Homemade Pizza Dough

PIZZA DAY!  So excited for pizza day.

I am kinda curious how much flour I have bought this year.  Like has it really increased compared to last year cause of Pizza Day?  I have baked less cookies.  

El Husbeen is really getting into looking up the different kinds of pizza we can make.

The kids are still on their cheese and pepperoni kick.  

But carbonara pizza has been bomb.  So good.  

Homemade Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoon Red Star yeast
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, you will need more to roll out the dough
• sprinkle of cornmeal

Directions:

1. Whisk the warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer.  Cover and rest for 10 minutes.  When you uncover the bowl the yeast and water should look frothy.  
2. Add the olive oil, salt, and flour to the bowl.  Attach the bowl to the stand mixer and use a dough hook.  Beat on low speed for about 2 minutes.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  With floured hands, knead the dough for 3-4 minutes.  After kneading, the dough should feel soft and bounces back when you poke it.  If not, keep kneading.  The dough should also not stick to your hands. 
3. Grease a large bowl with non stick spray.  Please the dough in the bowl.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean towel.  Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until double in size.  (I have started in the mid morning and used it to make dinner)  
4. Preheat oven to 475F.  Cover baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.  The cornmeal is optional but very yummy.  
5. When the dough is ready (has doubled in size), punch it down to release any air bubbles.  (The kids love this part.)  Divide the dough in half or smaller if you want to make individual size pizzas.  If you are only making 1 pizza, freeze the other half of the dough in a freezer ziploc bag.  On a floured surface with floured hands and rolling pin, gently flatten the dough into a disc or shape that you would like.  Place on prepared pan.  
6. Using your fingers, push dents into the dough to prevent bubbling (the kids love this part).  To prevent the fillings from making your pizza crust soggy, spray the top lightly with non stick spray.  Top with your favorite sauce and toppings.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  
7. Slice hot pizza and serve immediately.  

So glad we started this Pizza Day tradition.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Pork Chop Marinade

Love this marinade from my mom.  It's easy and all ingredients that I would normally have in my kitchen.  

This pork marinade smells yummy and my kids eat it.  

Lately Baby Boy has been not eating his vegetables.  It's super frustrating.  I am super lucky and pretty much never went through this with Baby Girl.  I am hoping it's just a phase that he will grow out of.  I just keep offering the food and hopefully he will decide to eat it again.  

Pork Chop Marinade 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 5 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Directions:

1. Marinade for 4 to 24 hours.  
2. Fry pork chops or grill.  
3. Serve with rice. Enjoy!

If you don't have white pepper just substitute with black pepper.  No big deal.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Baked Chicken Sweet Chili Soy Sauce

Sometimes you just crave some chicken wings.  This is my go to chicken wing recipe.  

This sauce is super yummy.  These smell great and taste even better.  Best part is the kids eat them!

Baked Chicken Sweet Chili Soy Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3 stock green onions

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400F
• Mix ingredients to make sauce.  Chop green onions and leave on side for garnish.
• Bake chicken wing side up for 25 mins.
• Flip wings and bake again for 25 mins.
• Take out of the oven.  Drizzle sauce over chicken and sprinkle green onions.

Make sure that you really coat the chicken with the sauce.  Save the rest for dipping.  So good.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Buttermilk Waffles

Breakfast for dinner is a thing at our house.  I mean who doesn't like breakfast.  

If you haven't heard this from me before here it is again ... please keep buttermilk in your fridge.  Buttermilk is the best!

Buttermilk Waffles

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all purposes flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs, large & separated
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted & cooled
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat waffle maker.  
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
3. In another large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, butter, sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla extract together until combined.  
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until smooth.  Do not over mix.  
5. In a mixer, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter.  
6. Pour 2/3 cup of batter into waffle maker and close the lid.  Cook teh waffles until golden brown and crisp or about 5-6 minutes. 
7. Serve the waffles 

These waffles are so good.  They also freeze well too.  You just pop them into the toaster oven and boom waffles!

Keep Cooking Friends!

XOXO

Everything But the Bagel Biscuits

I love biscuits.  They are sooooo good.  Plus Baby Girl mentioned that the cook at daycare use to make biscuits for breakfast and how she misses her.  So I felt the need to make biscuits.  I am a sucker for my kids.  

Everything But the Bagel Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, frozen & shredded
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  
3. Grate frozen butter using the large holes of a box grater.  Stir into the flour mixture.  
4. Add buttermilk and stir using a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.
5. Working on a light floured surface, knead the dough 3-4 times until the dough comes together.  Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 9 inch square.  Trim the edges as needed for your desired shape.  Please the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet.  
6. Sprinkle Everything But the Bagel seasoning on the biscuits. 
7. Bake for 16-19 minutes, or until gold brown.  
8. Serve warm.  

These were so bomb.  And really that not heard to make.  The hardest part of this recipe is planning.  The key is frozen butter.  Butter is what makes the little air pockets for fluffy biscuits.  Cold butter, cold hands is the key!  Also, since we discovered Everything But the Bagel seasoning it has been a life changer.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Giant Funfetti Cookies

Rainbows are Baby Girls favorite. All cookies she makes must have sprinkles.  So when I saw this recipe I knew Baby Girl would want to make these.  

These cookies are huge!  But super cute.  

Baby Girl had a fun time rolling these huge cookie dough in sprinkles.  

These cookies are super easy to make are require very little planning as cold butter is used.  They taste great.  

Giant Funfetti Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoon corn starch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, large
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sprinkles, divided in half

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, cake flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
3. Mix the cold butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on the lowest setting.  Let the mixer cream the butter for about 1 minute.  Then add sugar and mix for 1 minute.  
4. Add in the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract until mixed.  
5. Slowly add the flour mixture to the mixer.  Do not over mix.  Add sprinkles until incorporated.  
6. Measure out 6 oz cookie dough.  The recipe makes about 7 cookies.  Roll the dough in more rainbow sprinkles. Double up cookie sheet.  Flip one cookie sheet upside down and place the cookie sheet your cookie dough is on on top of that.  
7. Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes.  Pull them out before you think they are done.  Leave the cookies on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack.  Enjoy!

These cookies are super yummy.  BUT be patient and wait for them to cool.  This is key.  Once cool these cookies are sooooo good.  And best part the kids can help.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Homemade Pizza Dough

We have continued with pizza Sundays.  The kids are really happy about it.  I know I rave about this tradition a lot.  But what else have we got going on in 2020?

Getting creative with toppings has also been fun.  However the kids are currently on a cheese and pepperoni kick.  

Homemade Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoon Red Star yeast
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, you will need more to roll out the dough
• sprinkle of cornmeal

Directions:

1. Whisk the warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer.  Cover and rest for 10 minutes.  When you uncover the bowl the yeast and water should look frothy.  
2. Add the olive oil, salt, and flour to the bowl.  Attach the bowl to the stand mixer and use a dough hook.  Beat on low speed for about 2 minutes.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  With floured hands, knead the dough for 3-4 minutes.  After kneading, the dough should feel soft and bounces back when you poke it.  If not, keep kneading.  The dough should also not stick to your hands. 
3. Grease a large bowl with non stick spray.  Please the dough in the bowl.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean towel.  Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until double in size.  (I have started in the mid morning and used it to make dinner)  
4. Preheat oven to 475F.  Cover baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.  The cornmeal is optional but very yummy.  
5. When the dough is ready (has doubled in size), punch it down to release any air bubbles.  (The kids love this part.)  Divide the dough in half or smaller if you want to make individual size pizzas.  If you are only making 1 pizza, freeze the other half of the dough in a freezer ziploc bag.  On a floured surface with floured hands and rolling pin, gently flatten the dough into a disc or shape that you would like.  Place on prepared pan.  
6. Using your fingers, push dents into the dough to prevent bubbling (the kids love this part).  To prevent the fillings from making your pizza crust soggy, spray the top lightly with non stick spray.  Top with your favorite sauce and toppings.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  
7. Slice hot pizza and serve immediately.  

Please don't be scared of making your own pizza dough.  It's super easy.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Peanut Butter Blondies

There is no shortage of sweets in our house.  

This recipe was fun for Baby Girl cause she got to do all the mixing by hand.  Which was great for keeping her entertained.  

But this recipe smelled and tasted super yummy.  Did I mention no mixer was necessary?

Peanut Butter Blondies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 2 large eggs and 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups M&Ms

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together until combined.  Whisk in the peanut butter.  Add eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.  Whisk it all until completely combined.  
3. In a separate bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt.  Pour into butter mixture and fold to combine.  Batter will be thick.  Fold in M&Ms.  
4. Spread evenly into prepared pan.  Sprinkle some M&Ms on top for looks.  
5. Bake for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and place on wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.  

These blondies were super yummy.  I think El Husbee and I snacked on them all day.  I loved eating these with a cold glass of milk.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Instant Pot BBQ Ribs

Finally jumping onto the Instant Pot craze.  I have always been horrible with the crock pot.  So I have been a little hesitant with the Instant Pot.  But so far all the recipes that I have tried have come out well.  

I think one of the best parts of the Instant Pot is that it does not get the house super hot.  

I have never cooked ribs before.  So this is a major first.  

These ribs came out super yummy and kid approved.  They were super tender and fall off the bone.  

Instant Pot BBQ Ribs

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 lbs baby back pork ribs, trimmed of excess fat, pat dry
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups BBQ sauce

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, onion powder, chili powder, mustard, paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper.  
2. Remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs.  Try to pull it down the entire length.  Season ribs with brown sugar mixture, rubbing it thoroughly on both sides.
3. Please metal trivet into the instant pot.  Add chicken stock and apple cider vinegar to a 6 quart Instant Pot.  Please ribs upright on top of the trivet, wrapping in a circle.  
4. Select manual setting, pressure to high, and set time for 25 minutes.  When finished cooking, quick release pressure according to manufacturer's directions.  
5. Preheat oven to broil.  Line a baking sheet with foil.
6. Please ribs in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet.  Brush generous with your favorite BBQ sauce.  
7. Place into oven and broil until BBQ sauce is caramelized and browned, about 4-6 minutes.  
8. Serve with extra BBQ sauce.

I am totally making this recipe again.  I am really loving my Instant Pot.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Cornbread

Fresh cornbread is so good.  AND so easy to make.  The only ingredient that might be an issue is buttermilk.  I know that not everyone has it in their fridge on a daily basis. 

Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup melted butter cooled
• 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Grease a 8 or 9 inch square baking pan.  Set aside.  
2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.  
3. Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and honey together.  Then whisk in the egg until combined.  Finally whisk in the buttermilk.  
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until combined.  Try to not over mix.  Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl not to miss anything.  
5. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and the center is cooked through.  Use a toothpick to test.  
6. Allow to cool before slicing and serving. 

This recipe is super simple and is my go to recipe for cornbread.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Cilantro Lime Marinade

I never know what my son will eat.  Thank goodness he still eats the cilantro lime chicken.  I think he is on some brown diet.  Some days he eats vegetables some days they can't even be on his plate.  

Cilantro Lime Marinade

Marinade:

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Direction:

1. Mix everything together.  
2. Marinade with your favorite meat for 2 to 48 hours. 

This has been my go to marinade for chicken for a while now.  I love it.  It smells great and my family loves it.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Korean Ground Turkey

Our family dog passed away about 2 months ago.  Our lives were shook as our dog was very much part of our everyday life.  My kids are slowly recovering.  My son still calls her name occasionally and my daughter is working though it as they were very close.  

My son has become quick the picky eater.  I never know what he will eat today.  But he seems to still like this dish,  Which I am really glad because it is super quick to whip up.  

Korean Ground Turkey

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground turkey
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl whisk brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and ground pepper. 
2. In a large pan cook the ground turkey and garlic breaking it into crumbles over medium heat. 
3. Pour sauce over turkey and let simmer for another minute or two. 
4. Serve over hot rice and your favorite vegetable.

This is great for leftovers too.  Which is important since with distance learning and working from home we need all the help we can get.  

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO