Fast, Easy, And Delicious Homemade Pizza

I love pizza! Especially when it's homemade with lots of cheese, and toppings! I really wanted pizza the other night, and it's hard to find a really good pizza for a lower price. So I made my own, and it turned out so great. The crust was crispy and had a great flavor, the sauce was so flavorful, and was so easy to make! Try this soon, it's great to even get the kids to help too!

Good stuff for good sauce

Chop the shallot, garlic, and basil. Add butter so a small saucepan, and the shallot and garlic, cook until onions are tender

Add the chopped basil, saute until fragrant

add the tomato sauce and spices, simmer for 10 minutes then remove from heat

Add some yeast to some water, and let it sit for a minute

Throw the flour in your mixer, and add the olive oil, mix until incorporated

Add the yeast/water mix

Mix it around until dough forms

Roll the dough into a ball and place in large bowl

Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let sit for an hour or two

The dough will double in size

using only half or a little more for thicker crust, sprinkle with flour and roll out

You can also roll out to a square if using a cookie sheet

Place on a pizza stone, or pizza/cookie sheet works just fine

Brush lightly with olive oil, and sauce

Add base cheese

Then toppings, and more cheese and basil if you please, it's your pizza, add what you want!

Throw it in the oven and bake at 375 until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

1 medium size can of tomato sauce
1 bunch of basil (about 2 tablespoons chopped)
1 medium shallot chopped
1-2 cloves garlic chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon fresh or dry chopped sage (I used rubbed)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

For the crust:

1 teaspoon Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
1 1/2 cups Warm Water
4 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 cup Olive Oil


For the toppings:





About 3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 8oz whole milk mozzarella sliced into chunks for topping
Use whatever toppings you want, and how ever much you want! I used salami, and pepperoni, and a little basil on top.


For the sauce:

Chop shallot, garlic, and basil. Over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons butter to a small saucepan, along with shallot and garlic. saute until onions and garlic are tender, add basil, cook until fragrant, add tomato sauce and spices simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and let sit until room temperature to spread on pizza.

For the crust:

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm water. Let stand for a few minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour and salt. With the paddle attachment and the mixer running on low speed, drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Then pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined, and the dough comes together.


brush a large 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*

*Note: Dough can be stored in the fridge for up to two days.

When you are ready to make the pizza, using only half (or 3/4 for a thicker crust, I used 3/4) the dough, roll out the pizza with a rolling pin, or you can stretch and pull until desired shape and thickness is achieved. Once rolled out, lay it on an oiled baking sheet or pizza pan, or a pizza stone. Lightly brush dough with olive oil.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread cooled sauce on dough and 3/4 cup mozzarella. Top your crust with your toppings of choice. Then bake for 15 to 17 (if using a thicker crust, bake for 20-25 mins) minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.

Chicken Fried Steak and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Let's just start off by saying, this recipe is not the healthiest. I am a big believer that everything is okay in moderation, (food wise, not drug or smoking wise) This meal is wonderful to have when it's a little cold out, and you're craving a nice, hearty, comfort food. I love the flavors in the gravy, and it goes great with the Sour cream mashed potatoes. Instead of using vegetable or peanut oil to fry the steak, I used Olive oil, it worked great. Serve this with some corn on the cob, or any vegetable you fancy.

Using two shallow bowls, one for the eggs, and the other for flour

                                                          

Dredge the steak in the flour

Then the egg

get it nice and soaked on both sides

Then back to the flour, and fry it up until crisp and golden on both sides

Remove to a paper towel lined plate, and keep it warm in the oven at 170 F

When finished frying, reserve 3 tbs oil and drippings, throw in the butter, and flour, let it simmer 2 minutes whisking constantly

Add chicken stock., whole milk, Tabasco and spices to your liking

Boil your potatoes until fork tender, drain and pour back into pan and mash

      

Add half and half, butter, and sour cream

Pour gravy on steak, and potatoes, heck, even your veggies if you wanna get crazy.

Ingredients:

For the Steak

1 1/2 pounds cube steak (4-6 steaks)
1 1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1 tsp black bepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
4-5 shakes Tabasco sauce

For the gravy

3 tbsp reserved steak drippings from pan
2 tbsp butter
5 tbsp flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp garlic salt
3 shakes Tabasco
salt and pepper to taste

For the Sour cream potatoes

5-6 medium potatoes, (I used white, but you can use what you like).
salt for the water
1/4 cup half and half
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup sour cream
salt to taste

Preparation

Wash and cut potatoes in 1-2 inch pieces and place in medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to boil on medium high heat until fork tender.

For the steak
Meanwhile, preheat your over to 170 F. Add enough extra virgin olive oil to cover the surface of a large frying pan, turn heat on the medium high. Combine flour and spices, in a shallow bowl and mix with a fork. In another shallow bowl, crack open two eggs, and add Tabasco, mix well. Rinse and pat dry steaks and dredge first in flour, then to egg mixture, then to flour again.

Place steaks into hot oil pan and fry on both sides until golden brown (5-7 minutes)
remove steak to paper towel lined plate and place in oven until ready to serve.

For the gravy
Turn heat down to medium low, remove excess pan drippings, reserving 3 tbsp. Using remaining pan drippings, add butter and flour and whisk until incorporated, continue simmering 1-2 minutes, slowly pour in chicken stock, and whole milk, whisking until well incorporated. turn heat to lowest setting and let thicken. Add spices and salt and pepper to taste.

For the potatoes
When the potatoes are fork tender, remove from heat, drain water, mash and add butter, milk, and sour cream, ans salt to taste. Stir until well mixed. slather the gravy all over the potatoes and steak and enjoy!!!

Creamy Chicken And Wild Rice Soup

I hate being sick! I've had a cold since Thursday, It's not very fun at all! You're hot, you're cold, you're achy, and tired, and then you don't know what you are, you feel just plain ucky. I decided I wanted a nice, comforting.  hot, soup for dinner. So I asked Hubby to go to the store and get something. Everything he named off didn't sound good at all. so I decided I would make my own. I had him grab a few things, most of the ingredients we had on hand. I'm so glad I made my own soup, it was thick, hearty, and comforting for a cold (and or sick) night. Hubby isn't a soup person, but he loved it! Especially the next day when the rice soaked up most of the broth. This is a great, quick and easy weeknight soup. Even if you're not sick. I would highly recommend making this asap, it's perfect for those cold evenings indoors.

Beautiful veggies!

Slice em up!

Yep, rice-a-roni, trust me.

Add the butter, and only 1 packet of seasoning.

Add spices, and saute veggies until leeks are tender and smelling delicious

Add to stockpot, along with chicken stock

saute chicken in the same pan as the veggies, for the flavor

Add in the Minute rice

Remove chicken, let it cool, a little, sneak a piece or two.

Shred it up, add it to the stockpot

Open this and add it to the soup, so good!

Melt this

Add Some flour, make a paste, add stock.

Add to stockpot and let it bubble, and get even more delicious

Yep, this is what soup heaven looks like

Perfect for bread dipping!

Ingredients:

1 leek (or onion) chopped and cleaned*
3 medium carrots sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices (I used baby carrots because it's what I had on hand)
3 stalks of celery sliced into 1/4 inch slices
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 stick butter, divided
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 - 10oz can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup Minute white rice
2 - 4.3oz boxes rice-a-roni wild rice, 1 packet seasoning reserved
3 tablespoons flour
4 thin sliced chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
2- 32oz boxes plus 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
1 teaspoon pepper plus more to taste

*Note: The best way to clean a leek is to slice it up, and set it in a bowl of water and mix it around with your hands to let all of the dirt in the layers fall off, then remove to a kitchen or paper towel to get rid of any excess water.

Directions:

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat, add sliced carrots celery, leeks, and garlic.
saute until onions are soft. Add salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin, stir until fragrant. In a large stock pot, add 2- 32oz chicken stock, Minute rice, and vegetables, simmer on medium heat.

In the same large saucepan, saute the chicken on medium heat, until golden in some areas, and no pink remains. remove chicken to a cutting board and let cool about 5 minutes. shred chicken and add to stockpot.

In a medium saucepan, add both boxes of wild rice mix with 2 tablespoons butter, cook by directions on package, (about 24 minutes) using only 1 seasoning packet, cook until rice is soft and fluffy, add to stockpot.

Empty contents of cream of mushroom soup into stockpot, along with cream, stir continuously until all ingredients are incorporated.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter, add 3 tablespoons flour, whisking constantly cooking 1 minute until a paste-like consistency, slowly add 1 cup chicken stock whisking constantly until incorporated. let simmer for 2-3 minutes. then turn off heat and let thicken 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once butter/flour/stock mixture has thickened, pour into simmering pot of soup and stir, continue simmering until soup has a thicker consistency(when the bubbles look thick). Turn off heat and let sit 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve while hot with a nice loaf of french bread or baguette. Delicious!

Eggnog Muffins With A Bourbon Glaze

I like eggnog, especially if it has a little Bourbon in it! After Christmas was over, I had a little over half a quart to use up, what better way then to make muffins right? Right. These muffins were great! I made them for Hubby and his co-workers, they loved them! These muffins have a wonderful eggnog flavor, and the Bourbon flavor is there, but not too overpowering. I regret not saving myself an extra one to go with my morning coffee. I will not make the same mistake next time around.

Add caption

I know, the eggnog is supposed to be in the picture here, but it was hangin' out with the ingredients above, at the time this picture was taken.

Mix all ingredients, and bake em'

glaze is good, glaze with alcohol is great!

drizzle drizzle

Keep on drizzlin!

Eggnog Muffins with bourbon glaze

Ingredients:

For the muffins:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup eggnog
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

For the bourbon glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
pinch nutmeg
1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
2 tablespoons eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract



Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.  Line 15-17 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir to combine.
In a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, combine the sugar, eggs, eggnog, melted
butter and almond extract.  Stir until well combined.  Mix in the dry ingredients
just until incorporated.  Chop pecans and fold into the batter.  Divide the batter evenly
between the prepared muffin liners, filling them about two thirds of the way full.

Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or a until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.


Glaze directions:


Add all ingredients in a stand mixer, fitted with the wire whisk attachment,
beat on medium speed until all ingredients are incorporated, spoon 1 teaspoon of mixture
on each muffin, (the glaze will drip a little, I just put a piece of wax paper underneath
the muffins) after the glaze dries (10 mins) repeat the process until all of the glaze is used.