How To Make A Homemade Pizza From Scratch

When it comes to making a homemade pizza from scratch, it is pretty easy...just a little time consuming. However, making one from scratch ensures you are controlling the ingredients and they just taste better.

This is the recipe
that I like to use when I make homemade pizzas for my family. I don't use a round baking sheet, I make oblong shaped ones on my cookie sheet. This recipe will feed 6-10 people.

Pizza Dough Ingredients:

1 package dry yeast
1 cup water
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon melted shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
vegetable oil

Mix the dry yeast in 1 cup of warm (not hot) water in a large bowl. After 1 full minute, stir in the sugar and 1 1/2 cups of flour. Mix in the melted shortening and salt. Stir in the remaining flour. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). This dough will be very firm. Place in a lightly greased mixing bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size (about 45 minutes). Remove cover and punch dough down. Cover again and place into the refrigerate until cold.

Grease an oblong baking sheet lightly with vegetable oil. Roll out the dough onto the sheet.

Topping Ingredients:

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon basil flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of black pepper
1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms (if desired)
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of your favorite cheese (we use Mozzarella)
1/4 lb. Italian sausage, chopped
10 slices of Pepperoni

Brown the sausage in a frying pan and set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Spread the sauce across the top of your dough crust. Sprinkle the grated and shredded cheeses on top of the sauce mixture and then place meat and vegetables on top of cheeses.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until done.

How To Make An Old-Fashioned Lemon Flavored White Potato Pie

Growing up as a small child, I can remember my Grandmother making white potato pies and serving them to the family after church on Sundays. At the time, I wasn't fond of them until I got a little older and then grew to love them.

This particular recipe from my Grandmother is a little different than most that I have seen, this one calls for lemon extract instead of the traditional vanilla. I find that I like the pie served cold from the refrigerator, however...you can serve it any way that you like.

Ingredients:

1 prepared 9" unbaked pie shell
2 cups mashed white potatoes
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup regular milk
2 teaspoons lemon flavored extract
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel potatoes and cook until soft in a large saucepan. Drain water and mash with a masher until you have 2 full cups. Place potatoes in a large bowl and add butter and granulated sugar, stirring until well combined. Stir in the beaten egg, regular milk, lemon extract, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon until all ingredients are combined.

Pour mixture into your unbaked 9" round pie shell. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until the crust starts to brown. Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 to 40 minutes or until its done. You will know its done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let it cool. We prefer our potato pie served cold, so we refrigerate it after it has cooled to room temperature.

Grilled Lemon Garlic Shrimp Kabobs Recipe

During the summertime, we enjoy getting outside and grilling on our backyard barbecue grill. One of our favorite things to make are kabobs because they are easy, quick and taste delicious.

If you are a seafood shrimp lover, I think you will enjoy this easy to make recipe, especially if you like the hint of a garlic and lemon taste to your seafood. If you like a more powerful taste, You can let them marinate for several hours instead of the recommended one hour of time.

This recipe will make 4 servings.

Grilled Lemon Garlic Shrimp Kabobs

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. large uncooked fresh shrimps, peeled
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
4 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons of butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped or minced

In a large bowl, combine the parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir in the peeled shrimp, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the olive oil and finely chopped garlic and simmer for an additional 1 1/2 minutes over low heat. Remove the shrimp from the refrigerator and stir them into the garlic sauce until they are well coated.

Separate the shrimp into four even piles. Using long grilling skewers, place the shrimps onto the skewers until they are almost full.

Grill the kabobs on your hot preheated grill for 7 to 10 minutes, turning them over every 2 minutes. Approximately 5 minutes into your grilling time, brush the kabobs with the remaining garlic butter sauce. They will be done cooking once the shrimps turn pink. Remove them from the skewers before serving.