Pepperoni Bread Pudding

It's pizza....no wait, it's bread pudding....well, what the heck is it??? It's exactly that....

Pizza Bread Pudding

How, you ask? Easy, take the flavors of pizza you love, incorporate them into a basic bread pudding recipe, and Voila!

Wondering how I came up with this? Well, it was a joint venture, really! After making soup and a double batch of focaccia bread last weekend, I was left with an overstock of focaccia. It was a bit on the dry side and didn't go over as well as it usually does, so I called one of my go-to people, Aunt Liisa, and asked her if she had any ideas for what to do with leftover focaccia bread. Of course she had ideas (I was stuck on crutons). "Oooh, a savory bread pudding" she said. Right...that stuff is gross. It's gushy and slimy and way too milky. "No, no...it bakes up and dries out a bit."

Hmmmmm......my wheels were turnin'!

SO, I googled savory bread pudding, put together the basics, and added in what I thought would be a hit with the kids. I think I pleased all but one. Not a bad outcome, if you ask me!

Here's what you need:

4 cups of bread, cubed (mine was focaccia flavored with thyme, oregano, and garlic)

1 to 1 1/3 cups milk

2 eggs

1 to 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided in half

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 small onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz. pepperoni, chopped into small pieces

salt, pepper, garlic salt

grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

sliced black olives

1 tbls each-dried basil and oregano

Place the bread cubes in a bowl, leaving room for the liquid

Saute the onions

Chop the pepperoni

Combine milk, eggs, 1/2-3/4 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste. You end up with about 2 cups of the liquid mixture...I added a little more milk.

Pour liquid mixture into the bowl containing the bread and stir gently to coat. Add in the pepperoni and onions. Let this soak for about 10 minutes.

Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray, pour bread mixture in, and add sliced olives, tomatoes, and the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes!

This truly tasted like pepperoni pizza, and I will definitely be making it again! Now, I did not give the flavor of the bread enough credit and I think overall, it was a bit on the salty side. So, next time I use less salt and garlic salt, but it still tasted great. The only suggestion I got was to serve it with some marinara sauce on top. Worth a try!

Taquitos!

Here's something funny...I sat down to start putting together a schedule/routine for my kids and this picture happened to pop up on the computer. Hmmm...I think I took this picture in July, with the intention of posting it to my blog! Right...well, better late than never :-)

This is the story of taquitos...

•Taquito (from the Spanish diminutive of taco) is a Mexican dish, also very popular in Puerto Rico, consisting of a small rolled-up tortilla and some type of filling, usually beef or chicken. The filled tortilla is crisp-fried. Corn (maize) tortillas are generally used to make taquitos. ...

A long time ago my dad taught himself how to make taquitos, and he became the "King of Taquitos" in our family from then on. Every Christmas Eve, it wasn't about the gifts or the party, it was about the taquitos. Quite frankly, it wasn't a party if there were no taquitos! Of course, with a daughter who loves to cook, the tradition (and secrets) had to be passed down. Thus began my quest to learn the ins and outs of this tasty little snack.

Dad told me the key is in how you roll them...did you know that tortillas have a grain? And I don't mean corn! There is a slight impression, if you look closely, of lines that run in one direction. The trick is to roll WITH the grain, rather than against it. This helps keep the tortilla from splitting. Also, through trial and error, dad learned that briefly dipping the tortilla in hot oil before filling and rolling makes for a tastier, crispier finish. Aside from these two tricks, it's really all in how you season the meat.

I don't have any measurements for you...just instructions. I put a chuck roast in the crock pot with enough liquid to cover it and enough flavor to season it. I used cumin, chili powder, ceyenne pepper, paprika, garlic, onion, green chilies, jalepenos, and I may have even thrown in some cans of diced tomatoes. You can use water or beef broth, I don't think it really matters. I let the roast cook over night, then I shredded it the next morning. I added the shredded meat back to the seasoned liquid, minus the fatty pieces that always exist, and let it simmer all day, checking it now and then for flavor. It is also helpful to chop the meat up into smaller pieces, makes the taquitos easier to eat!

When I was ready (AKA: had the kitchen to myself), I began the rolling process. First I warmed corn oil on the stove and then began adding tortillas, a couple at a time. I let them sit in the hot oil just until they started to form bubbles or air pockets. I pulled them out and let them rest on a cutting board covered with paper towels. I made stacks of 10 until I ran out of room, then I began to add the meat and roll. I flipped the stacks over so I could work with the cooler taquitos first. Put a small amount of the meat mixture just shy of the edge of the tortilla (see above), fold the short side over and roll. Place it flap side down on a cookie sheet and go on to the next one. After a few, you get the hang of it and can whip out 50-60 in no time. I recently made about 180 of these babies for a birthday party, with the help Megan, and we were done in about 2 hours.

After the taquitos are rolled, you have some choices to make...freeze them?? fry them? bake them? It's really up to you. Several years back Dad discovered that you can get a nice crunch even with baking, plus you can do about 25 at a time. That was nice for him, as he didn't have 15 people standing over his shoulder waiting for the next taquito to come out of the fry pan! Whatever you decide to do, enjoy these tasty morsels with a nice bowl of quacamole, a cold cerveza, and table full of friends! But don't forget to season the finished product with Lawry's or Johnny's! A MUST! Note: The same directions for the meat can be used for chicken or pork, if you prefer either one of those! Also, flank steak or brisket make for nice shredding meats.

Cranberry Coconut Macaroons

So much for my boycott!

After I suckered myself into sugar cookies, I decided I couldn't let the season pass without my traditional attempt at a new cookie recipe. So, here it is...not only does it taste festive and delicious, it's also Gluten free. No, I don't have issues with gluten, but enough of my friends and family do, so anytime I can share a recipe that is friendly for them, I try to do it. I came up with this idea after flipping through my newest cookie recipe book, and thought "Hey, wouldn't dried cherries or cranberries taste good in these? And then chocolate drizzled over the top?" Of course it would...

Cranberry Coconut Macaroons

3 cups flaked, sweetened coconut

3/4 cup sugar

4 egg whites

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

2 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate

Mix together all ingredients except chocolate. Spoon onto parchment paper and bake at 325 for about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Melt chocolate and drizzle over cooled macaroons.

I don't think it could get much easier than this! I always thought you had to whip the egg whites for macaroons, but apparently you don't!

Enoy! (And thanks Kelli for the great picture!)

After hours...

Ever wonder what goes on in the kitchen after hours? Well, at my house, during the holidays, we make messes! That's right...

We decorate the sugar cookies that were generated during the day with the help of 5 kids...
We learn how to use Royal Icing...and sugar washes!
We break the rules...a Ziploc for piping!

We make masterpieces...

And memories!
And we simply enjoy the peace and quiet of three sleeping 3 year olds!

Thai Chicken Wraps

I found this recipe when I was looking for Gluten free meals. I didn't need it to be gluten free, but if you do, just use the appropriate peanut butter and soy sauce. This dish has become a favorite in our house!!

Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup peanut butter

3 tbls soy sauce

3 tbls water

2 tbls cooking oil

1 tsp minced garlic

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Set aside...

Chicken mixture

1/2 tsp salt or garlic salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper

12 ounces boneless chicken breast, sliced or diced (I used 2 breasts)

4 cups packed broccoli slaw mix (1 bag)

1 tbls cooking oil

1/2 of a red onion cut into wedges, and/or red bell pepper slices

fresh grated ginger

Corn tortillas or iceburg lettuce leaves

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet heat the cooking oil. Add the chicken and stir fry over medium high heat until cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm. Add the broccoli mix, onion, and ginger to skillet. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp tender. Add the chicken back in and remove from heat.

Layer chicken mixture, red bell pepper, and peanut sauce on warmed tortillas or lettuce leaves.

Mexican Lasagna

I'm always looking for different ways to make the same dish! I love lasagna, and I love mexican food, so of course, combining the two made sense. I wanted to have my own recipe though, so I looked at a bunch of different ones, took the parts that I liked best, and came up with this version.

3 lbs ground beef

1 onion, diced

1 16 oz can diced tomatoes

1 sm. can tomato paste

1/3 c. taco seasoning

Additional cumin, chili powder, and garlic salt to taste

1 cup sour cream

grated cheddar cheese

1/2 box of lasagna noodles (4 noodles for each pan)

Cook the noodles until just al dente. Brown the ground beef with onions, drain; mix in tomotoes, tomato paste, seasonings, and sour cream. Spray an 8 in. baking dish with non-stick spray and partially cover with meat sauce. Add lasagna noodles, then meat sauce, then cheddar cheese. Repeat layers, ending with cheese. I cut the noodles to fit, so each layer only needed 2 noodles. Bake at 375 for appx. 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and lightly brown. From this recipe, I was able to put together two 8 x 8 pans of lasagna, which meant I could share with my sister, or put one in the freezer!

It was quite tasty, and I think we all enjoyed it. In the past I've used corn tortillas, but wanted to try something different this time.

Variations:

• Add cayenne pepper or hot sauce for more kick
• Add a layer of beans or corn and olives
• Use Monterey or Colby Jack cheese
• Layer in cottage cheese for a creamier layer
  
  

Simply Salmon

Simply Salmon

I used to be afraid to cook fish, even though I like it for the most part. But, I discovered that if you use the flavors you like best and don't overcook it, it's usually pretty good. Easy enough, right? Not always, but if you start with really good quality fish, your chances are a bit greater that you'll end up with a delicious meal on your plate.

Tim picked this amazing salmon up at Pike Place and we've have been enjoying it for a couple months now. Even out of the freezer, it's still yummy. I call this dish simply salmon because I didn't do anything great...just thought about what I like and put it all together.

Ingredients:

1 piece of salmon (however big you want or need)

*I cut ours into smaller parts because it was much thicker on one side, and I wanted it to cook evenly.

Butter, garlic, lemon, salt, oregano, onion

Place the fish pieces skin side down (if it has skin) on foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt. Melt the butter and add minced garlic to it. Pour it over the salmon. (When I began pouring it over the salmon, it started to solidy, which was fine. It helped the butter and garlic stay in place rather than drip down to the foil.) Slice a lemon in half, squeeze the juice of one half over the fish, then slice the other half into rings and lay them n top. Add rings of onion and some dried oregano.

Cover loosely with foil and bake at 375 until the flesh just begins to flake. Tim takes over at this point so I'm not sure exactly how long it took, but I think around 30 minutes for the thicker pieces. Be sure to check it regularly and pull out the pieces as they finish cooking.

Enjoy!

I do have to say, good seafood is worth the price!