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Everybody loves Pizza!
I have never figured out why pizza has so many calories. To me it’s a bread, veggies, protein and cheese, and usually the mozzarella cheese is part skim! I have decided maybe it’s a matter of portion control: we eat too big a portion too often. I read that some blame pizza as one of the causes of obesity in children. Families eat it several times a week because the frozen ones are quick and easy. We like pizza and probably have it twice a month. I remember when our four children were home, it was something everyone liked (a rarity) and since it was expensive to eat out, I often made homemade pizza, which I still usually do. I like to think it’s a little healthier and hopefully fewer calories. Today I am sharing the recipe for pizza crust and pizza sauce I received from my son Jason. Jason likes to cook and he has a large garden, cans what he grows and tries to eat healthy. The crust recipe makes two, so I divide the dough in half and wrap one half in plastic wrap and freeze, then simply take out and thaw the next time we want pizza. It works great. Hope you like it too! Pizza Crust: 1 cup hot water 1 Tbsp sugar 1 pkg. active dry yeast 3 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp salt 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour 1 tsp Italian seasoning (optional) Stir water, sugar and yeast together until dissolved. (I let it sit until it foams) Add the olive oil and salt. Stir in the flour until well blended. Knead a couple of times until it’s a round smooth ball. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes. If you like thick crust use all of the dough, otherwise divide the dough in half. Pat dough into a greased pan or into a pizza stone using fingers dipped in olive oil. Top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake for 15-20 minutes in a preheated 425 degree oven. New York Style Pizza Sauce: 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes in juice 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste 1 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves, or 2 tsp dried basil 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1 1/2 tsp sugar 1 tsp. minced garlic 3/4 tsp. salt In a medium bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, including the juice from the can, the tomato paste, olive oil, basil, oregano, sugar, garlic, and salt. Taste and add more salt if desired. Use immediately, store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Bring to room temperature before using. Bundle up, stay warm and have a great week!!
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Blueberry Torte2/18/2015 Oldies are sometimes the best!
I don’t usually put a dessert recipe in two weeks in a row, but this week’s dessert is by popular demand! I took it to my Garden Club luncheon two weeks ago and everyone wanted the recipe. I had already planned on a red and white dessert for valentine’s week, so I told them it would have to wait awhile! I can’t tell you which cookbook this recipe came from because the book no longer has a cover, but to the best of my recollection, it’s a church cook book from Northrop. I used to make this blueberry recipe years ago and then I sort of forgot about it until a couple of years back. Every time I take it somewhere I get asked for the recipe. It’s an oldie but a goodie! Hope you like it, too. Crust: 1 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs (I used one sleeve of crackers) 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup brown sugar Mix together and pat into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch pan. Filling: 1/2 cup sugar 1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, room temperature 2 eggs 2 Tbsp lemon juice Topping: 1 can blueberry pie filling Cream together cheese and sugar; add eggs one at a time, stir in lemon juice. Pour over crust and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until set in the middle and just slightly brown at the edges. Cool. Cover with 1 can blueberry pie mix. Chill and cover with whipped topping, refrigerate until serving. Enjoy, stay warm and have a great week!
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Russian Pudding2/11/2015 Will you be my Valentine?
Valentines Day brings back memories when I would labor over picking out just the right valentine for my classmates! I tried not to pick a mushy one for the boys; I didn’t want them to think I had a crush on them! We would decorate shoe boxes, cut an opening at the top so they were like mail boxes, then have a party on the day! I went through this with my children and granddaughter, getting a list with all of their classmates names, then supervising them writing out theirs! I feel very fortunate to still have my sweetheart. This Valentine’s Day, choose a friend or perhaps someone in a nursing home who needs to be remembered on this special day. A simple card could brighten their day! Today’s recipe was shared with me by my friend Millet Gomez. She likes to serve it at Christmas because it’s red and white but I think it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day. Plan ahead, it needs time to set up, I would make it the day before you serve it. Russian Pudding 2 packets Knox unflavored gelatin, dissolve in 2 cups boiling water, stir until dissolved, cool to room temperature. While this is chilling: Mix together: 1 pint ( 2 cups) sour cream, 1 cup powdered coffeemate, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tsp vanilla. Add this to the cooled dissolved gelatin mixture, mix well, then pour into a mold or glass bowl and chill until set. Before serving, unmold and top with strawberries or raspberries (the sweetened ones). When I made it I used individual glass dishes and topped it with the fruit. Happy Valentines Day; have a great week!
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Legendary Mandarin Salad2/4/2015 A favorite lettuce salad!
Since this issue is focused on good health, I am sharing one of my favorite salad recipes. I like to serve this when entertaining. It’s from the Minnesota with Love cookbook. I use all romaine lettuce because it’s what I prefer and I add 1/2 tsp of poppy seeds to the dressing. So healthy eating! I hope you enjoy this recipe! Legendary Mandarin Salad: 1/2 cup sliced almonds 3 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 head iceberg lettuce 1/2 head romaine lettuce 1 cup chopped celery 2 whole green onions. sliced thin 1-11 ounce can mandarin oranges, drained Dressing: 1/2 tsp salt Dash of pepper 1/4 cup olive oil or other vegetable oil 1-2 Tbsp. chopped parsley 2 Tbsp. sugar 2 Tbsp vinegar Dash of Tabasco sauce In a small pan, cook almonds and sugar, stirring until almonds are coated and sugar dissolved; spread out on tinfoil and cool. Mix lettuces, celery and onions in salad bowl; refrigerate. Mix all dressing ingredients together, whisk or shake in small jar and chill. Just before serving, add almonds and oranges to lettuce, toss with dressing. Have a great week and stay warm! Hopefully it will warm up in a few weeks! |