Pizza Factory Breadsticks

Pizza Factory Breadsticks

(15-20, depending on how fat you make them)

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 T sugar

1 T yeast

Let that sit for 5 minutes. Then add:

3 1/2 cups flour

1 t salt

To brush on top:

1/2 stick butter (1/4 cup), melted

garlic salt

Mix until smooth and then let rise for 10 minutes.  Roll the dough into a large square on a floured surface. Mix together the melted butter and garlic salt and brush half of it onto the dough.  Fold the dough in half and cut into 15-20 strips (about 1 inch each).  Twist each strip and place on an UNGREASED cookie sheet.  Let the twists sit for 15 -20 minutes to rise (I just let them rise while the oven is preheating).  Bake the breadsticks at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  As soon as they come out, brush the tops with the remaining garlic butter.

(Crockpot) Cheese Tortellini and Sausage

Ingredients

1	(19 oz.) bag frozen cheese tortellini
1	lb. sausage (I prefer Italian)
1	bag fresh spinach
2	cans Italian style diced tomatoes
2	cans low-fat chicken broth
1	(8 oz.) cream cheese, cut into cubes

Directions

1. Brown the sausage in a skillet on the stove top until cooked and crumbled. Drain. 2. Add the sausage and remaining ingredients except noodles to a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cook, on LOW for 5 hours, stirring twice during cooking.
Boil noodles and add last minute.

Olive Garden's tuscan soup

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, cut into a small dice

1 pound hot Italian sausage, ground or links with casings removed

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups (32 ounces) chicken broth or stock

3 cups Russet potatoes, cubed

sea or kosher salt and fresh black pepper

2 loose packed cups kale, in bite size pieces

1 cup heavy cream or 14 ounce can evaporated milk

Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving 

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot or sauce pan cook bacon over medium until crispy. Add sausage and break it apart as it cooks. Once sausage is browned and crumbled drain off the grease leaving a tablespoon or two to saute the onion.
2. Push the sausage to the edges of the pot and add onion to center - saute until translucent then add garlic and saute until fragrant.
3. Stir in broth and potatoes, season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, simmer for about 20 minute or until potatoes are tender.
4. Add kale and heavy cream or evaporated milk. Bring to a simmer. Taste and re-season as needed. Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread. 

Homemade Fresh Salsa

Kilee's Homemade Salsa

16 cups (20-25) Roma Tomatoes
5 Bell Peppers (green)
2 Jalepeno peppers
1 Serrano pepper
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 bunch cilantro
1 cups shopped onion
4 cloves garlic 
1 Anaheim pepper
1/4 cup salt
4 limes

Blanche and skin tomatoes.  Run through food processor.  Cut and seed bell peppers.  Run through food processor.  Cut tops of all peppers and seed for mild salsa or leave seeds in for hotter salsa. Run through food processor. Add remaining ingredients. Squeeze in lime juice.  Stir and ENJOY!!  If you feel like you need more tomatoes, but don't have more Romas you can always add a can or two of stewed canned tomatoes. I also put in about half the salt it calls for then judge it by taste. If you're eating it with salty chips sometimes it's too much :o)

*This make a HUGE amount.  You can 1/2 the recipe if you would like.  Just be sure if you do the whole recipe that you have a huge bowl. 

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies


4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda, set aside. 


In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven.

Pudding Cookies

Pudding Cookies

Ingredients:

4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 t. baking soda

1-1/2 c butter (3 sticks) softened

1-1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

1/2 c. white sugar

2 (3.4 oz.) pkgs. instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs, room temp

2 t. vanilla extract

4 c. of add-ins

( like chocolate/butterscotch/peanut butter/white chocolate chips, candy bars, m&m's, nuts, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together flour and baking soda in separate bowl and set aside; in a large bowl, cream butter, brown and white sugar. Beat in pudding mix until well blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. When smooth, slowly add in the flour mixture. This can take a little while, but make sure it's well incorporated into mix.  Bake 8 - 12 minutes.