Pizza Dough

This is actually a breadstick and pizza dough recipe. We tried it out on pizza the other night and it was really good and really easy.

Pizza Dough

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1 1/2 cup warm water

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

3-4 1/2 cups flour

In your mixer (or bowl), combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or unitl the yeast is bubbly.

Add the salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually 3-4 cups) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger.

Spray a glass or metal bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl. Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. (I didn't wait quite that long...just long enough for me to get all of the fixin's for the pizza ready.)

Remove from bowl and place on a lightly-floured surface. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll in to a circle (or square if you like square pizza:)) and place on your baking pan.

Now you're ready for your toppings. I drizzle a little olive oil on the crust and then spread your favorite pizza sauce over that. Next come oodles of Mozerrella and then whatever toppings your family likes.

We had Canadian Bacon, pineapple, and green peppers on one (my favorite!) and then a surpreme for the other (Tony's favorite). The surpreme we had pepperoni, sausage, roasted red and green peppers (leftover from this recipe), red onion, and olives. They were both so yummy! I also like to sprinkle just a little bit of mozerrella after all the toppings have been put on.

Bake in your preheated oven at 425 for 12-15 minutes. Our supreme pizza needed to be baked longer because it had so many goodies on it to make sure the dough in the middle was cooked.

This recipe will make one 16" pizza crust.

Nothing is better than some home-made pizza!!

Mom's Divine Fresh Peach Pie!

It's peach season here!! I have oodles of peaches and whenever I have peaches I have to make a few peach pies. My Mom has the best recipe that is my Dad's favorite. He often says "You know what sounds good right now?" And almost always his answer is "peach pie"! And of course he only gets them during this time of year because you have to use fresh peaches for this recipe. The almond flavoring makes all the difference in this pie. So save 5-6 peaches and make this fabulous pie!

Mom's Divine Fresh Peach Pie

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(I used a store bought refrigerated pie shell because I was being lazy, but you could easily use your favorite pie crust recipe or try this really good one

1. Slice 3 large peaches in cooked and cooled pie shell.

2. Mash 2-3 peaches and then add 1 cup sugar, 3 Tablespoons corn starch, and 1/2 cup water and mix well.

3. Thicken in the microwave. I put mine on for 2 minutes and then stir, and then 2 more minutes and then stir, etc. Mine usually takes about 6 minutes all together.

4. Add 2 Tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, and stir until butter is melted.

5. Pour over the sliced peaches in the pie shell and refrigerate until set and cooled.

Sit back and enjoy a slice of heaven!

Hawaiian Chicken Wraps

This was an experiment gone GREAT in our household!! You remember the Hawaiian Beef recipe??? Well, I used it on some chicken breast and turned it into a wrap that was to die for! Not a real recipe, but it was so good I just had to take pictures and tell you what I did!!

Hawaiian Chicken Wraps

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2-3 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (marinate in the Aloha-soyu marinade overnight or a few hours is ok too.)

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1/2 large sweet onion

Tortillas

Honey mustard (we like Ken's Steak House Honey Mustard)

Shredded Cheddar cheese

Lettuce, shredded

Tomatoes, diced

Grill the chicken until done. Also grill the red and green peppers and the onion. Just throw (not lierally:)) the peppers on the grill until they're a little blackened and then cut into small strips. For the onion...cut it into rings and separate and then throw them on the grill as well until golden brown. When the chicken is done take 2 forks and shred while hot.

Place shredded chicken on your tortilla.

Then layer on the shredded cheese, peppers and onions.

Then top with lettuce, tomatoes, and some Honey Mustard dressing

 Then wrap it up and take a bite...really, really, really delicious!

Lemon Bundt Cake (by Kyla)

Kyla tend to gravitate towards the not so healthy foods to make...which is showing on my waistline!! I'm going to have to teach her how to cook some healthy items as well as bake!!:)

Lemon Bundt Cake

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1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

GLAZE:

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

3/4 cup sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in lemon peel. Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch fluted bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack. Cool 10 minutes longer. Place rack on waxed paper. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over the warm cake. Cool completely before serving.

Crack Cookies (aka Lemon Drop Cookies)

This recipe was given the name of Crack cookies by a friend because she says that they are so addictive that you can't stop eating them until they make you sick!! Believe me...that discription it totally true!! So either be preapred to share or eat them all yourself!:)

Crack Cookies

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2 cups sugar

1 1/2 c butter/shortening (I used 1/2 c butter and 1 c shortening)

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon extract

4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

finely chopped zest of 1 lemon

6 oz. package crushed lemon drops

1 cup powdered sugar (I doubled this)

juice of 1 lemon (double)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream sugar and shortening in your mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and flavoring and blend well. Sift dry ingredients and gradually add to wet mixture. Add lemon zest and crushed lemon drops. Roll in balls, flatten with a fork. Bake on parchment paper for 10-12 minutes. Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice to make a glaze. Cool 1-2 minutes, brush with glaze.

PW's Potato Salad

I absolutely LOVE this potato salad recipe. It was the most perfect potato salad...and perfect for this time of year! I changed a few things to my families liking and it turned out perfect!

PW's Potato Salad

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman
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Ingredients

5 pounds Russet Potatoes (about 8 Medium Russets)

1-½ cup Real Mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip...I used Miracle Whip because my family likes it...PW does NOT!:))

4 Tablespoons Prepared Mustard (regular, Dijon Or A Mixture Of Both)...I used a mixture.

5 whole Green Onions (sliced Up To The Darkest Green Part)

8 whole Small Sweet Pickles (may Use Dill If That's More Up Your Alley)I used Dill.

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (more To Taste)

½ teaspoons Paprika

½ teaspoons Black Pepper

4 whole Hard Boiled Eggs

Preparation Instructions

Cut potatoes in halves or thirds, then boil until fork tender. Drain. Mash potatoes or run them through a ricer or food mill to make them extra fluffy. (I just cut my potatoes into bite size pieces and boiled them for about 20 minutes and then drained and just used them like that and it was perfect!) Fold potatoes together with mayonnaise, mustard, green onions, salt, pepper, and other seasonings you like. Fold in pickles and eggs, then taste for seasonings, adding more salt, mustard, or mayo as needed. You may also splash in juice from the pickle jar if salad needs a little moisture.

This is a must try recipe!!

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

This has become my favorite caramel popcorn recipe. I LOVE the little hint of cinnamon in it. And the pecans. And the white chocolate. What's not to like about this one?

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

Recipe from Our Best Bites

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(Again...I didn't get the best photo! So sorry...I think I need to take some lessons! If you would like to see a really good photo of the recipe head HERE...there's even a video tutorial!)

12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)

1 C pecan halves, roughly chopped

1 C brown sugar

3/4 t cinnamon

1/4 C karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)

1 stick real butter (1/2 C)

1t vanilla

1/2 t baking soda

3 squares almond bark (about 4 oz)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2 liter capacity microwave safe bowl. Mix well. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.

Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine. Mixture will foam and rise. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pecans and stir very well so everything is well coated.

Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread out on a large piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil.

Melt almond bark according to package instructions. Drizzle over popcorn mixture. When almond bark is hardened and popcorn is cool, break into chunks and enjoy!

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

I made these mini loaves to take out to the cabin to have for breakfast on our vacation and it got rave reviews and recipe requests...so here it is! Really easy and super yummy!

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

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(this isn't the best picture...again...but just trust me...YUMMY!)

3 c. all-purpose flour

2 1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/8 c. canola oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. milk

2 tsp. poppy seeds

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. butter flavoring

1 1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

GLAZE

3/4 c. white granulated sugar

1/4 c. orange juice

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. butter flavoring

1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugar, and flavorings and beat for 2 minutes. Alternate adding in flour mixture and milk and then mix until just combined. Add poppyseeds and mix until just combined. Pour into prepared pans (5 mini pans or 2 regular loaf pans) and bake (35-40 minutes for mini pans, 1 hour for large pans; keep an eye on them). When done, place on a cooling rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pans and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. While cooling, prepare glaze by combining all glaze ingredients. Drizzle over loaves and allow to harden. I didn't put on the glaze when I made them, but can't wait to try this recipe again with the glaze!