Quick and Easy Pizza Sauce

Since my discovery of my neighbors recipe for Quick and Easy Pizza Crust we have been enjoying fresh homemade pizza once a week. It is inexpensive and delicious. Best of  all, quick and easy. It’s what I love most during a busy work, school, church week.

Now, it would stand to reason that a quick and easy pizza dough deserves a quick and easy pizza sauce. Here is the recipe that I use. It makes plenty and unused sauce stores well in the fridge for future use.

• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon ground oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika

In a medium bowl, Mix together tomato sauce and tomato paste until smooth. Stir in oregano, garlic and paprika.

(Original recipe can be found here.)

Mini Oreo© Cheesecakes

As a fan of cheesecake, I never pass up a great recipe. Easy is best, and this is no exception. Plan ahead though, as with most cheesecakes, they require an overnighter before serving.

 

• 1 package Oreo’s©
• 3 8oz packages Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp vanilla
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• pinch of salt
• 24 cupcake liners

Line cupcake pans with liners. Heat oven to 275°. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each liner. Beat cream cheese at medium speed using an electric mixer. Gradually sugar, beating until combined. Beat in vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies.

Divide batter among pans. Bake for about 22 minutes or until filling is set.

Cool completely on wire racks. Refrigerate  overnight.

** I served with a squirt of whipped cream on top and additional cookie crumbs.

Makes 24 cheesecakes.

NOTE: Fill them up almost to the very top. I used a 1/4 measuring cup and it worked out perfectly. They may puff in the oven, but they don't rise.

Cookie Dough Stuffed Cupcakes

I have had my eye on a recipe for these  but did not want to fuss with a cake from scratch. So, I came up with my own easy version using pre-made products.

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough log
• Cake Mix of your choosing (I used chocolate)
• Can of Frosting, again your choice (I used whipped vanilla)

Prepare 24 balls of cookie dough (appx. 1 Tbsp.). Place on a cookie sheet and freeze.

Prepare cupcakes as directed on box. Before baking, place a frozen cookie dough ball on top of the cookie dough batter (it will become covered as the cupcake bakes). Bake as directed, about 18 minutes.

Cool then frost.

Chocolate Candy Pretzels

A quick and yummy snack. Perfectly sweet and salty, best of all – VERY easy to make. Perfect for a treat for a school class, a church gathering, a football party etc. I like to share them at work during the holidays using the red and green M&M’s.

• Pretzels
• Candy kisses (I like the caramel kisses)
• M&M’s

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Place pretzels on baking sheets. Unwrap candy kisses and place one in the center of each pretzel.

Place in preheated oven 1 to 2 minutes, until kisses melt. Remove from oven and place one candy-coated chocolate in the center of each pretzel.

Serve when set. (Can put in the fridge to quick set.)