Homemade Pizza Dough

Can share this pizza recipe enough.  It is so good and so easy to make.  

Super simple ingredients.  One of the reasons I cook is so I know what my kids are eating.

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 easy and so good.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Baked Chicken Sweet Chili Soy Sauce

I have been craving Asian food and chicken.  I am not sure why.  But I totally have been wanting to make this dish.  

This is super easy to make.  Even the kids liked it.  

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.

This sauce is super yummy.  The whole house smells amazing with this sauce too.  This sauce can totally be used for like pot stickers too.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Homemade Pizza Dough

Who doesn't like pizza?  There is endless possibilities when it comes to pizza.  Pizza Sunday's started during the pandemic of trying to find something to do and what to make for dinner.  

This recipe is super easy to put together.  Honestly, once I tried it I have not use store bought pizza dough since.  

The best part of Pizza Sunday is that the whole family can help or pick what they want.  When you make your own pizza everyone can have their own.  

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.  

This pizza is a pesto chicken pizza.  Baby Girl loves pesto pasta so this is a take on that.  We used pesto sauce, mozzarella cheese, and chicken.   This smelled delicious.  Baby Girl loves it.  Mushrooms would be super yummy on it but Baby Girl hates mushrooms.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Korean Ground Turkey

I officially have a picky eater.  My son.  I love him to the moon and back.  But eating with him can drive me crazy.  It doesn't help that my first born makes eating easy.  I working on not calling him a picky eater.  I am working on just introducing food to him over and over and over and over ... again.  

He likes this Korean ground turkey recipe.  So we are going to add it into our line up of food to eat for dinner.  Because I have learned that arguing with someone about eating is not fun.  And he can barely talk.  So I can't even imagine when he is really talking.  

Luckily this is super easy to whip together. If you don't have a lot of time and don't know what to do with ground turkey try this recipe.  

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.

Decided to top with some green onions for El Husbee and me.  I think I like it with green onions.  No green onions for the kids.  I am not even going to fight it.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Cilantro Lime Marinade

This cilantro lime marinade has become my go to chicken marinade.  My kids love it on chicken.  Even my picky son.

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. 

El Husbee grills the chicken that has been marinating in this and we eat with with vegetables.  Super easy for meal prep.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

When your boss has friends who drop off a bag of fresh home grown zucchini the only choice you got is to bake.  

Isn't this zucchini pretty?  Are vegetables pretty?  Who knows.  Did I mention there is chocolate in this recipe?

The batter is a little thick.  Don't worry about it.  

This recipe is suppose to be for a loaf of bread.  But I didn't feel like baking a bread for an hour.  Plus with covid-19 do we all really want to be cutting a loaf of bread?  Just grab your treat and go.   

Zucchini really does help with moisture.  AND you really CANNOT taste it.  Baby Girl didn't even know there was zucchini in it until she saw the green.  

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee powder
• 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.  Spray a muffin pan with oil.  Set aside
2. Please the shredded zucchini on some paper towels to absorb some moisture.  Do not squeeze.  Set aside.  
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, instant coffee, and chocolate chips together.  Set aside.  
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, oil, sour cream, sugar and vanilla together until completely combined.  Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Fold in the zucchini.  
5. Use a ice cream scoop to fill the muffin tin.  Make sure to fill to the top with batter.  Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425F.  Keeping the muffins in the oven, lower the temperature to 350F and continue to bake for an additional 14-15 minutes.  A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.  

You cannot taste the zucchini in this muffin.  The zucchini is merely a vehicle for moisture.  This was kid tested and approved.   I would say this is a good breakfast for kids.  Chocolate for them and vegetable for the win.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Cornbread

It's been a while since we had chili.  But Baby Boy needs to work on his spoon skills.  So chili it is.  The chili I make is a not fancy.  Just turkey meat with a McCormick chili mix packet.  

But chili must come with cornbread and that I can do.  Cornbread is super easy to make.  Baby Girl usually helps me make the cornbread.  

I was missing this pan for a while.  I use to have a few Pyrex dishes in the 9 inch size.  Now all I have is this one.  At least it's the one with a lid.  

This cornbread recipe is my go to recipe.  It's super easy to make.  The only ingredient that you might not have in the home is buttermilk.  But it is for sure a must.  

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 cornbread is so good.  The hardest part is waiting for it to cool to eat.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Homemade Pizza Dough

Pizza Sundays still going strong.  Seems like pizza combinations are endless.  This must be why people like pizza.  Well that and carbs.  

I bought my yeast from Costco because it was super cheap there.  A big bag was under $5.  After all this yeast baking I have barely made a dent in the bag.  Such a great bargain.  The bag is Red Star Yeast.  I have only tried one other brand before hand.  I am not sure if it was me or the brand but it was not successful.  So looks like I am going to stick with Red Star.  That and did I mention I have barely made a dent in my Costco size bag of yeast?

We tried our hand at carbonara pizza.  After some arguing and researching this is what El Husbee and I came up with.  Not bad for our first try.  Actually it was bomb.  

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.  

I am sure we will end up buying pizza sooner or later.  But right now we are enjoying our hand at our homemade pizzas.  

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO

Cilantro Lime Marinade

Found this picture in archives and made me realize I have not shared this recipe in a while.  This cilantro lime marinade is super bomb.  Which reminds me.  Does anyone know where to get a lime tree?

Cilantro Lime Chicken

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.  

I have tried this marinade on chicken, shrimp and tri tip.  All have been bomb.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Brownie

I have been looking for a home made brownie recipe for a while.  I have been hesitant to try a recipe because they all involve a lot of ingredients.  My friend Linsey sent me this recipe.  

This recipe is super easy.  I had all the items in my pantry and fridge to make this.  Hence I tried it right away.  

I am not a teacher.  I am not a stay at home mom.  So I am bonding with Baby Girl by baking.  This is how we are surviving the pandemic.  

Brownie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs, room temperature 
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray a 9 inch pan with cooking spray
2. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.  Combine until you do not see anymore dry ingredients or egg. Pour into prepared baking dish.
3. Baking for 20-25 minutes.  
4. Let cool and serve!

My brownies were done in my oven in 20 minutes.  Remember all ovens are different and your baking dish matters too.  These brownies are super easy to make that your kids can help too.  I don't think I am ever going to buy another box brownie mix again.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Turkey Meatballs

I promise you making meatballs is easy.  I promise.  I know most people think buying a bag of meatballs is easier.  But I promise my easy go to recipe is super easy.  

The secret to fast making meatballs?  I just a cookie scoop!

My kids loves these and most of the time it's one of the weekly dishes I make for dinner.  

Pair them with any pasta or try zoodles!

Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, salt, garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and mix well.  Add milk, Parmesan cheese, and Panko bread crumbs.  Mix until evenly blended. 
3. Form 1-2 inch balls.  I use a cookie scoop.  
4. Bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes

Super easy to make and the family will love them.  I am totally guilty of snacking on these while the sauce for the pasta cooks.  These also freeze well.  Oh and be creative and make meatball sandwiches with them!

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Korean Ground Turkey

Looking for easy meals these days. It's been a long couple of months.  We are still working on figuring out our new normal.  Seems like just as we are getting our stride we gotta change up our schedule again.  My family and I are working on being more resilient.  That is one of the things I hope to learn from this pandemic.  

Okay back to the fun stuff.  Cooking and recipes.  

I have shared this recipe before but it's been awhile on here and for my family.  Baby Boy needs to work on eating with a spoon.  He's got yogurt down.  But yogurt sticks to the spoon.  

This recipe is also perfect for maybe a picky eater.  Which is also Baby Boy.  Unlike Baby Girl who has a wide palate or would try anything at the same age.  Baby Boy takes a lot of tries to before actually trying a food.  Like ice cream.  Yes, even ice cream.  

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.

This dish is super easy to make.  Baby Boy loved it.  Which is a huge bonus for us.  Keep it simple friends.  We all got lots of things going on in our life.  

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO

Homemade Pizza Dough

Pizza Sunday!  We are really enjoying our pizzas on Sundays.  

I think the latest I have started the dough is after lunch.  But normally I try to start it after breakfast so that I don't feel rushed.  

El Husbee has decided it's time to kick it up a notch on pizza toppings.  

But of course the children love cheese pizza.  Which is why making your own pizza is great.  Just make the kids their own pizza.  Everyone is happy.  

El Husbee says he is going to start looking at menus to get ideas for pizzas.  

This week we made a prosciutto with arugula and balsamic pizza.  Totally bomb.   

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.  

If you are hesitant to try making the dough my suggestion is do it!  You will not regret it!

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO