Pizza Hut Pizza – At Home

Messy plate picture! We were hungry! LOL

DH loves, loves, LOVES Pizza Hut pan pizza, but, their heavy, greasy pizza doesn’t exactly agree with me.

As a result, we NEVER eat it. Poor DH sacrifices his love of Pizza Hut to ensure my belly doesn’t hurt 🙂

So when I was this on your home based mom, I was anxious to try it. Making it at home, I had a little more control over the “grease factor” that keeps us away from the place.

Now, here’s the dilemma: *I* thought it tasted nearly exactly like pizza hut…but less greasy. The sauce tastes DEAD ON to me, and the oil in the pizza pan really makes the dough taste “correct”. DH, however, claims he doesn’t think it tastes like Pizza Hut at all, but acknowledges it’s been so long since he’s had it, he could be wrong.

This recipe also had a lot of “Advice” with it from Real Mom Kitchen, were LeighAnne apparently saw the recipe. I’m going to just copy that advice here, so you can take it into consideration when you make your pizzas. I did use her advice to only use enough oil to coat the bottom, to use glass (I thought I had 3-9″ cake pans and I did not….so I used her suggestion of 1-9″ pie plate and a 9×13 pan), and to pull the cooking temp down to 450. Next time I’ll bump that back up to 475, though, because I think it’ll do a nicer job on the pizza at a higher temp.

Real Mom Kitchen advice:

“I did have a couple of problems with this recipe the first time I made it. The recipe calls for 3 oz of oil per pan. I didn’t even put in the full amount and it was still way too much. When I put the dough in the pan, oil started to come up the sides and get on top of the dough. The other problem was with the pans I used. I have 2 (8 inch) dark non-stick cake pans, so two of the pizza went in there. Then for the third pizza, I used a 9 inch glass pie plate. I cooked them just like the recipe said. The two in the dark non-stick pans turned out burnt on the bottom. So the second time I made this, I put just enough oil in the bottom of the pans to coat them, that solved the oil problem. The second thing I did was lower the oven temp to 450. That work well. Then I used my glass pie plate for one of the pizzas, then I used a glass 9×13 dish for the remaining dough. I love glass, because you can see the bottom of the pizza and make sure it’s not getting burnt. After the changes I made the second time, the pizzas turned out perfectly.”

Pizza Hut Style Pizza – At Home

(your home based mom)

Makes 3-9″ pizzas, or one 9″ pizza-in-a-pie-plate and a 9×13 rectangular one!

Dough:

1 1/3 cup warm water (105 degrees F)

1/4 cup non-fat dry milk

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups flour

1 tbsp sugar

1 package dry yeast (regular kind — not rapidrise)

2 tbsp vegetable oil (for the dough)

9 oz vegetable oil (3 oz per pan) for the pans — I only used enough to coat the bottom of the pan

Cooking spray

Directions

– Put the yeast, sugar, and dry milk in a large bowl, and add the water; stirring to mix well. Let sit for 2 minutes. Add oil and stir again.

– Add flour and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed. Turn out onto a flat surface and knead for about 10 minutes.

– I won’t lie — I used my kitchen aid for the entire first two steps. I mixed the dough into a ball with my mixer paddle, and then switched to the dough hook and let it knead the dough.

– Divide dough into 3 balls. In 3-9″ cake pans (or 1-9″ pie plate and 1 9×13″ dish), put 3 oz. of oil in each, making sure it’s spread evenly (I only used enough to coat! Not the full 3 oz)

– Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to about a 9″ circle and place in the cake pans. Spray the outer edge of the dough with cooking spray, and cover with a plate. Place in a warm area and allow to rise for 1-1 1/2 hours.

Pizza Sauce

*I doubled the sauce recipe below — I was afraid it wouldn’t be enough. Plus, it gave us extra for dipping!

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 tsp dry oregano

1/2 tsp marjoram

1/2 tsp dry basil

1/2 tsp garlic salt

Directions

– Combine and let sit 1 hour while dough rises

Cooking Directions:

For each 9″ pizza:

-Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (Again, 450 was reccommended, but next time I’ll bump it up to 475)

– Spoon 1/3 cup sauce onto dough and spread to within 1″ of the edge

– Distribute 3 oz shredded mozzarella cheese on sauce

– Place toppings of your choice on in this order: pepperoni or ham, vegetables, meats (cooked ground sausage or beef).

– Top with 3 oz mozzarella cheese

– Cook until cheese is bubbling and outer crust is brown; about 15 minutes

"Lighter" General Tsao’s

DH loves General Tsao’s (I’m positive I’m spelling that wrong…) so I thought we’d try this recipe at home.

But — like every time I try Asian-anything at home — it just isn’t as good as getting it at a restaurant. DH liked this, but I could’ve passed on it.

I’m not a big fan of ginger, and it’s a prevalent flavor in the dish, so that may be why.

“Lighter” General Tsao’s Chicken

(Martha Stewart)

1 ¼ cups long-grain rice

¼ cup cornstarch

1 pound snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise (I used steamed broccoli instead for DH)

4 garlic cloves, sliced

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated and peeled

3 tablespoons light-brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

2 large egg whites

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower (I used regular vegetable oil)

Directions

– Cook rice according to package instructions.

– Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and ½ cup cold water until smooth. Add snow peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, and red-pepper flakes; toss to combine, and set aside.

– In another bowl, whisk together egg whites, remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add chicken, and toss to coat.

– In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Lift half the chicken from egg white mixture (shaking off excess), and add to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining oil and chicken, and set aside (reserve skillet).

– Add snow-pea mixture to skillet. Cover; cook until snow peas are tender and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet (with any juices); toss to coat.

– Serve with rice.

Homemade Oreos

This is the recipe I referenced yesterday (See Fran? You didn’t have to wait long!) — these are REALLY REALLY delicious (I daresay they may be better than store-bought oreos), but unfortunately we ate them all before I could get a picture.

I’ll add pictures next time I make them (by then — in my new kitchen! Woohoo!).

Homemade Oreos
(Retro Desserts, by Wayne Brachman — by way of The Biscuit Pusher)

Makes 25-30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
To make the cookies:
– Set two racks in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 375 degrees F
– Prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
– In a food process or the bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
– While pulsing, or, on low speed, add the butter and then the egg (do it slowly)
– Continue processing or mixing until the dough comes together in a mass (this took me awhile, so be patient)
– Take rounded teaspoons of batter (it won’t be like cake batter — more like cookie dough), and place on your baking sheet approximately 2″ apart
– With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough (this step is important because these cookies don’t rise or change shape much during baking. basically, whatever shape/thickness they are going into the oven, is what your end cookie will be)
– Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking
– Set baking sheets on racks to cool

To make the cream:
– Place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl and at low spead, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla
– Turn the mixer on high and beat 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy

To assemble the cookies:
– In a pastry bag with 1/2 inch round tip (or if you’re me — a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off) pipe teaspoon-sized blobs of cream into the center of one cookie
– Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream
– Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie.
– Continue this process until all of the cookies have been sandwiched with cream

– Dunk generously in a large glass of milk

Red Lobster’s Garlic Cheddar Biscuits!!

This is a copycat recipe — but it tastes EXACTLY like those little morsels of heaven from Red Lobster!

A little more labor intensive — since you have to make them and pour the butter over them — but well worth it!

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits Copycat Recipe

(Original from Meals Matter)

2 cups Bisquick mix
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions
– Heat oven to 450 degrees.
– Mix Bisquick, milk, and cheese until a soft dough forms.
– Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungrased cookie sheet.
– Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
– Melt butter or margarine, and add the garlic powder and parsley; stir.
– Brush or spoon the melted butter mixture over the warm biscuits.
-Serve warm