Veggie Pizza

From my lovely mama :)

Ingredients:
2 pkgs. crescent rolls
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese
1 env. Ranch House salad dressing mix
1 c. mayonnaise

3/4 c. green onions, finely sliced or red onion chopped (i only use 1/4 cup)
3/4 c. carrot, grated
3/4 c. chopped tomatoes
3/4 c. cauliflower, finely chopped
3/4 c. broccoli, finely chopped
3/4 c. ripe olives, finely chopped

Directions:
Place crescent rolls flat on a cookie sheet, pinch seams together, forming a crust. Bake crescent roll crust according to package instructions, then cool completely.
Mix cream cheese, Ranch House dressing and mayonnaise. Spread mixture over crescent rolls. Layer vegetables on top. Let sit in refrigerator until ready to serve. Remove wax paper and cut into small squares to serve.

**I don't always have all the vegetable so I don't always use all of them. And I just kind of guess on how much. I chop and then sprinkle on top until its covered as much as I want.

Focaccia Bread

This takes about 45 minutes to an hour total but is SO easy!

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
**1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
**1 cup mozzarella

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.
When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with olive oil.
**Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. OR You can also just brush it with Olive oil and herbs if you would like.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Fruit Pizza

This Recipe is from What's Cooking America... so good!!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes

Ingredients:
* 1 (18-ounce) package refrigerated cookie dough
* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring (almond, orange, or lemon)
* Fresh blueberries, banana slices, mandarin orange sections, seedless grapes, strawberry halves, kiwifruit (or any other fruit you want really....
* 1/2 cup orange, peach, or apricot preserves (to make glaze - optional)
* 1 Tablespoon water

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line an ungreased 14-inch pizza pan with cookie dough cut in 1/8-inch slices, overlapping slightly. Bake 12 minutes or until light brown; remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract or other flavoring; spread over cookie crust. Arrange fruit over cream cheese layer in any design you want (use your imagination).

In a small saucepan over very low heat, make a glaze by heating preserves and water. Brush glaze over fruit, making sure to cover the fruit that will turn dark. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: This does not keep well, so plan on using it up. You may also use your own sugar cookie recipe in place of the refrigerated dough.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

A few snack and side ideas

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

All you need is Asparagus and Prosciutto! Just wrap one peace around each asparagus spear. Steam or boil the asparagus as normal and then chill before wrapping the prosciutto around. You can hold it in place with a toothpick or lay it down


Apples and Feta

One of my favorite snacks when I come home from a long day is just apples with feta. Sometimes, I even just put it all in a bowl and eat it with a fork. The feta takes the sour edge off the apples leaving still just enough flavor that its still a refreshing snack or side -- and good for you too!


Frozen Blueberries and Milk

I love pouring a little bit of milk over frozen blueberries. Just enough that they're coated and the milk will freeze in the bowl with the blueberries. Great for breakfast even!


Couscous

You can cook it in your rice cooker if you buy it in bulk or you can buy the quick and easy kind I like. Buy plain couscous and just add some mint leaves torn up along with some peas and maybe a dash of some of your favorite seasonings. The mint gives it just the right amount of flavor!

Olive Tapenade

First discovered by myself, my sister, and my mother at the Spaghetti Factory. Love at first bite.

Ingredients:
20 pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp rinsed, drained, and chopped capers
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
Fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
**Serve with water crackers or unsalted saltines to spread on.

Combine everything in a food processor (I use my magic bullet!) Put it in a bowl and chill until ready to serve. Will keep for up to 2 weeks refrigerated.

Pesto

I don't think something like pesto even needs an introduction... other than to say that this one is nut free =)

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves stemmed
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil (extra virgin please!!)
1 tsp salt, more to taste
1 grated zest of lemon
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp freshly ground (or not whatev) black pepper
(You can add pine nuts or pumpkin seeds if you want)

Directions:
Turn on a food processor and add the garlic first until finely chopped (5 secs). Add the basil, process 5 secs. Add cheese, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and pepper. Process until sauce is green. Taste the pesto and adjust anything you desire. Serve on crackers, toast, or your favorite pasta This pesto will keep for 3 days in an airtight container.

YUM!

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Guilt Free Salsa from my mom - DELICIOUS and addictive =)

Ingredients:
2 16-oz. cans black beans
1 16 oz. can of corn
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 medium avocado, chopped (I usually put either one large one or two small ones because I love them!)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime
Hint of Lime Tortilla Chips

Drain the black beans and corn. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for the lime and chips. Toss to mix well.
Before serving, squeeze the juice from one lime over the top
Serve with lime chips

Italian Cheese and Crackers

Guests coming soon? This is fast, addicting, and guaranteed to impress!

Ingredients:
Water crackers (my favorite), wheat thins, or thin crisp triscuits
Ricotta cheese
Pesto (premaid in the refrigerated section)
Capers
Kalamata olives (Seedless cut in half)

Directions:
Lay out the crackers on a serving tray, as many as you are going to need. Place a spoonful of ricotta cheese on each one and spread to cover the cracker. Put a "dollop" of pesto next, smaller than how much ricotta you put on. Place one Kalamata olive on each cracker and top with one or two capers.

These look awesome and taste SO good. I prefer water crackers because they add texture but not an overpowering wheaty flavor. But whatever you like will work!

Cheesy Bread Bowl Dip

I have more requests for this recipe than anything else I make, and people are always surprised what is in it and how easy it is... And of course I got it from my mom!

Ingredients:
8 oz. Cream Cheese or Neufchatel cheese
1/4 cup green onions
16 oz. Sour Cream
1 bottle Dried Beef chopped (in the canned meats aisle)
1 french bread loaf cut into cubes
1 round bread loaf (boule, or 4 small bread bowls if you can't find the large ones works too)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 200-350 degrees depending how much time you have. Combine all ingredients and mix until well blended. Cut out the top of the bread bowl(s) and remove the inside bread but SAVE it. Fill the bread bowl with the mixture and replace the top so it stays enclosed. Wrap in foil and place in the oven for the time and temperature specified below:
If you have 2 hours or more: 200 degrees works great
If you have less than that crank the temperature up between 200 and 350 degrees to heat it through faster.
Serve with Bread for dipping. I promise, they'll keep coming back for more. You can make this dip and freeze it for future parties!

Yummy Yummy Meatballs!

If you've never had homemade meatballs these are just the ones to start with (If I do say so myself). mmmmm....

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2-2/3 cup dry breadcrumbs (seasoned are fine too)
1/4 cup milk
1/4-3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 small onion, chopped (or about1/4 tsp or 1/2 tsp onion powder)
1 egg
**Spaghetti or noodles of choice
**Your choice of spaghetti sauce

Combine all ingredients and shape into 20-24 meatballs (1 to 1-1/2 inches each). Line a 9x13 pan with foil for easy clean-up. Bake at 425 for about 25 min or until light brown and cooked through; turn meatballs halfway through, if desired, to help maintain a round shape. Serve over spaghetti and sauce; I prefer just a traditional sauce since the meatballs have so much flavor but choose your favorite, and of course sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if you like!

**I have also added other spices, anything you want is fine... (thyme, oregano, basil, etc)
**These make great meatball sandwiches the next day, just add some mozzarella cheese and broil for a few minutes.