Buffalo Style Chicken Pizza

This is an old family favorite I found in the news paper years ago.

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken


½ cup hot cayenne pepper sauce

2 T melted butter

One unbaked pizza crust

1 cup pizza sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup diced celery

½ cup ranch or bleu cheese salad dressing

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Combine chicken, hot cayenne sauce and butter. Spread pizza crust with pizza sauce and top with chicken mixture, cheese, and celery.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Drizzle with dressing.

BEST.PIZZA DOUGH.EVER

I've had this pizza dough recipe since I got married, thanks to my sister Becky. She gave me this awesome box of fantastic recipes. However, she had 2 pizza dough recipes in there, so I opted for the 'easier' one. I thought it was so un-pizza hut (or whatever) to bake the crust, then add the toppings. So, I over looked this amazing recipe. Until one day, I grew up and decided to try something new. This dough smells sooo good you ALMOST want to lick the bowl. Thankfully you remember it's dough, and that's kinda gross!

1 1/4 c warm water
2 1/2 tsp yeast
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp non-fat milk (hahaha I just realized that I've been reading that as 'dry milk'.
Well, let's just say that works too!)
1/4 c parmesan cheese
1 tsp oregano
3-3 1/4 c flour

optional: (not really optional! They totally make this recipe!)
1/3 c mozzerella cheese
1/4 c onion flakes
1 tsp garlic powder

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar to yeast. Add other ingredients and knead to make a stiff dough. Mix for at least 5 minutes to mix well. Cover and let rise for 30 min. roll out pizza dough on pan.



Then, as I taught my children, SPANK IT!




Let rise for 10-15 min. Put in 425 oven and cook until slightly browned. Remove, add toppings and return to oven.

mmmm baby! It's good!!



Now, this recipe COULD make 2 pizza stone size pizzas. I didn't realize this and made it into one pizza. I thought the crust was a bit thick, but Walter loved it so now I have to double it in order to make 2 pizzas. Did I mention this pizza dough is so good? Cause it is!

"Better Than Jon Fairbanks in the hot-tub" Tortellini Soup

This may be my most scandalous post yet... but I'm sure you have heard of "Better than S--" cake. Well this soup is in the same vein. This soup is one of my new favorites and Jon Fairbanks was really one of my favorite boyfriends. A lot of times the recipes I post are named after guys I just went out on one or two dates with. But Jon was my boyfriend for about 4 months and in those months there was an infamous "incident" in a hot-tub that my dear friend and roommate, Kj, witnessed and reminded me of when I was in Texas visiting her last month. (In fact she reminded me of a few other choice, juicy events from my college days that I haven't disclosed yet but believe me when you see a dish bearing the name Steve Stockard- it will be a complete guilty pleasure with almost no nutritional value;)! Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. You were forewarned!) But back to why I am naming this soup after Jon Fairbanks. Jon was and I'm sure still is a great guy. He has honest, a gentleman and HOT! And this soup is all those things. Not really sure how a soup can be a gentleman but somehow it works. And even though things eventually had to end, when they did Jon was nothing but forthright and open. I was sad the relationship ended but grateful for the experience. And this soup will leave you with the same feeling. When you look into your empty bowl with just the spoon sitting in there you will be sad the meal is over, but completely satisfied with the experience. Who knew that both soup and old boyfriends could be so filling?!?

1 lb. italian turkey sausage (You can use regular sausage but it is completely fine without it.)

1 small onion chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

5 C. beef broth

1/2c. water

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 c. thinly sliced carrots

1 1/2c. sliced zucchini

1/2 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. parsley

1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce

2 C. cheese tortellini

Parmesan cheese for the top.

Brown meat and then remove from pot. Saute onion, garlic, carrots and zucchini in the oil from the meat. You may need to add a little extra oil if you have really lean meat. When veggies are translucent- about 5 minutes- add sausage back in with broth, water, tomatoes, tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add tortellini and cover and simmer for 35-40 mroe minutes. Top with cheese.

I have a secret ingredient I put in almost all my soups, except maybe chili. I have kept it secret because it is kind of obscure, but it really does put your soup over the top. It is a parmesan cheese rind. It gives your soup a smooth, creamy flavor and adds a bit of saltiness. If you buy the more expensive parmesan cheese and save the rind once you are done using the cheese, you can save it in your freezer for soups. And it goes well in this soup. You just put it in with the rest of the liquid ingredients and let it simmer. Sometimes it dissolves completely and other times you have to fish it out. I have heard that you can buy parmesan cheese rinds at the deli counter at Harmans but I have yet to check it out myself. Oh and for the record, Jon's secret ingredient was his abs. I saw those in the hot-tub!

table all set ready to go--the Halloween pic hanging up behind --scones cooking--can you picture it all--well a few folks liked the scone dough recipe--so I'm including it here--its the one I used to serve on Halloween night--

Scone dough (Lynda )

3 C buttermilk (storeboughten warmed up slightly
(or reg. milk scalded cooled and 1tsp lemon juice added)
2 T yeast
2 Tlb oil
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tlb sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tps soda
8 c flour
1/4 water (for dissolving the yeast)

get yeast started to dissolve, add all ingredients together as you would for bread and mix
let rise shape to scones --or "flap jack" as they were once called
fry in a generous amount of grease till golden brown, drain on paper towel or plate
serve with honey -jam or with chile topped with lettuce and cheese and sour cream & tomatoe

J.J. loves my Rosemary Chicken

Let's get one thing perfectly clear: Although I love J.J. dearly, I never have nor will I ever date J.J. The reason being J.J. is married to my sister. But J.J. is so fun to cook for. He is one of those people who appreciates good cookin' and he absolutely loves my rosemary chicken. So that is the reason I am breaking my own rule and naming this dish after him instead of someone I dated. Because I figure anyone who moans and groans that much about something I cook should either be married to me or have the dish named after them. So logistically speaking I had to name the dish:

J.J. loves my Rosemary Chicken

4 chicken breasts- I have used chicken tenders too.

1/2 c. olive oil

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 clove crushed garlic

2 TBSP. fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. dried rosemary

Mix together olive oil, vinegar, S&P, garlic and rosemary in a shallow glass dish. Put chicken in to marinade for at least an hour. Then grill for 6-8 minutes on each side. You can also saute the chicken over meduim high heat for 6-8 minutes on each side, but be aware the balsamic vinegar will create a dark glaze on the chicken and in the pan. But don't be afraid that it is burning and take it off the heat too soon or else you might undercook it! Grilling is the easiest when the weather permits.

I hope you all enjoy this as much as J.J. does!

chocolate chip cookies--the old standby (lynda Call)

love , love ,love choc chippers
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 cubes margerine (I like blue bonnet)
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
4 1/2 cups flour--(use your eye to judge if more needed)
mix in 1/2 to one full bag choc. chips
bake 370 degrees 8-9 min
enjoy hot from the oven--great after school snack with cold cold milk--yummers!

Nutri-Grain Bars

At GNO the other night we were talking about making these. I am pretty sure it was Chelby Sutton that wanted the recipe, but can't remember for sure. Here you go! I have never made these, but here is how....


1 pkg yellow cake mix
3/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups quick oats
12 ounces preserves or jam
1 T water

Preheat oven to 375. Melt butter. Combine cake
mix and oats in a large bowl; stir in the melted
butter until the mixture is crumbly. Measure half
of this mixture (about 3 cups) into a greased
13x9x2−inch pan. Press firmly into pan to cover
the bottom.

Combine preserves and water; spoon over crumb
mixture in pan, and spread evenly. Cover with
remaining crumb mixture. Pat firmly to make top
even.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes−−top should be very
light brown. Cool completely before cutting into
bars.

This makes me wonder why the name? I don't think they are very nutricious. There is fruit, right, that qualifies then? How about the grain? Hmmm....funny.