Makes 2 full-size crusts

1 pkg. dry yeast
1  2/3 cup very warm water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Dissolve yeast in water. Add oil. Add flour and salt, stirring until moistened. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until it forms a smooth ball, about 2 minutes. Put in lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until double, about 1 hour.

Divide into 2 portions. Preheat pizza stone or pray pizza pans with cooking spray; dust with cornmeal. Roll or press dough to form crust. If it’s too elastic, let dough rest for a few minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Top crusts w/ desired toppings and bake on lowest oven rack for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

from America’s Test Kitchen

4 center-cut boneless pork chops, 6-8 ounces each, 3/4 – 1 inch thick
Table salt for brining (I used kosher salt)

To brine: Dissolve 1/4 cup salt in 1 quart water. Submerge chops, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove from brine, rinse chops under cold water and dry with paper towels. If you are using enhanced pork injected with a salt solution, eliminate this step.

Breading:
4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn in 1-inch pieces
1 small minced shallot (about 2 Tbsp)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed in garlic press (about 1 Tbsp) (this tends to be a bit garlicky, so watch out!)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
Ground black pepper
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 tsp of dried)
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour - plus 6 Tbsp, used separately
3 large egg whites
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Lemon wedges

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare pork chops with brine as directed above.

2. Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground. You should have about 3 1/2 cups crumbs. Transfer crumbs to rimmed baking sheet and add shallot, garlic, oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Toss until crumbs are evenly coated with oil. Bake until deep golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes, stirring twice during baking time. (Do not turn off oven.) Cool to room temperature. Toss crumbs with Parmesan, thyme and parsley.

3. Place 1/4 cup flour in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk egg whites and mustard until combined and smooth; add remaining 6 Tbsp flour to mixture and whisk until smooth, with pea-sized lumps remaining.

4. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spray wire rack with cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Season chops with pepper. Dredge 1 pork chop in flour; shake off excess. Using tongs, coat with egg mixture; let excess drip off. Coat all sides of chop with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to chop. Transfer breaded chop to wire rack. Repeat with remaining three chops.

5. Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 150 degrees, about 17-25 minutes. (It took longer for my chops to reach 150 degrees, but maybe living at 7400 ft. had something to do with that.) Let rest on rack 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

These chops were tender from the brine bath and the tops of the chops were crunchy, just like ATK promised they’d be. The bottoms of the chops, however, were not as crunchy as the top. If you went through the trouble of browning them before baking, maybe you could remedy that, but I like the ease of popping them in the oven straightaway.

This is a delicious, quick pasta sauce. If you prefer, Italian style turkey sausage can be substituted for the pork sausage. Just add a little olive oil to the pan when you brown it.

1 pkg. sweet or hot Italian pork sausage (if you use links, remove from casing)
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
2 tsp marjoram
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb bowtie or penne pasta

Bring large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, cook sausage in large skillet over medium heat, breaking up chunks with a spoon, until no longer pink. Drain off excess fat. Add onions, garlic, peppers and mushrooms; saute until crisp-tender. Add crushed tomatoes and marjoram. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until flavors blend. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve sauce over pasta. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan. Add a fresh salad and garlic bread to complete your dinner!

Just in time for the arrival of cooler evenings, here’s one of my favorite comfort dinners—Chicken Pot Pie. It’s simple to customize this recipe to suit your family’s taste. Stir in whatever vegetable you desire before pouring the mixture into the casserole dish. For ease of preparation, you can start with a rotisserie chicken (I like to get them at Sam’s Club). Make a large 9×13 pot pie, or fill individual ramekins and top with a single large biscuit. Dig in!

FILLING:
6 cups cooked chicken, torn into bite-size pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
8 oz  fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup flour
1/8 tsp dried thyme (optional)
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup half-n-half or heavy cream
3 Tbsp freshly chopped Italian parsley
salt and pepper to taste

In large skillet, melt butter, then saute onion, green pepper, and mushrooms until tender. Sprinkle flour over vegetables; stir and cook briefly until well mixed. Stir in chicken broth, thyme, and cream; add peas. Cook until peas are tender and sauce is thickened. Add chicken and parsley; salt and pepper to taste. Keep mixture very hot until biscuits are made, then pour into greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Place on baking sheet lined with foil to catch any spillovers. Preheat oven to 425 degrees while making biscuits for the top.

DROP BISCUITS:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup cold buttermilk
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, then cooled for 5 minutes

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Combine buttermilk and melted butter in measuring cup.

Add buttermilk to flour mixture and stir gently just until dough pulls away from bowl.

Drop 12 large spoonfuls of biscuit batter over hot chicken mixure in baking dish. (If the mixture is cool, your biscuits will be soggy.) Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown. While it’s baking, how about making a crisp salad to complete your dinner!

Just in time for the Super Bowl! This recipe serves about six people, so if you’re having a party you might want to double it.

Dough:  (or use your favorite bread dough recipe, such as Easy Wheat Bread)
1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 pkg. yeast
3 cups flour

Filling:
1 lb. ground beef
½ cup diced onions
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup prepared mustard
¼ cup dill pickles, diced
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
sesame seeds

To prepare dough:
Mix together the water, oil, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix until yeast is dissolved. Stir in flour. Work into a smooth ball. Put in lightly oiled bowl and cover to rise.

To prepare filling:
Brown ground beef and onions until beef is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain all excess fat. Mix in ketchup, mustard, pickles, and crumbled bacon. Set aside to cool.

Roll dough into 12×18-inch rectangle. Spread filling down center of rectangle. Sprinkle with cheese. Cut sides into strips for braid; braid dough over filling, tucking end under to hold filling in. Place on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 15-20 minutes.  Brush with egg wash; sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until nicely browned. Remove from oven, cool for 5 minutes to let cheese set before slicing and serving.

Variations:

Instead of braiding, spread filling over rectangle, sprinkle with cheese, and roll like a jelly roll. Place seam-side down on baking sheet and bake as directed.

Make individual calzones. Divide dough into serving-size pieces; roll into tortilla-size round. Put ¼ cup of filling; top with cheese. Fold dough over filling and crimp to seal edges. Brush with egg wash; prick with fork; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake as directed.

2 cup dry breadcrumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard
boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with foil. Combine dry ingredients and parsley in shallow bowl; mix thoroughly. Melt butter and add Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard. Dip chicken into butter mixture. Place chicken on baking sheet and drizzle with any remaining butter. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until thoroughly cooked and golden brown.

Have company over! This makes a big potful of delicious chili.

8 skinned and boned chicken breasts
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
4 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 (4.5 oz) cans chopped green chiles, undrained
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Toppings: shredded Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream, black olives, cilantro

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Saute chicken, onion, and garlic in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Stir in broth and the next 10 ingredients; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes. Serve with desired toppings. Makes 15 cups.

3 lbs. sirloin or tri-tip steak
3 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 medium green pepper, cut into strips
1 medium red pepper, cut into strips
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can condensed beef broth
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
2-3 Tbsp soy sauce, to taste
1/2 cup water
3 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cups cherry tomatoes

Slice beef into thin strips about 2″ long. Brown in oil in dutch oven. Stir in onion, garlic, broth, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer gently for 20-30 minutes. (Don’t boil; boiling will toughen meat.) If desired, meat can be refrigerated at this point.

Before serving, stir in peppers and mushrooms. Simmer until crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Mix cornstarch and water in small bowl. Add to meat mixture to desired thickness. Stir in soy sauce; add cherry tomatoes and heat for 2-3 minutes. Serve over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp grated orange peel

Mix ingredients together; pour into shallow pan. Add pork chops; turn to coat. Grill over medium-high heat, watching carefully, until 145 degrees in center, or to desired doneness.  (Any nasties in pork are killed at 140 degrees, so don’t overcook. Pork will be dry if overcooked.)

Because of the honey in the glaze, the chops will brown beautifully. If they get brown too quickly, move to cooler space on the grill to finish cooking.

This is simple to prepare, but homey and comforting, like going to Grandma’s house. Give it a try! Kids love it as well as adults.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 slice bread, torn
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 can beef broth, undiluted
1 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Combine beef, onion, bread, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper in large bowl; mix lightly . Line baking sheet with foil (easy clean-up!). Shape meat into 16-20 small meatballs. Arrange on baking sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Drain well and set aside. Put soup, broth and cream cheese in deep skillet. Heat and stir until combined; add meatballs and simmer until meat is thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream and parsley and cook just until heated; do not boil or sour cream will curdle. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. If desired, garnish meatballs with dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of more parsley. Peas are a great accompaniment, and add needed color.

To up the ante to this dish, saute fresh sliced mushrooms in skillet before adding soup, etc. I really like the difference this makes!

To speed up the prep for this dish, use a roasted chicken from the market or add extra pieces when roasting chicken for another meal.

20 oz. pkg. frozen broccoli or fresh equivalent (I prefer to use fresh)
4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I roast bone-in chicken, then shred)
1 can cream of broccoli soup, undiluted
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
crushed potato chips

Cook/steam broccoli until just tender and layer in 9×13 baking dish. Top with shredded chicken. Mix together soups, mayo, lemon juice and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Pour evenly over chicken. Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, then top with crushed potato chips. Continue to bake an additional 20 minutes. For a complete meal, serve with rice, salad and dinner rolls.

1 lb. penne pasta
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 onion, sliced
2 T. olive oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
3/4 c. sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 T. golden balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Put large pot of water on to boil for the penne pasta. Sauté onion slices in olive oil until softened, about 6 minutes. Add chicken breast strips; sauté about 5 minutes. Stir in chopped sundried tomatoes, chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and cream. Simmer to finish cooking chicken and blend flavors. Cook penne according to package directions, adding broccoli to the pot during the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain pasta and broccoli. Toss with chicken mixture, and add the Parmesan cheese as you toss.

Serve on a large platter, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese. Crushed red pepper adds an extra zing. I also vary this dish by adding peeled, deveined shrimp to the mixture at the end of the cooking time. Serve with a big Caesar salad and toasty garlic bread.

1 ½ cup water
1 Tbsp. butter
1 ½ tsp. chicken bouillon
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups shelled and cleaned shrimp
1 cup uncooked couscous
1/3 cup sliced green onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

In medium saucepan, combine water, butter bouillon and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. Add shrimp; return to a boil until shrimp turn pink. Stir in couscous, onions and bell pepper. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand about 5 minutes. Fluff with fork before serving.

1 med. onion
2 carrots
2 celery ribs
4 oz salt pork, cubed
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup dry red wine
2 (29 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor, place the onion, carrots, celery, and salt pork. Pulse until finely chopped. In stockpot, heat olive oil and saute the vegetable-pork mixture until tender. Stir in red wine and simmer for 3 minutes. (The alcohol will cook out.) Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Serve with your favorite pasta, adding meatballs if desired. Note: sometimes tomato puree is too acidic; if necessary, add a teaspoon of sugar to neutralize the acid.

8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 7oz can diced green chilies
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 8 strips
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 stick butter, melted

Pound chicken pieces to 1/4 in. thickness. Put 1 tsp. Chilies and 1 strip cheese in center of chicken. Roll up, tucking ends under. Stick a toothpick in to keep it from unrolling if necessary. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, child powder, salt, cumin, and pepper. Dip each chicken roll into melted butter, then into crumbs. Drizzle with leftover butter. Cover and chill for at least an hour, or overnight. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with Spanish Rice, salad, salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

1 (9-inch) pie pastry made from your favorite recipe (or use purchased crust)
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 Tbsp. butter
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 (10 oz.) pkg. chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry (I wring it in a clean lint-free kitchen towel)
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. whipping cream
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. crushed garlic
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
6 strips bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll pastry dough and fit into 9-inch pie pan, fluting edges. In small skillet, cook mushrooms in butter until soft. Drain on paper towel to absorb any remaining moisture. Sprinkle cheddar cheese in bottom of crust. In large bowl, combine spinach, eggs, cream, Worcestershire, sugar, garlic, onion salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until combined. Stir in cooked mushrooms and crumbled bacon. Pour into crust, using fork to distribute ingredients evenly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for50-60 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean. If quiche browns too quickly, tent with foil. (I usually bake the quiche on the lowest oven rack). Remove from oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting. Makes 6 servings, or more if you’re thinking about moderation….

4 slices firm white bread, torn into pieces
2 ½ lbs ground beef
1 small onion, cut into 1/8’s
2 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
½ cup Italian parsley leaves
1 large egg
½ cup ketchup
2 tsp dry mustard
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Glaze:
½ cup ketchup
1 tsp dry mustard
2 Tbsp dark brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil. Line cooling rack that will fit inside baking sheet with parchment paper (makes cleanup easy). With a knife, poke holes in parchment paper to allow excess fat to drain off during baking.

Place bread in food processor. Pulse until fine crumbs form. Add parsley leaves and pulse just until incorporated into crumbs. Remove from processor bowl. Without cleaning bowl, place carrots, onion, celery and garlic into processor bowl. Pulse until fine, but not pulverized. Saute veggies briefly in a bit of canola oil until tender. Cool.

In large bowl, break up ground beef. Add bread crumbs and mix gently; add cooled veggies. Mix together the ½ cup ketchup, egg, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over meat mixture and mix gently. Form into mini loaves about the size of a medium potato and place on rack in baking sheet. Make indentation in center of each loaf and brush with glaze mixture. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. I love serving them with creamy mashed potatoes and peas with carrot coins. Mmmm.

1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 Tbsp. butter
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
4 cups pre-cooked chicken or beef strips
4 oz can diced green chilies
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 cups salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
Large potatoes, baked at 400 degrees for 1-1 1/2 hrs until soft.

Sauté peppers and onions in butter until crisp-tender. Add mushrooms and taco seasoning; sauté until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in chilies, olives, and 2 cups of salsa. Add meat, stirring until heated through. To serve, make a large X in the top of each baked potato with a knife; squeeze to open. Top with meat mixture; sprinkle with cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses. Garnish with desired condiments: sour cream, salsa, jalapeños, etc.

16 oz. pkg. linguine
1large bunch fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 (13 3/4 oz) can chicken broth
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare linguine according to package directions. In skillet over medium heat, cook broccoli and garlic in hot oil for 2 minutes. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to boil and cook 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain pasta and place in serving bowl. Top with broccoli mixture, red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese. Toss gently, adding kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh basil (optional). To make this a complete dinner, add cooked shrimp or chicken to the broccoli mixture.

1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. vegetable oil
3/4 c. ketchup
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
4 lbs. chicken pieces, skin on

Cook onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in ketchup, lemon peel, lemon juice, Worcestershire, sugar, dry mustard, salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Simmer over low heat, covered, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Place bone side down over medium hot grill for 25 minutes. Turn skin side down; grill 20 minutes more. Brush with barbecue sauce and continue grilling until done, 10 to 15 more minutes, turning frequently and basting with sauce.

I sometimes cook the chicken, covered, in a 350-degree oven for the first 30 minutes, then transfer to the grill to finish cooking. This helps the chicken to cook thoroughly without getting too dark on the outside.