a few minutes)
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

2. Melt butter into a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute stirring. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Increase heat to medium high, stir continuously until liquid thickens and comes to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheddar cheese until smooth then add cooked pasta. Pour mixture into a large baking dish then top evenly with BBQ chicken. Sprinkle with additional cheddar cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

3. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and serve.