Serving Up {Pizza}: Deep Dish Pizza

I like the idea of having a "pizza night" every week - yummy homemade dough, toppings for everyone to create their own masterpiece and knowing that everyone leaves the family table satisfied and happy.  In search of that "perfect" homemade pizza I have tried EVERY dough recipe that I come across but most leave me still searching.  Recently however, I discovered that it wasn't the dough recipe that was keeping my weekly pizza night from becoming a reality - it was my method!  And now that I have corrected that, we are proudly eating pizza ALL THE TIME!!!   I am quickly becoming the awesome mom I have always known I could be if I only served pizza more.

My pizza epiphany came when I was browsing pinterest and saw a pin for "pizza hut deep dish pizza".  Due to the fact that I was still in the "try every recipe I come across" I printed off the recipe and made the knockoff.  The verdict from my family was that the recipe had the "deep dish" method down, but even my kids complained that they thought the dough itself was bland.  That is probably because our favorite homemade dough is very flavorful and delicious - my reason for not making it more frequently is that I truly don't love rolling it out.  Why this method seems "easier" to me, I'm not sure.  A couple of days later I tried making my dough recipe but cooking it in the deep dish method and my family gave me a "keep the recipe" rating, which is the equivalent of 5 stars!

The recipe for the sauce is from the pizza hut recipe - I had my own homemade sauce recipe, but I just can't get over the five ingredient version so the sauce recipe listed has become my "go to" sauce as we become regular pizza makers at our house.

DEEP DISH PIZZA     
(printable version)

1 1/2 cup warm water
1 packet yeast
1 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. oil
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. dough enhancer (optional)
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour


Turn oven to 150 degrees.  Once temperature is reached, turn off the oven.


Prepare three 9" cake pans by oiling each with 2 Tbs. oil (I use 1 Tbs. melted butter and 1 Tbs. olive oil).  Set aside.

Combine water, yeast and honey in a large mixing bowl and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes, until the yeast foams.   Add oil, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, dough enhancer and 2 cups flour.  Mix well and add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Continue to mix on "knead" setting for an additional 5 minutes.

Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and divide into three equal balls.  Stretch dough or use a rolling pin to create a 9-inch circle from each dough ball.  Place dough into oiled cake pan.  Cover the cake pan with a large plate and place it in the warmed oven (make sure you have turned the oven OFF!).  Allow to rise 30-60 minutes.

While the dough rises, prepare the sauce:
1 can (8-ounce) tomato sauce
1 tsp. dry oregano
1/2 tsp. dry basil
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
Combine in a bowl and allow to sit for an hour.

Once dough has raised, remove from oven.  Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
For each pizza, spread 1/3 of the sauce, sprinkle with freshly shredded mozzerella cheese, add any additional toppings, end with additional shredded mozzerella.
Bake at 475 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is completely melted and bubbly.

Serving Up {Salad}: Sarah's Salad

In Salt Lake City there is a historic building on Temple Square called The Lion House.  It was built originally as a home but is now used as a reception center and is a very popular one at that.  In fact, here's a little trivia, my husband and I had our wedding there!  The food at the Lion House is very well known and there have been multiple recipe books published over the years.  My favorite Lion House recipe book is the original which is no longer in print, and which can fetch up to $100 for an original "new" copy.  I grew up using my mom's copy and when my grandmother passed away, her copy was one of the few things that I requested.

While I haven't made my way through the entire cookbook, this salad is one recipe that I have made many times.  I think that the recipe is a bit dated by the mere fact that it calls for iceberg lettuce.  Get over it though.  It really is a yummy salad and because it is written to be made ahead of time and refrigerated overnight, it is a great recipe when you want to prepare ahead of time.

SARAH'S SALAD     
(recipe from The Lion House Cookbook)

printable version

1 head of iceberg lettuce
5 strips of bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/2 pkg. (10-ounce) frozen petite peas, thawed by running under hot water
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2/3 cups diced green onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise (Best Foods)
1/4 cup salad dressing (like Miracle Whip)

Wash and drain lettuce; allow to dry thoroughly.  Tear into bite sized pieces and place in salad bowl.  Sprinkle lettuce with sugar, salt and pepper.   Layer the peas, cheese, and onion.  Combine the mayo and miracle whip and place that as the top layer.  DO NOT TOSS!  Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve (preferably overnight).
Prior to serving toss the salad gently and top with bacon.

Serving Up {Dessert}: Chocolate Mint Frosty

Our family received a Blendtec blender as a delayed Christmas gift and we have spent the past six weeks LOVING it.  We have plowed through the recipe booklet, along with making our own creations by throwing all kinds of fruit and vegetables into the blender - add ice and it's magically a smoothie.  My boys ask for smoothies two and three times a day and I generally oblige :)  So much fun!

This recipe is not part of the blendtec recipe booklet, but is a recipe we have had for a few years.  It is a fun treat, made all the better now that I have the "best blender on the market" to make it!  This would really make a delicious Valentine's Treat for your favorite person should you need something super easy and quick to throw together.  If nothing else, hit the stores tomorrow and stock up on the mint patties that are in Valentine's wrapping that will be marked down 50% and you will be set to make this refreshing mint treat any time the craving hits!

CHOCOLATE MINT FROSTY     Pin It
(recipe from Kraft Food & Family, Summer 2006)
printable version

2 cups milk (I use whole milk but you can use any)
1 cup cool whip topping, frozen
1 pkg (4-serving size) chocolate instant pudding
4 small chocolate covered mint patties
ice

Pour milk into blender base and add enough ice to measure 3 cups.  Add frozen cool whip topping, pudding and mint patties.  Blend on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately.

Serving Up {Cake}: Triple Layer Brownie Fudge Cake

Valentine's Day is just about here, and I'm just going to come out and say it....Chocolate says LOVE to a lot of people!  My husband is one of those that chocolate speaks to.  If you also have someone who's love language is chocolate, might I suggest this recipe for a very rich, very chocolate Valentine's Day treat.  Serve this with a couple of chocolate dipped strawberries as a garnish and I know that I would be swooning!

This recipe reminds me of something that would be served at a really nice restaurant.  One of those desserts that you order with two forks, because as good as it is, it's just too much for one person.  In fact, this recipe is just rich enough, and just chocolate enough, that my kids think of this cake as "mom and dad's chocolate cake".  And I am just okay with that :)

TRIPLE LAYER BROWNIE FUDGE CAKE     Pin It

(recipe from Taste of Home)

printable version

1 1/2 cup butter
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
3/ tsp. salt

Frosting:
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
milk chocolate bar, shaved (optional garnish)

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate; stir until smooth. Stir in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla, flour and salt.
Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

For frosting, melt chocolate in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Gradually stir in cream and sugar until well blended. Heat to a gentle boil; boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; transfer to a large bowl. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until mixture reaches a pudding-like consistency, stirring a few times.
Remove from refrigerator and beat until soft peaks form. Immediately spread between layers and over the top and sides of cake.
Garnish with shaved chocolate if desired.
Store in the refrigerator.

Serving Up {Bread}: Easy Pretzel Bites

I have had a recipe for Pretzel Bites, made from scratch, in my "to try" file for a long time.  I still do.  I make bread of some sort each week, so I'm not sure what my hang up is, other than I sometimes want to make something and don't want to wait for yeast to activate and dough to rise, blah, blah, blah.

This recipe does still require some forethought, but because you begin with frozen roll dough (Rhodes is the only one in my opinion), it just seems easier.  My kids LOVE these pretzel bites as an after school snack.  Considering I have usually popped 4 or 5 into my mouth by the time they walk through the door, I guess I don't mind them myself :)

EASY PRETZEL BITES     Pin It

(recipe from Get Off Your Butt and Bake)

printable version

Rhodes Frozen Rolls, thawed

Butter, melted

Cinnamon Sugar -or- Parmesan Cheese & Garlic salt

Thaw frozen roll balls.  If using regular rolls, cut each roll in half.  If using Texas rolls, cut each roll into 3 or 4 pieces.  Place cut dough on a greased baking sheet and allow dough to double in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil.

Place a towel flat on the counter next to the stove with a paper towel on top of it.

Drop 8-10 balls of dough at a time into the boiling water.  Allow the dough to "cook" in the water for about 45 seconds.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the prepared towel to drain and cool slightly.  Repeat this step with the remaining dough balls.

Carefully remove the dough from the towel and place on a greased baking pan.  Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from oven and brush with melted butter and then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture -OR- parmesan cheese/garlic salt mixture.

Serving Up {Chicken}: Outback's Alice Springs Chicken

I will admit that I have never ordered Alice Springs Chicken at the Outback Steakhouse - it is a steakhouse after all.  So with the caveat that I have no idea how close this recipe is to the restaurants version, I will nonetheless declare this recipe to be some delicious chicken.  Hello!  Bacon, mushrooms, cheese, honey dijon sauce - I almost forgot that it was a chicken dish under all that luscious yumminess!  Prepare to lick your plate on this one :)

OUTBACK'S ALICE SPRINGS CHICKEN     Pin It
(recipe from Karen S.)
printable version

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Bacon, cooked to crispy
Monterey jack cheese, shredded
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Fresh mushrooms, sliced
Butter
Salt, pepper, dash of paprika

Honey Mustard Marinade:
½ C. Dijon mustard
½ C. honey
1 ½ tsp. vegetable oil
½ tsp. lemon juice

Combine the ingredients for the Honey Mustard Marinade.  Reserve a small amount of marinade and marinate the chicken in the remaining marinade for a few hours or overnight, if desired. Grill or broil chicken. Brush with the reserved marinade (not the marinade that had raw chicken in it). Season with salt and pepper and a dash of paprika.
Meanwhile sauté the mushrooms in butter until tender.
Cook bacon.
To prepare chicken, place cooked chicken breasts in a baking dish.  Stack two pieces of cooked bacon on each chicken breast. Spoon the sautéed mushrooms on top of the bacon. Place a generous amount of both kinds of cheeses on top. Bake in the oven to melt cheese.
Serve with honey mustard sauce on the side.

Honey Mustard Sauce:
½ C. honey
2 C. mayonnaise
1/3 C. Dijon mustard
Mix ingredients together in a small saucepan and heat (on low) until warm.
Serve over the cooked chicken.

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Five Grain Cereal

This is a recipe from the Blendtec recipe book.  I love hot cereal so this is one of the first recipes I tried and I make it at least a couple of times a week.  I love that I am grinding whole grains right in front of myself and then cooking them - no wondering what preservatives or additives are going into my morning breakfast cereal or that of my kids.

FIVE GRAIN CEREAL     Pin It
(recipe from Blendtec Fresh Blends)
printable version

1 cup oat groats
1/2 cup millet
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup cornmeal

Add all the ingredients to the blender jar, in the order listed and secure the lid.  Press "speed up" to speed 4, running for 10-12 seconds.  Transfer the freshly cut grains to a resealable container.

To prepare hot cereal, add 1 cup water per 1/3 cup five grain cereal to a saucepan and whisk together.  Bring the cereal to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3-5minutes until thickened.
Top with a sprinkle of brown sugar or honey.  Serve.

Serving Up {Soup}: Creamy Curry Carrot Soup

This recipe is SO simple!  What a treat!  Simple AND delicious!  And with no chunks to threaten my children, I actually had three out of four of my kids willing to eat (and like) this soup.  The real fan of this soup, however, is my husband, who absolutely adores curry (although he might take issue with my using the word "adore").  I've made this soup twice in just the past couple of weeks and it doesn't disappoint!  I hope you agree.

CREAMY CURRY CARROT SOUP     Pin It

(recipe from Blendtec Fresh Blends)

printable version

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 shallots, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, quartered

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

4-6 medium carrots, roughly chopped, approx. 2 cups

2 cups chicken broth

1 Tbs. red curry paste

4 Tbs. mascarpone cheese

1 Tbs. chives, chopped (optional)

Heat oil in a deep saucepan.  Add shallots, garlic and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes.  Add carrots and cook for an additional 10 minutes. 

Place chicken broth and curry paste in blender jar (this recipe was written for the Blendtec blender) and carefully add the cooked vegetables.  Secure blender lid and select "soup".  

Pour blended soup back into the deep saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Stir in 2 Tbs. mascarpone cheese into soup.  Serve soup and garnish with remaining mascarpone cheese and chives.

Serving Up {Cake}: Cherry Chocolate Cake

About four years ago, we were living in Las Vegas and we went to church with a young, childless couple.  He was our ever faithful home teacher - visiting us every month without fail.  She came over once a week to sit with my sleeping baby so that I could volunteer in my daughter's 1st grade class.  We really loved this couple.  For any number of reasons I decided to bake them a cake one day and I made them a Cherry Chocolate Cake that I happen to think is beyond delicious!  It isn't necessarily the most beautiful looking cake and they may have received it with a bit of skepticism - but any skepticism was quickly replaced with adoration.  He reported to me later that the night after I had given them this cake, he woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't stop thinking about the cake.  He finally decided to get up and go into the kitchen to eat some of it only to discover that his wife had already done the same thing and she had not even attempted to hide the evidence of her midnight cake indulgence.  I loved that they would share that story and I think about Nate and Nicole, without fail, every time that I make this cake.

A number of years prior to that experience I had been given a copy of the book "The Cake Mix Doctor" - basically a book of 150 different recipes that begin with a simple cake mix.  It is kind of a fun book, that I have still not come close to fully exploring.  Luckily, this recipe for Cherry Chocolate Cake was one of the very first recipes that I discovered, made and fell in love with.  Four ingredients for the cake, four ingredients for the frosting - you are only eight ingredients away from a wonderfully moist chocolate cake that has a delightful hint of cherry, only enhanced by the almond extract.  And unlike most cake-mix cakes, this cake actually tastes better (if that is possible) the day after.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE     Pin It

(recipe from The Cake Mix Doctor)

printable version

cake:

1 pkg. plain devil's food cake mix (I use the triple fudge cake mix)

1 can (21-ounce) cherry pie filling

2 eggs

1 tsp. almond extract

chocolate glaze:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup whole milk

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 13x9 baking pan by lightly spraying with oil spray.

Place the cake mix, cherry pie filling, eggs and almond extract in a mixing bowl.  Blend on low speed for 1 minute.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 2 additional minutes.  The batter will be thick.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread out completely.  Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake tests done.  Allow the cake to cool slightly.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and milk and cook over medium-low heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil.  Allow to boil for one full minute, ensuring that the sugar is completely dissolved.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips until all the chips are melted and the glaze is smooth.  

Pour the glaze over the cake while it is still warm.  The glaze will be runny but will thicken as it cools.  Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting and serving.

Serving Up {Bread}: AMAZING breadsticks

I know that I shouldn't LOVE breadsticks as much as I love these - but I just can't help it.  They taste an awful lot like some breadsticks served at a well known Italian restaurant, except even better because they come from your very own oven, warm and delicious!

They also happen to make a perfect accompaniment to this lasagna, or to this soup, or to pretty much anything.  I made them three times last week!  There, I admit it, I have a breadstick problem.  The problem is that they are REALLY easy to make and REALLY good.  I dare you to make them and not develop the same problem :)

AMAZING BREADSTICKS     Pin It
(recipe from Your Homebased Mom)
printable version

1/4 cup warm water
1 pkg. yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
2 Tbs. sugar
4 1/4 cup flour
2 Tbs. butter, softened
1 Tbs. salt
1 1/4 cup warm water

topping:
3 Tbs. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano

Place 1/4 cup warm water in a mixing bowl, add sugar and yeast. Allow the yeast to proof for 5 minutes.  Add the flour, butter, salt and 1 1/4 cup water to the yeast mixture and mix until the dough has formed.  Add additional flour until the dough is soft and smooth and workable.

Place the dough on a floured surface and cut into 16 even pieces.  Roll each piece into a 7-8 inch breadstick.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Cover with a cloth and allow to rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, or place in a warm oven (preheat to 150 degrees and then turn OFF).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine topping ingredients.  Once breadsticks have risen, brush each breadstick with the butter mixture - using approximately 1/2 of the mixture.  Bake for 12 minutes, or until lightly golden.  Remove from oven and brush with the remaining butter mixture.