Cuisinart Pizza Dough

Love making pizza dough with the food processor.  This recipe comes from Cuisinart. Makes enough dough for one pizza. http://www.cuisinart.com/recipes/breads/436.html

Note: If you use rapid-rise or instant yeast, you don't need to proof it in the water.  You can just toss it in with the other dry ingredients and pour plain warm water.

Ingredients

1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2/3 cup warm water (105 to 115°F.)
1 2/3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoons table salt
¾ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

In a 2-cup liquid measure, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Insert metal blade in work bowl and add flour and salt.

With machine running, pour liquid through small feed tube as fast as flour absorbs it. Process until dough cleans sides of work bowl and forms a ball. Then process for 30 seconds to knead dough.
Dough may be slightly sticky. Coat dough evenly with olive oil; transfer to a plastic food storage bag and seal the top. Let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface and punch down. Roll into desired crust sizes and place on baking pans lightly sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray. Follow with a pizza recipe.

Avocado with Lemon and Olive Oil

Serve with toasted rustic bread, and let guests spread the avocado on it as they would butter.  Bread toasted on the grill is even better.  Serves about 4.

Ingredients
2 ripe Hass avocados
2 T. extra virgin olive oil, or to taste
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
Halve the avocados lengthwise.  Twist halves to separate them, and remove pits.  Run a large spoon between the flesh and skin, scooping out the flesh in one piece; discard skins.  Slice into wedges, and place avocados on a serving platter.  Drizzle with oil and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve at room temp.

Jean's Fettucini Alfredo Sauce

Super rich and delicious.

Ingredients
1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated
1 c. cream
pepper
salt if needed
chopped parsley for garnish if desired

Directions
Melt buter on low heat.  Add cheese slowly to melt.  Whisk in cream and pepper and allow to thicken slightly.  Add cooked fettucini to sauce and toss.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Adult Limeade Punch

Good spring/summer party recipe. Light and refreshing.

Ingredients
1 liter vodka
3 bottles of beer (standard american lager style)
3 6 oz. frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
3 liters of club soda
3 limes, sliced

Directions
Mix well, and serve over ice.  Serves a lot of folks.

Homemade Soft Pretzels - from Alton Brown

Was a fun party activity for kids to help shape the pretzels.  And they tasted good enough that I'd make them to serve to adults too!  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-soft-pretzels-recipe/index.html

Ingredients - makes 8 pretzels

• 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• Vegetable oil, for pan
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Pretzel salt

Directions

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Sarabeth's Kitchen Turkey Meatloaf

I'm afraid this great recipe from Sarabeth's Kitchen may disappear from the internet someday.  So I'm copying it here just in case. 

 

Serves 4 Preparation time: 17 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes

oil to grease loaf pan
1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
2/3 cup old fashioned oatmeal
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup catsup
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons Sarabeth's Orange Apricot Marmalade 


Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly oil an 8 X 4-inch loaf pan.
• Layer turkey, oatmeal, onion, garlic, parsley, egg, 1/4 cup of the catsup, 2 teaspoons of the Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a food processor.
• Pulse until just blended. Do not over mix.
• Transfer mixture to loaf pan, patting gentle to make it smooth.
• Mix together remaining catsup, Worcestershire sauce, and Orange Apricot Marmalade.
• Spread over meatloaf.
• Bake until meat is not longer pink, about 55 to 60 minutes, or when an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees F.
• Remove from oven, let stand 5 minutes, then cut into slices and serve.