Q-tip: Quick and Easy Pizza

I love pizza. Love, love, love pizza. But I don't necessarily love restaraunt chain pizza. It's ok, but after a few pieces, the grease just sits in my gut. Bleck. I can really only eat fast-food pizza about once a month, if that.

I love homemade pizza! I love the fresh flavor, the delicious crust, the feeling of accomplishing something awesome.

Sometimes, though, I don't have time to make pizza dough.

Do you know what pizza crust is? It's essentially bread. Right?

When you think of it that way, a whole new world of pizza possibilities comes into view. I'm going to share some of my favorite bread pizza crusts.

French bread: Just slice French bread in half long wise, then into smaller sections as you see fit. Slather on some pizza sauce (this is as easy as spaghetti sauce or tomato sauce with seasonings in it - you can add a dollup of tomato paste to thicken it a bit), cover with cheese and your desired toppings, then put in the oven to bake at 350 for about 8 minutes. Each member of the family can decorate their own pizza with desired toppings. It's a great way to get the family involved!

English muffins: Same concept as the French bread. These are fun because the sour dough gives the pizza  different depth of flavor. Plus, the pizzas are already personal sized. Make sure the muffins are cut in half, cover with sauce and toppings. I usually put my English muffin pizzas in to broil for a few minutes - just until the cheese is melted.

Bread: Yes. A boring slice of bread can instantly become a piece of pizza. This is fun if you have a picky eater. It's obviously not as gourmet as the other two options, but it's fun to have an open cheese and pepperoni sandwich and call it pizza. Just toast a piece of bread and top it with a slice of American cheese while the bread is still hot. If the cheese doesn't melt, pop it in the microwave for 5 seconds. If you are going to top it with pepperoni, consider toasting the bread with cheese and pepperoni in a toaster over. If you don't have a toaster oven, cosider broiling for a minute or two. I think I'd probably skip the tomato sauce on thes one. Instead, I would serve it with tomato soup.

So, the next time you have no idea what to make for dinner, consider making pizza. And remember, you're not limited to kneading your own pizza dough. Pin It

Creamy Salsa Chicken Wraps

2-4 chicken breasts
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. salsa
1 15-oz can corn, drained
1 15-oz can black beans, drained
1 package taco seasoning

Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low 6-8 hours OR high 3-4 hours.

Just before serving, shred chicken and mix back into sauce. Then stir in:
1/2 c. sour cream
1 c. grated cheddar cheese

Serve with warm flour tortillas and Spanish rice.

*D: This is one of the easiest and most delicious recipes ever. I cooked 2 chicken breasts in the crock pot on high for 3 hours exactly (I set a timer), and it was done. The chicken was tender, so shredding with two forks was easy and only took me a few minutes.

I found that my sauce was really runny. In the future I might skip the chicken broth and just put in a tsp of chicken bouillon.

So yummy! Seriously, I ate the leftovers for breakfast the next morning. I'm not kidding. Pin It

Fruit Filled Oatmeal Bars

AKA Jam Bars

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup margarine or butter
Raisin Filling, Apple-cinnamon Filling, Apricot-Coconut Filling, 10 oz (1 1/4 cup) preserves

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda. Cut in margarine or butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 cup of the flour mixture. Press remaining flour mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 9x9x3 inch baking pan. Spread with desired filling. Sprinkle with reserved flour mixture.

Bake at 350* for 30 - 35 minutes, or until the top is golden. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 25.

Raisin Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 water, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Add 1 cup raisins. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly.

Apple-Cinnamon Filling: Peel, core and chop 2 medium apples (about 10 oz). In a medium saucepan, combine apples, 2 TBSP sugar, 2 TBSP water, 1 TBSP lemon juice, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and a dash ground cloves. Bring apple mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or till apples are very tender.

Apricot-Coconut Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup snipped dried apricots and 2/4 cup water. Bring apricot mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 TBSP all-purpose flour. Stir into apricot mixture. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or til very thick. Stir in 1/4 cup coconut.

*D: If you skip making a filling and just use your favorite jam, this is about the easiest recipe in the world.

A few modifications: I greased the bottom of my pan! I also reserved about 3/4 of a cup of topping, and it worked out great.

About 2 years ago I made like a million half pints of plum jam, and I still have about 50 jars (not joking) left in my basement. This was a great way to use those! So I've had this recipe with strawberry jam and plum jam, both ways are delicious. I'm considering making a peach version as well.

Seriously, this is really easy and very delicious. It's not to heavy, so I don't feel guilty going back for seconds. :) Pin It

Six-can Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 - 15 oz can of corn, drained
2  - 14.5 oz cans of chicken broth
1 - 10 oz can of chunk chicken (or 1 1/2 cups leftover cooked chicken)
1 - 14 oz can black beans
1 - 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (or whatever you have)

Pour all ingredients into a large pot. Cook on medium heat until warmed through. Serve with tortilla chips and cheese.

Cook's Note: This recipe requires an oath of secrecy from the cook. Get rid of all the cans and then don't tell a soul. Your family and guests will think you've been cooking all day to create such a perfectly delicious homemade soup.

*D: This is about the easiest recipe I've ever come across. Every single one of the ingredients I keep in my food storage! It was fast, fresh and delicious. Very, very good. Mmmmm.

One thing I particularly loved about this soup was that the "canned chicken" flavor was absent. A lot of recipes seem to accentuate the fact that your chicken comes from a can. In this soup, all chicken is created equal.

We used a can of diced tomatoes with lime and cilantro. Sounds yummy, right? Well...it was, but we couldn't really taste the lime and cilantro part. So I'm not sure it really matters what flavor tomatoes you use.

We did not put cheese on top. There is only one soup I will put cheese on, and this is not it. But that might be your thing, so go for it. When serving chips with soup, you can just alternate bites between chips and soup, or you can skip the spoon and use your chip. Either way, it's yummy.

Try this out and tell me what you think. Pin It

Apple Cake

4 cups finely diced apples
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups nuts
2 tsp vanilla

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
4 TBSP flour
2 cups water
1 cup butter
 2 tsp vanilla

Mix apples and sugar together. Let stand until sugar is dissolved. Add eggs and beat well. Stir dry ingredients together. Stir in to apple mixture. Add nuts and vanilla. Pour into a 9x13 pan. Mix topping together and spread over top of apple mixture. Bat at 375 for 40 - 45 minutes or until done.

*D: This is a fairly easy recipe, but it takes a while to make, for some reason. Probably because you have to chop apples. It took me 5 small apples to get 4 cups. It would probably take 3 or 4 store-bought apples.

The cake mixture is very thick, and the topping is very runny. It's like pouring soup over a cake. This makes it hard to tell when the cake is done cooking, because the apples caramelize, and it almost turns out to be a custardy spice cobbler. It'd say when the top is cooked and crunchy the cake is done.

Put a cookie sheet UNDER the cake because it will boil over the edges.

Very delicious! Especially when warm. Serve with ice cream if you want, or just the cake. Either way it's delicious. Pin It

Easy Cheesy Tuna Casserole

1 can Cream of Chicken soup
3 cups cooked pasta
1 can of tuna
1 cup shredded cheese

In a glass baking dish, mix pasta, soup, and tuna. Top with cheese and bake at 350* until cheese is melted.


*D: Easy, right? You know, I don't love tuna casserole, but I could eat this once a week. The tuna flavor was very subtle because there is only one can.

Variations: Use cream of mushroom instead, top with french fried onions or seasoned bread crumbs, add in half a bag of frozen peas, top with fresh tomatoes.

This is a small recipe - it only calls for 3 cups of cooked pasta. If you have more than 3 people in your family, I'd double it. I did not measure how much cheese I put on top. I just grated cheese and covered the top with a layer - that's my favorite part!

Yum. Pin It

Onion Pasta

1/2 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
5 onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
1 pound pasta, cooked according to package directions


1.In a large skillet place oil, butter and onions and cook until golden brown.
2.Add basil, pepper, water and bouillon and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
3.Add onion mixture to cooked pasta, sprinkle with cheese, toss and serve.

*D: Ok, folks. I got this recipe by typing "pasta" into the search engine of allrecipes.com. I came up with no less than 3,140 recipes. I chose this one at random and it turned out to be a keeper - which is a good thing since the title is a little bit of a turn off.


Let me start off by saying, yes, you read that right. Five, count 'em, five, onions. Now, I giggled a little. Chuckled a bit, then promptly crossed off the 5 and wrote in a 1. Was it enough? Oddly...no. I would say maybe 2. I cut the oil in half and left the butter amount, and after I sauteed the onions, they became sweet. You'd almost expect to feel like you're biting into an onion when eating this pasta, but the flavor was unexpectedly light and (again) sweet. I used penne, but I would recommend penne, rotini, bow tie, ziti... any pasta besides long and skinny (like spaghetti or angel hair). I don't think those would be as good. But try it out and let me know if you'd like. And if you need ideas or have no clue what rotini is, click here.


So, cut the oil in half, make it two onions, add a little garlic and Bob's you're uncle. This was fast and delicious. Oh! And I forgot to sprinkle with cheese. That may have made a difference, but at least you know I ate it without the cheese and still enjoyed it. Pin It

Creamy White Chili

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes (or 1 14oz can of chicken)
1 med. chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp garlic or garlic powder
1 TBSP vegetable oil
2 (15 1/2 oz) cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained (OR 1 lb dehydrated beans)
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 or 2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream or milk

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and whipping cream or milk.

*D: Can I tell you how much I love this recipe? I LOVE this recipe...and I hate chili! This tastes almost more like a white bean soup rather than chili. I used canned chicken and it was delicious. I also used dehydrated beans instead of cans because they are cheaper and store longer.


If you use dehydrated beans, the recipe calls for 1 lb of dry beans which is about half a bag or about 2 cups..maybe 3. Sort through beans to remove "bad" beans and rocks. Rinse the beans, then place in a bowl or pan and cover with water. Soak the beans at least over night, but it might be best to give yourself an extra day, just in case the beans are stubborn. Continue to add water as necessary. After beans are softened, rinse and they are ready to use.


I found that I needed a little more moisture in my chili, so I ended up adding another can of broth and it turned out great. But don't add it unless you are sure you'll need it.


What I love most about this recipe is everything in it I keep on hand. I just need to make sure, from now on, that I have plenty of Great Northern Beans. It's also extremely easy! It was time consuming and took planning because my beans needed re-hydrated; but it took me a few minutes to throw all the ingredients into a pot and start cooking. Pin It

Scalloped Potatoes and Onions

5 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Paprika

In a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish, layer potatoes and onion.

In a saucepan, melt the butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add broth, mayonnaise, salt and pepper; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika.

Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours or until tender.

*D: Where's the cheese?! This recipe doesn't call for cheese, but it's one of the best recipes I've tasted, so I always add some. Just a layer on top before I bake it. I use dehydrated onions because it's easier than chopping, and that works just fine. Sometimes when a recipe calls for paprika, I totally skip that part, but not in this recipe. I'm a recently converted paprika fan. When a recipe calls for chicken broth (in general) I use bouillon rather than opening a can. If it calls for lots of broth (2 or 3 cans), then I will use the can instead of the granules.


I don't usually end up baking this for 2 hours unless I cut the potatoes thick or there are 2 dishes of it in the oven. Check the potatoes after 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to see if they are fork tender. Pin It

Taco Casserole

1 lb hamburger - brown with onions
2 cans (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 1/2 TBSP chili powder
1 can cream of chicken soup
shredded cheese
corn tortillas

Brown hamburger with onions and then drain. Mix with tomato sauce and chili powder. In a separate bowl, mix soup and milk. Layer tortillas, meat mixture, soup mixture and top with lots of cheese. Bake uncovered at 350* for 15 - 20 minutes.

*D: Yum, yum and yum.

I cut back on the chili powder a bit, and I did not add enough corn tortillas to the bottom of the pan. When I made this I had about 1/2 pound of cooked ground beef already in my freezer, so I used that. The recipe made enough for 2 - 4 people, so if you plan to feed more than that, you may have to 1 and a half it or just double it. It's hard to say for sure since I only used half the meat, but when I made this I baked it in a square glass dish, 8 X 8 I think.

Great recipe, tastes almost like enchiladas.

Possible side dishes: corn, Mexican rice, beans, salad. Pin It

Simple Salisbury Steak

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pound ground beef
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

In a large bowl, mix 1/4 cup soup, beef, bread crumbs, onion and egg. Shape firmly into 6 oval patties of even thickness.

In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, , in hot oil, cook half of the patties until browned on both sides. Remove; set aside. Repeat with remaining patties. Pour off fat.

In same skillet, combine remaining soup and mushrooms. Heat to boiling. Return patties to skillet. Reduce heat to low. Cover, cook 20 minutes or until patties are no longer pink, turning patties occasionally.

*D: I don't use the mushrooms because I don't like mushrooms. I also add a bit of garlic in the beef.


Possible side dishes: fried potatoes and green beans, corn and rolls, steamed carrots and salad. Pin It

Onion Soup Mix

4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
8 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
Cut a 6-inch square of heavy duty foil. Place all ingredients in center of foil. Fold foil to make an airtight package. Label with date and contents. Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 months.

*D:  Have you ever come across a recipe that called for an onion soup mix and you had to move on because you didn't have one? Tat happens to me all the time! In fact, one of my new favortie recipes calls for an onion soup mix, and I don't keep those on hand because they're pretty pricey if you don't buy them on sale. This is an awesome recipe that works perfectly. I have used it on a few occasions already. If you don't have granule bouillon you can use 2 cubes. I don't make it before hand, I just incorporate the ingredients into my recipe. Seasoned pepper is a little pricey, so if you don't have it, just use regular pepper and add some garlic. Pin It

Black Bean Soup

1 T olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced
3/4 C diced carrots (about 2 med carrots)
3/4 C diced celery (about 2 ribs)
1 C diced onion (about 1 sm-med onion)
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 3.5oz can green chilies
2 cans low-sodium beef broth
1 t kosher salt
1 dash black pepper
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t cumin
1/2 t dry oregano leaves (if you use ground oregano, use 1/4 t)
1 bay leaf

Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese

Add olive oil to a large stock pot on med-high heat. Saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic about 4-5 minutes.

Add in the black beans, chilies, and beef broth. Stir to combine and then add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.

Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are soft.

Remove from heat. Find that bay leaf and pull it out. Don't forget or it will be very bay-ish. Yes, that's a word.

Place all the soup in a blender. (You could use an immersion blender in place of this step) Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the middle. Place a paper towel over the hole though to avoid getting black bean soup burns all over your face. That would be an embarrassing story to tell.

Puree soup until completely smooth.* I leave it in for several minutes. Return to pan and make sure it's heated through completely. Squeeze in the juice from one big lime.

*Several people in the comment section noted that they wanted a chunkier soup so they only pureed half of it. That works too!

Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese, tortilla chips, etc. Serve with extra lime wedges.

*D: I don't do anything differently. I make this recipe exactly as it's posted. Be sure to remove the center cup of your blender lid. The reason you do this is because your soup is so hot, and once you start blending it, the hot air will expand. If you cap the lid, the hot air will have nowhere to go and will force it's way out, showering you, your counter, and everything else within a five foot radius with black beans. Trust me on this: it's not fun.


We ALWAYS eat this with tortilla chips. It's a MUST.


When you put in the beans, you have two options: drain them for a thicker soup, leave them undrained for a runnier soup. I prefer it thicker (the ONE soup I'll admit is better thicker), but if you like runny soup, then don't drain your beans.


This is definitely a family favorite! It's easy and fun and delicious. I made this for my family when I was visiting this fall: I used chicken instead of beef broth, and we had no bay leaf. It was nasty. Don't omit any ingredients and it'll be great! Pin It

Tuna Salad

2 small or 1 large can(s) whit albacore tuna
head lettuce, chopped
tomatoes, chopped
Frozen petite peas, rinsed with hot water
Red onion, chopped
Chinese noodles
Mayonnaise
Seasoning salt
Pepper

Toss the first 5 ingredients. Mix mayonnaise, seasoning salt and pepper to taste. Mix dressing with salad ingredients. Add Chinese noodles. Serve immediately.

You may notice something is missing. What could it possibly be?...How about measurements? Yeah, how about 'em? This time, it's not my fault. I got this recipe Wednesday night at an Enrichment meeting. We taste tested it and I just about died it was so good. I'm not kidding. Good enough that the very next day I made it for dinner and ate it all. Ok not all by myself, Tyler helped.


Here's what I used:
1/2 head lettuce.
1 can of regular tuna - completely and utterly drained
1 tomato
0 peas - I laugh (and gag) at the thought of putting peas in my salad
1/4 red onion, diced (this was too much for me. I'll cut it down even more in the future.)
1/2 can (about 5 oz) of Chinese noodles
about 8 heaping TBSP of mayo
a lot of seasoning salt and pepper


Toss, serve with French bread and enjoy.


This was a perfect main dish for Tyler and I. We both had two helpings. But if you're feeding a larger family, you may want to double my quantities. I did not use albacore tuna, I just used a regular (small) can of tuna. It was a little more fishy, but overall it was still delicious!! I think you could substitute a can of chicken or ham and it'd still be awesome.


Mmmm! Pin It

Teriyaki Meatballs

3 lbs ground beef
3 cups quick oats
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 large onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup oil
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 cup brown sugar
a/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 TB flour

Combine onion and oil in fry pan. Cook onions. Combine ketchup, vinegar, mustard, garlic salt, brown sugar, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and flour in saucepan. Mix together with onions and simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is simmering, make meatballs: mix ground beef, eggs and oats.

*D: That's the recipe. Here's how I do it:


I disregard the recipe. Honestly. I make meatballs the way I make them: ground beef (one pound for the two of us, but I'd use three pounds if you've got more than four people eating), an egg per pound, seasoned bread crumbs, garlic powder, dehydrated onion, pepper, Mrs. Dash, and Worcestershire. I mix it up, form the meatballs, put them in a glass baking dish, pour the sauce over the top and bake at 350 - 400 degrees for about a half hour.


The sauce I do NOT simmer for an hour. No thanks. I mix the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce and heat until mixed (about 5 - 10 minutes). The dry mustard gives it a little more of a kick, so I don't always add it. I do not add the flour or garlic salt. I just don't.


Serve these bad boys over rice or pasta or with steamed potatoes and corn. Mmmm. Pin It

1-2-3 Peanut Butter Cookies

1 large egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter

Mix ingredients together and bake on cookie sheet (tablespoon sized portions flattened with a fork) for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

This has to be the easiest recipe ever created. And it was probably made easier by the fact that Tyler made them since I was a little under the weather. Have you ever seen an easier recipe? And it's quick and not to expensive either since it's mostly things you have on hand. Tyler used half creamy and half crunchy peanut butter and they were divine.


Thanks Hanna! Pin It

Cheesy Hamburger Hash

1 lb ground beef
1 TBSP butter or margarine
1 bag refrigerated diced potatoes with onions
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained
1 TBSP pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning
1 1/2 c shredded pizza cheese blend (mozzarella and cheddar)
2 TBSP fresh parsley

1. Cook beef in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Remove beef and drippings from skillet.

2. Melt butter in same skillet. Add potatoes. Cover and cook over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in beef, tomatoes, and pizza seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated.

3. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Cover and heat until cheese is melted.

I got this recipe from a quick and easy cook book. Want to know why it's quick and easy? Because the ingredients are already prepared! Ok, so that makes it quick and easy, but it also makes it pricey. I am not about to buy frozen potatoes when I live in potato country. (Tyler raises his eyebrows at me when I buy frozen seasoned fries, but he's learned to live with it.) I don't buy a can of diced tomatoes, I dice my own. And I don't buy shredded cheese. I just use a little elbow grease and shred it myself.


Here's how I do it: I brown the hamburger. Then I throw in the potatoes - into the same skillet with the beef. If I'm not in a hurry I'll pull out the meat and drain off the grease, brown the potatoes and then throw the meat back in. But if I'm in a crunch, the potatoes go in with the meat (once the meet is cooked). I season heavily with garlic powder, onion powder, and Mrs. Dash. I use Mrs. Dash religiously. So if you're not a Mrs. Dash kind of person, just use some sort of seasoning you think would go well on fried potatoes. You can use pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning if you want/have it. I just never have.


Voila. The meal is complete. It's pretty much just frying meat and potatoes. I dish out the hash, sprinkle it with cheese and top it off with diced tomatoes if I have them. If I don't I do without. Salsa might also be pretty good on this. Try it out and let me know.


PS. I fry potatoes all the time, but you may be new to this. When I fry potatoes I first melt butter in a skillet. I chop my potatoes small because the smaller they are the faster they will cook. Once the butter is melted, I pour in the potato chunks. Then I LEAVE THEM ALONE until I hear them start to sizzle and I can see the edges darkening (you can see the potato cook). I season them and stir them up to fry the other side. They are done when they are soft, but I love my crispy, so I cook mine until they crunch on the outside. Mmmmmm. Pin It

Pita Bread

1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) yeast
1 1/4 c luke warm water
3 c flour
2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 500*.

Dissolve yeast in luke warm water. Stir in flour and salt. Stir into a rough ball. Knead on floured surface until smooth, adding flour as necessary.

Divide into 6 balls and knead each until smooth and round.

With a rolling pin, flatten each until 1/4'' thick and 4-5'' diameter.

Arrange rounds upside down on baking sheets.

Bake in a very hot over (500*) for 5 min or until puffed in the center.

Once finished, cut pitas in half. This creates the pocket.

If they are starting to burn and are not puffing, just pull them out and cut a slit in the pita to make the pocket. We fill ours with chicken salad, but you can also use regular sandwich fixings and lettuce. Very easy. Company will be impressed that you made home-made pitas. If your pitas are not puffing, try using almost hot water to dissolve the yeast. It seams to help. Pin It

Easy Pizza Dough

1 TB yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 TB oil
1 c warm water
1/4 tsp salt
2 c flour

Mix the yeast with half the flour (1 cup), sugar and salt. Add really warm water and oil. Mix, adding flour, until velvety. Let raise (in a bowl covered with a towel) and punch down. Roll out onto pizza pan or cookie sheet.

This is definitely a family favorite! We cook our pizza on a cookie sheet, but if you have a pizza pan or if you want to do smaller pizzas for "personal pizzas" that's fine too. Once you roll out the dough, cover it with spaghetti, marinara, tomato, ranch or pizza sauce. Then top with cheese (we usually use cheddar because that's what we have on hand) and fixings. Our personal favorites are pepperoni, sausage, breakfast bacon, or chicken. We use ranch and chicken to make a yummy pizza. I'm not a veggie person, but if I were I would add peppers, olives, artichoke hearts, onions and the like.

Bake at 400* for ten minutes.

Enjoy! Pin It

Greek Chicken

Chicken in pieces
lemon juice from lemon
Basil
Oil
Lemon pepper seasoning
Oregano

Mix together juice from 1 lemon with enough oil to coat chicken pieces. Coat chicken and place on baking sheet.Sprinkle lemon pepper, basil and oregano to taste on one side. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Turn over and sprinkle spices on other side. Bake 30 minutes. Turn and bake 20 minutes more. Serve with rice or over salads.

This is my kind of recipe! No measurements whatsoever. Yeah! Ok. There is SO much I've changed about this. First of all, cut your chicken in pieces depending on what you want to do with it. Bigger chunks, or strips, if you're just eating it. Smaller chunks in you're eating it over rice. Even smaller chunks if you're tossing it in a salad.


The lemon juice I do NOT squeeze from a real lemon. Walmart has done the dirty work for me. I buy a huge bottle of lemon juice concentrate and use it religiously. Oil: use canola or olive. They're the healthiest for you. If I'm wrong, let me know. I use about half a cup or so of each (maybe more, maybe less, but that gives you an idea).


I am not adverse to doing things the easy way. When a recipe says "coat," unless I'm frying it, I don't coat it. I usually just pour the mixture over the top. It's a lot easier and you get pretty much the same results. However, with this recipe I do coat (just because). I drop all my chicken pieces in the lemon juice/oil mixture, then pull them out and arrange them in a glass baking dish. The recipe tells you to put the chicken pieces on a cookie sheet, but if you do they will tear your throat up as you swallow because they are so hard and dry. I now use a cake pan and it works great. I don't cover when I bake this chicken, but if you have a problem with dry chicken, cook it in a glass dish with tin foil over the top.


Then I sprinkle with lemon pepper (too much and you'll have lemon chicken instead of Greek), and then I generously pour over the basil and oregano. I LOVE basil!

I bake on one side for about 20 minutes, flip, sprinkle and bake for about 10 - 15 more minutes. This does not need to bake for an hour and a half! Just watch it.


This is one of my absolute all time favorite ways to eat chicken! Mmmm. Double the recipe if you want leftovers!:) You can make up some cucumber tomato salad to go with it, or fry up some potatoes, or boil some carrots (which is what we did). Oh, and a special thanks to Julie Hinck who provided us with a fresh loaf of homemade french bread to perfect our delicious dinner.


I'm not ashamed to admit that I ate half the loaf all in one sitting.

Pin It