Pizza Dough

This is an Italian recipe that came originally from my Aunt Margie who got it, as I understand it, from her Aunt. It required a lot of time, like bread dough; so, my mom adapted it to be able to make it quickly without waiting for it to rise.

• 6 c. flour
• 6 T. sugar
• 1 T. salt
• 1 T. yeast
• 1 c. milk*
• 1 c. water, warm
• 5 T. oil 
• parmesan cheese, garlic, oregano, etc. (optional)

Combine 3 c. flour, sugar, salt and yeast in large bowl. This is where you would add the parmesan cheese and possibly some garlic and/or oregano to flavor the dough. Then add the liquid ingredients and mix well. Add the remaining flour to make a kneadable dough. Divide into two clumps and spread in/on pans with your hands. You can also roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is about the right size for the pan. 

Bake at 425 degrees on the lowest rack for about 18-22 minutes.

* If you want to substitute water for the milk, that will work as well. You can also use 1/3 c. milk powder and 2 c. water. It's a very forgiving recipe!

Dee-lish!

Five-can Soup

I got this recipe from Selissa. It is easy and delicious. I don't have a picture, but maybe one can be added later.

1 Tbsp. oil
1 small onion
3 Tbsp. flour
3/4 tsp. cumin
1 can chicken broth
1 can chopped tomatoes, undrained
1 can corn, undrained
1 can evaporated milk
1 can chunk white chicken, undrained

Warm the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add flour, cumin and chili powder. Cook, stirring constantly.

Meanwhile, bring the broth to a boil in a small saucepan, add the onion mixture to the broth and whisk until liquid is smooth. Stir in the tomatoes and corn. Slowly stir in the milk and the liquid from the chicken. Bring to a simmer; do not boil. Break the chicken into bite size pieces and stir in the soup. Serve.

NOTES: Obviously, there are lots of things that can be varied or substituted. I've done it this way:
Shred cooked chicken into a pan.
Stir in the flour and spices.
Pour in broth and bring to a boil. It will thicken slightly.
Add corn and tomatoes. Heat through.
Stir in the milk. Serve.

It is also good with a can of black beans added (I drain them).

Brownie Cookies

Cream:
½ cup shortening
2 tsp vanilla
1 ¾ cup sugar

Beat in:
2 eggs, one at a time

Add:
8 Tbsp cocoa
½ tsp salt
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup milk

Roll balls of dough in powdered sugar and place on greased pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. (They may look gooey, but if you overcook them they will be as hard as a rock.)

Accidental Dessert

So, the other day, Grandma Aitchison told me she makes a lemon bar cookie by mixing an angel food cake mix and lemon pie filling together and baking it. I decided to try it. The 'cookie' was good, but not fabulous. It was more like a moist lemon pound cake. I started considering what else could be done with it. This is the result.

Strawberry Lemonade Compote

1 angel food cake mix

1 2-lb. tube of lemon pie filling, divided

1 lb. fresh strawberries, quartered

2 c. whipping cream

1 T. sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together the cake mix and 1/2 of the lemon pie filling. Spread in greased cake pan (9x13). Bake for about 20 minutes. After cooled, cut or tear into cubes, about 1 inch square.

In a large bowl, combine baked squares, remaining pie filling and quartered strawberries. Whip the cream until stiff peaks are formed; fold in the sugar.

Spoon the cake mixture into serving dishes. Top with whipped cream. Makes 8-10 1-cup servings.

Cloud Bread

So I've been counting calories lately. Boring right? I know. Anyway, one of the things that I've been most...scared to eat much of is bread. It just has too many calories in it for me to want to waste my time with. Which is sad to me. I've probably had 4 slices of bread in the last month and a half. Maybe.

I saw a recipe for "cloud bread" on pinterest and thought I'd give it a whirl. At only 43 calories each piece how could I not?!

Cloud Bread
(link to recipe I used - http://www.food.com/recipe/carb-free-cloud-bread-411501)
I really didn't make many changes, but my notes are in red :)

• 3 eggs , separated
• 3 tablespoons whole milk cottage cheese or 3 tablespoons cream cheese (I used cream cheese)
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (I didn't have any so I looked up substitutes and ended up using 1/2 tsp lemon juice.)
• 1 (1 g) packet artificial sweetener (I used 2 tsp splenda)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Separate the eggs very carefully, there must be no yolk in the white.
3. In one bowl, mix together the egg yolks, the 3 T. of Cottage Cheese OR Cream Cheese and the one packet of Sweetener until smooth. (I softened the cream cheese for about 30 seconds in the microwave)
4. In the other bowl add 1/4 teaspoon of Cream of Tartar to the whites and beat the whites on high speed until they are fluffy and form nice peaks.
   
5. Very carefully fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites until mixed, but try and not break down the fluffiness of the egg whites too much.
   
   
   
6. Spray two cookie sheets with Pam or other fat-free cooking spray.
7. With a large spoon, "scoop" the mixture into 10 even rounds on the sheets (about the size of the top-half of the McDonalds hamburger bun; roughly 3/4 inch thick and 4 to 5 inches across).
8. Bake on the middle rack. Here is when you have to watch them, because the cooking time the same on any two batches. It is somewhere around 1/2 hour, but it could be less or more. (Mine only cooked for 21 minutes)You just need to watch them until them become nice and golden brown (again, the color of a McDonalds bun).
9. Remove from the pans and cool on a rack or cutting board.
10. While warm they are crumbly and similar to cooked meringue - but don't let this fool you! Once completely cool, seal them in a ziplock storage baggie or a tupperware over night. They will totally change their consistency, to something much more like bread - a softer texture that is nice and chewy. If you do not like softer chewy bread, then eat them as they are, nice and crisp
    
     **I let them cool for about 10 minutes and then spread butter on one and ate it with my breakfast. I was actually pleasantly surprised and how good it was. Maybe it's because I haven't eaten bread in a while? I'm interested to see how the texture changes after they've sat for a while longer. They were so easy to make though, I think I'll be making them again.  I'm also already thinking of things to add to them, seasonings, chopped dried fruit, chocolate???, cheese, mmmm.

Moroccan Chicken and Rice

I made this for dinner the other night and it's possibly the most delicious thing I have ever made. It was well worth the hour or so that it took to prepare and cook it.

CHICKEN
vegetable oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup onion, chopped or thinly sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 freshly grated ginger
1 satsuma, squeezed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander

Cook the chicken in 2-4 tbsp of oil, depending on the size of your pan. Let it brown on one side and then turn over. Stir in the other ingredients and bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through (25 - 35 min)

RICE
Chicken broth
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup pistachios, shelled and chopped

Cook the rice (stovetop or in a rice maker) with the chicken broth. Once it's done, stir in the honey, cinnamon, and nuts. I highly recommend serving the chicken atop the rice with the sauce poured over it.

Orange sherbet - without an ice cream maker!

7 satsumas/tangerines/mandarins/whatever you call them, squeezed
4 tbsp lemon juice
1 orange rind cut into small pieces
2 tsp vodka
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
dash of salt

(the recipe I found just called for fresh squeezed orange juice. I do not have a juicer so I hand squeezed them.)
Rub sugar and rind together until sandy and damp. Whisk in salt, juices, and vodka. Strain through a mesh sieve. Chill 2-3 hours in the fridge or 45 minutes in the freezer. Try not to let it ice over.

All I did then was blend the juice mixture and the cream for a minute or so to make it all frothy. For consistency, and I plan on doing this the next time I make it, I'd try whipping the cream into soft peaks before tossing it all in the blender.

I'm pretty sure it can be made without vodka but it won't be as smooth. In the end, you can't taste it but it makes the flavor richer and keeps it from freezing solid.