Tour of Fifty States: Illinois' meal

For the state of Illinois, I knew I wanted to try making Chicago-style deep dish pizza.  I have never had it before, but it seems to be as popular as “New York” style pizza (thinner and hand-held) and hey, I just love pizza! 

The horseshoe sandwich originated in Springfield, Illinois and is served, it seems, in all of the local restaurants. It begins with thick-sliced toasted bread, most often Texas toast and hamburger patties, or ham, topped with French Fries and cheese sauce. There is also a "breakfast" horseshoe that uses ham, eggs and hash browns. A smaller portion, with one slice of bread and one serving of meat, is called a "Pony Shoe".  It is considered a local Illinois delicacy since 1928.

Since Illinois is the #1 producer of pumpkins in the US, I had to make some kind of pumpkin dessert…but pumpkin pie in March isn’t right!  That is for fall!  I ended up combining pumpkin pie with cheesecake and dump cake for one dessert, and pumpkin pudding parfaits for another dessert.

Menu:  Breakfast Horseshoe Sandwiches, Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza, Pumpkin Dump Cake, Pumpkin Pudding Parfait

Outcome:  I ended up using our large heavy lasagna/roasting pan for this pizza.  The crust recipe below covered the bottom of the pan and about 1 inch up the sides.  So if I had used a round pan, maybe a cast iron skillet, the crust would have come higher up the sides.  The way it was though, was perfect for us.  The oiled pan and the very high temperature almost seemed to fry the crust, leaving it very crisp and crunchy, even under all that sauce.  I thought it would be too much sauce, but followed the recipe as written.  I’m glad I did.  This pizza was GOOD.  It was hearty and delicious and reminded us of a pizza casserole.  All the kids and Bill said this was a winner!  They want to have it again next time they come! And we even have leftovers.  J

The horseshoe sandwiches were a huge hit as well.  I could only eat one of mine (Pony shoe for me) so I boxed up the leftover – and then I remembered to take a picture!  Haha oh well.  I did pretty well with the other items this weekend (except getting a picture of a slice of the pizza on a plate!)

Up Next:  For this round, we did a simple dice roll…highest went to Paula and she chose Indiana!

Breakfast Horseshoe Sandwich 

Prep time:  10 min. Cook time:  10 min.

Ingredients:

• 2 slices Texas toast per person
• 2 eggs per person
• 2 ham slices per person
• 2 Hash browns patties per person
• Cheese sauce:
• 1 stick butter
• 2 cups milk
• 4 Tbsp. flour
• ¼ tsp. dry mustard
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 jars Old English cheese spread (Kraft)
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 

Directions:

1.    Make the cheese sauce:  combine butter and milk in saucepan and cook on low until melted.  Whisk in flour, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, and salt.  Continue whisking until the flour is dissolved.  Add in cheese spread and Worcestershire sauce and continue to cook until melted.  Remove from heat and allow to thicken before serving.

2.    Toast the bread and place on the plate.  Top each toast with a ham slice and a fried egg, then spoon cheese sauce over it all.  Top with hash browns. 

Pony Shoe leftover

Note:  The Kraft Old English Cheese Spread is found at Publix grocery stores around here.  Wash out the jar, remove the label, and you have a cute juice glass! 

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Prep time:  10 min.  Inactive time:  1 hr. Cook time:  20 min.

Ingredients

Dough:

·         4 tsp. powdered yeast

·         7 oz. warm water

·         3 cups. flour

·         8 Tbsp. olive oil

·         1 tsp. salt

Sauce:

·         1 (28oz.) can  canned whole tomatoes

·         1 (28oz.) can  canned pureed tomatoes

·         1 tsp. salt

·         ¼ tsp. pepper

·         2 tsp. basil

·         4 tsp. sugar

·         1 jar (14 oz.) pizza sauce

·         2 tsp. oregano

·         16 oz. mozzarella cheese

·         Toppings of your choice (sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, etc.)

·         Parmesan and Romano cheeses (optional)

Directions

Dough:

1.      Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl.

2.      Knead for 5 minutes on floured board. Put dough in lightly oiled bowl; cover with damp cloth and put in a warm place.

3.      Allow dough to rise 1 hour, or until doubled in size

Sauce:

4.      Squeeze tomatoes over strainer until mushy; drain and discard juice.

5.      Add salt, pepper, basil, sugar and canned pizza sauce. Stir well and set aside for later use.

Preparation:

6.      Preheat oven to 500 º with oven rack in bottom position. Grease pan with olive oil, making sure inside edge of pan is covered.

7.      Pat dough down for a few minutes, sprinkle with lots of flour, place in pan.

8.      Press dough out until it covers the pan edge to edge.

9.      Put cheese over surface of dough. If sausage, mushrooms, etc. are to be used, place these on top of cheese.

added the cheese first 

added pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms and onions next

10.  Spoon the tomato topping mixture on top of cheese (and other toppings if used).

Pizza!!

11.  Press tomato mixture into the cheese with a spatula being sure to cover the entire surface of the pizza. Sprinkle with oregano (you may also add grated Parmesan and/or Romano cheese to taste).

12.  Cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Serves 10.

Pumpkin Dump Cake 

Prep time:  10 min.  Cook time:  45 min.

Ingredients

•         1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree

•         1 (12 oz.) can of evaporated milk

•         ¾ cup white sugar

•         ½ teaspoon salt

•         2 eggs, beaten

•         2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

•         1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

•         ¾ cup powdered sugar

•         2 Tbsp. milk

•         1 box cake mix, any flavor (I used spice cake)

•         1 stick butter, melted

•         Toppings, optional (see step 4)

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9” x 13” baking dish well with non-stick cooking spray.

2.      Mix pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl. Beat the eggs and add to the bowl. Whisk all together until well incorporated.  Pour into prepared baking dish.

pumpkin pie filling only

3.  In another bowl, mix the cream cheese, milk, and powdered sugar until smooth.  Drop by spoonfuls all over the surface of the pumpkin mixture.  Do not stir.

added the cream cheese mixture on top

4.   Sprinkle dry cake mix over the cream cheese and pumpkin in baking dish.  Pour melted butter evenly over the top.  If desired, nuts, chopped dried fruit, chocolate chips, coconut, or cinnamon sugar can be sprinkled over the top. Do not stir.

added the cake mix and melted butter

5.      Bake for about 45 minutes, or until knife inserted into the pumpkin mixture comes out clean.

6.      Serve with whipped cream. 

Serves 12.

Pudding Parfaits

Prepare pudding according to directions on the box and layer with whipped topping in a juice glass.

Note:  I used Jell-O Pumpkin Spice pudding mix, layered with Cool Whip and mini chocolate chips, and the top sprinkled with nutmeg in adorable jewel-colored Tervis Stout Tumblers! 

Seasonal release only...glad I got two!

Pumpkin pudding parfait

Love these jewel toned Tervis stout tumblers!