Homestyle Pizza Dough

This is one of my favorite pizza doughs. It is really good made into Barbecue Chicken Pizza.

1 c warm water
1 TBS yeast
3 TBS olive oil
2-3 c bread flour
1 t salt

Beat half of the flour, yeast oil, and water for 3 minutes. Add salt and enough flour to make a soft dough. Beat for an additional minute, or until it looks smooth. Let rise for an hour in an oiled bowl for an hour covered with plastic wrap.

You can also add herbs and cheeses to the dough if you'd like (during the last mixing phase).

Roll out on a stone, or pizza pan to desired thickness. I like to first sprinkle a little corn meal on the stone or pan. Load on desired toppings and bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes (or until the bottom is lightly golden and crisp.

Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've tried so many chocolate chip cookie recipes, but this is one of my absolute favorites. It has an excellent texture and they never turn out flat. I find myself craving this recipe often. My mom acquired it years ago from the "Gabby Gourmet" who did TV spots on the local news channel years ago. It is different than other recipes in that it beats some of the ingredients for a long period of time and also adds cornstarch to the mixture. My mom likes to take them out while they are still a bit doughy, but I like them more well done and golden.

1 c butter
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
2 eggs
3 c flour, stirred and measured
1/4 corn starch
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 TBS vanilla
2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
coconut (optional)--I like 1 cup

Cream butter and sugars for 4-5 min. Add eggs, beat for another 4-5 min. Add dry ingredients, mix well. Add vanilla. Add chocolate chips. Bake for 8-10 min in 350 degree oven. (They may look a bit under baked if you use this time frame, but they will set up nicely-- I personally like to bake mine for 11 or 12 min. or until they are starting to turn a little golden)

Harvest Stuffed Squash

My Mom requested this recipe ages ago and I delayed because I wanted to make it again so I could take a picture to post (this is a picture of the picture in my book). Sorry about the wait, Mom.

I got this recipe from attending the Taste of Home Cooking School several years ago. I make it a lot in the fall when squash is the best, but it can be made anytime. It is pretty healthy and is one of my favorites. One half a squash equates to one serving.

2 acorn squash
3/4 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup tart apple, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T flour
3 T soy sauce
3 T beef broth or apple juice
4 tsp shredded Parmesan cheese

Cut the squash in half lengthwise (to help cut them, stab with a knife and microwave for 3 minutes). Remove the seeds and place face down in a baking pan. Fill with hot water 1/2 in deep. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

While squash is baking, cook beef with onion, apple and garlic in skillet until meat is no longer pink and the onion is tender. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the meat mixture. Stir and add soy sauce and broth or juice. Cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Turn squash halves over and fill each half with an equal amount of meat. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for 5 more minutes.

Glazed Meatloaf - (Oh So Good!)

I never liked meatloaf as a kid. The meatloaf line in Elementary School was avoided by most kids like the plague (or in today's world, the Swine Flu). It made me gag when my mom would cook it (and it grossed me out that hers had oats in it). I didn't dare taste it until I was a missionary in Taiwan. Beef in Taiwan isn't beef. It seems like a completely foreign animal and isn't as commonly eaten as other meats there. While having dinner with an American family who shopped at the Costco in Taiwan, I was served Meatloaf (made from real hamburger) . . . and I liked it (partly since I hadn't had good beef in over a year).

Anyway, I have since come to really love meatloaf, especially since my husband loves it too. After trying several recipes this one is our favorite. It is full of flavor and less greasy than others. We love the sweet sauce that it is topped with. And no Mom, this one doesn't have oats.

1/2 c ketchup
1/3 c brown sugar
1/4 c lemon juice, divided
1 tsp mustard powder
2 lbs ground beef
1-1/2 cups of soft bread crumbs (I like to use left over rolls, or about 3 slices of bread placed in a blender, though you could use any bread crumbs you have on hand) see note below*
1/4 c chopped onion
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp beef bouillon granules

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, 1 TBS of lemon juice, and mustard powder in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, combine meat, bread crumbs, onion, egg, bouillon, remaining lemon juice, and about 1/3 of the ketchup mixture. Mix well and place in a 5x9 in loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour, drain any excess fat, then top with the remaining ketchup mixture and bake for 10 more minutes.

*note: I like to save bread or dinner rolls that are going stale for crumbs, either for meatloaf or for coating chicken. Simply pulse in your blender until fine, then store in your freezer until you need it.

Fruit Crepes with Sweetened Cream Cheese

Kyle and I love to make these crepes. We started making them together while we were dating and make all the time usually for breakfast, but occasionally for lunch or dinner too. We usually make them with strawberries or mixed berries or berries and bananas, but our very favorite are with fresh local peaches when they come in season (nectarines are almost as good though) and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

Crepes

3/4 c flour
1/2 TBS sugar
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 c milk
1 T melted butter
a little vanilla
1 egg

Combine ingredients. The batter should be very thin (add more milk if too thick). Heat a small skillet and lightly butter before the first crepe. Subsequent crepes shouldn't stick. Pour a small amount of batter into the hot pan and promptly swirl the skillet to make the batter spread thin covering the bottom of the pan. Cook until very light brown, then flip and cook the other side likewise. Put aside and continue to cook crepes until batter is gone.

Spread each crepe with Sweetened Cream Cheese (recipe below) and add fresh fruit. Roll and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. They are also good with jam as well.

Sweetened Cream Cheese Spread

1-8oz brick of cream cheese, regular or reduced fat
1/4 c sugar
vanilla to taste (at least a 1 tsp)

Combine until well mixed and smooth. (This makes enough that we usually have enough for the next time we make crepes as well).

Thai Peanut Stir Fry with Noodles

I came across this recipe last week from one of my favorite food blogs, "Favorite Family Recipes" and thought it was fantastic. I would caution you to go a bit easy on the hot sauce if you don't like spicy. We found that the left overs seemed even more spicy the next day. This recipe is definitely restaurant quality and is very quick to make!

1-2 pounds chicken, cut into strips
vegetable oil (to saute)
2 T Sriracha chili sauce (easily found in the Asian section of grocery store, or can use a hot chili sauce that you like)
juice of 1 lime
3 cloves of garlic
1 T fresh ginger, minced
3-4 shakes of soy sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
16 oz. linguine noodles (I used Taiwanese noodles, but any noodle should work)
peanut sauce (see below for recipe)
peanuts
veggies of choice (shredded carrots, broccoli, green onion, bean sprouts, or any favorite stir fry veggies)

In a large skillet, saute chicken in a small amount of oil, and add chili sauce, lime juice, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, salt and pepper. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the noodles and make the peanut sauce. After the chicken is cooked, set aside and cover to keep warm. Re-oil the skillet and cook the vegetables, with the exception of green onion or bean sprouts until the very end so they don't get over cooked (you will want the veggies still a bit crisp). After the veggies are cooked, add chicken, noodles, and peanut sauce. Garnish with chopped peanuts.

Peanut Sauce:
1 c chicken broth
6 T (heaping) creamy peanut butter
2-4 tsp. chili sauce
3 T honey
6 T soy sauce
3 T fresh ginger, minced
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until sauce peanut butter melts and sauce blends well.

Awesome Steak Marinade

We love this marinade for steak. It works well on any kind from sirloin to T-bone. Feel free to scale it down if you don't have much meat to marinade. I usually half the recipe, but found that the full recipe is good if you are preparing about 2 lbs. of meat.

1/3 c soy sauce
1/2 c olive oil (or veg. oil works fine too)
1/3 c lemon juice
1/4 c Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 T garlic powder
3 T dried basil
1-1/2 T dried parsley
1 t ground white pepper
1/4 tsp Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce

Combine all ingredients and pour over meat. (I like to put everything in either a large ziploc or bread bag with a twist tie and then on a plate). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours. Discard marinate and cook meat as desired.