Homemade Pizza

HOMEMADE PIZZA DOUGH
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 c. warm water
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 1/2 c. flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in remaining ingredients. Let stand 5 minutes. Spread in buttered pans. Put on toppings. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 2.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

1 can tomato sauce
garlic, italian spices
simmer over low heat for a few minutes

Pizza
Spread dough out over pan reaching all edges. Fill with toppings of choice and place in 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until fully cooked.

Deluxe Pumpkin Cheesecake

Recipe found in Taste of Home's Thanksgiving Holiday Magazine 2009-Recipe was orginally sent in by Sharon Skildum of Maple Grove, Minnesota

1 C. crushed gingersnap cookies (about 20 cookies)
1/3 C. finely chopped pecans
1/4 C. butter, melted
4 pkgs (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened, divided
1 and 1/2 C. sugar, divided
2 TBS cornstarch
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

Garnish:
Chocolate syrup, caramel ice cream topping, whipped topping and additional crused gingersnap coookies, optional

1. Place a greased 9 inch springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, pecans and butter. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.
3. For filling, in a large bowl, beat the one package of cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch until smooth about 2 minutes. Beat in remaining cream cheese, one package at a time. Add remaining sugar. Add 2 eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Add vanilla and remaining eggs, beating on low speed just until combined.
4. Place 2 cups filling in a small bowl; stir in the pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove 3/4 cup pumpkin; set aside . Pour remaining pumpkin filling over crust; top with remaining plain filling. Drop reserved pumpkin filling by spoonfuls over cheesecake; cut through with a knife to swirl.
5. Place spring form pan in a large baking pan; add 1 inch of hot water to larger pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove spring form pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
6. Garnish with chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, whipped topping and additional crushed gingersnaps if desired.

Personal side note-This is a really delicious recipie. Also, if making for the first time like I was, you might want to cut the reciepe in half as it makes enough for 2 pies. Unless you just freeze the rest of the cheesecake batter. I did not own a spring form pan-so just made it like a regular pie. The gingersnap crust helped the cheesecake keep its form anyway.

"A Hint Of..." COMPASSION LIKE CHRIST-Exodus 34:6

Homemade Bread

Recipe from Cooks.com

5 to 6 c. flour
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 pkg. dry yeast
2 c. water
1/4 c. vegetable oil
In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Blend well. In small saucepan, heat water and oil until very lukewarm (120 to 130 degrees). Add warm liquid to flour mixture. Blend until moistened, then beat with beater 3 minutes. Stir in 2 1/2 to 3 cups flour until dough pulls cleanly away from side of bowl.
Knead 10 minutes, adding a little flour at a time, if dough feels sticky. Grease lump of dough. Put in bowl to rise and cover with towel. Let rise until double, then punch down. Divide dough into 2 parts and shape into balls. Let rise on counter covered with inverted bowl for 15 minutes.

Shape into loaves and place in 2 greased pans. Let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until it has risen about 1 inch above pans. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow. Remove from pans and brush top with butter. Makes 2 loaves.

"A Hint Of..." THANKFULNESS FOR GOD'S PROVISION

HOMEMADE CINNAMON ROLLS
4 1/4 to 4 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. butter
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
6 tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 recipe Maple Nut Glaze or Powdered Sugar Glaze
Step 1: In a large mixer bowl combine 1 1/2 cups of the all-purpose flour and yeast. Heat the milk, granulated sugar, the 1/4 cup butter and salt just until mixture is warm (120 to 130 degrees) and the butter is almost melted, stirring constantly.
Step 2: Add milk mixture to flour mixture; add eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds; scrape sides of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can. (Dough will be soft.) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball.

Step 3: Place dough in a lightly greased bowl; turn once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours). (The dough is ready for shaping when you can lightly and quickly press two fingers 1/2 inch into dough and indentation remains.)

Step 4: Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half; shape each half into a smooth ball. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.

Step 5: On lightly floured surface roll half the dough to 12x8 inches. Spread with 3 tablespoons softened butter. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle half over rectangle. Roll up from a short side. Seal edges. Make a second roll with remaining dough, butter and sugar mixture.

Step 6: Slice each dough roll into 8 pieces. Arrange slices, cut side down, in a greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Cover; let rise until nearly double (about 30 minutes).

Step 7: Bake rolls in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Invert at once onto a wire rack. Cool slightly. Drizzle rolls with Maple Nut Glaze or Powdered Sugar Glaze. Serve warm.

Makes 16 rolls.

MAPLE NUT GLAZE:
In small bowl combine 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons maple syrup or 1/2 teaspoon maple extract and enough water or milk (2 to 3 teaspoons) for drizzling consistency. Stir in 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans.
POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE:
Combine 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and enough milk (about 3 to 4 teaspoons) for drizzling consistency.
FREEZING AND REHEATING:
Bake and cool rolls as directed, do not glaze. Wrap in moisture and vapor proof wrap. Seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat in a conventional oven, wrap frozen rolls in foil. Place in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until warm. Drizzle with your choice of glaze.

To reheat in a microwave oven, wrap 2 of the frozen rolls in microwave-safe paper towels. Micro-cook on 100% power (high) for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until warm. Drizzle with glaze.

Personal Side Note-I made my own glaze with milk, powered sugar and vanilla-this recipe is very good-just make sure you allow time for them to rise properly.

"A Hint Of..." REVERENCE - Proverbs 31:30

Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins

Recipe found in "Totally Muffins Cookbook" by Siegel & Gillingham

6 TBS butter, softened
2/3 C. Sugar
2 eggs
1 C. Buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 and 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 and 1/2 C. blueberries fresh or frozen (unthawed)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin tins or line with paper cups.
Cream butter and sugar wunil light and fluffy. Add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Lighttly beat until blended.
In another bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking soda, powder and nutmeg. Add dry mixture to liquid and stir just until flour disappears.
Gently stir berries into batter and fill muffin cups to top. Bake 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Turn our and cool before serving. Makes 12.

Personal side notes-If you don't have buttermilk, which I didn't-mix one cup of regular milk (preferably 2% or whole) with one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar-let stand five minutes before mixing with other ingredients.

"A hint of..." FAITH-Matthew 17:20