This pizza is hot and sweet and amazingly delicious: A crispy thin crust topped with sweet chili sauce, grilled chicken, zucchini slices, crushed red pepper, onions, and mozzarella cheese.

Yield: 

one 16-inch pizza (8 large thin slices)

Ingredients: 

Crust:

1/2 cup warm water (115 degrees)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 teaspoon dry yeast

Sauce:

1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger root, optional

Toppings:

1 large chicken breast, grilled and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1/2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
2 green onions, sliced (green part only)
2 tablespoons diced red onions
8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Crushed red pepper flakes
Additional sweet chili sauce, for drizzling (optional)

Instructions: 

1. To make crust, place warm water and salt into a medium mixing bowl. Add a cup of the flour and the yeast, and stir. Add remaining flour (1/3 cup) and stir or knead into a sticky dough, adding additional water if needed. Allow dough to rest, covered with a clean towel, for at least 10 minutes but up to 30-45 minutes.

If you have a bread machine, this first step can be done by putting all crust ingredients into the machine and using the dough cycle to knead for 10-15 minutes, until a soft, sticky dough is formed. Stop the machine and allow dough to rest for at least 10 minutes, or up to 30-45 minutes.

2. Liberally butter a 16-inch round pizza pan, and then with your clean buttery hands, spread dough thinly over the pan. Be gentle and have patience, as this does make a perfectly thin crust!

3. Mix together the sweet chili sauce and ginger (if using), and spread evenly over the prepared crust. Then layer the grilled chicken, half of the zucchini slices, mozzarella cheese, the rest of the zucchini slices, green onions, red onions, and cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper. Drizzle more sauce on top if desired. Let pizza rest for 15 minutes (or up to 45 minutes).

4. Bake pizza on the middle rack in a preheated 425 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, until browned on top and pizza is hot. Serve and enjoy!

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

Grilled salmon fillet on a cedar plank for amazing flavor!

Yield: 

Varies, but approx. 4-6 servings

Ingredients: 

One (2-3 pounds) salmon fillet*
Lemon juice
Liquid smoke flavoring
Black pepper
Salt
Garlic (dry, granulated)
Paprika
2 tablespoons melted butter

1 large cedar plank** for grilling, soaked in water for 30+ minutes

Instructions: 

1. Preheat gas grill on high, or prepare charcoal grill.

2. Rinse salmon fillet and pat dry. Place salmon skin-side down on a clean counter or tray. Sprinkle lemon juice and liquid smoke flavoring over the top. Sprinkle a layer of black pepper, salt, and granulated garlic over the salmon. Then, a light sprinkling of paprika. Drizzle melted butter over top.

3. Reduce grill heat to medium. Place the soaked cedar plank on the grill and close the lid for 3-4 minutes, until it starts to smoke. Place salmon fillet, skin-side-down, on the cedar plank. Grill with lid closed for 20-25 minutes, until salmon flaked in the thickest part or and internal temperature of 145 degrees.

Serve hot! We like to eat grilled salmon with hot cooked rice and/or roasted vegetables (like broccoli and cauliflower).

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

Broccoli and cauliflower florets tossed with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and grilled

Yield: 

4-6 servings

Ingredients: 

2 medium-large red onions, cut into halves and thickly sliced
4 cups broccoli florets (bite-size)
1 medium head cauliflower, washed, trimmed and cut into florets (bite-size)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic (I like a lot!)
1/3 cup oil

Instructions: 

1. Pre-heat grill, along with a grill grid/pan* on HIGH for 10 minutes. Toss all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. (When adding the salt, sprinkle it rather than dumping it all in one spot.)

2. Pour vegetables onto pre-heated grill pan and spread out evenly. Turn heat to LOW and grill with lid closed for 20-30 minutes. (Smaller florets will cook more quickly.)

Stir and check for doneness every 10 minutes; vegetables are done when crisp-tender and browned on some sides. Serve hot and enjoy! 🙂

I like to serve these grilled veggies with grilled fish, beef, or chicken.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A whole chicken, cut in half and grilled for a tender, moist, rotisserie-like chicken!

Yield: 

6 servings (varies depending on size of chicken)

Ingredients: 

1 whole chicken (4-6 pounds), cut in half (see video below)
4 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon black pepper

To season:

Oil
salt
pepper
granulated garlic
paprika

Instructions: 

1. Brine chicken by placing the chicken, water, salt, garlic, and pepper in a non-metal bowl in the fridge for 2-6 hours.

2. Drain chicken and rinse under cold water. Let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat gas grill on high (or prepare charcoal grill).

3. Liberally coat chicken halves with oil. Lightly season with salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and paprika.

4. Place chicken skin-side-up on pre-heated grill grate and close the grill lid. Reduce grill temperature between low and medium-low. Grill for 50-70 minutes or until internal temperature at the densest point is 180 degrees.

Optional: Grill chicken skin-side-down for the last 5 minutes for lovely grill marks on the outside!

The grilling time will vary depending on the size of your chicken, how cold the chicken was, how hot your grill gets, how many times you open the lid, etc. so it is very important that you measure the internal temperature of your chicken.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

Crisp-tender grilled bell pepper halves, stuffed with a delicious Chicken Santa Fe rice and shredded Mexican cheese blend

Yield: 

8 stuffed pepper halves

Ingredients: 

4 large bell peppers (any color), halved with stems and seeds removed
Olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced fresh tomato
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper (any color)
6 cups hot cooked rice*
2 grilled chicken breasts (freshly grilled or leftover), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

For serving:

Chopped fresh cilantro, optional
Sliced green onions, optional
Shredded Mexican cheese blend
Your favorite hot sauce (we like Cholula or Tapatio)

Instructions: 

1. Preheat grill or prepare charcoal grill. Brush oil on the rims of the cut pepper halves (oil on the cut part). Grill peppers cut-side-down on MEDIUM for about 6 minutes. Then flip and grill on LOW for an additional 5 minutes or so. You want the peppers to be crisp-tender and with some dark grill marks (but not burnt).

2. Heat a large heavy skillet (I use cast iron) over medium heat. Put a couple tablespoons of oil in the skillet, and then add the garlic, onion, tomato, and bell pepper. Saute for a couple minutes. Add the grilled chicken, rice, salt, and pepper, and toss everything together. Saute until everything is hot. Toss in the fresh cilantro and stir. Add additional salt if needed (taste).

3. To serve, place the grilled pepper halves on plates and stuff with (or spoon in) the fried rice mixture. Top with fresh cilantro, green onions, shredded cheese, and hot sauce. Enjoy!

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A delicious chili made with beef, lentils, tomatoes, vegetables, and seasonings! This easy, from-scratch chili tastes amazing!

Yield: 

about 5 quarts

Ingredients: 

2 to 2.5 pounds ground beef or inexpensive steak*
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper (any color), diced
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes (or 4 cups diced fresh tomatoes)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon brown sugar
A few splashes of your favorite hot sauce (or a dash of cayenne pepper)
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
6 cups water
1 pound dry lentils (about 2 1/2 cups of dry lentils), rinsed

Optional, for serving:

Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Chopped fresh cilantro
Hot sauce
Tortilla chips

Instructions: 

1. In a large stock pot, brown ground beef with onion, garlic, and pepper. Drain grease and return to pan. Add remaining ingredients, except lentils and optional ingredients, to the drained meat mixture.

If using steak, trim as much fat as possible from meat and cut into small pieces. In a large stock pot, brown meat with onion, garlic, and pepper. Do not drain. Add remaining ingredients except lentils and optional ingredients.

2. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer covered, on medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes. Add lentils and stir. Cover and simmer for an additional 60 minutes or until lentils are tender. If this chili is too “soupy” for your tastes, simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes or so, until it’s the thickness you desire. (And if it’s too thick, add a splash of water.)

3. Serve hot, with optional ingredients of your choice. Enjoy! 🙂

See additional notes below for the crock pot version of this recipe! 🙂

Additional Notes: 

*Using ground beef vs. inexpensive steak:

Using ground beef is faster, since you don’t need to dice it before cooking.

Using steak is great for making this chili in the slow cooker, since you can trim the fat before cooking, and don’t need to use a separate pan to brown the meat before putting it in the crock pot.

Making lentil chili in the slow cooker:

I recommend using an inexpensive steak, with the fat trimmed as well as possible, so you can make this chili start-to-finish in your crock pot! If you choose to use ground beef instead, brown it in a pan on the stove, drain the grease, and then add to your crock pot.

Add all ingredients (except optional ingredients) to a 6-quart crock pot. (If your slow cooker is smaller than 6 quarts, reduce the recipe to fit.) Cook on HIGH for 8-10 hours. Keep warm until ready to eat! Serve with your choice of the optional ingredients listed.

Slow cooker prep time: 20-30 minutes
Slow cooker cook time: 8-10 hours

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A flaky, melt-in-your-mouth biscuit dough pizza that’s quick and easy!

Yield: 

12 slices

Ingredients: 

Biscuit Crust Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold butter, sliced
3/4 cup milk

Topping Ingredients:

1 tablespoon melted butter
3/4 cup pizza sauce
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
Any other toppings of your choice — pepperoni, onions, green peppers, black olives, pineapple, oregano, etc.

Optional: Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions: 

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the milk, just enough to moisten and turn dough into a big lump.

2. Turn dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and gently knead 8-10 times. Press or roll onto a greased or silicone-lined baking sheet (13×18-inch) or pizza pan (16-inch round).

3. Spread the tablespoon of melted butter over the crust. Spread with sauce, cheese, and any toppings desired.

4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake on lower oven rack for about 17 minutes, until crust is lightly browned on the bottom and cheese is hot and melted on top. If the top isn’t browned enough by then, move the pizza to the top rack in the oven and bake for a few more minutes.

5. Cut into 12 slices and serve hot!

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A creamy chicken gravy with peppers and mushrooms, served over hot rice

Yield: 

4 servings

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup white rice, cooked according to package instructions (3 cups after cooking)

Instructions: 

1. In a 3- or 4-quart saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in the flour and salt. Add chicken broth and milk all at once, and cook and stir until bubbly and thickened.

2. Stir in the chicken, mushrooms, and bell pepper. Heat through. Serve over hot rice.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A smooth, red enchilada sauce that’s easy to make and so delicious!

Yield: 

5 cups

Ingredients: 

3 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even just water
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes*
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Optional: Cayenne pepper added (to taste) at the end, if you like hot enchilada sauce

Instructions: 

1. Place all ingredients into blender** and blend on high until smooth. Pour into a 3- or 4-quart sauce pan. Or, place ingredients into a 4-quart sauce pan (no heat) and blend with an immersion blender (stick blender) until smooth.

2. Heat mixture in sauce pan over medium heat, whisking frequently, until mixture thickens and boils. Let boil for 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Cool. Taste, and whisk in some cayenne pepper if you want a hotter sauce.

Use in any recipe calling for enchilada sauce.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

Quick and easy homemade refried beans! These beans are soft, flavorful, and good enough to eat all by themselves!

Yield: 

about 2 cups

Ingredients: 

2 cups cooked pinto beans*
2 tablespoons oil
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped green pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
~1/2 cup water, as needed
Salt, to taste
Your favorite hot sauce, to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Instructions: 

1. Heat heavy skillet or pan (I use cast iron) over medium heat. Add oil, then add beans, garlic, onion, pepper, and cumin. Cook and stir, mashing with a spoon or spatula as you stir and adding a little water as needed.

2. Cook until beans are hot and as smooth as desired (I like mine chunky!). Add salt to taste and a few splashes of hot sauce along with freshly chopped cilantro if desired.

Serve hot with tortilla chips for dipping, or use in any recipe calling for refried beans.