Easy Peezy Pizza Dough

This is a really easy way to make a good "yeasty" pizza dough! As well as using this recipe for when I'm making pizza, I also use it for when I'm making a focaccia or a calzone.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons dried granulated yeast
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup water, plus
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions:

1. SOME PIZZA TOPPING IDEAS.
2. Caramelised onions and roasted garlic.
3. Mozzarella cheese, Camembert, Romano and Feta (for a really, really cheezy pizza!).
4. Equal parts of basil pesto and olive oil mixed together with Parmesan or Romano cheese.
5. Plus some roughly chopped sundried or SEMI-dried tomatoes, sliced black olives and LOTS of grated Mozzarella cheese, salt and lost of freshly ground black pepper!
6. Cranberry jelly, shredded chicken, sliced Brie!
7. Mozzarella cheese, shredded chicken and sliced avocado!
8. THE BREAD.
9. Place all the above ingredients in the order I have listed into the bread machine.
10. Select the dough cycle and press start!
11. When the dough cycle is complete, take the dough out of the machine and place in well greased bowl, and roll the dough around (in the bowl) thus'coating' it in oil.
12. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1/2 an hour.
13. Knead the risen dough lightly.
14. To shape and bake: roll the dough into a circle.
15. Place on well greased baking tray or pizza pan.
16. Then add a topping of your choice and bake at 225'C.
17. NOTE: for a nice crisp and very thin pizza, bake BEFORE adding the topping AND after

Pork Tenderloin

I did experiment with the time to marinate and found 24 hours is by far the best

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1 lb pork tenderloin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Mix garlic, salt, pepper & thyme in small bowl.
2. Rub mixture over tenderloin and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. Heat olive oil over med. high heat. and brown pork on all sides, approximately 7 minute total.
4. Remove pork and place in a 9x13x2 pan.
5. Add enough water to come up to bottom edge of pork (about a half inch). I rinse my frying pan and scrape blackened bits for water.
6. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for approximately 45 to 50 minutes.
7. Boil the drippings and add a little cornstarch mixed with water to it for gravy. Season with salt & pepper. Good with mashed potatoes.

Ultimate Pizza Sauce

This pizza sauce recipe was given to me as a wedding present, written on the inside cover of a pizza cookbook. It is thick, saucy, spicy and delicious. I'll never use anything else on my homemade pizzas. I like to double or triple it and put it in Ziploc bags in my freezer.
Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, melt butter with the oil. Add the onion, celery and garlic and saute until soft and transparent.
2. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste and stir until smooth.
3. Add remaining ingredients and bring to slow simmer.
4. Simmer for 30-60 minutes (or not at all depending on your taste and time frame).
5. Remove the bay leaf and spread the sauce on your prepared pizza dough.

Chicken, Gravy and Stuffing

I made this almost exactly as written. I had to use bone in chicken as this was all I had and I baked it in the oven because I got a late start and it wouldn't have been done in time for dinner in a crock pot!
Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt
• pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 4 -6 slices swiss cheese
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing
• 1/2 cup butter, Melted

Directions:

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place chicken breasts in crock pot. Pour Chicken broth over breasts.
2. Put one slice of Swiss cheese on each breast. Combine both cans of soup and milk.
3. Cover chicken breasts with soup mixture. Sprinkle stuffing mix over all.
4. Drizzle melted butter on top.
5. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3.

Classic Baked Ziti

This baked ziti recipe is a simple Italian casserole dish that my family enjoys.
Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (32 ounce) jar meatless sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta, cooked and drained
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large skillet, cook ground beef, onions, and garlic over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until beef is browned; stirring frequently.
• Stir in spaghetti sauce, chicken broth, and oregano.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir 1 cup of the sauce into the cooked ziti noodles.
• Spoon 1/2 of the ziti mixture into a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
• Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Top with 2 cups sauce, then remaining ziti mixture and remaining sauce.
• Cover and bake 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
• Return to oven and bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Roast "Sticky" Chicken.

Beautiful and delicious, this incredibly moist roasted Chicken puts Kenny Roger's Roasters, Boston Market, and other rotisserie style chickens to shame! Please don't let the word "overnight" mislead you; for actual hands-on preparation, this is a Quick-N-Easy way to impress Sunday dinner guests!
Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large roasting chicken
• 2 large onions, peeled and quartered

Directions:

1. (Day 1) Blend all spices together and set aside.
2. Remove neck and giblets from chicken cavity, rinse well inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Rub with spice mixture, both inside and out, then stuff cavity with onions.
4. Wrap in a resealable"food grade" plastic bag (I just use a new, unscented, white kitchen can liner.), tie closed, and refrigerate overnight.
5. (Day 2) Remove from plastic bag and place in a shallow baking pan.
6. Roast uncovered in a 250 F oven 5 hours.
7. (This is not an error, I repeat, 250 F for 5 hours!) If the chicken contains a pop-up thermometer, ignore it.
8. This recipe is SAFE.
9. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, a whole chicken should reach an internal temperature of 180 F.
10. Baste with drippings every 30 minutes after the first hour.
11. (I admit I'm not consistent on this point, but it still comes out wonderful!) Let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Spicy Garlic Shrimp

Recipe is originally from the Food Network courtesy of Rachael Ray, but I tweaked it to fit our tastes. Very quick & easy shrimp recipe that's done on the stovetop. If your tastes desire spicy & garlic, then this recipe is just for you.
Ingredients:

• 12 shrimp (Jumbo sized, peeled, deveined, & tails intact)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed with the side of a knife)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon steak seasoning (Montreal Seasoning by McCormick is recommended)
• 1 teaspoon lemon, zest of
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and shrimp.
3. Season with grill seasoning or salt & pepper.
4. Cook shrimp 3 minutes or until just pink.
5. Toss with lemon zest, juice, & chopped parsley.
6. Remove shrimp to a serving platter, leaving the garlic cloves in the pan.