Cheese Fondue

I think we have just found a new Valentines Day dinner we can have year-to-year!  The hubs and I definitely like our own time around Valentines Day to go out to eat at a fancy restaurant or a winery (for the food, not the wine), but we also like to do something fun with the littles.  It had been years since I had made a cheese fondue, probably because the last one I did turned out a little less than stellar ;)  This one, however turned out great and my 7-year old thought it was the greatest dinner ever.  The recipe caught my eye because it was actually one that doesn't call for alcohol...and that is something that is never in my house, so I was all over that!  Plus, it comes from one of my fav food bloggers, so I trusted that as well :)  Enjoy!!

Cheese Fondue

2 cups lightly packed shredded Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups lightly packed shredded Swiss cheese (about 6 ounces)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup low-sodium, good-quality chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon lemon juice (don't leave this out! I just gave a quick squeeze of a lemon without properly measuring)
1 tablespoon finely minced or pressed garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground black or white pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Dash of paprika

Place both the shredded Gruyere and Swiss cheeses in a gallon-size resealable bag with the cornstarch and shake until evenly coated.

In a stovetop-safe fondue pot (or in a regular saucepan or electric fondue pot), add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and garlic and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the cheese, a small handful at a time, stirring constantly, but not briskly. It works best to use a wooden spoon and and stir in an S-shaped motion, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot so it doesn't burn.
Once the cheese is melted and begins to just barely simmer, add the remaining spices and move it immediately to the table on the fondue stand with the sterno flame below. It should be the consistency of warm honey. Add more or less cheese for perfect consistency and additional salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Serve with your favorite fondue dippers: steamed broccoli and/or cauliflower, carrots, apples, chicken sausages, bread (and more bread!), lightly sauteed mushrooms, tender potatoes - the options are endless! 

Recipe Source:  Meds Kitchen Cafe

Jalapeno Jelly

 A few years back we planted about 6 jalapeno plants at a little farmhouse we were renting.  The problem was the place we were renting, the landlord did not have sprinklers set up, therefore no drip lines, and all the watering was on us.  Sometimes we'd forget, or go out of town, or our automatic timer for our small sprinkler would not work.  The plants did OK, and we got a decent amount of peppers, but no like when regular watering takes place.  

Fast forward 2 years and we now have our own new home with sprinklers, drip lines, the whole bit!  So this time I only bought one plant and put it in a pot since we don't have a dedicated garden yet.  This one plant EXPLODED!  I can only guess that over a few months time we have gotten over 100 peppers from this one plant.  

Needless to say, I needed to find a way to use our awesome harvest of peppers.  I had pinned a recipe for jalapeno jelly, and remembering the one time I had tried this stuff in the past I knew it was something I had to try :)  

So plucking 20 jalapenos off my plant, I set off on my jelly adventure.  It was super easy to make and canned up nicely.  When I was done, I busted out some Wheat Thins, some cream cheese, and lunch was served!  

Some ideas for this stuff is just like I said... crackers, cream cheese with a little jelly on top.  Or for a party, soften a whole block of this stuff and throw a whole jar on top and serve with crackers.  Use it as a sauce for chicken or steak.  Some people mentioned how great this is with coconut shrimp and even chicken nuggets.  The blogger that I got this recipe from loves it on her paninis as an alternate spread to the normal mustard.  I am willing to venture out and find some some uses for this delectable stuff!

I doubled up the recipe and got about 13-14 half pint jars.

Jalapeno Jelly


1 large red bell pepper
1 large green bell pepper
10 jalapenos (I leave about 1/2 the seeds in)
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5-6 cups granulated sugar (yep, you really need this much to combat the spice!)
1 3-ounce pouch liquid fruit pectin (like Certo)

Finely chop the bell peppers and jalapenos in a food processor fitted with a fine shredding blade (if you don't have a food processor, no worries, grab a knife and get started chopping up those peppers into little tiny pieces).

Add the peppers to a large pot (the jelly will foam when it first comes to a boil so use a pot at least 5-6 quarts for a single batch and larger if doubling the batch).

Stir in the vinegar, salt and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add the liquid pectin and boil for 1 more minute.

Remove the pot from the heat. Pour the jelly to within 1/4-inch of the top of clean, warm canning jars. 

Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp rag. Place a lid and ring on each jar and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (you may need to add additional time if you live above sea level; the pectin box/info should give details).

Once removed from the water bath canner, let the jelly rest for 1-2 days to let it fully set up.

Recipe Source:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Bang Bang Chicken Skewers with Grilled Summer Veggies

Every time we have gone to Bonefish Grill, the hubs always orders Bang Bang Shrimp.  I am not much of a seafood gal, but I tasted one anyhow and LOVED the sauce!  On a future trip, I saw they had some bang bang chicken and I'm hooked!  This chicken is not the same as they do in the restaurant...I wanted a little healthier version rather than the breaded variety (although delicious).  

We paired ours up with some yummy zucchini, summer squash, green bell pepper, red onion, and couscous for a delicious dinner.  If nothing else, make the sauce and try it on some different meats, with your chicken nuggets...experiment and see what you like!

Bang Bang Chicken Skewers with Grilled Summer Veggies

4 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 zucchini, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 red onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 12-oz package of mushrooms, cut in half
1 pint grape tomatoes
Olive oil, a few tablespoons for drizzling
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
2 teaspoons chile garlic sauce, or more to taste

Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes before using. You can also use metal skewers.

Thread the chicken, zucchini, onion, mushrooms and tomatoes onto the skewers (keep each thing separate since they have different cooking times). Drizzle the chicken and veggies with oil, then season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, and chile garlic sauce. Set aside.

Pre-heat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Add the skewers. Cook the veggies for 6-8 minutes, or until tender, and the chicken 10-12 minutes.

Remove the skewers from the grill and let rest a few minutes. Remove the chicken and veggies from the skewers before eating. Toss the chicken with the sauce and serve alongside the veggies.

Recipe Source:  Taste of Home Cooking

Meat Sauce Bolognese

I had my baby!  It happened 2.5 weeks early, but I was expecting it since my other 2 kiddos were each 2 weeks early.  We have had lots of yummy meals brought to us, but on one of the nights we didn't have a meal brought in, I was glad I had frozen some extra portions of this yummy sauce.  It made for a super simple meal for my little family :)

There is veggies hidden in the sauce, and they cook down so much your kiddos will never know they are in there.  Definitely a keeper-kind of recipe !

Meat Sauce Bolognese

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, minced (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely shredded (about 1/2 cup)
2 ribs celery, minced (about 1/2 cup)
Salt
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1/2 cup dry red wine (or broth)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
28oz can crushed tomatoes
3 bay leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
4 cups hot water, or as needed

Heat the olive oil in a wide, 3 to 4-quart pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery, season with salt and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Crumble in the ground beef and pork and continue cooking, stirring to break up the meat, until the meat is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat or remove the pan from the heat and use a crumpled paper towel to drain off any extra fat. 

Add the wine (or broth) and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the wine is evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, toss in the bay leaves and season lightly with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. 

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is dense but juicy and a rich, dark red color. (Most likely, a noticeable layer of oil will float to the top toward the end of cooking.) This will take about 2 to 3 hours - the longer you cook it, the better it will become - but an hour is also fine. 

While the sauce is cooking, add hot water as necessary to keep the meats and vegetables covered. The oil can be removed with a spoon or reincorporated in the sauce.

Serve over pasta.

Recipe Source:  A Taste of Home Cooking

Cilantro Jalapeno Dip

Football season is upon us, and forever I will be cheering on my Ohio State Buckeyes!  In searching for some uses for my BOUNTIFUL harvest of jalapenos and it being football season and all, I thought this would be perfect!  Nothing beats watching college football with lots of yummy snacks.  

We actually had this first on a burger (which was great!) and my husband also used it as a dip for his fries as well.  It is a very versatile recipe, and I'm sure you can think up other ways to use it as well :) 

Cilantro Jalapeno Dip

6 to 8 jalapenos
1 bunch cilantro (meaning a huge handful)
1 large packet of dry Ranch dressing mix (or 2 single pouches)
1 cup Sour Cream
1 cup Mayonnaise

Puree the jalapenos and cilantro in a food processor until it looks like a paste, be sure to scoop out the seeds of the jalapenos if you want a mild dip.

Mix together the cilantro and jalapeno puree mixture with 1 cup of mayonnaise and 1 cup of sour cream mix.  Chill for about an hour and serve.  Enjoy!

Tip: Try it on burgers, on a panini with grilled chicken, as a spread for a ham or turkey sandwich, or just eat with chips or pita chips....yummy!  

Recipe Source:  I Save A to Z

Copycat Kneaders Raspberry Overnight French Toast

Do you love Christmas morning breakfast like I do?!  Do you love making it ahead of time so you can enjoy your morning with your family instead of slaving away in the kitchen?  This recipe is for you!  We have our traditional breakfast that I love to have, but why not add in one more thing to mix it up a bit?  Try this one weekend...you're family will love you even more than they already do!

I love the idea of the coffee creamer in this recipe, and that you can try different ones to obtain different flavors for different times of the year.  Use your imagination!

Overnight Baked Raspberry White Chocolate French Toast

12 (1 inch thick) slices of day old french bread or Texas toast cut into 1 inch cubes
5 eggs
2¼ cup milk
½ cup raspberry white chocolate liquid coffee creamer (International Delight brand)
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

For the Syrup:

½ cup butter
¾ cup raspberry white chocolate liquid coffee creamer
1 cup sugar
fresh or frozen raspberries (thawed) for garnish

Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non stick cooking spray. 

Spread bread cubes even in the dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, ½ cup creamer, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Try to make sure all the bread cubes get the egg mixture on them.
Cover at refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until set. You can test if it is done by inserting a knife in the center of the dish. If the knife comes out clean it is done. Cut into squares.

For the syrup, place the butter, ¾ cups creamer and sugar in a sauce pan.

Cook over medium heat until boiling and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.

Serve syrup over french toast squares with raspberries if desired.

Recipe Source:  Real Mom Kitchen

britni

Blueberry Syrup

Here we are again!  It's still raining blueberries at our house, and I'm happy to say that I am not sick of them yet!  It has been fun to throw them in salads, desserts, and now...BREAKFAST!  I was feeling lazy on Sunday night and thought breakfast would do for dinner, so that's just what we did.  I found about the simplest idea for blueberry syrup out there, and it turned out fabulously and was done in 5 or 6 minutes!

Blueberry Syrup

• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries

Put the syrup and blueberries into a pan and bring to the boil.

Let bubble for 2 to 3 minutes, and then pour into a jug and bring to the breakfast table with the pancakes.

Recipe Source:  Nigella Lawson via Food Network

Simple, right?!  Hope you enjoy this and make it time and time again :)

Pepperoni Pasta Sauce

I have never watched Top Chef in my life, but maybe I should if yummy recipes like this are on there all the time!


This recipe intrigued me when I first saw it...I stared at the picture trying to see the bits of pepperoni in the sauce, but alas, there were none.  They were blended into this perfect pasta sauce!  You get the wonderful spicy flavors of the pepperoni into a dish that would otherwise be just "a normal" pasta sauce recipe.  It really does give the sauce a great bite.  It was wonderful over some tortellini.  Enjoy :)


Pepperoni Pasta Sauce
From:  Cassie Craves


6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, cut into small dice
5 medium cloves garlic, cut into very thin slices
1 pound pepperoni, cut into thin slices
1 teaspoon fennel seed, toasted
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
14 ounces canned Italian tomatoes, chopped, with their juices
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 fresh bay leaf

1. Toast the fennel seed in a small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the skillet often to keep the seeds from burning. They will become fragrant and slightly darker in color.

2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, until the oil simmers. Add the onion and garlic; cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until they are golden and fragrant.

3. Stir in the pepperoni; cook for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and evenly coated, then add the toasted fennel seed and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.

4. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the broth, and the bay leaf; stir to incorporate. Once the mixture starts to bubble at the edges, cover and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pepperoni slices will be soft, with a deeper color. Remove from the heat.

5. Working in batches as needed, transfer to a food processor or a high-powered blender (including the bay leaf). Puree until smooth. Serve with pasta. 

Hershey's Fudgey Chocolate Fondue

I hosted a baby shower here over the weekend...good times with good gals :)  The theme of the night was fondue, and this was my contribution.  After going to Hershey, PA a few days ago, I  was all about using a Hershey recipe!  And I must admit, the next day I had it cold out of the refrigerator with pretzels...tasted like brownie batter...yummy!

Hershey's Fudgey Chocolate Fondue

From:  Hershey's Website

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa

Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; immediately stir in cocoa. Add sugar and evaporated milk. 

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and hot. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Fondue will thicken slightly as it cools. Serve warm with Assorted Fondue Dippers. About 1-1/2 cups fondue.

Skinny Crockpot Sausage Pasta Sauce

I love my crockpot during the hot summer months.  This sauce was really good...I am kicking myself for not doubling it and freezing a batch.  Oh well, good thing it is easy!

Skinny Crockpot Sausage Pasta Sauce
From:  Skinny Taste

• 1 lb lean chicken Italian sausage, casings removed (Italian pork sausage is great to...just not "skinny")
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed
• 28 oz tuttorosso crushed tomatoes
• fresh cracked pepper

Brown the sausage in a large skillet, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon. When sausage is browned, drain if needed and add to crock pot.

Clean

 skillet with a paper towel and set flame to high; when hot 

add

 oil. 

Add

 garlic and 

cook

 until golden but do not burn; 

add

tomatoes and garlic to crock pot along with fresh cracked pepper.

 Cover

 and 

cook

 on low for 6-8 hours.

If you wish, take an immersion blender and blend the sauce a 2-3 seconds to break the sausage up into smaller pieces to combine with the sauce.

Maple Mustard Glaze for Asparagus

I love asparagus.  I love how many nutrients are packed into each little spear.  We usually eat it the same way, so I went looking for something new.  A few days back I found this yummy drizzle to put over it.  It is simple, it is yummy, and it only has 3 ingredients that you stir together....PERFECT!

Maple Mustard Glaze for Asparagus

From:  The Sisters Cafe

2 pounds asparagus

2 tablespoons real maple syrup (maple-flavored syrup or honey can be substituted)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

Snap off tough ends of asparagus spears.  In 12-inch skiller or 4-quart Dutch oven, heat 1 inch water (salted if desired) to boiling.  Add asparagus.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium.  Cover and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender; drain.  *Cooking the asparagus on the grill or indoor grill pan instead is yummy as well.

In a small bowl, mix maple syrup, mustard and oil.  Drizzle over asparagus and serve immediately.

Stuffed Strawberry French Toast with Strawberry Syrup

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

1 (8 oz package) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
10 slices bread (I used Texas toast)
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
4 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 tablespoon milk
4 tablespoon butter, optional
2 tablespoon powdered sugar extra

Combine the cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, and beat until smooth, and then spread 1/2 the mixture on one side of five slices of bread. Top with the sliced strawberries (you will have some extra). Spread more of the remaining mixture on the remaining five pieces of bread and place on top, and make five sandwiches, pressing them together gently to enclose strawberries inside.

Beat the eggs and milk together and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400F . Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place in oven to warm up. Melt 1/2 tbsp or so of butter in a frying pan. Take the sandwiches, one by one, and place in the egg and milk mixture, turning so that the mixture covers both sides. Transfer the sandwich to the pan and cook until the first side is lightly brown. Flip over and cook the other side. When both sides are lightly brown, place the sandwich on the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Before serving, top with the extra sliced strawberries and 2 tbsp powdered sugar. Drizzle with maple syrup or the Strawberry Syrup recipe below.

Strawberry Syrup

1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons orange juice
3/4 cup pureed strawberries

Combine all the ingredients in a small pan. Stirring constantly, heat mixture over medium heat until it begins to thicken (approximately 5 minutes). While still warm, pour over French Toast and serve immediately.

Recipe Source: Real Mom Kitchen

5 Minute Marinara Sauce

I love making homemade sauces versus buying the jarred variety.  I think it gives your meal just a little more love behind it :)  This marinara is no exception with only a few minutes of prep time.  

It definitely has a kick with the red pepper flakes, but I like it spicy!  The recipe said it is a Rachael Ray recipe, so I'll go with that :)  It was delicious with the stromboli...I will definitely make it again and try it on some other dishes!

5 Minute Marinara

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (I use less)
3 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (crush in palm before throwing them in to release flavor)
1 TB tomato paste (I didn't have this, so I left it out)
1 32-ounce can chunky-style crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Italian dried seasoning
1 handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Add the olive oil to a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed pepper. When the pepper snaps and the garlic sizzles, add the tomato paste, cook for a minute, then stir in the crushed tomatoes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for five minutes and stir in parsley.

Recipe Source: Sisters Cafe

Honey Butter

I do love the Sister's Cafe...I have found lots of yummy recipes to add to my usual rotation of dinners and desserts through their blog.  I'm not sure why, but scones had left my memory for a while until I heard someone mention them the other day.  I love scones!  What goes better on a nice hot scone than honey butter?!  I usually just spread butter and then drizzle honey on them, but this time I thought I'd make my own.  It turned out really tasty, I can't wait to try it with some rolls!

2 cups honey
2 sticks butter (softened, not melted)
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon

Combine ingredients until completely mixed and serve!

Chili Rubbed Pork with Apricot Glaze

This pork loin is RIDICULOUS...ridiculously tasty!  I had been looking for some new recipes for pork loin, and the Kitchen Cafe had so many to choose from!  This is just one that I bookmarked to try.  It definitely made for a great sunday dinner :) It would be an impressive dinner if you had people over, but yet so simple to do! 

2 (1-pound each) pork tenderloins, fat trimmed

Spice Rub:

1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups apricot jam/jelly
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (see tutorial here)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 small limes, juiced

Combine chili powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture on the pork tenderloins. Cover the tenderloins and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Prior to grilling or roasting, melt the apricot jam in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining glaze ingredients. Place half of the glaze in a serving bowl and set aside to serve with the pork tenderloins later.

Grilling Instructions:

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Grill the pork tenderloins for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 160 degrees F. When approximately 4 minutes of cook time remains, brush the pork tenderloins with the apricot glaze remaining in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, turn the pork tenderloins and brush glaze on other side. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove pork from the grill, tent with foil and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Roasting Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the pork tenderloins in a lightly greased, foil-lined 9X13-inch pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Brush with the apricot glaze remaining in the pan. Bake for 15 more minutes. Again, brush with glaze. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until the pork reaches 160 degrees internally. Remove the pork from the oven, tent with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Serve the sliced pork over couscous, rice or potatoes with the reserved glaze alongside.

Smoked Sausage and Bacon Marinara

Ready for a tasty twist to the old spaghetti and meatballs...this is it!  It definitely may not be quite as good for you as regular marinara, but every now and again, change is a good thing!  I never would have thought to put bacon in marinara, but it works!  This recipe comes from Mindika Moments.

½ lb. bacon; diced
1 pkg. smoked sausage; sliced
½ large white onion; minced
3 cloves garlic; minced
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 15 oz. can Italian diced tomatoes
1 T. dried basil (or ½ C. fresh basil; chopped)
1 t. oregano
1 T. balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the bacon. When the bacon is about half way cooked, add the smoked sausage, onion and garlic. Cook until the bacon is cooked fully and the smoked sausage is browned.
Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, vinegar and salt & pepper. Stir to combine.

Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer, cover and allow to cook for about 15-30 minutes so all the flavors come together.

Serve over pasta or rice.

Serves 4 to 6.

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

I still haven't made it to Chicago, which is sad considering we only live 5 hours away!  When I do get there, on my list of things to eat is a authentic Chicago Dog and a deep dish pizza.  In the meantime, I thought I'd try making one of my own!  This recipe comes from Annie's Eats, and it was very delicious!  I must admit, I cheated and used store-bought sauce this time around....being lazy!

For the dough:


1½ cups plus 2 tbsp. (8 1/8 oz.) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (1 3/8 oz.) yellow cornmeal
¾ tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/8 tsp. instant yeast
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. (5 oz.) water, at room temperature
1½ tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

For the sauce:

1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. grated onion
Pinch of dried oregano
¼ tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
Pinch of sugar
2 tbsp. fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1½ tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper

For assembling and topping:

2 tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups)
¼ oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2 tbsp.)
sausage, cooked and crumbled
pepperoni


To make the dough, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook on low speed. Mix until blended, about 1 minute. Add the water and melted butter and continue mixing on low speed until fully incorporated, 1-2 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is glossy and smooth, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 4-5 minutes.

Using your hands, coat a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turning once to coat with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled, about 45-60 minutes.

While the dough is rising, prepare the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until reduced to about 1¼ cups, about 25 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To laminate the dough, turn the dough out onto a dry work surface and roll into a 8- by 6-inch rectangle. Using an offset spatula, spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. With the seam side down, flatten the cylinder into a 9- by 2 inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a business letter, pinch the seams to form a ball, and return to the oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator until nearly doubled in size, 40-50 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. To assemble, coat a 9-inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Transfer the dough ball to a dry work surface and roll out into a 13-inch disk about ¼-inch thick. Transfer the dough to the pan. Lightly press the dough into the pan, working into the corners and 1 inch up the sides. If the dough resists stretching, let rest 5 minutes before trying again.

Place toppings on (pepperoni and sausage).  Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the surface of the dough. Spread the tomato sauce over the cheese and top with Parmesan. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Mini Chicken Meatballs and Gnocchi

This is another one from Rachael Ray.  It sounded like a fun change from the traditional spaghetti and meatballs.  It was pretty good!  It made about five times as much sauceas you would ever need for the dish, but was good.  The sauce was a little bland, so I added some extra garlic and salt and pepper, but I will leave the original recipe and you can spice it up any way you want!

Salt
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1 tablespoon grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
1 teaspoon, 1/3 palm full, fennel seeds
1/4 cup tender sun-dried tomatoes (available in pouches or tubs in produce section)
1 cup, 20 leaves fresh basil, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some to drizzle
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, eyeball it in your palm
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
Pepper
1 pound gnocchi, potato dumplings, from refrigerated or frozen foods section of market (I get mine and     
       Sam's Club by the dried pasta and sauce)
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, 1/2 cup – a couple of handfuls, plus some to pass at table
Crusty bread, to pass at table
Bring a pot of water to a boil for gnocchi. Salt boiling water but wait a while to drop in gnocchi.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place chicken in a medium bowl with grill seasoning and fennel seeds. Pile sun-dried tomatoes on top of each other in small stacks then slice into thin strips. Coarsely chop the thin strips and add to bowl. Stack the basil leaves together then roll them up into a log. Shred the basil by thinly slicing the log. Add the half the basil to the bowl. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the bowl. Mix chicken together, roll into mini balls, 1 1/2 inches across, and arrange on a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 to12 minutes or until firm and lightly golden.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. To the hot skillet, add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan then the garlic, onions and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and season sauce with salt and pepper.

Drop gnocchi in boiling water and cook 5 minutes or to package directions.

Stir basil into sauce to wilt it. Drain gnocchi and arrange on a platter. Remove balls from oven and add to gnocchi, equally distributing them. Sprinkle cheese over meatballs and hot dumplings then top with sauce by carefully ladling it all over and around the platter. Gently toss to combine then serve with crusty bread.

Copykat Lion House Sweet and Sour Meatballs

When someone posts a recipe and says that the recipe is one of their favorite dinners ever, it makes me want to try it, and fast!  The meatball are really tasty, were so moist, and the sauce was so yummy!  We served it with some yummy Fried Rice that I made with it as well.  This one will be made again at our house!

Copykat Lion House Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 to 1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
3/4 cup oats
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Mix ingredients and form into 12 2-inch balls. Place in casserole dish, cover with sauce (recipe follows) and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp mustard
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine on low heat in saucepan until sugar dissolved.

Recipe Source: See Jane in the Kitchen

Sticky Finger Salad

I have been hanging onto the recipe for Winger's Freaking Amazing Sauce for quite a while now, and actually forgot about it until I saw this recipe posted on Gourmified.  I can't remember a time I've ever been to Wingers and not not gotten Sticky Fingers, the Sticky Finger Wrap, or the Sticky Finger Salad.  They are so good!  I added some sliced celery into the salad as well, considering Sticky Fingers always come with celery sticks!

3 Sticky Finger Chicken Strips per salad (I bought the Tyson Crispy tenders and fried them according to package directions, for the Freaking Amazing Sauce, click here.)
2-3 c. Romaine lettuce, shredded
1/4 c. Grated Cheese (I used Monterey Jack)
1/4 c. Craisins
Tomatoes to your liking
Ranch Dressing (I made Hidden Valley Ranch according to the dry packet directions)
Blue Cheese Crumbles (we used some feta)
celery. sliced thin