Kevin's Fabulous Pizza

Kevin has really perfected this pizza crust and it is really delicious.  This dough either makes one very thick crust pizza or two normal crust pizzas.  I prefer splitting in in half for the normal crust pizza but both are good.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes. 
2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour. 
3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. 
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it. 
5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. 
* About 5 minutes before the pizza is done Kevin puts butter and garlic powder on the crust, it really adds to the deliciousness of your pizza.

Amy Moody's Homemade Tortillas Recipe

These are super easy and super delicious. Also, they don't require many ingredients and all of them are things you always have around. These were a huge hit during snow pandemonium.

Ingredients:

2 c. white flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
about 3/4 c. warm water..you might not use it all.

1. Mix all dry ingredients together well.
2. Add olive oil and then some of the warm water.
3. Add more water slowly until it is sticky but dough-like.
4. Knead it for about 1 minute on floured surface.
5. Divide into balls. 18-20 for small tortillas / 10-12 for larger ones.
6. Thinly roll out the dough balls on floured surface as circular as possible.
7. Cook in pan (I did it on my griddle at 375 degrees) on medium heat. Be sure to spray with spray so they do not stick.
8. They cook approx. 30 seconds to a minute per side.
9. Flip with kabob stick or appetizer stick.
10. Put in a warm bowl with lid as you cook. When done cooking you can microwave the bowl with stack of tortillas for 40 sec. just before serving.

Snow Pandamonium Margaritas

For some reason when it snows all I want is margaritas so Silvano and I created our own. This is how the DKM was born and it is absolutely delicious, do not doubt it.

Regular margarita Ingredients:
limes - 7 will yield about a cup of juice
simple syrup - it is very easy to create your own, it is just sugar (preferably sugar in the raw) and water boiled and then cooled
tequila - it is probably best to use a quality margarita but we chose Juarez and it was still delicious
triple sec

Extra ingredients needed if you want a DKM (Diana Klein Margarita)
fresh or frozen strawberries
blue raspberry lemonade kool-aid

1. Juice the limes
2. In a shaker mix ice, 1 oz lime juice, 1 oz triple sec, 2 oz tequila, and 1 oz simple syrup
3. Pour into a glass and enjoy

For a DKM
1. Mix 3 strawberries and 2 oz. raspberry lemonade in a magic bullet (or blender) until smooth
2. In shaker mix ice, 1 oz lime juice, 1 oz triple sec, 2 oz tequila, 1 oz simple syrup, and strawberry kool-aid mix.
3. Enjoy the deliciousness

Spaghetti Squash

SOOO simple and so good for you.

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
your favorite pasta sauce

Preheat oven 375 degrees

Directions:
1. Pierce all over the rind of your spaghetti squash - keep it whole, do not cut it
2. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes/lb until the skin feels soft
3. Let stand 5 minutes
4. Place in a baking dish and bake for 1 hour
5. When done it will feel soft. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds. The rest of the squash is easily removed with a fork and it is amazing how much it looks like spaghetti.

Chili Cheese Dip

This is a great last minute, oh shit what can I take to the party, dip. It is so simple, delicious, and unhealthy. When you look at the recipe you might say to yourself oh that doesn't sound that good but man oh man it tastes great.

Ingredients:

• a package of cream cheese - I like to use the Neufchatel 1/3 less fat type because I think it tastes the same
• a can of hormel's chili, I like the turkey with beans - You could of course use some of your own chili for this which would make it a bit lower in sodium and better for you
• enough cheddar cheese to cover the top of the dish
• an 8x8 glass baking dish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Let the cream cheese sit out at room temperature so that it is soft and easy to spread.
Spread the cream cheese in the bottom of the baking dish.
Next, place the chili on top and spread out evenly.
Lastly cover the chili with cheddar cheese.
Bake for 20 min or until hot and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Easy No Knead Crusty Bread

This bread turns out just like expensive artisan bread at the grocery store. A nice crusty outside with a soft inside. It is really easy you just have to plan ahead.

Ingredients:
1/4 tsp active dry yeasy
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting. I plan to try using whole wheat flour next or a combo of the two
1 1/2 tsp salt
a dutch oven - cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic. I am of course partial to cast iron.

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 8 hours, preferably 12 to 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. If the heat in your house doesn't work like mine you may want it to sit longer or find a sunny or warmer spot to place the dough.
   
2. The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or to your fingers, gently shape it into a ball. I had to add a decent amount more flour at this stage, although be careful because I think I overworked my dough a bit. Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hours. When it’s ready, the dough will have doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least 20 minutes before the dough is ready, heat oven to 475 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. The dough will lose its shape a bit in the process, but that’s OK. Give the pan a firm shake or two to help distribute the dough evenly, but don’t worry if it’s not perfect; it will straighten out as it bakes.
5. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Chicken Pot Pie

This pot pie is surprisingly easy and delicious.

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - I used about 5 chicken thighs and they were delicious
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup chopped onion
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 cups chicken broth
• ~1  cup milk
• 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
• You can use a pie plate but I found that to be too small so instead I used an 8x8 casserole dish and everything fit perfectly.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
2. In a saucepan, saute onions, carrots, and celery in butter.  
3. Once soft, add chicken broth, peas, corn, and chicken.  Simmer until chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender.
4. Combine flour and milk (you can also use water) in a small bowl or tubberware container and mix well until smooth.  Gradually whisk in flour mixture to thicken the broth mix.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Place one crust in the bottom of a 8X8 pan and fill with chicken gravy mixture top with second pie crust, sealing the edges.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.