Pizza Bites

This recipe is one we've had occasionally for our Super Bowl feast. My family enjoys the vast spread that I put out for the game. Pizza Bites are are balls of pizza, with pepperoni and mozzarella tucked inside a ball of pizza dough. So easy and so yummy.

Pizza Bites

Ingredients:

        ½ batch Pizza Dough (enough for 1 pizza)

        4 oz. Mozzarella Cheese, cubed (about 20-24 pieces)

        Sliced Pepperoni

For topping: 

        Olive Oil

        Italian Seasoning

        Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  
2. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate or cake pan.  
3. Divide the pizza dough into 20-24 roughly equal sized pieces.  
4. Take one of the dough pieces, top with a cube of cheese and a slice or two of pepperoni. 
5. Pull the edges of the dough around the fillings and pinch closed.  
6. Place seam-side down in the baking dish.  
7. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.  
8. Lightly brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil.  
9. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and grated Parmesan cheese.  
10. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.  

Serve warm, with dipping sauce as desired. 

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Crescent Veggie Pizza

I got this recipe from a lovely Amish Mom at my children's school. Way back in my other blog Walking Between the Grapevines I had mentioned that school many times. It was in a very small farming community in Western New York, and the fact that so many residents were members of the Ohio sect of Amish we all interacted. My son on the spectrum had classmates who attended the regular school for the extra help from the most amazing teacher.

For class events Mrs. Miller would always bring this delicious veggie pizza and was kind enough to offer the recipe to me. It is a family favourite for family events, the Super Bowl, holidays, and whenever I feel like making it, or they ask me to.

This recipe is doubled because that's how we make it.

Crescent Veggie Pizza

Ingredients:

        2 cans Crescent Dinner Rolls

        1 pkg (8oz) Cream Cheese, softened

        1/2  cup Sour Cream

        1 tsp Dill Weed

        1/8 tsp Garlic Powder

        1/2 cup small Fresh Broccoli Florets

        1/3 cup Cucumber Slices, quartered

        1 Roma Tomato, seeded and chopped

        1/4 cup Carrot, shredded

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Unroll both cans of dough.
3. Separate dough into 4 rectangles.
4. In ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan, place dough; press in bottom and up sides to form crust.
5. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  
6. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
7. In small bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, dill and garlic powder until smooth.
8. Spread over crust.
9. Top with vegetables. 
10. Cut into 8 rows by 4 rows.
11. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before serving. 

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Each year our SuperBowl menu evolves. The number of people wane and ebb like a tide. Some of our family of seven long ago moved to different locals. Currently, I have four still at home, but does the college student count who is ninety minutes away? Another is spending game day with college friends who moved back to the area for their jobs.

Our menu will vary each year, as it always does.  I had shared this recipe back in February  of 2013 in a group recipe blog. I decided that I would features those recipes individually. Let's start with:

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

        1 Tbs Butter

        3-4 cups Baby Spinach

        2 Scallions, thinly sliced

        1/2 cupTomatoes, chopped

        1/3 cup Marinated Srtichoke Hearts , chopped 

        1/8 tsp Garlic Powder

        5 oz Cream Cheese

        4 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese, grated

        Kosher Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Spray a small (2-3 cup) baking dish with nonstick spray.
3. In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
4. Add in baby spinach and green onions.
5. Cook until spinach has wilted down.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add in tomatoes, artichokes, garlic powder and cream cheese.
8. Cook and stir frequently until the cream cheese has melted down.
9. Remove pan from heat.
10. Stir in Monterey jack cheese.
11. Pour the dip into your prepared dish.
12. Pop it in the oven for 15 minutes.
13. Serve piping hot with pita or tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Pico de Gallo

It's amazing how easy Pico is to make. This recipe was a family favourite but I haven't made it in a while. If you have tortilla chips lovers, like I do, you may want to double this recipe. You can also use pico de gallo on carnitas like my Tex-Mex version or my more traditional version cooked in lard.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:

        1 med Tomato, diced

        1 Onion, finely chopped

        1/2 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped

        2 sprigs Cilantro, finely chopped

        1 Scallion, finely chopped

        1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

        1/8 tsp Salt

        1/8 tsp Pepper

Directions: 

1. In a medium bowl, combine tomato, onion, jalapeno (to taste,) cilantro and scallion.
2. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
3. Stir until evenly distributed.
4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Mini Queso Burgers On Pretzel Buns

I found this recipe over in the Land of All Things Great and Wonderful, also known as Pinterest.  We actually had these during the Super Bowl and the blog sat in my drafts just waiting...

So here is it's turn to shine!  These are really good and, like in the photo from pinterest (they didn't make it to pose for pictures), we topped it with a small piece of bacon ... Perfect!

Mini Queso Burgers

Ingredients:

        1-1/2 lb. Ground Sirloin
        1 lb. (16 oz.) VELVEETA^®, cut into ½-inch cubes
        1 can (10 oz.) RO*TEL^® Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained
        12 Hamburger Buns (I like to use pretzel bread)
        12 leaves Leaf Lettuce
        1 large Tomato, cut into 6 slices (for the minis, I use Roma Tomatoes)

Directions:

1. Heat skillet to medium heat.
2. Shape meat into 12 patties.
3. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until done (160ºF).
4. Meanwhile, microwave VELVEETA^® and RO*TEL^® in microwaveable bowl on high 5 minutes or until VELVEETA^® is completely melted.
5. Stirr after 3 minutes.
6. Cover bottom halves of buns with lettuce, tomatoes and burgers.
7. Top each burger with 1 Tbsp. VELVEETA^® dip.
8. Cover with tops of buns.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Buffalo Chicken Wings

My gang loves wings and some of them like hot wings best.  These sound like they would be too hot to handle but they are really the best Buffalo wings this wing lover has had so far.  Try them, you won't regret it.

Buffalo Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

        36 Chicken Wing Pieces (one wing makes 2 pieces - the "flat" and the "drum")
        1 cup All-Purpose Flour

        1 Tbs Vegetable Oil

        1 tsp Salt

        Celery Sticks

        Blue Cheese Dressing

    Sauce:

        6 Tbs Frank's Hot Sauce

        6 Tbs Unsalted Butter

        1 1/2 Tbs White Vinegar

        1 tsp Tabasco Sauce

        1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

        1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

        1/4 teaspoon Salt
        1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
2. If necessary, cut whole wings into two pieces. 
3. In a bowl toss the wings with the oil, and salt. 
4. Place into a large plastic shopping bag, and add the flour. 
5. Shake to coat evenly. 
6. Remove wings from the bag, shaking off excess flour, and spread out evenly on oiled foil-lined baking pan(s). Do not crowd.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes, turn the wings over, and cook another 20 minutes, or until the wings are cooked through and browned.
8. While the wings are baking, mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a pan.
9. Over low heat bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and then turn off.
10. After the wings are cooked, transfer to a large mixing bowl.
11. Pour the sauce over the hot wings and toss with a spoon or spatula to completely coat.
12. These are always served with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing on the side.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid