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Easy Homemade Pizza Recipe

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What’s better than going out for pizza on a Friday night? How about staying home for pizza on a Friday night! Preheat the oven, grab your favorite toppings, and prepare your taste buds for this simple, mouth-watering treat.

Easy Homemade Pizza

Ingredients
  • 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2-1/2 cups flour
Directions
  1. Make sure oven racks are in the lowest positions possible. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
  2. Combine yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add warm water, and stir until yeast and sugar dissolve. Stir in oil, salt, and 2-1/2 cups flour.
  3. When the dough becomes too stiff to stir, flour your hands and a work surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes, adding a little flour to keep dough from sticking. When done kneading, the dough should feel smooth and no longer sticky.
  4. Dust ball of dough with flour, and return to mixing bowl. Cover with a towel, and let dough rise for no longer than 30 minutes. (The beauty of this recipe is that you don’t have to let the dough rise at all, but it is easier to use if you do.)
  5. Grease a standard-sized cookie sheet, and dust with cornmeal. Use your hands or a rolling pin to spread dough over the entire pan.
  6. If you want your pizza to look extra fancy, pinch a raised rim around the edges.
  7. Decorate with sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings.
  8. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned.
  9. Enjoy!

Based on recipe from Williams-Sonoma’s Kids Cooking cookbook

Basic Beef Stew

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Ever had one of those days when all you need is a good, hearty meal? Well then I have a new recipe to share with you. This stew is delicious and chocked full of veggies. The first time I made it, I was shocked to find out that my husband had never had beef stew. Maybe it’s not as normal of a meal as I thought…
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Basic Beef Stew

Course Main Course
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 lbs beef stew meat sold in cubes
  • 2 Tbsp oil
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 1-1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
  • 2-3 cups assorted chopped veggie Carrots, broccoli stems, green beans, celery, peas, mushrooms, etc
  • 3-4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 2 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 teaspoons water Optional but makes stew thicker

Instructions

  1. Add oil to a dutch oven or regular pot, and cook meat (on the stove) until brown.
  2. Add beef stock and spices, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 45 minutes.
  3. Mix in veggies, onion, and potatoes. If you want a thicker stew, add the cornstarch dissolved in water.
  4. Cover and simmer for another 1-2 hours.

Simple Slow-Cooker Chili

by 7 Comments

Everyone needs an easy, go-to meal for those days when life keeps you running from sunup to sundown and you barely have enough energy left to think about dinner, let alone cook it. For me, that meal is slow-cooker chili.My mother-in-law gave me a delicious recipe that takes about 10 minutes to prepare, and by the time I’m done loading it with tomatoes and zucchini, it’s healthy, too. You’re going to love it!

It takes a bit of forethought, as the chili is tastiest when cooked at least three hours, but the prep time is short enough that you can throw all the ingredients together during breakfast or lunch and then return to your busy day.

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Slow-Cooker Chili

Course Main Course

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • Chili powder to taste
  • 1- 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1- 6 oz can tomato sauce
  • 2- 16 oz cans kidney beans
  • 1- 15 oz can tomato juice
  • 1 small shredded zucchini*
  • Salt to taste
  • Diced jalapeno pepper (optional)
  • Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

  1. Brown ground beef, and season with chili powder. Drain grease, and add meat to slow-cooker.
  2. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, tomato juice, and zucchini to slow-cooker, and stir.
  3. Stir in approximately 2 teaspoons of chili powder and 1 teaspoon of salt.

  4. If you like your chili hot, add diced jalapenos and/or hot sauce. (Those are my husband's favorite ingredients.)

  5. Cook on high for at least three hours.
  6. Add additional chili powder and salt as needed.
  7. Serve with your favorite chili fixins. (We like crackers and shredded cheese.)

Recipe Notes

*A friend gave us several large, homegrown zucchinis this summer. I shredded and froze them in portions that are the right size for this recipe.

Homemade Applesauce

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The downside of being married to a dentist is that everyone wants to have their teeth cleaned on Saturday mornings, so my husband works two Saturdays a month.While cleaning the kitchen this morning, I noticed several apples that were on the verge of rotting (kind of like the teeth my husband works on.) Well, when life gives you apples, why not make applesauce? So that’s what I did! Instead of looking up a recipe online, I decided to experiment.

Now I just need some pork chops to go with my applesauce! (Any Brady Bunch fans out there?)

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Ingredients

  • 7 apples
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tsp cinnamon optional

Instructions

  1. Peel and chop apples, and add to microwave-proof container (ie Corningware). Add 1/2 cup of water, and microwave until apples are softened (approximately 4 minutes).

  2. Attach food grinter attachment to KitchenAid mixer. Add softened apple chunks to the grinder.

  3. When grinding is done, add 2 tsp of cinnamon to the applesauce.

Recipe Notes

For those who don’t have a stand-up mixer, be sure to sufficiently soften your apples in the microwave, and then use a potato masher to reach the desired consistency.

Chipotle Burritos: Part 3

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Here is the third and final part of my recipe for homemade Chipotle burritos! On Wednesday I revealed how I make the seasoned ground beef, and yesterday I shared my recipes for cilantro-lime rice, pico de gallo, and guacamole. Now it’s time to discuss corn, beans, and queso. Serve burritos with tortillas (or as a burrito salad) and tortilla chips. And don’t forget the shredded cheese, sour cream, and lettuce.
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Homemade Chipotle Burritos Part 3: Corn and Beans

Course Main Course

Ingredients

Corn

  • 2 cups corn, frozen
  • 2 tsp lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Black Beans

  • 1- 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp lime juice

Instructions

Corn

  1. Thaw frozen corn in the microwave or on the stove.

  2. Mix in lime juice and cilantro. Set aside.

Black Beans

  1. Warm black beans in the microwave (in a bowl) or on the stove.

  2. Mix in garlic, cumin, oregano, and lime juice. Set aside.

Restaurant-Style Queso Blanco Dip

Click here to view this recipe in a previous post.

Chipotle Burritos: Part 2

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Homemade Chipotle burritoEarlier this week, I posted my recipe for the seasoned ground beef that I use to make homemade Chipotle burritos. If you’ve ever been to Chipotle, you know there are a lot of ingredients that go into one of their burritos. Today, I’ll share my recipes for cilantro-lime brown rice, pico de gallo, and guacamole (my favorite part of a burrito). Tomorrow, I’ll finish with the corn, beans, and queso dip.
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Homemade Chipotle Burritos Part 2: Rice, Pico, Guacamole

Course Main Course

Ingredients

Cilantro-Lime Rice

  • 2 cups rice, cooked (I use brown)
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp minced garlic

Pico de Gallo

  • 3 tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 cup onion, diced
  • 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Guacamole

  • 1 avacado
  • 2 tsp lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Cilantro-Lime Rice

  1. Mix olive oil, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic into the cooked rice. Cover and set aside.

Pico de Gallo

  1. Combine tomatoes, onion, and cilantro in a bowl. Set aside.

Guacamole

  1. Peel, chop, and mash 1 avocado. Mix in lime juice and salt. Set aside.

That’s farily simple, isn’t it? Making homemade Chipotle burritos isn’t rocket science, but it takes a fair bit of time and quite a few ingredients.Click here to view the third and final part of my Chipotle recipe.

Homemade Chipotle Burritos

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My husband loves Chipotle, but we don’t have one nearby. A few weeks into our marriage, I came up with the idea of attempting to make homemade Chipotle burritos. After some experimentation, I was able to prepare a burrito that made my husband’s mouth water. The recipe is long and includes several smaller recipes, which I will post throughout the rest of this week.

According to my husband, the most important part of a burrito is the meat. (Personally, I think it’s the guacamole.) We have decided that seasoned ground beef works best.

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Homemade Chipotle Burritos Part 1: Seasoned Ground Beef

Course Main Course

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 4 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 2 lb ground beef

Instructions

  1. Mix the spices in a small bowl.

  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the spice mixture with 2 pounds of raw ground beef.

  3. Transfer to a skillet, and brown the meat.

Recipe Notes

If your meat is lean and doesn't release much grease, add a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil to prevent it from drying out. If the meat tastes bland to you, feel free to add more spices. The best part about making Chipotle burritos at home is that you can adjust the flavor to suit your taste buds.

To enhance the flavor of the meat (and make dinner preparation easier), I usually dump the meat and its grease into my crock pot and keep it on warm for an hour before serving.

Click here to view the second segment of my Chipotle recipe.

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

by 11 Comments

Happy Friday! To celebrate the end of another week, how about I share a fabulous dessert recipe with you all? Any objections? This recipe is quick and easy….and oh so delicious!

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Homemade Chocolate Pudding

Course Dessert
Servings 4 servings (6-oz each)

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup sugar cut down to 1/8 cup if you prefer a less sweet dessert
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 cups milk (any kind works)
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 ounces chocolate chips (I use sem-sweet)

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy, 2-quart saucepan.

  2. Gradually whisk in the milk, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly until the pudding is thick (about 3-5 minutes). Remove from heat.

  3. Beat the egg in a medium-sized, heat-proof bowl. SLOWLY add the hot chocolate mixture to the egg, whisking constantly. You do not want the egg to cook.
  4. Whisk in the chocolate chips until they are melted and the mixture is smooth.

  5. Pour the pudding into cups or small bowls. To prevent a skin from forming, place wax paper or plastic wrap over the surface of the pudding. (This step is optional and can get messy.)

  6. Refrigerate until cold or serve warm.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to experiment with different chocolate flavors. If you don't have chocolate chips, you can use a bar of chocolate (cut it into small pieces so it melts easily).

Healthy ‘Microwave’ Popcorn

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healthy microwave popcornPopcorn is my favorite evening snack, and I have experimented with several ways of preparing it, including popcorn makers, campfire popcorn pans, and various brands of microwave popcorn.I have even tried cooking it over the stove in a skillet, which my family coined the “Little House on the Prairie method.” Those techniques yielded edible popcorn but still left me in search of the perfect way to prepare my favorite snack.

One evening about ten years ago, my mom announced that she was going to make popcorn. When I asked how she planned to pop it, she told me that she had found a new method online. I was curious but skeptical.

The popcorn my mom made that night turned out to be the best I had ever tasted. I just have to share the recipe with you all.

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Healthy "Microwave" Popcorn

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Popcorn kernels
  • 1 Tbsp Coconut oil
  • Large glass microwave safe bowl
  • Salt and melted butter to taste

Instructions

  1. Using a spoon, mix the popcorn kernels and coconut oil in a large glass bowl that is micorwave safe until every kernel is coated in oil.

  2. Put the bowl in the microwave, cover (I use an ordinary microwave cover), and cook for 3-5 minutes (until the kernels pop about two seconds apart). Add melted butter and salt to taste.

Restaurant-Style Queso Blanco Dip

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My husband is a big fan of queso dip. His favorite used to be Tostitos® Salsa Con Queso, until he discovered Tostitos®  Queso Blanco a few months ago. It is the only thing he will eat with tortilla chips. During a Walmart shopping trip two weeks into our marriage, Mr. Handsome picked up a bag of chips and a container of Tostitos® Queso Blanco. I quickly glanced at the ingredients and cringed. I checked the shelf for healthier alternatives but found none.

A few days later, I set out to make a healthier, homemade version of this product that would have my husband drooling. After scouring the internet and taking bits and pieces from various recipes, I came up with this one. It takes about five minutes, and it’s sure to make you drool (if you like queso, that is).

After one bite, Mr. Handsome was sold. He said it was the best queso dip he has ever tasted and that it knocks Tostitos® out of the park.

1 from 1 vote
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Restaurant-Style Queso Blanco Dip

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb white American cheese*
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1/3 cup whole milk

Instructions

  1. Cut cheese into bite-sized chunks, and put in a microwave safe bowl.

  2. Add water and milk, and stir. Microwave for one minute, and then remove and stir.

  3. Continue microwaving (stirring every minute) until cheese reaches desired consistency (approximately 4-6 minutes).

  4. Serve as a dip with tortilla chips or drizzled over Mexican dishes.

Recipe Notes

Dip can be refrigerated and reheated, but be careful not to burn it.

*I used Land O’ Lakes, but it contains a few artificial ingredients (still much better than Tostitos queso dips), so I am on the lookout for an alternative.