Posted in Recipes

French Bread Pizza

one large (soft) French Bread loaf, or two smaller size baguettes

Homemade Red Sauce

Mozzarrella Cheese, by the round or shredded

Pizza toppings of your choice

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Fresh Basil (dried may be substituted)

Preheat oven to 400°.  Slice French Bread loaf in half width-wise, then in half again length-wise.  Place on a cookie sheet (I line it with aluminum foil for easy clean-up Ü), crust side down, and toast for a few minutes.  Do not let too brown, we're just lightly toasting this.

After it's toasted, pull bread out of oven.  Top each section with red sauce.  Next, place your cheese and then toppings on.  One of my favorite ways to have this is to alternate and slightly overlap slices of mozzarella cheese and tomatoes.  Delicious!  When you're satisfied with your toppings, drizzle olive oil over the top, add some salt and pepper (I use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper), and basil (if using fresh, hand-shred; if using dried, just sprinkle over to taste). 

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling.  Add a little more basil when done baking, and enjoy!!

Posted in Recipes

I just wanted to note here in the Recipes section of my blog that many more recipes can be found under my Tightwad Tuesday collection.  HSB does not allow us to cross-reference posts, so the ones I place into the Tightwad Tuesday collection don't quite make it over here.  They're too yummy to miss out on, so go check them out!

Posted in Recipes

Stir Fry

Carrots, peeled and sliced

Celery, sliced

Mushrooms (fresh), sliced

Water Chestnuts, at least two cans, sliced

Green Onions, a couple of bunches, diced

Red Pepper, sliced

Whatever other vegetables your family likes, sliced or diced

Beginning with the cruncher veggies, fry them in light olive oil for a few minutes.  Slowly add veggies according to their hardness, from hard to soft (mushrooms would come last).  When your veggies are almost done add the homemade seasoning mix and let it set for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally.  When it is to your satisfaction, either mix the whole shebang with brown rice, or pour over brown rice.  Add some Chow Mein Noodles, and voila!  Dinner is served!

Posted in Recipes

Turkey and Spinach Pitas

1 lb. ground chicken or turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, pressed

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced (I use canned in this recipe)

1 bag of spinach

1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

6 whole-wheat pitas

1 tomato, chopped (we use homemade salsa here)

In a skillet, cook poultry and inion over medium-high heat until browned.  Drain and blot poultry with paper towels to absorb excess grease.

Add garlic, mushrooms, spinach, and cilantro and cook for about three minutes until spinach wilts.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon mixture into pitas and top with tomato (homemade salsa).

Posted in Recipes

Happy Sunday, dear readers!!  There's nothing particularly exciting about it, but I'm tired of having complaining thoughts about the heat-from-Hades-that-we-call-summer-that-will-not-end, so thought that I'd try for the whole if-you-think-things-are-great-they-will-be philosophy. 

Finished our second week of a successful (up til now) new school year on Friday, and I'm whipped.  It really takes it out of you to actually *teach* your children, doesn't it?? (she types tongue-in-cheek)  The boys are excited about their books, with Piper exclaiming that this is the *BEST* year yet!!  I'm happy he's happy.  It's so much easier to teach them and to get them to take an interest in school when they love what they're doing.

Anywho, I just thought that in the spirit of non-whining, I'd share with you all my family recipe for No-Bake Cookies, which are just the ticket when it's far too hot to turn your oven on, and also which I made on Friday.  Have a blessed and peaceful Sunday!

Shani's Family's No-Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar

1 stick butter

1/2 cup milk (I use Rice Milk with equal success)

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

Melt the butter in a dutch oven pan on the stovetop.  Add sugar, milk and cocoa powder and mix well.  Let mixture come to a boil, and boil for a minute, stirring constantly.  Turn off the heat, add vanilla, stir in oats, and drop by the teaspoonful onto wax paper.  Let set, and enjoy!

Posted in Recipes

So the other day I posted about a wonderful breakfast treat that can be prepared in only five minutes, left to rise over night, and then simply popped in the oven for a quick and delicious breakfast.  Here it is:

Monkey Bread

20 unbaked frozen dinner rolls (Rhodes is a brand I have used; Bridgeport is also good)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted

Lightly grease a 10 inch bundt cake pan. Place frozen rolls into the pan and sprinkle with brown sugar, the pudding mix, and cinnamon. Pour melted butter over the top. If you don't have a bundt pan, you can use a muffin tin, but they turn out better in a bundt pan.

Cover with a clean, damp cloth and leave overnight at room temperature to rise.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Bake rolls for 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Turn rolls out onto a serving plate and dig in!

I got this recipe from FlyLady's website last year, and it was immediately turned into a family favorite!  We now celebrate each holiday with this wonderful cinnamon bread, leading Mo Chroi, Piper, and Jigger to declare all sorts of days holidays, or to at least try to, lol!!

I hope you enjoy it!!