Cooking with Kids: French Bread Pizza

Every Friday night is pizza night at our house.  Sometimes we order out, but most of the time I make pizza from scratch.  The kids are pretty boring and like plain cheese or occasionally pepperoni.  Glen and I often make Bruschetta Pizza, which is one of our favorites.  The problem is is that sometimes it gets a little boring making the same old pizza every week, that's why I was so excited when I found this recipe from SnoWhite over at Finding Joy in My Kitchen.  It was fun, different, and easy.  So easy, in fact, that the kids could make them entirely themselves after I sliced the bread for them.  It was a hit all the way around.  They loved having control over their own pizza and I loved the little twist on the every day (or every Friday in this case.)  Thanks SnoWhite! 

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients: 

1 loaf French Bread
1 can (6-oz.) tomato paste
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
~1 cup mozzarella cheese
Favorite pizza toppings:  Pepperoni, sausage, peppers, mushrooms, etc.

Directions:  Mix tomato paste and Italian seasoning until well blended.  Slice bread into four thick slices lengthwise.  Cut each of those slices in half to end up with 8 slices.  Top each slice of bread with tomato paste mixed with Italian seasoning.

Add desired toppings.  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top of everything.

Broil for 4-8 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly (be sure to watch them very carefully to prevent burning).  Enjoy! 

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Super Easy Tostadas

Necessity is the mother of invention and this mother here is always in need of something in the kitchen.  No matter how carefully I plan my menu each week, there always comes a day when I'm out of something I need for making dinner.  One time I was hurriedly making tacos for dinner and realized we didn't have taco shells.  Luckily we did have tortillas, but since the kids aren't fans of soft tacos I was left in a quandary on how I could get this dinner onto the table pronto!  That's when "Super Easy Tostadas" were born.   I just crisped up the tortillas (two options listed below) and added a layer of refried beans to hold all the toppings on the shell.   My family was happy with the yummy new dinner and I was happy to add a fun new creation to the quick dinner arsenal.

Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:

1 can refried beans
3/4 lb. ground beef (or turkey)
1 pkg. taco seasoning
6 flour tortillas
favorite taco toppings:  shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, salsa, black beans (drained)

Directions: 
You have two options for cooking the flour tortillas into tostada shells:

Option #1 results in a super easy, crisp plain tostada shell:  Heat oven to Broil and place tortillas onto a baking sheet.  Broil until tops are crisp and brown (you will have to watch them VERY closely.  This step usually takes 2-3 minutes at most.)  When tops are brown, remove from oven and flip the tortillas.  Place back in the oven and remove as soon as they are brown and crispy.  The second side generally takes a minute or less, so be careful not to leave them unattended.  Note:   They will bubble up while broiling.

Option #2 takes a littler longer, but ends up less crisp and tastier:  Preheat a griddle and grease with a stick of butter.  Add tortilla and cook until the bottom is lightly browned and slightly crisp, then flip.  Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the browned side of the tortilla and cook until bottom is browned and cheese is melted.

 

Cook tostada shells and set aside.  Brown meat and season with taco seasoning as directed on package (mine says add 3/4 cup water and seasoning packet and simmer).

Layer each tostada shell with refried beans as the base layer (this gives all the rest of the ingredients something to stick to, so it won't fall off the shell as easily.)  Then top with meat and favorite taco toppings.  Makes 6 tostadas. 

Enjoy!

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Oatmeal Cake

 With oatmeal and whole wheat flour, this easy cake packs a more nutritious punch than any cake mix ever could.  I loved its cinnamon-y flavor and moist crumb and look forward to experimenting more with it.  Next time I want to make a boiled coconut frosting and maybe sprinkle some chopped pecans over the top.  This would also be excellent with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! 

 Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

CAKE:
1-1/4 cups boiling water
1 cup instant oatmeal

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)

1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

ICING: 
2 Tbs. melted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2-4 Tbs. milk

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside.  Place oatmeal in a small bowl and our boiling water over it.  Let stand for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile cream butter and sugars together; add eggs, vanilla, and oatmeal.  Mix well and blend in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Pour mixture into prepared pan.  Bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean.  Cake will be dark brown.
FOR ICING: Mix melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt with a mixer.  Beat in enough milk to achieve consistency of glue.  Drizzle icing over warm cake with the tines of a fork.  Serve warm.  Enjoy!

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Ranchero Chicken Crostada

After a 20-inch snowstorm canceled the last few days of school right before Christmas and extended our winter break to a full two weeks, we had a wonderful holiday season filled with sledding, food, family, and far too little sleep.  Now after three days of trying to reestablish our routine again, I wonder if I'll ever get my groove back!   I did make lots of old favorite meals, in addition to several new recipes over the break, but it looks like it's going to be a slow process getting back to my blogging again.   The gigantic pile of laundry awaiting to be folded is calling my name just a little too loudly these days, but I thought I'd sacrifice my housework for a few minutes and type up this recipe just for you.  Yeah, yeah.  I know I'm such a martyr serving my adoring fans like this.  °Ü°

The one thing I love about church cookbooks is having familiar names to go with the recipes.  After just a couple of weeks with the cookbook, I'd already picked out my cooking soul-mates, knowing that if it's their recipe then we're sure to like it.  This is one of those I tried just because I loved everything else I made of hers and sure enough it was delicious too!   It was fresh-tasting and flavorful and my kids especially adored the ranch flavor and the whole pie crust part of it.   We'll definitely try this one again. 

Boy I have to say blogging is way more fun than laundry!  

     

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

1 roll Pillsbury pie crust, thawed
2 cups shredded chicken
1 can (10-oz.) mild Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp. ranch dressing powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 cup shredded cheese
1 can (15.5-oz.) black beans, drained
1 red bell pepper, chopped
lettuce, chopped
ranch dressing

Directions:   Roll crust onto Pam-treated baking sheet.  In large mixing bowl, mix chicken, Ro-Tel, cilantro, ranch powder, cumin, 1/2 cup shredded cheese, black beans, and red pepper.  

Spread chicken mixture onto pie dough leaving a 1-2-inch border around the edges.  Fold this border up over chicken to make a deep-dish pizza-like crust, forming pleats every 2 inches or so.

   Brush olive oil on crust.  Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes.  Top with chopped Romaine lettuce and drizzle with ranch dressing.  Enjoy!

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Panda Express Orange Chicken

One of my go-to meals on the craziest of the crazy nights is the orange chicken from the freezer section of Trader Joes.   It takes just 10 minutes to whip together and my kids gobble it up like it's candy.    It was with this in mind when I found this knock-off recipe for Panda Express' Orange Chicken in a church cookbook, that it was one of the first ones I bookmarked to try.  The box of frozen popcorn chicken was a bit of pain to find, so the second time I made it I just used regular cooked and diced boneless skinless chicken breasts instead.   The kids devoured both versions no problem and were asking within the week when I would make it again.   This one's definitely staying on the keeper list!

this version was made with the frozen popcorn chicken as listed in the recipe

Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:

2 packages (12-oz. each) frozen, precooked popcorn chicken (or cooked and diced chicken breasts)

2 Tbs. cornstarch

1 tsp. minced ginger root

1-2 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped green onions

2 Tbs. rice wine (I omitted this)

3/4 cup water

1-1/2 tsp. sesame oil

3 Tbs. soy sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup white vinegar

zest and juice of one orange

crushed red pepper, to taste

hot cooked rice

Put desired amount of chicken on baking sheet and cook according to package directions. Meanwhile combine above ingredients in a saucepan. I blended my sauce ingredients together in a blender before heating to make the sauce nice and smooth. Mix and stir until heated through. Toss warm chicken with sauce and serve over warm rice. Makes 6 servings.

 This version was made with the boneless skinless chicken breasts.  I did not think it turned out as pretty as 
with the popcorn chicken, but the kids sure didn't complain about the taste!

Enjoy!

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Confetti Cornbread

Life is getting busy around here, but I was excited to post this fun new cornbread recipe I found.  We loved all the flavor and bright colors and thought it would go perfectly with a Mexican themed Christmas Eve dinner. 

 Click here for printable recipe. 

Confetti Cornbread
from Mom

The ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
3 Tbsp. sugar
1-1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup finely diced mixed peppers (I used 3/4 cup diced peppers and 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400° and grease an 8 or 9 inch square pan. Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the milk, butter, and egg together. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and gently stir until the batter is evenly moistened. Add the peppers and stir to combine.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cornbread comes out dry. Cool 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

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Snickerdoodles

I found this awesome recipe for snickerdoodles on allrecipes.com! They're easy to make and yummy to eat! Be warned that they're addicting :)

Click here for printable recipe.

Snickerdoodles
From AnnaLisa

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2-3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar (for rolling)
2 teaspoons cinnamon (for rolling)

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400° F.

-Cream together butter, shortening, 1-1/2 cups sugar, the eggs, and vanilla.

-Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.

-Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture.

-Place two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 7-10 minutes or until set, but not too hard.

Enjoy!

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Cornmeal Lime Glazed Cookies

I found this recipe in an old family cookbook when I was really hungry and couldn't stop thinking about the interesting combination of ingredients in these.  Cornmeal, limes, oranges---it just made my mouth water just thinking about it.  When I actually got around to making them though I wasn't quite so starved and I was pretty nervous making them wondering if we would end up liking them. 

The further into the process I got, the more nervous I got.  Thankfully, though the experiment was a success.  They were a stand-out cookie with its delicious citrus flavor and slight shortbready texture.  I really enjoyed the texture that the cornmeal gave to these and I am definitely adding this into my holiday cookie repertoire! 

This picture may not make them look glamorous, but they tasted like a million bucks!  Next time I may blend the citrus zest with the other glaze ingredients  in a food  processor to get a smoother looking topping.


Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:

COOKIES: 
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
4 tsp. freshly grated lime zest
2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lime juice (about 6-8 medium sized limes total, including the glaze)
2 tsp. freshly grated orange zest (2 medium oranges)
1/2 tsp. pure almond extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal, plus more for coating glass

LIME GLAZE:
3-1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2-1/2 tsp. freshly grated lime zest

For cookies:  In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add eggs; beat until just blended. Mix in lime & orange zests, lime juice, and almond extract until well-blended.  Add flour and corn meal and beat until just blended. 

Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap.  Shape the dough into a dish; wrap and chill until firm, about 1 hour. 

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Fill a small bowl with cornmeal.  Using a 1-1/4-inch ice cream scoop, form balls from chilled dough.  Place balls on prepared sheets, space about 3-inches apart.

Dip bottom of a medium drinking glass first into a bowl of water then into a bowl of cornmeal.


Flatten balls with the bottom of glass until dough is about 1/4-inch thick.


Bake cookies until crisp and light-golden brown around the edges, 14-16 minutes. 

Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack on top of a piece of parchment paper.  Pour the lime glaze over the cooled cookies, allowing the excess to drip off the edges.  Let glaze set.  Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.  Makes 24 cookies. 

For glaze:  Sift powdered sugar into a medium bowl.  Add lime juice; stir until smooth.  Stir in lime zest.  (Next time I make these I will blend the glaze ingredients together in a food processor to get a smoother texture.)  Use glaze immediately. 

Enjoy!

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Crazy Craisin Cookies

I am always on the hunt for fun new cookie recipes to try, especially for the holidays. This recipe from my friend caught my eye immediately with the fun combination of white chocolate, Craisins, and toffee bits.   They were simple and easy to whip together and I loved the way it all came together.  It is the toffee that really gave it the unique crunch and flavor.   I found my Heath toffee bits in a bag with chocolate chips (see ingredient picture below), but if they're not available in your area you can just buy a 3-4 Heath candy bars and crunch them up for the same effect. 

Click here for printable recipe.  

The ingredients:

1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup Craisins
1 cup white chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups toffee bits (I found mine already chopped in a bag with the chocolate chips)

TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE:  
1. omit regular flour and substitute gluten free flour
2.  Ensure that the oats are gluten free 

DIRECTIONS:
Cream butter and sugars together. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Then add the flour, baking soda, and oats and mix until just combined.

Stir in the Craisins, white chocolate chips, and toffee bits until just combined. Roll into balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 7-8 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Dipped Macaroons

I love this time of year when it's perfectly acceptable to bake goodies every day of the week and no one even thinks twice about it.  Goodies to eat, goodies to share with friends, goodies for parties, and goodies as gifts--it's all good!  I made these delightful cookies for a luncheon last Christmas and was asked several times for the recipe.  Covered in chocolate and with all that good  coconut flavor this recipe from Epicurious is the perfect creative cookie to share!

Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. finely grated orange peel
3 large eggs
24 ounces sweetened flaked coconut (about 6 cups firmly packed)
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted


Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 3 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and salt; beat until blended. Beat in orange peel, then eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in coconut. Drop batter onto sheets by tablespoonfuls, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake macaroons, 1 sheet at a time, until golden on bottom and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool completely on sheets.

Using fork, drizzle chocolate over macaroons. ( I also dipped the bottoms into the chocolate, which seemed to be a big hit at the luncheon). Chill on sheets until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

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