Pizza Dough Part Deuce

Pizza Crust

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 tsp. yeast

2 tsp. sugar

about 2 3/4 cups bread flour

1/3 cup semolina flour (optional)

1 tsp. salt

Makes 1 large pizza (so I double it to make 2)

Mix warm water, yeast and sugar in mixing bowl.  Let the yeast bloom.  When it is foamy on top, add the salt, semolina flour and about 2 cups of the bread flour (if making a single recipe).  Let knead in the mixing bowl and then gradually add more bread flour until the dough pulls together.  It is better to err on the side of slightly sticky rather than too stiff for this dough.  Let is knead for a few more minutes and then let it rise for about 1 hour.  

For pizza, roll out dough and place on a greased pizza pan.  Also, I like to spray the edge of the dough with a little oil so it browns better in the oven.  Top with sauce, cheese and toppings.

Bake at 500 degrees for about 9 minutes.

Eat!

Gnocchi Soup

While wandering aimlessly through Wal-mart, wondering what to make for dinner I realized two things: 1-It was super snowy, which means Mother Nature is basically daring me not to make soup, and 2-My husband was going to be late at work and probably wouldn't eat dinner with us so he wouldn't be disappointed if I decided to have soup for dinner (he doesn't like soup. Wha?) Boo-yah! So my mind started turning and kept getting stuck thinking about that gnocchi soup at Olive Garden. This recipe certainly isn't exactly like that soup, but it's what I came up with based on the ingredients I thought to get and what I already had.

4 Tbsp. butter :)
1 onion chopped
2 stalks celery chopped (I didn't have this, but it would've been good)
2+ cloves garlic minced
4 Tbsp. flour
8 C. chicken stock (or whatever you have supplemented with water)
3 carrots peeled and sliced
1 head cauliflower chopped small
cooked chicken pieces (rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, etc.)
1 pkg. gnocchi
1/2 bag spinach chopped
2 C. whipping cream :)
salt
pepper
thyme, parsley, nutmeg, whatever


Melt the butter then saute onions, garlic and celery until cooked. Add flour to make a roux. Cook for about a minute. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Let it thicken up a bit, then add carrots and cauliflower. Cook about 15 min. until veggies are good and soft.

At this point I would've liked to use my immersion blender to blend it up all creamy (which maybe would've eliminated the need for the cream), but my  immersion blender melted in the dishwasher, so I just went ahead and added the gnocchi. Let the gnocchi cook 2-3 minutes, or until it floats to the top. Add chicken, spinach and cream. Heat through. Add whatever spices your heart desires.

Serve with this French bread, but only if you read the recipe before you started cooking because the bread needs to be made first. You can whip this soup up while the bread bakes. And if you bake your bread on your silpat mat that was last used to make cinnamon rolls and your bread has a very slight cinnamon taste, it's a good thing.

Mmmmm.

Corn Bread

2 C. Flour
1 1/2 C. cornmeal
6 Tbsp. sugar
5 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
4 eggs
2 C. milk
1 C. oil

This is a doubled recipe because that's how much my family likes it. For an 8x8 pan, halve it. But this goes in a 9x13.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the 2 Tbsp. butter in the pan and put it in the oven to melt while you get everything else ready. This is the best part about the cornbread. When you pour your batter in the melted butter it fries up around the edges and makes it delicious!

Stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Combine eggs, milk and oil in separate bowl and mix well with fork. Pour into dry mixture and stir until moistened. Do not over mix

Pour batter into hot pan of butter and return to oven for 25 min.

Maren's Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken Enchilada Soup

1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can corn

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup green bell pepper

1 can enchilada sauce

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 cup milk

2 chicken breasts

pepper jack cheese

In a slow cooker, combine beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, & peppers. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup, gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker. Cover, cook on low heat for 6 - 8 hours, or on high 3 - 4 hours. Remove chicken cut or shred into bite size pieces Add chicken back into soup and top with the pepper jack cheese, and serve. Can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips.

Fool Proof French Bread

3 C. Warm water
2 Tbsp. yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. shortening
1 Tbsp. salt
8 C. white flour
1 egg

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT EGG in stand mixer and let knead 8-10 min.

Divide dough in half

Spread out with fingers on counter until it's the length you want and about 12 inches across. Then roll up length wise. Pinch bottom and end under. Place seam side down on greased pan.

Beat egg until frothy. Then spread over bread. Score top with a knife

Let raise until double in size, about 15 min.

Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Curried Lentils

As always, credit goes to OurBestBites. Not only is this super yummy, but it's also super  healthy! My kids had no idea that their second helpings nearly made me so happy I could cry.

Ingredients: 

2 cups red lentils (if you can find them…check the bulk bins or a Middle Eastern market)
10 ounces spinach (fresh and chopped or frozen and thawed)
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth if you want to go vegetarian/vegan)
1 tablespoon curry powder or paste (I prefer curry paste)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

*I also added a jar of canned chicken

Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime
Handful of chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish if desired

Additional yummy toppings include shredded coconut and chopped hard boiled eggs

Instructions: Combine all ingredients except for the lemon (or lime) juice and cilantro in the pot of a slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours (or bring to a boil on the stove top and then simmer, covered, on low for 1 hour). Before serving, add the lemon juice and cilantro. This is delicious served over rice. Weight Watchers says this makes 6 servings, but I’d say it’s closer to 8-10.

For 8 Servings:
Calories: 87.3
Fat: .6
Carbs: 15.7
Fiber: 5.7
Protein: 6.6
Weight Watcher Points: 2

Tortellini Sausage Soup

Another win from OurBestBites.com. 

3 links Italian sausage
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 onion, diced
½ c. water
2 15-oz. cans chicken broth
½ c. apple cider (don’t leave this out! I did once and it wasn’t the same…)
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 medium zucchini, grated (great way to use your food processor if you have one)
2 tablespoons dried parsley

8-10 oz. package cheese tortellini  Barilla makes a great dry cheese tortellini, but if you use this, you'll need more liquid or you end up with a casserole more than a soup.

If you’re using link sausage, remove the casings and crumble into a large soup pot. To remove the casings, you can use a sharp knife to cut a slit down one side of the sausage and then peel back the casing.

Chop onion and add to pot with garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and your sausage is cooked. Your house will smell heavenly.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano, and basil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add parsley and zucchini and simmer for another 15 minutes or so. Add the tortellini and cook until tender, and then serve with bread and freshly-grated Parmesan.