Cauliflower-Crust Pizza

adapted from sandyskitchenadventures.com

This recipe is amazing – it’s a new favorite of mine! My co-worker Cheryl Hoefler also gave it a try and liked it – judging from the picture, her pizza looks mouth-watering! I first heard about cauliflower-crust pizza about two years ago, and it didn’t appeal to me then, but I gave it a try a couple weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised. It doesn’t taste like cauliflower and the texture is great. Is it a New York-style crust? No, but if you’d like a healthier, low-carb, low-fat option, it’s a winner! By the way, I doubled the recipe and made four pizza crusts, one round and three rectangular.

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 C. grated raw cauliflower (about 1/2 a head of cauliflower)
1/4 C. egg whites, from two eggs, beaten slightly
1/2 C. reduced-fat shredded cheese
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. basil
Toppings:
1/4-1/2 C. reduced fat Mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. Italian diced tomatoes, canned
or use pizza sauce, if desired
Add other favorite toppings

Directions:
Measure out 1/2 C. diced tomatoes and puree in blender or chopper, just pulse for a few seconds. Set aside. Your favorite pizza sauce could be used in place of the diced tomatoes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and spray lightly with cooking spray.
Combine grated cauliflower, egg whites, cheese, garlic powder and basil until mixed thoroughly. Spoon mixture on prepared pan to make two rectangular pizza crusts, or make two round pizza crusts, one at a time.
Make the pizzas on the small side so they bake through, about 5x8 inches for rectangular shapes and 9” for the round pizzas.
Use the back of a spoon to thin out mixture (or your hands) to make the shape, about a 1/4-inch thick or less – the thinner the crust, the less chance it will be soggy.
Bake for 25 minutes then carefully flip the pizza crust – use a spatula to lift all edges of the crust off the parchment first. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until edges are really brown and crisp. Even if they are a little burnt around the edges, it won’t taste burnt. Allow crusts to cool.
Add tomato sauce and cheese on top. Broil until cheese is melted, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Pizza crusts can be made ahead of time, without toppings, cooled and stored in the freezer in gallon-sized Zip-Lock bags. Then bake as you would a normal store-bought pizza: top with sauce and toppings, then bake for about 10 minutes at 425 degrees or until cheese is melted.
The recipe can be doubled for 4-5 pizza crusts, then store extras in the freezer for later!
Angel’s Tip: The original recipe calls for reduced-fat three cheese Mexican blend – this was not available at the store I was shopping at but I found a similar taco blend gave a nice flavor to the crust. Cheryl used a mixture of Mozzarella, Swiss and cheddar for her crust, so be creative with what you have! ... If you get busy and let the mixture sit in the fridge for a few hours, you’ll notice liquid in the bottom of the mixing bowl. If this happens, drain as much liquid as possible and make the crusts.

Focaccia Bread

This is a mouth-watering bread recipe that I made for my husband for Father's Day. I love the focaccia bread sandwiches at a local restaurant, and a couple years ago a friend of mine brought some of the bread, homemade, to a potluck lunch. I hadn't thought of making it myself. My friend said she found the recipe online. Here's one I found online which I altered to make my own. It makes a soft bread that is perfect for sandwiches - it's baked like pizza, somewhat flat then cut into squares and each square is sliced in half, horizontally (think hamburger bun). Adding toppings to the bread really makes it special – the focaccia bread I made, which is pictured here, had no toppings. Since it is a bit of work – a labor of love, really – I suggest doubling or tripling the batch. The triple batch I made was gone in no time.
Ingredients:
2 tsp. yeast
1 C. warm water
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 1/2-4 C. flour
1 Tbsp. coarse or regular salt
1/4 olive oil, or vegetable oil
Toppings:
2 Tbsp. olive oil, or vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
10 olives, sliced thinly
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. coarse salt or regular
ground pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
(all optional)
Directions:
In a bowl proof yeast, combining with the warm water and sugar. Stir gently to dissolve. Let stand a couple minutes until foamy. Use mixer on low or stir by hand with wooden spoon, slowly adding the flour. Dissolve salt in 2 Tbsp warm water and add. Also add 1/4 C. oil. Continue mixing. If hand stirring, place dough on a lightly floured surface with extra flour on hand. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding flour as needed.
Form dough into a ball. Set it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap in a warm place until doubled in size – about 30 minutes or more. (I like to turn on the oven to lowest setting for one minute, shut off, and place dough in the oven – make sure the oven is turned off!)
Add a light coat of oil to a cookie sheet and spread around (you can sprinkle with cornmeal if desired).
Once dough is ready, turn it out on counter and roll and stretch the dough into an rectangular shape about 1/2-inch thick. Lay the dough in the pan covered with plastic wrap, and let rest 15 minutes.
Meanwhile preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Saute onion in the oil on low heat for 10-15 minutes until caramelized.
Uncover dough and make dimples (about an inch apart) with fingertip. Brush dough with oil and add onions, garlic, olives, cheese, salt, pepper and rosemary. Bake on the bottom rack for 15-20 minutes. Makes one loaf for about 6-8 servings, depending on sandwich sizes.
The bread is great with any type of sandwich. I last used it with shredded chicken. It's also great with soup – just about anything!
Enjoy!
Angel's Tip: Using olive oil and coarse sea salt makes everything just a bit nicer, but if you don't have these on hand go with what you have in your cupboards, it will still turn out great!

Barbecue Chicken Ranch Salad

Ready for something new, healthy, yet filling? I think this salad fits the bill. This is my own version of similar recipes I’ve seen and tried. Of course you can add your favorite ingredients; one restaurant where I tried this salad topped the dish with onion ring bits. It was delicious, but not so healthy!


Ingredients:
One head of lettuce, cleaned and chopped
(or two bags of salad mix)
1 C. frozen corn, prepared
1 tomato, chopped
1 can black beans, drained
juice of one lime
1 1/2-2 C. cheddar cheese, shredded
4 chicken breasts, thawed
salt and pepper
1/2 C. barbecue sauce
Ranch dressing
Optional ingredients: chopped mushrooms, cilantro, green onion, cucumber, red bell pepper, croutons or tortilla strips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place chicken in a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the barbecue sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until done. Shred the chicken.
Evenly distribute the ingredients on four dishes. Plate up the lettuce and layer with chicken, beans, corn and tomatoes. Add croutons or tortilla strips and top with cheese. Squeeze lime juice on top and add ranch dressing to your taste.

Angel's Tip: This can also be made in a big bowl if you prefer - I like stacking the ingredients.

Wingin' It Soup

This soup could easily be called Hamburger Veggie Soup, but what fun would that be? This is a throw-what-you-got-in-the-pot meal – and it’s easy on the budget too – so have fun with it. If you want to go meatless make it without the hamburger. I enjoyed this soup for lunch at a friend’s home a few years ago. I was surprised that something so simple tasted so good! For this recipe, I just threw in what I had on hand and for a kick, I added 1/2 tsp. red curry paste to my bowl of soup – yum!

Ingredients:
9 C. water
6 beef bouillon cubes
2-3 medium-sized potatoes, diced
2 carrots, sliced
1/4 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp. dehydrated onions
3-4 green onions, sliced
3/4 C. frozen corn
1/2-1 C. hamburger, cooked with salt and pepper
Thai red curry paste, optional (about 1/2 tsp. per serving)

Directions:
Bring water and bouillon cubes to a boil and add the diced potato. Return to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Slice and dice the other ingredients and add them and the cooked, drained hamburger to the pot. Return to a boil, giving an occasional stir, and simmer for another 15 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Serve with rolls, toast or crackers. Serves 5-6.

Angel’s Tips: I added dehydrated onions instead of extra salt to keep the sodium lower. You could also add peas, green beans, a can of diced tomatoes and/or a cup of your favorite pasta (such as rotini or macaroni salad pasta) to the mix – add pasta at the right time (according to package directions).

Slow-Cooker Cashew Chicken

Here’s a winner! I found this Asian-inspired meal on the Internet and adapted it for slightly more sauce. This recipe combines a nice, moist chicken with a flavorful sauce and soft, but crunchy cashews served over rice. It turned out to be the perfect meal for our family – sometimes “the perfect meal” means that even my pickiest child loved it (although he set the cashews aside). You can’t ask for more than that when the whole family loves a meal!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed
1/4 C. flour
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/3 C. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
4 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 C. cashews

Directions:
Put flour and pepper in a large Zip-lock bag (or an extra plastic fruit bag) place thawed chicken in bag and shake to coat. Add oil to a skillet and heat to medium-high, add chicken and brown slightly on both sides.
Meanwhile mix up the sauce in a small bowl and add to the slow cooker. When chicken is browned, add to the sauce and cover. Heat on high for four hours, or low for eight hours.
Serves about 6.

Angel's tip: If you find yourself in a hurry, you can cook the chicken barely covered in water or broth for four hours on high, then remove most of the water, add the sauce, thicken with 2 Tbsp. flour or cornstarch. One family member preferred their cashews crunchier, so setting some aside may be a good idea.

Hearty Lentil Soup

Lentils are a delicious way to add a healthy boost to the diet, providing the highest amount of protein of any legumes, after soybeans, also adding cholesterol-lowering soluable fiber.
This recipe comes from Chely Carpenter of John Day who served this up for a crowd of ladies a while ago. It’s easy and hits the spot!

Ingredients:
2 C. lentils
2 C. onions, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes, chopped
4 C. chicken broth (use bouillon instead if needed)
6 carrots, chopped
2 cloves, garlic, crushed
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. white sugar
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. curry powder
Shredded cheese to garnish

Directions:
Do a quick check of the lentils for any small stones or debris, then rinse them in a colander (no soaking needed). Place lentils in a stockpot and add water, twice the depth of the lentils. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Cover and let simmer about 20 minutes.
Keep in mind, red lentils cook faster than brown lentils, so check for desired tenderness.
While lentils are boiling, place onion, celery, tomatoes, carrots, chicken broth, garlic and seasonings to a saute pan. Slowly saute these ingredients until your lentils are done boiling. Rinse and drain the lentils and combine all ingredients in a large stockpot.
Cook ingredients, simmering on low-medium heat for 1 hour or 1 1/2, covered, to desired tenderness. Add additional chicken broth or a small amount of water for desired consistency.
Serve in bowls and garnish with you favorite cheese!

Serves a crowd, about 14

Angel’s tip: In the photo above, I cut the recipe in half, and made it a stew-like consistency. Sour cream is also a nice topping. I recently enjoyed adding the stew, without the carrots and celery, to chicken burritos.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Here’s a recipe that is sure to please the whole family, and it’s healthy too! It’s good to the last bite!

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
3/4 C. sugar or brown sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 C. cold water plus 1/4 C., divided
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube)
7 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 C. pineapple juice
2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 can pineapple tidbits or chunks
1 green bell pepper, diced
1-2 carrots, sliced
1/2 medium onion, diced

Directions:
Preheat a large skillet and 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium heat. Cook chicken in 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium heat. Add salt and pepper.
Meanwhile make the sauce by combining water, vinegar, pineapple juice, bouillon, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger and cornstarch. I like to boil the bouillon cube in the water in microwave for 2 minutes, and use a little extra cold water, 1/4 C., to mix the cornstarch, stir until smooth, then add to other mixture. Stir to combine.
When chicken is browned, remove and cut into bite-size pieces.
With chicken set aside, stir fry the bell pepper, carrots and onion (add a little bit of oil, and water if needed). Stir fry for 3 minutes, until vegetables are slightly tender, add chicken, and pour the sauce mixture over. Boil over medium-high until it thickens – should thicken quickly – and let simmer for 10 minutes. At the last minute add the pineapple chunks.
Serve with rice.
Makes 6 servings.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole with red sauce

People taking part in free classes at the Families First Resource Center in John Day recently enjoyed this casserole dinner made by Katrina Randleas of Mt. Vernon. My co-worker Cheryl Hoefler happened to be there that evening and enjoyed the dinner so much, she recommended it to me for Angel’s Kitchen. Enchilada Casserole is a quick dinner to prepare, and letting the slow cooker do most of the work makes it even easier come dinnertime! Thank you Kim and Cheryl!

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, frozen or thawed
12 oz. jar salsa of choice
15 oz. can black beans
12 corn tortillas
16 oz. can red enchilada sauce
8 oz. shredded cheese
1/4 C. sliced olives, optional

Directions:
Place chicken, salsa, and beans in the slow cooker and cook on low setting for 8 hours.
Shred cooked chicken and thoroughly mix with beans and remaining liquid.
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan. Break four corn tortillas in half and spread evenly in the pan.  Layer 1/3 of the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas. Spread 1/3 of remaining enchilada sauce on the chicken and layer 1/3 of the cheese on top of the sauce. Continue layering remaining ingredients, ending with cheese on top. Top with olives if desired.
Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.

Skillet Lasagna

Here's a winner! In other words, my entire family loved it - that's always nice! This recipe was adapted from one I saw at Taste of Home online. I first saw it in the magazine rack at the grocery store, calling my name, practically. Making this went fairly fast, which was also great!

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 jars (24 oz. jars) spaghetti sauce
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 C. lowfat cottage cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
9 no-cook lasagna noodles
1/2 C. shredded Colby-Jack cheese
1/2 C. shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet*, cook ground beef and garlic over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes and spaghetti sauce. Warm through and set aside in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, combine eggs, cottage cheese and Italian seasoning.
Return 1 C. of meat sauce to skillet, spread evenly. Layer with half cottage cheese mixture, one-third of remaining meat sauce and half of noodles, breaking to fit in the skillet.
Repeat with layers of cottage cheese mixture, sauce and noodles. Top with remaining third of meat mixture.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until noodles a tender.
Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheeses and cover for 1 or 2 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Makes 6 servings.

* I used more spaghetti sauce (all of the two jars) and made the recipe in two medium skillets. Our family had leftovers the next day - yum!

Chicken Marsala

This recipe comes from the Gluten-Free Lady, also known as Sandy Bupp of John Day - thank you Sandy! She adapted a recipe found on the Food Network for gluten-free cooking - she’s good at that! Sandy teaches gluten-free cooking every second Wednesday at the John Day Elks Lodge. She’s a wonderful cook, and a great resource for anyone who has gluten intolerance or celiac disease. This recipe can changed easily for a person without gluten issues. I don't have a picture of this recipe yet, but will try making this soon and post a photo.

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Gluten-free flour, for dredging
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz. mushrooms, stemmed and halved (crimini and porcini if you can)
1/2 C. sweet Marsala*
1/2 C. gluten-free chicken stock
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 C. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some GF flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.
Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.
Lower the heat to medium and add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Serves 4.

*Tip: Out of Marsala? Try substituting with sweet sherry or if you cannot use alcohol use apple juice

Cilantro Noodles

Sometimes you can find great recipes while waiting somewhere. This one comes from a magazine at the local dentist’s office – unfortunately, I didn’t catch the name of the magazine, but it had loads of delicious-looking recipes!
Cilantro and noodles – I thought, "What could be better?"
Now, if you don’t care for cilantro, try using chopped green onions instead for the great color and taste.
This is an easy recipe, and I happened to have the ingredients on hand last night – I bought shallots the other day while I was thinking about the recipe.
Even my youngest loved it, and wanted seconds! There wasn’t any left, so next time I’ll double the recipe for my family.

3 pkgs. Top Ramen (you won’t need the flavor packets)
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. (1-2) shallots, peeled and chopped finely
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 C. cilantro, chopped

Bring water in a pot to a boil and add Top Ramen. Boil 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile heat a skillet over medium heat, add canola and sesame oils and when warm saute diced shallots. Once shallots are soft, deglaze pan with 2 Tbsp. soy sauce. Add chopped cilantro.
With a spaghetti spoon or tongs lift noodles out of pot, draining water off, and add to the skillet. Toss and serve warm.

Serves 4-5 as a side.

Angel’s Tip: Add egg strips or cooked diced chicken to make it a meal. For egg strips, cook egg like an omelet, roll up and slice.

Coconut Chicken Curry Soup

This to-die-for recipe comes from my sister-in-law Rachel Carpenter of John Day. She said it's a favorite for her and her husband Rod. It became my favorite from the first taste! It is worth the effort to find the ingredients you may not have on hand: coconut milk and red curry paste - both can be found on the Asian aisle at the grocery store. Definitely a new treasure for the recipe box!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped - except for a few matchsticks for garnish
1/2 onion, chopped finely
1 red bell pepper, chopped finely - except for a few thinly sliced pieces for garnish
1 C. cooked chicken meat, chopped
1 C. uncooked rice
1 pint mushrooms, quartered
2 Tbsp. red curry paste (for less spice, use 1 Tbsp.)
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
13.5 oz can Asian coconut milk (lite, unsweetened)
6 C. chicken broth
Optional: 2 Tbsp. fish sauce and a few sprigs of cilantro
Note: Reserve some of the coconut milk, carrots, and red bell pepper (and cilantro) for optional garnish.

Directions:
In a medium soup pot, heat olive oil on medium heat and saute chopped onions, carrots, and red bell pepper for approximately 5 minutes. Add curry paste, brown sugar, chicken, rice, mushrooms and fish sauce stirring until curry paste is completely incorporated (2-3 minutes). Add chicken broth and coconut milk and stir for a half minute. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium and simmer 15 minutes, covered, until rice is cooked. Serve with a spoonful of coconut milk added on top with a few matchstick carrots and a slice of red bell pepper for garnish. Enjoy!

Chinese Chicken with Rice

I discovered a recipe for a Chinese steamed bun filling which also works well served with rice. The ingredients are fairly basic, and the result is delicious! Served up with Jasmine rice, everyone in the family loved it, even my pickiest eater - now that’s saying a lot!

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
4 green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, chopped (use 2 tsp. powdered ginger if you don’t have fresh on hand)
2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus 1 Tbsp. for cooking chicken
2 Tbsp. white sugar
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 C. water

Directions:
Chop chicken into bite-sized chunks. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp. oil. Cook chicken until no longer pink. Season with salt and set pan aside.
Mix together green onions, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, oil, sugar and pepper. Stir into the meat. Add water, mix thoroughly, warm through and serve with rice.

Serves 4-5

Torta Rustica, Italian Savory Picnic Pie

I’ve held on to this recipe for several years, it’s so good. But I only make it on special occasions because it does take a little extra time. This recipe is based on one I found from Nick Stellino who used to have a TV cooking show. For my version I skip the eggplant to reduce the number of steps – also some members of my family prefer no eggplant – and I make it on a cookie sheet instead of in a spring-form pan for more servings – the layers are very pretty in a spring-form pan though. A few more servings is a good thing! It disappears quickly, and you want to be sure to have enough!

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough, see recipe below, or if you buy store-bought, be sure you have enough to fit a double layer in a cookie sheet.

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 lb. thinly sliced Black Forest ham or prosciutto
1 (13 to 15 oz.) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained or make it your own (see Angel’s Tips)
1 lb. freshly grated provolone cheese (or slices)
1 C. black olives, sliced
1 egg, beaten

Serves 12-15

Prepare pizza dough a day ahead. While it is rising, heat 3 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a large saute pan on medium-high, add the onion, saute for one minute, then add the garlic, reduce the heat to medium and saute for 1 more minute. Add the mushrooms, basil, oregano, salt, the pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions and mushrooms are limp and dry. Take off the heat and stir in the spinach and ricotta. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Roll out 3/4 of the pizza dough to approximately 1/2 inch thick. Press the dough into lightly oiled cookie sheet. Press the dough up the side of the pan. Layer 1/2 of each ingredient in the pan in the following order: ham, spinach mixture, peppers, cheese and olives. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Roll out the remaining dough to fit over the layered ingredients. Lay it over the top and fold the dough on the sides over the top dough, crimping them together to seal the edges. Give the top several pokes with a fork to allow steam to escape and brush with the beaten egg.

Place the Torta Rustica in the preheated oven and bake about 30 minutes until the internal temperature in the middle reaches 120 F. About 20 minutes into the baking, cover with a tent of aluminum foil to keep the top from getting too brown. Remove from the oven, let cool for 1 hour, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Serve at room temperature or warm in the oven for 5 minutes or so for a nice crunch. Cut into 12 or 15 pieces.

Angel’s Tip: Olive oil is best, but if all you have is canola oil or vegetable oil, it will work fine. If you’d like to make your own roasted red bell pepper, it’s easy. Simply place the pepper on a baking sheet and broil in the oven. Keep a very close eye on it and turn with tongs every minute or less until it is somewhat blackened. Immerse the pepper in a bowl of cold water and when cool peel the skin off and slice and dice. I usually roast mine outside on the grill, again, turning with tongs every minute or so.

Pizza dough

2 C. warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. olive oil, or canola or vegetable oil
4-5 plus C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt



Place 2 C. warm water in large mixing bowl. Water should be almost hot, not scalding. Add yeast and sugar and whisk a little. Place in warm spot for 10 minutes. Whisk in the oil. Mix the salt into the flour and add 4 cups of the flour, add more flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Dust counter with flour with extra on the side. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until elastic. It should not stick to your hands too much, yet not be too dry.

While kneading soak the bowl in warm water. When done, rinse and dry the bowl add a tiny bit of oil (a teaspoon or so) and place dough in bowl getting oil on both sides. Cover and let rise in a warm spot.

The best method is to let it double in size and then punch down and refrigerate over night. This gives it a better texture, like you find at a pizzeria. If you - like me usually - didn’t think ahead far enough to stick it in the fridge, use the dough at this point for the picnic pie. Sometimes I only let it rise for 30 minutes if I’m in a hurry.

Angel’s Tip: Always looking for a faster way, I usually add the flour to the water and yeast mixture, top it with the salt and, using the teaspoon, stir the salt into the flour then mix it all together with a wooden spoon.

When making a regular pizza, I make it in a cookie sheet and use 1 1/4 C. water, 1 Tbsp. yeast, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 3-4 plus C. flour and 1 tsp. salt.

Heavenly Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

I found this recipe on my niece’s Pinterest page via Facebook. I’m not set up on Pinterest yet, but would love to try it sometime – when I have oodles of hours to kill!
Since chicken enchiladas are a family favorite, I end up making them at least once a month. I had been making them with all the sauce inside and just cheese on top, but I’m sold on trying it the way this recipe suggests – and with homemade cream of chicken it is sooooo very good.
I made 12 of these so that each family member could have two if they wanted – they disappeared quickly! No leftovers!
See my tip at the bottom, in case you don’t have chicken broth or want to lower the fat content.
Do you have a favorite recipe you’ve discovered? Feel free to share it with me at angel@bmeagle.com, and please send a picture if possible. Thanks!

1 lb. chicken breast
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
8 flour tortillas
1 1/2 C. grated Colby-jack cheese or other
1/4 C. butter
1/4 C. flour
1 (15 oz.) can chicken broth
1 C. sour cream
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies

In a skillet, add oil and cook chicken and chopped onion until chicken is just done.
Divide cooked chicken in equal portions between the 8 tortillas. Add 1-2 Tbsp. of cheese to each.
Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil then roll enchiladas and place seam side down.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan and stir in flour to make a roux. Whisk over medium heat continually until bubbly. Gradually add chicken broth, then bring to a boil, still whisking.
Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and green chilies. Pour sauce evenly over enchiladas then top with remaining cheese. Cover and bake at 400 F for 20 minutes.

Angel’s Tips: When I made these last week, I didn’t have any chicken broth in the pantry, so I cooked my chicken with 2 C. water and 1-2 tsp. chicken bouillon, simmering for 25-30 minutes with the lid on.
Since my two youngest don’t care for spice or sight of little green chilies, I poured 1/2 of the creamy sauce over enchiladas on one side of the pan, added the green chilies and poured it over the other half.
To lower the fat content, omit butter and use 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, instead of flour, mixed with a 1/4 C. cold water, also use light or fat-free sour cream and less cheese.

Summer Sandwiches

When it’s hot out and turning the oven or stove top on just sounds like a bad idea, try these sandwiches – of course, they taste delicious anytime of the year. They're easy to make and our family loved them. If you have any picky little ones, they may wish to opt out on some of the ingredients, so gather up their orders and make half with “the works” and the other half a whittled down version, if needed.
Make it a picnic, and enjoy! If you try one of these sandwiches, let me know what you think!

Dad’s Sandwich

Our family calls this simple yet delicious sub “Dad’s Sandwich” because my husband invented it – I love it when he takes a turn in the kitchen, and it’s always something wonderful!

Ingredients:
2 French bread loaves
2 packages of your choice of meat, such as turkey and ham
1 package Provolone cheese
1 package shredded iceberg lettuce, or shred your own with thin slices
2 large tomatoes, sliced
Stackers pickles, we like Bread and Butter flavor
Ranch dressing, we use Hidden Valley Light
pepper, to taste

Directions:
Slice loaves completely in half, layer the meat, one variety on top of the other – we use about 10 slices of each meat across each sandwich. Top with Provolone cheese, 8-10 slices, and lettuce. Drizzle with ranch dressing. Add tomatoes and pickles and sprinkle with pepper if desired. Dig in!
Makes 8 large sandwiches.

Sicilian Submarine Sandwich

I remember a little shop that my dad used to go to when I was young that had this type of a sandwich served – the place smelled heavenly, and I’ve always wanted to try that kind of sandwich.
It was very tough to find all the ingredients locally, so I went with my own version. To get a nice bread texture and to melt the cheese, I lit the gas grill, on low, and placed the sandwich on some foil and closed the lid for about three minutes. Toasting the sandwiches in the oven for 3-4 minutes at 450 degrees F would also work.
Someday, I’ll hunt down the authentic ingredients and give it a try – I’ll list those special ingredients below the recipe. This makes about 3 sandwiches.

Vinaigrette ingredients:
1/2 C. light olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. lemon juice
Dash ground black pepper
Dash salt
Dash garlic powder

1 baguette, about 20+ inches long
1 C. red onion, thinly sliced
2 handfuls of shredded green leaf lettuce
1 package deli-style ham slices
1 package Genoa salami slices
1 package Provolone cheese
2 oz. roasted red peppers, can make homemade
4-5 small basil leaves, fresh
tomatoes, sliced

1. In a small bowl mix the vinaigrette and add the onion slices. Marinate for an hour or more, if possible.
2. Cut baguettes open without slicing all the way through, and brush marinade on both sides.
3. Add lettuce and sliced meats to your liking.
4. Top with Provolone, red peppers, tomatoes, then basil leaves.
5. Grill the sandwiches one at a time, or place in 450 degree F oven for 3-4 minutes until cheese is slightly melted.
6. Slice to make 3 sandwiches.

Those hard-to-get ingredients (deli-sliced, if possible):
2 oz. prosciutto ham (instead of Black Forest)
2 oz. capocollo
2 oz. mortadella
2 oz. Genoa salami

Also, you can see from my picture that I used lettuce shreds that I had on hand, instead of the green leaf lettuce.

Angel’s tip: To make your own roasted red bell pepper throw one or two on the grill, or in the oven in a pan on broil, turning occasionally until blackened. Then place in a bowl of ice water. After it has cooled, peel the skin off and slice, removing the stem and seeds. Place slices on sandwich before toasting.

Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

I just received this recipe from my wonderful sister-in-law Rachel Carpenter of John Day.
These look scrumptious – a “buffalo wing” twist on taquitos!
I don’t know why I’ve never thought to make homemade taquitos. I think my family – including my four growing boys – would love these, and I may have to make a double batch just to keep up with them!

Rachel serves these with Red Rice and her El Mercado’s Mexican Coleslaw - a recipe that is also available on my blog.

Load your plate up and enjoy!

Ingredients: 
4 C. cooked, shredded chicken
12 soft taco, flour tortillas
2 C. grated mozzarella cheese
4 oz. cream cheese
1/3 C. Franks Hot Sauce
1/3 C. milk
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Melt butter in small saucepan over med low heat. Add Mrs. Dash and garlic powder. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add cream cheese and stir until melted and completely combined with butter and spices.
Wisk in hot sauce and milk and simmer for 5-8 minutes. Add salt to taste. Combine chicken and sauce.
Lay out warmed tortillas, fill each with about 1/4-1/3 C. chicken and 2 Tbsp. shredded Mozzarella cheese.
Tightly roll up each taquito and place on greased baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken mixture is used.
Brush taquitos with vegetable oil on all sides.
Bake for 15-18 minutes. Rotate every 5 minutes until golden brown.
Serve with blue cheese dressing if desired.

Spicy Romano Chicken

I enjoyed this delicious pasta made by Alicia Hall a couple months ago during a potluck held at her home. All the food was delicious, but the pasta was so good I had to get the recipe. She referred me to a blog called "Junk in Their Trunk," - www.junkintheirtrunk.blogspot.com – created by some sisters who have a lot of wonderful recipes, great ideas, crafts and furniture makeovers, etc.

This recipe is a "copycat" of a dish served at Johnny Carino's restaurant, and, oh my, it is good. Try it!

I would like to find some ways to make it more healthy, so if you have some ideas, please let me know!

Alfredo sauce:
1 cube butter
1 pint cream
4 oz. cream cheese
1/8 tsp. minced garlic

Melt above ingredients together stirring with whisk to break up cream cheese pieces, then add:
1 C. Parmesan cheese

Stir until smooth

2 Tbsp. butter
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/4 C. diced green onions
1/4 C. sliced sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 C. Romano cheese
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
bow-tie pasta, cooked

In a skillet, melt butter and saute chicken, mushrooms, green onions, and sun-dried tomatoes until chicken is cooked through. Add Alfredo sauce, Romano cheese, artichoke hearts and cayenne pepper. Simmer. Serve over bow-tie pasta. You can start by making the chicken first. Makes 6-8 servings.

Campfire Dinners and Banana Boats

Getting ready for summer camping and outdoor cooking? Here are two recipes to please the taste buds, and because each person can add the foods they like, everyone should be a happy camper.
Not going camping? These Campfire Dinners can be made right at home on a gas or charcoal grill, or even in the oven.

Campfire Dinner

– Inspired by the late Whitey Tout of Seneca

• Steak (thinly sliced, any cut will work)

• Diced vegetables such as: carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, green, yellow and red peppers

• Sea Salt

• Pepper

• Garlic

• Butter

Instructions: Place steak on a piece of tin foil approximately 8x18 inches in size. If desired, rub Montreal Steak Seasoning on the meat. Take 1/4 cup each of your choice of diced vegetables add a pinch of sea salt, pepper and garlic. Add a tablespoon of butter and close it up tight by folding up the edges.

Cook on a grill over an open campfire. This can also be done on a gas grill, charcoal grill or in an oven.

Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes depending on how hot the camp fire is. The timing is the same for a gas grill on low with lid closed. To make in oven, place tin foil dinners on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees, or make in a casserole dish and cover with lid or foil.

If meat is not thinly sliced, cook longer until meat is done.

Campfire Banana Boats

– From Andrea Combs of Seneca

• 1 full banana including peeling

• Mixed chips such as chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, etc.

• Small marshmallows

Instructions: Split banana down the middle but not going through the base of the peel. Add your choice of chips and marshmallow to the inside of the banana.

Close up tight with tin foil and roast for approximately 10 minutes, until the candy and marshmallows are melted.

Bubble Up Enchilada Casserole

This recipe comes from Lisa Wells of Salt Lake City, Utah, who is a former high school classmate of mine. It's fun connecting with old friends on Facebook, and when I saw this posted on her page I decided to give it a try - YUM! It's a very easy recipe and if a meal can look cute, this is one of them. The little pieces of biscuit "bubble up" into bite-size morsels. This was a thumbs up for all members of my family. I hope you enjoy it as well!

Ingredients:
1/4 C. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. canola oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
salt and pepper, to taste
1 10 oz. can enchilada sauce
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cans refrigerator biscuits
1 1/2 C. shredded cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add oil to a skillet on medium high and saute the onion and garlic, add ground beef, salt and pepper and brown the meat. If necessary, drain oil. Add enchilada sauce and tomato sauce, warm through and pour the mixture in a greased 9x13 casserole dish. Open cold biscuits and cut each into four pieces and add these to the pan. Roll them around enough to get sauce on them, but make sure they lay on top to ensure thorough baking. Bake for 11 minutes, or until biscuits are golden. Top with cheese and bake for another 2 minutes. Enjoy! Serves 8, or 6 large servings.

When I made this, it was from memory. I didn’t add the tomato sauce, and I thought it turned out just great. Also, I used mozzarella cheese because that’s what I had on hand – when I make it again, I’ll try Colby-Jack cheese. The original recipe called for ground turkey and reduced-fat biscuits; she also added taco seasoning to the meat.