Homemade Pizza

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Here's a way to make a healthy homemade pizza for your family.  Feel free to personalize it to your tastes.  This amount makes either one large (14-16") thicker crust or two very thin crusts.  Since I'm trying to watch my calories I normally split it into two crusts and roll it very thin.  This makes our ingredients go further too! :)

Crust:

• 1 (1/4 oz) pkg active dry yeast
• 1 c warm water
• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 c flour (can substitute whole wheat flour)
• additional flour for kneading
• small amount cornmeal

In a medium mixing bowl combine yeast and warm water.  Let sit until yeast foams, about 5 minutes.  Stir in oil & salt.  Add flour, 1/2 c at a time, mixing with a large spoon, until dough comes away from the side of the bowl and holds together.  Sprinkle a little bit of flour onto a large cutting board or pastry board.  Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead about 5 minutes, until it's smooth and springy, only adding enough flour to keep it from sticking to the board.  Form dough into a ball and place in a medium bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm place.  Let rise until about doubled in size, about 2 hours or so.

To make the pizza, preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and flatten with your hand.  Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough outward from the center.  Form dough into a circle or rectangle (whichever shape your baking stone or pizza pan is).

Sprinkle baking stone, pizza pan, or baking sheet with a small amount of cornmeal.  Lay the crust on the stone or sheet.  Top as desired.  The BBQ chicken pizza shown in this picture was made with about 1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce, some mozzarella cheese, grilled chicken, and red onions.  You could also use pizza sauce and any other toppings you like such as pepperoni, sausage, ham, peppers, etc.

Once the pizza is topped, let it rest about 10 minutes for a crispier crust.  Bake pizza for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melting & browning a bit.  If desired, sprinkle with sliced fresh basil.  (If adding fresh basil don't add until after the pizza comes out of the oven so the basil doesn't burn.)

Hot Chili Dip

This recipe came from my friend Jeni (Frank) Outlaw.  It's absolutely incredible!  Note for my family & friends who have experienced this dip: this is the "B____" dip.  You know what I mean. ;)

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 lbs Velveeta, cubed
• Garlic powder or garlic salt to taste (I usually substitute a clove of garlic, minced.)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 small cans tomato sauce
• 1 small can jalapeno peppers or green chiles, (depending on how hot you want the dip to be) finely chopped

Fry the ground beef and onions together and add garlic.  Put the mixture together with the remaining ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low just until the cheese is melted.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Note: This amount will fit in a smaller crock pot.  I usually make a double batch when I bring it to potlucks and make it in my 5 or 6-qt crock pot.  People love the dip so much it's pretty much all gone within not too much time even if I make a double batch.

Dad's Gameday Nacho Cheese Dip

This is the Nacho recipe that my Dad makes for a snack while watching most football and baseball games.

• 2 lb Velveeta, cubed (You can substitute the low-fat Velveeta, but don't use any other kind of cheese because it doesn't melt as smoothly.)
• 8 oz jar salsa
• 8 oz milk (Dad usually just measures by filling up the salsa jar with milk after adding the salsa to the fondue pot.)

Combine all in a fondue pot and turn on to the low or cheese setting.  Allow to melt, stirring occasionally.  Once melted, serve with tortilla chips.  Note:  If you don't have a fondue pot you can make this in a medium saucepan cooked over low heat. 

Mozzarella Chicken

Here’s a great fast dinner idea.  This chicken is really good served over a bed of spaghetti noodles with a side of your favorite veggies.

• 1 c bread crumbs
• 3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 3 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 4 chicken breast fillets
• 1 c flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 beaten egg
• 3 oz Italian salad dressing (I actually prefer the Zesty Italian Dressing.)
• 1/4 c margarine or butter (The original recipe calls for margarine, but I prefer the taste of butter better.  Go with what you like here.)
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese (You can substitute shredded mozzarella.)

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley in bowl; mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper.  Dredge chicken in flour mixture.  Dip into egg; coat with crumb mixture.  Melt margarine or butter in skillet.  Brown chicken in skillet with margarine or butter.  Place in 8×8″ baking dish.  Pour salad dressing over chicken.  Top with cheese slices.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.

Karen's Swiss Scalloped Corn

My aunt Karen used to make this corn for our family gatherings and everyone enjoys it.  My dad loves it so much he came up with a “loving” nickname for it that I can’t share here.  Any family members reading this - this is the “O” corn. ;)  When Karen got tired of always making this and wanted to make something else to bring to family holidays she gave the recipe to me.

Note:  Amounts given here are for a single recipe.  I usually make a double batch in a 2-qt casserole or the Pampered Chef Stoneware Baking Bowl.

Cook 3 slices bacon and crumble into baking dish.
Stir in 2 cans (15 oz each) whole kernel corn, drained.

In a separate bowl combine:

• 1 c shredded Swiss cheese (you can substitute mozzarella)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp flour blended with 1 beated egg (combine before adding to bowl)
• 1 can (5 1/2 oz) evaporated milk (Don’t use sweetened condensed milk)

Stir contents of bowl into bacon and corn.  Sprinkle topping on top (see below).

Topping:

• 1/4 c dry bread crumbs
• 1 Tbsp melted butter
• dash paprika

Microwave 10-12 minutes on high or until cooked, let stand 5 minutes to set -OR- Bake 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees or until done.

Lasagna

I got this recipe from my friend Leslie’s mom.  It’s by far the best lasagna I’ve ever had.  In fact my husband loves it so much he told me I should throw out my other lasagna recipes and only use this one from now on.  The only changes I’ve made are the addition of fresh garlic to the meat mixture, and I sometimes use low-fat cream cheese and sour cream in the cheese mixture.  The recipe also calls for 6 oz of cream cheese but I normally use 8 oz.

Meat mixture:

• 1 lb hamburger
• 1 clove fresh garlic (or if you get the minced garlic in a jar use 1 tsp garlic)
• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 Tbsp basil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 (1 lb) can diced tomatoes
• 12 oz tomato paste

Brown the hamburger; drain off grease.  Simmer meat mixture 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook 1 (10 oz) pkg lasagna noodles according to package directions.

Cheese mixture:

• 1 c (8 oz) small curd cottage cheese
• 6 oz cream cheese (I usually use 8 oz cream cheese)
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

Also need 12 oz sliced mozzarella cheese (I’ve substituted shredded mozzarella in a pinch.)

Place 1/2 of the noodles on the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.  Spread 1/2 of cheese mixture over noodles, cover with 1/2 of mozzarella cheese.  Cover with 1/2 of meat mixture.  Repeat layers.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Let stand 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Cheesy Mostaccioli

This is the recipe I made for my husband on our first date.  They say a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach ~ I guess it worked in this case!  LOL

• 1 (16 oz) pkg mostaccioli pasta, cooked
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, browned & drained
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 (28 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 (11 oz) can cheddar cheese soup
• 3 c (12 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare mostaccioli pasta according to package directions.  In 10″ or 12″ skillet brown meat and drain.  Add seasonings to meat.  Stir in spaghetti sauce and cheddar cheese soup.  Combine pasta, sauce mixture, and 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese in 2 qt casserole.  (If you have the Pampered Chef Baking Bowl use that - it bakes more evenly.)  Mix to combine.  Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.  Bake 40 minutes or until cheese is light golden brown and casserole bubbles.  Makes approx. 12 servings.

Note:  The original recipe doesn’t call for garlic, but I usually add 1-2 cloves fresh garlic to the meat before adding the spaghetti sauce & cheddar cheese soup.