Cristmas Card Photo of Chloe and Bella

Well I spend all morning trying to get a picture of our girls for Christmas cards this year and boy was it a job. I don't see how photographers who photograph animals do it. They twisted and turned, took their hairbows out, growling at each other because one would sit on the other and would not sit down. But I'm happy with the one I got.

                                                                      Bella & Chloe

                                                                          Bella

Notice there is not a single shot of Chloe that is because by the time we finally got the Christmas card photo, she was done and jumped down and ran behind the couch, we played the-her on one end and me on the other end of the couch, trying to run her out but she wouldn't have it. It's just like toddlers going through the terrible twos with these two.

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

A family favorite of ours is cheesy hashbrown casserole. There are many variations you can do with the recipe to have different outcomes. We like the southwest flavor best. But any combination of spices taste great in this casserole.

Ingredients:

2 lbs frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed  ( I used 1 pd. southwestern flavor and 1 pd. plain cubes)
1/2 c. margarine or butter, melted
1 can Cream Of Chicken Soup
1/2 c. onion, chopped
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

Chop onion and place in large bowl. Add melted butter, cream of chicken soup, salt and pepper and mix together well.

Next add cheese and mix again.

Then add hashbrowns, mixing well to coat all potatos well.

Then pour  into a greased 9×13 pan and bake in oven at 350 for thirty minutes, or until bubbly.

These are very similar to Cracker Barrells Hashbrown Casserole.

                                                         Enjoy!!!!

Pizza Hut Pan Pizza Copy Cat

Pizza Hut Pan Pizza Copy cat
Copy of the Pizza Hut Pan Pizza – (adapted from Minh via CDKitchen)

Dough :

1 1/3 c. Warm water (between 100-110 degrees)
1/4 c. Non-fat dry milk
1/2 tsp salt
4 c. flour
1 Tbs sugar
1 package instant dry yeast
2 Tbs vegetable oil
2 oz vegetable oil for each pan

Sauce :

1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp dry marjoram
1 Tbs. garlic powder

Making the Dough:

Using your dough hook. Add yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add water and stir to mix well. Allow to sit for two minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble. Add oil and stir again.
Gently add the flour and stir until dough forms. Then knead the dough with the dough hook on medium speed  for 5 mintues.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide dough into three balls.
Pour 2 oz of oil into three 9″ cake pans making sure it coats evenly.
Roll out each dough ball into an approximate 9 inch circle. Then place into the cake pans.
Turn oven on 350 degrees for 15 seconds and turn off. This is to ONLY warm the oven. Next put pizza dough in oven and let them rise for approx. 2 hours. (You can skip the warming the oven step in the summer).

Making the Sauce:

While your dough is rising, mix the sauce ingredients together in a medium size sauce pan. Cook on medium heat until the sauce starts to boil, then lower the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes before using.

Making the pizza:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
After the dough has risen, spoon 1/3 rd.  of sauce on the dough.  Add your favorite ingredients, then cover with cheese.

Bake for 10-15 minute or until the crust is brown and cheese is melted.

My Kids like cheese.

And Me and Hubby like pepperoni.

Either way it is delicious and tastes like Pizza Hut's Personal Pan pizza. Enjoy!!

Braided Calzone Pizza Loaf

 This is our familys favorite calzone, pepperoni!  We fix this at least once a week. It is unbelievably good.
This recipe makes 2 large loaves, eat one now and freeze one for later. (They never make it to the freezer at my house, though)

Dough:
1 Tbs. shortening
2 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. salt
1 c. boiling water
1 c. cold water
1/3 c. lukewarm water
1 Tbs. yeast
5 1/2-6 c. flour
1 egg

Filling:
1 package of pepperoni or salomi
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Topping:
powdered Parmesan cheese
oregano
garlic
anything that sounds good to you

Make the dough:

 In a small bowl dissolve 1 Tbs. yeast in 1/3 c. warm water, set aside. In your mixer bowl: add sugar, salt, and shortening together and mix together. While still blending, pour the boiling water over the sugar mixture. Next add the cold water into the sugar mixture. Lastly pour the yeast and water into the sugar mixture.
Add the flour 1 C at a time while mixing. You know you have enough flour when the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Once you have enough flour mix on high for 6 minutes. Let the dough rest in the mixer bowl for about 5  minutes.

Divide the dough into two equal parts and let them rest on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray for about 5 minutes.

Lightly coat your counter with oil. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle. Using a scraper or pizza cutter, cut one inch wide strips along both long sides of the rectangle. Be sure to leave about 5 inches down the center uncut, leaving a space in the middle for your toppings.

Next fold over each strip to center of loaf on each side and fold ends together, now move the dough to your baking sheet and unfold. (It is alot easier to move it now than after you have your toppings on)

Place pepperoni, cheese and in my case, mushrooms down the center of the dough.

Next fold the end edge over and start pulling the dough strips across the loaf, criss-crossing as you go, when you get to the end stop at he third strip in and start at the end edge and fold over and then finish criss-crossing.

Beat the egg until bubbly. Brush over the entire top of the loaf.

Add your desired toppings (We used parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, oregano today, but usually we just use parmesan cheese and italian seasoning)

Repeat these steps with the other piece of dough.  Turn oven on 170 degrees and let rise for 20 minutes. Then turn your oven up to 400 degrees and bake for about 15 minutes, until loaves are golden brown. (Leave the dough inside while the temperature rises)

Let the loaves rest for about 5 minutes, then cut into slices.

                                                                    Enjoy!!!!

Whipped Cream Substitute

1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. cold water
1/3 c. powdered milk
1 1/4 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tsp. sugar

Mix cold water, lemon juice, vanilla and milk powder in a large bowl.
Blend on high speed for 4-8 minutes or until stiff. Add sugar and blend another 1-2 minutes.
Refrigerate any leftovers, blend again if topping separates.

Pizza Hut Breadsticks Copycat

Pizza Hut Pan Pizza – (adapted from Minh via C:DKitchen)
Dough:     Makes two batches of 10 breadsticks

Dough:
 1 1/3 c. Warm water (105 degrees)
1/4 c. Non-fat dry milk
1/2 tsp salt
4 c. flour
1 Tbs sugar
1 package instant dry yeast
2 Tbs vegetable oil

Breadstick Seasoning :
2 Tbs dry parmesan cheese
1 Tbs onion powder
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder 
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. basil

Sauce :
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp dry marjoram
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Note: If your like my family and are big dippers, you'll need to doulble the sauce recipe.

Making the sauce :

While the dough is rising, mix the sauce ingredient together in a sauce pan.  Heat with medium heat until the sauce starts to boil, then lower the heat to low.  Let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes before using.


Making the Dough:

Using the dough hook, put yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add water and stir to mix well. Allow to sit for two minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble. Add oil and stir again. Gently add the flour and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed. Then knead the dough with the dough hook on speed 4, for 5 mintues.

 Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide dough into two even amount balls.

Pour 2 oz of oil into a 9×13 cake pan making sure it is spread evenly. Roll out the dough into a 9×13 rectangle. Then place the dough into the 9×13 pan.

Turn oven on 350 degrees for 10 seconds just to  warm the oven slightly and turn off (You don't have to do this step in the summer). Put the dough in the oven and let the dough rest and rise for at least 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
After the dough has risen, cut the dough into 10 equal breadsticks.  I used a dough scraper to score the breadsticks but a pizza cutter works great too. Then melt 2 Tbs. butter and brush on top of bread and lightly sprinkle the top of the breadsticks with the breadstick seasoning.

Place the breadsticks in the oven for 8-10 minutes.  When the breadsticks brown and the edges get crispy, remove the pan from the oven.

                                                                          Enjoy!

Three Layer Caramel Cupcakes

 

1 1/2  c. all-purpose flour
1  tsp. baking powder
1/4  tsp.  salt
1  stick butter (room temperature)
1 ¼  c. packed light brown sugar
2  large eggs
1  teaspoon vanilla
3/4  c. buttermilk
Caramel Filling (recipe below)
Caramel Icing (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with papers.  (This is a must as cake it very light and fluffy.) Combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add vanilla. Mix and scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about halfway full. Bake for about 25 minutes. When done, transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.

Cut a small round piece out of the tops of each cooled cupcake and pour in 1 teaspoon of caramel.  Replace the cake piece. Spread the tops of cakes with Caramel Icing

Caramel Filling

1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons salted butter, cubed
1/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

Melt the sugar over medium-high heat in a large pot.  Whisk the sugar as it melts and cook until it becomes a deep amber color. Add the butter and stir it in until melted. Pour in the heavy cream (mixture will foam) and whisk until you get a smooth sauce. You may have some lumps but keep stirring until they have melted.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly. 

Caramel Icing

Caramel Filling
1 Tbsp milk
1/2 pound powdered sugar

Pour Caramel Filling not remaining after filling cupcakes in a large mixing bowl. Add milk and sugar and beat on medium speed until blended. Add more milk if too thick.
 Makes about 15 cupcakes.

                                                                             Enjoy!