Pepperoni Bread

My mom always makes pepperoni bread around the holidays.  It is a HUGE family favorite.  For the past few years I have also been making it, just like she does, only I stuff it much more than she does!

First, you have to let the dough rise.  Well, you don't HAVE to, but it makes the next step much easier.   I used one bag of whole wheat pizza dough. 

After you roll the dough out,

COVER it in pepperoni!!! I have tried others, but only Hormel Slicing Pepperoni (sliced thin) has that perfect taste.  I order MUCH more than I need to because I tend to prepare this step like this:

1 slice on bread,

1 slice in mouth.

1 slice on bread,

1 slice... oh no, two are stuck together!  2 slices in mouth!

Add a layer of shredded mozarella on top and...

Roll it up!  Right before you bake it (about an hour at 350), you can cover it in egg white to get that golden look on the finished bread.

Now, this bread is so yummy that I could not take a picture before it was gone.  This picture is from a loaf I made in 2005 on St. Patricks Day.  (Yes.  It is green.  If you put food coloring in the egg wash that you smear on top, the bread will appear that color.  I promise!)

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Poor John!

Poor John has a sore throat!  He never really gets sick and he took SUCH good care of me when I was sick, so I wanted to make him some yummy soup.  He requested lentil rice soup.

The soup is 3/4 cup dried lentils, 1/2 cup brown rice, 3 sliced cloves of garlic, and lots of kosher salt, oregano, and parsley.  I put it all together with maybe 4 cups of homemade chicken broth and 1 cup of water and let it boil and boil.  Eventually it looked like this:

John said it was SO good.  His eyes actually POPPED when he tasted it, so I was proud.  I hope he gets better!

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Present #1

Since I moved out and began really cooking I have been using a little itty bitty food processor.  It was one of those one cup deals.  I think I actually picked it as my prize when I redeemed a bunch of tickets at Dave and Busters.  Tells you a bit about me, don't it!

If you have ever tried to do any processing of food in one of those 1-cuppers, you know how futile it it is.  I have been WISHING for a real food processor.  I even registered for one on my wedding registry, knowing it would be months until I got it, IF anyone even picked it.  I mean, it's not the most glamorous gift unless you really know me (side note to the givers of the hand mixer- YOU KNOW ME!) So, yeah, you get the picture.  I really wanted one.

Fast forward months.  I was at John's mom's house and we were talking about Fudge Babies.  Well, I was talking about them.  And drooling.  They were listening.  Kind of.  Anyway, I mentioned that I was only making about 6 at a time because that is all I could fit in my little processor.  His mom turned to me and said, "Why didn't you tell me you wanted one?  I have 2!"  Turns out, she had one that she had NEVER USED!!! I got a brand new food processor!!!!!!!!!  A huge wonderful one!!

Isn't it a beauty?  Thanks!

Right away I started working with it!  We made nut butters...

which are delicious with a side of bananas

that is almond butter, by the way.

and shredded our own cheese for the pepperoni bread!

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Long Time No See!

I have been gone for a long time, but I have been making good things in the meantime, trust me!

Scrambled eggs with grapes and blackberries

Salmon, peas, and onions over spaghetti squash

Veggie stir-fry with pierogies

In the next few posts you will see fun stuff with my two new toys!!!

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This Week's Highlights!

Today I am posting the best Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner from this week.

Best Breakfast:

It kind of looks like a sugary cereal, doesn't it?  What is it really, you ask?  WELL! It is.....

• 1 banana
• 1 small box of blackberries
• 1 big handful raisins
• 1 big handful peanuts

YUMM!  I didn't add any liquid, even though I ate it with a spoon from my cereal bowl.

Best Lunch:

This lunch is the ultimate in leftover cooking salad making.  I literally opened up my fridge, took out 1/2 of the contents, and poured it into a salad.  It is...

• Romaine lettuce
• Leftover white meat turkey
• Mushrooms
• Raisins
• Walnuts
• Lentils
  
• Ground flax seeds
• Shredded Coconut
• Hummus
• Olive Oil
• Red Wine Vinegar

On the counter it looked like this!

Best Dinner:

This meal was straight out of this blog.  The only changes I made were using chicken thighs instead of breasts (it's what I had in the freezer) and serving it over quinoa (it's what John wanted to make).  I know it looks burnt, but I promise, it is SUPER yummy!

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I Entered A Giveaway!

I am so excited!  I just entered a super-cool giveaway hosted my Chocolate-Covered Katie (Wow, I've been talking about her a lot lately!  She is just as super-cool as her giveaway!).  I could win all kinds of cool nut-butters.  Want to enter?  Click here!  Want to see a recipe of hers that I have made?  Click here!

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