Pizza Crust

From melskitchencafe.com

this makes a nice soft dough that turns into a perfect crust.
Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 cups flour (I use half whole white wheat)

Mix together in kitchen aid, adding flour little at a time. Do not over flour! Knead for about 5 minutes or until nice dough forms.
Rise, shape, add toppings, bake at 475 on pizza stone for 10 minutes or until golden.

Thai Massaman Curry

Our all time favorite Thai dish. This is really yummy, but we are still trying to perfect it. We keep it mild so the kids will eat it (and they love it) but you can add more curry paste if you like it hot.

Ingredients:
3 T Massaman curry paste (you can substitute other curry paste, but beware some are hotter than others.)
1/4 cup onion, chopped in chunks
1t. Garlic, diced
1/2 t. Fresh ginger, diced
2 cans or <1 quart coconut milk (not lite)
1-2 carrots, coined
1 potato, cut in chunks
1 chicken breast or 2 tenderloins, raw (you could also used already cooked chicken and just at it towards the end)
Optional: 1/2 can pineapple chunks, drained (Jim likes them in his. I don't.)
*some people like to put chopped peanuts our cilantro on top. I don't care either way.

Spices: ( if you don't have these things that is still good without them. You can also adjust the amount to your tastes.)
1/2 t. Ground cardamom
1/2 t. Ground Coriander
Pinch ground cloves

Directions:
saute onion, garlic, ginger and curry paste in a little oil for a couple of minutes. Add in the thick part of the coconut milk that is on the top of the can, about 1/2 cup. let that cook on medium low while you are chopping up the vegetables, at least 5 minutes. add in vegetables, chicken and spices with remaining coconut milk. (the exact amount of coconut milk is not really important, you can add more if you like more liquid) when chicken is done cooking, remove it from the pot and cut into chunks. if you are using pineapple, add it now. continue cooking until vegetables are barely tender. return chicken to the pot then adjust spices to taste.
Serve over jasmine rice.
Tip: serve the curry in a bowl beside the rice so you can scoop it over top as you go. if you pour all on top to begin with, it will soak in and become dry toward the end.

Crepes!

We LOVE crepes. You can put anything in them, it's so fun trying out different fillings. There are some tips you need to know to get them right if you've never made a crepe before. So read carefully.
Ingredients: (makes approximately 12 crepes in 8 inch pan)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons oil or melted butter
Pinch salt
Optional:
1 t. Vanilla
1 T. Sugar
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together with whisk. If desired, you can refrigerate batter for an hour or overnight, but I don't. Batter will be very runny. Heat non stick pan to medium high. I use an 8 inch Teflon frying pan. Because it's so non stick, I don't need to grease it, but if they stick just grease very lightly. For my 8 inch pan, I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup filled about 3/4 full and that makes a perfect thickness. You want the crepe to be very thin. Almost paper thin.

When you pour the batter in, hold the pan in the other hand and quickly swirl it around the pan to just barely cover the whole surface, making a nice thin circle. The batter will probably have a few tiny lumps from the flour, but that's ok. They will cook out. Cook on one side for about a minute or two (notice how the crepe changes as it gets cooked through. Practice will tell you when you need to flip.) I use a rubber spatula to get under the crepe then grab it with my fingers to flip. Cook in other side 30 seconds to a minute. you don't want it to brown, really. Maybe just a little. It will get a little crisp on the edges. Perfect. You're done!
Filling ideas:
Berries (fresh or frozen, cooked)
Other fruit
Nutella
Powdered sugar
Pie filling
Whipped cream
Puddings
Anything you want!
Savory: eggs, cheese, cooked veggies

Herb and Parmesan Potato Wedges

This is not an exact thing. I just throw things together till it looks good. These are my favorite! Ooh how I love these!!

Ingredients:
Potatoes (I prefer Red, but any would work. baby potatoes work great.)
olive oil
parm cheese
garlic salt
herbs (basil, oregano, parsley...whatever)

Directions:
Cut potatoes into chunks or wedges. Put in bowl. Coat with olive oil and sprinkle on some parmesan cheese, garlic salt and herbs. Stir to coat evenly. Lay single layer on baking sheet. Bake about 400 until tender.

Enjoy!

Blackberry Yogurt Muffins

(From http://www.laurenslatest.com/)
These. Are. SO. Good. SERIOUSLY! YUM! It is a good thing that the coast has a literally neverending supply of blackberries because I will be making these again. And again. And again. Leave a few chunks of blackberry when mixing them into the batter. Oh, and they might look a little funny, but dont worry. Or maybe it was just something I did wrong... I'll take a pic next time.

Blackberry Yogurt Muffins

yield: 12 small muffins


Ingredients:

6 tablespoons softened butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt (usually comes in about this size)
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup fresh blackberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin tin cups with paper liners and set aside. (I didnt use liners. Just spray muffin tin)

In large bowl, mix coconut oil and butter together. Cream with sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla, eggs {1 at a time}, yogurt and milk. Scrape edges and mix again until smooth. Pour in all dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Scrape edges and mix by hand to ensure batter is evenly mixed. Stir in blackberries gently. (I was not gentle. I liked having the whole batter blackberry-y with a few chunks.) Scoop into prepared muffin tins evenly.

Place into preheated oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Cool 10 minutes and serve.

Sweet Country Cornbread

Prepare to be amazed. This one is definitely a favorite in our family...cornbread!! This is better than out of the box, for sure. SO GOOOOD!

Ingredients:
1/4 c melted butter
1/2 c sugar
3/4 c corn meal (I'm a yellow corn meal sort of gal)
3/4 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder (I add an extra pinch sometimes)
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl. Melt butter in bowl, add milk and egg, beat together. Make well in dry ingredients, add wet ingredients all at once. Stir gently just until moistened. Pour into greased 8x8 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Potato Soup

What can I say, this soup ROCKS! I love it. My husband loves it. My company loves it. And my kids will actually eat it.

Ingredients: (to serve about 4)
bacon grease (I suppose you could just use butter)
4 to 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (any kind)
1/2 onion, diced (more or less to taste)
1 stalk celery, diced (include leaves on top)
1 cup (or more) cubed ham
1 cup?? milk
salt, pepper and thyme, maybe parsley (to taste)
Cheddar Cheese

Method:
Saute onions and celery in grease until tender.  Add potatoes and ham then cover with JUST enough water to barely cover potatoes. Boil until potatoes are tender. Mash with potato masher. (if you prefer thicker, smoother soup you could use imersion blender. I like a little chunks.) Add milk and spices and cook another couple of minutes. Stir in however much cheese you like. Remove from heat and let sit to thicken, unless you like thin soup. I serve it, then let sit it bowls. Thickens faster. Garnish with additional cheese. 2 years later...an update: When I make this soup, I always add a cup or two of frozen corn, some chicken broth, and make a small amount (2 cups?) of white sauce (milk thickened with flour/butter) in place of the milk. This is Ella's 2nd favorite dinner.

Street Tacos

This is our new favorite. We have it anywhere from once to 5 times a week, because it is so simple and good! We have invited just about everyone we know over for this dish, and everyone loves it.

Ingredients:

meat (chicken, beef or pork)
corn tortillas
tomatoes
cilantro
lettuce
lime juice

1. Stew any kind of meat (my favorite is chicken) in the crockpot all day, or until it shreds apart easily.
Take out meat, cut or shred, and return to it's juices to keep it moist. Add taco seasoning to taste. I sometimes add other things, too, whatever you like. (garlic, diced hot peppers, onion..) But it is good with just taco seasoning, too.
2. Chop lettuce, cilantro, tomatoes all small.
3. Cook tortillas slightly in a little bit of vegetable oil. MUST use corn tortillas. (don't over cook unless you like them crispy.)
4. Serve with lime juice (DONT forget the lime juice!)

Fruit Pizza

This is one I would always ask for on my birthday. We even had it for my bridal shower. Pretty much anytime I get an excuse, I ask my Mom to make this for me. I would make it for myself but it is somewhat time consuming.

1 tube refrigerator sugar cookie dough

1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese (i use the low fat kind, still just as yummy)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups whipped topping

Assorted fruits ie. strawberries, bananas, mandarin oranges, kiwi, blueberry, grapes...

Spread cookie dough on round cookie sheet. Bake dough at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Let cool. Blend cream cheese, powdered sugar and whipped topping. Spread mixture over crust and decorate with fruit.

you can get creative with the pattern. I like to OVERLOAD the fruit, that's my favorite part.

Rollout Sugar Cookies

I have made MANY many a sugar cookie and I would have to say these are my hand down favorite. They are not too soft and not to hard. They also taste better after completely cooled (and frosted of course!)

3/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 1/2 c. flour

cream butter and sugar. add vanilla and eggs. and dry ingredients gradually.
mixture may be sticky. add a LITTLE more flour if needed. or just refrigerate for an hour or two until dough is stiff enough to work with.
roll out about 1/4 inch thick. cut into shapes. these don't spread very much.
bake at 400 for 6-8 minutes
NOTE!!! These will NOT get brown. maybe a TINY bit golden but if they start to brown they are too done.

This recipe doesn't make much, so If you are making this to give away, you may want to double the recipe. Or triple if you want a lot!

Ultimate Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Got this from back of nestle choc chip bag. Lots of chocolatey goodness! I twice had someone even pay me to make them a batch of these.
This recipe makes a lot for a family of two (unless you're a choc-oholic). I like to prepare dough, then freeze them on cookie sheet. Once frozen, you can put them all together in a bag then pull out however many you want.

4 c. semi-sweet choc . chips
2 2/3 cup flour
1 t. soda
1 t. salt
1 c. butter or marg.
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 t. vanilla
3 large eggs

melt 2 cups choc chips, let cool a little. mix dry ingredients in small bowl. beat butter, sugars and vanilla in mixer bowl. add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. beat in melted chocolate. gradually beat in flour mixture. stir in remaining chocolate chips. drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes or until cookies are puffed. cool on baking sheet 2 minutes, then move to wire rack.
Note: these are somewhat hard to tell when they are done. watch carefully.

Five Hour Oven Stew

This is one of Jim's favorites.

Mix together in LARGE casserole dish:
1 large can tomato soup
1 soup can of water
2 T. quick cooking tapioca
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 t. basil
1 bay leaf

Add:
2 lbs stew beef
4 carrots, cut in chunks
4 potatoes, cut
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped onion

Cover and bake at 250 for 5 hours. Do not open oven during baking time!

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

What can I say, these are big, soft and gingery. yum. and they stay soft! If you like them crispy, leave them out to cool longer till they get hard.

2 1/4 c. flour
2 t. ginger
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. salt
3/4 c. marg or butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 T. water or OJ
1/4 c. molasses
2 T white sugar

cream butter and sugar until fluffy. beat in egg. stir in water and molasses. stir in dry ingredients. refrigerate until hard enough to work with. roll into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. flatten on cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
bake at 350 8-10 minutes.
YUM I love these with milk.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe is from my Mom. Don't know where she got it, but it was on the menu almost weekly at our house growing up. I am glad to be putting it on here because my index card is so stained I can barely read it.

2 T marg.
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 t. garlic salt
1/2 c. sliced olives (opt.)
1/4 c. chopped green chilis (small can)
1/2 c. sour cream
1 1/2 cans cream of chicken (I use 3/4 of one big can and add the rest to topping)
1 1/2 c. cooked chicken
1 c. (or more!) shredded cheese
8 flour tortillas
1/4 c. milk

melt marg. saute onion and garlic salt. stir in chilis, sour cream, soup and half the olives. mix well. reserve 3/4 cup sauce.
To remaining sauce, add chicken and half the cheese. mix well. warm tortillas, fill with chicken mixture. roll up and place seam side down in 12x8 baking pan.
combine reserved sauce, milk and olives. pour over tortillas.
bake at 350 for 30-35 min. remove from oven and cover with remaining cheese and olives.

Wheat Bread

This recipe was given to me by Susan Claybrook. I believe it was her mother or grandmother's, I'm not sure. She adjusted it for me to make one loaf but I am now needing to readjust it to make more! It doubles great, haven't tried tripling it though.
I hesitate to even post this on here, because #1 it's not my recipe and #2 it is almost too good to give away! But I do want it included in my recipes, so here goes: (this is from my head, not sure of exact measurments.)

Dissolve:
1 c. very warm water
1 T. yeast (or 1 packet)
1/3 c. sugar or honey

Once dissolved, add:
1/4 cup oil
some potatoes (maybe 1/4 cup?? more or less) either mashed leftovers or potato flakes both work well (sounds weird, I know, but it makes it soft and fluffy)
1 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour

Then add:
1 teaspoon salt
maybe 2ish more cups flour (little at a time) I do half wheat, half white.

Knead dough, adding flour a little at a time until dough is not really sticky but not hard either.
I use a Kitchen Aid mixer, but it works great by hand too. When you're done kneading, just barely mix in a T. or so of oil to keep the dough from drying out and to grease the bowl.
cover. let rise to double. punch down. shape into loaf pan. let rise to top of pan.
make slice down middle of loaf if you want split top. bake @ 350 for app. 30 minutes or until golden. I butter the top when it comes out of the oven. make sure bottom is browned. cool on cooling rack.

I have made this SOOO many times (for almost a year I made it once a week) and I have to admit there were a few loafs that were less than desirable, but once I got it down this is a FAVORITE of all my family and friends. I get asked for the recipe all the time. (don't always give it though. I like being the ONE who makes really good bread)