Pizza

So here is an old recipe that I've had for many years.  Homemade Pizza dough.  It's taken me that long to perfect it actually.  For a few years I kneaded the dough by hand and then I was watching Martha Stewart one day. 
Don't judge me. 
Yes, Martha Stewart changed my pizza making days forever by introducing the KitchenAid Mixer to basic pizza dough.  It made ALL the difference in the world! 
It's really quite simple and requires some time to let the dough rise but it's worth it and last night it was off the chain!
So here it is.

Basic Pizza Dough
2 cups all-purpose flour
1pkg rapid rising dry yeast
1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 cup very warm water
1Tbl olive oil
1Tbl honey

If you have a mixer it's really much better but if not you can knead it by hand too.  Anyways, add the first 3 ingredients into the mixer.  Combine the water, oil, and honey separately then add to the dry ingredients.  Using the hook attachment mix all of those things on a high speed (about 30 sec.) until the dough is stretchy.  Then knead the dough into a ball and let rise for 30-45 min.  Sometimes it helps to add a little olive oil to your hands when you knead it.  It keeps it from sticking to ya. :) 

After it's done rising I roll it out onto a round pizza stone with my hands pushing it out to the edge.

Then just spread on some pizza sauce and top it with whatever you like.  I just used cheese last night. 

Bake at 425 degrees for about 15-20 min and there you have it. :) 

Not a slice was left.

Mexican Casserole

My Gram Clark wrote this in a Betty Crocker cookbook that she gave to me when I was still a newlywed.  It was a great asset to me as I was still trying to learn my way around the kitchen and figure out what my husband liked. 

One of his favorites has come from this cookbook. 

I've used it so much that the page has come completely out! 

It's such a simple and easy dish but he loves it. 

And of course for those that know us can probably already guess that we don't use beef.  We use venison.  You know, deer meat.  :)

There you have it!  Give the man some crackers and sweet tea and he's good to go!  ;)

Sugar Cookies continued...

As promised, here is the frosting recipe for the Christmas sugar cookies. 

Vanilla Butter Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 Tb milk

Mix powdered sugar and butter.  Stir in vanilla and milk and beat until frosting is smooth.  Add food color if desired. 

Enjoy!!

Christmas Sugar Cookies

I thought I would share this sugar cookie recipe that my mom used to make every Christmas when I was a kid.  It was at the top of the list as a favorite.  Right up there with the chocolate covered mints and chocolate covered pb balls...oh and the fudge.  Can't forget the fudge!  Russian tea cakes were waaaay down at the bottom of the list.  I think those were the last to get eaten.  I'm still stumped as to why she always made those.  Huh.  Yep, still stumped. 

Anyways, back to the sugar cookies.

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

Mix sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and almond extract.  Then mix in flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.  Heat oven to 375.  Divide dough into halves.  Roll each half 3/16 inch think on lightly floured surface. (ok, 3/16?  I just rolled it out as thick or as thin as I wanted).  Then just cookie cutter those suckers up, slap 'em on the baking stone and bake for about 6-7 minutes.  A cooling rack is a must because this will make more than one batch. 

Warning: Things can get a little out of control if little ones are allowed to help.  It's memory making though.  :)

Tip: I allow my kids to taste-test the dough.  It makes it more fun.  Yes, it has a raw egg in it.  And in all of my 31 years of eating raw dough I have never ever gotten sick from raw eggs.  So there. 

It also helps to have a studly helper in a white t-shirt to make sure the cookies don't burn! 

Frosting pictures and recipe to come tomorrow....