Weird Times

Since we have fallen on weird times and I'm super bored I decided that I would start the old food blog up again. Don't get too excited it will probably be just recipes with no fancy verbiage or pictures. Also, some recipes might not have measurements because I just eyeball it most of the time and like to live dangerously. I'll be transferring some of my old blogs recipes over to this website so they are conveniently in one place.

Hope everyone is healthy and safe.

Pizza Crust

Here is the recipe for my pizza crust, don't be intimidated it's super easy!

Pizza Crust

2 ½- 3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 package of yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup very warm water (120-130 degrees)

Makes 2 pizzas.

In a large bowl mix 1 cup of flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add olive oil and water. Beat with a mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes. With a spoon, stir in enough flour until it forms a soft dough and leaves the side of the bowl . On a floured surface knead for 8 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and springy. Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease pizza pan. Cut dough in half. Pat one half down to form your pizza. Add toppings of your choice. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden. ENJOY!

Lemon Bars

I've adapted this recipe over the years. It's my go to. It's simple and inexpensive and a sure way to make whoever you make it for feel special. 

Lemon Bars

Crust:

1 cup flour

½ cup powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt (you won't have measuring spoon so just eye half of a ¼ teaspoon)

1 stick cold butter, cut into little pieces

Filling:

1 cup regular sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 ½ lemons)

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat 350 degrees

To make the crust: Grease an 8x8 pan with cooking spray. In a bowl whisk flour, powdered sugar, and salt together. Add butter and with your hand mix until crumbly. Press crust mixture into the bottom of the 8x8 pan (If the crust starts to stick to your hand put it into the freezer for 5 about minutes and then press it into place). Bake for 18 minutes until golden brown. Set crust aside.

To make the filling: In a bowl whisk together sugar, flour, and salt. Add eggs until combine. Add lemon zest and lemon juice until mixed well. Pour the lemon filling over the hot crust. Bake for 18 minutes or until the filling has set.  

Cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar. So GOOD!

Chocolate Syrup

This is a very simple chocolate syrup recipe. Great for chocolate milk, over ice cream, or in your coffee!

Chocolate Syrup

½ cup cocoa powder

1 cup water

2 cups sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon vanilla

In a large saucepan whisk cocoa and water on medium heat until the cocoa is dissolved. Add sugar and whisk until dissolved. Make sure the sugar is dissolved our it will make your syrup grainy. Boil for 3 minutes over medium heat. Make sure and watch it or it will boil over and you will be cleaning up a huge mess like I did! Add salt and vanilla. Let the syrup cool completely before pouring into a clean glass jar. Store in the fridge. ENJOY!

Strawberry & Banana Muffins

Strawberry & Banana Muffins

Dry Ingredients:              

2 1/4 cup of flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 ¼ wheat flour)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, diced

Wet Ingredients:

3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 stick of butter, melted
2 large ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Makes 12 muffins.            

Coat a muffin pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. Mix in strawberries making sure they are coated with flour, this keeps them from sinking. In another large bowl, mash the bananas and then mix in the rest of the wet ingredients.  Combine the wet and dry mixture, stir until combined. Don't over mix or you'll have a tough muffin! Fill the muffin tray with the batter. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Smear on a little butter and enjoy!

Banana Bread

Banana Bread

2 Cups flour (When I feel a little healthy I substitute 1 cup of flour with whole wheat flour. )

1 ½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

5 over ripe bananas (mash 4, Chop 1)

1 cup sugar

1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cups pecans or walnuts, optional (my family doesn't like nuts so we don't add them)

Preheat 350 degrees.                

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl mash 4 bananas. Add sugar and mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer until creamy. Add melted butter, eggs, and vanilla; making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.  Mix in dry ingredients until incorporated. Fold in the bananas and optional nuts. Divide the batter into 2 loaf pans. Give the pans a rap on the counter to release air bubbles. Bake for 50 minutes to  1 hour until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy.

This is one of my families favorites and having a toddler means having lots of bananas on hand. This is my own recipe so I hope you like it!

Pomegranate Margarita

Pomegranate Margarita

1 shot Tequila

1 shot POM Wonderful pomegranate juice (cherry juice would be awesome too!)

1 shot Triple Sec

Sweet and Sour         

Lime (optional)

Sugar or Salt (optional)

Dip the rim of the glass in the lime and then into the sugar or salt (optional). Fill a glass with crushed ice. Put 1 shot of tequila, pomegranate juice, and triple sec in the glass. Fill the rest of the glass with sweet and sour. Do a happy dance and ENJOY!

P.S. If it's a little strong add a little more sweet and sour!

Strawberry Galette

My husband loves this dessert with vanilla ice-cream! It’s a very light dessert so it's perfect if you want something tasty but not to filling. It's great if your strawberries are looking a little sad and need to be used! You can also serve it with homemade whip cream if your into that sort of thing.

Strawberry Galette

1 pie crust (pre-made or if your channeling your inner Martha Stewart you can make your own, I used pre-made)

15 strawberries, sliced

2 tablespoons sugar          

Sugar for sprinkling

1 teaspoon vanilla paste (optional, this is a little hard to find so if you don't have it don't worry about it)

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 egg

1 teaspoon water

Preheat 350 degrees.

Serving size: 4

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Put sliced strawberries into a bowl, sprinkle with sugar, cornstarch and the very optional vanilla paste.  Mix until all the berries are coated.  Lay out the pie dough on the parchment paper. Starting from the middle and working out overlap the strawberries forming a circle about 1-inch from the edge of the pie crust.

Fold the edges of the dough over the strawberries to form a square (the middle will have the strawberries exposed). Now fold the corners over. Beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon water (this is called an egg wash). Brush the dough with the egg wash. Sprinkle crust with raw sugar.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Here's a how to guide on folding your galette:

Starting from the middle and working out overlap the strawberries forming a circle about 1-inch from the edge of the pie crust.

Fold the edges of the dough over the strawberries to form a square (the middle will have the strawberries exposed).

Now fold the corners over.  Boom! You've successfully folded your galette!