Homemade Pizza

Homemade Pizza

1 1/2 C. warm (105-115 degrees) water

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. yeast

1/2 tsp. salt

3-4 1/2 C. flour (I used bread flour)

butter

garlic salt (to sprinkle on top)

oregano (to sprinkle on top)

In a large bowl, combine water, sugar and yeast.  Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.  Add salt and stir.  Add 1 1/2 C. of flour and mix well.  Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger.  Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.  Remove some dough from the bowl and place on a surface sprayed with cooking spray.  Roll out until you reach your desired thickness (try to roll it out fairly thin since it puffs up a fair amount when baking).  Transfer the dough to a greased baking sheet.  Using a fork, prick several holes in the crust.  Drizzle crust with a little oil and brush it all the way up to the edges.  Sprinkle with garlic salt.  Bake at 425 degrees (I did 415 degrees) for 7-12 minutes or until crust is golden.  Remove from oven.  Spread a layer of sauce over the crust.  Top with whatever toppings you like.  Then sprinkle with oregano.  Return pizza to oven and bake 7-12 minutes or until cheese is melty and the crust is golden brown.

*I did a triple batch so that we would have leftovers.

recipe from Our Best Bites and I also used their tips found here. 

Taco Soup

 Taco Soup

4 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes

4-5 cans (15.5 oz.) beans (kidney, pinto, black, white northern beans, red, etc.)

2 cans (15 oz.) corn, drained

2-4 Tbsp. taco seasoning, to taste

salt & pepper, to taste

ground beef

water, if needed

Combine all ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips if desired.

*This could also be made in the crockpot.

Recipe from Brooke Geary

Lasagna Soup

This is one of our favorite soups--so yummy!

Lasagna Soup

1 lb. ground beef (can also used ground turkey)

1 small onion, chopped (I use 1 tsp. onion powder)

1 large garlic clove, minced (I use 1 tsp. of the minced garlic in a jar)

1 large can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes

3 C. chicken broth ( I use chicken bouillon and water)

1 C. water

1 beef bouillon cube

1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (I don't use too much because it's pretty spicy)

1/2 box (3 cups) medium shells

cottage cheese

Brown beef with onion and garlic.  Drain fat.  Add the rest of the ingredients except the shells and cottage cheese.  Heat to a boil and then reduce heat.  Add shells and simmer uncovered until noodles are tender, about 20-30 minutes.  Serve warm with cottage cheese on top.

recipe from Haley

Pesto Ranch Chicken

This was SO easy & SO good!  Danny & I both loved it.

Pesto Ranch Chicken

8 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs (I used boneless, skinless breasts & I just put how many fit in my crockpot--I think it was 6)

6 oz. jar pesto (I used basil pesto)

1 pkg. ranch dressing seasoning mix

1/2 C. chicken broth



Combine all ingredients in crockpot.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.




recipe from Holly

Corned Beef & Cabbage

This was VERY good!  Will definitely make this again!

This is what the package of corned beef looked like.

Corned Beef & Cabbage

1 pkg. Corned Beef Brisket (mine was about 3 lbs. & I trimmed off the fat)

spice packet that comes with the corned beef brisket

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 onion, peeled & cut into quarters (or 1 tsp. onion powder)

1 small cabbage, cored & cut into wedges

6 large potatoes, quartered (I used red potatoes & just did as many as would fit)

4 large carrots, peeled & cut into chunks (I used way more carrots)

1 can beef broth (recipe didn't call for this, but I added it)

Place all ingredients into a large crockpot.  Cook on low for approximately 8 hours.  (I ran out room in the crockpot, so I added the rest of the cabbage after everything had cooked down & created more space).

recipe from Cindy on allrecipes

Hearty Minestrone Soup

This was yummy & very easy.  Crockpot recipes are the best!

Hearty Minestrone Soup


1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 C. water

2 medium carrots, sliced (I used 4 carrots)

1 medium onion, chopped (I used 1 1/2 tsp. onion powder instead)

1 medium zucchini, chopped (I used 2 C. shredded instead)

1 pkg. (3 1/2 oz.) sliced pepperoni (I didn't use quite that much & I cut it up & used turkey pepperoni)

2 tsp. minced garlic (I used 3-4 tsp.)

2 tsp. chicken bouillon

1/2 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. oregano

2 (16 oz.) cans kidney beans, rinsed & drained (I used 1 can of light & 1 can of dark)

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed dry (next time I think I will do a little less spinach)

1 1/4 C. cooked elbow macaroni (1/2 C. + 1/8 C. dry macaroni & I used whole wheat)

shredded Parmesan cheese (I didn't use this)

1-2 tsp. garlic powder (recipe didn't call for this, but I added some)




Combine the first 10 ingredients in a large crockpot.  Cover & cook on low for 6-8 hours or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in the beans, spinach, & macaroni.  Cover & cook 15 minutes or until heated through.  Sprinkle with cheese if desired.



Yield: 7 servings (2 3/4 quarts).

Nutrition Facts: 1 1/2 C. (calculated without cheese) equals 276 calories, 7 g. fat (3 g. saturated fat), 12 mg. cholesterol, 974 mg. sodium, 41 g. carbohydrate, 12 g. fiber, 15 g. protein.




recipe from Bonnie Hosman on Taste of Home website

Italian Chicken & Potatoes

This was very easy & good--I love crockpot recipes!

Italian Chicken & Potatoes


4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 C. - 1 C. Italian salad dressing (I used fat-free & about 3/4 C.)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

4-6 potatoes, cut into wedges (I used red potatoes & they were great!)

1/2 C. parmesan cheese, grated (optional--I didn't use this)




Place chicken & potatoes in crockpot.  Pour dressing over top & then sprinkle on seasoning & cheese.  Cook on low for 6-7 hours or until chicken is done & potatoes are tender.




recipe from Ali

Debdoozie's Blue Ribbon Chili

This chili was really yummy & very easy.  I've made it 3 times in the last month :)  (This is a horrible picture, but it's the only one I had).

Debdoozie's Blue Ribbon Chili


2 lb. ground beef, cooked (I did less and I did 1/2 hamburger, 1/2 ground turkey)

1/2 onion, chopped (I used 1 tsp. onion powder)

1 tsp. pepper (I used 1/2 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. garlic salt (I just did a couple shakes)

2 1/2 C. tomato sauce (I used a large can, 29 oz.)

1 (8 oz.) jar salsa

4 Tbsp. chili seasoning mix (I used 2 Tbsp. chili powder)

1 (15 oz.) can light red kidney beans, drained

1 (15 oz.) can dark red kidney beans, drained

the recipe didn't call for it, but I added the following:

1 (15 oz.) can red beans, drained

2 tsp. minced garlic

few shakes garlic powder

few shakes Italian seasoning

couple shakes of cumin


Combine all of the ingredients in a crockpot & cook on low for 6-8 hours or until heated through (you can also cook on high for about 4 hours).




recipe from Deb on Allrecipes

Loaded Baked Potato Chowder

This isn't a very good picture, but believe me when I tell you that you must make this soup!  We all loved it at my house & it's all done using the microwave!

Loaded Baked Potato Chowder

3 large potatoes (I left the skins on mine)

3 1/2 C. milk, divided (I used skim)

4 oz. cream cheese, softened (I used Neufchatel--low fat)

2 Tbsp. butter (I just used a little bit--less than 1 Tbsp.)

4 oz. cheddar cheese, grated (I just sprinkled a little on each serving of soup)

1 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)

1/2 tsp. pepper (or to taste)

Optional toppings: bacon, sour cream, green onions, steamed broccoli, chopped tomatoes, etc.

Cut potatoes into small pieces.  Place in a microwave safe bowl or casserole dish (it needs to be quite large).  Pour 1/2 C. of the milk over the potatoes.  Cover the potatoes (my bowl didn't have a lid, so I used plastic wrap--just make sure to leave a little opening for the steam to escape) and microwave for 11 minutes.  Then stir the potatoes & microwave for 8-11 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.  Coarsely mash potatoes & add the butter.  Whisk cream cheese until smooth & slowly add the remaining 3 C. of milk, whisking until smooth.  Add cream cheese mixture to the potatoes.  Microwave, covered, for 3-4 minutes or until mixture is hot.  (I actually did mine in a pot on the stove for this part because I didn't have a large enough bowl that would fit in my microwave without overflowing).  Add salt, pepper, and cheese.  Serve with desired toppings.

recipe from Shelly Piech & she got it from Pampered Chef

Taco Salad

This is a very fast & easy dinner (especially if you have the meat already cooked in the freezer).

Taco Salad

meat (I like to use 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground turkey)--I don't measure it, I just add some in)

1 can of black beans (you could use any kind of beans)

1/2 C. to 3/4 C. water (depends on how much meat you use)

taco seasoning, to taste

tortilla chips (it is also good with cool ranch or cheese Doritos)

ranch dressing

shredded lettuce

toppings (cheese, tomatoes, olives, avocados, green onions, etc.)

Combine meat, beans, water, & taco seasoning in a pan on the stove.  Let simmer over medium heat until heated through & bubbly.  Serve over crushed chips & top with desired toppings & dressing.

recipe from Mom

French Toast

We like to have breakfast for dinner & french toast is always good!

French Toast


4 eggs (I use egg beaters)

1/2 C. milk (I use skim)

pinch of salt

cinnamon (to taste)

nutmeg (to taste)

12 slices of bread (I use wheat bread & this is just approximate--use more or less.  I just keep making the french toast until all of the egg mixture is used)




Mix eggs, milk, salt & spices together.  Dip a slice of bread in the egg mixture & make sure both sides get coated.  Place on a preheated griddle (I cook mine on medium heat) & cook for 1-2 minutes & then flip the bread & cook for another minute or 2.  Serve warm with desired toppings (we like syrup or powdered sugar, but fruit is always good too).





recipe from Mom

Stir Fry

This was SO GOOD!  We had this for Father's Day & we enjoyed it so much that we made it again for my birthday a couple weeks later :)

Stir Fry


2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thawed & cut into bite-sized pieces)

garlic, to taste (I used 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic)

6 carrots, peeled & cut into bite-sized pieces

6 stalks of celery, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 C. broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 C. cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 onion, cut

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 green bell pepper, cut into strips

pea pods, cut in half (I used about 1/4 to 1/2 lb. and I also cut of the little stem ends, but you don't have to)

1 small cabbage, cut into bite-sized pieces

juice of 1/2 of a lemon (I used the bottled lemon juice)

3 Tbsp. water

3 Tbsp. cornstarch (mix together with water in a small bowl)

soy sauce, to taste (I used about 7 Tbsp.)

garlic powder, to taste (I just sprinkled some in)



Cook chicken with garlic & a little bit of oil in a large pan or Wok if you have one (I just got this one for my birthday at Walmart for $30 & it worked great!).  Remove chicken & set aside.  Cook carrots & celery on medium heat for a few minutes, stirring every so often throughout the whole process of cooking the stir fry.  Then add in broccoli & cauliflower & cook for a few minutes.  Add in onion & bell peppers & cook for a few minutes.  Then add in pea pods & cabbage & cook for a few minutes.  Add in chicken.  Then add in lemon juice & cornstarch/water mixture.  Add in soy sauce & garlic powder.  Serve over rice or noodles (we like ours with brown rice).





*All of the measurements for the vegetables are approximates--you can do as much as you want or different kinds of vegetables too!



*The cooking time is also just an estimate--cook it for a shorter amount of time if you like your vegetables a little crunchy or cook it for longer if you like them soft.






recipe from Mom

Grilled Chicken Marinade--BBQ and Garlic & Herb

BBQ marinade.  Just add apple juice (it has alternate suggestions as well on the back of the box, but we used the apple juice & it worked great).

Garlic & Herb marinade.  Just add lemon juice or one of the alternate suggestions.

I got these marinades at Sam's Club & we really liked both flavors so I thought I would share.  Each box was only a few dollars & it comes with 6 packets.  We made chicken with both of them & also had the cold leftovers for chicken sandwiches & chef salad--it was tasty!

Omelet

 We love omelets at our house--we have one for breakfast almost everyday!  We also like having them for dinner sometimes too.

 These are the egg whites that I buy at Sam's Club (it comes as a 4-pack)

I also get my egg beaters from Sam's (also comes as a 4-pack).

Omelet

4-5 eggs (I do 5 eggs & I do 1 egg beaters & 4 egg whites)

seasonings (I like to do a little bit of Lawry's seasoned salt & some pepper)

shredded cheese




Heat pan on medium heat for a minute or two & spray with Pam.  Whisk together eggs & add to the pan (don't stir).  Cover with a lid & cook for a few minutes until the egg is set.  Sprinkle on a little shredded cheese & fold omelet in half & serve.




*This makes a big omelet, so we cut it in half & share it.





recipe from Mom

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

These were very good--will definitely be making them again!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas


1/3 C. honey (next time I think I will try a little less)

1/4 C. lime juice (I just used the kind that comes in a bottle)

1 Tbsp. chili powder (I used 1/2 Tbsp.)

1/2 tsp. garlic powder (I used closer to 1 tsp.)

1 lb. chicken, cooked & shredded (I did mine in the crockpot--I put 4 boneless, skinless breasts from the freezer with 1 C. of water in a large crockpot & cooked it on low for about 8 hours. It comes out very tender & shreds nicely & I only used 1/2 of the chicken & put the rest in the freezer for later use)

8-10 flour tortillas (I used 9 & they were whole wheat)

1 lb. Monterrey jack cheese, shredded (I just used a mixture of cheddar & mozzarella & I used way less than a pound)

2 (10 oz.) cans green enchilada sauce

1/2 C. heavy cream (I used 1/3 C. skim milk instead)




Mix the honey, lime juice, chili powder, & garlic powder together. Toss with the shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes (I did mine overnight in the fridge). Grease a 9x13 pan & pour enough enchilada sauce on the bottom to create a thin layer of sauce. Fill the tortillas by spooning some of the chicken mixture down the middle of the tortilla. Sprinkle on a little bit of cheese & roll up the tortilla & place in the pan. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the milk & any leftover marinade (I didn't have any leftover since I let mine soak overnight). Pour the sauce mixture over the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle the top with some cheese. Cover with foil & bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until bubbly & heated through (I took the foil off for the last 15 minutes).





recipe from Alli

German Pancakes

There's nothing like a good German pancake every once in a while--or "bumpy pancakes" as Danny calls them :) We're kinda weird though because we always have them for dinner--very seldom do we have them for breakfast.

German Pancakes


6 eggs (I use egg beaters)

1 C. milk (I use skim)

1 C. flour (I do 1/2 C. whole wheat flour, 1/2 C. white flour)

pinch of salt

few shakes of cinnamon




Mix all ingredients together until well blended & until most of the clumps are gone. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan (I like to use glass) that also has 1-2 Tbsp. melted butter in the bottom. Cook at 425 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until the edges are browned. Serve warm with syrup or powdered sugar or applesauce (my kids love this).





*Danny likes these to be a little on the thick side, so I usually 1 1/2 the recipe and make it in a 9x13 pan (it always takes longer to cook though).






recipe from Mom

Blueberry Corn Pancakes

These were very yummy & it's always nice to try something different than regular old pancakes :)

Blueberry Corn Pancakes


1 C. milk (I used skim)

1/2 C. water

1 C. flour (I used whole-wheat)

1/2 C. cornmeal

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. soda

1/4 tsp. salt (I used 1/8 tsp.)

1/2 C. blueberries (I used frozen & defrosted them & I also used a little more than 1/2 C.)




Mix all ingredients (except blueberries) together with a whisk. Fold in blueberries. Pour 1/4 C. batter onto a hot greased griddle.



Makes 8 pancakes.




*We liked ours with a little bit of butter & powdered sugar, but I'm sure they would be good with syrup too.





recipe from my mom's Blendtec recipe book

Broccoli Cheese Soup

This soup was pretty good considering that it was a mix & it was really fast!

This was the mix that I used--I'm sure other brands would be good too.

Broccoli Cheese Soup


Broccoli cheese soup mix

water

broccoli, cut up into bite-sized pieces (I used several cups, but you can add as much or as little as you want)

salt & pepper, to taste




Make soup according to package directions (mine just called for water). I just put the mix & water in my large crockpot & whisked it together. Add cut-up broccoli & cook on low for 3-4 hours or until soup is heated through & broccoli has reached desired tenderness.






recipe from Tiffany

Chicken Roll-Ups

These are really good & easy! Definitely kid friendly--Jace helped me make them & he had so much fun rolling them up & dipping them in the butter & bread crumbs :)

These are the bread crumbs that I used. The recipe doesn't need very much, so this will last me a long time & it was only a few dollars.

Chicken Roll-Ups
1 C. shredded chicken (you could also used canned chicken if you're in a hurry)

8 oz. cream cheese (I use the Neufchatel (lowfat) cream cheese & it works great)

2 Tbsp. milk

salt & pepper to taste

2 cans crescent rolls (I use the reduced fat)

1 C. crushed croutons (I used breadcrumbs & I just dump some in a bowl--you don't need a lot)

1-2 Tbsp. melted butter



Blend together chicken, cream cheese, milk, & salt & pepper. Open crescent rolls & separate them into triangles. Spoon chicken mixture onto the base of the triangle on the crescent roll. Fold in bottom corners & roll-up. Lightly roll in melted butter & then roll in crumbs. Place onto greased baking sheet & bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes, or until they are lightly browned. Serve with sauce if desired.




Sauce


1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 C. milk

seasonings, to taste (I used pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley & oregano)




Combine all ingredients together in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it's heated through & bubbly.






*We had sauce left over, so I just put it in the freezer for next time!






*FYI--I think these are best straight out of the oven, but Danny & Jace also really liked them chilled the next day.






I found this recipe somewhere online, but I can't remember where

Pizza in a Bowl

This was yummy & fast & easy! Gotta love crockpot recipes!

Pizza in a Bowl


1 jar (26 oz.) marinara sauce (next time I want to try pizza sauce)

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes

4 oz. pepperoni, diced (I used turkey pepperoni & I didn't measure it)

1 1/2 C. mushrooms, sliced (I didn't use)

1 large bell pepper, sliced (I didn't use)

1 C. water

1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

1 C. dry macaroni, uncooked (I used whole-wheat)

shredded mozzarella cheese, to taste (I used low-fat)




Combine all ingredients, except cheese, in crockpot. Cover & cook on low for 4-6 hours or until macaroni is tender. Sprinkle each individual serving with cheese.






recipe from Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook by Phyllis Pellman Good