Pizza Dough

1  1/4 oz packet yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup warm water
1 T  Honey

1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon olive oil
2 1/2 - 3 cups bread flour

Pizza dough instructions:


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, 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. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with. And the bowl should be clean! {*This is the point when you could freeze your dough!! Divide into portions, place into freezer bags, seal removing all air and freeze. To use, remove from freezer and let sit out to get to room temperature and double in size; 6-8 hours. Then use as you'd like.}


Lightly grease the bowl and the dough so it doesn't dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise overnight.  Overnight is the best but could be made in the morning to use later in the afternoon.

Tips:

• We used a cast iron pizza pan but you can also use a stone.  If you are going to use a stone make sure it is a quality stone as it makes a LOT of difference.  
• Set the oven to 550 degrees and put in cast iron pizza pan or stone.  (Most ovens only go to 500.  So if that is all the higher yours go it is perfectly fine.  Just have to add another minute or two to cooking.)  Let it get nice and hot while you are making your pizzas.
• We make our pizzas on a peel.  But you MUST have LOTS of flour and cornmeal on them so they slip into the pan.  This is the hardest part of making pizza. LOL.
• Work fast when making pizza on the peel as the warmer it gets the more it will stick to the peel.
• We cooked our pizza for 8 minutes.  For us it was perfect.  But if baking at 500 you might want to add another or two for cooking.

Mock White Castle Sliders

• 1 1/2 lbs hamburger
• 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 package onion soup mix
• 4-6 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 packages slider buns

Brown ground beef and drain. Add onion soup mix, cheese, and mayo. Put meat mixture on bottom bun and then a pickle and bun top. Microwave on a microwave-safe plate till heated through. Approximately 30-second intervals.  Great to be made ahead and then can warm up as needed.

Chewy Cookie Recipe

• 2 sticks butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup walnuts 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla.  Add baking soda and salt.  Stir in flour, add chocolate chips and walnuts. 
3. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
4. Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Waffle

This is a recipe that Melissa found.  It is so good.  The best part of this recipe is it doesn't require anything fancy.  All the ingredients are ones that are found in your pantry so you probably don't even have to run to the store.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon white sugar

• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat waffle iron. Beat eggs in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy. Beat in flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla, just until smooth.
2. Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Serve hot.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Lasagna

When I finally got around to making this the company no longer makes Nutter Butter in 16 oz packages.  So you will kinda have to play around a bit with the measurements of butter and cookies. Keep refrigerated and covered and should keep a few days.  But I bet it won't last that long.

Ingredients:

• 1 16-ounce package peanut butter sandwich cookies, divided
• 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 8-ounce container Cool Whip, divided
• 1 3.9-ounce package instant chocolate Jello-O Pudding Mix
• 1 1/2 cups milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a blender or food processor, finely crush 20 of the cookies.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter and finely crushed cookies until well moistened.
4. Press into an ungreased 8 X 8-inch baking dish.
5. Bake for 10 minutes.
6. Allow crust to cool completely before proceeding.
7. In the meantime, mix the package of pudding with the 1 1/2 cups of milk in a small bowl.
8. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and peanut butter together.
9. Fold in 1 cup of the Cool Whip and mix until well blended.
10. Spread the chocolate pudding over the cooled crust.
11. Place dollops of cream cheese mixture over the pudding layer and with an offset spatula, gently spread to completely cover.
12. Spread remaining Cool Whip over the cream cheese.
13. Refrigerate two hours. Place into freezer for a half hour to completely set and allow for neat slices.
14. In a plastic bag, break up the remaining cookies.
15. Sprinkle cookies on top right before serving.

Bacon Cheeseburger Pops

We tried this recipe with using crescent rolls also.  I liked them both ways but using biscuits really was easier.  This is a simple and really good supper.  Pair it with salad and you have a great meal for the evening.

Cheeseburger Pops

• 1 can Pillsbury Biscuits (10 biscuits)
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 3 slices of bacon, chopped
• ⅓ cup cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 5 oz cheddar cheese, chopped into 10 squares
• 1 egg white

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. In a large pan, brown ground beef, bacon and onion until cooked. Drain any grease.
3. Add cream cheese, ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir over low heat until cream cheese is melted. Allow to cool.
4. Roll each biscuit out very thin. Place 2 tablespoons beef mixture on each biscuit and add 1 square of cheese. Wrap the biscuit around the beef/cheese and tightly seal the edges.
5. Place biscuits on a parchment lined pan seam side down. Brush with egg white.
6. Bake 13-16 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Serve warm.

Spritz Cookies

I am not a big fan of cookies.  But thought over the years I had put at least one cookie on the blog - nope never have.  So I decided to change that.  I picked my favorite all time cookie. I believe these are my favorite as they taste like a soft sugar cookie with no frosting.  My husband thought they tasted like cookie dough (maybe that is why I like them).  I am not a big fan of frosting.  These cookies are usually only made around Christmas time, not for sure why cause they are so good all year around.  I will have to admit that I never had made these cookies before.  I always thought they were to hard t make.  Boy was I wrong.  I did some research though before making them and the pan needs to be cold and no need to spray or butter the pan.  I didn't believe it though as  you always make cookies on either parchment paper or on a liner.  Or at least spray the pan so cookies don't stick.  Nope nothing and they still come off like magic.

3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups butter (softened to room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 Egg
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond

In mixing bowl, place butter and sugar into bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add egg, milk and flavorings.  Beat again until well combined.  Add in flour, baking powder and salt and beat once more until a good dough is formed.  (will only take a minute or so),,scraping down sides as needed.

Place dough in cookie press and add a stencil to the bottom according to cookie press directions.  Pipe out onto ungreased cookie sheets and sprinkle with colored sugar.  Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes or until just lightly browned, around the edges.  Repeat until all dough is used.

*Most spritz cookie dough has to be refrigerated to firm up before use, but this one doesn't.

Makes about 6 dozen.