Katey's Kitchen

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup (40z) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

1 jar bacon bits

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 lb fresh jalapenos, halved & seeded*

1/2 cup bread crumbs

 

~Preheat oven to 300

~On lightly greased cookie sheet, lay out jalapeno pepper halves – set aside

~In large bowl combine first 7 ingredients; mix well**

~Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of cheese mixture into each pepper half

~Lightly press bread crumbs onto each cheese filled pepper

~Bake for 20 for spicy; 30 minutes for medium; 40 minutes for mild

 

*When seeding peppers always use gloves and avoid touching your face

**For an extra kick, add 1/2 – 1 lb spicy sausage, fully cooked and drained to cheese mixture before filling the peppers

 

Pizza Dough (recipe below)

2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil

8 oz onions, chopped

1 lb lean ground beef

3 Tbl tomato paste

1 tsp superfine (caster) sugar

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Salt (to taste)

~Preheat oven to 500

~On lightly floured work surface, roll out dough 3/8″ thick

~With round pastry cutter (1.5″) cut out 24 rounds

~Roll rounds out again until 3/16″ thick, lay on nonstick baking sheet

~Heat the oil in medium nonstick pan over medium heat

~Add the onions and fry, stirring constantly, until they are golden, about 5 minutes

~Add the meat, tomato paste, sugar, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt

~Cook over high heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes

~Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature

~Divide meat mixture evenly among the dough rounds.  Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until crusts are golden, about 15 minutes

~Serve warm

Pizza Dough

1/2 tsp sugar

3/4 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast

2 cups flour

1 tsp fine sea salt

~Put the sugar in a glass that holds about 3/4 cup

~Add a scant 1/2 cup of the warm water and stir with a small spoon to dissolve the sugar

~Sprinkle yeast over the surface and let stand in warm place, without touching it, for 10 minutes. It should foam up to reach the rim of the glass

~Heap the flour on a work surface.  Scatter the salt over it and then mix into the flour

~Make a well in the center

~With a small spoon stir the yeast mixture in the glass and then pour it into the well together with the remaining warm water

~Mix these ingredients together with your fingertips, using a rapid circular movement and working from the center of the well outward

~When well mixed, roll the dough into a ball and, on a lightly floured surface, knead until smooth an elastic, about 5 – 6 minutes

~Place in large lightly floured bowl and cover with a cloth

~Allow to rest in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours

~Tap the dough down, transfer to floured surface and knead as before for 3 minutes

~Dough is now ready to be used

1 lb ground beef

1 cup onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

30 oz chunky spaghetti sauce (I use one that has mushrooms and green peppers)

10 oz beef broth

2 cups water

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 (10 oz) can RoTel diced tomatoes and green chilies

1 can each, corn, green beans, carrots, peas – drained

4 – 5 medium size potatoes, cubed

~Cook hamburger in onion and garlic.

~Drain and set aside

~In large soup/stock pot – add remaining ingredients

~Add hamburger

~Allow to cook for several hours until potatoes are fork tender