World's Best Pizza

Pizza night at our place is a big hit!

I start by making an EASY pizza crust my Dad taught me to make. Once the dough is ready, everyone gets to roll out their own pizza dough and add only the stuff they want on our own personal pies.


What You'll Need:
3 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 packages dry active yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water from the tap
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
Flour, for the work surface
Cornmeal, to dust

Let's Get Cookin':
In a mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook, place flour, yeast, salt and sugar. While mixer is running, gradually add water and knead on low speed until dough is firm and smooth, about 10 minutes. Turn machine off. Pour oil down inside of bowl. Turn on low once more for 15 seconds to coat inside of bowl and all surfaces of dough with the oil.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

If using a pizza stone, place stone in oven on bottom rack, preheat oven 1 hour ahead.

Punch dough down, divide into pieces for everyone. Place on generously floured work surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough into circle until very thin. Don't worry if your circle isn't perfect and if you get a hole just pinch the edges back together. To prevent dough from sticking to counter, turn over the dough and sprinkle with flour.

Sprinkle pizza peel or cookie sheet generously with cornmeal. Transfer dough to pizza peel or cookie sheet with no lip. Add toppings. Slide dough onto pizza stone or place cookie sheet with pizza on bottom rack.

Bake 10 to12 minutes or until golden. (Any extra dough can be rolled out and frozen.)

Candied Pecans

I love candied pecans on my salad but noticed they are about a million dollars at my neighborhood H-E-B. So, I learned to make them. It is super easy!

What You'll Need:
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1 cup sugar

Let's Get Cookin':
Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.

Add pecans and sugar; stir to combine.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar melts around pecans and is caramel-colored.

Remove pecans with a slotted spoon and spread in a single layer on a sheet of lightly greased aluminum foil. Cool completely and break up pieces as needed.

They are also fantastic as a snack!

Perfect Pot Pie

Nothing goes better with cooler months like a Perfect Pot Pie. This recipe is a good combo of scratch made and store bought conveniences.

What You'll Need:
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery (I don't participate in celery, but feel free if you want to ruin a perfectly delicious pot pie)
3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups diced potatoes
1 (16 ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup Milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups chopped cooked chicken (I like to use chicken breast that has been pounded to a uniform thickness, dredged in flour, and pan sautee in olive oil. However, you can prepare the bird any way you like. It's really good with left over chicken.)
2 refrigerated pie crusts

Let's Get Cookin':
Preheat oven to 400°.

Saute potato in butter for 5 minutes in a dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, celery (yuck) and thawed frozen vegetables. Saute for another 10 minutes. Add flour gradually to the sauteed mixture, stirring constantly for one minute.

Allow refrigerated pie crust to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, combine half-and-half (or milk) and chicken broth. Gradually stir into the vegetable mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in salt and pepper. Add chopped chicken, stirring well. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Spray nonstick spray into a 9 X 13 casserole. Place pie crust on the bottom of the pan to cover, cutting to fit. Pour chicken/vegetable mixture over the pie crust, then top with the remaining pie crust. Cut vents into the top crust.

Bake for 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.