Pizza Recipe: Cooked Pizza Sauce

Pizza : Cooked Pizza Sauce - Info Category Servings Preparation Cooking Time Difficulty Sauce 12'' Pizza (2-4) 25 Minutes 0 Minutes Easy-Medium

Ingredients Required

2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 Cup chopped onions 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 Italian plum tomatoes, peeled and minced 3 oz. canned tomato paste 2 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning 1/2 Teaspoon Salt 1/4 Black Pepper 1/2 Stick Unsalted Butter, sliced

Step by Step Procedure 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Saut the onions in oil for 1 minute. Stir in garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in butter pieces. When the butter is half melted, remove the skillet from heat and continue stirring until thoroughly incorporated.

Pizza Recipe: Uncooked Pizza Sauce

Pizza : Uncooked Pizza Sauce - Info Category Servings Preparation Cooking Time Difficulty Sauce 12'' Pizza (2-4) 60 Minutes 0 Minutes Easy-Medium

Ingredients Required

28 oz. of can crushed tomatoes 3 oz. of tomato paste 4 tbsps. Pecorino Romano 1 tsp Oregano 2 tbsps. minced fresh garlic 1 tbsp. black pepper 3 tsps. of sugar 2 teaspoons of dried basil

Step by Step Procedure 1. 2. Whisk all together. Allow flavors to blend for one hour before using.

Easy Pizza Dough Recipe

Easy Pizza Dough Recipe - Info Category Servings Preparation Baking Time Difficulty Dough 3-4 20 Minutes (+2 hours rising time) 20 Minutes Easy

Ingredients Required 1 cup of warm water (105F) 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons of olive oil 2 teaspoons of honey 1 teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of yeast

Step by Step Procedure

1.

Put warm water (80 to 110F) into a bowl. Add salt and honey and mix with a spoon. Add yeast, mix and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

2.

Gradually add flour and olive oil and start mixing.

3.

When the mixture gets too heavy to mix, start kneading the dough with your hands.
4.

5.

6.

Knead the dough until you have a smooth ball. If the dough cracks it is too dry. Add water bit by bit until if forms a nice coherent ball. If your doug feels more like batter, it is too wet and you need to add flour bit by bit. If you need to add water or flour, do it by small amounts. Coat the dough with olive oil, place it in a large bowl and cover it with kitchen wrap or a grocery bag. Let the doug rise for about an hour at room temperature, then push it down again so it deflates. Let it sit for about another hour. If you want to use it the next day, put it in a refrigerator. Put the dough on a lightly floured surface, put a bit of flour on top and make it into the shape of a pie by stretching it out from the center outwards. Use a rolling pin until the dough is about 1/4" thick. Punch some holes in the dough with a fork to let the air escape while the pizza is in the oven Put on your pizza sauce of choice. Put on your favorite pizza toppings.

7.

8.

Bake the pizza in you oven at 400 - 450 F for about 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is light brown.

Additional Information

You get better results when you use a pizza baking stone. The pizza stone should be preheated to 450F for an hour prior to baking, and should be placed in the middle of the oven.

Coleslaw Recipe

Updated The word "coleslaw" comes from the Dutch word, "koolsla", "kool" meaning cabbage and sla, salad. The word entered our English language from the Dutch in New York in the late 1700s. Since then it has been a featured side dish at almost every picnic or barbecue in America. We have coleslaw at least once a week, usually with fish, and often with burgers or hot dogs. Our ways of preparing it are ridiculously simple, one with a mayonnaise dressing, the other with rice vinegar and a big of sugar. Sometimes we add some shredded green apple to the mix. Are you a coleslaw eater? If so, what's your favorite way of preparing it? Preparation time: 5 minutes. Cabbage, either green or purple or both, Carrot, Green onion For the version with mayonnaise: Mayonnaise, Yellow mustard, Pepper For the version without mayonnaise: Rice vinegar or white vinegar, Sugar, Salt and pepper 1 Starting with a head or half a head of cabbage, thinly slice the cabbage until you have approximately 4 cups (not packed) of sliced cabbage. (Using a mandoline helps in this case.) Julienne a half of a carrot. Thinly slice a couple green onions. 1 For the mayo dressing version, add 3 Tbsp mayo, 1/2 teaspoon of yellow mustard and mix in with the cabbage, carrot, and onions. Add pepper to taste. 3 For the non-mayo version, add a couple tablespoons of rice vinegar. Sprinkle with sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Lasagna Recipe

Simply Recipes reader Alton Hoover sent me his favorite recipe for lasagna which he has been cooking up since college days. His original recipe created enough lasagna for a small army so I halved it. What is posted here will easily serve 8 people. From what I can tell the secret behind Alton's lasagna is the addition of sugar to the sauce and using about twice as much cheese as most other recipes. There are a few minor tweeks to his original recipe that I found necessary, for example adding a dash of wine vinegar to the sauce and using a mix of red, yellow, and green peppers because I didn't have enough green pepper on hand. Ingredients: 1 lb lean ground beef 1/2 medium sweet white onion, diced. 1/2 large green bell pepper, seeds and veins removed, diced. 1/2 lb dry lasagna noodles (requires 9 lasagna noodles - unbroken) 1/4 cup sugar 1 28 oz can tomato sauce 1/2 28 oz can (16 oz) stewed tomatoes 1/2 6 oz can (3 oz) tomato paste 1 lb Ricotta cheese 1 1/2 lb Mozzarella cheese (large flat square slices) 3/4 lb freshly grated parmesan cheese Garlic Power Oregano Italian Spice Salt Garlic Salt Parsley diced (fresh flat leaf preferred) 1 Garlic Cloves, minced White wine vinegar Cooking Utensils

Large skillet (for browning beef, onions, green pepper) 6 Qt pot (for noodles) 3 Qt pot (simmer sauce) 13" x 9" x 2" lasagna pan (preferably a stainless lasagna pan. Do Not Use Aluminum Pans - the aluminum will react with the acidic tomato sauce, leaching the aluminum and ruining the taste of your lasagna sauce.) Large colander (drain/blot beef, drain noodles) Large baking pan (to wash and cool noodles) Large slotted cooking spoon Large cooking spoon Paring knife

1 Brown lean ground beef in skillet until lightly browned and cooked through. Put a few layers of paper towels in large bowl. With slotted spoon, remove browned beef from skillet draining off excess beef fat and put on top of blotting towels. After all the browned beef has been removed from the skillet, drain off and dispose of excess beef fat. Wipe skillet clean with paper towel. (If your ground beef is sufficiently lean, there won't be any excess fat to drain.) Add diced green pepper and onion to skillet. Brown for a few minutes on medium high heat, add browned beef back to the skillet, lower the heat to low and continue to cook for 5 more minutes stirring frequently. 2 Transfer browned beef, green pepper and onions to 3 Qt. pot. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste. Open stewed tomatoes and dice, then add to 3 Qt. pot. Add oregano, parsley, Italian Spice Mix to taste, probably 2 teaspoons of each. Add garlic and a pinch of garlic salt, to taste. Add a dash of white wine vinegar. Add sugar a couple tablespoons at a time, until desired level of sweetness, no more than 1/4 cup of sugar. Note that it is hard to follow a pure recipe when it comes to pasta sauce. One Italian spice mix is not like the other, nor is one can of tomato sauce not like the other. So you really do need to taste the sauce as you are adding the spices, sugar and vinegar. Stir and allow sauce to simmer 15-45 minutes to thicken (do not scorch bottom, stir frequently). Remove from heat. 3 Cook 1 lb lasagna noodles in 6 Qt. Pot per cooking directions (al dente). (Note noodles may be cooked in advance.) Stir often to prevent from sticking and be sure that water remains at a low boil during the entire cooking to prevent

noodles from sticking. I usually add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the cooking water to help prevent sticking and I add 1/2 teaspoon of salt so the noodles are more flavorful. Drain in colander and place in cool water filled pan to keep from drying out and sticking together. 4 In dry lasagna pan, ladle one cup of sauce and spread along the bottom of the pan. Apply a layer noodles 3 length wise (edges overlapping). Ladle in sauce sparingly into center trough of 3 noodles. Apply a layer of mozzarella cheese slices on top of lasagna sauce. Place ricotta cheese dollops (about a Tablespoon) every 2 inches in center of noodles on top of mozzarella cheese slices, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese in thin even layer on top of ricotta cheese. Apply second layer of noodles, repeat three time topping with noodles. If you have extra sauce and cheese you can spread that over the top. Tent lasagna pan with aluminum foil (not touching noodles or sauce). Bake at 375F for 45 minutes. Allow to cool before serving. Note - Flavor improves for second service and may be reheated in convention or microwave. Leave aluminum tent on for storage (Do not allow aluminum to touch the sauce.) Serves 8.

Croque Monsieur Ham and Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Years ago, a French friend of mine introduced me to Croque-Monsieur, the French version of a toasted ham and Swiss sandwich. I remember it being loaded with butter and cheese, and absolutely the most delicious sandwich in the world. My friend was somewhat addicted to these sandwiches, and after having one myself I could see why. Gruyre cheese and ham just belong together. According to

the word croque comes from the verb croquer or "to crunch". So a Croque-Monsieur roughly translates to "Mister Crunchy". The feminine version, a "Croque Madam", includes a fried egg on top. This classic French bistro sandwich is a great way to use up leftover ham.
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2 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp flour 1 1/2 cups milk A pinch each of salt, freshly ground pepper, nutmeg, or more to taste 6 ounces Gruyre cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups grated) 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (packed) 8 slices of French or Italian loaf bread 12 ounces ham, sliced Dijon mustard 1 Preheat oven to 400F. 2 Make the bchamel sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium/low heat until it just starts to bubble. Add the flour and cook, stirring until smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking continuously, cooking until thick. Remove from heat. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the Parmesan and 1/4 cup of the grated Gruyre. Set aside. 3 Lay out the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven, a few minutes each side, until lightly toasted. For extra flavor you can spread some butter on the bread slices before you toast them if you want. (Alternatively, you can assemble the sandwiches as follows in step four and grill them on a skillet, finishing them in the broiler with the bechamel sauce.)

4 Lightly brush half of the toasted slices with mustard. Add the ham slices and about 1 cup of the remaining Gruyre cheese. Top with the other toasted bread slices. 5 Spoon on the bchamel sauce to the tops of the sandwiches. Sprinkle with the remaining Gruyre cheese. Place on a broiling pan. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then turn on the broiler and broil for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese topping is bubbly and lightly browned.

If you top this sandwich with a fried egg it becomes a Croque Madame. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Tuna Salad Sandwich Recipe

My parents started making tuna fish salad sandwiches this way years ago, and as far as I'm concerned theirs is the best and only way to make a tunafish sandwich. First it helps to start with high quality canned tuna. If you have leftover cooked tuna steaks, then by all means use them instead of the canned tuna. Trader Joe's has an excellent canned tuna packed in olive oil. Tuna packed in olive oil may be more flavorful than tuna packed in water, but check on the quality. It may be better to use tuna packed in water, drain it, and then add a bit of your own high quality extra virgin olive oil. This requires a bit of experimentation with brands. 1 (6 ounce) can of tuna fish (if packed in water, drain it, and add a teaspoon of good quality olive oil) 1/3 cup of cottage cheese 2 Tablespoons of mayonaise 1/4 purple onion, chopped finely 1 celery stalk, chopped finely 1 Tablespoon of capers Juice of half of a lemon Pinch or two of dill 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard (Optional - lettuce and sliced tomatoes) Slices of French bread, lightly toasted

Mix all of the ingredients. Serve on toast, either open faced, or in a regular sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes. For a low carb option, serve on sliced lettuce.

Macaroni and Cheese

Recipe Summary Difficulty: Medium Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 55 minutes Yield: 6 to 8 servings 4 cups (1 pound) elbow macaroni 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 cups milk 1/2 medium onion, stuck with 1 clove 4 cloves garlic 1 bay leaf 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 teaspoon dry mustard 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups grated Cheddar, plus 1 cup in big chunks 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until done, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and toss it with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter and set it aside. Put the milk into a saucepan and add the clove studded onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and mustard. Warm over medium low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the flavors infuse while you make the roux. In a large pot over medium heat add 2 tablespoons butter and the flour. Cook, stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes; don't let the roux color. Strain the infused milk onto the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook, stirring

often, for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 the grated Cheddar and 1/2 the Parmesan; stir until it is melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour this over the macaroni, add the chunks of Cheddar, and mix until well blended; put this into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses evenly over the top. Bake until the top is golden and crusty, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Instant" Pancake Mix

Recipe Summary Yield: 3 batches of pancakes 6 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (check expiration date first) 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 tablespoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons sugar Combine all of the ingredients in a lidded container. Shake to mix. Use the mix within 3 months. "INSTANT" PANCAKES: 2 eggs, separated 2 cups buttermilk 4 tablespoons melted butter 2 cups "Instant" Pancake Mix, recipe above 1 stick butter, for greasing the pan 2 cups fresh fruit such as blueberries, if desired Heat an electric griddle or frying pan to 350 degrees F. Heat oven to 200 degrees F. Whisk together the egg whites and the buttermilk in a small bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the melted butter. Combine the buttermilk mixture with the egg yolk mixture in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until thoroughly combined. Pour the liquid ingredients

on top of the pancake mix. Using a whisk, mix the batter just enough to bring it together. Don't try to work all the lumps out. Check to see that the griddle is hot by placing a few drops of water onto to the griddle. The griddle is ready if the water dances across the surface. Lightly butter the griddle. Wipe off thoroughly with a paper towel. (No butter should be visible.) Gently ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle and sprinkle on fruit if desired. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the griddle-side of the cake is golden, gently flip the pancakes. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is set. Serve immediately or remove to a towel-lined baking sheet and cover with a towel. Hold in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes. Yield: 12 pancakes

Chocolate Cookies Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 1/2 cup (110 grams) light brown In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugars until light 1/4 cup (50 grams) white and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla granulated sugar extract and beat until incorporated. First sift
together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt and then add to the butter and egg mixture. Mix just until incorporated. Fold in the the chocolate chips.
sugar

1 large egg 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons, cup (140 grams) all purpose place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter on the 1 flour prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. 1/4 cup (30 grams) Dutchprocessed cocoa powder Bake for approximately 8 minutes or until the

1/2 teaspoon baking soda the cookies are still soft in the center but are firm around the edges. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for about 1/8 teaspoon salt 5 minutes before removing the cookies to a 1 1/2 cups (260 grams) white wire rack to cool completely. chocolate chips Makes about 24 - 3 inch round cookies.