Easy Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks

Ingredients

1 (10 ounce) can prepared pizza crust

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried basil

salt & pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Mix butter and garlic in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Unroll pizza dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with butter and garlic mixture.

4. Sprinkle cheeses and spices evenly over the dough.

5. Use a pizza cutter and cut dough into stick shapes (Lengthwise into 7 long strips and crosswise into 3 strips). Do not separate strips.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.

7. Recut along each strip and remove from cooking sheet.

8. Serve sticks warm with marinara sauce.

I found this recipe at SugarApron.com.

Pepperoni and Cheese Crescents

 

1 (8oz) can Pillsbury refrigerated Crescent Rolls
24 slices (about 5 oz.) Pepperomi
2 oz. (1/2 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup pasta or pizza sauce, heated

Heat oven to 375 Degrees
Separate dough into eight triangles, and pat out each triangle slightly.

Place 3 slices of pepperoni, slightly overlapping. on center of each triangle. 
Top each with about 1 tablespoon cheese.

Roll up, starting at shortest side of triangle, and rolling to opposite point.
Place rolls, point side down, on ungreased  cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.  
Remove from cookie sheet.
Serve warm crescents with warm pasta sauce for dipping.

Enjoy

Italian Sausage Stromboli

I LOVE Italian Sausage.  I LOVE any type of Stromboli, and we never get tired of this recipe.

Start with pizza dough, then cooked Italian sausage, lots of mozzarella cheese and a drizzle of pizza sauce.  You can add sauteed peppers, olives, ham, pepperoni or any other topping that suits your fancy.

Just like pizza, the possibilities are endless.  Then roll and bake.  You can serve this with a salad for a 30 minute meal or alongside veggies and dip as an appetizer. 

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 medium sweet onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic minced

1lb spicy Italian sausage

1/2 cup pizza sauce, plus more for dipping

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 - 13.4 oz. refrigerated pizza crust (such as Pillsbury Classic) or 1lb homemade pizza dough

Topping:

1 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp dry Italian seasoning

1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a medium stove top saucepan, saute the onion in a couple of drizzles of olive oil for 3 minutes until soft.  Add the minced garlic and saute for 1 minute.  Add the Italian sausage and cook until no pink remains.  Drain any excess fat from the pan and remove from the heat to cool.  This can be done ahead of time for a time saver.   Drain well and refrigerate if making in advance.

To assemble:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  On parchment paper, stretch the dough into roughly a 10 x 13 inch rectangle.  Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella cheese.  Arrange the cooked sausage on top, then drizzle with the pizza sauce.  Top with the remaining shredded cheese, and begin to roll starting from the widest edge.  Arrange seem side down on the prepared baking sheet.

For the topping:

Brush the top and sides with melted butter, then sprinkle the seasonings on top.  Finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.  [Tip: All of the seasonings can be adjusted to suit your taste.]

Bake for 18 minutes then allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting into 1 inch slices.  Serve with additional pizza sauce for dipping, if desired.  Yield: 12 pieces

Italian Sausage Stromboli

Author: Melissa Sperka

Serves: 12

Homemade Stromboli

 I absolutely love Stromboli.

Stromboli makes a wonderful meal, but also works as an appetizer or game day snack.

I found this recipe at Sallysbakingaddiction.com
This link has step by step directions with photos.

Also, you can use store bought pizza dough or make a homemade pizza dough.

You can customize your Stromboli with your favorite various fillings. 

Ingredients

Homemade Dough for 2

• 1 and 1/3 cups warm water (between 100-110°F, 38-43°C)
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons instant or active-dry yeast (1 standard packet)
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for hands and work surface

Fillings for 2

• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 pound thinly sliced meats such as Italian cold cuts, deli ham, or large pepperoni slices*
• 3/4 – 1 pound cheese (about 3 cups shredded or about 16-20 slices deli cheese)*

Egg Wash & Topping for 2

• egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon water
• optional: a light sprinkle of chopped fresh or dried parsley, flaky/coarse sea salt, ground pepper, Italian seasoning, and/or grated or shredded Parmesan cheese.
  
  

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Instructions

1. Whisk the warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes. *If you don’t have a stand mixer, simply use a large mixing bowl and mix the dough with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula in the next step.
   
   
2. Add the olive oil, salt, and flour. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead the dough for 3-4 minutes (for a visual, watch me do it in the video above!). The dough can be a little too heavy for a mixer to knead it, but you can certainly use the mixer on low speed instead. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger – if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading.
   
   
3. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray– just use the same bowl you used for the dough. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes or until double in size. If using instant yeast, this takes about 1 hour. (Tip: For the warm environment on a particularly cold day, heat your oven to 150°F (66°C). Turn the oven off, place the dough inside, and keep the door slightly ajar. This will be a warm environment for your dough to rise. After about 30 minutes, close the oven door to trap the air inside with the rising dough. When it’s doubled in size, remove from the oven.)
   
   
4. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
   
   
5. Shape the dough: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Divide in half. (If you aren’t making 2 Strombolis, freeze the other half of dough. See freezing instructions below.) On a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each half of dough into a 10×16 inch rectangle. I like to use my hands to square off the edges, as shown in the video above. If the dough keeps shrinking as you try to shape it, cover it lightly and let the dough rest for 10 minutes before trying again. (The gluten just needs to settle.)
   
   
6. Add fillings: Mix melted butter and garlic together. Spread all over each rectangle. Sprinkle each with parsley. When you start layering on meats and cheeses, leave a 1 inch border on the bottom and sides and a 3 inch border on top. (Basically you’ll have an empty 3×16 inch gap on top that only has butter/garlic on it. This is because when rolling, the fillings will be pushed forward. See photos and video above if you need a visual.) Arrange a layer sliced meats onto each dough, usually about 8-10 slices on each depending on size and thickness of slices. Add a layer of cheese. Repeat with more meat and cheese until all is used– about 1/2 pound meat and 1/2 pound cheese per Stromboli. Brush all edges with egg wash, including 3 inch gap at the top. This helps the Stromboli hold its rolled shape. Slowly roll each into a tight 16 inch log, folding in the two ends as you roll. See me do this in the video above. Dust your hands or the dough with flour if things become too sticky. Carefully transfer each to lined baking sheets. Pinch or tuck in ends to seal if they became unfolded.
   
   
7. Brush each Stromboli with egg wash and, if desired, optional toppings. Using a very sharp knife, cut 3-4 slits into the tops of each, which helps steam escape. At this point, you can cover shaped Stromboli tightly and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
   
   
8. Bake for about 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown– if you have an instant read thermometer, the center of the Stromboli should be at least 200ºF (93ºC). If meats are particularly greasy (like pepperoni), some grease will spill out the sides. Cheese may bubble out the sides or top slits, too. If baking both at the same time, rotate pans halfway through baking and extend bake time (if needed) by 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a cutting board and slicing.
   
   
9. Serve plain or with pizza/marinara sauce for dipping.
   
   
10. Cover and store leftover Stromboli (slices or whole) in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

I made this Cauliflower crust this past week and I was really impressed.  I made the Mediterranean Pizza.  ~Shelly

Ingredients

• 1 medium head of cauliflower (6″ – 7″ wide or 2.5–3 lbs) or 5-6 cups of store bought cauliflower rice
• 1 egg, large
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning (dried oregano or basil)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese, grated/shredded
• Cooking spray 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper or silicone mat.
2. Rinse cauliflower, remove the outer leaves, separate into florets and chop into smaller pieces. Process in a food processor in 2 batches, until “rice” texture forms (skip if using store-bought “rice”). Transfer cauliflower rice on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 mins.
3. Remove cooked cauliflower rice from the oven, transfer to a bowl lined with a double/triple layered cheesecloth or linen towel, and let cool for 5 minutes. Then squeeze the liquid out of the ball (cauliflower inside the cheesecloth) as hard as you can. Be patient and do this a few times until barely any liquid comes out. Muscle work.:)
4. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg with dried herbs, salt and pepper for 10 seconds. Add cheese and squeezed cauliflower; mix very well with spatula until combined.
5. Line same baking sheet with new parchment paper or silicone mat (just make sure to scrape off any bits of cauliflower) and spray with cooking spray. Transfer cauliflower pizza dough in the middle and flatten with your hands until thin pizza crust forms. 
6. Bake for 20 minutes, carefully flip with spatula and bake for a few more minutes.
7. Top cauliflower pizza base with your favorite toppings and bake again until cheese on top turns golden brown.
8. Slice and enjoy.

Mediterranean toppings
Tomato sauce, bell pepper, tomato, olives,
red onion, feta cheese and parsley.

Tips for Best Cauliflower Pizza Crust:

Squeeze More Than You Think You Can

The best advice I can give you for foolproof cauliflower pizza crust – squeeze cooled cooked cauliflower very well. You really do need to squeeze out more water than you think you’ll ever be able to. Squeeze and then pass it to a husband, if necessary. Cauliflower should be pretty dry. I squeezed and then moved the cauliflower around a bit, and squeezed again. If your arm is sore for a bit after, you did it well.

Make 2 Pizzas

Make 2 pizza crusts at a time if you want to feed more than two. Unless you are cooking cauliflower pizza crust recipe only for yourself. Definitely need to double the recipe. Means two large heads of cauliflower.

Use Cheesecloth or Linen Towel

• You can find cheesecloth in most well-stocked supermarkets.
• Linen towel works great too.
• You can throw both in the washer.
  

About Baking Sheet

• More likely your crust will not cover as much of a pan as shown in the picture above. It depends on the size of your round pizza pan. And if you are using rectangular baking sheet, size will vary.
• Any baking sheet with parchment paper works.
• You can use pizza stone lined with parchment paper.
  

How to Make Cauliflower Pizza Crust Without Food Processor

1. Grind cauliflower florets in 3 – 4 batches on the lowest setting.
2. Grate cauliflower.
3. Buy pre-made cauliflower rice.
   

How to Freeze Cauliflower Pizza Crust

1. Bake, cool, wrap in plastic or place in resealable extra large Ziploc bag and freeze.
2. Thaw completely before baking with toppings.
   

From:  ifoodreal.com

Pizza Please

I met Debbie Uhrig a couple of months ago and absolutely LOVE her.
She is a "Foodie" for sure and so we had a lot in common to talk about.
Debbie is the chef and teacher at the Culinary & Craft School at Silver Dollar City in Branson. Visiting the Culinary School at Silver Dollar City is a must on my list!







The following is her most recent BLOG, and since I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE pizza, any shape or form, I just had to share this post with you.
Find out more about Debbie here; http://www.sdcculinarycraftschool.com/craftsmen-showcase/detail.aspx?id=-1


Pizza Please, April 2, 2012
The Covered Dish
Debbie Dance Uhrig
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Everyone loves pizza in all shapes and forms. With sauce or no sauce, standard mozzarella or more elite with asiago and gruyere. Whole wheat crusts, thin crusts, deep dish or the ever constant white flour crust. There's a crust, sauce and cheese to please every palate.

I thought I might give all of my readers a few tips to take the hustle bustle out of pizza night. How often do we know that we want to have pizza for supper? If you're like my family sometimes not until an hour before! The Italians will always allow their pizza dough to set for 24 hours before use. We Americans like to speed things up a bit by making it just when we need it. Let's look at some wonderful ways to have your pizza dough ready in a snap.

One thing I like to do is to roll my pizza dough out and pre bake the crusts for about 7-9 minutes at 425 degrees. Allow them to cool and freeze on end inside a large Ziploc bag. If you keep pepperoni and pre-cooked sausage on hand your pizzas will come together very quickly. You can freeze the pizza dough without pre-baking but the crusts are more fragile to handle.

If you decide to use whole wheat flour in your regular bread dough recipe here's a tip: Remember that whole wheat flour absorbs liquid at a different ratio than white flour. Peter Reinhart, the great bread guru, says to add 2 more tablespoons of the liquid for every cup of whole wheat flour in a recipe. You'll want to do the same if you use Semolina Flour in the pizza dough. Semolina is preferred by many for pizzas and pastas because of its wonderful elasticity. Semolina comes from hard durum wheat so you may need to add a tad more liquid. Also a quick note on the olive oil: The olive oil tenderizes the dough.


Let's chatter about the use of fresh vegetables on your pizza. A couple of weeks ago we ordered a take home pizza. It was the first time in months that I didn't make it myself. Ervin, my husband, and I got a supreme with lots of vegetables. The pizza looked beautiful but after my first bite I realized something was up. There were rings of pepper and onion, fresh mushrooms and slices of roma tomatoes over the top along with the meat etc. The vegetables had released so much moisture that the pizza tasted watery. It is often a good idea to sauté some of the vegetables and pat them dry before putting them on the pizza. Don't get me wrong if I do an onion, mushroom and sausage pizza I don't cook the onion and mushroom first. However when the pizza is covered with lots of vegetables some will be cooked in order to remove the access moisture.

Cheese: The most economical way to go is to use block or sliced cheese. Shredded cheese always has cellulose powder added to keep the cheese from clumping. In defense of the cellulose powder this is necessary with pre-shredded cheese. If you're making pizzas for young people stick with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. For adults you can play around with more creative avenues. Don't rule out asiago, feta, gruyere, havarti, provolone and blue cheese. You probably don't want a pizza covered with feta, but a few sprinkles would be a nice enhancement, same thing with blue cheese.

A couple of years ago I could make (one) sausage pizza for $3.85 per pizza. Now I'd have to change that up to probably $4.50 per pizza. As the kids mature you want them to hang out at your house. Stack the freezer full of pre cooked sausage and hamburger and pre made crusts. You can even cheat and instead of making your own sauces keep canned sauce on hand 24/7. Grandparents may want to make lots of 'small' pizzas so the little ones can make their own pizzas.

Pizza means family, fun and friendships. Invite the baseball team, the acteens at church, girl scouts and your neighbors for a fun night of PIZZA! Have a fun filled week!! Simply yours, The Covered Dish.










Debbie's Pizza Crust
1 (1/2 tablespoon) quick rise yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons of olive oil,
1-2 tablespoons cornmeal

You can dissolve the yeast in water, but if you use quick yeast you can actually put it in dry! Add the sugar, oil and half the flour together with the yeast and water. (If you dissolve the yeast in the water the water should be 'baby bottle' warm.) Add the remainder of the flour and the salt. Knead into a ball and place in a bowl. Spray the top of the dough with vegetable spray and allow to rise. (20-30 minutes). Roll the dough out in the cornmeal and maybe a dash of flour. Spray the stone or pizza plate and continue stretching the dough to fit, trimming. This recipe will make enough dough for 2 pizzas or one large jelly roll pan. Using a fork poke holes all over the dough, this is called 'docking'. You can even purchase dockers for pizza making, but a fork still works best for me. This gets out all the air bubbles. Bake the dough in a 400 degree oven for about 7 minutes to seal the crusts. At this point you would continue making the pizza or..Allow it to cool and freeze the crust.

**Quick rise yeasts were originally invented to go be put into a recipe with the flour, not into water. When we do place them in water it will take a 2nd rise to get them going because the water actually 'dilutes' them down. We could get more scientific on this, but we'll leave it at that.

**Feel free to divide the flour in half and use part semolina to white flour.