Quick Pizza Dough

2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon yeast
1 Tablespoon salt
5 cups flour, divided
4 Tablespoons olive oil (2 Tablespoons per pan)

Mix warm water and yeast and let sit 5 minutes until yeast proofs.  Add 2 ½ cups flour with proofed yeast and mix well in Kitchen Aid or with a dough hook.  Add additional 2 ½ cups flour and salt, knead until smooth. Cover bowl with saran wrap. Let dough rest in a ball for 10 to 20 minutes.  Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto baking sheet or pizza pan and evenly coat bottom of baking sheet or pizza pan.  Remove dough from bowl and add more flour as needed (a little at a time) to alleviate the stickiness of the dough if needed. Split dough in half and roll each ball of dough very thin and place on greased pan.  Preheat oven to 400 F (I did 450 for a crispy bottom). Spread toppings over dough.  Bake each pizza separately at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes for pizza and 15 minutes for bread sticks or cinnamon sticks.

*I was skeptical of this recipe because of rising time, but it actually worked really well and it was super easy.

From http://www.chef-in-training.com/2014/04/perfect-pizza-dough-recipe/

Sloppy Joes

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
2 ½ lbs. ground beef
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2/3 cup BBQ sauce
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
8 to 12 potato rolls

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until it is finely crumbled, the liquid boils off and the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Drain the grease off the meat and onions. Stir in the tomato paste, and keep stirring until the meat is coated. Add the BBQ sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire, soy sauce, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. You can make the sloppy joe meat up to 2 days in advance and reheat it over low heat or in the microwave.

Wrap the rolls in aluminum foil and warm in the oven for about 10 minutes.  Serve the sloppy joes hot with the warmed rolls.

From http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/07/the-best-sloppy-joes/

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. On medium speed, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips.

4. Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) and drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

From http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/02/24/peanut-butter-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Peanut Butter Chocolate Eclair

1 box chocolate graham crackers (there will be a few graham crackers left over)
2 (3 1/4-ounce) boxes vanilla instant pudding
1 cup peanut butter
3 1/2 cups milk1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 can chocolate frosting

Spray the bottom of a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with whole graham crackers. In bowl of an electric mixer, mix pudding with milk and peanut butter; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Pour half the pudding mixture over graham crackers. Place another layer of whole graham crackers on top of pudding layer. Pour over remaining half of pudding mixture and cover with another layer of graham crackers.  Heat the container of prepared frosting, uncovered in the microwave for 1 minute. Pour over the top of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.


From http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/08/peanut-butter-eclair-cake.html

Mint Oreo Brownies

Filling

one 7-ounce jar Marshmallow Fluff

1/8 teaspoon mint extract*

8 drops+ green food coloring, or until desired shade of green is reached

1 batch of brownies – see ingredients below in step 2 (or use 1 box of brownie mix – make according to directions on the box by adding the water, oil, eggs)

Brownies

4 ounces baking chocolate (I used 9 squares of TJ’s 72% chocolate bar or use 4 squares Baker’s Chocolate, semi-sweet)

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 1/2 sticks)

2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons espresso or brewed coffee, optional

1 cup all-purpose flour

12 Cool Mint Oreo Cookies, hand-crumbled

Frosting and Topping

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

splash of milk, if necessary for consistency

3/4 cup white chocolate chips, melted

18 Cool Mint Oreo Cookies, hand-crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil and spray it with cooking spray.

2. Filling - In medium bowl, stir together marshmallow fluff, mint extract* (be very careful and do not use more than this unless you love mint; a little bit of mint goes a very long way), 4 drops of food coloring, or until light green is achieved; set aside.

2. Brownies - Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwave-safe bowl for 90 seconds or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar (it will seem very granular, this is okay). Stir in eggs and vanilla. If adding espresso or coffee, add it now. Stir in flour until just combined, do not overmix. Hand-crumble 12 Oreos over the bowl and fold them in.

3. Spread brownie batter in prepared pan.

4. Drop about 1/2 cup of green filling mixture onto brownie batter and reserve the remainder. Gently pull a table knife through the batter in S-shaped curves for a swirled design.

5. Bake 23 to 25 minutes or until brownies are set, taking care not to overbake. (Some people’s ovens and taste preferences may require 25-30 minutes, bake until brownies are done and to your liking) Cool completely, about 1 hour, or put the pan into the freezer for 10 minutes if you’re rushed.

6. Frosting and Topping - While brownies are cooling, make vanilla frosting by whisking together the butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and milk as needed until smooth and fluffy, or beat with an electric mixer. Optionally use 1 cup storebought vanilla frosting – or use entire can if you want a thicker final green layer.

7. In another small microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips (microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir and microwave 30 seconds longer; stir until smooth, taking care not to scorch it as white chocolate scorches easily).

8.Add the melted white chocolate chips and the vanilla frosting to the reserved green minty marshmallow mixture.

9. Stir in 4 drops+ food coloring, or until light green color is reached, and spread over cooled brownies.

10. Sprinkle with 18 hand-crumbled Oreo Cookies, slightly pressing them into the green mixture. Allow top layer to set fully before slicing and serving. I prefer these bars chilled and I store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 10 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

From http://www.averiecooks.com/2012/02/triple-layer-fudgy-mint-oreo-brownies.html

Reeses Fluffernutter Ice Cream

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 bag Reese's Mini Peanut Butter cups, cut in half (8 oz. bag)
1 cup marshmallow cream

Chill your metal mixing bowl and wire whisk for 30 minutes. Using a fork, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter. Set aside. Place the whipping cream in the chilled bowl, and beat until it becomes whipped cream. Gently stir the peanut butter mixture into the whipped cream. Do not stir vigorously, as you do not want the air to dissolve from the whipped cream. Stir in the peanut butter cups.

Pour half the mixture into a freezer safe bowl. Drop half the marshmallow cream on top and swirl with a knife. Spoon the rest of the ice cream on top and repeat with the marshmallow cream. Freeze for several hours or until completely frozen. Makes about 8 cups ice cream.


From http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2013/07/reeses-fluffernutter-ice-cream/#TkxwQMgBg32cDA5x.99

Chocolate Frosting

1/2 c. melted butter (no substitutions)
1/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 lb powdered sugar
1/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat ingredients together on medium speed until light and fluffy.

(From Our Best Bites Savoring the Seasons)