Brian’s Best Hamburgers

Brian’s Best Hamburgers

Yields: 4-6 patties | Total Time: 30 min |

All the toppings are in the burger.  You could even add chopped tomato and bacon.  Just grill and eat, it is pack with awesome flavor! 

Ground Beef, 1 ½ lb

Onion, ½ C finely chopped

Colby or Monetary Jack, ½ C shredded

Soy Sauce, 1 t

Worcestershire Sauce, 1 t

Egg, 1  

Onion Soup Mix, an envelope

Garlic, 1 clove minced

Garlic powder, 1 T

Basil, 1 t

Oregano, 1 t

Parsley, 1 t

Rosemary, ½ t crushed

Salt & Pepper, pinch

• Preheat grill
• Mix everything together in large bowl then form into patties
• Grill 5 minutes each side.

Hazel's Pleasen' Chicken

2 cups any color bell peppers
1 cup carrots
2 cups onions
3 cups zucchini
2 T flour
2 lb chicken thighs or breasts
2 garlic cloves
1 t salt
3/4 C Dijon mustard
1/2 C Maple syrup
1/2 to 1 t Rosemary

Crock pot of low 3-4 hours.  I increased the mustard, syrup and rosemary and it was fantastic!!  (And I'm not a mustard fan).

Not your Momma Pizza!

I have been on the lookout for a great at home pizza crust. It is really hard to find out that mimics or if not is better then that from a pizza house. Now I'm still on the hunt but this one has been my go to now for a while.
I also like to use what I have in the fridge for my pizza, kind of like a leftover clean out pizza ( but only if it sounds good, nothing too crazy like leftover pot stickers and Amber's Ziti, that might not work so hot, but you can always try :)
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Pizza Crust
(adapted from Bobby Flay on Food Network)

3 1/4 c. bread flour ( or all-purpose, bread flour for crispier crust, all-purpose for chewier crust your choice)
1 tsp. sugar
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp) dry instant yeast ( I use my red star and just proof it for a bit)
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. warm water ( 110* if you want to be exact)
2 Tbs. olive oil

(If not proofing your yest)
Combine flour, sugar, yeast and salt in mixture and mix. While mixer is running add water and oil, if the dough is really sticky add additional flour 1 Tbs. at a time (be very careful ). If the dough is too dry add additional water 1 Tbs. at a time ( again be very careful). Let the mixer do it's magic (make sure you are using your dough hook, made the mistake once. Very messy!) When it starts to pull from the sides mix some more, should look nice and smooth. Form it into a ball and set it in a big greased bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and put somewhere nice and warm. Let it double in size about 1 hour.Turn out the dough divide in half cover each half and let it sit for 10 min.
Now you are ready to rockn'roll.
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Here is "Not your Momma's Pizza"

Red Hot chicken wing Pizza

"Frozen" Chicken breast (1 bag, not costco size, like Aldi size)
12 oz bottle of Franks Red Hot (full bottle if you like it hot, or half if not so hot)

Dump it all in and set the slow cooker for 6 hrs. Once done pull out and shred then dump the chicken back and ready to use.
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Roll out dough (square, circle or free hand )
Brush crust with olive oil, put some home made  garlic butter on there, some parsley and some parm.
pre-bake for about 5 min @ 450*

Sauce
Red Hot
Ranch dressing or Bleu Cheese dressing

Pizza topping
Shredded Red Hot Chicken
Mozza
Red Hot
Ranch/Bleu cheese dressing

Mix your sauce like together ( like making fry sauce). Spread on pizza, put a light layer of mozza, add chicken. More mozza ( who does not like lots of cheese on pizza). Drizzle Red Hot over pizza then drizzle the dressing over. Brush crust with more olive oil and bake @ 450* for 10 min or until cheeze is nice and melted.
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That's it! Phew that was long. Honestly it may sound long and complicated but it is not. I promise.

Baked Ziti

(submitted by Amber Nielsen)

Basic concept of this meal is 

red sauce 

white sauce 

noodles (16 oz)

cheese  (2 C mozzarella)

bake.

The kids love it! 

For the red sauce you have three option: 

1) store bought red sauce

2) Amy's Spaghetti Sauce

3) or this homemade red sauce:

Red Sauce:
1 pkg Jimmy Dean Sausage or one pound hamburger

1 onion

14 oz can tomato puree
1/2 can tomato paste
8 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp parsley
1 T. sugar
salt and pepper to taste
water if needed

Brown onion with sausage/hamburger.  Add everything else and simmer for 30 minutes. 

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2 options for the white sauce:

1) Store bought
2) DIY:

White Sauce
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cube butter
1 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. fresh garlic


In a separate sauce pan add all the ingredients and heat gently until everything is melted.

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Boil 16 oz. Ziti or Rigatoni according to directions. Drain. Put the pasta in a 9x13 pan. Pour the white sauce over the pasta. Pour the red sauce over the white sauce. (or mix red, white, and noodles together then put into the casserole dish). Top with the 2 c. mozzarella cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serve with a green salad and crusty garlic bread.

Spaghetti Sauce

Saute:
2 lbs ground beef

2 med onions chopped

Cans & Liquids:

1 can tomato soup 10 oz

1 small can tomato sauce 7.5 oz

1 large can tomato paste 13 oz

1 large can tomatoes 28 oz

3 cups water (or a little less)

2 T Worcestershire sauce

Spices:
2 T sugar

3 t salt

1 ½ t oregano

1 t garlic salt

1 t basil

1 t celery seed

½ t pepper

For more kick add 1 t of Your Fave Hot Sauce.

In a soup pot brown mean & sauté onions together. 

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Bring to boil, then simmer for 2 ½ - 3 hours stirring frequently.  Makes 14 cups.

*Sometimes I freeze half for later cuz it makes so much.  And I used my frozen potion to use in Amber's Baked Ziti!