Recipes

Recipes from my Sunday Recaps and a few family favorites!

Pizza Crust (The Pioneer Woman)


Ingredients 

  • 1 teaspoonInstant Or Active Dry Yeast
  • 1-½ cupWarm Water
  • 4 cupsAll-purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoonKosher Salt
  • ⅓ cupsOlive Oil

 Preparation Instructions

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water. Let stand for a few minutes.

In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined, and the dough comes together in a sticky mass.

Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it aside for 1 to 2 hours, or store in the fridge until you need it.

Note: it’s best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

When you are ready to make the pizza, grab HALF the pizza dough (recipe makes 2 crusts) and squeeze the dough toward the bottom to form a nice, tight, pulled ball. You can roll out the pizza with a rolling pin if you’d like, but sometimes it’s just as easy to throw it around and pull and stretch till it feels right. And when the crust is nice and thin, lay it on an oiled baking sheet or pizza pan. Drizzle a little olive oil on the dough and spread it with your fingers. Very lightly sprinkle some salt on the crust.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Top your crust with your toppings of choice. Then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.

I messed up quite a few pizza crusts until I found this one.  I am going to substitute 1/2 cup whole wheat flour next time.  Shhh.... don't tell newbie!

Pizza Sauce (Smashed Peas and Carrots)

Ingredients
 
  • 1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
  • 1 6 oz can of tomato paste
  • 2 tsp basil
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed

Preparation Instructions

Mix all the above ingredients in a medium size bowl.  Spread on your pizza dough.  

This makes ALOT of sauce.  You can use it for a second pizza with your leftover dough or I pulled some out for our breadsticks.

On my pizza, I like to use - in this order - sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, grated parmesan cheese and pizza seasoning.

Homemade Breadsticks (Tasty Kitchen)


Ingredients

  • 1-½ cupWarm Water
  • 1 TablespoonInstant Yeast
  • 2 TablespoonsSugar
  • 3-½ cupsFlour
  • ½ teaspoonsSalt
  • 3 TablespoonsButter, For Melting In The Pan

Preparation Instructions

Mix all ingredients (except melted butter) in a large bowl or electric mixer and knead for three minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread melted butter onto an 11×17-inch baking sheet. Roll out the breadstick dough about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick and cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Twist slightly if desired and place about 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic salt, herbs of choice (I vary this depending on my mood, but it usually consists of rosemary, basil, or thyme in some form and crushed finely) and parmesan cheese. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees until golden brown.

I halved this recipe.  I spread melted butter on top, garlic salt and then grated parmesan cheese. It makes an awful lot of breadsticks!  I also took it out right at the 15 minute mark because I really like my breadsticks chewy.  



Oatmeal Raisin Applesauce Cookies EASY
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking soda
1.5 cups rolled oats
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup raisins

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Sift together flour, baking soda, allspice and cinnamon.  Stir in the oats.

3.  Combine egg whites, brown sugar, applesauce, milk, vanilla and raisins. Add to flour mixture.  Mix well.

4.  Bake 12- 15 minutes.


Devil's Food Cake Chocolate Muffins  EASY

1 box of devil's food cake mix (sugar free)
1 15 oz can of pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1.  Mix all together. You can add chocolate chips as well. I did!
2.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 mins in a muffin pan.
Makes 12 muffins.  Around 200 calories without chocolate chips.


Crockpot Lasagna EASY (Jessica Seinfeld on Oprah)
  • 3 cans (14.4 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 3 cloves garlic , finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 containers (15 ounces each) fresh ricotta
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) grated mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • 12 lasagna noodles (about three-quarters of a 1-pound box)
  • 5 ounces (about 6 cups) baby spinach
1. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, salt, red pepper and black pepper. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella and Parmesan.
2.  In the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, spread a thin layer of the sauce. Top with 3 of the noodles (breaking to fit as necessary). Spread about 1 cup of the sauce over the noodles and layer with 2 cups of the spinach and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture. Repeat twice more with the noodles, sauce, spinach and cheese mixture. Top with the remaining 3 noodles, sauce and 1 cup mozzarella.

3.  Cook on low, covered, until the noodles are tender—especially in the center of the lasagna—about 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
Sweet and Sour Meatballs MEDIUM (Jessica Seinfeld Double Delicious)
35 minutes total

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices soft whole-wheat bread, crust removed, torn in pieces
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup brocooli puree
1 large egg
1/2 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup low fat, reduced sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons steak sauce
1/4 coup crushed pineapple in natural juice
1 tablespoon orange marmalade

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and cook 7 - 8 minutes, stirring often.  Add garlic and cook 1 more minute or until garlic is fragrant.  Place bread in mixing bowl with onion, garlic, yogurt, broccoli puree, egg, turkey, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Beat with electric mixer until smooth.  Form into 1/2 in meatballs and set on waxed paper.

2.  Heat remaining olive oil in skillet over medium- high heat.  Add half of meatballs and cook 7 - 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned.  Transfer to plate and repeat with remaining meatballs.

3.  Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.  Heat oil in small saucepan.  Add onion and sugar.  Cook 7 - 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and slightly browned.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, cooking 1 minute more.  Puree with immersion blender.  Pour over meatballs and serve.


Baked Ziti  EASY (Kraft Foods)
50 mins total 

1 box ziti (use whole wheat if possible)
26 oz spaghetti sauce
15 oz ricotta (low fat)
1 pkg mozzarella cheese (low fat)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
 
1. Preheat oven to 350. Make ziti pasta according to package. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water after rinsing.
 
2. Mix spaghetti sauce, ricotta cheese and pasta water in large bowl. Add pasta and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Mix lightly. Spread in 9x13 pan. Top with rest of cheese.
 
3. Bake 30 mins covered. Uncover and bake 10 more.