New York Style Thin Crust Pizza

My husband has been wanting to make a New York style pizza, so I searched the web and found this recipe on Food Network. It's definitely worth the work!

Homemade Sauce:
2 cups tomato sauce
4 T. olive oil
Italian Seasonings to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a medium size bowl.

Basic Pizza Dough:
1 package active dry yeast
2 t. sugar
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3-4 cups all purpose flour
2 t. salt
olive oil

Whisk the yeast, sugar, water, and shortening together to make a paste. Add the flour and salt and mix, using a dough hook, until the dough comes away from the sides and crawls up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the bowl. Grease the bowl with olive oil and place the dough back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and divide dough in half. Roll the dough into balls, cover, and let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes. The dough is ready to be shaped.
Makes 2-12 inch pizzas.

Pizza
1 recipe pizza dough
cornmeal, for dusting
4 T. olive oil
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 lb. shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. If you have one, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven. Dust pizza peel of baking sheet with cornmeal. Place rolled dough on peel. Brush dough with 2 T. olive oil. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border along the edges. Sprinkle 1/4 cup basil leaves on top of sauce and then sprinkle with cheese. Add additional toppings if desired. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and the edges are golden brown. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make two pizzas.

Seafood Alfredo

My mom made this and brought it over for our dinner tonight. It was so yummy, it will definitely be added to our family favorites!

1 12 oz pkg bow tie pasta
2 Tbsp olive oil
5 oz cooked salad shrimp
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz imitation crabmeat, flaked
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 16 oz jar alfredo sauce
Cook pasta. In a skillet, saute garlic in olive oil until tender. Stir in crabmeat, shrimp, lemon juice and pepper. Cook and stir 1 minute. Add alfredo sauce. Cook and stir until heated through. Drain pasta and add to sauce. Stir to coat pasta.

Overnight Omelet

You prepare this breakfast bake before you go to bed, stick it in the fridge, and toss it in the oven the next morning. It is so rich and yummy and feeds a crowd!

1 loaf Italian bread
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 stick butter
8 oz. package cream chesse
10 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 t dry mustard
dash of paprika
dash of pepper
1/2 t salt

Generously butter 9x13 dish. Tear bread into chunks and place in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle cheese over bread. Cut cream cheese and butter into small pats and place over the top of the cheese. Mix remaining ingredients in large bowl and pour over the top of the ingredients in the baking dish. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, bake at 325 degrees, covered for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking at 350 degrees for another 10-15 minutes.

Stuffed Jumbo Shells

12 oz. package jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to package directions
3 cups cottage cheese
12 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
sprinkle of garlic powder
sprinkle of oregano
26 oz. spaghetti sauce ( I like to use Hunt's brand for this recipe)

Mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese. Stir in eggs, garlic, and oregano; mix well. Stuff mixture into shells.

Spread 1/3 of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in pan. Spread remaining sauce over top and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Served with garlic bread and a green salad or canned green beans, this makes a yummy and easy dinner!

Father's Day Gift Idea: Treat of the Month Club

Here is a fun and easy gift, perfect for any man on your Father's Day list this year. After all, what dad wouldn't want a year's worth of yummy treats? Here's the how to:

1. Obtain a cute container. I found this one at Michael's for $3. Then I just cut a piece of scrapbook paper down & slipped it inside of the pail. Next, attach a few lengths of ribbon to each side of the handle.

2. Fill with a stack of dad's favorite cookies or other treat.

3. Print out the recipes and the gift tags found below.

4. Attach the gift tag with ribbon. It reads: "Congratulations! You have been enrolled in the Treat of the Month Club! As a member, you will receive a delicious, home-baked treat each and every month for the next year! Happy Father's Day!

The next page has the months listed along with the corresponding treat and the day of the month dad can expect his treat.

5. Give to dad and watch his eyes light up with joy! OK, maybe not, but it is a nice change from the standard necktie.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup margarine or butter
1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
2 cups rolled oats
1 package milk chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl beat butter or margarine with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add flour, brown sugar, sugar, egg, baking powder, vanilla, baking soda, and cinnamon. Beat till thoroughly combined. Stir in oats. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-12 minutes or till edges are golden.

Italian Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is perfect for your next picnic or BBQ potluck; it's super simple and really yummy!

1 package Garden Rotini
16 oz. bottle Italian Dressing
1 can sliced or chopped olives
4-5 carrots, sliced
broccoli, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Add all other ingredients and toss to coat. Refrigerate for several hours. Stir well before serving.

French Breakfast Muffins

These are my very favorite muffins. So yummy & easy!

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t nutmeg
1/8 t salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cube margarine

Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Set aside. In a bowl stir together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. In another bowl combine egg, well beaten, milk, and 1/3 cup melted margarine. Add to flour mixture, stirring just till moistened.

Lightly grease muffin cups; fill 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or till golden. Immediately dip tops into 3 T melted margarine, then into cinnamon-sugar mixture. Serve warm. Makes 12.