Cheesy Bread

INGREDIENTS:

for the pizza dough-
1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey {or sugar}
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
3 cups bread flour {give or take 1/2 cup...depending on the heat & humidity}

for the cheesy garlic bread sticks-
1/2 recipe Fail-Proof Pizza Dough from above
2 tablespoons softened salted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese {use the real stuff!}
1/4 pound grated mozzarella cheese
{salt & pepper, if desired}

DIRECTIONS:

For the pizza dough--In a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer, stir yeast and honey into warm water. Sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form and mixture starts to foam. This tells you that the yeast is alive and kicking. Pour in salt, oil and half the flour and mix. Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour in bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it it doesn't stick to your hands. Once you reach this stage, turn the mixer on high to knead for 6 minutes. Turn a timer on and walk away! Resist the temptation to stop earlier than 6 minutes! That seems to be the magical number. It should look something like this when it's done! The dough should be smooth and easy to work with. And the bowl should be clean! Lightly grease the bowl & the dough so it doesn't dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise 1-2 hours. That's it! Use as desired.

For the Cheesy Garlic Bread Sticks- Preheat oven to 500 degrees with pizza stone inside. {If you don't have a pizza stone, use an upside down cookie sheet} Mix butter and garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
Spread pizza dough out into a 12-inch circle on parchment paper. {This makes it easier to transfer to the pizza stone.} Spread the butter and garlic mixture over dough and top with parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Top with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with marinara sauce.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
• 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (or other leftover meat, like shredded pork or beef)
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
• 1/2 red or green pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 cups shredded cheese (I use a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
• Sour cream (optional)
• 6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Directions

1. Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: I like to dollop little bits of sour cream over the cheese before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center – it makes the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open and slightly flatten the wraps with the palm of your hand. Spray seam-side of the wrap lightly with cooking spray.
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange wraps, seam-side down, in pan or griddle and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Cooking them seam-side down first helps seal the long edge so they don’t fall apart. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve warm.

Courtesy of:  http://www.melskitchencafe.com/

Lunch Lady Brownies

Lunch Lady Brownies

1 cup of Butter 

1/2 cup of Cocoa
2 cups of All Purpose Flour
2 cups of Sugar
4 Eggs

4 teaspoons of Vanilla

1 cup of Chopped Nuts (optional)

Melt the Butter in the microwave and put into my mixing bowl, then I add cocoa and mix together until smooth. Add flour, and sugar. Beat together and then add eggs, vanilla, and nuts. Mix until combined. Do not over stir. Pour into greased, floured  9x13 baking pan. Bake 20-25 minutes @350 F or until done. I would check at it at 20 minutes. Wait only about 10 minutes to frost brownies. Frost them while they are warm (not hot).

 * This batter will not be runny like a cake mix. You might have to spread it out over your pan with a rubber spatula.

The Chocolate Icing Recipe:

1/4 cup of softened Butter

1/4 cup of Milk

1/4 cup of Cocoa

3 cups of Powdered Sugar

Dash of Salt

Mix all together and frost as desired.

Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera

 

3 Tbs butter

1 lb asparagus (tough ends removed and cut into 1 inch pieces)

1 zucchini (halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch chunks)

8 oz mushrooms (trimmed and sliced thin)

1 cup frozen peas

2 cloves garlic (minced)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 (14.5) oz can petite diced tomatoes

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 lb angel hair pasta

1/4 c minced fresh basil ....I just use the basil from my spice rack, and I put like 2 tbs in

1 1/2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

Grated Parmesean cheese (for serving)

 

Cook the fettuccine.  Meanwhile, melt 1 tbs butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add asparagus and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.  Transfer to a medium bowl.  Repeat with zucchini and mushrooms.  After the mushrooms are lightly browned add the peas and garlic and cook about 30 seconds.  Transfer to the bowl with the asparagus and zucchini.  Season the vegetables with salt and pepper.  Add the tomatoes with their juice and the red pepper flakes to the skillet.  Simmer until the tomatoes have thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the cream and simmer about 5 minutes.  Drain the fettuccine after cooking and transfer to a serving dish.  Stir in the vegetables, tomato sauce, basil and lemon juice and toss to coat.

Lemon Pasta & Salmon

Lemon Pasta

1 lb of penne pasta

2 Tbs olive oil

2 cups spinach

2 cups of cherry/grape tomatoes cut in half

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Salt and Pepper

Parmesean cheese to garnish

Cook Pasta. In large skillet heat olive oil and add all cut tomatoes and minced garlic.

Cook for a few minutes, do not burn. Add cooked pasta and spinach. Stir and cook

until spinach starts to wilt. Add lemon juice (add until you reach desired taste, may need

less, may need more than 1/4 c) Add salt and pepper and parmesean cheese. Great with

chicken or salmon.

Oven baked Salmon

Start with a tinfoil cross. Place salmon in center. Put 4 slices of butter at each corner

of the salmon. Squeeze juice of two lemons on top. Then add salt, pepper, dill seeds,

Italian Seasoning, Lawrey’s garlic salt, and parsley. Then put lemon slices and a few

more slices of butter on top of the fish before sealing shut. Roll tinfoil so it seals all the

juices inside. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 small Onion, chopped

2-3 cloves of Garlic, minced

2 cups Chicken Stock

1 jar Salsa, whatever kind you like, I use my homemade

2-3 Chicken Breast, shredded, I boil it in water with some Knorr chicken bouillon and

Knorr

Tomato bouillon

1 can Sweet Corn

1 can Black Beans

Cumin and Chile Powder, you can also use a packet of Taco Seasoning instead

Lime

Salt

Pepper

Garnish with:

fresh diced Tomatoes

diced Avocado

Cilantro

Sour Cream

Kraft Fiesta Cheese Blend

Tortilla Chips, Yellow, White, or Blue Corn

Saute' onion and garlic in a few tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add chicken stock and salsa. Add shredded chicken, corn and beans. Season to taste with salt, pepper, cumin, chile powder, and lime juice. Pour into bowls to serve and let your family or guests garnish how they like!

Chocolate Chip Toffee Blondies

2 cups plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp table salt

12 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup Heath toffee bits

1. Adjust the top rack of the oven to the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil so that the edges of the foil overhang two sides of the pan; grease the foil with butter or cooking spray.
2. Whisk the first three ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl, mix the butter and sugars together until thoroughly combined. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until just combined. Add in the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until the mixture is just combined – do not overbeat. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the bars when tested for doneness. I used a dark pan which took 34 minutes – remember that baking times will differ with different pans. Allow the pan to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before carefully removing the bars in the foil from the pan. Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing.