Pizza

I used to make pizza frequently, and seem to have lost my recipe. I found this when looking for pizza crust and pizza sauce recipes. I haven't tried it yet, but this looks like a good option. I omitted copying the personal stuff at the beginning of the post.

http://theharriedhomemakerpreps.blogspot.com/2010/12/using-your-food-storage-my-favorite.html

This recipe calls for instant yeast, but if you're like me and buy yeast in bulk, you might only store active dry yeast. No worries! It is simple to switch in between types of yeast.

If your recipe calls for 1 t. instant yeast --> substitute with 1-1/2 t. of active dry yeast

If your recipe calls for 1 t. active dry yeast --> substitute with 3/4 t. of instant yeast 

People generally say that active dry yeast should be dissolved in warm water before being incorporated into a dough.  The warm water does jump start your yeast. If you let your yeast/warm water mixture set for 5 minutes and make sure it gets bubbly, you'll insure that you only use lively yeast.  Here's a secret: you don't really have to do that. I keep my yeast in the freezer and it stays perfectly fresh. I may have to add a little rising time to my dough if I don't dissolve my active dry yeast first, but it otherwise works fine. 

Sheet Pan Pizza, originally published in Cook's Country Magazine

DOUGH:
Cooking Spray
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1-3/4 cups water , heated to 110 degrees 
1 tablespoon sugar 
5 cups all-purpose flour 
2 envelopes instant or rapid-rise yeast (4-1/2 teaspoons)  OR about 5-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt 

SAUCE AND TOPPINGS:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
3 garlic cloves , minced 
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano 
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
2 tablespoons tomato paste 
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or use 2 t. dry or freeze-dried basil)
Salt 
1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese 
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 
Whatever meat or other toppings you like. How about a jar of home-canned ground beef, seasoned to taste? 

1. For the dough: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, turn off oven. Grease large bowl. Evenly coat rimmed baking sheet with 1/4 cup oil. 

2. Combine water, sugar, and remaining oil in measuring cup. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, yeast, and salt on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium-low and slowly add water mixture until dough is uniform in texture, about 3 minutes. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, cover with plastic, and place in warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. (If you substituted active dry yeast for the instant yeast, it may take another 5-10 minutes to double.)

3. For the sauce and toppings: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Cook garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook until just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer until reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and season with salt.

4. On lightly floured work surface, use rolling pin to roll dough into a rectangle. Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet and stretch dough to cover pan, pressing dough into corners. (I am lazy and usually just press the dough into the pan.) Brush dough with remaining oil and cover with plastic wrap. Set in warm spot (not oven) until slightly risen, about 20 minutes. Heat oven to 450 degrees.

5. Remove plastic wrap and, using fingers, make indentations all over dough. Sprinkle dough with 1 cup Parmesan and bake until cheese begins to melt, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and spoon sauce over pizza, leaving 1-inch border. Bake until sauce is deep red and steaming, 7 to 10 minutes. 

6. Sprinkle mozzarella and remaining Parmesan evenly over sauce your choice of meat/toppings and bake until cheese is golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove pizza from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.

Rhubarb Custard Bars

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/rhubarb-custard-bars?trkid=FBPAGE_TOH_20170327_Buzzy_Video

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 25 min. Bake: 50 min. + chilling

YIELD:36 servings

Ingredients

CRUST2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter

FILLING:
2 cups sugar
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 large eggs, beaten
5 cups finely chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb, thawed and drained

TOPPING:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Directions
1. In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar; cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, for filling, combine sugar and flour in a bowl. Whisk in cream and eggs. Stir in the rhubarb. Pour over crust. Bake at 350° until custard is set, 40-45 minutes. Cool.
3. For topping, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth; fold in whipped cream. Spread over top. Cover and chill. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 3 dozen.

Test Kitchen Tips
Heavy whipping cream gives custard fillings a luscious, decadent texture, but half-and-half cream or whole milk can be substituted with nice results.
This is a potluck hero: It makes a mountain of bars. If you're cooking for a smaller crew, however, just halve the recipe and use a 9- or 8-inch-square baking dish.
If you prefer your bars on the tart side, bump up the rhubarb to 6 or 6-1/2 cups or reduce the sugar in the filling to 1-1/2 cups.
Go full garden party for your friends and family by adding the seeds of one vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon of rosewater to the filling. Both flavors pair beautifully with rhubarb and take these already fab bars to another level.

Nutritional Facts

1 each: 198 calories, 11g fat (7g saturated fat), 52mg cholesterol, 70mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (16g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.

Ice Box Cheesecake

http://1krecipes.com/the-famous-woolworth-ice-box-cheesecake/2/

Aunt Irene Wondra made this cheesecake when we went to see them in Ohio. I didn't realize it was a Woolworth's cheesecake. It is easy and delicious.

Woolworth Ice Box Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients:
1 (3 ounce) package lemon Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons lemon juice
1 12 oz can Carnation Evaporated milk, well chilled
Graham crackers, crushed

Directions:
Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Cool until slightly thickened.
Beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice with mixer until smooth. Add thickened Jell-O and beat well.
In a separate bowl, beat the Carnation milk until fluffy. Add cream cheese/Jell-O mixture and beat well with mixer.
Line bottom of 9 x 13-pan with crushed Graham crackers.
Spread filling over and top with more crushed Graham crackers. Chill.

Source : geniuskitchen.com/recipe

Keto Cheesecake

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58711/keto-cheesecake-recipe/

ingredients
YIELDS: 8 - 10 SERVINGS

Cooking spray, for pan
1/2 c. almond flour
1/2 c. coconut flour
1/4 c. shredded coconut
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
3 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
16 oz. sour cream, at room temperature
1 tbsp. Stevia
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
sliced strawberries, for serving
Directions
PREP TIME: 0:15
TOTAL TIME: 8:00

Preheat oven to 300°. Grease an 8 or 9-inch spring-form pan, and cover the bottom and edges with foil. In a medium bowl, mix together the flours, coconut, and butter. Press the crust into the bottom and a little up the sides of the prepared pan. Place the pan in the fridge while you make the filling.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sour cream together, then beat in the stevia and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Spread the filling evenly over the crust.
Place pan in a water bath, then bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, until it only slightly jiggles in the center. Turn oven off, but leave the cake in the oven with the door slightly ajar to cool slowly for an hour.
Remove pan from water bath and take off foil then let chill in the fridge for at least five hours or overnight. Slice and garnish with strawberries.

Oven Dill Pickles

I have had oven dill pickles and they were delicious. The one thing that I have noticed is that none of them call for dill. I know that I will be adding dill to mine.

Another recipe: http://ritasrecipesblog.blogspot.com/2017/06/loretta-lynns-dill-pickles-in-oven.html

Homemade Light Corn Syrup Alternative

I have no real idea if this is good, if it will work or not, but it is an interesting idea.

Homemade Light Corn Syrup

This DIY corn syrup substitute is made without corn starch. It's basically a sugar syrup that you can use in recipes in place of corn syrup.

servings:  2 cups

ingredients

2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 dash salt

directions

Combine all ingredients in a heavy, large pan. Stir and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and put cover on it for 3 minutes to get sugar crystals off the sides of the pan.

Uncover and cook until it reaches soft ball stage (235 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Stir often.

Cool syrup and store in a covered container at room temperature. It will keep for about 2 months. 

Lemon Icebox Pie

Recipe from JoAnn T.'s recipe collection

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs, about 40 wafers
1/4 cup melted butter
1 envelop unflavored gelatin
1 3/4 cups water divided
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (Not evaporated)
1 3 ounce package or 6 tablespoons pre-sweetened lemonade-flavor drink crystals

Combine crumbs and butter; press firmly on bottom and up the side of the 9 inch pie plate. Chill.

Meanwhile, in small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water, and let stand 1 minute. Over low heat, stir until gelatin dissolves and set aside.
I medium mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, remaining 1 1/2 cups water and lemonade crystals; mix well. Stir in gelatin mixture. Pour into prepared crust.
Chill at least 3 hours or until set. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Toffee Bars

from JoAnn T.

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all together thoroughly. Pres into a large cookie sheet thinly, with the heel of the hand to press down hard. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle 1 package of chocolate chips over the top as soon as the bars come from the oven. The chips will melt, then spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Cut into bars immediately.

BEST BREAD MACHINE BREAD
http://donna-justme.blogspot.com

"This recipe is easy and foolproof. It makes a very soft and tasty loaf of bread with a flaky crust."

Ingredients

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package bread machine yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
Place the water, sugar and yeast in the pan of the bread machine. Let the yeast dissolve and foam for 10 minutes. Add the oil, flour and salt to the yeast. Select Basic or White Bread setting, and press Start.

First of all, I wondered why the yeast had to sit for 10 minutes in the water. That's how I used to do it making bread the old-fashioned way, but all the machine breads I've experimented with have risen nicely without doing this. I read through the reviews and ratings and found some advice from someone who obviously knows her bread:

"The basic recipe is good but has some issues: 1) "Bread Machine Yeast" is just another name (purely for marketing) for "Instant Dry Yeast" (IDY) which is INSTANT and therefore does not require pre-proofing in water. Simply add it to your dry ingredients and continue without the "dissolve and foam" step noted. There, you've save 10 minutes! 2) Active Dry Yeast is not Bread Machine/Instant Dry Yeast and it *does* like to be pre proofed as noted in the original recipe. Active Dry yeast is in little round beads about the size of a pin head. Instant yeast is very small and more like little threads of yeast, much smaller than Active. You would need about 25% more Active yeast than Instant. 3) Salt: Salt is normally 2% of a recipe's flour amount. Here we have 410g of flour (check the metric version) so we want 8 grams of salt, or about 1 1/2 teaspoon. The recipe as given is therefore missing 33% of the required salt which is more than just a "taste" problem. Salt will not only improve the taste of your bread (this or any other) but is needed to help the gluten's strength by tightening the gluten strands a little. Bread with too little salt will not only taste bland, it will also be too soft."

Peanut Butter Rice Krispy treats with Chocolate topping

Makes a 9 x 13 pan.

Ingredients:

5 cups rice krispies
1/4 cup butter
10.5 ounce bag of marshmallows
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

Prepare the pan, either line it with parchment paper or butter it.
Measure out the rice krispies.
Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the marshmallows and stir while they melt on low heat, not allowing them to burn. When the marshmallows have melted, add the peanut butter and incorporate.
Turn off the heat and add the rice krispies, stirring until they are blended with the marshmallow mixture.
Dump into the prepared pan, preparing an even layer.
Melt the chocolate chips, either in the microwave or in a double boiler on the stove. Spread over the rice krispies.  Cool until the chocolate is hard.