Margherita Pizza

Is everyone ready for Halloween and all the treats that will be making it into your house? After all that candy is devoured, you'll need some real food to get back on track. How about some pizza? Made with fresh ingredients, pizza can be quite nutritious. And this Margherita pizza is perfect! Did you know that  Margherita pizza was named for Queen Margherita of Italy in the late 1800's? There you go...random fact of the day. A traditional Margherita pizza only has basil, white cheese like mozzarella and red sauce on a thin crust to emulate the colors of the Italian flag. But because the SFFS house is a house of meat eaters, I added sausage. You can totally leave it off though, if you're a purist. This great pizza starts with a yummy thin crust from Mama Mary's. Then sliced mozzarella and basil and some Roma tomatoes....oh yeah! Marinating the tomatoes is one of the keys to making this extra yummy and the ease of prep because of Mama Mary's pizza crust is the best of all! 

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Margherita Pizza



1 Thin and Crispy Mama Mary's pizza crust
1 cup pizza sauce
3 roma tomatoes ~sliced
8 ounces mozzarella cheese ~ thinly sliced/grated
1/2 pound cooked sausage (optional)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves ~ rough chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

Place tomatoes in a small bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt then pour in the olive oil. Allow tomatoes to marinate for 15 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Remove tomatoes from the oil. Brush crust with oil then spread the pizza sauce over crust.

Arrange thinly sliced cheese over the sauce.

Top with marinated tomatoes, basil and sausage, if using.

Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is hot and bubbly.

 
Let's go! This is easy peasy!

 
Marinate the tomatoes.

 
Then build your pizza....

 
...and bake! So delicious!

Steak & Egg Skillet Hash

Breakfast for dinner is always a welcome sight in the SFFS house. I happened to be short of groceries the other day and when that happens I almost always will return to my old stand by.....breakfast! But the nice thing about this is, it can be for breakfast OR dinner. And since I'm not much of a breakfast for breakfast kinda girl and I knew I wanted to make this, then dinner it was! Whew...that took a lot of words to tell you that this was a fast, easy and delicious meal. You should try it.

Steak & Eggs Skillet Hash



2 cups Southern Style Hash Browns ~ slightly thawed
1 - 2 10-ounce sirloin steaks (can use leftover steak)
1 medium onion ~ diced
4 - 5 eggs
6 tablespoons olive oil ~ divided use
4 tablespoons butter ~ divided use
salt and pepper to taste

Season the steak with salt and pepper.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium0high heat.

Add 3 tablespoons on the olive oil then add 2 tablespoons of the butter. 

Add the seasoned steak and cook 4 - 5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.

Add the remaining olive oil and butter. 

Add the diced onion and the hash browns and cook for about 5 - 10 minutes until onions are soft and hash browns are cooked through. 

Slice steaks on the diagonal and scatter meat over potato mixture. 

Turn heat to medium.

Create holes in the potato mixture (1 hole for each egg) then crack the egg into the hole.

Cover and allow egg to cook to desired doneness. 

Remove from heat and serve straight from the skillet!

 
Let's go!

 
Add some of the olive oil and butter 
to a hot skillet then cook the steak 
to desired doneness.

 
Remove the steak and add the 
rest of the olive oil and the butter.

 
Add the diced onion and the hash 
browns and cook until onions are 
tender and potatoes are done.

 
Slice the meat.

 
Add the meat to the potato mixture and stir.

 
Then make 4 or 5 little holes in 
the potato mixture to nestle the 
eggs into. Then cook the eggs 
to however you prefer.

 
Serve it up!

Devilish Cupcakes

How fun are these little cupcakes for Halloween? Yeah, yeah...they're Devilish...they have red food dye in them...probably all things bad for you and politically incorrect....but I don't care. These are CUTE! I used a cake mix for mine because again...I didn't care...but you can use your own recipe. If you're having a Halloween party, make some of these! They would be SUPER cute made into a miniature size because, really...kids don't want to eat a huge cupcake anyway. The frosting is extra yummy, too! (And don't be tellin' me they look like Viking Hats, either...haha!)

Devilish Cupcakes



1 Devil's Food (of course) cake mix ~ or your favorite recipe for 24 chocolate cupcakes
4 sticks unsalted butter ~ room temp
1/2 cup shortening
6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Red food dye ~ enough to make a nice deep color
Sprinkles ~ optional
24 Tootsie Rolls ~ Split in half and rolled into Devil's horns

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and shortening. Beat on high until fluffy.

Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time on medium speed.

Add vanilla and red food coloring and beat until combined and there are no streaks. 

Enough to frost 24 cupcakes. Sprinkle with red sanding sugar, if desired.

Using a piping bag and #12 round tip, frost cupcakes in a circular motion starting at the outside edge and working your way to the center, lifting as you go so the frosting mounds up.

Split 24 Tootsie Rolls in half lengthwise. Roll between your palms, making one end to a point. Then bend each one to form curved horns.

Place two horns, one on each side of the cupcake.

 
So here we go! Make up your 
cupcakes and allow to cool.

 
For the frosting, cream the butter 
and shortening together then add 
the powdered sugar, a little at a time.

 
Then the vanilla and the red food dye.

 
Let's frost!

 
I put a little frosting in the middle 
of the cupcake first, then starting 
from the edge, pipe in a circular 
motion, lifting the piping bag as 
you go to create a mound.

 
The little horns are easy! 
I used small Tootsie Roll 
split in half lengthwise. 
Then roll between your 
palms to form a point at 
one end. Then curve to 
create a horn shape. 
(yes....I know what this looks like...)

 
Place a horn on each side into the frosting 
and you've got yourself a fun Halloween treat!

Spicy Oven Roasted Potatoes

Every good main dish deserves a yummy side dish, right? When you're running low on ideas, the humble potato always come through! Like this delicious side dish of spicy potatoes. They pair well with nearly anything! I love using Yukon Golds in this because they're so creamy but reds would work, too! Dial the heat up or down depending on your preference...but these are good any way you choose!

Spicy Oven Roasted Potatoes



10 small-medium Yukon Gold potatoes ~ washed and cut into bite sized chunks
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
14 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss potatoes with oil.

In a small bowl, combine the seasonings.

Sprinkle mixture over oiled potatoes and toss to coat.

Spread potatoes into a roasting pan or a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring a couple of times throughout cooking.

 
So let's get going!

 
Mix up your spice mixture. Easy-peasy.

 
Large dice your potatoes then toss 
with a little oil. Sprinkle with the 
spice mixture and toss.

 
Spread into a roasting pan. I love 
to use my Pampered Chef pan!

 
Roast away!!

 
Serve 'em up!

Toffee Caramel Cheesecake

Cheesecake is the bomb! I know there are some of my own family members who are not cheesecake fans and I'm not sure what's up with that. I mean...how can you NOT like cheesecake? I never met one I didn't enjoy! I'll be having a little chat with these people in my family who turn their noses up at this delectable treat. In the meantime...here's a cheesecake that will knock your socks off! IT Guy couldn't stop raving about it...on and on and on. (Ask me if I stopped him.) Creamy and caramel-y and a tiny bit crunchy because of the toffee chips. I added a layer of chocolate but that's totally optional. Really yummy either way!

Toffee Caramel Cheesecake



Crust

3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 sticks butter ~ melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup toffee bits
pinch sugar
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray a 10 inch springform pan with cookie spray and cover the bottom with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, toffee bits and the salt. Stir to combine. 

Spread mixture into the bottom and sides of the prepared pan.

Sprinkle chocolate chips on top, if using.

Place pan in the oven for 5 minutes until chocolate chips melt. Remove pan from the oven and spread melted chips into a frosting with the back of a spoon.

Place pan in the freezer while preparing cheesecake filling.

Increase oven temperature to 325 degrees.


Filling

2 8-ounce blocks cream cheese ~ softened
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
dash vanilla
¼ cup caramel ice cream topping

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps.

Add the eggs one at a time and continue to beat slowly until combined.

Add the caramel topping and mix.

Gradually add the sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 – 2 minutes.

Add the sour cream and vanilla. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. The batter should be well mixed but not overbeaten.

Pour the filling into the chilled pan and smooth top with a spatula.

Wrap the cheesecake with two wet dishtowels. Place pan on a cookie sheet

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. The cheesecake should jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful not to overcook.

Turn oven off. Open the oven door a few inches and allow cheesecake sit in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Drizzle cooled cheesecake with 1/2 cup of the caramel topping and sprinkle with some of the remaining toffee pieces.

Place in fridge and allow to chill several hours or overnight before slicing.

Serve and enjoy!

 

Here's what you'll need for this yummy cheesecake.

 

Mix together the crust ingredients.

 

Then press into a springform pan. 

If you're going to do the chocolate 

layer, sprinkle the chocolate chips on the crust.

 

Bake for a few minutes to soften 

the chips then spread to form a frosting.

 

Now let's do the filling. Beat the 

cream cheese and sugar and then 

add the eggs, one at a time.

 

Add some caramel sauce.

 

Then the sugar.

 

Then the sour cream and vanilla.

 

Pour into your chilled crust.

 

Then bake! I wrapped mine in damp 

towels to help prevent cracking. 

 

After it's baked, let the cheesecake sit 

in the oven for a while with the door cracked open.

 

Cool then chill!

 

Drizzle with more caramel sauce 

and sprinkle with some toffee chips. 

Add some whipped cream for extra deliciousness!

Simmered Cube Steak and Gravy

This dish was right up IT Guy's alley. Anything beef with gravy....he's all over it. This is super easy to make and super homey. You can use potatoes or rice to dish up alongside this...or nothing at all. Anyway is a good way!

Simmered Cube Steak and Gravy



4 4-ounce cube steaks
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet Browning Sauce (found in the condiment aisle)
Salt & pepper to taste
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon beef bullion granules
Water (I used about 2 cups)

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

In the meantime, place flour, salt and pepper and cayenne pepper into a shallow dish.

Coat meat on both sides. Reserve flour for gravy.

Place coated meat and onion in the hot oil and fry until meat is golden brown on both sides...about 3 - 4 minutes.

Pour in enough water to cover steak, add beef bullion, Kitchen Bouquet and cover.

Cook for about 2 hours until tender.

Remove steaks and stir in reserved flour, milk and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to make gravy.

Add steaks back into the pan and heat through.


 
The line up.

 
Coat meat on both sides in the 
seasoned flour. Reserve flour for gravy.

 
Place coated meat and onion in the hot oil....

 
...and fry until golden brown.

 
Pour in enough water to cover meat 
then add bullion and Kitchen Bouquet. 
Cook on low for about 2 hours.

 
Remove steaks then add flour/water 
mixture and cook until thick.

 
Nestle the cooked steaks down into 
the thickened gravy and heat through.

 
Serve with your choice of side or 
serve the meat and gravy on top 
of potatoes or rice! Or noodles!