Pizza from the heavens

There is a little restaurant in Grove City, Oh called Plank's. There is no website, however, it is always packed with people. When the waitress took our orders we realized she was from the same county we grew up (Morrow County). It is crazy how many people I have ran into that have come from the same small villages I grew up. She suggested the pizza and said it is a customer favorite, so I decided to try it. I had the white pizza, which had no tomato based sauce. It was topped with black olives, lots of mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, sausage, and olive oil. The crust was fantastic and tasted like dark beer was added to the dough. The price was very reasonable and the food was great. If you are in Grove City please check out this place, you will not be disappointed.

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

www.thebumblecollection.com

This recipe can be changed in many different ways. You can use any flavor of pudding and any type of chips. I have been making these cookies ever since I learned how to bake. These are better than traditional chocolate chip cookies because the pudding makes it soft and chewy.

By popular demand this is the recipe:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of butter softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 package of pudding mix (any flavor you like)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Combine the flour and baking soda set aside.

Mix the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, pudding mix, and vanilla. Beat until cream. Add the eggs and mix.Gradually add the flour mixture.When all combined add the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Bake for 8- 10 min or until golden brown.

Lentil soup

www.natureproducts.net

I have not experimented much with lentils, but if you are a vegetarian this super food can be replaced with meat. It has a high protein content and is recommended to consume if you have an iron efficiency. Some lentils require soaking the night before cooking. Lentils shouldn't be eaten raw and you shouldn't mix old lentils with fresh ones because they will cook unevenly. So now that you know a little bit about lentils here is a recipe from a coworker that made this recently.

2 cups of yellow lentils

One can of chicken broth

One can of tomato sauce

One medium raw onion

3-4 cloves of fresh Garlic

3-4 tea spoons of roasted cumin

2-3 table spoons of olive oil

2-3 tea spoons of Salt

Fresh carrots (optional)

Fresh celery (optional)

Mix all the above ingredients and bring the mix to a boil till all ingredients are cooked.

Pour the mix into a food processor and mix.

Add chicken broth as needed depending on the thickness of soup you like.

Delicious buffalo chicken dip

Photo Courtesy of:The Doctors Dishes Desserts Decor

If you try this recipe you will not be disappointed. I have become addicted to this stuff ever since my neighbor made it. If I could I would eat it every day with some tortilla chips. You can use this recipe for sports events and just everyday parties. I know that whenever I am invited to a party with this recipe on the table it is the first dish to reach the bottom. It takes just a few ingredients and heat and presto it is done.

Ingredients:

2 cans of shredded chicken or 2 chicken breast boiled and pulled apart
1 Cup of ranch dressing
2 8 oz packages of cream cheese
1/2 cup of hot sauce
bag of tortilla chips
cheese on top after everything is melted

Combine all the ingredients except the cheese and put in a little crock pot or oven at low temp for 30 min. Once all the ingredients are blended then spread the cheese on the top and serve warm.

Java Bean Salad

I received this recipe from a coworker and wanted to share it with everyone. It is really good and has no meat. So for all you vegetarians this recipe is for you.

1 Can of fava beans – can be found in the international section at Meijer’s

½ lime or lemon – medium size

1 clove of fresh garlic – big size

4 table spoon of olive oil

2 table spoon of Tahini- sesame paste - can be found in the international section at Meijer’s

2 table spoon of roasted cumin powder - can be found in the international section at Meijer’s, not usually sold roasted, so you might want to do that before you use it.

1 fresh tomato cut in small pieces

¼ of fresh green pepper cut in small pieces.

Few branches of fresh parsley cut very small

Salt

Heat the fava beans, mash the can content in a ball, add all the above ingredients and mix. You can have Fava beans salad with pita bread or crackers.

Experimenting with celery root

Even though this picture looks like mush, it is actually the best mashed potatoes I have ever eaten. Celery root is a vegetable that contains little starch therefore doesn't mash easily. In order to use this vegetable you need to cut the outer skin like a pineapple. It is a task, but worth it in the end. Here is how to make this mashed potato recipe:

5 russet potatoes peeled and diced
1 large celery root peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
4 tablespoons of butter
salt and pepper to taste

 Put the potatoes and celery root in different pans of boiling water. They both take about the same time to cook ( 30 min). Once they are fork tender drain. Put the celery root in a blender or food processor with 1/2 of the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of butter until they become very fine. The potatoes go in a mixing bowl with 1 cup of heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of butter.

Mix the potatoes with the celery root mixture and then add salt and pepper to taste.

A fantastic red velvet cake recipe

Red Velvet Cake 

Ingredients

Cake Batter:

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 ounces red food coloring
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• Pinch salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• Butter, for pan

Frosting:

• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar, until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, make a paste out of the red food coloring, cocoa and salt. Remove bowl from stand mixer and mix in paste by hand to the creamed butter. In a measuring cup, stir eggs with buttermilk and add to batter. Mix in vinegar and vanilla, and then add flour and baking soda. Mix until combined but do not over mix.

Butter a sheet pan. Lay parchment on top. Butter the parchment. Pour batter into pan and smooth the top to even the batter out, using an offset spatula. Bake cake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: Heat all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Whisk until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before using.

Invert cake onto a cutting board and slice into quarters from the longer side. To assemble cake, spread 1 of the quarters with some of the frosting to cover. Sprinkle with a quarter of the pecans. Add another layer of cake and repeat. Continue until last layer is added. Frost the top of that and sprinkle with remaining pecans.