Homemade Pizza

Dough Recipe
*start making the dough 2 1/2 to 3 hours before you want to eat*

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups flour (can replace up to half of this with whole wheat flour)
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water (may need up to 1 or 2 Tbs more)
• 1 Tbs olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Stir dry ingredients, including yeast, in a large bowl. Add water and olive oil, stirring mixture into as close to a ball as you can. Dump all clumps and floury bits onto a lightly floured surface and knead everything into a homogeneous ball.
2. Knead it for just a minute or two. Lightly oil the bowl (a spritz of cooking spray will do the trick) where you had mixed it, dump the dough in, turn it over so all sides are coated, cover it in plastic wrap, and laeve it undisturbed for an hour or two, until it has doubled in size.
3. Dump it back on the floured counter, and gently press the air out of the dough with the palm of your hands. Fold the piece into an approximate ball shape, and let it sit under that plastic wrap for 20 more minutes.
4. Sprinkle a pizza stone or baking sheet with cornmeal and preheat your oven to its top temperature. Roll out the pizza, add your toppings, and bake for about 10 minutes, until it is lightly blistered.

Toppings:

Toppings are up to you! I use whatever we have on hand. Tonight I used marinara sauce from a jar, pepperoni, green peppers and some leftover 'pizza blend' shredded cheese. Sometimes I go healthy instead and use a homemade sauce and top it with spinach and artichoke hearts (and cheese, of course).

Meatloaf

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs ground beef, lean
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 cup cracker or bread crumbs
• 1 can chicken & rice soup
• Instant onion
• Salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix all ingredients together (it makes two loaves).
2. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. 

*We bake one loaf and freeze the other

*We serve it with cheesy potatoes

Cheesy Chicken Pepper Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
• 1 red bell peppers, sliced
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 16 oz shredded Muenster cheese
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbs cornstarch
• 1 lb linguine pasta

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil and add chicken. Saute until it begins to turn golden brown. Add red bell peppers and cook until they become limp, cover and simmer.
2. In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine milk, butter, cheese and garlic. Stir constantly for about 10 minutes to avoid burning.
3. Sauce should now have a thickened sauce-like consistency. If not, add cornstarch in 1 tsp increments until desired consistency is reached.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain.
5. Once the sauce is complete, combine it with the chicken and peppers mixture. Add garlic powder to taste.
6. Pour sauce over hot pasta and serve.

Captain Rodney's Cheese Bake

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 stalks green onions, chopped
• 6 pieces Flipside pretzel-crackers, crumbled
• 8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup Captain Rodney's Boucan Glaze

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees°.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and green onions, until thoroughly blended.
3. Spread the mixture into an oven-proof serving dish that's large enough to hold all, plus a little extra room to spare. Sprinkle the crumbled crackers on top, then bake for 15 minutes in the oven.
4. When done baking, sprinkle the cooked bacon on top, then drizzle the Boucan Glaze over the whole thing.
5. Serve with a plain cracker.

Snicker Apple Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (16 oz) container Cool Whip, thawed
• 1 (3.5 oz) box French vanilla instant pudding
• 4 large apples, peeled and diced
• 6 Snickers candy bars, diced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix pudding mix and Cool Whip together with mixer.
2. Fold in apples and Snickers.
3. Chill

*I leave a couple apples unpeeled for color

*I leave out about 1/4 cup Snickers to use as garnish

Chop Suey Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can of water
• 3/4 cup rice
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts
• 3 Tbs soy sauce
• 3 Tbs butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook ground beef until no longer pink, drain fat.
2. Bring back to pan and add onion, sautee for a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients and stir.
3. Place in large 13 x 9 pan, or large coringware dish. Cover and cook for 45 minutes

*I sometimes have to add 1/2 cup of water at the end, stir and cook an addition 15-20 minutes to make sure rice is cooked and not hard. I also like to eat mine with some hot sauce.

Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Dinner in a Skillet

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp "Essence" (recipe found at the bottom)
• 1 Tbs olive or vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup sliced white button mushrooms
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1/4 lb small elbow macaroni or wide egg noodles, cooked
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Grated white cheddar, optional
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Season the beef with the salt, pepper, and Essence.
2. In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the seasoned beef and cook, stirring, until well browned and all pink has disappeared. Drain off any excess oil in the skillet.
3. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring until the mushrooms have released their juices, about 2 minutes. Add the macaroni (or egg noodles), beef broth and sour cream. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens slightly, 5-6 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and spoon the mixture onto 2 large plates. Sprinkle each portion with the cheese, if desired, and chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Essence Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 Tbs paprika
• 2 Tbs salt
• 2 Tbs garlic powder
• 1 Tbs black pepper
• 1 Tbs onion powder
• 1 Tbs cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbs dried oregano
• 1 Tbs dried thyme

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Whole Slow Cooker Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (3 lb) whole chicken, skin removed
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 olive oil
• 1/4 honey
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbs minced garlic

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken in crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over chicken.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

*Note: I would cook it breast side down the entire time - it kept it more moist this way.

Dripping Roast Beef Sandwiches with Melted Provolone

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can (10.5 oz) French onion soup
• 1 Tbs reduced sodium Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 lb thinly sliced deli roast beef
• 4 soft hoagie rolls with sesame seeds
• 4 slices deli provolone cheese, cut in half
• 1/4 cup drained hot or mild pickled banana pepper rings

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 400°.
2. Heat the soup and Worcestershire sauce in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Add the beef and heat through, stirring occasionally.
3. Divide the beef evenly among the rolls. Top the beef with the cheese slices and place the sandwiches onto a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 3 minutes or until the sandwiches are toasted and the cheese is melted. Spoon the soup mixture onto the sandwiches. Top each sandwich with 1 Tbs pepper rings.

Chicken Piccata

INGREDIENTS:

• Frozen boneless/skinless chicken breasts
• Badia Mexican seasoning
• Capers (amount is up to you)
• Mushrooms, sliced
• 1 qt. Chicken stock
• Fettuccine noodles
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Butter
• Lemons
• Fresh garlic, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Sprinkle frozen chickens with the Badia seasoning and put in the oven for 50 minutes. Wait about 30 minutes and then start the rest of the steps.
2. Put a little olive oil in a skillet and heat up. Add chopped garlic and cook until just softened - be careful not to burn. Then turn down the heat a little and add about half or so of the chicken stock and turn back up to high. Whisk occasionally until it has thickened up. It will reduce down a lot. If you lose too much, add the rest of the stock and reduce until thickened.
3. Get your noodles started.
4. In the meantime, get a second skillet and add some butter - about a dollop - and a little olive oil and heat the skillet until the butter melts. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until browned. Set aside.
5. After the chicken stock has reduced a good bit and thickened up, add about 3-4 dollops of butter, a little at a time, whisking in each dollop until melted. The result will be a slightly thick sauce.
6. Drain your capers and add them to it, as well as some lemon juice, to taste preference. Add some salt/pepper to taste, as well.
7. Serve noodles next to the chicken, top with mushrooms and then pour sauce all over. Also can be served with French bread/rolls.

Lazy Cabbage Roll Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 Tbs rice
• 1 can tomato soup
• 3 cups chopped cabbage
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown ground beef with onion, salt and pepper. Stir frequently and drain grease. Add rice, soup and 1 soup can of water. Simmer for 10 minutes
2. Place cabbage in 2 quart greased casserole dish. Cover with meat mixture.
3. Bake at 325° for 1.5 hours.

* I add sour kraut on the bottom and on the top layer to make it a bit more sour. I also top it off with some sliced smoked sausage. You can add some on the bottom as well, for a smokey flavor. I also suggest adding some salt and pepper or even some chicken broth to kick it up a notch.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Tbs unsalted butter
• 3 Tbs all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 shallot (or onion), minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups grated parmesan cheese
• 3 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed
• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 cup cracker crumbs (I like Ritz, but use your favorite)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat and add the flour. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add the broth and shallot (or onion), and increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil. 
2. Reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes). Add the salt, pepper and lemon juice. Remove from heat, and stir in the sour cream and 1/4 cup of the parmesan.
3. Arrange the broccoli in a 2-quart gratin dish, and pour half the sauce over it. Arrange the chicken on top of the broccoli and pour on the remaining sauce. 
4. Top with cracker crumbs and remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Then put the dish under the broiler until the cracker crumbs are golden brown (about 1 minute).

Pasta e Fagioli

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 medium carrots
• 3 stalks celery
• 1/2 Tbs dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans
• 1 can (15 oz) white beans
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 2 tsp chicken base
• 3 cups water
• 6 oz dry pasta
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 5 oz shredded Italian cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Chop the garlic, onion, celery and carrots. Place them in a large pot with 2 Tbs of olive oil and cook over medium heat until the onions become transparent (3-5 minutes).
2. Add the herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, red pepper), the canned items (beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce) and the frozen green beans. Drain the beans but not the tomatoes before adding the pot. Stir everything together and bring it up to a simmer.
3. Add the chicken (or vegetable) bouillon and 3 cups of water. Stir it up a bit to dissolve the bouillon. Add the dry pasta and bring the pot up to a simmer. Add a lid and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is fully cooked. Stir the pot occasionally as it simmers to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
4. Give the dish a quick taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Ladle the Pasta e Fagioli into a bowl and top with shredded Italian cheese (parmesan, romano or asiago).

Stuffed Green Peppers

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 green peppers
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 (14.5 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 (10.75 oz) cans condensed tomato soup

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers, and remove the seeds. Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Sprinkle salt inside each pepper and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, saute beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, 1/2 cup water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°. Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture an place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Pour over the peppers.
4. Bake covered for 25-35 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Easy Cheesy Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup frozen (or fresh) broccoli
• Cheese of your choice (I use sharp cheddar for the extra kick)
• A little olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a skillet with a little olive oil, cook the chicken.
2. In a separate sauce pan, combine the can of cream of chicken with 1/2 can water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and add broccoli.
3. To serve, place one chicken breast on a plate. Top with some cheese, then a little of the sauce, then more cheese.
4. Serve with rice to make a little more filling.

Tuna Pasta Salad with Peas

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 oz bow tie pasta
• 5 oz can chunk light tuna in water
• 1 medium lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup diced onion (yellow, purple or green)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 2 cups frozen sweet peas

DIRECTIONS:

1. Take 2 cups of peas out of the freezer and let thaw on the counter. Cook the bow tie pasta according to the package directions (boil 5-7 minutes). Drain in a colander and let cool.
2. As the pasta is draining and cooling, combine the rest of the ingredients (peas, tuna, mayonnaise, lemon juice, onions, salt and pepper). Adjust the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
3. If your pasta is still hot when you are finished combining the rest of the ingredients, run cold water over it until it has cooled down. Make sure to drain the pasta well before combining it with the rest of the ingredients. Stir the pasta into the pea/mayonnaise mixture until it is well coated. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

*You can put the frozen peas directly into the salad without thawing them first as long as you do not plan on serving the salad right away.

*If you want your tuna to stay in chunks, add it last (after the pasta).

Beef Fajitas

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb beef (flank steak or thin strips)
• 5 Tbs vegetable oil, divided
• 2 Tbs lime juice (or 1 lime)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1/2 Tbs chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 medium green bell peppers
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1 yellow onion
• 6 (6 inch) tortillas
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1 medium avocado (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. The night before: Combine 3 tbs of vegetable oil with the lime juice, chili powder, garlic (minced), a handful of cilantro (chopped) and about 1/8 tsp of salt. Mix it up - add the beef and stir to coat the meat. Cover and keep in fridge until you are ready to cook the next day.
2. Clean and thinly slice the bell peppers and onion. Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet with 2 tbs of vegetable oil over very high heat (as high as it will go without the oil smoking). Toss in the sliced vegetables, season with salt and pepper and cook them until the edges get brown and carmelized. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
3. Toss the meat, marinade and all, into the same hot skillet. Stir and cook until the meat is fully cooked.
4. Prepare a fajita assembly line with the tortillas, meat, vegetables, sour cream, fresh cilantro and sliced avocados.

Crunchy Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3-4 inch pieces
• Seasoned bread crumbs
• Butter
• Any seasoning to add to the seasoned breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter. Dip chicken pieces in butter. Then dip into seasoned breadcrumbs. Dip back into the melted butter, and back into the breadcrumbs.
2. Place chicken onto a baking sheet. 
3. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes, until golden brown.

*For a twist, add Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumb mixture

Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 cup (or more) of Marzetti slaw dressing
• 3/4 cup of grapes, cut in fourths
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1/4 cup of pecans
• 2 Tbs onion, minced
• 1 tsp celery seed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook chicken in crockpot for 6-8 hours. Pull apart when finished cooking.
2. Mix all the ingredients and add the pulled apart chicken.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz linguine pasta
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 2 Tbs butter
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain.
2. Place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the chicken in butter or margarine until almost tender (5-7 minutes).
3. Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion. Saute and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat.
4. Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, toss and heat through. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.