Dessert Pizza

1 lb pizza dough (store bought or homemade from a typical recipe-- whole wheat dough worked pretty well)

2 tea melted butter

Roll dough into approx. a 9" round. Transfer the dough to a sprayed baking sheet & make indentations all over the dough. Brush with the melted butter, and bake at 450' until pale golden brown & crisp (about 20 minutes). 

Topping: 

1/3 C cream cheese 

A couple spoonfuls powdered sugar (to taste- more powdered sugar= sweeter)

Sliced strawberries or other berries

Nutella (heat in microwave OUTSIDE of jar) or melted chocolate chips 

microwave cream cheese for 15ish seconds in the microwave- just until it is smooth & easy to work with.  Add the powdered sugar and mix well.  Spoon onto the top of the cooked pizza crust & smooth out.  Add the berries and drizzle with the Nutella or chocolate.

Cut and serve : ) 

Variations of toppings:  banana with nuts and coconut ???

And I got the whole wheat pizza dough recipe from;

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/ww_pizza_dough.html

Roasted Green and White Asparagus

Did you know that white asparagus is just the green asparagus without the light? Wow, i know.

Ingredients:

4 T extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 lb white asparagus, trimmed, peeled, cut on diagonal into 3-inch length

1 lb green asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 3-inch lengths

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

1/2 t grated lemon peel

1 T chopped Italian parsley

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450. Brush baking sheet with 1 T olive oil. Arrange asparagus on baking sheet. Whisk remaining olive oil, shallots and lemon peel in small bowl; pour over asparagus and coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 min. Sprinkle parsley before serving. Yay!

-D (stole the recipe from Ben though)

Laurel's 3 layer Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Cake:

2-1/2 cup sugar

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

2 tsp. baking soda

3 cup flour

1 T. vanilla

6 very ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 3  9" round pans.  Cream butter and sugar for 3 minutes.  Add Eggs, beat well.  Mix in sour cream.  In separate bowl sift together flour and soda.  Add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Add bananas and vanilla.  Spread evenly in prepared pans.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.  Cool and remove from pans.  Cake layers can be frozen.

Frosting:

6 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup natural cocoa powder, unsweetened (Wonder Cocoa brand, at New Frontiers)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup strong black coffee, cold

Mix together sugar and cocoa, add butter and coffee, beat well.

-The Parker Fam

Lemon Layer Cake

Serves 10 to 12.   Published March 1, 2007.  

The filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, but it will become quite stiff; fold it with a rubber spatula to loosen it before spreading onto the cake. For neater slices, dip a knife into hot water before cutting the cake. Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator, with the cut side of the cake covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.

INGREDIENTS

Lemon Curd Filling
1	cup fresh lemon juice from about 6 lemons
1	teaspoon gelatin (powdered)
1 1/2	cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
1/8	teaspoon table salt
4	large eggs
6	large egg yolks (reserve egg whites for cake)
8	tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 1/2-inch cubes and frozen
Cake
2 1/4	cups cake flour (9 ounces), plus extra for pans
1	cup whole milk , room temperature
6	large egg whites , room temperature
2	teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4	cups granulated sugar (12 1/4 ounces)
4	teaspoons baking powder
1	teaspoon table salt
12	tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 12 pieces, softened but still cool
Fluffy White Icing
2	large egg whites
1	cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
1/4	cup water
1	tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1	tablespoon corn syrup

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. FOR THE FILLING: Measure 1 tablespoon lemon juice into small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over top. Heat remaining lemon juice, sugar, and salt in medium nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot but not boiling. Whisk eggs and yolks in large nonreactive bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot lemon-sugar mixture into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with heatproof spatula, until mixture registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer and is thick enough to leave trail when spatula is scraped along pan bottom, 4 to 6 minutes. Immediately remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved. Stir in frozen butter until incorporated. Pour filling through fine-mesh strainer into nonreactive bowl (you should have 3 cups). Cover surface directly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm enough to spread, at least 4 hours.

2. 2. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch-wide by 2-inch-high round cake pans and line with parchment paper. In 2-cup liquid measure or medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg whites, and vanilla.

3. 3. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt at low speed. With mixer running at low speed, add butter one piece at a time; continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs with no visible butter chunks. Add all but 1/2 cup milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. With mixer running at low speed, add remaining 1/2 cup milk mixture; increase speed to medium and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium speed and beat 20 seconds longer. Divide batter evenly between cake pans; using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops.

4. 4. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with small knife, cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto greased wire rack; peel off parchment. Invert cakes again; cool completely on rack, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. 5. TO ASSEMBLE: Following illustrations below, use serrated knife to cut each cake into 2 even layers. Place bottom layer of 1 cake on cardboard round or cake plate. Using icing spatula, spread 1 cup lemon filling evenly on cake, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge; using cardboard round, gently replace top layer. Spread 1 cup filling on top. Using cardboard round, gently slide bottom half of second cake into place. Spread remaining cup filling on top. Using cardboard round, place top layer of second cake. Smooth out any filling that has leaked from sides of cake; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while making icing.

6. 6. FOR THE ICING: Combine all ingredients in bowl of standing mixer or large heatproof bowl and set over medium saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water (do not let bowl touch water). Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and transfer mixture to standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and continue to beat until mixture has cooled to room temperature and stiff peaks form, 5 minutes longer. Using icing spatula, spread frosting on cake. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 1 day before serving.)

Pizza Bianca AKA, The good stuff

Serves 6 to 8.   Published September 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.

Serve the pizza by itself as a snack or with soup or salad for a light meal. Once the dough has been placed in the oiled bowl, it can be transferred to the refrigerator and kept for up to 24 hours. Bring the dough to room temperature, 2 to 2 1/2 hours, before proceeding with step 4. When kneading the dough on high speed, the mixer tends to wobble and move on the counter. Place a towel or shelf liner under the mixer and watch it at all times during mixing. Handle the dough with slightly oiled hands. Resist flouring your fingers or the dough might stick. This recipe was developed using an 18- by 13-inch baking sheet. Smaller baking sheets can be used, but because the pizza will be thicker, baking times will be longer. If not using a pizza stone, increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees and set the rack to the lowest position; the cooking time might increase by 3 to 5 minutes and the exterior won’t be as crisp.

INGREDIENTS

Toppings
1	(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1	tablespoon olive oil
1/8	teaspoon table salt
1 1/2	cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 ounces)
Dough
3	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (15 ounces)
1 2/3	cups water (13 1/2 ounces), room temperature
1 1/4	teaspoons table salt
1 1/2	teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/4	teaspoons sugar
5	tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Place 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes in fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Let sit 30 minutes, stirring 3 times to allow juices to drain. Combine 3/4 cup tomato solids, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/8 teaspoon table salt. (Save remaining solids and juice for another use.)

2. 2. Place towel or shelf liner beneath stand mixer to prevent wobbling. Mix flour, water, and table salt in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook on low speed until no patches of dry flour remain, 3 to 4 minutes, occasionally scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Turn off mixer and let dough rest 20 minutes.

3. 3. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over dough. Knead on low speed until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes, occasionally scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Increase mixer speed to high and knead until dough is glossy, smooth, and pulls away from sides of bowl, 6 to 10 minutes. (Dough will only pull away from sides while mixer is on. When mixer is off, dough will fall back to sides.)

4. 4. Using fingers, coat large bowl with 1 tablespoon oil, rubbing excess oil from fingers onto blade of rubber spatula. Using oiled spatula, transfer dough to bowl and pour 1 tablespoon oil over top. Flip dough over once so it is well coated with oil; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature until nearly tripled in volume and large bubbles have formed, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

5. 5. One hour before baking pizza, adjust oven rack to middle position, place pizza stone on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees.

6. 6. Coat rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons oil. Using rubber spatula, turn dough out onto baking sheet along with any oil in bowl. Using fingertips, press dough out toward edges of pan, taking care not to tear it. (Dough will not fit snugly into corners. If dough resists stretching, let it relax for 5 to 10 minutes before trying to stretch again.) Let dough rest in pan until slightly bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Using dinner fork, poke surface of dough 30 to 40 times and sprinkle with kosher salt.

7. 7. Bake until spotty brown, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Using metal spatula, remove pizza from oven, spread tomato mixture evenly over surface, and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Return pizza to oven and continue to bake until cheese begins to brown in spots, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Slovenly Joes

1 cup finely chopped onions

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 lb. ground beef, or turkey

1/2 cup ketchup 

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup water

2 T. red wine vinegar

1 T. worcestershire sauce

1-1/2 T. dark brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

pepper

4 buns

Brown meat in skillet, remove meat from pan, set aside, drain all but 2 T. of fat, saute onion, and pepper in reserved fat.  Return meat to pan and add rest of ingredients, simmer for 10 minutes, serve on roles

serves 4

-Parker Fam

Lentil Soup with Spinach and Cumin

5 T olive oil

3-4 leeks (whites only), chopped

2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 tsp. ground cumin

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. lentils, rinsed 

2 ham hocks (or ham bone, preferably smoked)

10 cups chicken stock

1 lb. fresh spinach, roughly chopped

juice of 1 lemon

salt and freshly ground pepper

In stockpot, heat olive oil and saute leeks, celery and carrots over moderate heat until soft.  Add cumin and garlic and saute vegetables 2 more minutes.

Add lentils, ham hocks and stock and bring sou to boil.  Lower heat, cover pot partly and simmer for 1 hour.  

Remove ham hocks and shred meat, removing all fat and gristle.  Reserve meat.

puree about half of cooked lentils in blender or food processor and return to pot.

add meat, spinach, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste and simmer soup 15 minutes.

serves 6

-Parker Fam