Make-Your-Own Pizza Night

One of my new favorite things to do for dinner is make-your-own pizza.  I started this with the hope that the kids would be more willing to eat dinner if they have a hand in making it.  Plus, it is really fun to decorate your own pizza.  Amelia usually makes a face out of her olives and one night, Ashley did a CTR shield.  It is so fun to see them be creative.

In case you were wondering, here is my recipe for Easy Pizza Dough.  This recipe makes 2 large crusts, which works perfectly for our family to each have their own personal size pizza.  Sometimes I even have enough left over dough to make a dessert pizza.  Yum!

Easy Pizza Dough

4 - 4 1/2 cups flour
2 envelopes fast-rising yeast (dry)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 3/4 cups water

Mix 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.  Mix together warm water (110 degrees) with olive oil.  Stir into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon; beat until smooth.  (I actually do all this in my mixer with the dough hooks attached.)  Add enough of the remaining flour gradually to form a soft, firm dough.

Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.  Let rest, covered with plastic wrap, for 10 minutes.

Roll the dough on a lightly oiled or cornmeal dusted baking sheet or stretch with hands to desired size.  Bake on the lowest oven rack at 500 degrees for 10-14 minutes or until crisp and brown on the bottom.

Peanut Fudge Shape Cake

In honor of my dad's birthday, I love to make this cake since it was his favorite.

Peanut Fudge Shape Cake
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup butter or margarine
3 eggs
3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 ½ cups iced water
2 cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp vanilla
¾ tsp salt

Grease pan with shortening and dust with flour or cocoa. Mix on medium speed: sugar, peanut butter, butter and eggs until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat chocolate, flour, baking soda, vanilla, salt and water until well mixed. Scrape bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes, scrapping bowl occasionally. Bake at 325° for Teflon or 300° for natural cast aluminum for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove while warm and drizzle with peanut butter glaze.

Peanut Butter Glaze

½ cup powdered sugar
4 tsp hot water
1 Tbsp peanut butter

mix until well blended

I usually at least double the glaze.  I love all the extra sugar I can get!  Happy Birthday Daddy Bill!

Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad

6 large chicken breasts seasoned & baked, cooled & chopped

1 large can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup diced celery

3/4 cup diced green onions

3/4 cup roasted slivered almonds

salt & pepper to taste

Blending mixture

1/2 Lighthouse Ranch dressing

1/2 Best Foods mayonnaise

add nuts just before serving

Salisbury Steaks

This is a recipe that I grew up with and loved! It is super easy and 75% of the people at my table love it which I figure is pretty good. Amelia is my picky eater lately who just loves to eat noodles in any shape or form.

Salisbury Steaks

Patties:

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1/2 cup oatmeal (quick oats)

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

1 egg

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp pepper


Sauce:

1 can French Onion Soup

1 can (2 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained

1/3 cup ketchup

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp ground basil

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce


Combine patty ingredients in bowl and shape. Place in a 10x6 inch baking dish; cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes on high. Combine sauce ingredients and pour over patties. Microwave for 8-10 minutes longer. Remove from microwave; let stand for 5 minutes covered.


NOTE: My microwave is not big enough for a 10x6 inch pan to turn around so I have started cooking this on the stove top and I think that I like it better that way. So, here are stove top directions.


Brown patties (both sides) in skillet on med-med/high heat. Cover with sauce, put a lid on the pan, simmer for 20 minutes on low.


Enjoy!

Super Easy Macaroni and Cheese

This is a recipe from my Aunt Linda. It is always a huge hit at our house and we rarely have leftovers. Enjoy!

1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp uncooked elbow macaroni

3/4 cup evaporated milk

2 Tbsp butter, cut up

2 tsp flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-size baking dish (about 8x10), combine broth, macaroni, evaporated milk, butter, flour, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Stir after 15 minutes and again after 30 minutes. (Sometimes after it has baked for 40 minutes, the sauce still isn't thick so I just put it back in for 5 more minutes to thicken it up.) Remove from oven, stir in cheese until melted. Makes 4 servings. When doubling, bake in a 9x13 pan.

Funeral Potatoes

Our ward compassionate service leader called me the other day and asked if I could make some potatoes for a funeral being held on Thursday. Guy and I joked that we call this yummy potato dish "funeral potatoes" all the time except for when we are preparing them for a funeral. Just in case you don't have a recipe for these yummy potatoes, here is my version.



Potatoes with Corn Flakes a.k.a. Funeral Potatoes


6 medium boiled potatoes, diced or shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cube (1/4 cup) melted margarine
1 cup sour cream or IMO
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 - 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese


Topping

6 cups Corn Flakes, crushed to 2 cups
3 Tbsp melted butter
Combine.


Mix last 5 ingredients and cook over low heat until cheese is melted. Stir to keep from burning. Pour in layers over potatoes and fold together lightly. Top with Corn Flake crumb mixture.


Place in a square 8 x 8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until bubbly. Double the recipe for a 9 x 13 pan.

Chicken Nacho Bake

Last night for dinner, I had the classic conversation in my head of "What should we have for dinner?" Luckily, my new Kraft Foods magazine came in the mail and I found this yummy recipe that was super easy and quick and I had all the ingredients on hand. So, here it is. Give it a try!

Chicken Nacho Bake

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup salsa

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips

1/2 cup Mexican style shredded four cheese (I just used cheddar)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place chicken on foil-covered baking sheet. Slice three cuts on top of each chicken breast with a sharp knife.

Top each chicken breast evenly with salsa, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees).

When I made it, I only did 2 chicken breasts and then I just topped it with enough of the other ingredients to cover it. It turned out great and we didn't have leftover chicken to deal with.