Pizza Buns

Here is a fun little twist on pizza.  They are like cinnamon rolls- but savory.   I found the recipe at King Arthur's- but didn't have a lot of the ingredients- so I adapted it to what I had and they were really good.  They came out of the oven and we packed them up and headed to a soccer game.  Nice and portable.  The ingredients in red are in the original recipe- but I didn't have and therefore didn't use.  I added the powdered buttermilk-but it wasn't in the original recipe.
For the dough:
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup hot water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

4 teaspoons Pizza Dough Flavor, optional but good
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons Baker’s Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons potato flour or 1/4 cup instant potato flakes
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 tablespoons buttermilk powder

Proof your yeast- add the milk and mix it all with the powdered ingredients to make a soft, smooth dough.  May be a little sticky.  Cover it and allow it to rise for 60-90 minutes.  Roll it out and add whatever pizza ingredients you like.  Pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms olives etc.  Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and roll the whole thing up.  Slice just like you would for  cinnamon rolls- about 1 inch thick.  Place six on a baking tray and cover- let rise again for about 60 minutes.  Bake in a 350 over for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and spread your favorite pizza sauce over the top and cover with about 1/4 cup of cheese.  Return to oven for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is as toasted as you would like. 

Strawberry- Ricotta Graham Tartlets

These were yummers!

Strawberry-Ricotta Graham Tartlets

Adapted — barely, as the recipe was just about perfect — from Food & Wine

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup whole wheat flour, or graham flour if you can get it
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of ground cloves
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons molasses (you can swap this with additional honey, if desired)
3/4 pound strawberries, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 cups ricotta (10 ounces), fresh if you can find it, a full-fat store bought if you cannot
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Make grahams: In a bowl, whisk both flours with the cinnamon, salt and cloves. Beat the butter, light brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar at medium speed on an electric mixer until fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the honey and molasses, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the side of the bowl and beat in the flour mixture at low speed, just until incorporated. Pat the dough into a disk, cover with plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-inch oval cookie cutter (recommendation of original recipe), a 3 1/2-inch round cutter (what I had, and used) or a smaller cutter of your choice (I might go with 3 inches next time, as I like petite desserts), stamp out your bases. (About 16 with a 3 1/2-inch oval, 10 with a 3 1/2-inch round or more with a smaller cutter.) Reroll the dough scraps if necessary. Transfer the grahams to the baking sheets and bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until lightly golden around the edges. Let cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer the grahams to racks to cool completely.

Make toppings: In a bowl, toss the strawberries with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and the lemon juice. Let stand until syrupy, 20 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, confectioners’ sugar and lemon zest.
Assemble tartlets: Spread about 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture on each graham. Arrange the strawberries over the ricotta, drizzle with the syrup and serve.

Do ahead: Grahams will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks. They will keep longer, unbaked, in the freezer. Ricotta mixture, if your ricotta is fresh, will keep for a day or two and up to a week if from packaged ricotta. Strawberry mixture should, in theory, keep for a few days but will not because it is delicious enough to spoon over every yogurt, oatmeal or ice cream scoop you can find.

Spicy Orange Shrimp

Ingredients

24 pieces (26-30 Per Pound) Deveined Shrimp
4 cloves garlic sliced or minced
3/4 cups Orange Juice
1/4-1/2 teaspoons Ground Cayenne Pepper- depending on how much "heat" you like.
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
3 Tablespoons Salted Butter

Preparation Instructions

Thaw and peel the shrimp. Thaw them by running them under cold water for a few minutes. Dry the peeled shrimp by draining them on a paper towel or two.

Thinly slice your garlic cloves. Add the garlic to ¾ cup of orange juice. Use a nice high quality orange juice. Measure out and add all of the spices to the orange juice as well.

In a large skillet over high heat melt 2 tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted add your shrimp. Cook them for about 30-60 seconds and begin flipping them over starting with the ones you placed in the pan first so they don’t get overdone. Cook for another 30-60 seconds. Remove the cooked shrimp from the pan, leaving the heat on high.

Add the spicy orange garlic mixture to the pan and give it a good stir. Add the last tablespoon of butter to the sauce and after a few minutes of cooking and occasional stirring your sauce should be slightly thicker.

Return the shrimp to the pan and give them a nice toss to coat them in the sauce. Allow an intermingling of souls to take place for just a few seconds and then it’s time for the fireworks.

Serve with jasmine rice.  Delish!- oh and very easy

Orange Chicken Rice Bowl

So....there are lots of easy things I cook that I don't have a recipe for. This is one of them. The reason I'm posting it is so I can actually remember this dish from seeing it on my blog. Its fast, easy and really good.

The chicken is "Orange Chicken" from the frozen foods section of Costco. Ya know those people who hand out the samples? Ya, they totally got me! I think it was about $13.00 for a big box with two bags of chicken in it. Anyway, the chicken cooks at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes and then you add the orange sauce.

I made some basamati rice which takes 20 minutes (white or sticky rice is great too). Boil water and add some frozen mixed veggies. I also added freshly chopped onion, mushrooms and celery to the boiling water too. Boiling the veggies is not the best way to cook the veggies, but it is fast because you can throw the fresh and frozen veggies in the same pan-less clean up! Boil the veggies for about 5 minutes is all. Drain the veggies and make sure to salt them when they are done. I then added the veggies to the rice and threw the whole thing together in a bowl.

And BAM! There ya go, its easy, fast and delicious.

Coconut Chocolate Chunk Blondies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chocolate chips or chunks


Topping:

1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. Combine the flour and salt; set aside.
3. Stir together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla extract until well blended.
4. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until blended, then stir in the coconut and chocolate chips.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth even with a rubber spatula.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until set in the center but still soft. Do not overbake. Let the bars cool slightly before drizzling with chocolate, then cool completely before cutting into squares.
7. For the topping, combine the chocolate and butter in a small bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth. Using a spoon, drizzle over the bars.

I usually double this and put it in a 9x13 pan- 30-35 minutes.  I've never made the topping.  Good stuff!

FRESH CRANBERRY RELISH-Sara

FRESH CRANBERRY RELISH-Sara

• 2—12 oz. Bags fresh cranberries
• 1 ½ c. sugar
• 1 c. orange juice
• 1 T. grated orange peel
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. ground ginger
• 1 c. golden raisins
• 1 c. water
• 1 c. coarsely chopped pecans (optional)
• ½ c. finely chopped crystalized ginger
• Combine first 7 ingredients with water and boil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until cranberries finish popping (this is the fun part!). Remove from heat. Mix in nuts and ginger. Serve while warm or store in clean jar in frig. (will keep up to 1 month—or freeze in freezer bags.)
• This is the only way I like my cranberries at Thanksgiving...it's yummy!

YAM PRALINE CRUNCH-Sara

YAM PRALINE CRUNCH-Sara

• Yams:
• 28 oz. Can yams, drained and mashed
• ¼ t. salt
• ¼ c. butter
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• In 8 x 8 inch casserole dish, mix all ingredients well. Sprinkle with topping. Microwave on high 8 minutes or bake @ 350 for 25 minutes (until bubbly)
• Topping:
• 3 T. butter
• 3 T. flour
• ¾ c. dark brown sugar
• ¾-1 c. pecans, chopped
• ½ c. sugar
• ½ t. cinnamon
• 1 t. vanilla
• Mix all ingredients in separate bowl until all butter is mixed in thoroughly. Sprinkle over yams.
• *This is a must have at all Thanksgiving feasts (you may want to half the topping to make it less of a dessert and more of a side...but your family might complain! It's SO good!

SWEET SAUSAGE STUFFING-Sara

WEET SAUSAGE STUFFING-Sara (this is amazing for Thanksgiving)

• 4 medium onions
• 1 lb. Bulk pork sausage
• 1—16 oz. package herb stuffing
• 1—15 oz. package golden raisons
• 6 celery stalks, diced
• ¼ t. of each
• basil
• oregano
• curry
• poultry seasoning
• garlic powder
• salt/pepper
• 2 ½ c. chicken broth
• Dice all onions. Brown together with sausage in large pot. Add herb package (if there is one included with stuffing mix ). Stir in raisins, celery, and seasonings. Simmer 10 minutes. Add broth and bread. Mix well—cook and stir 5 minutes. Put all ingredients in greased large baking dish. Cover. Bake along with turkey 1 hour. Uncover—bake 10 minutes @ 325. Makes 12 cups. (or bake the night before and reheat for 30 minutes while turkey is cooling)

RICE PILAF-Sara

RICE PILAF-Sara

• 2 tablespoons butter
  1/3 cup angel hair pasta, broken into 1 inch pieces, about 1/6 of a 1 pound box of dried pasta
  3/4 cup white rice
  1 1/2 cups chicken broth or water
  Salt or garlic salt to taste
• In a medium saucepan melt butter over moderate heat. Add thin spaghetti bits and rice and brown for 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth or water, salt and pepper, and bring liquid to a full boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to simmer and cook rice 18 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

GREEN CHILI & RICE CASSEROLE-Sara

GREEN CHILI & RICE CASSEROLE-Sara

• 3 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1-2 t. salt (I think this needs more than 1 tsp)
• 1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies, drained
• 12 oz. jack cheese, sliced
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• **You can add 2 cups cubed chicken
• PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees. Mix sour cream and chilies together with salt. Put 1 cup rice in a greased casserole. Cover with ½ of sour cream mixture and a layer of the jack cheese slices. Repeat layers and end with rice. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Cover with cheddar cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted. 4-6 serving.