Annette's Pizza

My friend and colleague Brian shared this recipe with me, but only after much begging and promising to use it exactly following his directions.

Crust:

1 cup warm water

2 T yeast

2 T honey

1/4 cup olive oil

Dash salt

3 cups flour

Sauce:

1 sm. can tomato paste

1 sm. can tomato sauce

1+ t minced garlic

2 T oregano

1 T basil

1 T parsley

Dash salt

**You'll only be using 3 T of the sauce (yes, really!). Freeze the rest in 3 T portions for future pizzas.

Directions: Mix warm water, honey, and yeast in mixer bowl. Mix well and let stand for 5 minutes.

While waiting, mix sauce and grease large pizza pan. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Add salt and oil to dough mixture. Slowly mix in flour.

Spread dough evenly evenly on large pizza pan. Spread on 3 T of sauce. Cover with toppings and cheese. If you use too many toppings or too much cheese, your pizza will be soggy. The star of this pizza is the yummy crust.

Bake at 500 for 8-10 minutes on lowest rack.

Sloppy Joes

When we returned home from vacation, our friend Patty had left sloppy joe mixture and buns in our fridge for our supper that night. It was so nice to come home to a ready to eat meal! I had saved the Pioneer Woman's sloppy joe recipe, but hadn't gotten around to making them. After eating Patty's delicious joes, I finally tried these and they were delicious as well.

Pioneer Woman's Sloppy Joes

2 T butter

2 and 1/2 pounds ground beef

1/2 large onion, diced

1 whole green bell pepper, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced (I used the ready-to-use minced garlic in a jar. I'm lazy like that.)

1 and 1/2 cup ketchup

1 cup water

2 T brown sugar

2 t chili powder

1 t dry mustard

1/2 t red pepper flakes

Worcestershire sauce to taste

2 T tomato paste (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Kaiser rolls

Butter

Add butter to large skillet. Add ground beef and brown, drain off most of the fat.

Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook until vegetables begin to soften.

Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder and pepper, dry mustard, and water. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes.

Butter rolls or buns and brown on griddle or skillet.

I cut the recipe in half the first time, but will make up the whole recipe (or more) next time. It would be nice to have the meat in the freezer waiting to thaw for a cold winter evening.

Plain Ol' White Bread

From the Kitchenaid Mixer instruction and recipe book

Rapid Mix Cool Rise White Bread

Makes 2 loaves

6-7 cups all-purpose flour

2 T sugar

3 1/2 t salt

3 pkg active dry yeast

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups very warm water

Place 5 and 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and butter in mixer bowl. Mix about 20 seconds on speed 2. Gradually add warm water and mix a minute and a half longer

Continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and towel. Leave for 20 minutes.

Divide dough in half and shape each half into a loaf. Place in greased loaf pans. Brush each with oil and cover loosely with plastic. Refrigerate 2-12 hours.

Uncover dough carefully and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Bake at 400 for 35 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

Beef and Bean Burritos

Last week I made Pioneer Woman's Beef and Bean Burritos. They were delicious! It's from the week where she specialized in feeding her boys and husband food that was "hot, brown, and plentiful." I figured that would appeal to David and I was right! Here's her recipe:

• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• ½ whole Medium Onion
• 1 can (7 Ounce) Mexican Tomato Sauce Or Enchilada Sauce
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Cumin, Oregano, Chili Powder, Garlic To Taste
• 1 can (28 Ounce) Refried Beans
• ¾ cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
• 12 whole Burrito-sized Flour Tortillas
• Extra Grated Cheese, For Sprinkling
• Extra Sauce, For Drizzling
• Cilantro Leaves, Optional
• Optional Filling Ingredients: Mexican Rice, Sour Cream, Guacamole, Green Chilies, Pico De Gallo

Brown ground beef with onion and season to taste. Pour in sauce and simmer over low heat. Add water if mixture gets too dry.

Heat refried beans in a saucepan. Add cheese and stir in till melted. Keep warm.

Heat tortillas in microwave for one minute.

Spread a small amount of beans on each tortilla. Add meat. Fold over ends, then roll up. Place two burritos on a microwave-safe plate. Drizzle red sauce over the top and sprinkle with more grated cheddar. Microwave for one minute, or until cheese is melted and burritos are very hot. Serve immediately.

Cheeseburger Soup

It will soon be time for warm cozy dinners again, and we love my mom's Cheeseburger Soup. I saw someone making it on Diners, Drive Ins, Dives and they were adding lettuce. That doesn't sound too good. But this does!

Cheeseburger Soup

Makes 2 and 1/4 quarts

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter,( divided, 1 T. and 3 T.)
3 cups chicken broth
1 can creamed corn
4 cups diced peeled potaotes (1-3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups (8ounes) process cheese (Velveeta)
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

In a 3 qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside.
In the same saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1
tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 min.
Add broth, potatoes, corn and beef; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter (3 T.).
Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly.
Add to soup; bring to a boil.
Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low.
Add cheese, milk, salt, and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts.
Remove form heat.
Blend in sour cream.