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.

A
homemade knockoff of Papa Murphy’s Taco Grande Pizza: Buttery pizza
crust topped with salsa-pizza sauce, taco-seasoned meat, mozzarella
cheese, black olives, green onions, and diced tomatoes
Yield: 

12 slices
Ingredients: 

Pizza crust ingredients:

1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups (approximately) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
Butter, for greasing the pan

Taco meat* ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin (I like to use freshly ground cumin!)
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
Tapatio, or your favorite hot sauce, to taste

Pizza toppings:

1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup salsa or picante sauce of your choice
12-16 ounces (3-4 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup thinly sliced black olives
1/2 cup diced green onions
1/2 cup diced Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional
Instructions: 

1.
To make pizza crust, combine warm water and salt in a mixing bowl. Add
about 1.5 cups of the flour along with the yeast and stir. Add remaining
flour and knead into a smooth dough (add enough flour, beyond the 2.5
cups if necessary). Knead for 5-10 minutes and then set aside, covered,
in a warm place.**

If you have a bread machine or stand mixer, this process is even easier. Use the dough cycle (bread machine) or dough hook (stand mixer) to knead the water, salt, flour, and yeast until a smooth dough is formed. Cover and set in a warm place (or allow the dough cycle on your bread machine to continue to run).

2. Fry ground beef with garlic and onion. Drain well. Return to pan
and stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and some hot sauce.
set aside.

3. Liberally butter a 16-inch round pizza pan. With buttery hands,
spread dough evenly on pan. Mix the pizza sauce and salsa together and
spread over crust.

4. Sprinkle meat over sauce; evenly spread cheese over meat and then
add olives, green onions, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese (if using). Allow
pizza to rest for at least 10 minutes, but up to 30 minutes before
baking. (A longer rest will produce a fluffier crust.)

5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake pizza for 10-12 minutes, depending on the kind of pizza pan and your oven. I’ve found that it’s best to use the bottom rack of the oven for a thicker/heavier pizza pan (like stainless steel) and the top shelf for a thinner pan (like non-stick or a perforated pizza pan).

6. When pizza is done, remove from oven and let set for ~5 minutes. Slice into 12 slices and serve hot!

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

Thin-sliced
grilled steak and grilled stir-fry veggies, tossed together with
Romaine lettuce, fresh diced tomatoes, and feta cheese for a flavor-rich
and filling salad!
Yield: 

4-6 servings (as a main dish)
Ingredients: 

8 cups bite-size broccoli florets
1 large red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons (about 4 cloves) minced garlic
1/2 cup oil
1 red bell pepper, halved  and sliced or chopped
3 cups thinly sliced grilled steak (freshly grilled or leftover)
2 heads of Romaine lettuce, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces (about 12-16 cups)
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Croutons, optional
Ranch salad dressing, optional* Instructions: 

1.
Preheat grill (or prepare charcoal grill), including a grill
plate/pan/grid for grilling vegetables.* In a large mixing bowl, toss
together the broccoli, onion, salt, pepper, garlic, oil, and red pepper.

2. Spread vegetables on the hot grill pan. Grill on MEDIUM with lid
closed for about 8 minutes. Leaving vegetables on grill, stir thoroughly
and then sprinkle the steak on top of the veggies. Close lid again and
grill for an additional 8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender
and steak is hot.

3. Remove platter from grill and allow to cool for a few minutes. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the Romaine lettuce and fresh tomatoes. Stir in the still-hot/warm steak and veggie mixture. Gently toss in the feta cheese and croutons (if using). Serve immediately with your favorite Ranch dressing.**

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

Even-bodied chili, slightly sweet and full of flavor; this is our favorite homemade chili!
Yield: 

4-5 cups
Ingredients: 

1 pound ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 clove garlic, minced
28 ounces tomatoes (diced)
8 ounces tomato sauce (use some tomato paste instead for a thicker chili with less cooking time)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt (or more; salt to taste)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne red pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
15.5 ounce can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/8 cup brown sugar

For serving:

Shredded cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, freshly chopped cilantro, corn chips and/or hot sauce!
Instructions: 

1. Cook and stir beef, onions, garlic, and green peppers in a skillet or stock pot until meat is brown. Drain grease.

2. In stock pot, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce
heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Or,
simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes. If you use tomato paste instead
of the tomato sauce, the chili will get thicker faster, and might only
need to simmer for 20-30 minutes.

3. Serve hot with chips, cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, diced avocado, and/or fresh cilantro.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

Savory and tender, this beef is simmered in a slow cooker and served over potatoes
Yield: 

8 hearty servings
Ingredients: 

2 pounds beef stew meat (in large cubes) or beef roast (chuck roast or similar)
1 large onion, diced
6 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
1/4 teaspoon dried sage (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
1/2 teaspoon dried savory (or 1/2 tablespoon fresh)
2 teaspoons salt
2-3″ of water in slow cooker (about 4 cups)

Additional ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk or water

3 pounds potatoes, washed and cut into 1″ chunks*
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
Instructions: 

1.
Place beef, onions, seasonings, and water (about 4 cups) into slow
cooker. I use a 6-quart slow cooker, but I think this would fit in a
3-4-quart on as well. Cook on HIGH for 6 hours.

2. After about 5 1/2 hours of cooking, wash and cube the potatoes and
place in a stock pot. Cook, covered, until potatoes are soft. (Reduce
heat after potatoes start to boil.)

3. While potatoes are cooking, whisk together the 1/2 cup all-purpose
flour and 1 cup milk or water in a small bowl. Remove the 6 bay leaves
from the beef. Stir in the flour/milk mixture, into the hot beef, and
cover again. Allow to heat for 10 minutes (still on HIGH) and stir
again. Cover again, and heat until bubbly.

4. Drain potatoes briefly, return to pan, and stir in 2 tablespoons
butter and 1 teaspoon salt. Potatoes can still be chunky. Or, you can
use a hand mixer to make mashed potatoes. (Add 1/2 cup milk if making
mashed potatoes.)

Serve the hot beef over the potatoes and enjoy!

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

This recipe for Chop Suey is a delicious combination of beef and Chinese vegetables, served over hot rice.
Yield: 

12 servings
Ingredients: 

2 to 2 1/2 pounds beef round roast, fat trimmed and thinly sliced into bite-size pieces
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup Tamari sauce (can substitute soy sauce)
4 cups boiling water

Vegetables:

2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1-2 green, red, OR yellow bell peppers, thinly sliced into sticks
6 large ribs bok choy, sliced with leaves
6 cups fresh bean sprouts (or 1 large can, drained)
8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained (reserve juice)
5 ounce can (drained weight) bamboo shoots, sliced (reserve juice)
8 ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained (reserve juice)

Oil, as needed

2 beef bouillon cubes (or equivalent of beef base)
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Salt, to taste
1/4 cup cornstarch

For serving:

2 cups (uncooked measurement) white rice (6 cups cooked rice)
Tamari sauce, for serving (optional)
Crushed red pepper, for serving (optional)
Instructions: 

1.
In a large stock pot, brown meat well with the garlic and tamari sauce.
Add 4 cups of boiling water. Simmer meat for 30-45 minutes. Prepare
vegetables by washing, slicing, or draining as needed.

2. Cook rice according to package instructions. While rice is
cooking, heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon or two
of oil, and stir-fry the vegetables one at a time until crisp-tender:
onions, carrots, celery, peppers, and bok choy (but not the bean sprouts
or canned vegetables). After the vegetable is crisp tender, put it into
a heat-safe bowl (not in the pan with the meat) while you continue
cooking the other vegetables.

3. When vegetables are all crisp-tender, add all vegetables to the
meat (still simmering). Add the beef bouillon, ginger, and brown sugar.
Add salt to taste. Whisk together the reserved juice from the canned
vegetables and the cornstarch. Add to the hot beef mixture and cook and
stir to thicken slightly.

4. Serve hot meat and vegetable mixture over the hot cooked rice. Enjoy with additional tamari sauce on the side and crushed red pepper on top if you wish.

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.

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!

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! 🙂

Hearty Beef and Lentil Chili, served with homemade cornbread 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.