Pepperoni Pizza Pull-Apart Bread

This recipe for Pepperoni Pizza Pull Apart Bread kind of reminds me of a savory monkey bread. It makes a great snack, fun party appetizer, or light meal.  When I came across this recipe on In the Kitchen with KP, I just happened to have a craving for pepperoni. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. So, rather than order a pizza, I opted to give this a try. At first, I thought preparation was going to be a little labor intensive, but it was surprisingly easy to put together (especially with the help of pre-made pizza dough). Layer bite-size pieces of pizza dough, brush with flavored dipping oil, top with plenty of pepperoni and shredded mozzarella, and season with garlic powder, repeat layers. The final layer will be pizza dough, drizzled with oil and seasoned with garlic powder. Looks like bread, but tastes like pizza. Serve with a side of marinara sauce for dipping, and you’ve got the best of ALL worlds! And, it’s just as versatile as pizza. Add any toppings you prefer. Mmmm, I bet the addition of bacon bits would be killer!

Ingredients for Pizza Bread.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly spray bundt (or tube) pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Ingredients for Flavored Dipping (or substitute your favorite). Use jarred minced garlic to save on time.

If you don’t already have a favorite dipping oil on-hand, here’s a quick and easy dipping oil recipe, with the perfect blend of flavors for this bread. In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, basil, parsley, garlic, thyme, oregano, black pepper, rosemary, salt, crushed red pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk in grated Parmesan cheese. This makes 1 cup and you only need 1/3 cup for the bread. Store the leftover oil for another use.

Divide pizza dough into 3 equal portions (for the 3 layers). Take each third and roll into small balls. Don’t be “blond” like me and try to put rolled balls in a bowl (they stick together and you only have to re-roll….duh). Spread out in a single layer on wax paper, instead.

Layer 1/3 of dough pieces in bottom of prepared bundt (or tube) pan. The original recipe calls for drizzling flavored dipping all over dough pieces, but I would recommend brushing on the oil. Brushing gives you a more even coating of oil (and you’re less likely to get “pockets” of oil, like I did).

Layer 1/2 of the pepperoni slices over oiled dough balls. Sprinkle generously with 1/2 of the shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the garlic powder.

Layer again with 1/3 of pizza dough; brush with 1/3 of dipping oil; layer with second half of pepperoni and cheese. Sprinkle with 1/3 of garlic powder.

End the final layer with last 1/3 of pizza dough pieces. Brush with last 1/3 of dipping oil and garlic powder.

Bake in preheated oven until bread is brown and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool on rack. 

Meanwhile, in small pot, warm marinara sauce (if desired) for dipping.

When cool, flip the bread out of the pan. 

I flipped it back again, as I thought it made a prettier presentation this way; and the bread pieces protruded more, making it easier to “pull-apart” in bite-size pieces. But, that’s a personal preference. 

PEPPERONI PIZZA PULL-APART BREAD
Sources: In the Kitchen with KP; All Recipes.com
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

Flavored Oil (or use your own favorite):

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/2 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Pizza Bread:

• 1/3 cup flavored dipping oil, divided (use recipe above, or substitute your favorite blend)
• 3 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
• 2 (16-ounce) packages pre-made pizza dough (or substitute home-made)
• 1 (7-ounce) package sliced pepperoni, divided
• 1 (8-ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare flavored dipping (if not using your own blend). In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, basil,
    parsley, garlic, thyme, oregano, black pepper, rosemary, salt, crushed red pepper, and lemon juice.
    Whisk in grated Parmesan cheese. This makes 1 cup and you only need 1/3 cup for the bread. Store
    the leftover oil for another use.
2. Divide pizza dough into 3 equal portions (for the 3 layers). Take each third and roll into small balls.
3. Layer 1/3 of dough pieces in bottom of prepared bundt (or tube) pan. Brush with 1/3 of the flavored
    dipping oil.
4. Layer 1/2 of the pepperoni slices over oiled dough balls. Sprinkle generously with 1/2 of the shredded
    mozzarella. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the garlic powder.
5. Layer again with 1/3 of pizza dough; brush with 1/3 of dipping oil; layer with second half of pepperoni
    and cheese. Sprinkle with 1/3 of garlic powder.
6. End the final layer with last 1/3 of pizza dough pieces. Brush with last 1/3 of dipping oil and garlic
    powder.
7. Bake in preheated oven until bread is brown and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from
    oven. Cool on rack.
8. Meanwhile, in small pot, warm marinara sauce (if desired) for dipping.
9. When cool, flip the bread out of the pan. For prettier presentation, flip again before serving. Serve
    warm with marinara sauce (if desired).

Cajun Beer Bread

In a matter of minutes, your kitchen will be filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread, without kneading and rising. Leavened by beer and baking powder, this savory beer bread is simple to make and almost foolproof. With a soft, light core and a crunchy buttery crust, it can be enjoyed alone slathered with butter, or served alongside a hearty meal. This also makes great toast and sandwiches. And, it’s a very flexible recipe. Substitute any carbonated beverage (like cream soda or seltzer water) for the beer; replace the Cajun seasoning with dill, or other preferred herbs; leave out the cheese; mix and match the veggies (use jalapeno instead of green peppers). Try experimenting with different beers and ales. For this loaf, I used Blue Moon Summer Wheat Ale. This bread is just as quick and easy as those pricey beer bread mixes, only better. But don’t take my word for it. The “proof” is in the taste!

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Prepare a 9x5 loaf pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. (I used Baker’s Joy.) For easier removal from pan, you could also cut a piece of parchment paper to line the bottom only of the pan.

Chop onion. Chop green pepper. Mince garlic.

In small skillet, heat oil. Saute onion and green pepper, over medium-high heat, 4 to 6 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Set aside to cool.

Sift flour. Measure 3 cups of sifted flour and add to a large bowl. (Do not pack flour in measuring cup and level with a knife.)  

Add baking powder, salt, Creole seasoning, cayenne pepper and sugar. Stir to combine.

Add beer and stir just until moistened. Avoid over mixing. 

Fold in onion mixture and shredded cheese. Dough will be elastic in texture.

Pour into prepared loaf pan. 

Pour melted butter over batter.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Test for doneness with wooden pick. (My loaf was done in 55 minutes.) Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for at least 15 minutes.
When cool enough to handle, remove from pan and slice.

 

CAJUN BEER BREAD
Source: Adapted from Turnips 2 Tangerines
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tablespoons oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper (or substitute jalapeno peppers)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups sifted flour (do not pack, level with a knife)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using self-rising flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using self-rising flour)
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning (I used Emeril’s Baby Bam)
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 12 ounces beer (any variety)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar, or any cheese blend

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.  Prepare a 9x5 loaf pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In small skillet, heat oil. Saute onion and green pepper, over medium-high heat, 4 to 6 minutes, or
    until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Set aside to cool.
3. Sift flour. Measure 3 cups of sifted flour and add to a large bowl. (Do not pack flour in measuring cup
    and level with a knife.)  Add baking powder, salt, Creole seasoning, cayenne pepper and sugar. Stir to
    combine.
4. Add beer and stir just until moistened. Avoid over mixing. Fold in onion mixture and shredded cheese.
    (Dough will be elastic in texture.)
5. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Pour melted butter over batter.
6. Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Test for doneness with wooden pick. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack
    for at least 15 minutes.
7. When cool enough to handle, remove from pan and slice.


 

EMERIL’S BABY BAM
Source: Emerils.com
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons salt (reduced from original recipe)
• 3 tablespoons paprika

DIRECTIONS:
 
Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Store in air-tight container.

Streusel Topped Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Although I’ve always been a big fan of lemons, it wasn’t until recently that Mike acquired a love for them, also. So, needless to say, I’ve been taking advantage of this new fondness by incorporating lemons in more and more recipes. Last week, when I made Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes, I was left with a good amount of frozen blueberries leftover. Since the lemon- blueberry combination was such a big success, I went in search of a different recipe to try (to use up those blueberries). At first, I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, then I thought about muffins. Mike loves blueberry muffins. I chose to make this recipe because it had that “little something extra” that would bring it over the top, a cinnamon streusel topping. These muffins are “packed” with blueberries; as a matter of fact, there is actually more blueberries than batter, which made me fearful that this recipe would be a failure. Also, the batter is extremely dense (you’ll feel like you are mixing cement), but I guess that must be to account for all the liquid released from the blueberries during baking, because it does end up working out fine. However, I highly recommend the use of frozen blueberries (not thawed), as they are less fragile than fresh and can withstand the folding process without being totally crushed. Even though these muffins are loaded with blueberries, the lemon zest still manages to shine through, giving a nice fresh pop of flavor. The sugary crumb topping, with just a touch of cinnamon adds yet another layer of flavor (without being overpowering). Perfectly balanced and an irresistible treat for blueberry lovers. 

To make the streusel topping, in a small mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Add the cubed butter. Using a pastry blender (or two knives), cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate topping mixture while you prepare the batter.

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners.

In a larger mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Stir to combine. 

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, milk and egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Stir together just until combined. Be careful not to over mix (to avoid dense muffins); there will be lumps and that’s okay because they will bake out. 

Gently fold in the blueberries. There will be an abundance of blueberries in ratio to the dough and the dough will be extremely thick. Even using unthawed frozen blueberries, it’s inevitable that some of the blueberries will end up crushed because of the density of the batter. Don’t fret, though, it will turn out fine.

Using a large cookie scoop, divide batter amongst the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle each muffin generously with the crumb topping. (Note: The original recipe called for making twice as much streusel topping, which left a lot of waste, so I cut the recipe in half. Even cutting the streusel in half, you will still have more than enough topping needed.)

Bake the muffins 24 to 26 minutes, until cooked through and golden. (If using fresh blueberries, reduce cooking time to 20 to 22 minutes.) Cool muffins in tin at least 15 minutes before removing.

 

STREUSEL TOPPED LEMON BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Source: Adapted from Alaska From Scratch
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

 
INGREDIENTS:
 
Streusel Topping:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 2 Tablespoons cold butter, cubed

Muffins:

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups blueberries, frozen (not thawed) recommended

DIRECTIONS:

Streusel Topping:
1. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Add the cubed butter. Using a
    pastry blender (or two knives), cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles
    coarse crumbs. Refrigerate topping mixture while you prepare the batter.

Muffins:
1. Preheat oven to 400° F.  Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a larger mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Stir to combine.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, milk and egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Stir
    together just until combined. Be careful not to over mix (to avoid dense muffins); there will be lumps
    and that’s okay because they will bake out.
4. Gently fold in the blueberries. There will be an abundance of blueberries in ratio to the dough and the
    dough will be extremely thick. (Even using un-thawed frozen blueberries, it’s inevitable that some of
    the blueberries will end up crushed because of the density of the batter.)
5. Using a large cookie scoop, divide batter amongst the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle each muffin
    generously with the crumb topping.
6. Bake the muffins 24 to 26 minutes, until cooked through and golden. (If using fresh blueberries,
    reduce cooking time to 20 to 22 minutes.) Cool muffins in tin at least 15 minutes before removing.

Sriracha Garlic Bread

 

I seem to be obsessed with Sriracha lately. Of course, I was always addicted to hot sauce, but Sriracha takes hot sauce to a whole new level. When I heard that the Huy Fong manufacturing plant had to temporarily cease production of my favorite chili sauce, until they could control annoying emitting fumes, I ran right out to the grocery store to stock up my pantry. I can’t even imagine running out and not having any in the house.  While Mike puts ketchup on everything; I put Sriracha on everything (even my French fries and scrambled eggs). It improves the flavor and kicks up the heat a notch. So, what I am going to add it to now? Garlic bread. Yes, you heard me right. I’m about to add a little Asian fusion to an Italian favorite.

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Mince garlic. Chop parsley.

In small bowl, mix together softened butter, garlic powder (if using), minced garlic, chopped parsley and Sriracha. Using a fork (or spoon) mix well to combine. I know it seems a bit redundant to add garlic powder to minced garlic, but it does add a different level of flavor.

Cut loaf of Italian bread in half, vertically, without going all the way through the bread.

Place bread on foil-lined baking sheet. Slather the butter spread all over the bread.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.    
 

 Cut into slices and serve.

SRIRACHA GARLIC BREAD
Source: Adapted from ifood.tv
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 loaf Italian bread, halved lengthwise
• 8 Tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
• 2 Tablespoons fresh minced garlic
• 2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Sriracha

DIRECTIONS:
 
1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, combine softened butter, garlic powder (if using), minced garlic, chopped parsley and
    Sriracha. Mix well to combine.
3. Slather the butter mixture over the bread.
4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Slice and serve.