Grasshopper Lane

Skillet Pizza Goodness

Restaurant Pizza....at Home...Grasshopper Lane Style.

Homemade crust, homemade sauce, covered in gooey cheese and all of your favorite toppings.  Served fresh out of the oven....out on the deck...on a beautiful evening.  No lines, no waiting on drivers to find your driveway.  And, unless you are in an area that you can't find yeast, you probably have everything you need in your pantry.  This recipe is based loosely off a Rachael Ray Deep Dish Pizza but I tweaked it to my skills and our pantry ingredients.

The crust is made with honey and organic cane sugar rather than full white sugar.  And we were out of unsalted so sweet cream had to do.  If you run into that - just 1/2 or omit your salt to keep the any recipe from being salt heavy.  

The sauce is so yummy, I told hubby I could almost bathe in it.  You will want to make a double or trip portion and store some in the fridge for later in the week.  It would be wonderful poured over some pasta as well.

That sauce......just sayin'

This is a crispy crust - you are cooking in a hot cast iron in a little bit of oil.  Please be careful when putting your dough in - no ER trips right now.  This dough would also be yummy as pretzels or bread sticks.  My daughter suggested doubling the recipe next time and  making a desert pizza to go with.  Since we were using pantry ingredients - our pizza was Hamburger, Red Onion, Mushroom, and on my half, green olives.  The standard mozzarella cheese and then some shaved Parmesan over the top.  Served with a simple salad and IMO's Italian salad dressing.  It's perfect not only for the greens but to dip your crust ends in as well.

Hamburger, Mushrooms, Red Onion, Green Olives and Parmesan Cheese

Recipe can be found here.....https://www.grasshopperlanedesigns.com/Deep%20Dish%20Pizza%20Goodness.pdf

or by clicking the link over on the right side of screen

Good food!  Time with my family around the table.  A beautiful evening with the hummingbirds and blue birds hanging out.  Making memories.  I hope you try it - create your own pizza night and tag @grasshopperlanedesigns on FB or Instagram. I'd love to see your pizza at home.

Enjoy!

Jen

Imagine a piece of ooey-gooey caramel that just melts in your mouth....creamy, decadent....so good.  That sums up this recipe.  The hubs gave it a thumbs up and a "do-over"...as a matter of fact, we just had a discussion about not eat another piece before bedtime.  This does require a par-baked (1/2 baked) pie crust.  Just line your pie shell with aluminum foil and add in that bag of 6 bean soup you mistakenly bought at the discount grocery.  The hubby recommends the Super Flaky Pie Crust that I shared earlier in the week.  It is so good that Miss P (our fur baby) stole a piece of it of my plate and took off under the bed.  The gleam in her eye suggested that I was not getting it back.

1 Unbaked 9” Pie Crust (See Super Flaky Pie Crust Recipe below)
½ C Sugar (I used Organic Cane Sugar)
½ C Brown Sugar
¼ C Corn Starch
2 C Cream
1 T Vanilla (Get the good stuff!)
½ C Butter (cubed)

Preheat oven to 425*F. Roll out and fit pie crust into your favorite pie
plate. Lines the bottom of the crust with foil and fill with dried beans.
Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil/beans and bake for an additional 4
minutes. Remove to rack and let cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 325*F.

In large saucepan, whisk together sugars and cornstarch. Slowly whisk in
cream. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
Upon boiling, reduce heat to simmer. Cook and stir for an additional 2
minutes – it will get very thick. Remove from heat and immediately add
butter and vanilla. Stir until butter melts and is mixed in.

Pour into half baked crust and sprinkle with a dusting of cinnamon. Bake
for 20 minutes or until crust is brown. Remove to rack. Cool completely.
Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Should there be a piece or two left, store in refrigerator.

 

This is a perfect addition to your pie case.  A cold piece of pie...it's thick enough to carry around with you...and an ice cold glass of milk. Here's the printable link:  https://www.grasshopperlanedesigns.com/Sugar%20Cream%20Pie.pdf  or you can find it over in the right column.  Just a thought....Valentine's Day is Friday....this would make someone a perfect gift.  Try it and let me know what you think - 

Enjoy!

Jen

The Recipe Box - Super Flaky Pie Crust

February is Pie Month here on Grasshopper Lane.  And what do you need before you can make that pie?  Pie Crust.  Now, I am no expert.  In fact, more than once, certain men in my life have suggested that I go the supermarket, boxed, roll-out dough route.  I have assured them that it's because I just haven't found the right recipe.  This one received a thumbs up from those on the receiving end so I thought I'd share.  This will be the first in "The Recipe Box" Pie Recipes.

You will need a large bowl, super chilled butter, a pinch of salt, a bit of flour and the secret ingredient...ice water.  There's a printable version of the recipe here:

https://www.grasshopperlanedesigns.com/Super%20Flaky%20Pie%20Crust.pdf

Super Flaky Pie Crust

2 ½ C All Purpose Flour
1 t Salt
1 T Sugar
1C 2 sticks cold butter (cut into chunks)
1/4c Ice Water

Recipe will make 2 pie crusts. Mix dry ingredients lightly with a fork to
combine. Cut butter in using pastry cutter until mix looks a bit like large
crumbs and start to stick together. Add a small amount of ice water. With
hands, start to mix until dough just begins to come together…adding a little
bit of water each time until you can form into a ball. Divide into 2 equal
parts. On a lightly floured board, roll from the center out, turning as
needed, until the dough will just fit over pie pan. Transfer to pie pan. You
can trim the edges but I usually fold them over and crimp around the
edges. Does not have to be perfect…it’s homemade. Prick the bottom of the
pie crust with a fork.

 

Yummy goodness!  These ended up being Grandma's Cocoa Pie and a Buttermilk Pie.  I will be sharing those recipes next.  Try it out and let me know what you think.  Do you have the Perfect Pie Crust recipe?  I'd love for you to share it - 

Enjoy!

Jen

Daisy Lou's Sweet & Spicy Chili

Good Morning Friends!  How are you today?  It's a beautiful, snowy morning here on Grasshopper Lane.  Thinking a steaming pot of tea and some creative goodness is in order.  But first, I thought I'd share with you one of the events that we participated in a few weeks ago.

The Annual Camp Quality/Post #5 Navy Club Chili Cook-off took place the first weekend in February.  It's tradition in our family to attend each year and a couple in the family have even competed in years past.  We decided this year was our turn - we entered our Daisy Lou's Sweet & Spicy Chili.  You can find the recipe over on the right hand side or here: http://www.grasshopperlanedesigns.com/Daisy%27s%20Sweet%20%26%20Spicy%20Chili.pdf.  While we didn't win, we did do really well for our first time out.  We will definitely be coming back next year...with some new tricks up our sleeves guaranteed to wow, YOU, the people's choice judges!!

And!  What better way to celebrate your Mom & Dad's wedding anniversary?  A yummy dog covered in house-made chili, covered in onions and cheese?!? 

Food, Family & Fun!  That's what it's all about Folks and if you can support one of your favorite charities in the process - even better!  And, because we're glutton's for punishment....Daisy Lou's Sweet and Spicy Chili made an appearance at CWCC's Youth Chili Cook-off the next day!!  Okay, off to play in the workroom -

Enjoy your weekend Friends -

jen

 

the recipe box - Coconut Creme Pie

The hubby pulled a good one out for this week's vintage recipe.  Coconut Creme Pie with Meringue.  We made it on Sunday, which just happened to be National Pi Day.  Coincidence?  I think not.

An old newspaper clipping, which, unfortunately was missing the name and date of the original article but judging by some cartoon's on the back page, probably 1960's.  But, I may be wrong.   I made this yummy deliciousness twice, seems to be a theme, but  when I made the meringue, two egg whites were not quite enough to seal the edges and....here's where I come clean, I used a pre-made crust....in one of those tin pans....oh, the horror!  In my defense, it was a pretty crust...one of those Marie what's her name's.

Pretty but not fluffy enough so.....we made it again...in my pie plate that we received as a wedding gift back in the 80's....so, it's pretty much considered vintage, right?

Since the original recipe called for a three egg yolk custard, we did a three egg white meringue....no waste.  Much fluffier and covered to the edges of the crust.  We also toasted a bit of coconut to go on the top.

Hubby couldn't wait to dig into it and has proclaimed it to be the "best pie ever."  It's a keeper.  The printable recipe is here or you can get it over on the right side under recipes.  There were a few other recipes listed on the same page such as peanut butter muffins and a molasses fudge cake so stay tuned.

enjoy!

jen

 

the recipe box - June Rose Cake

The first recipe we pulled out of the box was for a lucious looking cake topped with pink, fluffy icing.  The advertisng for the recipe touts it as being the perfect birthday cake for a girl or a bride-to-be.  The recipe, from Swans Down Flour, was printed in a magazine.  I wish I could tell you for sure what year but when researching this particular recipe, there was not much to be found.   If you can tell me more about it, I'd love for you to email me.

It took two tries to get this one made.  My kitchen is at the very end of the Purge, Fluff & Renew list so things are not quite back in order.  The first attempt was using my 9" professional pans.  They are a bit deeper and brushed aluminum.  Since the parchment paper was no where to be found, I opted to just grease the pan.  The hubby thought the cake was wonderful.....even though he had to dig it out of the pan with a spatula.

The second attempt was a success.  I splurged on new cake pans....non-stick.  The rounds popped right out of the pans onto the racks with no problem.  And my kitchen smelled amazing.  Now, the recipe called for butter or shortening.  Because I wanted to stay with a white cake, I used shortening.  I did, however, stay with the Swan's Down Cake Flour.  Yes, you really must use cake flour.  It will give you a lighter, fluffier cake.  I store my extra in the freezer to keep it fresh.  Just remember to let it warm up to room temperature the next time you want to use it.

The icing is amazing.  I believe I described as little pink clouds of fluff on Facebook.  Think marshmallow meets strawberry.  I don't recall ever making 7-minute nor 4-minute frosting before.  The directions though were clear enough that I knew I was basically making a heated meringue.  Now, I iced the cake the night before these pictures were taken.  (I apologize for the lightening....our weather....one second sun, the next clouds.)  The icing got sticky over-night.  I would wait to frost the cake til right before you served it.  I'm also thinking that rather than strawberries, which are not really in season right now, I might try some of my homemade strawberry jam next time. 

This one is definitely a keeper!  A printable copy is over on the right or you can click here:  http://www.grasshopperlanedesigns.com/June%20Rose%20Cake.pdf.  The table is set - who wants to come sit and chat over a steaming cup of rose tea and a huge slice of June Rose cake?

enjoy!

jen

 

the recipe box

Recently a sweet friend of mine decided, like me, to purge, fluff & renew.   She has been kind enough to gift me with some luscious vintage treasures that included paper dolls, old greeting cards and a wedding dress that she assures me that I can cut apart without anyone being upset.  So much that I can’t even begin to list it all.  I can’t thank her enough.   I’ve spent hours gazing at all the vintage goodness on my counter.   I can’t wait to start using it in upcoming projects.  Today though, I wanted to tell you about a special box that was nestled down under the embroidered pillow cases.  When I pulled it from the crate I was sure that the beautiful cardboard box would be filled, much like the one’s my mom has given me, with lace handkerchiefs.  When I opened the box I let loose a squeal that I’m sure was heard by my neighbors.  My hubby, who had been on a chair taping a wall in the bathroom, came running to make sure I hadn’t damaged anything.   Imagine my surprise –

 

 

A box filled with recipes, both handwritten and cut from magazines and newspapers, dating back to the 1930’s.   Recipe’s that I can remember my mom making.  Recipe’s that I remember David’s Grandma making.   Goosebumps people!!   The box has made a trip to the lake and my Mom’s house so we could look through each recipe.  It’s now resting in its special spot, under glass, in my workroom.   I asked Ms. Julie about the origin of these fabulous pieces of paper and here’s what she told me –

Her Grandmother, Mabel, came to live with them after being widowed in 1967.  She would have been about 75.  Julie’s family had transferred to Mid-Missouri shortly after that in 1968.  Like most families in that day it was common for grandparents to live with their children.   Ms. Julie’s mom was working outside of the home at that time so her grandmother helped with the chores and prepared the meals.  Unfortunately the recipe box didn’t originate with her grandmother.  A family friend spied them at an auction one day and thought that Grandma might want it to look through them.  So, while Grandma didn’t actually write them or cut them out, she did prepare yummy goodies from them.  In my book, that’s close enough to it being hers.   

By now, you know that I’m from another place in time….the older the better.  And I’m a true believer in learning something new every day so I thought it would be fun to share these recipes with you.  A couple of times a month, I’ll have hubby pull a recipe out of the box…..a main dish, side dish, jam, relish or dessert.  There were even some recipes for cleaning supplies.  Whatever he pulls, we’ll make and then post both a picture, how it all turned out and both the original recipe and then a printable recipe so you can try them.    Watch for the first recipe, a dessert, later this week –

 

Enjoy!

j

Lemonade Crinkle Cookies

Hubby and I will be celebrating our 25th anniversary here in a few days.  The plan - a 1920's church picnic/vow renewal.  Lots of food....lots of fellowship....tons of vintage goodness.  Lots of yummy stuff to prepare including these adorable little cookies.

Most of you are familiar with the cake-mix cookies.  At Christmas time our tables here at work are filled with all sorts of varieties such as chocolate with peanut butter chips....oh goodness.  These scrumptious little bites....well, as Emeril would say, "let's kick it up a notch".  Think warm, gooey sweet tarts.  They won the hearts of a house full of teenagers last weekend.

Perfect with a glass of....well, lemonade.  I made two different versions of them.  Both lemonade and strawberry lemonade.  Try them out....or, if you're hanging out with us this weekend, they'll be on the cupcake table. Here's the recipe:  http://www.grasshopperlanedesigns.com/Lemonade%20Crinkle%20Cookies.pdf or you can find it over on the right side of the old blog.  Let me know what you think.

And don't forget - sale in the shop until 6:00 p.m. tonight.  20% off everything.  Coupon Code:  H3art

enjoy!

jen

 

 

 

Bread for the Soul

I made a new friend last week – I’ve been a bit of a slacker when it comes to baking the past few weeks. It’s hard to bake when your counters are full of garden blessings. I took a leap of faith and ordered bread from Renee’s Homestead Bread. If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve seen the links I’ve shared a few times. Renee is probably one of the sweetest, most genuine gal’s I’ve ever met. We chatted in the parking lot like we’d know each other for years. I learned so much in those few minutes of visiting – we share a lot of the same thoughts on producing, preserving and cooking at home. Those of you with food allergies – I definitely recommend Renee’s bread…..no preservatives, nothing you can’t pronounce, all natural. You can read her story in our local paper: http://www.newstribune.com/news/2013/apr/22/defining-homegrown-homemade/. It’s a wonderful blessing to meet someone that wants so much for her family and found a way to make it happen.

The bread? Amazing!!!!! We ordered Wheat, Herb Swirl and Cinnamon Swirl. The meal the night we picked up bread – Cinnamon Swirl French Toast. Folks, I had a happy, happy, happy husband. My lunch the next day – Homemade Wheat Bread with Peanut Butter and Homemade Strawberry Jam. It would win an award for best sandwich ever…..just sayin’. I’ve heard through the grapevine that she’s got Pumpkin Swirl on the menu this week…..can’t wait to try it. You can find her on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ReneesHomesteadBread . There’s a link in my sidebar as well. Bread orders must be in by Midnight on Monday. All bread is baked on Tuesday. She has a delivery scheduled posted on her FB post. Give it a try!

Enjoy!

jen

An Excuse, a Nail Hole and a Recipe

yep....I see you....twittling your thumbs, patiently waiting for the promised "Let's Make Something" series to start.  Script is written.  Project is graphed out, sticky notes with measurements and photo's taken/edited.  So what's the problem, you ask?  The video...The kid and I made it last week but the audio ran faster than the video did and while that might have been entertaining, I wasn't sharing that on YouTube.  So I borrowed a camera and tripod.  Sadly the creeping crud has hit and what started as a spring virus has mutated into a nasty bacterial monster.  Monday night the sofa and I bonded and became best friends.  Missed an episode of Criminal Minds or Law & Order....ask me, I can probably catch you up.  I have absolutely no voice....not even a squeak.  If I needed to yell, I would have to find paper, write in all CAPS then jump up and down to get noticed.  It's ugly.  BTW have you ever noticed that no one wants to talk to you until you can't....then your phone rings every hour on the hour?   I did cut chipboard for a mini album with the hopes of just sitting on the sofa and putting it together.  It's still sitting on the foot stool glaring at me.  I went back to work today....warm body in a chair.  So, no video for a few more days.  At this point, we will plan for this whole deal to start in May.  Look for it next week. 

On the "only in our house" front - the hubby and I volunteered a couple of weeks ago to do the tear down of an old shed.  The plan had been to do it this weekend but between the weather and my being under the weather, the Kid volunteered to stand in for me.....

That would be a nail hole.....she stepped straight down on it, ran it thru her shoe and her foot.  She finished up the job before sending me this picture - all I could do was shake my head.  For those keeping track....guess which foot?!?  And two weeks before dance recital.  She'll live - her tetanus is up to date.  She has to stay off it for today and possibly tomorrow. 

And, since there's nothing new in the shop to warrant a coupon - how about a recipe instead??  These are the most amazing brownies!!  Remind me a bit of the cocoa sheet cake we made in foods class.  Just click the picture and it will take you to it. Yummy!

Source: piarecipes.com via Jennifer on Pinterest