Thai-Style Peanut Sauce with Honey

Thai-Style Peanut Sauce with Honey
by: Jeramyn Feucht
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/thai-style-peanut-sauce-with-honey/detail.aspx

I made this recently for our Global Outreach conference at church. We pray for missionaries in Thailand and this is one of the many foods that were on the Thailand table. I've also made it recently at home for us to enjoy, as requested by my husband:) It's great on chicken, rice, and vegetables.

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup honey
* 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
* 1 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter (optional)
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil
* 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
* 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Stir together the honey, peanut butters, soy sauce, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

Garlic Knots

Garlic Knots

Here's a great recipe to go along with any type of Italian meal!
First make your dough. This is the same dough recipe I use for my pizzas.

Ingredients for dough

* 1 cup warm water
* 1 tsp. sugar
* 1 1/4-oz. packet active dry yeast
* 3 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra for coating
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
* 1 tsp. salt

Ingredients for butter mixture topping
The proportions I enjoy are 1 tbsp. minced garlic mixed with 1/2 stick of butter. Then add salt as needed.
* garlic (fresh or minced)
* 1 or 2 sticks of butter (depending on how many garlic knots you want to make)
* salt

Instructions

1. Place 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl. Stir in the sugar until dissolved, then sprinkle the yeast onto the surface of the water. Let the yeast float there for 1 minute, then stir it into the water. Let the yeast "proof" for 10 minutes. It should bubble a bit; if it doesn't, the yeast is outdated and inactive.
2. Pour the yeast mixture into a large bowl, then stir in the remaining water, and add the olive oil, flour and salt. With a wooden spoon, mix the dough until it forms a ball. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.

Coat the inside of a large glass or ceramic bowl with olive oil. Press the ball of dough into the bottom of the bowl, then flip the dough over so the oiled side is on top. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Makes 1 1/2 pounds of dough.

After the dough has risen, knead the dough again. Then break off small pieces and roll into a snake. Tie those pieces into knots. Bake at 450 degrees until slightly brown on top. Take it out of the oven and then pour butter mixture on top. Enjoy!!!

Need help with the process? I found this great video tutorial.
http://www.ehow.com/video_2340972_bake-knot-rolls.html

Heartwarming Pizza

We made daddy (and ourselves) a Valentines pizza! What's that saying again??..."A way to a man's heart is through his stomach." haha


Check out this kneading action!! "Go Sawyer go, Go Sawyer go!"




Heartwarming Pizza

A fun food idea from FamilyFun magazine! My Valentines sure did enjoy it!

Perfect Pizza Dough


Kids can push, pull and twist this basic pizza dough all they want--the more you handle it, the better. Use it for pizza, breadsticks, calzones and even focaccia.

Ingredients

* 1 cup warm water
* 1 tsp. sugar
* 1 1/4-oz. packet active dry yeast
* 3 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra for coating
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
* 1 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Place 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl. Stir in the sugar until dissolved, then sprinkle the yeast onto the surface of the water. Let the yeast float there for 1 minute, then stir it into the water. Let the yeast "proof" for 10 minutes. It should bubble a bit; if it doesn't, the yeast is outdated and inactive.
2. Pour the yeast mixture into a large bowl, then stir in the remaining water, and add the olive oil, flour and salt. With a wooden spoon, mix the dough until it forms a ball. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.

Coat the inside of a large glass or ceramic bowl with olive oil. Press the ball of dough into the bottom of the bowl, then flip the dough over so the oiled side is on top. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Makes 1 1/2 pounds of dough.

Now to construct the pizza.

Ingredients

Perfect Pizza Dough (the recipe above)
olive oil for coating or cornmeal for dusting
1 c. homemade or store-bought tomato pizza sauce
3 c. cheese (of your choice)

Directions

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Punch down the risen dough, knead it a few times to remove all the air, and divide it in two. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll one portion into a 12-inch round. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and shape into a heart. Take some more dough in your hands and roll the dough in a snake shape to make the crust around the edges.

Spread a thin layer of sauce on the crust--not too much, or else your pizza will become soggy. (A word on sauce: if you don't have time for homemade, spruce up a 14-ounce jar of store-bought by adding garlic and dried oregano.)

Top your pizza with cheese and your choice of any additional toppings. Bake 12 to 15 minutes; subtract a few minutes if you're using a pizza stone. When done, the crust will be golden underneath. Makes two 12-inch pizzas.

Lasagna

Lasagna
by: Ronna Corsini & Katie Corsini Reid

This delicious recipe is from our pastor's wife, Katie. She watched her mom make it this way growing up. Katie said, "You can choose to leave out the olives. Sometimes I use Ricotta instead of Cottage Cheese and you can use any combination of ground beef and/or Italian sausage. I also add more or less tomato sauce if it seems dry. Enjoy!"

I personally love this recipe! We had the whole Boyd Family over and there wasn't a bite left! I can't wait to make it again!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 of a medium sized onion
1 box lasagna noodles
1 jar or can of pre-made spaghetti sauce
1 small can of sliced olives
garlic to taste (powder, minced, or fresh)
2 c. of cottage cheese
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Chop the onion and cook it while browning the ground beef.
2. Boil the noodles if you have the regular kind. I use the "oven ready" noodles that you don't have to boil.
3. Once the meat is cooked, drain off the fat and return it to the stove on low heat.
4. Add the spaghetti sauce, olives, garlic, and cottage cheese. Mix all of this together while cooking on low heat.
5. Layer the bottom of a 9x13 pan with 3 noodles. Top it with meat/sauce mixture and then sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top. Repeat these layers: noodles, meat/sauce mixture, cheese, until you've used up your ingredients.
6. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until bubbly. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

Carrot Orzo

Carrot Orzo

Karen Brosius, Columbia, S.C.
Southern Living, JUNE 2010

This turned out very delicious! It was my first time cooking with orzo but now I look forward to more orzo recipes!

Ingredients

* 8 ounces carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
* 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1 cup Parmesan cheese
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh or dried chives
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried thyme

Preparation

1. Process carrots in a food processor 15 seconds or until finely chopped.

2. Combine 2 1/2 cups water and broth in a microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes or until very hot.

3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots and onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until tender. Add orzo and garlic, and cook 1 minute.

4. Slowly stir hot broth mixture, salt, and pepper into orzo mixture. Cook, stirring often, 15 to 18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

5. Stir in Parmesan cheese, chives, and thyme until blended. Serve orzo immediately. Garnish, if desired.

Santa Fe Soup

Santa Fe Soup (some call it "Taco Soup")
by: Barbara Childs

Ingredients:

* 1 lb ground beef
* 1 med chopped onion
* 1 pack Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
* 1 pack Taco Seasoning mix
* 1 tsp. garlic
* 1 28oz. can diced tomatoes
* 1 can Rotel tomatoes, undrained
* 1 can pinto beans, undrained
* 1 can black beans, undrained
* 1 can kidney beans, undrained
* 1 can shoe-peg corn, undrained

Directions:

Brown beef and drain. Next add the onion and seasoning packets, adding ½ -1 cup water with seasonings. Put in large pot then add all the cans. Stir and cook on low for 2 hours. You may have to add extra water. You can add another pound of meat and another package of taco seasoning if you are serving a lot of people. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.

You can also make this in the crock-pot very easily! Cook your meat and add it to all the other ingredients in the crock pot. Wa-la! So incredibly yummy!