Couldn't Get Any Easier

I LOVE guacamole. I do not eat it very often as PE despises avocados. While I know it is perfectly acceptable for me to eat foods he doesn't enjoy when he is around, I prefer to eat foods we both enjoy when we eat together. The other night he was not home because he was out scouting (or whatever you call it) for elk so Moo and I ate chips with Guacamole for dinner. De.lic.ous!!! He is going to be gone again tonight. . . can you guess what we are eating for dinner? Yes. Guacamole. Not only is it delicious it is so easy. . .especially since the Pico de Gallo is already prepared. All I have to do is cut up an avocado, mash it a little, stir in the pico, squeeze some lime juice over it and dinner is served. YUMMY!

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Guacamole
from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Print Recipe

3 whole avocados
Pico de Gallo
lime juice
salt to taste

Start with buttery-soft avocados. Halve them lengthwise and remove the pits. Next, with a spoon scrape the “meat” out onto a large plate. Next, with the bottom of a clean cup (or with a fork) mash the avocados, making sure to leave it relatively chunky. Add just a couple of shakes of salt to taste. Next, add a generous helping of Pico de Gallo. Fold together. Lastly squeeze the juice of half of a lime over the top. Give it one last stir.

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KLB and I Spice it Up

Last Monday as I was ordering my co-op share KLB messaged me to see if I would pick up a basket for her at my site. Since I was going to be there, I said yes. KLB said she would come out to pick up her basket and since she would be coming out I had her get a Mexican ingredient pack too figuring we could make some Pico de Gallo, Mango Salsa, and Tomatillo Ranch using ingredients from our baskets. There was only minimal pressuring involved. Strange how that one worked out. She asks me to pick up her basket because she doesn't want to get up that early and I readily agree because I like her but mainly because that means she would have to hang out with me in order to get it. However, when I ask if she wants to make delicious yum yums together, I had to apply a little pressure. You would think I had asked her to wake up early or something. Oh well. . . I like her anyway.

Forward to Saturday . . . She arrived early in the afternoon and after we ate lunch (Dutch oven potatoes a la PE and Nathan's hot dogs) we set to work. It started out that she was going to make the Mango Salsa I made last week and I was going to make this Pineapple Mango Salsa; however, I just decided we could combine the two recipes. So we had pineapple, mango, cucumber, & red pepper mixed with the remaining identical ingredients in both recipes (lime, cilantro, jalapeno). It turned out great.

Thinking back, I guess the fun began a little before lunch with KLB and I grilling chili peppers and jalapenos on the grill so we could get them in the freezer for use at a late time. After that experience I have decided that hanging out tending to chilies over a hot grill in the middle of the hot afternoon on the hot concrete with no shade is not a good time. . . no matter how much I enjoy KLB's company. (For anyone interested I have included directions on freezing chilies below.) Two pointers - wear gloves--stinging fingers are not fun and well ventilated area--caughing up a lung is not fun either.

Next up was Pico de Gallo. KLB so kindly chopped everything while I finished prepping the chilies/jalapenos for the freezer. While the recipe I had did not include them, since we received five or so green peppers from the co-op I decided one of those would be a good addition. She made half with and half without the green pepper as her mother doesn't enjoy it. I am glad we added it as I thought it added a delightful crunch to pico de gallo.

To finish up we made Cilantro Lime Tomatillo Ranch. For this recipe I gave in and purchased Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch seasoning packets instead of making it completely homemade. Well after tasting the finished product KLB decided she really liked it and wanted more. So for the second batch, Tomatillo Ranch Dressing, we sort of had to wing it as I had only purchased enough for the recipe. The results? Wonderful. I won't have to buy the packet anymore. TANGENT--Why don't I purchase the packets you might ask. The number one reason--I am cheap frugal. The number two reason--I sort of like being able to pronounce all the ingredients in the food I eat. Reason number two is not something I adhere to strictly, as in I am not fanatical about it, but if I can make something and we enjoy it as much as the purchased product then I will go the extra bit to make homemade.

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Freezing Green Chilies/Jalapenos
from Sparky via various Internet sites
Print Recipe

green chilies and/or jalapenos
quart or gallon zip top freezer bags
plastic gloves

Preheat grill to medium heat. Wash and pat dry green chilies. Place green chilies on grill. Grill on each side until skin is blistered and black--about four minutes per side. As the chilies are black and blistered on each side place in zip top bag. Once all chilies are in the bag, seal the bag and set aside for at least 30 minutes to allow the the chilies to steam. After steaming the chilies are ready to be prepared for the freezer. Put on gloves.. Cut the top off of each chili. Slit each chili down the side--this is easily done with a finger. Run each chili under cold water and remove all seeds. Place on a silicone mat lined baking sheet. Place in freezer until solid then transfer to a zip top bag. Freeze for up to 1 year. Use as you would canned green chilies.

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Pico de Gallo
adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Print Recipe

5 tomatoes, seeds removed
1/2 whole large (or 1 small) onion
green pepper, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper or more
cilantro
lime juice
salt to taste

Chop jalapenos, tomatoes and onions into a very small dice. (Leave seeds in your jalapenos for a hotter pico). Adjust amount of jalapenos to your preferred temperature. Next, chop up a nice-sized bunch of cilantro. Just remove and discard the long leafless stems before chopping. No need to remove the leaves from the stems completely. Place all of these ingredients together in a bowl and give it a good stir. Squeeze the juice of half of one lime into the bowl. Add salt to taste and stir again.

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Cilantro Lime Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
from The Sisters Dish
Print Recipe

1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tomatillos (husks removed)
1 large clove of garlic
zest and juice of 1 lime
large bunch of cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper (more or less depending on the heat level you like)

Put all ingredients into food processor or blender and blend away until smooth and creamy.

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Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
from Sparky
Print Recipe

1 clove (to 2 cloves) garlic
salt to taste
1/8 cup dried parsley
1 Tbsp dried chives
1 cup (real) mayonnaise
1/2 cups sour cream
4 tomatillos (husks removed)
zest and juice of 1 lime
large bunch of cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper (more or less depending on the heat level you like)
buttermilk (as needed to desired consistency)

Combine everything except buttermilk in blender. Blend until smooth adding buttermilk as needed to achieve desired consistency. The dressing will THIN as it sits.

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The Co-op Amazes Yet Again

Wowsers! This week was another great week for co-op fruits and vegetables. I am really enjoying the variety and the opportunity to try new fruits and vegetables. Many times it is the cost that has prohibited me from purchasing many items. This week we received the following:

Green Chilies (never had fresh before)
Hothouse/English Cucumbers (received some last week--that was a first for me for this variety)
Corn
Onions
Broccoli
Romaine Lettuce
Tomatoes
Pluots (received some last week--that was a first for me)
Peaches
Mangoes
Cantaloupe
Black Grapes
Plantains (never had before)

The hothouse cucumbers received last week were the inspiration for bringing back the chicken gyros. This week those paired with more mangoes (we received some a couple weeks ago too) were the inspiration for Mango Salsa. Oh my goodness. Deliciousness. The first night we ate the salsa with Rib Rub grilled pork chops, Coconut Rice, and watermelon. Fantastic all around. Since everything was so good and went together so well we went for a similar meal the next night. We had Rib Rub pork roast and put it in wheat tortillas with the Coconut Rice, Mango Salsa, and lettuce. So good.

You definitely need to try the Coconut Rice. This coming from someone who hasn't liked coconut in the past. PE also REALLY liked it and I was a little surprised but pleasantly so. He like it so much he said we need to make it more often.

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Mango Salsa
from Sparky
Print Recipe

2 mangoes, cubed
1/2 - 2/3 hot house cucumber, diced
1/3 sweet red pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 lime, juice only
cilantro, diced (to taste)
salt (to taste)

Combine everything in a bowl. Serve with chips or as desired.

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Coconut Rice (rice cooker version)*
from Real Mom Kitchen
Print Recipe

3 cups Thai jasmine-scented white rice**
1 1/2 cups good-quality coconut milk
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp brown sugar

Place rice in rice cooker. Add the water, coconut milk, sugar and salt. Stir well (use a plastic or wooden utensil to avoid scraping off the non-stick surface). Cover and set to cook. Once the rice cooker turns off, let the rice sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow enough time for the rice to absorb all the water and become sticky.

*A stove top version of the Coconut Rice can be viewed by clicking on the Real Mom Kitchen link.
**Note that other types of rice, such as brown rice, do not work for this recipe.

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I Don't Want to Lose These

I have recipes floating around in various places. I have them bookmarked online (the most organized place), in my email, on scraps of paper, in Word documents, on full size sheets of paper, cookbooks (a given), etc. There are some that are handwritten and others have been printed or copied. One of the oh so many reasons I wanted to start a blog was to help me gain control over all of these recipes. Another reason was to have an easy place to refer friends and family to when they requested a recipe.

As part of getting those recipes under control I am going to post a few recipes just so they are no longer floating around. The first recipe is for Easy Jerky and it is a marinade that PE uses to make jerky at home. While there are measurements, all of the ingredients can be modified to suit your tastes. The second recipe is a Pesto Cheese Dip that comes from someone at work. She has brought it to work a couple times and each time it has been devoured. Not just eaten but seriously devoured. It is great with a crusty artisan bread or some delicious crackers. Third is Cream Cheese-Bacon Crescents. Oh how I love these. I have not made them for years though because I have one problem with them. . .the crescent rolls. They are so buttery and delicious; however, I feel I could make them at home for MUCH less than the cost in the store. I haven't found a roll recipe yet that gives me a similar taste so I haven't made these but at the same time I do not want to lose the recipe and I think you should try it. Just because I am cheap frugal doesn't mean you have to be. Go buy them and try them--you won't regret it.

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Easy Jerky
from PE
Print Recipe

2 lbs meat (elk, beef, deer, etc.), thinly sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp seasoned salt

Marinate overnight. Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet. Place sliced meat on racks. Bake in oven on lowest setting for 4-6 hours.

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Pesto Cheese Dip
from Sparky via coworker
Print Recipe

8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup feta
2 Tbsp pesto
pureed red peppers

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Serve warm. Also delicious served cold.

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Cream Cheese-Bacon Crescents
from Kraft Foods
Print Recipe

1 (8 oz) tub chive & onion cream cheese spread or this substitute
3 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Heat oven to 375. Mix cream cheese spread and bacon until well blended. Separate each can of dough into 8 triangles. Cut each triangle lengthwise in half. Spread each dough triangle with 1 generous tsp. cream cheese mixture. Roll up, starting at shortest side of triangle; place, point-sides down, on baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. (They are still delicious at room temperature too.)

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Some Dips

walked into a bar. . . Man!. . . again, not where I was going with that. In March PE's father got married. For the wedding reception PE's sisters helped make the food for the reception. They made three different dips and two to go with fruit (Dressing for Fruit and Caramel Apple Dip) and one to go with veggies (Dill Dip). All were delicious! I have been making the Caramel Apple Dip for year and everyone in my family really enjoys it. When I asked for the other two recipes I was very pleased to hear the recipes were in the family cookbook. I would say I can't wait to make them but it HAS been a couple months and I haven't made them but really. . . I can't wait to make them.

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Dressing for Fruit
from PE's Family Cookbook
Print Recipe

8 oz cream cheese
1 small bottle marshmallow cream
lemon juice

Stir well. Serve as a dip for fresh fruit.

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Caramel Apple Dip
from Sparky
Print Recipe

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Soften cream cheese then mix all ingredients together.

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Dill Dip
from PE's Family Cookbook
Print Recipe

1 Tbsp dill weed
1 pt sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp dry onion
1 Tbsp Flavorall

Combine all ingredients. Chill. Serve with fresh vegetables.

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End of Year / Going Away Shindig

K2. Is. Leaving. Her husband is graduating and was offered a fantastic job in California (K2's home turf) so they are moving. Sure, I have only known her for a little over one year but in that year we have spent a lot of time together and I grew quite fond of her. After all, I see her and K1 almost as much as I see my family. I am quite sad that I won't have her to chat with each day. I do have a bit of a hold over her for the next few months as we will be watching her cat until they get a home of their own.

Anyway. . . today we had a potluck get together to 'honor' K2 and another coworker that is retiring. Included with the co-op items I received last weekend was Swiss chard. I have never made anything with Swiss chard so when I went searching for a recipe I came across Swiss Chard Tzatziki. I enjoy tzatziki and I thought that my co-workers were the prefect group of people to try it out on.

After getting it assembled this morning I had a small taste and thought it was a bit too tart. I added a little bit of sugar to hopefully counteract the tartness as everything melded together until the shindig.

In the end it came out pretty good. It was not my favorite recipe but I will try it again. Next time I will either purchase the plain yogurt or make sure the yogurt I make is not as tart as it was this time.

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Swiss Chard Tzatziki
from Simply Recipes
Print Recipe

1 cup finely chopped Swiss chard leaves (remove ribs)
1 garlic clove
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
dash of cayenne

Bring a 1 or 2 quart saucepan, half filled with water, to a boil. Add the chopped chard leaves. Cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes. While the chard is cooking, prepare a bowl with ice water for an ice bath. When the chard is cooked, strain through a fine mesh strainer and put into the ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside. Using mortar and pestle, grind the garlic and salt into a paste. In a medium-sized bowl, stir in the yogurt, chard, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. Set aside. Serve the tzatziki with the pita wedges.

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Slacker Face. . .That is Me

For the Super Bowl we went over to Cooking W.'s house and had a great time watching the game & commercials, visiting, and eating. Cooking W. and I left for a couple hours (right in the middle of the game) to attend a parenting class. Whoever planned that parenting class must not watch football or go anywhere in the world where there is football/sports stuff because who plans the first night of a parenting class the night of the Super Bowl? Then the following week is Valentine's Day. Great planning there. . . . Anyway, it worked out okay especially after I recovered from the tablecloth being crooked and not being able to do anything about it.

For the get together I made Chicken Enchilada Roll-Ups, Spicy Sausage Dip, Cream Cheese Sheet Cake, and Shortbread Fruit Pizza (recipes below). SS made 7-Layer Dip, Fresh Salsa, Crab Dip (with fresh crab), Chicken Salad type stuff baked on Pitas, and Chocolate Chip Cookies (sorry, no recipes).

The Chicken Enchilada Roll-Ups were enjoyed by everyone. PE really liked them. The Spicy Sausage Dip I left pretty mild for all the kids so I did not add any hot sauce. The Cream Cheese Sheet Cake was better cold than it was room temperature. I really like the crust of the Shortbread Fruit Pizza. I haven't had fruit pizza for awhile but most I have had just had a simple sugar cookie base, the flavor of the shortbread was refreshing.

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Chicken Enchilada Roll-Ups
adapted from Annie's Eats
Print Recipe

16 oz canned chicken
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican blend, pepper jack, etc.)
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt, to taste
handful of cilantro, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained well
4-6 10-inch tortillas

Combine all of the ingredients except tortillas in a large mixing bowl. Mix until well blended. Spread a thin layer of the filling mixture over a tortilla, leaving a small border clear around the edge. Roll the tortilla up tightly into a spiral. Refrigerate filled tortillas until firm. Place the rolled up tortilla on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut into 1- to 1½-inch thick segments. Transfer to a serving platter and serve chilled or at room temperature.

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Spicy Sausage Dip
adapted from Annie's Eats
Print Recipe

1 (16 oz) pkg. breakfast sausage
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
hot sauce, to taste (optional)

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the crumbled sausage until browned. Drain off any excess fat. Reduce the heat to medium and mix in the tomatoes, cream cheese, and hot sauce. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is warmed through and the ingredients are well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve warm with a sliced baguette.

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Cream Cheese Sheet Cake
adapted from Big Red Kitchen
Print Recipe

1 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 1/4 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups cake flour

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, cheese, and sugar for 3 minutes on high speed. Add vanilla then one egg at a time mixing well after each egg. Add flour and mix well. Pour batter into a greased 15x10x1 inch pan. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Frost immediately with this glaze:

Chocolate Glaze:
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

In a medium sauce pan combine sugar and milk and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 3 minutes. Do not stir! After three minutes add chocolate and butter and stir until blended. Pour and spread over cake. Place in freezer for 45 minutes. Cut in one inch squares and place on a serving tray. Place a frilly or plain toothpick in each piece. Serves a crowd. Can be served cold or at room temperature.

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Shortbread Fruit Pizza
adapted from The Tasty Kitchen
Print Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
12 oz, weight cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 whole kiwis, peeled and sliced
2 cups frozen mixed berries

Mix the flour, brown sugar, powdered sugar, and butter together with a mixer until it forms a ball. Press onto the bottom of a well-greased pizza pan. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until the top is golden. Cool well. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together; spread over cooled crust. The fruits listed in the ingredients are just suggestions. Use whatever fresh or frozen fruit you like, arranged however you like, onto of the cream cheese topping. If not serving immediately, you can glaze the fruit with 1/2 cup of apricot jam warmed with 1 tbsp water – lightly brush over the fruit and refrigerate until ready to serve.

NOTE: The crust and topping can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Just cover the crust and put the topping in a sealed container until ready to use. Don’t put the topping on the crust until you are ready to assemble the pizza, as the crust will start to get soggy.

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Random Recipes from the Break

During my holiday break/two weeks away from work (and the blog--not on purpose) I at some point or another made the following: Macaroni & Cheese, Potato Skin Poppers, and Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Rice Casserole. All were good and I will make them again.

The next time I make the Macaroni & Cheese I will not bake it. We like our mac & cheese a little creamier than what came out of the oven. Next time I make the Potato Skin Poppers I will be sure to have green onions as well. They would have really revved up the taste. No changes were needed with the casserole.

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Macaroni & Cheese
from The Pioneer Woman Cooks Cookbook: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl
Print Recipe

4 cups dried macaroni
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tsp (heaping) dry mustard
1 whole egg beaten
1 lb cheese, grated
1/2 tsp salt, more to taste
1/2 tsp seasoned salt, more to taste
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme

Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain. In a small bowl, beat egg. In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn. Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low. Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth. Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Add in cheese and stir to melt. Add salts and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT. Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

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Potato Skin Poppers
adapted from Smithalicious
Print Recipe

3 cups frozen, diced potatoes (or hash browns)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cups sour cream
3/4 cup cooked bacon pieces
1/2 cup chopped green onions
salt & pepper to taste
6 flour tortillas
2 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook potatoes according to package directions. In a bowl stir together cooked potatoes, cheese, sour cream, bacon, onions, salt & pepper. Spoon equal amounts of the mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll tortillas burrito-style, brush with melted butter and place seam side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with Sour cream and/or Salsa.

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Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Rice Casserole
adapted from Picky Palate
Print Recipe

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 lb diced ham
2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
14 oz chicken broth
3 cups cooked rice of choice
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella or swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil into a large 5 qt rimmed skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ham and chicken. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Melt butter then stir in flour, salt and pepper until combined. Slowly stir in chicken broth until well combined. Stir in cooked rice then transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cover the dish with foil the last 10 minutes for oozing cheese.

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Annual Gift Exchange - 2009

Each year we get together with A1's family to exchange gifts. We aren't particular about the date as the holidays are always a busy time (mostly for her family). We always have dinner and just spend time enjoying the company. This year we decided to make it an appetizer type meal. I made Pepperoni Stuffed Pizza Rolls with Pizza Dipping Sauce, Chicken-Bacon Stuffed Pizza Rolls with Ranch Dipping Sauce, and Triple Chocolate Devil Drops. A1 made Buffalo Chicken Wings, Teriyaki Chicken Wings, Beef and Cilantro Pinwheels, and Caramel Corn.

I used a new Breadstick & Pizza Dough for the Pizza Rolls and I will definitely be making it again next time I have forethought when making pizza or breadsticks. Next time I make the rolls I need to roll the dough thinner or put more filling because there was a higher bread to topping ratio than I would have liked. While still delicious the filling was overshadowed by the bread. I really liked the Pizza Sauce and I will continue to use it as a Pizza Sauce when making pizza in place of my former pizza sauce. I think the addition of the Parmesan cheese makes all the difference. Even though the fillings were overshadowed they were still delicious. I really liked the Chicken-Bacon and Ranch combination. The Triple Chocolate Devil Drops were good but they were missing something, in my opinion. I will have to make them again and play with the recipe a little.

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Breadstick & Pizza Dough
from Our Best Bites
Print Recipe

1 1/2 cups warm (105-115 degrees) water
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp yeast
1/2 tsp salt
3-4 1/2 cups flour

In a large bowl (the bowl of your mixer, if you have one), combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly. Add salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and your humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger. Spray a glass or metal bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl. Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Remove from bowl and place on a lightly-floured surface. Go onto Stuffed Pizza Roll recipes.

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Chicken-Bacon Stuffed Pizza Rolls with Ranch Dipping Sauce
from Our Best Bites
Print Recipe

pizza dough (see above)
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil or melted butter
sharp cheddar cheese
mozzarella cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
about 1 cup shredded, cooked chicken.
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup milk

First take 1 tsp of your ranch dressing mix and combine it with 1 1/2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese. Set aside. Combine the remaining ranch mix with mayonnaise and milk and place in the fridge to chill. Preheat oven to 400-425 degrees. Roll dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". Cut the dough into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares. Place cheese, bacon, and chicken on each square. When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Grab the corners first and then squeeze the seams shut. Then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan or a casserole dish. Brush with melted butter or olive oil and sprinkle with the Parmesan-ranch mixture. Place rolls in the oven. Set timer for 10 minutes and check on them after that. They may take up to 15 or 20 to be done. Remove form oven when lightly golden on top. Serve warm with a side of freshly made ranch dressing for dipping.

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Stuffed Pizza Rolls
from Our Best Bites
Print Recipe

pizza dough (see above)
pizza sauce (see below)
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil or melted butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
mozzarella cheese
pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

Preheat oven to 400. Roll pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". Cut the dough into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares. Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (Note the marinara sauce is not on the dough- -it's for dipping after.) When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Grab the corners first and then squeeze the seams shut. Then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan or a casserole dish. Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese. Place rolls in the oven. Set timer for 10 minutes and check on them after that. They may take up to 15 or 20 to be done. Remove form oven when lightly golden on top. Serve warm with a side of freshly made marinara/pizza sauce for dipping.

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Pizza Sauce
from Our Best Bites
Print Recipe

1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
6 oz water (use empty tomato paste can)
3 Tbsp garlic bread seasoning (see below)
1 Tbsp sugar or honey
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Empty tomato paste into a bowl and add water a few tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly until combined. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and allow to stand until ready to use. Covers two average-sized pizza; freezes extremely well.

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Garlic Bread Seasoning
from Our Best Bites
Print Recipe

1/2 cup powdered Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Kosher salt
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
2 tsp marjoram
2 tsp parsley

Combine ingredients in a jar (preferably one with a sprinkle top) and shake. Sprinkle on top of breadsticks or combine 1 1/2 Tbsp seasoning with 1/2 cup of softened real butter and spread on a loaf of French bread (cut in 1/2 lengthwise). Wrap in foil and bake at 375 until butter is melted.

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Triple Chocolate Devil Drops
from My Kitchen Cafe
Print Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease two baking sheets (or line them with parchment or Silpat liners). Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl. Gently whisk together to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed until light, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in the vanilla extract. At low speed, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix. Then add 1/2 of the sour cream and mix. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients followed by the remainder of the sour cream. Finally add the last of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Using a wooden spoon stir in the chocolate chips and white chocolate. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes until edges appear done and no impression is left when you touch a cookie very lightly with a finger. Do not over bake or the cookies will be dry! Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.

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Wahoo!

We had a Wahoo Winter Break Party at work this week and I decided (once again) to try out some new recipes. I made Cheesy Poofs and Sweet Potato Hummus. Both seemed to be a hit with most of my coworkers. I folded index cards in half and wrote the name of each item and it was pretty humorous to hear almost every person say, "Cheesy Poofs" as they walked through the line. Not quite sure if it is just because poofs is fun to say or because they were expecting puffs to follow cheesy. All I know is, I didn't make up the name. Note: I did not make the Cheesy Poofs to go with the Sweet Potato Hummus, I served Stacy's Simply Naked Pita Chips with the hummus. If you haven't tried these, you should, they are crunchy and delicious.

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Cheesy Poofs
from How To Cook Like Your Grandmother
Print Recipe

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1/2 to 1 tsp salt
Parmesan cheese

Combine cheese, flour, and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender. Once it resembles coarse meal, use your hands to mix everything together until it forms a ball of dough that holds together. Pull off pieces of dough and roll them between your hands into balls about an inch across (approximately 30). Roll the balls in grated Parmesan cheese. Place the balls on un-greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. They're done when the top starts to turn a little golden brown.

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Sweet Potato Hummus
adapted from Lauren's Kitchen
Print Recipe

1 1/2 - 2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 (12-oz) can chick peas
1-2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp + tahini, divided
juice of 1 lemon, divided
1/4 tsp salt
dash of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger

Peel the potatoes and chop into 1" cubes. Steam for about 10 minutes. Drain water from the can of chick peas into a small bowl and reserve. In a blender (or food processor), mix together the chick peas with the remaining ingredients, being careful to add second half of lemon juice and tahini slowly, stopping to taste. Slowly add some of the reserved liquid from beans and a bit of water for correct consistency. Blend until a smooth, slightly fluid paste is formed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This changes the taste of the hummus by allowing the flavors to form. Serve with pita chips.

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Not a Christmas Party but a Holiday Party

My office is having a holiday get together and I signed up for a dessert and a side dish/appetizer. I made White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnaps for the dessert and a Garlic Cheese Ball. I made the cookies last year around the holidays and we all loved them. I am glad I remembered them so we could enjoy them again. I am thinking that if you wanted to be more festive you could color the white chocolate red or green. I don't know how it would look against the brown of the cookie but it might be fun just the same.

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White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnaps
from Sparky
Print Recipe

1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 1/4 cups flour
4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
sugar
3 cups white chips
3 Tbsp oil or shortening

Beat oil, sugar, eggs, and molasses. Stir in dry ingredients. Roll dough into small balls and roll in sugar. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheets at 350 for about 7 minutes. Cool completely. Combine chips and oil in a small glass bowl. Microwave at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Dip cookies half way into the white chocolate and lay on waxed paper till set.

Notes:
-The 2 tablespoons of ginger is not a mistake. It's what makes them really good. The spiciness is a perfect balance for the white chocolate. When you get to the last of the cookies, it will be hard to dip them. You can just spread the chocolate over the top of them, kind of like frosting.

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Garlic Cheese Ball
from Sparky
Print Recipe

16 oz cream cheese
8-10 oz shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp onion, minced
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
chopped pecans

Combine all ingredients except chopped pecans in a small bowl and combine. Refrigerate for several hours. Remove from refrigerator and roll into a ball. Roll in pecans. Serve with pita crisps.

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Healthy Homemade Hummus

I love the idea of hummus. It is mostly considered a snack. Snacks in general are wonderful especially when the snack is healthy. So here I have a completely homemade, healthy snack and I don't LOVE it. I am hoping that tomorrow after the flavors get to sit and merry together overnight I will love it more. I mean what is not to love? Garbanzo beans/chickpeas - yum. Roasted garlic - delicious. Tahini - smells fabulous. Mix it all together and there SHOULD be love. Currently we are only at a mid to high level of like. But again, I am holding out high hopes for tomorrow and future adventures with hummus. Truth be told I would make this exact recipe again so that is why I am sharing it.

**UPDATE: We have LOVE! The marriage succeeded and everything is wonderful now. While my opinion is the only one that needed to proclaim goodness for the love to abound, I also received compliments from many of my wonderful coworkers.**

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Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas in Slow Cooker
from Sparky
Print Recipe

Rinse beans and pick out any broken or odd looking beans.
Place 4 to 5 cups of beans in Crock-Pot.
Cover the beans with cold water and place in refrigerator over night.
Drain beans and return to Crock-Pot and cover with water to two inches below rim of crock.
Cook on high for one hour then turn to low for five to six hours.
When beans are done place the crock in the refrigerator over night.
Scoop 2 cups of beans into freezer bags or containers.
Use as you would canned beans.

++You can skip placing the beans in the refrigerator after cooking them if you don't mind working with the hot beans or if you are going to cook with them.

++This process works for any type of beans. The only change is the cooking time. I test the beans to make sure they are to my liking.

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Roasted Garlic
from Sparky
Print Recipe

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut off the top of the garlic heads--enough to expose all the cloves. (Large heads are best.)
Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of a baking dish.
Place the garlic heads in the baking dish. (I roasted two large heads of garlic in a 1 quart baking dish.)
Drizzle the garlic heads with olive oil. (This helps so the cloves don't dry out.)
Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
Cover with aluminum foil.
Place in oven for 40-45 minutes--until the cloves are a lovely golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool.
Squeeze the cloves out of the skins by pinching form the bottom.

The fresh roasted garlic can be spread on crusty bread, blended into hummus, stored in the refrigerator in olive oil, or search the internet for other options. For the best directions with step-by-step pictures visit The Pioneer Woman.

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Tahini
from Sparky
Print Recipe

Heat a heavy sauce pan on medium heat.
Pour 1 cup of sesame seeds into pan.
Stir constantly until the seeds are lightly toasted--not browned.
Let sesame seeds cool.
Pour sesame seeds into blender
Add 1/4 cup olive, peanut, or canola oil.
Blend until smooth, adding more oil if necessary.

Homemade tahini is not as smooth as store purchased; however, the cost difference is SO worth the difference (at least to me).

Want the math? Here it is. Store purchased tahini - $6 to $10 for 16 oz. I paid $2 for 1 lb. of sesame seeds. I used not quite half of the bag of sesame seeds. I don't remember how much I paid for the oil but I do know it was nowhere near $5 to $9 for the 1/3 cup I used. SCORE!

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Hummus (I know, finally.)
from Sparky
Print Recipe

5 cups garbanzo beans/chickpeas
1/3 cup tahini
3-6 cloves roasted garlic
3-6 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp cumin
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt to taste

Combine garbanzo beans/chickpeas, tahini, garlic, water, lemon juice, cumin, and salt in blender. Blend until smooth. Add olive oil and more salt and/or cumin for desired taste and pulse a few times to combine. Serve with crackers or pita chips.

I still want to perfect this recipe to the point where I LOVE it. I will be sure to update you of any discoveries. Again, for great step-by-step with photos visit The Pioneer Woman.

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Rice Pilaf aka Rice-a-Roni from Scratch
Print Recipe

3/4 cup angel hair pasta, broken into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup rice
2 Tbsp butter or olive oil
3 cups hot water
3 tsp chicken bouillon
garlic powder
onion powder
white pepper
season all

Brown pasta in butter/olive oil. Add rice and stir to coat with butter/olive oil and brown pasta a bit more. Slowly add water, bouillon, and seasonings. Cover and simmer until water is absorbed (about 20 minutes). Serve with grated cheese if you want to be a little naughty.

The entire family loves this. It is also Bob approved "delicious in ketchup."

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As always, if you have any questions let me know.