Thick and Chewy Pizza Dough

I make homemade pizza for our family about once a week or every other week. It is delish. Though I'd share my recipe. I've done BBQ chicken, sausage, pepperoni, tomato... it's all so so good!!

Thick and Chewy Pizza Dough

1 pkg dry yeast (1 T)

1 1/2 c. warm water

1 T sugar or honey

4 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

3 T oil

Dissolve yeast and sugar (or honey) in water. Let stand for a few minutes. In another bowl miz 2 cups flour and salt. All oil to water/yeast mixture then pour into the flour and salt. Mix. Add the rest of the flour until a soft dough is formed. Place in a well oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes. Spread into a greased rectangular cookie sheet with sides. Bake at 375 degrees, after you top with sauce and toppings, for 25 minutes or until desired crispness.

** I've found that if I make it in the rectangular cookie sheet it lasts longer and makes great leftovers but you can use a round pizza sheet. Dough will be a bit thicker that way but if you want you can split the dough and save the other half for the next time you make pizza Just freeze it.

**When I'm mixing together just the 2 cups of flour (before adding the rest) I put italian seasonings, onion powder and chopped garlic in the dough. It makes the crust so flavorful when it's all done.

Strawberry "Shortcut" Cake

I like the cake-cutting tip at the end!

Ingredients
Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Strawberries and Cream:
2 pints strawberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
For the cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan, line it with parchment paper, butter the paper, and dust the pan lightly with flour.
Whisk the flour with the granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Lightly whisk in the butter, egg, milk, and vanilla, just until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then turn it out of the pan, flip upright, and cool completely on the rack.
For the strawberries and cream: Set aside 1 pint of the best-looking whole berries for topping the cake. Hull and thinly slice the rest of the berries and toss with the granulated sugar. Set aside. Whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To assemble the cake: Cut the cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Place the bottom layer cut side up on a cake stand or serving plate. Drizzle the juices from the sliced berries over the cut sides of both halves. Fold a couple tablespoons of the whipped cream into the sliced berries and spread over the bottom layer. Top with the other piece of cake, cut side down. Spread the remaining whipped cream on the top of the cake and top the cake with the whole berries.
Know-How: Cutting a cake into layers is easy as saw-spin-separate: Begin to saw the cake in half horizontally. Just before you reach the middle of the cake, give it a quarter turn. Continue to saw almost to the center, then give it another quarter turn and saw again until you reach your original point of entry. Saw completely through the cake's center and separate the layers.
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Crockpot Minestrone

Here is a soup recipe that I made in the crockpot. It turned out to be really good! -Mom

3 cans beef broth 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 med. carrots, thinly sliced 1/2 c shopped onion
1/2 c chopped celery 2 med. potatoes, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves,minced 16 oz. can kidney beans, drained
2 Tblsp. parsley flakes 2-3 teas. dried basil
1-2 teas. dried oregano 1 bay leaf

Combine in slow cooker. Cook on Low 8-10 hours. Cook 1 small pkg. elbow macaroni, add to soup. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Hey, girls,
I thought I would share my (Ammon's) recipe for homemade syrup. His family has made this since he can remember. It is a little thinner than store-bought syrup, and I like to keep it in the fridge instead of in the pantry.

Homemade Syrup

1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. maple flavoring (by the vanilla extract in any supermarket)

Bring the water to a boil. Add the sugars. Boil until sugars dissolve. Turn off heat. Add maple flavoring.

Some bottles of maple flavoring have a recipe on the box. I have read that you can add vanilla extract also. It's good, but this is the simple recipe Ammon's family has been making forever.

Homemade Noodles

Hi! Julie wanted my homemade noodles recipe, so I thought I'd just do the recipe thing and send it to everyone... Love, Mom

Combine 1 beaten egg, 2 Tablespoons milk and 1/2 teas. salt. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough, about 1 cup. Roll very thin on floured surface (use lots of flour so it doesn't stick) and let it stand for 20 min. Roll it up LOOSELY and slice 1/4 " wide. Unroll and spread them out on counter to dry for at least 2 hours. Cook in boiling liquid for 10 min.

Ziploc Omelet

I guess it is my turn to do a recipe, since I know Fred doesn't do any cooking, let alone KNOW how to cook. :) So, I'll just count myself as the next sibling in line. This is an awesome "recipe" idea.... Have fun and love you all. -Kirsten

Directions
1. Have everyone write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag.
2. Crack 2 eggs (large or extra large) into the bag (no more than 2) shake to combine them.
3. Put out a variety of ingredients such as cheese, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc.
4. Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their sealed bag. (Make sure to get out the air out of the bag and zip it up)
5. Place omelets into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes.
NOTE: You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. Open bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Nice to serve with fresh fruit or coffee cake. You can even just make it for a small family. It is fun for little kids to get involved.