Pizza Crust

This is the easiest, most reliable pizza crust recipe. I LOVE it.

1 Tbsp. Yeast
1 1/2 C warm water
1 tsp. Sugar
4 C Flour
1 tsp. Salt
2 Tbsp. Oil


In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast, warm water and sugar. Let stand 5 min. or until bubbly. Add 2 cups flour, salt and oil. Stir until well blended. Add remaining flour and knead until smooth and elastic. Let dough rise until double (30 - 60 minutes). Roll out dough and top with your favorite toppings. Bake at 500 for 10 - 15 minutes.

I like to coat the bottom of the dough with cornmeal before baking it.

Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Salad:
1 pkg spinach leaves
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup shredded swiss or mozzarella cheese
5 strips cooked bacon crumbled
Grapes, cut in half

Dressing ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. grated red onion
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. dry mustard

Blend together dressing ingredients. Refrigerate 1/2 hour. Mix salad ingredients together. Add dressing to salad just before serving.

Rocket Pops

Courtesy of Kraft Foods

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Brand Cherry Flavor Gelatin

1 cup sugar, divided

2 cups boiling water, divided

ice cubes

2 cups cold water, divided

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Brand Berry Blue Flavor Gelatin

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

COMBINE dry cherry gelatin mix and 1/2 cup of the sugar in medium bowl. Add 1 cup of the boiling water; stir at least 2 min. until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add enough ice cubes to 1 cup of the cold water to measure 2 cups. Add to gelatin; stir until ice is completely melted. Pour evenly into 16 (5-oz.) paper or plastic cups, adding about 1/4 cup of the gelatin to each cup. Freeze 1 hour.

MEANWHILE, combine dry blue gelatin mix and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in medium bowl. Add remaining 1 cup boiling water; stir at least 2 min. until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add enough ice cubes to remaining 1 cup cold water to measure 2 cups. Add to gelatin; stir until ice is completely melted. Refrigerate 1 hour.

SPOON about 3 Tbsp. of the whipped topping over red gelatin in each cup; top evenly with blue gelatin, adding about 1/4 cup of the gelatin to each cup. Freeze 1 hour or until almost firm. Insert wooden pop stick or plastic spoon into center of each cup for handle. Freeze an additional 4 hours or overnight. To remove pops from cups, place bottoms of cups under warm running water for 15 sec. Press firmly on bottoms of cups to release pops. (Do not twist or pull pop sticks.) Store leftover pops in freezer.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Carmel

These are da' bomb!

1/4 c unsalted butter
1/8 c Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
3 T water
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 T well beaten egg
1/8 c plain yogurt
1/2 T vanilla
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
pinch of salt
1/4 c caramel sauce

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Prepare muffin tins.
Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in cocoa. Add water and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in separately sugar, egg, yogurt, and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the cocoa mixture and whisk until just combined (it will be a little bit lumpy).Fill muffin tins to about 2/3 full for rounded cupcakes or 1/2 full for flat cupcakes. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean. It's a moist cake, so don't worry if a few crumbs stick to your tester.Allow cupcakes to cool.

Makes 4 - 6 cupcakes.Let the cupcakes cool completely.

Fill a pastry bag with the caramel sauce & fit it with a star tip. Stick the tip into the top of a cupcake, pushing it about 3/4 inch deep (I found the perfect depth was the length of the tip). Gently squeeze the pastry bag to fill the cupcake, withdrawing it slowly as you squeeze. Scrape any excess caramel from the top of the cupcake.

Put the cupcakes in the fridge while making the frosting to let the caramel set.

Dark Chocolate Frosting
1/4 c unsalted butter
1/3 c Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
3 T milk
1/2 t vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.About 1 cups frosting.

Frost the cupcakes while the frosting is still slightly warm. Allow the frosting to cool completely in the fridge before adding the caramel swirl to the top. Sprinkle with fleur de sel right before serving if desired. These cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.