HOMEMADE PIZZA FACTORY BREADSTICKS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. yeast
• Let that sit for 5 minutes. Then add:
• 3½ cups flour
• 1 tsp Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix until smooth then let raise for 10 minutes. Roll out dough into a large square on a floured surface. Brush with melted (real) butter mixed with garlic and then sprinkle with kosher salt. Fold in half and cut into 1 inch strips. Twist and place on a cooking sheet. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes to raise. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately after baking, brush with more garlic butter and sprinkle with kosher salt and grated parmesan cheese.
2. Serve with marinara, alfredo sauce, or ranch for dipping.

Recipe from Six Sister's Stuff.  Picture from Barefoot & Baking blog.

PERFECT PANCAKES

PERFECT PANCAKES

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 Tbs. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 beaten eggs
2 cups milk
4 Tbs. cooking oil

Directions:
In a mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In another mixing bowl combine egg, milk and cooking oil.  Add to flour mixture all at once.  Stir mixture just till blended but still slightly lumpy.  Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto a hot griddle.  Cook till pancakes are golden brown, turning to cook second side when pancakes have bubbly surfaces and slightly dry edges. 

Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book.  Photo from America's Test Kitchen website.

Best Tomato Soup Ever

Ingredients

• 1 medium white or yellow onion
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
• Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes 
• One 46-ounce bottle or can tomato juice 
• 3 to 6 tablespoons sugar 
• 1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes 
• Freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 cup sherry, optional 
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

To begin, dice the onion. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. Throw in the onion and cook until translucent.

Now dump in the diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the tomato juice.

Next - and this is important - in order to combat the acidity of the tomatoes add 3 to 6 tablespoons of sugar. Now, you'll want to start on the low side, then taste and add more as needed. Some tomatoes and juice have more of an acidic bite than others. (For what it's worth, and I realize it's not worth much, I use 6 tablespoons of sugar.)

Next, add 1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base to the pot. I added 3, and it wound up being a little too much.

Now you can add lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, then heat almost to a boil. Then turn off the heat.

Add in the sherry if desired. Stir in the cream. Add the basil and parsley and stir.

Serve the soup warm!

Recipe from foodnetwork.com.

BUTTER CRESCENT ROLLS

Butter Crescent Rolls

Ingredients: 

2 pkg. dry yeast

2 cups lukewarm water

1 c. sugar

1 c. butter, melted

6 beaten eggs

1 1/2 tsp. salt

9 c. flour

Directions: 

Mix the yeast with 2 tbs. sugar and 2 cups lukewarm water.  Add the sugar and beaten eggs.  Mix well with wire whip or hand mixer.  Add 4 cups of flour and salt and mix again until smooth.  Add 4 1/2 cups flour and mix with spoon or dough hook until completely mixed together.  (The remaining 1/2 cup flour is used for rolling out the dough.)  Cover dough with saran wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk.  Divide dough into 4 pieces.  Roll each piece into a large circle.  Cut into triangles and brush with melted butter. Roll each triangle into a crescent shape and place on baking sheet.  Let dough rise again until doubled in size.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until lightly brown.  Brush tops with melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.  Enjoy!

Cheesy Drop Biscuits

Cheesy Drop Biscuits

Ingredients: 

2 cups flour

1 Tbs. baking powder

2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter

1 cup milk

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions: 

  Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center, add milk all at once.  Stir just till dough clings together.  Add cheese and stir until combined. Drop dough in spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.  Makes 10-12 biscuits.

Recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook.

Key Lime Cheesecake

Key Lime Cheesecake 

 

Ingredients:

Crust

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs

• 1/3 cup butter, melted

• 1 tablespoon sugar

Filling

• 2 1/2 sticks (20 oz. total) cream cheese at room temperature

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream at room temperature

• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons key lime juice (6 tablespoons if using regular lime juice)

Glaze

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons key lime/lime juice

Topping/Garnish

• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 1 tablespoon instant pudding 
• Sliced key limes/limes

Directions:

Mix graham crackers, melted butter, and sugar in a medium bowl or plastic bag. Pour into a 7-inch spring form pan that's been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Carefully spread crumb mixture evenly over the bottom and press firmly all over.

Put a layer of heavy duty aluminum foil on the bottom and up the sides of the spring from pan as a protective barrier to keep the water from getting into the cheesecake. I also like to put my pan into an oven-proof plastic turkey bag (top open) and then put it in the water bath, just to ensure I don't get a soggy cheesecake.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a large shallow pan filled with 1 inch of water into the oven to create the water bath. 

In a large bowl (or the bowl of a standing mixer), beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on low speed. Gradually beat in the sugar, sour cream, flour, and vanilla until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, 1/4 cup heavy cream, and lime juice and continue to beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 

Pour the cheesecake filling into the spring form pan. Place the pan into the water bath in the oven. After 8 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 40 minutes, or until filling is puffed, set, and light brown. Remove from oven and from the water bath, and allow to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled to room temperature, take the foil off, put a paper towel over the pan, and then cover with the foil (you can use a new piece of foil, but reusing is just as good).  Refrigerate overnight.

For the glaze, combine the sugar, cornstarch, water, and lime juice in a small pan. Mix until smooth. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for 3 minutes. Cool/chill until cool, but not set. 

Pour cooled glaze into the center and spread evenly with an offset or rubber spatula. Refrigerate until glaze is cold and firm. Pipe whipped cream around the top of the cheesecake, if desired. Garnish with lime slices. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe & photo from What 2 Cook.