Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough
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1 cup Shortening
1 cup boiling water

2 eggs beaten with fork

1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
2 yeast packages

about 6 cups flour

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In a small/medium sized bowl, put two yeast packages and lukewarm water.  Sprinkle some of the 1/3 cup of sugar into the yeast to help it rise.

In a large bowl, put shortening, sugar, salt, and boiling water.  Break up shortening with spoon so it melts a little easier with the boiling water.  Will not be completely melted.

Add in eggs and yeast mixture.  Add in flour one cup at a time and mix well.  Should use somewhere between 5 &1/2 and 6 cups of flour.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

from Cooks.com

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

1 c. graham cracker crumbs (I just shoved a sleeve of graham crackers in my food processor/blender. Worked like a charm!)
1/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 c. melted butter

2 c. creamy peanut butter
2 c. sugar
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tbsp. melted butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. whipping cream

4 oz. semisweet chocolate
3 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. hot coffee (I'm trying to figure out what I can use in exchange for coffee... milk?)

Combine crumbs, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup melted butter.  Press into bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-in springform pan.  Beat peanut butter, sugar, cream cheese, 2 tbsp. butter and vanilla in a large bowl of an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.  In a separate bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form.  Fold whipped cream into peanut butter mixture (for me, I did the opposite.  I mixed the peanut butter into the whipped cream a big spoonful at a time and mixed until it was mixed in very well.)  Spoon into crust.  Refrigerate 6 hours.

Melt chocolate and coffee in double boiler over gently simmering water.  Spread atop filling.  Refrigerate until firm.

When I made this, I didn't have chocolate to put on top, but it would've helped offset the richness of the peanut butter.  Serve this with a huge glass of milk.  Delicious!

Dad's Meatloaf with Glaze

There are two dishes that my dad is famous for.

Lasagna and Meatloaf.

Today I made meatloaf for the family, and it was delicious!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 package of Stove Top Stuffing (we used the cornbread one today--It was great! Though I think we usually use pork or something.  I don't really notice much difference)

1 egg

Salt and Pepper

Milk

Glaze

1/4 c brown sugar

1/4 c ketchup

(We like a lot of this stuff on it, so feel free to add more or less according to your taste... but it's pretty darn good!)

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. In a medium bowl, mix hamburger, egg, stuffing, and S&P together.  Use milk to moisten the mixture until everything kind of sticks together.  It's probably between a 1/2 cup and a cup.  It should all stick together, but it shouldn't be gooey/pasty either.
3. Gently pack mix into a bread pan.
4. Mix ketchup and brown sugar together and spread on top of meatloaf mixture.
5. Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until done.
6. ENJOY!!!

Horseradish Gravy

AMAZING.  I found it HERE.

Horseradish Gravy:
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour

Make Roux with butter and flour; When thick add 1 to 2 cups corned beef broth. Once it is to a consistency you like - add 1 tsp. Dijon mustard and 1 to 2 teaspoons horseradish. The more horseradish the more heat! I triple this recipe because once your guests taste it - they want all their veggies to take a bath in it!

I put waaaay more horseradish in than it said, cuz it was delish.

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
1/3 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp sugar (or more)
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 (1/4 oz) pkg dry yeast

In small saucepan, heat milk and 2 Tbsp butter just until warm (120-130 degrees) and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly.  In large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, an salt.  Add milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until well mixed.  Beat in egg and yeast.

In separate mixing bowl, combine flours.  Add half of flour mixture to pumpkin mixture.  Beat on low for 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl frequently.  Add remaining flour and mix thoroughly (dough will be very soft).  Turn into lightly greased bowl, then grease surface of dough lightly.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.  Punch dough down.  Turn onto floured surface. Knead a few turns to form a smooth dough, sprinkling with enough additional flour to make dough easy to handle.  On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 12x10 inch rectangle.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.  Brush surface of dough with melted butter.  Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture.  Beginning with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style.  Pinch seam to seal.  With sharp knife, cut roll into 12 1-inch slices.  Place rolls, cut side up, in greased 9 inch square baking pan.  Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.

Bake rolls at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until golden.  Remove from pan to waxed paper-lined wire rack.  Cool 10 to 15 minutes.  Drizzle with Caramel frosting.  Makes 12 rolls.

Caramel Frosting
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
2 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 dash salt
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup powdered sugar

In small saucepan, heat butter until melted.  Stir in brown sugar and milk.  Cook over medium low heat 1 minute.

Transfer to small mixer bowl and cool mixture.  Stir in vanilla, salt, and confectioners' sugar.  Beat with electric mixer until well blended.  If necessary, add more confectioners' sugar for desired consistency.