Perfect Pan Pizza

Another great recipe from my favorite magazine, Cook's Illustrated! This pizza is so easy and yummy. The crust is chewy and buttery and comes out perfect every time!

Dough:

2 T. Olive Oil plus 4 T. for the pans

3/4 C. plus 2 T. skim milk warmed

2 t. sugar

2 1/2 c. flour

2 1/4 t. yeast

1/2 t. Table salt

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray. Coat two cake pans (or pie pans) with 2 Tablespoons of oil.

Mix milk, sugar, and 2 T. of oil in measuring cup. Mix flour, yeast, and salt in a stand mixer (or if mixing by hand, mix together and make a well for the wet ingredients) Turn machine to low and slowly add milk mixture, after dough comes together, increase speed to medium and mix about five minutes or until shiny and smooth (or if by hand, stir until the dough becomes shaggy, turn onto floured surface and knead about 10 minutes). Place in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the warmed oven for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Transfer dough to lightly floured surface and divide in half. Roll each half into a ball and with a rolling pin, shape each ball into a 9 inch round. Place in oiled pan using knuckles to push the dough to the edges. Cover with plastic wrap and set in warm spot until puffy and slightly risen, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees.

Sauce:

1 T olive oil

2 medium garlic cloves pressed or minced

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

salt and pepper

Cook oil and garlic in medium saucepan over low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, increase heat to medium and cook until slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes.

*I like to add fresh basil to my sauce*

Topping:

1 3.5 oz package sliced pepperoni

3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

any other toppings you prefer

Put half the pepperoni in a single layer on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Pat the grease off the pepperoni. Repeat with remaining pepperoni. This keeps the pizza from getting too greasy.

Assemble:

Remove plastic wrap from dough, put sauce on leaving a border around the edges, sprinkle with cheese and top with pepperoni. Bake until cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Let pizzas rest in the pan for 2 minutes. Using a spatula, remove from pans onto a cutting board and cut into slices.

Maryland Fried Chicken and Gravy

Another Cook's Illustrated recipe. I love this because you don't need a deep-fat fryer to make this chicken, but it tastes like you cooked it in a deep-fat fryer anyway.

4 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken

1 T dry mustard
1 T garlic
1 t table salt
2 c. (10 oz) unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
3 c. peanut oil or vegetable shortening
Opt. Old Bay seasoning (It is a mixture of celery salt, bay, mustard, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, etc.)
Gravy:
1/4 c. pan drippings from frying chicken
1/4 c. (1 1/4 oz) unbleached all-purpose four
2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 c. heavy cream
1 t. black pepper
table salt
Pat the chicken dry, mix mustard, garlic, and salt and sprinkle over chicken. (This was pretty strong for me, I think next time, I'll use half as much. It all depends on how much you like garlic.) Combine flour and baking powder in a shallow dish, and dredge each piece of chicken in it. Refrigerate 30 minutes-2 hours.

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Heat oil or shortening to 375 degrees (use a candy thermometer to check. Arrange half the chicken in the pot skin-side down and cook until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Lower the oil temperature to 300 degrees, and continue cooking chicken until meat thermometer reads 175 degrees for dark meat and 165 for white.

Remove chicken to a wire rack over a baking sheet. Season with Old Bay seasoning and transfer to the oven. Turn the oil back up to 375 and cook the rest of the chicken.

For the gravy:

Pour off all but 1/4c. oil out of the pot. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in broth, cream, and pepper. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and serve with chicken and mashed potatoes. Mmmmmmm

Aunt Wendy's Slush

6 oz can of Orange Juice
6 oz lemon juice
2 cups sugar
8-10 cups water
1 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract
7 Up (at least 2 bottles)
Mix together and place in a bowl or pan. Put in the freezer, stir every 30 minutes breaking up the ice. If you don't do this, then you'll just have a big block of ice that you'll have to try to break up. Use a fork to break it apart and make it light and FROTHY. Mmmmmm

Put in a punch bowl and add 7 Up

Boeuf Bourguignon

This is Julia Child's Boeuf, and one of Matt's favorites. It has a lot of steps, but it's well worth it. She recommends serving it with boiled potatoes, but we like it over mashed potatoes.

The best choice of meat for this stew would be a Rump Roast cut into chunks, next would be Chuck pot roast, sirloin tip, top or bottom round.

6 oz bacon cut into thick chunks
1 T olive oil
3 lbs beef, cut into 2 inch cubes
1 sliced carrot
1 sliced onion
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 T flour
3 c. red wine (I used a Cote du Rhone)
2-3 c. beef stock
1 T tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 t. Thyme
Crumbled bay leaf
18-24 small white onions (You find these in the freezer section)
1 lb mushrooms cooked according to directions in  stroganoff and sauteed mushrooms

Preheat oven to 400. Saute bacon in oil in a casserole pan over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with slotted spoon. Reheat the pan until fat is almost smoking before you saute the beef. Dry the beef in paper towels or it will not brown. Saute it a few pieces at a time in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides, remove from pan and add to bacon. In the same fat, brown the slices vegetables, pour out the sauteing fat. Return the beef and bacon to the casserole dish and toss with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in the middle position of a preheated oven for four minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for four minutes more. This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust. Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325. Sir in the wine, and enough stock so the meat is barely covered. Add the toamto paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the sotve. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers solwly for 2 1/2-3 hours. The meat is done when fork pierces it easily. While the beef is cooking prepare onions and mushrooms. When meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucpan. Wash out the cassole dish and return the beef and bacon to it. Distrubute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat. Skim fat off the suace. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 c. of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, add some stock. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables.
This much can be prepared in advance.
For immediate serving:
Cover the casserole and simmer for 2-3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded by boiled potatoes, noodles, or rice.
For later serving:
When cooled, cover and refrigerate. About 10-20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

Fondue au Gruyere

This is a recipe from the Julia Child cookbook. It's amazing! I love serving it in my fondue pot with Easy French Bread, steamed veggies, lil smokies, and roasted potatoes. This is great at parties, brunches, whenever.

2 1/2 T. butter
3 T. flour
1 1/2 c. boiling milk or cream
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 egg yolk
4 ounces coarsely grated Swiss cheese or a combination of Swiss and Parmesan (This needs to be good-quality cheese, not the nasty Walmart brand!)
2 T. butter

Cook the 2 1/2 T butter and flour slowly together in a saucepan for 2 minutes without coloring. Off heat, whisk in boiling milk or cream, then the seasonings. Bring to a boil, stirring, for one minute. Sauce should be very thick. Remove sauce from heat. Place egg yolk in center of sauce and beat it immediately with a wire whisk. Beat for a minute to let it cool slightly, then beat in the cheese, and then 2 T. butter. If not used immediately, dot the top of the sauce with butter to prevent a skin from forming.

Cinnamon Flavored Raspberry Salad

This is a favorite Christmas salad that my Grandma England makes. This is her recipe.
1 pkg raspberry jello
1 apple, peeled and grated
1 c. crushed pineapple
1 1/3 c. water
1/3 c. red hots
Whipped Cream

Dissolve red hots in boiling water. Add to jell-o and stir until dissolved. Add pineapple and apple. Set until firm. Top with whipped cream.

Grandma Nielsen's Famous Fruit Cocktail

This was my grandma England's mother's recipe. Grandma England used to set the table so beautifully for Thanksgiving, and there was always a dish of this cocktail in the middle of each plate. It has become a tradition to serve this as an appetizer at Thanksgiving. My mom and my sisters and I always get together every Fall to make this cocktail with the fruit from our trees. Then we have yummy fresh fruit all Winter long!

3 qt. syrup (2 parts water, 1 part sugar), cooked and chilled
46 oz. orange juice
46 oz. pineapple juice
1/3 bunch peaches, peeled and diced
1/3 bunch pears, peeled and diced
5 lbs green grapes, halved
4 cans pineapple tidbits
1 large bottle maraschino cherries, cut in halves

Add all fruit to the juice and cold syrup. Put in containers and freeze. I think it's best when served partially frozen with a shot of Sprite in it.

Molasses Cookies

These are one of my favorites at Christmastime. My mom makes them and it makes the whole house smell like Christmas!
2 1/4 c. flour
2 t. ginger
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. oil
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. molasses

Combine first 6 ingredients and set aside. Beat oil and sugar together until fluffy. Add egg and molasses; beat well. Stir in dry mixture. Shape into balls, and roll in sugar. Bake on cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 350. Let stand on cookie sheet for two minutes before removing them.

Lucious Lemon Pie

This is a favorite at Thanksgiving. It's from our Nielsen family cookbook, submitted by Sheri Nielsen.

1 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. water
1 T. butter
1 T. grated lemon rind
1/4 c. lemon juice
3 unbeaten egg yolks
1 c. milk
1 c. sour cream
1 baked pie shell
Whipped cream

Make a paste with the cornstarch and water. Combine in a saucepan with the sugar. Add butter, lemon rind, lemon juice, and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thick. Cool completely. Fold in sour cream. Spoon into baked pie shell. Chill at least 2 hours. Serve with whipped cream on top.

Stroganoff and Sauteed Mushrooms

Matt loves stroganoff! So I developed my own recipe that I think is pretty good.

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground turkey (or just another 1/2 lb. beef)
1 onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, diced
1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. flour
2 cans beef broth, or 3 cups
1/2 c. sour cream
opt. mushrooms
Cooked egg noodles or mashed potatoes

Season meat well with salt and pepper and saute first four ingredients together until meat is browned. Remove from pan, drain any fat.

In the same pan, cook butter with flour, whisking until turns brown. It will look like a paste. Slowly add two cans of beef broth while whisking. Bring to a boil and let simmer about ten minutes until thickened. Temper 1/2 c. sour cream and stir into the sauce while whisking to avoid clumps. Finally, add the meat. Serve over cooked egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Optional mushrooms (I don't like mushrooms, but Matt does, so I cook them separately)

Slice mushrooms. In a saute pan, melt 1 T. butter with 1 T. olive oil until butter starts to bubble, don't let it burn. Add mushrooms in a thin layer leaving plenty of room between slices. Let the oil/butter get soaked into the mushrooms, lower the heat until the oil/butter is released from the mushrooms, then turn them over and do the same thing on the other side. Both sides should be brown and crisp, but the mushrooms should not be shriveled up. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper. Add to sauce or eat on the side.

Serve with peas to get the ultimate Matt-experience!

Swedish Meatballs

This is a truly yummy recipe, again, from my amazing sister-in-law. I'm not a fan of meatballs or sweet meats, but these I LOVE! I think this is her grandma's recipe, so treat this treasure with care!

1 lb ground ham*

1 ½ lbs (32oz) ground pork sausage (Jimmy Dean is best)

2 c. plain bread crumbs

2 eggs

1 c. milk

Mix all ingredients together and shape into 1 ½-2 inch balls. Place in a non-greased pan. Pour sauce over meatballs. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for about 1 hour. Turn them after 30 minutes. Makes about 40 meatballs. Uncooked meatballs can be frozen. Thaw before cooking.

Serve with rice, or as a breakfast meat.

Sauce for Swedish Meatballs

2 c. brown sugar

2 t. dry mustard

1 c. vinegar

1 c. water

Combine and stir over medium heat. Pour over meatballs. Extra sauce can be stored in the fridge for about a week.

*This is a great way to use up leftover ham from the Holidays. Just stick it in your food processor and pulse it a few times. YUM!

Apple Cake

This is one of my most favorite desserts, brought to you by my sister-in-law Jaclyn. I crave it! It's all hers, but I wanted to have the recipe easily accessible to me, so I am including it here. It's so yummy!

½ c. Shortening

2 c.  Sugar

Cream sugar and shortening, then add

2 Eggs

2 c. Flour

½ t. Salt

2 t. Baking Soda

½ t. Cinnamon

½ t. Nutmeg

3 c. Shredded Apples (green apples)

Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes until completely golden brown. As soon as cake is removed from oven pour the following icing over hot cake.

Icing

1 c. Sugar

½ c. Butter

2 t. Vanilla

1/3 c. Milk

Bring to a boil and pour over cake as soon as it is removed from oven.

Serve with whipped cream.

Creamy Pesto Chicken

This recipe is my Aunt Melanie's, and it is a family favorite! I usually half it for my family and cook it in a dutch oven pan, and we have plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day. Mmmmm!

(This has a 3 hour cook time, turn oven off after second hour, but leave in for the third hour.)

10 FROZEN boneless/skinless chicken breasts

1 large (I think she means a family size) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream (not the light or fat free)
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 package alfredo sauce mix
2 tablespoons pesto
1/2 cup flour

Cooked egg noodles

Mix all together and then layer around the frozen breasts in a deep roaster/casserole pan.

(Something bigger than a 9x13 pan so it won't boil over.)

Mel says, "Yes, it's really thick and lumpy bit it thins way out with all the chicken juices!"

Cover with foil. Cook 2 hours at 375. TURN OVEN OFF, let it sit in oven for the next hour.

Mel says, "This is perfect for Sunday dinner if you can program your oven to cook 2 hours and then automatically turn off. Let it sit the final hour of church block and it's done right when you get home." I have found that the chicken often has a pinkish hue. Don't worry about this, if the chicken falls apart easily, it is done.

Serve with pasta and veggies.

FYI: sauce thickens as it cools