Clean Out the Fridge Pizzas

I wonder how pickled herring pizza would taste?

Greek Style Pizza
From food.com

1 (13 inch) uncooked pizza crusts

Garlic oil sauce
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup Greek olive, pitted and halved
6 -8 pepperoncini peppers, sliced (pickled peppers)
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, slices
1 teaspoon dried oregano
extra virgin olive oil

 

Preheat oven to 500.

 

Top dough crust with oil sauce (brush on), mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, olives, pepperoncini, onion, mushrooms, and oregano.  Drizzle with oil. Bake in preheated 500° F oven on pizza stone for 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 2-3 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

Entire pizza has 1162 calories.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

From foodnetwork.com

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound chicken tenders
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
Flour, for dusting surface
1  pizza dough
3/4 cup shredded Gouda
1 cup shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken tenders and saute until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. When chicken is cool enough to handle, dice chicken to yield a little over 1 cup. In a small bowl, toss chicken with 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce. Set aside.

On a floured surface, roll out dough and place on a greased sheet pan. Shape to fill the sheet pan, about a 15 by 10-inch rectangle. Spread remaining barbecue sauce evenly over pizza dough. Sprinkle Gouda, mozzarella, Parmesan, onions, and chicken over top. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and cut into pieces.

 

More Freezer Burn

Freezer burned turkey turned slop turned soup.  I'm relentless.  

Tomato Turkey Soup
Adapted from Taste of Home
Yield: 14 servings

6 cups chicken or turkey broth
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup quick-cooking barley
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
1-1/2 cups sliced carrots
1-1/2 cups sliced celery
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped okra (I used zucchini)

I added beans and pasta.

In a large saucepan, combine the first nine ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 50 minutes. Add turkey and vegetables. Cover and simmer 50 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Yield: 14 servings.

It Burns Us

It being the freezer.  Us meaning ham.  Or actually most everything that gets left in there for ages.  The freezer burned turkey concoction was so bad it can't even make a blog entry. 

Hawaiian Pizza 
Adapted from Trader Joe's
Yield: 8 slices

1 to 11/2 pounds of pizza dough (see recipe)
1/2 to 1 cup favorite pizza sauce (depending how saucy you like it)
8-12 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1-20 oz can of pineapple chunks (tidbits works well)
6 to 9 oz of Canadian bacon or deli ham slices, cut into bite size pieces
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Flour as needed
Cornmeal as needed

1. Preheat oven to 450°F
2. On a lightly floured surface begin to shape the dough by hand or with a rolling pin into a 12-inch circle. Carefully place the dough on a pizza stone dusted with cornmeal or lightly oiled baking sheet. Precook the pizza dough until the bottom of the crust is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oven.
3. Spread the pizza sauce onto the dough and top with mozzarella. Place the pineapple, Canadian bacon, and scallions on top of the cheese. Place the pizza in the oven. Bake until the crust is fully cooked and the cheese starts to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven.
4. Cut the pizza into slices and serve.

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 282 (approximately) 

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust
From allrecipes.com 
For 1-12 inch pizza
(This recipe yields about 20 ounces of dough)

1 (.25 oz) package active dry yeast
1 t. sugar ( I use 1 T)
1 c. warm water
2 1/2 c. bread flour
2 T. olive oil
2 t. salt

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker's peel dusted with cornmeal. (I like to brush on olive oil before the toppings to help the crust stay crisp.) Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving.

 

Ham, Mac and Cheese Soup
From Land O Lakes
6 servings

4 ounces (1 1/2 cups) uncooked dried small macaroni shells

1/2 pound sliced processed American cheese

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth

1 1/2 cups fat free half and half

1 cup finely diced ham (or sliced or chopped hot dogs)

Salt and pepper, if desired

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
Meanwhile, stack cheese slices.  Cut into thin strips; coarsely chop. Set aside.
Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan until sizzling; stir in flour and mustard. Add broth and half & half. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil (4 to 5 minutes).
Reduce heat to low; stir in cheese until melted. Stir in cooked macaroni and ham. Cook until heated through (4 to 5 minutes). Salt and pepper to taste.

Calories per serving: 370

Lovin' Lites Cake Mix

Never heard of it?  That's because it was made in the early 90's.   My box even says new.  That puts it around 1991.  Reduced fat is so 20 years ago. 

Rhubarb Cream Cake
Serves 12

1-18.5 oz yellow cake mix box (can use white), do not use mix with pudding in it
3-4 cups sliced rhubarb (can use frozen, don't thaw)
1 cup sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease a 9x13 inch pan.  Prepare cake batter as directed on box.  Pour into greased pan.  Arrange rhubarb on top of cake batter.  Sprinkle with sugar.   Evenly pour cream on top.  Bake for 45 min.  A custard will form on top.  Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.  Store in refrigerator.  

Can be served as a coffee cake.  

Calories per serving: 390

Update:  I made this using red velvet cake mix and it was good.

Cherry Blossoms

Stale, Bitter Walnuts

Nothing that a little chocolate can't fix.  And sugar.  And butter.  

Kentucky Derby Chocolate Walnut Pie Recipe 

This pie recipe is similar to the Melrose Inn's famous version which has been served at the race for over 50 years. 

Adapted from about.com

1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla extract  (my substitution for 2 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 ready-made pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and butter; mix to combine. Stir in the walnuts, chocolate chips, vanilla, and salt. Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie crust. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool before slicing. 

One tablespoon of almond extract can be used for one of the tablespoon of vanilla extract when substituting for bourbon. 

Try using a salted shortbread crust.   

 

It's just getting good.

Peach orange marmalade, 2003 that is.  That and moldy homemade ketchup which I used to make the dressing.  Even the brown sugar I used to make the dressing was moldy.  How is that possible? Only me.  On the fresher side I found some chicken in the basement fridge drawer that had been there since March.  It was still good!  Even I was amazed.

Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken Recipe: 

From crockpot.com

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups apricot preserves
1 cup Russian dressing (I used Wishbone brand)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
6 chicken breasts

Directions:
Mix together the preserves, dressing and soup mix.  Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker; pour mixture over chicken.  Cover and cook on High for 1 hour.  Reduce heat to Low and continue cooking for 3-4 hours.

Here's another version:  http://itsstillgood.blogspot.com/2012/09/peach-peel-chicken.html