Pizza Crust

Need to make a quick, easy pizza crust? Never fear!

1 cup warm water

1 package rapid rise yeast

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon honey

olive oil

Mix water and yeast in large bowl. Add honey and stir. Mix flour and mix well. If dough is too dry, may add water one tablespoon at a time. Drizzle with olive oil and sit in warm area for 10 minutes.

Press dough in greased pizza pan. Cook 425 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and top with pizza toppings of choice. Place back in oven and bake another 7 minutes or until cheese melted. YUM!

Plum Pie

6 ripe plums, washed, pits removed and sliced

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cloves

1 egg, beaten

extra sugar for garnish

Pie pastry for double crust (can make your own or use store bought)

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Mix plums, sugar and cloves in sauce pan, cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until plums are soft. Place in pie shell, top with additional crust, seal edges. Cut four vent holes in top crust. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 30 minutes or until crust is brown.

Chicken Nachos

The ultimate game snack! Makes 4 large servings.

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced or 1 1/2 cup chopped chicken (deli-style)

1 package taco seasoning

2 tablespoons olive oil

2/3 cups water

1 bag restaurant-style tortilla chips (I use Tostinos)

Toppings of choice: lettuce, tomato, cheese, jalapeno, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, etc.

Sautee chicken in oil until no longer pink. Add water and taco seasoning, heat until boiling. Reduce heat to medium and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Place chips on oven-proof plate, divide chicken mixture over chips. Sprinkle cheese on top, place under oven broiler to melt cheese. (Optional, may skip these steps)

Top with your toppings of choice. WARNING! THIS IS MESSY! (BUT GOOD!)

Red Skin Potato Salad

8 small red potatoes, scrubbed clean

3 green onion, chopped

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

3 slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped

2 Tablespoons sweet salad cubes

Slice potatoes into 8 cubes. Boil over high heat for 15 minutes, until soft. Drain and rinse with cold water. Mix mayonnaise, mustard, bacon, salad cubes and onion together and mix with potatoes just until coated. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate before serving.

Chicken Under a Brick

Yes, the title is true! Go to your garden or local Lowe's and purchase two bricks. Double wrap with heavy-duty foil.

4 chicken breasts, pounded thin

3/4 cup olive oil

2 stems fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried

4 cloves garlic, crushed

salt and pepper to taste

Mix the olive oil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper in large Ziploc bag. Add chicken. Refrigerate and marinate 4 hours or overnight.

Heat extra olive oil in a large saute pan on medium-high heat. Add chicken, two breasts at a time and place foil-covered brick on top. Cook 4 minutes each side, or until no longer pink.

The brick helps to press down the chicken to make the outside more crispy.

One Dish Lasagna

1 pound hamburger

1 jar spaghetti sauce

2 cup pasta noodles

1 cup ricotta cheese

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Brown hamburger in non stick pan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling water for 5 minutes. Mix spaghetti sauce and pasta with hamburger in the pan used for browning hamburger. Cook, covered on low heat for 7 minutes. Stir in ricotta, sprinkle mozzarella on top. Remove from heat and cover with lid. Let sit for 5 minutes, until mozzarella melts. Serve immediately.

Yummy Meat Loaf

1 pound ground sirloin

1 pound sausage

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 green pepper, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon brown mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire

1/4 cup BBQ sauce

Sautee the onion, green pepper, garlic with the olive oil on medium heat until soft and browned. Mix all ingredients with hands in large bowl, just until blended. Place in a glass loaf pan. Bake 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

Meatloaf sauce:

1 small can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons jalapeno jelly

1 tablespoon sugar

Combine ingredients in small saucepan, heat on medium until combined and jelly melted.

Remove meatloaf from oven and drain. Top with sauce. Heat in oven for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes. Slice and serve.