Since this seems to be recipe day, here is a great dinner that freezes well and tastes good reheated (I know this, I have done it many times).
Taco Pie
1 deep dish pie crust
1 pound ground beef
1 small to medium onion, chopped
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
8 oz taco sauce
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
12 crushed tortilla chips
chopped tomato, shredded lettuce (optional)
Preheat oven and cookie sheet to 400F. Thaw pie crust 10 minutes. Prick bottom and sides of pie crust thoroughly with fork. Bake pie shell on cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350F. In skillet, cook ground beef and onion until meat is browned; drain excess fat. Add taco seasoning mix to meat according to package directions. In a small mixing bowl, combine refried beans and 1/3 cup taco sauce; mix well. Layer half of refried bean mixture in bottom of pie crust. Top with half of seasoned meat, 1 cup cheddar cheese and crushed chips. Repeat layers, excluding chips. Bake on preheated cookie sheet 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, top with lettuce, tomato, add additional taco sauce to taste.
These cookies are awesome. I got them out of a package of Halloween mini-sized Snickers bars about two years ago.
Snickers Surprises
1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups all-purpose sifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 package miniature Snickers
Combine the butter, peanut butter, and sugars using a mixer on a medium to low speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined, then mix in flour, salt, and baking soda. Cover and chill for 2-3 hours. Unwrap all the snickers miniatures. Remove dough from refrigerator. Divide into 1 tbsp. pieces and flatten. Place a snickers miniature in the center of each piece of dough. Form the dough into a ball around each candy. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 300F for 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking rack or wax paper. I got just over 5 dozen cookies from this recipe.
Pizza Crust
4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tbsp active dry yeast
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
Mix as for bread and let raise till double, then divide dough in 4 parts, roll into rounds to fit pans. Use tomato paste - add seasonings, meat, cheese, and all toppings. Bake at 500 for 15-20 minutes.
Mom used to make this when I was young.
Monkey Bread
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil
4 cups flour
1 egg
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup soft butter
Soak yeast in water in large bowl 10 minutes. Stir until dissolved, then add sugar, salt, oil, and 1 cup flour. Blend, add egg and beat well. Add remaining flour and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl. Cover with towel and let rise about 1 1/2 hours. Turn on floured board and cut in half. Bring outside edges toward center to form a ball. Let rise 5 minutes. Oil 2 round cake pans. Pat dough in 8″ circles. With a sharp knife, cut nearly to bottom in one inch cuts. Spread butter into cuts and over circle. Press cheese into cuts and over circle. Place in pans and let rise 1 hour. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans at once. Cool on rack. Reheat at serving time. Makes 2 loaves.
These are great, made them about a year ago and I loved them.
Lemon Cream Puffs
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 eggs
1/3 cup + 2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup heavy whipping cream
In a saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour all at once, stirring until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake a 400 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Immediately split puffs and remove tops; discard soft dough from inside. Set puffs and tops aside to cool.
For filling, in a small heavy saucepan, combine the last egg, sugar, lemon juice and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 5-7 minutes or until mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon.
Remove from the heat. Cool quickly by placing pan in a bowl of ice water. Stir for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; press plastic wrap onto surface of filling. Chill for 1 hour or until partially set.
In a mixing bowl, beat cream and sugar until stiff peaks form; fold into lemon mixture. Fill cream puffs; replace tops. Dust with confectioners sugar. Yield 10 servings.
1 quart milk
14 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
Heat at medium high for 40 minutes. Add baking soda. Cook until brown and slightly thick. Will thicken more when cool.
Great Grandmother Hooten’s Pinwheel Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3 tsp milk
1 melted square chocolate
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
Cream crisco and sugar, add egg and beat well. Add milk and sifted dry ingredients. Stir in vanilla. Divide dough in half. To one half add chocolate. Roll out each half. Put white on top of chocolate and pat together. Roll up tightly. Chill. Slice thin and bak in moderate oven 10 minutes.
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp melted shortening
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup warm water
Mix with fork. Knead. Let rest 20 minutes. Divide.
Donuts
4 cups warm water
2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla
6-7 cups flour
Makes a stick dough. Let rise. Punch down. Roll out and cut donuts. Let donuts rise, then deep fry.
Today is Double Ten Day in Taiwan!