Getting Ambitious

I'm not going to get to make the carrot cake for my parents but I plan to make it for company next week.

Tonight for dinner I'm trying a new recipe (surprise, surprise). It's called "German Lasagna". While "Grocery Gaming" last week, I picked up some kielbasa. I remember my mom making kielbasa when we were kids and I loved it. She would just cook the meat then add sauerkraut and we'd devour it that way. While I would be perfectly happy serving kielbasa with sauerkraut alone, I would not be living up to my husband's expectation that I always make things more complicated than necessary. So, I found the recipe for German Lasagna and decided to take a stab at it. Just looking at the recipe I might decide to cook some angel hair and just throw everything else on top of that unless it turns out that I have enough lasagna noodles to pull of the dish. I realize I'm being backwards about all of this recipe posting. I know that I'm supposed to make the dish then post about it the next day with pictures of how it turned out and the recipe below. However, I like the idea of finding recipes and compiling on my blog so that when I go home I can pull up one website and know what I want to make.

GERMAN LASAGNA

INGREDIENTS
9 lasagna noodles
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups milk
1 pound kielbasa
1 (20 ounce) can sauerkraut, drained
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. In a blender or with an electric mixer, blend mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup and milk until smooth. Cut sausage in half lengthwise and slice thinly.
4. In a 9x13 inch dish, layer 1 cup soup mixture, 3 noodles, half the sauerkraut, half the sausage and a third of the cheese. Repeat. Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining soup mixture. Cover with foil.
5. Bake in preheated oven 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 minutes more. Sprinkle with remaining cheese when still hot.

I also found a recipe that I want to try on Friday for personal pan pizzas. I say "personal" because, even though the recipe says they will serve 4-6, I know David will be able to eat one all by himself. I really love Pizza Hut pan pizzas so if this turns out anything like that I will be HOOKED! I thought about substituting whole wheat flour instead of all purpose but I don't think it would turn out the same (same being nice and fatty).

PAN PIZZAS
Makes two 9-inch pizzas serving 4 to 6

Dough Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup skim milk plus 2 additional tablespoons, warmed to 110 degrees
2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour , plus extra for counter
1 package instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon table salt

Topping Ingredients
1 (3.5-ounce) package sliced pepperoni
1 1/3 cups tomato sauce (heat on stove and add salt/pepper to taste)
3 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Add any other ingredients you might like on your pizza as well.

Instructions
To make the dough:
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off.
Lightly grease large bowl with cooking spray.
Coat each of two 9-inch cake pans with 3 tablespoons oil.
Mix milk, sugar, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in measuring cup.
Mix flour, yeast, and salt in standing mixer fitted with dough hook.
Turn machine to low and slowly add milk mixture.
After dough comes together, increase speed to medium-low and mix until dough is shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes.
Turn dough onto lightly floured counter, gently shape into ball, and place in greased bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap and place in warm oven until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

To shape and top the dough:
Transfer dough to lightly floured counter, divide in half, and lightly roll each half into ball.
Working with 1 dough ball at a time, roll and shape dough into 9 1/2-inch round and press into oiled pan.
Cover with plastic wrap and set in warm spot (not in oven) until puffy and slightly risen, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees.

While dough rises:
Put half of pepperoni in single layer on microwave-safe plate lined with 2 paper towels.
Cover with 2 more paper towels and microwave on high for 30 seconds.
Discard towels and set pepperoni aside; repeat with new paper towels and remaining pepperoni.
Once the dough has risen in the pan:
Remove plastic wrap from dough.
Ladle 2/3 cup sauce on each round, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges.
Sprinkle each with 1 1/2 cups cheese and top with pepperoni.
Bake until cheese is melted and pepperoni is browning around edges, about 20 minutes.
Remove from oven

It is very important that you let the pizzas rest in pans for 1 minute. Then, using spatula, transfer pizzas to cutting board and cut each into 8 wedges. Serve.

David is turning 30 this year. I thought about making the following dessert for his birthday but I might make it sooner to be sure that he likes it. Although, he loves peanut butter cups (check!), cheesecake (check!), and chocolate (check!) so I'm sure it will be a hit! I'm posting it now so that I don't forget about it later. I got it from Picky Palate (I love her recipes!).

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars

I'm also going to attempt to make my own granola. I absolutely love parfaits but I don't want to pay over $3 at Starbucks for them anymore! Just buying some peach, strawberry, or vanilla yogurt and adding granola to it will have the same effect for much less money so I will attempt that as soon as I can find some dry milk that isn't $17/box.