Saturday, September 17, 2005

MMMMmmmmm Pizza

Ok, I know I made some comments around the Blogosphere about being a good cook, but I was faking it. I rarely cook these days. However, today will be a treat. The pizza dough is rising in the back room and in just under an hour I should be dining on my first hommade (all by myself) pizza!

This has inspired me to solicit recipes. Anyone got a favorite Chilli recipe? Cookies? Chicken dishes (involve cheese and you get bonus points).

I once had a dish that was chicken and Doritos and cheese. I wish I'd written it down.

I just ordered some cookie dough from the local elementary school. It is chocolate cookie with mint chips. MMMmmm I love mint chocolate. I make my own special brownies: take any brownie mix, replace half the oil with creme de minthe syrup (oil-like consistency). No creme de menthe? You can use chocolate mint, but you should use all the oil the recipe calls for and just splash in the mint syrup to taste. I even have used pepermint, but careful, that stuff is strong!

Another trick up my sleeve is to put a strong dash of cinamon in my chocolate chip cookies. Not so much you can taste it outright, just enough to give it an extra zing.

We already discussed my lasagna once, but it is my piece de resistance! Sicillian style, with sausage, ricotta, and lots of cheese!

Time to toss the pie in the oven.

J

4 Comments:

Blogger Brad the Gorilla from IP address: said...

Cardamom is a good addition in lieu of or in addition to cinnamon. Try it in your French Toast recipe. I'd bet the chocolate chip cookies would be great with cardamom, too. Have you ever eaten Dagoba's Chai chocolate bar? The ginger in the chocolate plus the spices make consuming the chocolate a heady experience. My landlady gave my landlord a bar, and I ended up eating at least 1/2 of it.

10:27 PM  
Blogger Brad the Gorilla from IP address: said...

Fortunately for everyone on planet Earth, San Francisco makes a local version of this delectable confection. i could eat them ad infinitum, but then I'd have no room for bananas foster.

11:59 AM  
Blogger Hazed from IP address: said...

Better late than never :D

Chicken Tetrazinni (spelling doesn't matter, my grandmother never spelled it right - and usually used turkey, but I liked it with chicken better)

4 lbs. cut up chicken. Dark & white meat, mixed, makes it more flavorfull, but you can use just white meat if you prefer. Cut into pieces no bigger than a whole walnut. Cook in a hot skillet just until the outside is white, but not all the way cooked....keep to the side, save any juice that may accummulate in the pan.

Boil one large pack of spaghetti noodles or vermacelli. Angel hair is too fine. While I usually prefer my noodles to be limp as Beaver Cleaver, al dente is best in this recipe.

In a stock pot, put 1 cup of chicken broth or stock, all the juices from your skillet, 2 cans cream of mushroom soup and one can of cream of chicken soup. Heat slowly until you have a low simmering boil. Add chicken. Turn down to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes (until chicken is completely done inside).

Stir well, then skim off any grease or greasy liquid from the top. Your "sauce" should be "saucy", with the chicken in it. Place chicken & sauce in a large glass pan or a lasagne pan, stir in the spaghetti noodles. Cover with grated cheese of choice - I prefer sharp cheddar, but any will do, except for alfredo (it's just too strong, with all the cream soups). Broil in oven until cheese is bubbly.

3:46 PM  
Blogger Hazed from IP address: said...

'nother recipe:
Razorback Cornbread

Using either homemade recipe or boxed mix, make up your cornbread mixture - make sure it's good and soupy. Add one or 2 pounds of browned, crumbled, hot sausage. Add one or 2 cans of whole kernel corn, drained. Add 8oz. of shredded cheddar - mild, medium or sharp. Again, I prefer sharp. If you like onions in your cornbread, cut onions in small pieces and sautee in a pan, with butter (or margarine) for a couple of minutes before adding them to the recipe.

Stir all ingredients together, well; pour into large cast iron chicken fryer or other large cast iron skillet. Bake at 400° until toothpick comes out clean.

It'll work in nonstick cookwear, also, but cornbread just isn't nearly as good if it's not cooked in cast iron. Trust me.

If you ever buy new cast iron cookwear, make sure to "season" it, the way the instructions say. If it doesn't come with instructions, it's still not hard. Wash the new cookwear with warm soapy water and rinse with ice cold water. Dry well. Rub inside and out, all over (except handles) with 100% vegetable oil. Bake in oven at 425 for 1 hour. After each use, wipe cookwear out with a damp papertowel. Do NOT wash it with soapy water unless you plan to season it, again. Also, if you're in the market for good cast iron, spring for the good stuff. A good cast iron skillet should last until your grandchildren have grandchildren. It can also be washed in a dishwasher, once a year, then re-seasoned.

I also make homemade barbeque sauce, but don't share my recipe. Not even my husband or kids know the secrets.

3:58 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home