Easy Pizza Dough

2 1/2 C. flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. oil
3/4 cup water

Mix dry ingredients. Add 3/4 cup water and oil. Knead on floured surface for 3-4 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-25 minutes.

I love this recipe because it does not require yeast or rising time. It's great!

Delicious and Light Orange Poke Cake

submitted by Traci

1 vanilla cake mix

1 cup water

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 eggs

1 small package orange jello

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup cold water

1 container Yoplait orange creme yogurt (6 oz)

1 container Light Cool whip (8 oz)

Mix cake mix, water, applesauce and eggs. Bake cake for about 2 minutes less than the recommended baking time for pan size according to directions on box. Cool cake completely. After the cake is cool, use a fork to poke many holes in the top of the cake, covering the whole surface. Add Jello to boiling water and stir until dissolved. Stir in cold water. Pour Jello evenly over cake. Place in refrigerator. Meanwhile, fold the yogurt in to the Cool Whip. Frost cake with cool whip mixture. Chill entire cake for at least 4 hours before serving.

Orange Butterscotch Cookies

submitted by Traci

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp orange extract OR 2 tablespoons grated orange rind

2 cups quick cooking oats

1 pkg. butterscotch pieces

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla, and orange extract and mix until just combined. Add flour mixture, oats and butterscotch pieces and mix until just combined. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 4-5 dozen (that's what the original recipe said, but they must be micro cookies, my batches make about 3 dozen).

Peanut Butter Bars

by Annette Huntington submitted by Traci

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 cups of margarine (not butter)

2 cups of peanut butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups of flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

4 cups of oatmeal

1 package of milk chocolate chips

Mix sugars and and margarine. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Mix until barely combined. Add remaining ingredients, except for chocolate chips and mix until just combined. Pat mixture into cookie sheet with sides (I'll have to go measure for dimensions).

Bake at 325 degrees for 16 to 18 minutes or until barely golden brown on top. Let cool completely.

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted. Spread melted chocolate on top of peanut butter bars.

Buttermilk Rolls

Aubrey's recipe submitted by Traci (the ones Michelle likes)

In bowl #1 mix:

2 tbs yeast

1/2 cup warm water

dash of sugar

Combine above ingredients and set aside. Let rise until double.

Prepare buttermilk:

1 1/4 c buttermilk OR 1 1/4 c milk with 1 tbs lemon juice (let sit for 5 min)

Bowl #3:

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter, margarine, shortening or oil

1/2 cup sugar or honey

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

6 to 7 1/2 cups flour (added gradually, see directions)

Mix 2-3 cups of flour and all other ingredients in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer for 5 minutes. The mix should be about the thickness as cake batter, not climbing the mixer blades.

Add remaining flour one cup at a time.

Knead for 10 minutes. If not well kneaded, the finished product will crumble.

Shape as desired and let rise until double.

Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes.

Mom's "Secret" Sauce

Since mom has never posted this I'll let the "secret" out.

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup pineapple juice

soy sauce for color (enough to make the sauce dark)

3 tbs cornstarch mixed with cold water

Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until boiling. Boil until thick. Remove from heat. Serve with teriyaki chicken.

tip: For the pineapple juice we buy a can of pineapple chunks in 100% pineapple juice. I use the juice for the sauce and Gary and Anna eat the pineapple.

tip: I usually half the recipe. Half is plenty for the two of us plus a toddler.

Easy Taco Soup (AKA the easiest meal you will ever fix)

posted by Traci from 101 Things To Do With a Slow Cooker

1 can (15 ounces) chili with beans and meat (I like to use Hormel Turkey Chili 98% fat free)

1 can (15 ounces) whole kernel corn, with liquid

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, with liquid

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, with liquid

1 1/2 to 3 tablespoons dry taco seasoning mix

Combine all ingredients in greased 3 1/2 to 4 1/2-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours. Makes 4-6 servings.

Serve with quesadillas.

All you need is a can opener and a tablespoon. I love how easy this meal is, and it tastes great!

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

by Traci

*Note: I made up this recipe for the most part and when I make up a recipe I don't always measure. So some of the listed ingredients (the ones with stars by them) are estimates. Also, I have only made this twice, so I will likely tweak it in the future. Feel free to do the same.
P.S. I know pretty much nothing about seasonings/spices so I pretty much guessed which spices would be good in this recipe based off of other pizza recipes and what I had in my cupboard.

Crust

*1 tbs sugar or honey

1 cup warm water

1 package or 2 1/4 tsp yeast

2 tbs oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 1/4 cup flour

oil or grease

cornmeal (I would say this is optional)

Toppings

*1 cup Alfredo sauce (I used a four cheese Alfredo sauce)

1-2 Roma tomatoes

chicken (I used leftover Cafe Rio chicken see recipe below. This made the pizza extra tasty)

*1 cup mozzarella cheese (you don't need to entirely cover the sauce like a regular pizza)

pepper

crushed basil

Put sugar or honey in the bottom of a medium bowl. Pour in warm water. Add yeast (don't stir) and let sit for 5-10 min. Then add oil, salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Stir. Then stir in flour with vigorous strokes until blended. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prep pizza pan by greasing with oil, crisco, or whatever you have on hand. Sprinkle cornmeal on pan if desired. Turn dough out onto pan. Using a rolling pin or glass, roll dough out to edges. Be sure to have plenty of flour on hand to prevent your rolling device from sticking. Once the dough is rolled out you can either put it in the oven right away, or let it rise for a thicker, fluffier crust. I usually don't have time to let it rise so I just put it in right away. Bake crust for 8-10 min. In the mean time, chop the tomatoes.

After you have removed the baked crust from the oven, spread the Alfredo sauce on. Then sprinkle the cheese over the sauce. Add the chicken and tomatoes. Finally sprinkle pepper and basil over the pizza. Return to the oven for 10-12 min. Enjoy!

Variation: The first time I made this pizza, I omitted the garlic powder from the crust. When I took the crust out of the oven, I coated it with melted butter and then sprinkled garlic salt on top of the butter. The Alfredo sauce then went on over the butter/garlic layer. That was actually very yummy, but the next time I omitted the butter to make the pizza slightly less unhealthy.

Cafe Rio Chicken

contributed by Traci

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian dressing
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
3 cloves minced garlic
5 lbs chicken breast

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours (low for 8 hours). Shred chicken, then cook for additional hour.

Traci's note: I usually half this recipe and it makes plenty. We usually have burritos or tacos from the chicken the first night and then I use the leftover chicken all week in other meals that require cooked chicken such as casseroles and on pizza.

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

contributed by Traci
from 101 More Things To Do With A Slow Cooker

12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 jars (16 ounces each) Alfredo sauce
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and diced
1 carton (16 ounces) ricotta or cottage cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Break 4 noodles to fit in the bottom of greased 6 to 7 quart slow cooker. Layer a third of Alfredo sauce, half of water, and half of chicken over noodles. Spread half of ricotta or cottage cheese and sprinkle a third of mozzarella over meat layer. Add another layer of noodles. Layer a third of Alfredo sauce, remaining chicken, water, and ricotta or cottage cheese. Sprinkle second third of mozzarella. Layer remaining noodles, sauce, and mozzarella. Cover and cook on low heat 4-5 hours. Do not cook more than 5 hours. Makes 10-12 servings.

Serve with hot garlic bread.

Variation: Add a small can (2.25 ounces) of sliced olives between layers.