Pizza Dough Recipe

Okay, I'm just a little excited about this post. Of all the recipes that I have ever striven to perfect, this is THE ONE. Pizza, arguably one of the best culinary concoctions ever, would be nothing without it's crust. A house built on sand, a sandwich without bread, I think you understand what I am getting at. Of all the different kinds of crust: the thin crust, the almost cracker crust, the deep dish crust (yuck, sorry Chicago), my favorite is the yeasty, chewy crust. That is the recipe I'm sharing today. If you are looking for one of the others, go away silly, you won't find it here. However, I challenge you to try this pizza dough recipe, it just may convert you.

A little side note, you need 3-4 hours to make this start to finish. Yes, there are quick pizza dough recipes out there and they simply do not compare. Plan ahead for this, it's worth it and after a few times of making it you won't even think twice about it. Also, try my pizza sauce recipe, it's quick and very tasty: http://inbettyskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/11/easy-pizza-sauce.html

THE SPONGE (Sounds intimidating, but it’s not)

1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast (check the date on your package, if it’s old it won’t rise and that’s always a disappointment.)

1 tsp. sugar

1 ½ cups warm water (about 80 degrees)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 ¼ cups bread flour (Use the bread flour, all-purpose does not have the protein level you need to develop the chewy consistency that makes this dough so good.)

Place the yeast in a medium bowl (you can use the bowl from your mixer) and add the water and sugar, stirring to dissolve the yeast. Allow the yeast to rest for about 5 minutes, until it turns creamy. Stir the oil into the mixture and then gradually stir in the flour, mixing until well incorporated. Now it’s ready to go through it’s first rise, just scrape down the sides of bowl, cover, and let the sponge rest in a warm place (about 85 degrees) for about 1 ½ hours, or until the sponge is very bubbly and has risen to about double its volume. I have found the best place to let my dough rise is in the oven. I turn the oven light on and it warms the oven just enough to create the perfect environment for the dough to rise.

THE DOUGH

The sponge

2 to 2 ¼ cups bread flour

2 to 3 teaspoons of salt (depending on your taste)

Deflate the sponge which will be sticky and loose, and fix the mixer with a dough hook. Add 2 cups of the flour and the salt to the sponge and mix on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium and, if the dough isn’t coming together nicely and cleaning the sides of the bowl (look below for pictures of this), sprinkle in a little more flour by spoonfuls. Continue to knead on medium speed for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Although the dough may remain moist and a little sticky, you should be able to grip it without having it stick uncomfortably to your fingers. Now the pizza dough is ready for the second rise. Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turn the ball of dough over so that its entire surface is moistened with oil, cover, and allow to rest in a warm place for 1 ½ hours, or until it has doubled in bulk and holds an impression for a few seconds when you prod it gently with your finger. It is then ready to stretch out into pizzas; you should get two nice sized crusts with this pizza dough recipe.

When baking the pizza, bake at 450 to 475 for around 15 minutes.

This is the sponge after the first rise, I sprinkled in the salt before I took the picture.

This is not pulling away from the bowl yet, needs more flour.

This is pulling away from the bowl and ready for the second rise.

In the bowl, before it's risen:

It's risen! Ready to make into pizzas with your favorite toppings.

Cooking Light's Citrus Chiffon Cake

I wanted to bake a cake but I was looking for a recipe that was light and worthy of serving to guests. I found this Cooking Light recipe, I think it is from the June 2005 issue. The citrus is not overpowering, just the right balance. I don't think the cake would be that good without it. And good variation would be lime or key lime with the orange or lemon. I made a thin powdered sugar icing with orange juice in place of milk and drizzled over each slice. YUM. I can also picture this served with fresh strawberries or any berry that's your favorite. Lots of plans for this one, let me know if you try it!

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz. sugar (about 1 cup), divided
6 oz. sifted cake flour (about 1 3/4 cups)
1 Tbs. grated orange rind
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 Tbs. grated lemon rind
5 Tbs. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 large egg yolks
8 large egg whites
3/4 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325°

A couple of notes, I have a postal scale so I measured out this recipe in ounces, like it says to. I also used a silicone angel food cake pan and I think this would work well in a bundt pan if you have one. 158 calories and 5.3 grams of fat per serving.

Combine baking powder, salt, 7 ounces of the sugar and all the flour in a large bowl. Stir with a whisk until the mixture is well combined.

Combine orange rind, orange juice, lemon rind, canola oil, vanilla, and egg yolks in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add rind mixture to flour mixture, stirring until smooth.

Place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1 ounce of sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-forth of the egg white mixture into the flour mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture.

Spoon batter into ungreased 10-inch tube pan, spreading evenly. Break air pockets by cutting through batter with a knife. Bake at 325° for 45 minutes or until cake springs back lightly when touched. Invert pan; cool completely. Loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula. Invert cake onto plate and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Spanakopita Pie

It's been a year! Sorry, it's been a busy time for me and my family and you know they come first! My latest kitchen concoction was inspired by the abundance of feta cheese leftover in my refrigerator from the holidays. With that in hand, I spotted a lonely roll of phyllo dough the rest was history. Make this in a 9x13 and cut into squares before you serve it. I can always tell how good something was by how much of the 9x13 my family cleans out, this time they ate 3/4's of it. I'd say that makes it a success! Let me know if you try it and if you make any variations. If you're like me and are always looking for another way to use ground beef, I think you'll like this. It messes up a few dishes but just wash them while it's baking and then reward yourself with double helpings!



Spanakopita Pie

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 large onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 large bag washed and ready fresh spinach
3 Tbs. lemon juice

2 cups cooked white rice, I use jasmine and rinse it well before I cook it.
12 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
2 eggs

1 roll of phyllo dough, defrosted
3/4 stick of butter, melted
Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and then drain off the fat if needed. Add onions and garlic and saute for a few minutes until the onions start to become tender. Then add salt, coriander, pepper, and nutmeg. Slowly start adding handfuls of the fresh spinach, stirring to help it combine. The spinach will keep shrinking down, when you've added about a quarter of the bag, add the lemon juice. Then keep stirring and adding the spinach until you've added all of it. Once it has all wilted down, remove skillet from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the cooked rice and feta cheese. Stir in the eggs and then stir in the beef and spinach mixture. The filling is done!

Start layering buttered sheets of phyllo in the bottom of a 9x13. Cover the phyllo with a wet paper towel if you have to walk away from it for a minute, it dries out quickly. I have a silicone pastry brush that is excellent for brushing the butter over the delicate phyllo, if you don't you'll have to get creative! Lay down 6 or seven layers of phyllo and then cover it with the beef and spinach mixture. Cover the top with at least 6-7 more layers of phyllo and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30-45 minutes, watch the top, don't let it over-brown.

Serves 8 if you have sides and only 6 if your crowd is hungry!

Strata Spanikopita

I was looking for what to make for dinner and decided to create something that pays tribute to my favorite appetizer, spanikopita. Perfect for brunch as well, this bakes up fluffy and full of vibrant flavor and color.

10-12 slices of Texas style toast, cubed
8 eggs
4 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper
Olive oil
1 pkg. fresh spinach or 1 box frozen, thawed and drained
1/3 cup red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Spread 2/3 of the cubed texas toast in the bottom. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, thyme and pepper. pour 2/3 of the egg mixture over the bread in the 9x13.

Saute the onion and garlic for several minutes in a skillet and then stir in the spinach, lemon juice and nutmeg. Saute for several more minutes until heated through and spinach has wilted. Spread spinach mixture over the bread and egg mixture in the 9x13. Crumble 2/3 of the feta cheese and chopped tomato over the spinach mixture. Spread the remaining bread cubes over the top and pour the remaining egg mixture evenly over the top. If the bread looks too dry, pour a little milk over the dry spots. Spread the remaining 1/3 of feta and tomatoes over the top. Let sit on the counter for 1 hour and then bake in a 375 degree oven for one hour or until the center is set. It will puff up considerably.

Variation: Add some cooked and cubed chicken breast in with the spinach layer if you like.

Summer Carrot Soup with Ginger Essence

The taste and body of this soup will have you savoring every spoonful. So simple and elegant, it's perfect for a brunch or summer dinner. I serve with a mixed green salad and parmesan crisps. And yes, it's even better the next day so feel free to make ahead and gently reheat.

2 lbs. organic carrots (typically sweeter)
4 1/2 cups water,
2 tsp. salt
5 inch piece fresh ginger, approx.
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dry white wine
Additional water

Cut tops from carrots and peel them. Halve and cut into one inch pieces. Place in pot with water and salt and cook at a gentle boil until they are soft, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, grate the ginger over a fine grater into a fine sieve placed over a bowl. Press down on the grated ginger, until you have 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of ginger juice. Set juice aside.

Once the carrots are soft, transfer carrots and remaining water to a food processor and process until smooth. Careful when processing hot foods. Add cream and 1 tablespoon of the ginger and process again. Return to pot and add wine and additional water (if needed, you probably will need) to reach desired consistency. This is not a thin soup. Gently bring back to low boil, taste and add remaining ginger juice if desired. Serve.

Notes: You can reserve some cooked carrot, slice it, and place on top of soup with a drizzle of cream for a nice presentation. You may also reduce the amount of cream if you are looking for less fat calories.

Coffee Crumb Cake

I love anything that has coffee in it. This cake is so dense and moist, and not to sweet. It's a great breakfast treat when you have company or to snack on when getting together with friends for a game of cards. You can make it in a 9x13 or divide it into 2 8x8 cake pans and freeze one for later. Freezing one is the only way I can keep myself from eating the whole thing!

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 c. warm coffee
1 tsp. baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix the sugar, salt and flour together in mixer bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients, making fine crumbs. Take out 1 cup of the crumbs and set aside. Dissolve the baking soda into the coffee and add to crumb mixture. Add egg and vanilla. Stir until combined, the batter will be thin and a little lumpy. Pour into a greased 9x13 cake pan. Sprinkle the reserved cup of crumbs evenly over the top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Try not to overbake.

Note: I use a mixer but you can also mix this by hand.

Canned Roast Beef

Can the right cut of beef and you will have roast that is tender, delicious and quick. I use it to make beef and noodles, (homemade egg noodles that I make with my mom) and for meat in a quick vegetable soup. It's also divine heated in the skillet with onion and peppers for hot roast beef subs. My mom has been teaching me to can and I have been having a ball with it. I have so many ideas to try! I shop around for the beef, when I find it on sale that's when I can. This recipe is for 7 quart jars because that's how many my canner holds. Always follow all the instructions that come with your pressure canner. In the summer months some towns will have canning kitchens at schools and etc. where you can go to can your goods. Check around to see if you have one in your area.

16 lbs. of raw chuck roast or rump roast.
salt
pepper
7 glass canning jars with rings and lids.

Wash the jars in very hot soapy water and let dry, I do not pack raw beef into hot jars. Trim most of the fat from the beef and cut into one inch cubes. (roughly) Fill jars with the raw beef but do not pack them tight, leaving one inch headroom at the top of the jar. I find I get between 1.8 to 2 lbs of beef in each jar. Add one teaspoon of salt to each jar and pepper to taste. Wipe the tops of the jars to remove any residue before you place the lids on. Make sure to follow your pressure canners instructions and remember to boil your lids before you use them. Cook at 11 pounds of pressure for 90 minutes, again following your canner's instructions. You will be glad to have this on your shelves!

Note: You do not add any liquid when you can raw beef, it makes it's own beautiful broth. I have always wondered how it would turn out if I added 1/4 cup red wine to each jar though...

Cinnamon Candied Popcorn

When I was a kid there were candy stores that sold different flavors of candied popcorn. Candied popcorn is like caramel corn but instead of a caramel coating, you would have some other flavor. I remember looking in the glass cases and there would just be a rainbow of colors. There was cherry and blueberry and my favorite, cinnamon. Oh, and the smell: it was divine, I remember it perfectly. Now, there is not a store like that to be found and my cravings have been going unfed. After sifting through a lot of recipes I finally came up with my own version. I've made it as one of my Christmas gifts the last two years and it is always the first thing that's gone. It's worth the work to make and will keep for a month or two in a ziploc bag. I hope that you give this one a try and let me know if you enjoyed it.

6 quarts of popped popcorn. (pop in a Stir Crazy or on the stove, do NOT use microwave popcorn.)
12 ounces of cinnamon red hot candies
sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. or 1 dram of cinnamon oil. You need oil, not extract, you can find it at www.lorannoils.com

Preheat the oven to 250º. Butter a large roasting pan and add the popcorn to it. If you want you can put the popcorn in the oven to warm while you are preparing the candy coating, but it's not necessary.
Pour the red hot candies into a 2 cup measure and then start adding sugar to the candies, stopping to shake it down into all the nooks and crannies until the sugar reaches the 2 cup line.
In a heavy skillet, bring the candies, sugar, butter, water, corn syrup and salt to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly for five minutes.
Remove from heat and add the baking soda and cinnamon oil. Stir well and stand back to avoid the steam that will come up from the oil, some people are sensitive to it. I like to add the oil outside if possible or open a lot of windows so that my house doesn't smell like cinnamon forever.
Pour over popcorn and toss quickly with a buttered wooden spoon to distribute the candy coating evenly.
Bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and pour out onto parchment paper or a clean granite or marble counter. Break up the larger clumps as it is cooling and then store in ziploc bags or a plastic container once completely cool. If you like cinnamon, watch out, this is addictive!

An Outsanding Georgia Winery

I normally only post recipes in this blog but I thought that this was a food worthy subject. Last night a new acquaintance and neighbor of mine called and asked me to go to a wine and cheese tasting with her. It was very impromptu, but my dear husband was happy to watch the kids (God bless him) so I went. The tasting was held by the community we live in and among the different vendors attending there was a Georgia winery. What a treat the evening turned out to be.

Never having experienced a formal wine tasting, I was mesmerized. I knew that there were some vineyards in Georgia but, for no certain reason, I never tried any of their wines. Let me just say, I was very pleasantly surprised. The attending winery was the Boutier Winery. They have a store front in Acworth, GA, www.boutierwine.com, but their actual vineyards are in northwest Georgia www.boutierwinery.com. Being a Georgia winery they could hardly go without making a beautiful Peach Chardonnay, which for two consecutive years, earned a concordance gold medal at the Indy International Wine Competition. The Peach Chardonnay has also won best in class! They also earned a silver medal for their Elegance Vin Rouge, a unique blend of syrah, cabernet sauvignon and merlot, and a bronze medal for their What a Great Pear, a pear wine aged in coffee beans.

Now, honestly, I never even knew that there was an Indy International Wine Competition, but I was still impressed! And, the proof is in the pudding, or in this case the wine, which was outstanding. Their Peach Ice Wine blew me away. I learned that ice wines are harvested right after the first hard freeze or frost to make the flavors more intense, or at least I think that is how they put it. The Peach Ice Wine had a chocolate aftertaste, and it was divine. Because of how it is made the alcohol content in the ice wine is much higher, almost elevating it to a liqueur so it would be great as a dessert wine or in place of a cognac or brandy. I tried some of their reds and whites and brought a bottle of their Cabernet Franc (2005) home for my hubby as an early birthday present. If you like strong reds, this one has a incredible fig aftertaste, I could not stop sipping it.

If you are any kind of wine connoisseur I highly recommend checking out any of your local or state wineries. If you ever hear of a tasting for one of them, I encourage you to go! You will not only be supporting local business but you will be supporting something that is made in America! And, it's educational. Great job Boutier Winery!

Betty's Caramel Candy

Plan on sharing these or plan on putting on 10 pounds, you decide! Buttery, caramel heaven!

2 cups sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup butter
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine all the ingredients except for vanilla in a large pot. Cook over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook until temperature reaches 250, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into a well buttered 9x13 pan. When firm but not completely cool, flip out of pan onto parchment paper and cut into pieces with a pizza cutter. Wrap in wax paper or cellophane. I make turtles with these caramels but placing the squares on top on pecan halves and then letting them melt over the nuts in a warm oven. It is a lot easier than spooning hot caramel over the pecans!

Betty's Corn Chowder

This is my favorite homemade soup. It is so simple and perfect for a cold winter day. A one pot meal that you can have ready in about 40 minutes.

1 boneless ham steak, cubed
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 16 oz. cans of chicken broth
1 can of creamed corn
1 can of whole kernel corn
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, cubed
3 Tbs. flour
2 cups milk
4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar
salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1-2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil in a stockpot. Add ham, potatoes, carrots and onions and cook on medium to medium high heat for about 5 minutes, I add fresh ground pepper at this time. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add creamed corn and whole kernel corn and bring back to low boil. Taste for seasoning at this time, the amount of salt you will need depends on how salty your ham was. In separate bowl, slowly whisk milk into the flour so that you will not have any lumps. Add milk and flour mixture to pot, stir. Add cream cheese. Bring back to a low boil while stirring and breaking up the cream cheese. Once the cream cheese has dissolved, add the grated cheddar. Keep at a low boil, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender. Enjoy!

Betty's Cherry Pie

There is nothing like a mouth watering, cherry pie. I like this recipe because you can make it all year long since you don't use fresh cherries. Also, it does not have the traditional cornstarch goo that most cherry pies have. If you are feeling up to the challenge then do the traditional lattice top. If not, just be creative and cut a few shapes in the top crust before placing it on the pie. It will still turn out delicious. Oh, and bake on a cookie sheet or over some foil to keep any sticky messes out of your oven.

Pie crust for a double crust pie.
You can use my Grandma's crust recipe that I have posted or the refrigerated, store bought crust that you just unroll and place in the pie plate.
Milk
Sugar

Filling:
3 cans pitted sour cherries, drained.
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. plus 2 Tbs. flour
2 Tbs. orange juice
zest from one orange
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Gently stir all filling ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Make sure that everything is well combined. Pour filling into pastry lined pie plate. Place top layer of crust on and cut in several places to vent. Trim and flute edges. Brush with a little milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool almost completely before serving. (If you can wait!)

Betty's Monster Cookies

These cookies will make a cookie monster out of you. Crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, they are the perfect. Most Monster cookie recipes make a very large batch but this one is nice because it just makes 3 dozen. You can double the recipe easily, but don't double the eggs, just add one more. Enjoy!

1/2 c. plus 2 Tbs. lt. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. granulated sugar
6 Tbs. butter flavored vegetable shortening, like Crisco
2 eggs
3/4 c. peanut butter, I recommend smooth but you can use crunchy
1/2 Tbs. light corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 c. quick oats
1/2 cup m&m's

Preheat oven to 350 F. If you have the convection feature, I highly recommend it. Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar and shortening in mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat in eggs. Beat in peanut butter, corn syrup, baking soda and vanilla. Add oats, mixing on low speed. Stir in m&m's by hand.

Drop by teaspoon full onto an ungreased baking sheet. (I line with parchment, easier cleanup.) Bake at 350 F for 11 to 13 minutes or until just beginning to brown. let cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes and then move to wire racks or sheets of foil to cool completely before storing.

Betty's Meatballs

I have never had a better meatball. Proudly, I came up with this recipe. They are so good that I could just skip the pasta all together and just eat the meatballs with some sauce. Try using ground turkey or chicken instead of beef, they are still delicious. I like to pour a jarred vodka sauce over them when I am in a hurry, my favorite is Emeril's. I'll post my own pasta sauce recipe another time. I would love to know if anyone tries these and if they liked them!

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg
3 cloves garlic, minced or ran through a press
1 shallot, minced
1/3 cup fine bread crumbs
1/4 cup cream or whole milk
3 Tbs. fresh Italian parsley, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil or 5 fresh basil leaves minced
1/4 tsp. ground thyme
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix all the ingredients well and then form into 1" to 1 1/2" balls. Using a large skillet, brown in olive oil, turning several times so that all the sides are brown. Pour your favorite homemade or jarred pasta sauce over the top and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve over pasta.

Grandma's Pie Dough

This is my Grandma's pie dough recipe, it is pretty basic and works great with a lot of pie recipes. It's also on my mom's blog, http://alwaysanotherrecipe.blogspot.com, you will noticed that my recipe is a half recipe, it makes 2 pie shells with a little left over. Tip: Keep the pie dough as cold as possible, the warmer it gets, the harder it is to work with.

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. Crisco vegetable shorting
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. ice water

Mix shortening and salt into flour until in starts forming small pea sized balls. You can do this in the food processor or by hand with a pastry cutter. My mom uses the mixer. Slowly add the ice water until the dough binds into a ball that is not sticky, you may not need all of it. Roll out on a floured surface in a circle shape until it is between 1/4 and 1/8 inches thick. Sprinkle lightly with flour. Carefully fold the dough in half and then fold in half again in the other direction and you should be able to easily pick up the dough and place it into your pie plate. Unfold the dough once it is in the pie plate, make sure that their is no air anywhere between the pie plate and the dough. Trim the edges, crimp and you are ready for your filling!

Betty's Pumpkin Pie

Well, a lot of us are feeling the pressure to get our Thanksgiving menus together. Here is one more Pumpkin Pie recipe to add to the plethora of them already out there. What make this one different? It's delicious!

For the crust:
You can use a store bought or my Grandmothers recipe, it's posted on this page.

For the filling:
1/2 c. light brown sugar, dark brown will work fine in a pinch.
1/4 c. honey
2 Tbs. real maple syrup
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 eggs
1 15 oz. can of pure pumpkin
1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk

In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, honey, syrup and spices, beat well. Add pumpkin and evaporated milk, beat for 1 or two minutes to ensure that all is well combined. Pour into pie shell and bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature and bake for 45 more minutes or until firm. I bake on a cookie sheet because it's easier to get the pie in the oven with out spilling it if it's on a cookie sheet.

Makes one pie and this recipe doubles very nicely.

Layered Mexican Dip

I came up with this one for the last Superbowl. Besides my wings, it received the most compliments. You could substitute the ground beef for turkey or chicken.

For the meat layer:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning

For the cream cheese layer:
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cumin

For refried beans layer:
1 can refried beans, pinto or black beans
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

For topping:
8 oz. colby/jack, shredded
jalapeno slices

Brown ground beef and add taco seasoning, following directions on package. Spread beef mixture in the bottom of a 8x8 baking dish. Add onion powder, garlic powder and cumin to cream cheese, stirring to combine. Spread over beef layer. Add hot sauce and garlic powder to refried beans, stirring to combine. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with colby/jack and jalapenos and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Oriental Cucumber Slaw

This is another recipe that I tried to recreate. There is a delicious Chinese restaurant about an hour from where I live and they always serve a small portion of this as an appetizer to every customer. It's so light and fresh; a great side to any type of meal.

3 cucumbers, grated or very thinly sliced
4 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. white vinegar
3 Tbs. finely minced onion or scallion
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sesame seeds, lightly toasted
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

To toast the sesame seeds, place them in a small skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes. You will see them pop or start to lightly brown, give them a stir and they are ready to use. Mix all the ingredients together and store in refrigerator for one hour before serving. Approx 4-6 servings.

Easy Pizza Sauce

I created this recipe because I don't like how much sugar and corn syrup is in the store bought sauces. The first time I made it, it was a hit. You will love how simple this recipe is.

1 28 oz. can CRUSHED tomatoes
2-3 garlic cloves, finely minced or put through a press
1 tsp. dried oregano, crush in your palm before adding to pot
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

Place all ingredients together in a sauce pan and heat to simmer. Simmer several minutes and then it's ready to use! This is enough sauce for 2 large pizzas with a little left over for dipping.

Hearty Vegetable Beef Stew

This is also on my belikebetty blog. When I worked outside the home I used to love to make this vegetable beef stew for dinner. Now that fall is here I will be making it often. It's so simple, you'll need a crock pot to make it and you will want to start it in the morning. The only labor intensive part is peeling and dicing 2 small to medium potatoes, dicing half an onion and cutting up a carrot or two. Do that the night before if you are pressed for time in the morning.

Hearty Vegetable Beef Stew
1 lb. beef stew meat
2 small to medium potatoes, diced
2 carrots peeled and sliced
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 14 oz. can of beef broth/stock
1 14 oz. can of cut green beans, undrained
1 14 oz. can of corn, undrained
1/4 to 1/2 c. red wine
salt and pepper to taste

Dump the ingredients into the crock pot in the order listed. What I love about this recipe is that you can put the beef in completely frozen, straight from the freezer if you want to. You can stir, but it's not necessary. Set on the low, 8 to 10 hour setting and enjoy when it's time for dinner. If you are home during the day you can give it a couple stirs but it's not really necessary until right before serving.

Let me know if you try it and how you liked it!