Pizza Margherita

FOR DOUGH
* 1 (1/4-oz) package active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
* 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting
* 3/4 cup warm water, divided
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

FOR TOPPING
* 1 (14- to 15-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice
* 2 large garlic cloves, smashed
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 basil leaves plus more for sprinkling
* 1/4 teaspoon sugar
* 6 oz fresh mozarella, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

EQUIPMENT:
a pizza stone

Make dough:

Stir together yeast, 1 Tbsp flour, and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl and let stand until surface appears creamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t appear creamy, discard and start over with new yeast.)

Add 1 1/4 cups flour, remaining 1/2 cup water, salt, and oil and stir until smooth. Stir in enough flour (1/4 to 1/3 cup) for dough to begin to pull away from side of bowl. (Dough will be slightly wet.)

Knead on a floured surface, lightly reflouring when dough becomes too sticky, until smooth, soft, and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball, put in a bowl, and dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours.

MAKE TOMATO SAUCE WHILE DOUGH RISES:

Pulse tomatoes with juice in a blender briefly to make a chunky purée.

Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until fragrant and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add tomato purée, basil, sugar, and 1/8 tsp salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and cool.

HEAT PIZZA STONE WHILE DOUGH RISES:

At least 45 minutes before baking pizza, put stone on oven rack in lower third of electric oven (or on floor of gas oven) and preheat oven to 500°F.

SHAPE DOUGH:

Do not punch down. Dust dough with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined pizza peel or large baking sheet. Pat out dough evenly with your fingers and stretch into a 14-inch round, reflouring fingers if necessary.

ASSEMBLE PIZZA:

Spread sauce over dough, leaving a 1-inch border (there may be some sauce left over). Arrange cheese on top, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border.

Slide pizza on parchment onto pizza stone. Bake until dough is crisp and browned and cheese is golden and bubbling in spots, 13 to 16 minutes. Using peel or baking sheet, transfer pizza to a cutting board. Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with some basil leaves before slicing.

Pork Chop and Feta Skillet

1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 pork chops
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese with basil and sun-dried tomatoes

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, stir together rosemary, basil, garlic, and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip pork chops in lemon juice, and sprinkle both sides with herb mixture. Place pork chops in skillet, and sear both sides, about 7 minutes per side. Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle feta on top of chops; cover skillet, and cook until cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes.

Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu

this recipe is easy, quick, and yummy. the sauce is amazing. you could substitute cooking wine for the wine, but keep in mind that cooking wine is LOAD-ed with salt, so you may need to halve or eliminate the bouillon. i served mine with a sauteed mushroom wild rice pilaf and asparagus.

INGREDIENTS

* 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 6 slices Swiss cheese
* 6 slices ham
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 6 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup dry white wine
* 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 2 cups heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

Gnocchi with Spring Herb Pesto of Baby Arugula and Basil

from Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

4 cups baby arugula
4 cups basil leaves
1 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
Salt and pepper
1 pound fresh gnocchi

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor, combine arugula, basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, and garlic. With the motor running, add 1 cup olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, add gnocchi. Cook until they rise to the surface, just a few minutes for fresh pasta. Drain well, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.

In a large pan or bowl, combine pesto with remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and reserved pasta water. Pesto should become a sauce-like consistency. Add gnocchi and toss to combine. Serve, garnished with extra cheese.

Turkey Pot Pie

I had an extra pie crust left over from Thanksgiving, so I figured I'd try my skills on a turkey pot pie. The fam loved it, and it was the perfect way to use up the leftover turkey.

I got the main recipe from Allrecipes.com and made a few alterations. I didn't have a double crust so I topped it with leftover cornbread stuffing (which included chopped tamales for a Texas twist!) I even mixed in what was left of the gravy before I put the filling in the pie crust, about 1/2 cup.

1 recipe pastry for a (10 inch) double crust pie (or a prepared frozen crust)
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 small onion, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn
3 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste (i use garlic salt)
2 cubes chicken bouillon
2 cups water
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out bottom pie crust, press into a 10 inch pie pan, and set aside.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion, celery, peas, corn, carrots, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the bouillon and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm.

3. In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the turkey and flour. Add the milk, and heat through. Stir the turkey mixture into the vegetable mixture, and cook until thickened. Cool slightly, then pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Roll out the top crust, and place on top of filling. Flute edges, and make 4 slits in the top crust to let out steam.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue baking for 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Moroccon Lamb Tagine w/Lemon and Mint Couscous

from Alexandra Kalwerisky

2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 pinch saffron
1 lemon (zest)
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound lamb (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon ginger (grated)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (I used chopped sun dried tomatoes)
* beef stock
2 carrots (cut into bite sized pieces)
1/2 cup dried apricots (chopped)
1/2 cup dried dates (chopped)
1/2 cup dried figs (chopped)
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons harissa
1 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1 tablespoon toasted almond slices

Directions:
1. Mix the paprika, turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, salt, ginger, garlic, coriander, saffron, lemon zest and oil in a ziplock bag.
2. Add the lamb, mix well and marinate the fridge for a few hours to overnight.
3. Heat the oil in a large pot.
4. Add the lamb, brown well on all sides and set aside.
5. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for about a minute.
7. Add the lamb and tomato paste and cover with beef stock.
8. Bring to a boil, reduce the meat and simmer covered until the lamb is fall apart tender, about 2-3 hours.
9. Add the carrots, apricots, dates, figs and more beef stock to cover.
10. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
11. Add the honey and harissa.
12. Serve garnished with cilantro, parsley and toasted almonds.

Lemon and Mint Couscous

1 cup water
1 cup couscous
1 lemon (juice)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon mint (chopped)

Directions:
1. Bring the water to a boil and mix in the couscous.
2. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Mix the lemon juice and oil in a bowl.
4. Mix the lemon and oil mixture and mint into the couscous.

Florentine Mac and Cheese and Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs

* Salt
* 1 pound cavatappi corkscrew shaped hallow pasta
* 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
* Black pepper
* 2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
* 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
* 3 cloves garlic, grated
* 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 cup ricotta cheese
* 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
* 1 egg
* 3/4 cup bread crumbs, plus more, if needed*
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 2 boxes, 10 ounces, chopped frozen spinach
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 cup chicken stock
* 1 cup whole milk
* 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg, eyeball it

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta to cook to al dente. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano - a rounded handful, egg and bread crumbs. *If the mixture seems too wet, add a handful of bread crumbs and mix together.

Form 8 large round balls, about 3 to 4-inches. Coat balls in a couple of tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange balls on the baking sheet and roast 17 to 18 minutes until juices run clear.

Defrost spinach in microwave 8 to 10 minutes on "defrost" setting depending on the microwave. Place the boxes in a shallow dish to catch any run off.

While the meatballs roast, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup grated Parmigiano and reduce heat on lowest setting.

Wring spinach completely dry in clean kitchen towel then separate as you add it to the sauce. Also add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Toss pasta with the spinach-white sauce and adjust seasonings.

Serve Florentine Mac-n-Cheese with 2 meatballs per person along side.

Pappardelle with Portobello Mushrooms, Arugula, Pine Nuts, and Shaved Locatelli

1 large Portobello mushroom
1 tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 oz. fresh pappardelle, uncooked
1 ½ tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 oz. fresh arugula, washed and spun dry, tough stems removed
2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
¼ to 1/3 cup shaved locattelli romano cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Roast the mushroom with the butter, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste, until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and slice thinly.

2. Cook the fresh pappardelle pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, about 3 minutes.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the roasted mushroom and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the arugula, and more oil if necessary, and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss evenly with the vegetables. Add a splash of pasta water to skillet to create a sauce. Transfer the pasta to warm pasta bowls or serving plates, sprinkle with pine nuts and cheese shavings. Serve at once.

Grandma Russell's Meat Loaf

from Mom's Recipe Box

1-1/2 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1 T. instant minced onion
1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. dried, minced garlic
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 c. catsup
1 T. parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients and place in loaf pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 2 hours.

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

from Connie Plumb

2 lb. stew meat
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. Lipton beef and onion soup mix
2 c. sour cream

Combine everything except sour cream in crockpot and cook 6-8 hours on high. Meat should be tender. 1/2 hour before serving add sour cream. Serve over cooked rice or noodles.

Macaroni and Three Cheeses

from Martha Stewart

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound medium pasta shells
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
4 cups whole milk
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (1 cup)
4 ounces Havarti cheese, coarsely grated (1 cup)
4 ounces Muenster cheese, coarsely grated (1 cup)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
6 slices white sandwich bread

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Butter a shallow 4-quart baking dish (oval or 9-by-13-inch rectangle); set aside.

Generously salt boiling water; add pasta. Cook, according to package instructions, until 2 minutes short of al dente. Drain pasta, and return to pot.

While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium. Transfer 2 tablespoons melted butter to a small bowl; set aside for topping. Add flour and mustard powder to remaining butter in saucepan. Cook, whisking, 1 minute (do not let flour darken). Whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat. Gradually whisk in cheeses; add Worcestershire sauce, and season generously with salt and pepper. Add sauce to pasta, and toss to combine; transfer to prepared baking dish.

Place bread in food processor; pulse until very coarse crumbs form (you should have about 3 cups). Add reserved melted butter, and pulse just to moisten. Scatter crumbs over pasta in baking dish. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.)

Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until topping is golden and sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. (If refrigerated, bake for 30 to 35 minutes.) Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Basil Pesto

from Martha Stewart

3 cups fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storing

Pulse basil leaves, cheese, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, pour in olive oil in a thin, steady stream, blending until the mixture is well combined and emulsified. Serve pesto with a long, thin pasta such as fettuccine or spaghetti. Store in an airtight container covered with a thin layer of oil (to preserve color) in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Ritz Cracker Chicken Breasts

from Taylor Fenton

2 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
2 c. ritz cracker crumbs
3 T. parmesan cheese
2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 c. plain yogurt

Rub chicken with yogurt. Dip chicken into crumb mixture. Place chicken on foil covered cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Drizzle 1/4 c. melted butter over chicken. Cover with foil. Bake 350 for 1 hour, taking foil off for last 20 minutes of baking.

Lemon Chicken

from Adam and Julie Crayk

8-10 boneless chicken breasts
½ cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ginger
8 T. butter
1/4 cup honey
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. soy sauce

Melt 4 T. butter in 9x13 pan. Combine flour, salt, pepper and ginger in plastic bag. Coat chicken in flour mixture and roll in melted butter in pan. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Melt remaining 4 T. butter in sauce pan. Stir in honey, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Turn chicken and coat with mixture. Bake another 30 minutes. Top with sesame seeds the last 10 minutes.

(I usually cut the chicken into bit sized pieces. If you do that you will need more flour mixture. I also like more sauce so I usually double or triple the sauce and add stuff till I like the flavor.)

Turkey Meatloaf

from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
5 pounds ground turkey breast
1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs
3 extra-large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a medium saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. and the meatloaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven under the meatloaf will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.

Spaghetti Pie

from Lauren Kenly

1 lg. jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb. ground beef
12 oz. pkg. spaghetti or other pasta
1/4 c. butter
2 eggs
2 c. grated parmesan cheese
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
milk
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook and drain pasta and set aside. Beat eggs with butter and parmesan cheese. Mix with spaghetti and put in a 9 x 13 inch dish. Soften cream cheese and add milk to make smooth. Spread mixture on top of pasta. Add cooked ground beef, jar of spachetti sauce and cover with mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min.

Pork Barbacoa Burritos

from Kathy Fenton

Pork:
3-4 lb. boneless pork roast loin roast

Cook roast in crockpot covered halfway with water on low setting for 6 hours, or in 275 degree oven. Drain off liquid and add:

1 can Coke
1 lg. bottle red taco sauce
1 c. brown sugar
1 T. ground cumin

Cook for 3 more hours shredding pork with fork halfway through.

Rice:

In a saucepan, saute one small chopped onion in butter. Add rice to same saucepan and cook according to package directions, substituting chicken broth for water and add zest of one lime. Before serving add lime juice and fresh cilantro to taste.

2 cans black beans, drained
2 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 cans mild green enchilada sauce
16-20 burrito sized flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 425. Spray two 9 x 13 inch baking pans with cooking spray. If tortillas are dry, warm in microwave for 15 seconds. FIll tortillas with shredded pork, rice, beans, and cheese and roll up burrito style. Line up in pan. Immediately before baking, pour enchilada sauce on top of burritos and top with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

Chicken Supreme

from Mom's Recipe Box

8-9 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 pt. sour cream
3 oz. pkg. Buddig sliced beef
8-9 strips of bacon

Butter 9 x 12 inch casserole dish. Tear apart sliced beef and distribute evenly over bottom. Wrap each breast in a slice of bacon and place in dish. Mix soup concentrate and sour cream and spoon over top. Bake at 275 degrees for 2-1/2 hours. Cover with foil near end of baking if it becomes too brown. Great with baked potatoes.