BBQ Chicken Pizza

I love making Homemade pizza, crust included. You can make any creation that you want. This is my Husbands favorite pizza. I really like it too. Although I pick off the red pepper. But he likes it and I like him, so I put the red pepper on. The crust is just perfect.

Mix all your crust ingredients together (sorry I didn't get a picture of the crust process, but it is really straight forward). Press into a pan and sprinkle with a little more seasoning. I like to put foil on my pan and then spray with Pam (or any non-stick spray)

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Just until the crust is cooked through.

Slice your onions, pretty thin.

Carmelize them with Butter. I like to add alittle brown sugar at the end.

Slice your pepper and fry, just until they are a little soft. If you like crunchy peppers on your pizza then don't fry them, just put them on pizza.

Cut and fry your chicken breast. When it is fully cooked add enough BBQ sauce to give the chicken a nice coat of sauce.

Spread BBQ sauce over your cooked crust. Don't go light. Your crust will soak up some of the sauce and so if you don't have enough on there it will almost be too dry when you eat it. You want to be able to taste the BBQ sauce.

Sprinkle with a little Mozza.

Then load on all your toppings.

Cover with cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Until all the cheese is melted.

Slice and serve!!!!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Dough

2 cups warm water

1 tsp sugar

2 heaping tbsp yeast

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup oil

4 1/2- 5 cups flour

1-2 tsp italian seasoning

Mix water, sugar, yeast, salt, seasoning. Add oil and flour and mix. Let rise 15 minutes. Then press into greased pan. Sprinkle with more italian seasoning. This make enough for 2 round pizzas or one large pan pizza. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Until crust is cooked through.

Turn up the oven temp to 425 degrees.

Pizza

2 chicken breasts

2 medium onions

2tbsp butter (maybe more)

1 tbsp brown sugar (more if you want it sweeter)

1 red pepper

BBQ sauce

Mozza cheese

Cover your crust with enough BBQ sauce for a nice 'saucy layer'. Sprinkle with a small amount of mozza cheese.

Slice your onions and add to pan along with butter. Caramelize your onions. You may need to or want to add a little more butter. You can add brown sugar if you want them sweeter. They will turn a nice caramel color and be soft. Remove from pan and place on pizza

Slice pepper thinly. Add to pan and cook until tender. Like I said, if you want crispy peppers, don't cook them. I just like the peppers soft. Place on pizza.

Cube the chicken breasts and cook in pan until cooked through. Add BBQ sauce to pan and coat chicken cubes. Add to pizza.

If you want you can use 3 different pans and cook them all at the same time, but I like to just use one pan. Less dishes.

Cover the pizza with Mozza Cheese.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

I found this recipe on Pinterest. The original recipe is from Our Best Bites. As I am typing this blog I can't get my link to work, so I will have to put the whole address for you at the bottom of this post. I made a few slight modifications from what they have and I actually think that it made it better. But the orginal recipe is good too.

Whisk together flour baking soda and salt.

In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar. Add egg, banana, sour cream, apple juice or milk, vanilla and lime zest of 1 lime.

Add flour mixture and mix till just combined.

Stir in coconut.

Pour into prepared loaf pan.

Add the coconut to the top.

Bake at 350 degree.

I don't know if my oven is not hot, but it took almost 1hour and 10 minutes for this to bake.

Let the loaf cool. While cooling prepare your glaze.

Combine lime zest, lime juice, and powdered sugar.

I prepared mine the night before serving, so I actually poured a little glaze over the top and let that soak in over night.

In the morning I transfered to a plate and then poured the remaining amount of glaze over top.

Honestly the glaze was the best part, so feel free to make double and make sure that every inch of your loaf is covered in glaze!!!!!

Coconut Banana Bread with lime Glaze

2 C flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 C sugar, additional 2 tbsp for pan

1/4 C (4 Tbs) real butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 1/2 C mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large bananas)

1/4 C sour cream or plain yogurt

3 Tbs apple juice or milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 C coconutTopping: 2 Tbs additional coconut

3 limes, zested

Glaze: 1/2 C powdered sugar whisked with 1 1/2 Tbs fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until blended. Add eggs and beat to combine. Add banana, sour cream or yogurt, apple juice (or milk), and vanilla. Add the zest of 1 lime. Beat until blended.

Add flour mixture and beat at a low speed until just combined. Stir in 1/2 C coconut.

Spray a 9X5 loaf pan with non-stick spray. Combine zest from 1 lime and 2tbsp of sugar and sprinkle around the sprayed pan. If you need, add more sugar to the pan. This will give the bread a nice sugary crust.

Pour batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle additional 2 Tbs coconut on top.

Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until a knife or skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Note: Check bread after about 40 minutes. If the top has browned and the coconut pieces are looking toasty, cover top of bread lightly with a piece of foil. Continue baking until done.When done, remove pan from oven. Let cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes and then carefully remove from pan.

Whisk powdered sugar, lime zest, and lime juice together for the glaze and then drizzle over top. Cool for another 15 minutes before slicing.

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/04/coconut-banana-bread-with-lime-glaze/

Fruit Soup

This is a recipe that I got from my Granny (my mom's mom). A few years ago I was staying at her house for the weekend and she made this for breakfast. I had to have the recipe. I wrote it down on a note pad that read "A note from Joyce Tulk" . I have written out the recipe on a card of my own to fit in my recipe box, but I still can't get rid of that piece of paper.

My parents were visiting this weekend I wanted something for breakfast that wasn't cereal and wasn't pancakes. I knew that Fruit soup was the answer.

In a pot heat tapioca, sugar, salt and water. Heat to boil.

It will thicken. Pour into a large bowl.

Stir in orange juice. Cool 15 minutes.

Cut up fruit into small bite-sized pieces and mix into orange juice mixture.

After the fruit is added you can cover and store in the fridge overnight.

If you are using bananas, pears, apples, etc. don't cut them the night before, cut and add them before serving.

So fresh and so yummy. I love it.

Fruit Soup

3 tbsp quick cooking tapioca

2tbsp sugar

shake of salt

2 1/2 cups water

6oz (1/2 can) frozen orange juice

Fruit- 2 peaches, 1 banana, 1 orange, 1/2 cup grapes, blueberries, kiwi, other

1tsp lemon juice

In pot heat tapioca, sugar, salt, and 1 cup of water. Heat to full boil. Stiring constantly. Pour into large boil. Stir in orange juice until melted.*** Add reminaing 1 1/2 cup water. Cover and chill. Cool 15 minutes. Stir in fruit and lemon juice.

***I used premade orange juice. So I used the first 1 cup of water to make the tapioca but swapped the frozen orange juice and 1 1/2 cup water for 2 cups of premade orange juice.

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

I know, I know. It has been so long again since I have blogged on here.

All my hopes of cooking were dashed when my husband started working out of town, I stopped cooking, and then got pregnant. So most of our meals for a few months were simple and out of a can. Even my Christmas baking plans turned into me sitting on the couch feeling gross.

But now we have moved, I'm not sick anymore and we are back in business for making dinner and yummy baking.

This Casserole was really yummy and really easy. The best part is that because my family only needs a 9X9 pan, I was able to divide this and freeze one for later. Love that. As I have confessed before, my deep love of cooking magazines. This recipe I found in a Taste of Home mag called "Casseroles". It has some really good looking recipes in it.


Fry up some onion and pepper.

Let me also mention that in house new/rental house there is a gas stove. Still not really convinced I like it. But getting used to it.



Add boneless skinless chicken breast. I used rotissary chicken (because it is way easier), but the recipe calls for chicken breast. Use whatever you want.

Stir in 2 jars of Alfredo sauce.

Add salsa, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, milk, taco seasoning

Mix cooked pasta and chicken mixture together.

Divide between 2 greased 8 or 9 inch baking pans (or if needed 1 9X13 pan)

Cover and freeze one pan up to 3 months.
(sorry about the picture, I couldn't get it to flip- annoying)

Cover and bake remaining casserole.

Sprinkle with cheese and ENJOY!!!

MEXICAN CHICKEN ALFREDO

1 pkg (16 oz) gemelli or spiral pasta

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup green pepper, chopped

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tbsp oil

2 jars (15oz each) Alfredo sauce

2 cups cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup medium salsa

1/4 cup 2% milk

4 tsp taco seasoning

1. Cook pasta according to pkg directions

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken, onion, green pepper in oil (because my chicken was precooked, I cooked the onion and green pepper and then just added my chicken after). Once chicken is no longer pink, stir in Alfredo sauce and bring to a boil.

3. Stir in 1-3/4 cups cheddae cheese, parm cheese, salsa, milk, and taco seasoning.

4. Drain the pasta and toss with the chicken mixture. Divide between 2 8 or 9 inch pans (or 1 9X13 pan).

5. Cover and freeze one casserole. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven sprinkle with remaining cheese and return to oven for 5 more minutes.

*** to use the frozen casserole. Thaw in fridge. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.

Ghost Feet

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If you are looking for a cute Halloween craft that is super easy and cute, look no further.

I just think that these ghost feet are so cute. And it really was so easy. No craftiness required.

My sisters-in-law and I made these a few weekends ago. Everyones turned out so cute. Really it is hard to mess it up when it is so easy.


(Pinterest, www.minermoment.blogspot.com)

This is where I got the idea orginally. But we adapted it and made ours on wood. The one above is on a canvas. Both ways are cute. We just happened to have spare wood around.

I used 2 pieces of wood and drilled two little holes in the side and used wire to hold them together. But one long piece is also cute. It would be similar to the canvas.

Materials:
-Wood or canvas, be sure it is the right size to fit all the feet you want and any writing you may want to put on it.
-Black spray paint
-White paint
-Black paint
-a shallow dish (like a paper plate or a paint tray)
-a foam roller
-Thin tipped paint brush
-Ribbon or wire
-drill (if you choose the wood)
-Kids feet

How too:
1. Paint your canvas or wood. I did both sides of my wood because I knew that you would be able to see the back where I was putting it. Obviously if you chose canvas, don't spray the back. Let it dry
2. If you are using wood you need to drill holes in the top for the ribbon (if you are using one piece) or drill holes in the two sides that will connect with wire. Touch up any paint around the holes.
3. Pour a small amount of white paint into your shallow dish. Roll your roller in the paint and then cover the entire bottom of your childs foot. (if you are doing both feet on your kids just paint one foot at a time and be sure to wash the first foot before you start the second) Make sure you get the toes.
4. Line up the foot and press down firmly. Be sure to press down the arch and each toe. Release foot. You may have to fill in the arch of the foot with more white paint. If you want. I filled in the arches of my kids feet, just to give it more of a ghost shape. But if you don't want to, it still looks cute.
5. Using black paint and a fine tipped brush, draw on eyes and a mouth onto your ghost.
6. With white paint and the fine tipped brush, you can write the names of your kids or the date under their feet.
7. With white paint write "Happy Halloween" across the top.
8. If you used the canvas, glue your ribbon along the underside of the top of your canvas. If you are using the one piece of wood, insert your ribbon through the holes that you drilled and tie knots in either end. If you used two pieces of wood like I did, thread your wire through the holes and wrap it and then coil it around a pencil (for the cute curly wire).
9. Display and adore.

Chiffon Pumpkin Pie

This probably should have been posted before thanksgiving so that you all could have made this for your Thanksgiving dinners. But I was busy eating this pie (and others) and travelling up and down the province. But now you can all make it for American Thanksgiving or maybe just any random day, because do you really need a holiday to have pumpkin pie??

This is the pie that my mom makes every year. It is my fav. It is not your traditional pumpkin pie. This is light and fluffy and oh so good. And anything served with Whipped Cream on top is always so good.

I volunteered to make pumpkin pie for dinner at my in-laws house. I made two different pies (forcing everyone to have a slice of each). I wanted to share the other pie with you too, but I didn't have my 'good' camera with me when the bulk of the prep was being done for that pie and my layers got reversed. I'll share the recipe with you at the bottom, but you just won't have pictures of the other pie.

But the Chiffon is a classic to me and my all time fav pie.


You can use either a regular pie shell or you can use a gingersnap crust. Usually my family serves it with a pastry pie shell, but the gingersnap would be good.

You need to use a 9inch pan/shell. If you use an 8inch, there will be too much pumpkin filling.

I didn't feel like making my own pastry (I was pressed for time), so I just used the pilsbury pie dough. It fills a 9inch pan.

Bake it according to the package. Poke your shell with a fork. This allows it to breath and your shell won't shrink. It may look like I went crazy with the fork, but I didn't want it to shrink. It did anyway.



Mix gelatin, brown sugar, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Stir in Milk, water, egg yolks, and pumpkin.

Cook over medium heat.

Remove from heat. Chill.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Add sugar.

Fold pumpkin into the eggs whites.

Pour into your baked pie shell.

Serve with whipped cream.

Chiffon Pumpkin Pie

1 envelop knox gelatin (powder)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup water

3 eggs, seperated

1 1/2 pure pumpkin (not pie filling)

1/4 cup sugar

Mix gelatin, brown sugar, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Stir in Milk, water, egg yolks, and pumpkin.

Cook over medium heat until gelatin dissolves. (about 10 minutes)

Remove from heat and chill in the fridge, Stirring occasionally until mixture mounds when dropped from spoon.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Add sugar.

Fold egg whites into cooled pumpkin mixture.

Pour into baked pie shell. Chill until served.

Serve with Whipped Cream.

Here is the recipe for the other pie that I made. It is really good too.


Snappy Pumpkin Pie

Crust

1 1/2 cup crushed ginger snaps

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 icing sugar

Mix together. Reserve 2tbsp for garnish on top.
Press into 9 inch pie plate. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes.

Filling
1/3 cup icing sugar

1 envelop knox gelatin (prepared according to pkg- mix powder with 1/4 boiling water)

1 1/4 cup pure pumpkin (not the pie filling)

1/2 tsp all spice

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

In sauce pan, stir and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Let cool.

3 egg whites

1/4 cup icing sugar

beat egg whites and gradually add icing sugar. Beat until firm. Fold into cooled pumpkin mix.

Filling #2

1 1/2 cup whipping cream

3/4 cup icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat until fluffy.

Divide in half.

add 1/2 tsp cinnamon to half

To assemble

1. Crust

2. 1/2 of pumpkin mixture

3. Plain whipped cream

4. 1/2 of pumpkin mixture (remaining half)

5. cinnamon whipped cream

6. sprinkle 2tbsp of crumbs

Chocolate-Banana Split Dessert

This dessert was so good.


You will love it too.


I got this recipe from my Kraft Canada "Whats Cooking" magazine. or you can find it here.

If you have ever had 'heaven in a pan' , this is just like, but the 2.0 version. With the bananas and cherries it just tastes that much better. I loved it.




Crush 30 oreos in your blender. (use oreos and not the crumbs)

Mix with butter and press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Refridgerate

cream together cream cheese, sugar, milk, and 1 cup cool whip

Spread evenly over crumb layer.

Refridgerate

layer with sliced bananas.

Mix pudding and milk. Pour over bananas.

Spread with remaining cool whip.

Refridgerate for 4 hours or longer (overnight if you are making it the night before)

Before serving sprinkle with pecans/walnuts, cherries, and drizzle with chocolate sauce.

(** It calls for walnuts, but I prefer pecans**)

So many layers of goodness.


Chocolate-Banana Split Dessert

30 Oreo Cookies, finely crushed (about 2-1/4 cups)
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 pkg. (250 g) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cold milk
3 cups thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping, divided
4 bananas, sliced
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
3-1/4 cups cold milk
1/3 cup maraschino cherries, halved
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup

Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and 2 Tbsp. milk in medium bowl with whisk until well blended. Stir in 1 cup Cool Whip; spread over crust. Top with bananas.

Beat pudding mixes and 3-1/4 cups milk with whisk 2 min.; spread over bananas. Let stand 5 min. or until thickened; cover with remaining Cool Whip. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Top with cherries, nuts and syrup just before serving.