Caesar Chicken Pizza

I clipped this little Kraft advertisement recipe from a magazine years ago. It's a very nice change from the usual tomato based pizza!

Ingredients:

pre-baked pizza crust

Creamy Caesar dressing

grated Parmesan cheese

drained, chopped frozen spinach

bacon bits

cooked chicken breast, cubed

Four Cheese Italiano, shredded

dried basil

red peper flakes (optional)

Method:

1. Thaw 1 pkg of chopped frozen spinach under cold running water.
2. Spread pizza crust with a thin layer of dressing. (If I buy pizza shells, I get the Pizza Parlor Multigrain, handstretched ones at Safeway. Two in a pkg. Very good!)
3. Sprinkle lightly with grated Parmesan cheese
4. Spread with chunks of spinach. (I used 1 pkg for 2 med sized pizzas)
5. Sprinkle generously with real bacon bits and cooked chicken
6. Top with four Cheese Italiano (or mozzarella)
7. Finish off with a sprinkle of dried basil and red pepper flakes, if desired
8. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 15 min or until cheese is melted.

Roasted Tomatoes

I saw Ina prepare these tomatoes on the Food Channel Network and thought they looked real good.

Ina Garten's Roasted Tomatoes

• 12 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cores and seeds removed
• 4 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper over the tomatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are concentrated and beginning to caramelize. Serve warm or at room temperature.

No Knead Crusty Italian Bread

I have just learned this new bread making process and then I checked to see if it had been posted and yes, Lovella had posted it way back. So we chatted about it, and decided that I would post it again, changing it up, but also encouraging some of you to try making some bread. Some of you are thinking, "Bread? Not Me!" You too, can make this simple recipe. It only requires a bit of planning ahead, like 24 hours.
One thing that I learned cooking with Chef Dez, is that we will be making food the rest of our lives...so how do we learn to enjoy this process rather than dreading it...So that's what I've been working with this fall...Trying something new! It's inspirational and tasty. He also taught us that if things flop, call it Rustic! I love that term. I've developed a few Rustic Recipes.

Crusty Italian Bread

• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp instant yeast
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups room temperature water, plus 2 Tbsp. water
• 2 Tbsp. fresh herbs, oregano, thyme, rosemary, tarragon.
  

Method

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add your water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours preferably about 18 at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. (I used almost 2 cups water.)
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball.
3. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour. Fold towel ends together and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready , dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
   
4. At least half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 2.5 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is OK. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Coon on a rack.

Add a few fresh herbs, and the dough should look shaggy.
Cover with plastic and let sit for 12-18 hours. (Step 1)

Flour tea towel generously. Step 3

Fold tea towel up and let rise for 2 more hours.

Slide your hand under the dough and dump into hot cast iron pot.
Step 4

Yes, it looks like a flop...Shake it slightly.
Smile...The best is yet to come.

Set the pot with lid into the oven and follow instructions used for Step 4.

This is what it looks like when you take the lid off after 30 minutes.
Now, let it brown for another 20 minutes at a high heat.

When it's finished, cut it in half.
If it has holes, congratulate yourself on making
Famous Rustic Italian Bread!

I have to admit, I did have to experiment abit...
Once you have mastered this art, it will be on your favorite list. Simple, easy and tasty.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Molasses Cookies

I had been looking for a recipe that my mother in law used to make..a chocolate and a molasses cookie all in one. And find it I did..written on a small piece of paper. My mom did the same..recipes were jotted down on whatever piece of paper was handy. Often it was written on the back of a used envelope...everything got recycled! Now I wish that I had all those pieces of paper in my recipe collection.

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp cocoa
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Cream shortening, sugar and molasses together.
Add egg and vanilla.
Sift flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda together.
Stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk until well mixed.
At this point you can make drop cookies by dropping rounded teaspoonfuls of the dough on a baking pan lined with parchment paper or add enough flour to make a dough that can be rolled, then cut with a cooky cutter.
Bake at 375º for 10 to 12 min.
Frost with a plain vanilla icing.

Vanilla Icing:
2 cups icing (powdered) sugar
1 1/2 to 2 tbsp softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 to 4 tbsp milk
Combine and stir till smooth and well blended. If necessary add more icing sugar or milk for spreading consistency.

Approx 2 doz..but then my cookies were rather on the large size..just like I remember them:)

Cheddar Cheese Casserole Bread

I found this recipe in a Robin Hood booklet. The cheesy aroma of this bread is surpassed only by its taste! This recipe makes one 1 quart casserole, but it can be doubled using 2 casseroles. It can be made in bread pans, but it really looks nice when it is baked in the round or oval.

-1/2 tsp sugar -1/2 cup warm water
-1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
-1/2 cup milk, warmed
-1 tbsp butter
-1 egg, beaten
-2 cups flour
-1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
-1/2 tbsp salt
Dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle in yeast. Let stand 10 minutes, then stir well. stir in warm milk, butter and beaten egg.
Combine 1 cup flour, cheese and salt. Stir well to blend. Add flour cheese mixture to wet ingredients and beat with electric mixer for 5 minutes. Add remaining flour, beating well with wooden spoon. Dough will be very sticky and pasty.
Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (about 45 minutes). Stir down and turn into well greased 1 quart casserole. Let rise until doubled (about 30 minutes).
Bake at 375º for 30-40 minutes. Remove from casserole immediately and cool on wire rack.

Pepper Steak

This recipe has been a frequent request these last 26 years. Modifications and a little tweak here and there....and voila, you get this. It is definitely company fare and the recipe is always requested, So here you go...enjoy. The photo does not do it justice.

• 2 lbs of round steak or sirloin
  
• 1 cup of beef broth
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne (or more if you like it hot)
• 1 cup sliced green onions
  
• 2 large green pepper (or 1 green and one red)
• 2 fresh Tomatoes (optional, I didn't use it this time)
  
• 2 cups of sliced mushrooms
• 3 tbsp. cornstarch
  
• 2 tbsp. oil

1. Cut meat into thin 1/4" strips, against the grain, this makes it more tender then if you cut it with the grain.
   
2. In a bowl combine next seven ingredients and marinade for one hour.
3. 1 hour and 15 minutes before serving, drain meat and reserve marinade.
4. In a wok or large skillet on high with the oil stir fry all the veggies, remove into a bowl when the colors are bright and veggies are still crunchy, you will add this back when the meat is done.
5. Stir fry meat, in batches til brown. Combine all the browned meat in the wok or large skillet.
   
6. Add marinade with 1 cup water.
7. Reduce heat to low and cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
8. Add the cornstarch in some cold water and add to the meat.
   
9. Cook for a few minutes until sauce thickens and is clear.
   
10. Add the stir fried veggies, heat through (also the tomatoes if you are using them.)
11. Goes well with rice.
    

This is so delicious, just make sure you make enough, serves about 6 hungry people.

bread for the journey

On Friday my daily devotional made me stop and think . . ."what kind of friend am I . . really?"

The verse for the day was

Proverbs 17:17

A friend loveth at all times and a brother is born in adversity.

The title of the devotional was BE A STANDER.

Bill Crowder. . the author said that a friend who is a stander will stay close in times of trouble.

A friend who bolts at the first sign of trouble isn't really much of a friend.

I thought then of how blessed I am for there have been many friends who have stood beside me when trouble has come.

People have been good friends to us. I often think of the ones who stood by us when my husband faced cancer over 25 years ago. I also think of friends who came and showed us how to farm 15 years ago when we had no clue. The friends who stood shoulder to shoulder with us when we put our parents to rest will be forever remembered.

My dear friend Kathy once said. . .that her parents taught her by example.

She told me that when they knew someone was in trouble. . .her parents would always say. . .

"we'll be right there".

I saw her example in my own life . ..and I see her example in others lives as well.

When I see her live her friendship out like that. . .

I want to be that kind of a friend.

When my friends face difficult times.

Will I be a STANDER beside them. . .

or will I bolt?

Even though I desire to be the kind of friend that the Bible talks about. .

the reality is that I am human and fail my friends more often than I should.

There is no friend like Jesus. .

He bears all our griefs . ..He never leaves us ...

and like the hymn says. .

we can carry everything to Him in prayer.

Dear Lord, help me to be the kind of friend who doesn't run when my friends are in need. Give me the courage to stand by them, the wisdom to know what to say. Give me a tender heart to forgive when necessary and the sensitivity to ask for forgiveness when I hurt my friend.

Amen.

All for now . . with love. . .