Maple Twist

I just had some a friend made.  It was amaizing!  It looks more complicated than it is.  The recipe is on her recipes blog.
Colleen

Pizza Dough from Playgroup

From one of my favorite recipe blogs: http://mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/:

Slow-Rize Pizza Dough (this is the one I made for playgroup, but the other one is great for quick dough)

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 1/3 cup water
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt.

The beauty about making this recipe the night before is you can just throw all the ingredients together cold (no warming the water) and stick it covered in the refrigerator. That is all I do - mix the dough to the desired consistency (I like my dough pretty soft) and really try not to overflour it and then place it in a greased bowl covered with saran wrap in the refrigerator. Be sure to take it out of the refrigerator a few hours before you make the pizza so the dough has time to warm and relax. This recipe makes 2 medium-sized pizzas. (It feeds our family of two adults and two children and we eat a lot of pizza.)

Directions for baking pizza:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. (If using a pizza stone, let stone heat for at least 30 minutes in the oven before baking pizza.) If baking in a sheet pan, press dough onto sheet pan and top with sauce and toppings. Bake for about 12 minutes (checking often) until crust is browned and cheese is golden and bubbly. If baking on the preheated pizza stone, slide pizza onto stone and bake for about 8 minutes. Makes 1 large pizza.

Fast and Easy Pizza Dough
This recipe was given to me by my Aunt who got it from a woman named Linda who I have never met - but in the event she miraculously stumbles across this blog, I'll give a big thanks, Linda!

3 cups flour, more or less
1 tablespoon honey, heaping
1 tablespoon oil, heaping
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. (If using a pizza stone, let stone heat for at least 30 minutes in the oven before baking pizza.) Mix all pizza dough ingredients together, except the flour. Add flour and knead for a bit then put into pan (or use a pizza peel and pizza stone). If baking in a sheet pan, bake for about 12 minutes (checking often) until crust is browned and cheese is golden and bubbly. If baking on the preheated pizza stone, slide pizza onto stone and bake for about 8 minutes. Makes 1 large pizza.

For Michelle...or anyone else who needs a way to sneak in veggies

Creamy Cauliflower & Cheese Soup...it is REALLY yummy!


Heat in a pot, on medium low, until butter melts:
1/4 cup broth
1 Tbspoon butter

Then add and simmer covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally:

1 roughly chopped onion
2 sliced cloves of garlic
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Next add the following, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender:
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 medium head of cauliflower, coarsely chopped

Turn off heat and allow to cool a bit. Then puree the mixture until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in:

1/4-1/2 cup cream, half-and-half, or milk
2 cups of cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer until cheese is melted. Don't let it boil! Enjoy!

Brrr... it's cold outside!

So, for lunch we are having Kale and Bean Soup.


* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 garlic cloves, chopped
* 1 pound escarole, chopped
* Salt
* 4 cups low-salt chicken broth
* 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 (1-ounce) piece Parmesan
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the escarole and saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt. Add the chicken broth, beans, and Parmesan cheese. Cover and simmer until the beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the soup into 6 bowls. Drizzle 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil over each (Courtesy of the Food Network).

Although the recipe calls for escarole I've only made it with kale and we really like the taste! You can use as much or as little kale or escarole as you'd like. A pound is too much for us. Sometimes we add an extra can of cannellini beans. And it doesn't hurt to add some french bread (with butter, of course!)

This should warm you right up!

The best Caramel Corn recipe ever*.

2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 tsp salt

Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add:
1 tsp Baking soda (It will bubble and expand the caramel, so use a big sauce pan)
1 tsp vanilla
Mix over heat another minute or so.

Stir caramel into popcorn. (I used 1/2 cup of kernels in an air popper). Spread popcorn evenly on a baking sheet, and bake at 200 degrees for an hour, turning every 15 minutes.

Munch on with your family as you sip frozen hot chocolate in front of your tree.

* Disclaimer: This is also the only caramel corn recipe I've ever tried.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

HERE

Banana Bread

I've always loved banana bread.  It reminds me of my childhood.  My mom always made her mom's recipe.  I always make that same recipe.  Well, not always.  I try other recipes, but come back to Mary Deane's banana bread.  That was until I tasted this one.  I've been converted.   Emily made this at the Relief Society cooking class, and I think you (all 3 of you) ought to give it a whirl.  Or a whisk.  Or whatever.

10 oz unsalted butter

1 lb, 2 oz granulated sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 lb, 5 oz pureed bananas, somewhat overripe

1 lb, 2 oz bread flour

2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

9 oz coarsely chopped walnuts

coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 3 large loaf pans with a generous amount of butter and coat with sugar.

Melt butter and add the sugar.  Beat together for a few minutes.  Stir in the eggs, vanilla, and pureed bananas.  Mix together the flour, salt baking soda, and walnuts.  Stir into the butter mixture.  Spoon the batter into the prepared forms.  If you are using small forms, fill them only three-quarters full.  Sprinkle with coconut, if using (which I highly recommend you do!) Bake 45 minutes or until baked through.  You may need to use a second pan underneath to ensure that the cakes do not get too dark on the bottom while baking.  Unmold the cake as soon as possible and let cool on a cake rack.

Contact Emily for measurements instead of weights for ingredients if you don't have a scale.