Colleen James

Tag: recipes

  • The Best Homemade Pizza

    Picture of the homemade pizza with jalapeños and ground beef

    I feel a little arrogant to be calling this recipe the best homemade pizza, but my family has really hyped me up to believe just that!

    After making homemade pizza and trying a few different things a couple of times in December, I decided I wanted to make pizza for my younger sister and brother-in-law’s visit in early January. And let me tell you, the results were stupendous! Everyone sitting around the lunch table that day raved about how good this pizza was! Or better put, almost everyone. My picky little two-year-old still believes he can make a correct decision about how something tastes just by looking at it!

    Weeks later, when I served it again to my older sister and mom to celebrate my birthday, they raved about it just as much! After all the compliments and requests for the recipe, I knew I should include it here.

    I use a standard recipe for the pizza dough to make it, along with many other standard items that make up a pizza here in the United States. The secret that makes this pizza so good is the butter garlic mixture I use before placing the marinara over the dough. I spread softened, unsalted butter over the dough, then I sparingly spread minced garlic from the jar on top of the butter.

    Using softened, unsalted butter for this recipe really makes a difference. I used melted butter for my garlic butter base one time in December, and it just wasn’t bursting with flavor like the ones I’ve made with softened butter. I also used salted butter one time, and the pizza was overly salty. The garlic butter mixture with the unsalted, softened butter underneath the marinara sauce and toppings really takes this pizza to the next level. If you love pizza as much as my family and I do, I hope you’ll give it a try! And if you do, please be sure to leave a comment to let me know how it turned out for you!

    BEST HOMEMADE PIZZA

    Ingredients:

    • 1 ½ c warm water, separated
    • 2 1//4 t active dry yeast (1 packet)
    • 1 t granulated sugar
    • 3 ½ c all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 2 T olive oil (plus a little more for drizzling)
    • 3-4 T unsalted butter, softened
    • 2-3 T minced garlic from a jar*
    • 23-ounce jar marinara sauce
    • 3-5 cups mozzarella cheese (depending on your personal preference)
    • Toppings of choice**

    Instructions:

    1. In a bowl, gently stir together ½ cup warm water, yeast, and sugar.
    2. Cover and set aside for five minutes or until bubbly.
    3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, salt, olive oil, yeast mixture, and additional cup water.
    4. Knead gently to incorporate all the flour, then drizzle with a little oil and spread it over the entire ball of dough. Cover and let rise for two hours, or until it has doubled in size.
    5. Preheat the oven to 400F.
    6. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and place on a parchment paper in the baking dish of your choice (I have used a cookie sheet to make pan pizzas and a pizza stone to make round pizzas).
    7. Roll out the dough to achieve the desired shape.
    8. Once the dough is ready, spread over the butter until the dough is entirely covered. Only use what is needed to spread a thin layer of butter over the dough, then spread the minced garlic sparingly over the butter spread. Refer to the picture below.
    9. Gently spread the marinara sauce evenly over the pizza, then add the grated cheese and toppings of choice.
    10. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes. Let sit for five or so minutes, then use a pizza cutter to slice as desired and enjoy!

    Notes:

    *I like using pre-minced garlic from a jar for this recipe, because not only does it save time, but the dough also gets the added flavor of the juice from the jar of minced garlic. If you want to use fresh minced garlic, feel free to do so. Just keep in mind that it may slightly alter the taste.

    **Although I have used several different toppings for this pizza, my family has enjoyed the one with ground beef and jalapeño peppers from the jar most. For the beef, I brown it in a pan over the stove with steak seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and a little bit of garlic and onion powder, then I add ¾ or so of the browned beef to the top of the pizza.

  • A Collection of Christmas Cookies

    Pictures of the different cookies above

    I didn’t get around to entering the Christmas cookie bake off this year. Between working a part-time job this fall, taking Liam to soccer practices and games, helping him with his homework and Bible work and memory verses, and trying to keep up with the normal routine of cooking, cleaning, and trying to be a good wife and mom, I just didn’t have the energy or time to commit to such an endeavor.  I may be back at it next year, but this year I thought I’d share my collection of past cookies in one blogpost to make them easier to find.

    I have yet to make any cookies this Christmas season, so this listing will help me as well. So, without further ado, here are the Christmas cookies I’ve made throughout the years with a brief description of each:

    ALMOND CHERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

    These cookies combine the sweet, juicy taste of maraschino cherries with chocolate and a hint of almond extract. Soft and chewy, they make for a great party treat. These may very well be my husband’s favorite out of all the cookies I have made. Recipe below:

    http://anticipatingadventure.com/2020/12/02/almond-cherry-chocolate-chip-cookies/

    DOUBLE DECKER BUTTERSCOTCH BARS WITH EGGNOT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

    This recipe is a bit complicated but completely worth the hassle! It consists of a chewy cookie bar covered in a creamy, rich butterscotch layer, which is then topped off with a fluffy eggnog frosting. It’s delicious, travels well for Christmas gatherings (when kept in its pan), and, if topped with some extra butterscotch pieces or nuts, looks quite elegant. Recipe Below:

    http://anticipatingadventure.com/2021/12/11/double-decker-butterscotch-bars-with-eggnog-cream-cheese-frosting/

    CHRISTMAS EVE COOKIES (MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES)

    Made with Abuelita hot chocolate, these drop cookies are the perfect, chewy blend of chocolate and cinnamon, making them a great Christmas Eve treat! Recipe below:

    http://anticipatingadventure.com/2022/12/07/christmas-eve-cookies-mexican-hot-chocolate-cookies/

    CHRISTMAS PIE COOKIE CUPS

    The next two cookies I’m about to share are my favorite and were a big hit at my church family group last year. This first one is a sweet and tart combination of strawberry-cranberry filling with hints of cinnamon and clove in a chewy cinnamon cookie cup. They are so elegant looking and are only bite-sized, so there won’t be any guilt in indulging in these a little! Recipe below:

    http://anticipatingadventure.com/2023/12/10/christmas-pie-cookie-cups/

    SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES WITH NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM

    Creamy Nutella buttercream makes for a winning combination with this soft, gingerbread cookie! These can be made as whoopie cookies or kept as a single cookie with the frosting on top. Both are delicious! Recipe below:

    http://anticipatingadventure.com/2023/12/18/soft-gingerbread-cookies-with-nutella-buttercream/

    If you try any of these recipes, please send me a message and let me know how it turned out for you! I hope you enjoy this season, these cookies,  and everything this month has to offer as we remember the birth of our Savior. Merry Christmas!

  • Grandma’s Wassail

    Picture of my grandma’s wassail drink on a pretty cloth

    I don’t have many memories of going to my grandparents’ house for Christmas when I was young,  but I do succinctly remember what their house smelled like one Christmas that I did.

    As soon as my family and I walked through the front door one year, we were embraced by a warm citrus and cinnamon scent, and I instantly knew that that’s what Christmas should smell like.

    Soon we discovered that this wonderful scent was coming from Grandma’s stove, from a mixture of juices and other ingredients, which she called wassail. It was my first time to try such a delightful drink, but I quickly decided it couldn’t be my last! I wrote down the recipe over that visit and have been making it ever since living on my own.
    Ironically, I recently discovered I was making it wrong after talking to my aunt (my grandma’s only daughter) about it. I’m not sure how I was missing one of the main ingredients. All I can think of is that I was young when I copied the original. I’m glad I have the true one now.

    My grandma is still around but hasn’t made this drink for years. She’s here in body, but her memory has been gone for quite some time, so having her recipe is extra special to me. It’s one of many ways that her memory will live on for me of days when she had her memory and made Christmas and every visit so special for us. I can’t help but think of her when I make it, and I hope to pass this recipe onto my boys when they get older and tell them about her too. She was a devout Christian that served as a role model to my dad and his siblings of what it meant to live a godly life, and I’m so grateful to her for that. She left them a spiritual legacy which has been passed down to me and many of her other grandchildren, and it’s the best gift she could have ever given anyone. Making this recipe is just a way of remembering her impact with a grateful heart. It’s a way of honoring her and the legacy she has left behind. She may not be earth-bound much longer, but the ways she made an eternal impact will last forever, so I’ll make this drink every Christmas and remember her and pray that God will allow that legacy to continue to the following generations until the day He returns.

    GRANDMA’S WASSAIL

    Ingredients:

    • 2 quarts (8 cups) water
    • Black tea (3 tea bags or 3 teaspoons instant. I used decaf)
    • 2 c sugar (see NOTES)
    • 1 c water (see NOTES)
    • 2 quarts apple juice or cider
    • 2 c grapefruit juice
    • 2 c pineapple juice
    • 2 c orange juice
    • 1 c lemon juice
    • 3 t ground cloves
    • 2 to 3 cinnamon sticks
    • Optional garnish: fresh cranberries, cloves, and/or grapefruit, orange, or lemon slices.

    Instructions:

    Bring water to boil over the stove, then add the tea and let steep for five to ten minutes. Add sugar and additional water and stir until dissolved, then add the apple juice (or cider) grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, orange juice, and lemon juice. Simmer for three hours, adding the cloves and cinnamon sticks within the last hour. Garnish with fresh cranberries, cloves, and/or grapefruit, orange, or lemon slices.

    NOTES: I do not personally add two cups of sugar to my wassail, as that is an exorbitant amount. I did want to include this recipe as close to how my grandma made it in her honor, however. So, here it is. Please feel free to add less sugar according to your own taste. The last time I made this, I used only a quarter cup. The amount of water added should roughly be half of the amount of sugar. Also, all the juices used here are either from the bottle or a can.

    On a separate note, this will most likely be my last post before Christmas, so I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! May Jesus be celebrated most of all this season!

    For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

    Isaiah 9:6

  • Spiced Lemonade

    Tangy, fresh lemons blend together with golden honey and sweet cinnamon to make a refreshing twist to a classic, summer drink. Picture of lemons and the lemonade.

    As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, it’s the perfect time of year to drink fresh lemonade. This recipe is one I created years ago, when I was teaching ESL at the Spanish speaking seminary. I’m not sure what inspired me to add a cinnamon stick to the mixture other than the fact that I really like cinnamon—both for its taste and health benefits. That, and a friend of mine used to put a cinnamon stick in her iced tea when she brewed it, and I found the cinnamon to make her tea incredibly delicious.

    Regardless of whatever the exact reason was, I’m glad I thought to do it. The tartness of the lemon juice blended together with honey, sweet cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla is the perfect blend. You’ll find yourself wanting to make this drink over and over again.

    SPICED LEMONADE

    Ingredients:

    • 3 1/2 c water, divided
    • 1/3 c honey (or sweetener of choice, to taste)
    • 1 t vanilla
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • ½ c fresh squeezed lemon juice (around 2-3 large lemons)

    Instructions:

    Heat two cups water and honey over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the honey dissolves. Add the vanilla, cinnamon stick, and fresh squeezed lemon juice and simmer on low for five minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from heat and allow to cool for ten to twenty minutes, then place in the refrigerator and chill overnight, or a minimum of six hours (this will allow the cinnamon flavor to really infuse itself into the drink). Add the additional 1 ½ cups water before serving, stir, and serve over ice. Makes 3-4 servings.

    NOTE: This lemonade tastes tart before fully chilled but will become sweeter once cold.

  • Slow Cooker Spiced Pumpkin Mocha Latte (and an Individual Stove Top Option)

    I’m becoming increasingly thankful that I didn’t start a food blog like I had originally dreamed of doing. Between the testing, tasting, tweaking, and trying my recipe ideas over and over again (not to mention the time spent taking photos of the finished product), I’m pretty much amazed that anyone has a food blog!

    That being said, I am nonetheless happy to have an outlet where I can share original recipes, but without the pressure of having to.

    This recipe was inspired by the chocolate chip pumpkin bread that my mom used to make every fall when I was a child. It was such a cozy season for our family growing up, and I suppose this was my way of reminiscing over it.

    As I was working on this recipe, I was reminded of something a former coworker posted on social media a year ago about Abuelita hot chocolate being better that pumpkin spice latte. The conversation that ensued on his page was so funny! People are passionate about their beverage preferences!

    I had to smile as I created this recipe since it combines the warmth of pumpkin spice with the richness of chocolate. It’s a win-win in my book, and I hope others will think so too!

    Although I used normal cocoa powder in this recipe to make it accessible to more people, I would wholeheartedly recommend substituting the cocoa powder (and cinnamon) for a wedge or two of Abuelita hot chocolate if you can find it at your local grocery store. Just make sure that you adjust the amount of sweetened condensed milk you use (or substitute it with a low-calorie sweetener altogether, if desired). Also, feel free to use your milk of choice. However, if you use a non-dairy option, choose one that is creamy in texture, as it will help to keep the latte from tasting grainy.

    Lastly, if you make this beverage, please let me know what you think!  I hope it makes this season a little sweeter for you!

    SLOW COOKER SPICED PUMPKIN MOCHA LATTE

    Ingredients:

    • 4 c strong brewed coffee
    • 4 c milk of choice
    • ½ c pumpkin puree
    • 1 ½ T pumpkin pie spice
    • 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
    • ½ c – 1 c sweetened condensed milk, as desired
    • 2-3 cinnamon sticks
    • 4-6 whole cloves (optional)

    Directions:

    Place the coffee, milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, cocoa powder, and sweetened condensed milk in a slow cooker. Stir well. Add the cinnamon sticks and cloves and cook on high for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until flavors have blended together and the beverage is heated through. Stir again, then strain into mugs and serve. Makes 6-8 servings.

    Stovetop Method (1-2 Servings):

    • 1 c strong brewed coffee
    • 1 cup milk of choice
    • 2 T pumpkin puree
    • 1 t pumpkin pie spice
    • ½ T cocoa powder
    • 2-4 T sweetened condensed milk, as desired
    • 1 small cinnamon stick*
    • 1-2 whole cloves (optional)

    Add the first 6 ingredients to a pot and mix well. Add the cinnamon stick and cloves, then simmer over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes, or until heated through. Stir and strain into a mug. Enjoy!

    *If you don’t have cinnamon sticks, I would suggest not using cinnamon at all. I found ground cinnamon to make the latte too grainy.