Adventure #11: Breakfast Pizza

Merry Christmas! There's nothing better on Christmas than waking up to presents under the tree and stockings filled with goodies. Then, when the presents are all unwrapped, it's breakfast time! Making a special Christmas breakfast or brunch is a tradition that everyone can enjoy. Try this delicious breakfast pizza the next time you want something special in the morning. Enjoy!

By folding the pizza over before baking, you can transform it into a delicious calzone!

Breakfast Pizza (or Calzone)

Ingredients:

• For the pizza dough (courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book):
• 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package or 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Toppings:
• 3-5 slices bacon, chopped and cooked
• 3-4 large eggs, fried and cut into pieces
• 1 roma tomato, sliced
• 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Procedure:

1. For the dough (I used a Kitchenaid to mix the dough, which significantly reduced the kneading time and the strain on my hands. haha):
1. In a large mixing bowl combine 1 1/4 cups of the flour, the yeast, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; add warm water and oil. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Divide dough in half. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.
2. Form dough into a 12-14 inch pizza and top with the ingredients above. I find it helpful to use a pizza peel (aka paddle) to aid in transferring the pizza into the oven. I also like using a pizza stone, which helps the dough to cook evenly and crisp nicely. When using a pizza peel, dust it with a small amount of cornmeal to prevent the dough from sticking to it and also to add a little extra crunch to the crust.
3. Bake pizzas 5-7 minutes in at least a 450 degree oven. (The higher the temperature, the more crispy the pizzas will be and the shorter it will take to cook. However, if your pizza dough is not stretched very thinly, it may not cook all the way to the center. If you formed each half of the dough into a 12-14 inch pizza, you shouldn't have any trouble though.)
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
5. Enjoy!

Mini-Adventure #4: Simple Bruschetta

Nearly every time I go to a grocery store, I walk past the "Manager's Specials" in the bakery, thinking that I should buy something. I want to get a great price on some baked goods, but then I realize that I probably wouldn't be able to use the baked goods before they begin to grow. However, I did buy some today because I knew that I would be able to use it today, before the bread would mold. I hope that you enjoy this simple bruschetta (just a fancy italian word for toast)!

Simple Bruschetta

Ingredients:

• Old Bread (any kind will do, but if you want it to be a little fancier, use a quality loaf like a skinny french baguette)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Italian Seasoning
• Parmesan Cheese
• 2 roma tomatoes
• 1/4 of an onion
• fresh (1-2 Tablespoons) or dried (1-2 teaspoons) basil (fresh is better for a fancier bruschetta)
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Slice the bread on the bias (at an angle) to make 1/4 inch thick toast slices. Arrange the slices on a cookie sheet.
2. Brush a small amount of olive oil onto each slice of bread and sprinkle with italian seasoning.
3. Broil on hi until crispy and golden brown (the edges will be a little darker, but try not to burn them to badly).
4. Flip each slice and brush the opposite side with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Return the cookie sheet to the broiler and toast until crispy.
5. As the bread slices cool, prepare a simple bruschetta topping by combining finely diced tomato, finely diced onion, basil, 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
6. Bruschetta make great appetizers or hors d'ouevres for any occasion. To serve, arrange the toast slices around the topping in a bowl. Allow each guest to spoon the topping onto their toasts to prevent them from becoming soggy too early.
7. Enjoy!

Adventure #10: Sausage Gravy Breakfast Burritos

It's no secret that my favorite meal of the day is breakfast. I love breakfast foods! From omelets to breakfast skillets, I can't get enough of eggs, bacon, and hash browns. This morning, I got to thinking and asked myself, "Why not combine two of my favorite breakfast foods into one?" And the Sausage Gravy Breakfast Burrito was born! A perfect combination of the best parts of biscuits and gravy and the classic breakfast burrito. Enjoy!

Sausage Gravy Breakfast Burrito

Ingredients:

• Tortillas
• 1 lb pork sausage
• 8 large eggs
• 1 cup southern style hash browns (the little frozen cubed potatoes)
• 1 package country gravy, prepared
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Procedure:

1. Brown sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. In a separate skillet, cook hash browns in butter until golden brown. Add to browned sausage.
3. Scramble eggs in the skillet used for hash browns until cooked. (I don't really care what skillet you use, but I'm just trying to save you some hassle when it comes to washing dishes. Also be sure to season the eggs as you cook them so that they aren't bland.) When the eggs are cooked, add them to the sausage/hash brown mix and stir together.
4. Pour gravy over the sausage/hash brown/egg mixture and stir together. (You can also add the cheese here so that it begins to melt in with the burrito filling.)
5. Spoon some of the delicious filling into a tortilla and roll it up, folding in the ends so that the filling doesn't squeeze out.
6. Place rolled-up burrito into a hot skillet to crisp up the exterior a little before serving. (If you don't like your burritos crispy, skip this step.)
7. Serve with a tall glass of milk or your favorite juice.
8. Enjoy!

Adventure #9: Chicken Milanesa

One of the best foods that I enjoyed while serving as a missionary in Argentina was Milanesa! These delicious chicken or beef fritters are sold everywhere in Argentina in the form of sandwiches, milanesa napolitana (with tomato sauce and cheese melted on top), or with just a lemon wedge. Milanesas are simply breaded and fried in oil. Try out this recipe and you will surely enjoy!

Chicken Milanesa

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2-4 Tablespoons olive oil

Procedure:

1. Cut chicken breast into two thin pieces. (This is pretty much "butterflying" the chicken breast and cutting all the way through so that you have two pieces.)
2. Coat the chicken pieces with the seasoned flour and then dip in the beaten egg. Finally, coat the chicken pieces in the breadcrumbs to finish the breading. (It helps to have a three-bowl system here: one for the flour, one for the egg, and one for the breadcrumbs.)
3. Pour olive oil into a skillet over medium-high heat and allow it to heat up to a good frying temperature. (You can tell that it is a good temperature when a small drop of water causes the oil to sizzle.)
4. When the oil is hot enough, gently place the milanesas in the pan and cook until golden brown on each side. It should take approximately 1-2 minutes per side, but check often to prevent burning.
5. Drain oil from milanesas when done by placing them on a clean paper towel.
6. Serve with pasta; on a sandwich with ham, cheese, a fried egg, lettuce, and tomato; with mashed potatoes, or with your favorite side.
7. Enjoy!