RipUp Pizza

This is like monkey bread but pizza style.  Sounds fun.  When it came out of the oven I didn't think much of it - it's a greasy mess, however once it's cold it's pretty wonderful.  If you are going to go through the effort of making a pizza I might just go traditional but this is different and fun.

Ingredients:
Pizza dough - enough for two pizzas
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/3 cup olive oil
1 package pepperoni
1 or 2 clove(s) fresh garlic - sliced, diced or mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut pepperoni into smaller pieces
Rip dough into small pieces

Mix dough pieces with oil to cover evenly.  Leaving any extra oil obviously just makes this greasier - so it's your choice if you drain off any extra or leave it in there for added greasy goodness.

Toss with all other ingredients getting a good mix.  Pour into a greased baking dish.

Bake about 30 minutes or until top is bubbly and browning; being sure that the middle is fully cooked.

Flip over onto a plate while still hot.  Serve with a  side sauce.

Optional: eat cold and enjoy!

Marvelous Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp all spice

1/2 cup sugar for tops

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix melted butter, 1 cup sugar and egg until smooth.  Stir in the molasses.  In another bowl combine the dry ingredients.  Blend the dry mixture to the molasses mix. Cover and chill for at least an hour.  You'll want to keep this mix cool so you might start some and then stick the bowl back in the fridge until it chills again.  Chilling keeps it from being a sticky mess.

You've already preheated your oven to 375 degrees.  Roll the chilled dough into bite size balls -  walnut size.  Roll the balls into the sugar you set aside for the tops.  Place onto an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake 8-10 minutes and cool on a wire rack.  Sprinkle with any leftover sugar. 

They turn out quite flat so presentation may not be the greatest but they are superbly tasty and those who don't even like molasses cookies have commented that they love these!  Super special.  Enjoy!

Batsaria

Batsaria

The cousin to Spanakopita - there is no phyllo in this recipe.  I guess it could be considered the poor woman's version.

2 cups cottage cheese
10 oz frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
8 oz crumbled feta cheese
4 eggs, beaten
6 Tbsp flour

1 cup corn flakes (topping)

I did not have cottage cheese so I substituted this two cups with 3/4 cup of ricotta and 1 1/4 cups homemade Greek yogurt.

Combine all ingredients sans corn flakes.  Mix well.  Poor into greased baking dish and top with about 1 cup of crushed corn flakes.

Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Oh my, it's super easy and oh so tasty.

Use that whey left over from making your Greek yogurt to make flakey biscuits.  Perfect.

Croissants

This is a simple recipe but it takes a long time to make as the longer you refrigerate your dough the flaker it is.

Add to bread machine:
1 cup warm water (90-100 degrees)
3 Tbsp butter
Mixture of:
3 cups flour
2 Tbsp dry milk
3 Tbsp sugar
Create hole in flour mix without hitting the water and add:
3 Tsp yeast
Put bread machine on dough cycle. Start.

You will also need 3/4 cup of butter for next section.

Turn dough into a greased medium sized bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll to 15x12.  With long side towards you cover 2/3 of dough with butter (thin slices or spread it).  Fold the unbuttered third over the center buttered third and then fold again over the remaining third.  Seal the ends.  Place on a cookie sheet.  Cover with wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Roll to 15x12.  Fold in 1/3 from each end.  Place back on cookie sheet and refrigerate overnight.  If you choose to shortcut you can refrigerate for 4 hours but this will be less flakey.

Roll to 15x12.  Cut into thirds both lengthwise and width-wise (you will have 9 rectangles).  Slice each rectangle in half diagonally so that you have 18 triangles.  Roll from fat end to skinny end.  Let rise in a warm spot for about an hour.

Bake 375 for 12-16 minutes.

You just made croissants!  Yum!

Soft Buttered Pretzels

Soft Buttered Pretzels

3-3 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp soft butter

Combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, water and butter.  Blend until moistened.  Beat 3 minutes on medium speed with electric mixer.  Stir by hand an additional 1.5-1.75 cups of flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl cleanly.  Knead in the remaining 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of flour on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic.  Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise in a warm place for roughly 45 minutes or until double in size.

Spray 2 cookie sheets.  Punch down your dough and divide into 12 pieces.  Roll each piece into a long rope - about 16 inches long.  Shape into a pretzel and place onto the cookie sheet.  Cover and let rise in that warm spot for about 20 more minutes. While you are waiting, find a low sided saucepan.  You are going to bring 6cups water and 1/4 cup baking soda to a light boil. Be sure you use this ratio as you don't want that baking soda taste. Preheat your oven to 400 degree and move the rack to the highest position.  Gently drop the pretzels into the lightly boiling soda water.  Boil for 15 seconds on each side. Make sure it's not more than 15 seconds as you might have soggy ickyness.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place back on the greased cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with pretzel salt or poppy seeds.

Bake 8 minutes and brush with melted butter.  Bake an additional 2 minutes or until golden brown.  Immediately remove from the cookie sheet and brush generously with the remaining butter.

Makes 12 yummy-ummmy soft pretzels!

Buffalo Chicken Stromboli

Buffalo Chicken Stromboli


2 cups cubed (or shredded) chicken
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
3 Tbsp Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1 sheet of puff pastry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook your chicken - cube or shred to your delight.
Stir chicken, blue cheese, and hot sauce in a bowl. 
Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. This is easiest if it is not completely thawed as it will be less likely to completely stick to itself.  Roll the sheet into a roughly 10x14 rectangle.
Short side facing you...spoon the chicken mix down the center of the pastry.  Fold 2 opposite sides of the pastry to the center over the filling and seal.  Place the pastry seam side down onto a baking sheet.  Tuck the ends under.
Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Cut in quarters and serve.

I've tried this as a calzone with pizza crust but these puff pastry sheets are really the best.  I found Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry sheets in the freezer aisle.  You can also use mini phillo dough cups, also found in the freezer aisle, to make individual treats for a fun event item.

If you can find "Shullsburg, Wisconsin Cheese - Crumbled Blue Cheese" - all the better - your taste buds will thank you.  I can only find mine at the local Wal-Mart and not on a consistent basis.  I have taken this as a sign that buffalo chicken is a special treat not a daily meal. :)

Enjoy!

Inside Out Cabbaage Rolls

Inside Out Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls

Ok so, I'm not even going to pretend like I came close to following this recipe.  It may not look great but that's simply because I cannot stuff whatever needs stuffing.  I learned this when I tried to stuff chicken breasts...can't do it.  Well, same thing with a cabbage leaf...it doesn't stay shut.  So, basically this was an inside out recipe.  I'll give you the recipe with modifications since giving you the recipe and then listing the modifications might take forever.  I used the slow cooker and it has cabbage other than that I'm pretty sure nothing matches.

1 large cabbage head - if you want to make rolls then use the big leaves 
1 small cabbage head - if you are roll ignorant then just chop up the cabbage into bite sized pieces

Cook the cabbage and drain well if you don't use a steamer. 

1 8oz can tomato paste
2 cups cooked brown rice
15 crushed saltine crackers
1 lightly beaten egg
1 one oz package onion soup mix

Mix these ingredients.  Feel free to add peppers or onions too if you wish.

1 1/2 lb uncooked ground beef

Crumble meat over the rice/tomato paste mix.

If you are doing the roll route - put about 1/3 cup of mix on a cabbage leaf and roll. If not, mix in the cut up cabbage and put in the slow cooker.


After your mix or rolls are in the slow cooker add:

1 46oz can tomato juice or V8

Slow cook for 6-7 hours.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and indulge.

Yum.