Cheesy Breadsticks

The big kid is not a demanding eater by any means. She doesn’t like things too complicated, but also doesn’t really beg for new things to make or try. When she does think of something new to make, I try to oblige. 


She keeps telling me about pizza sticks with sauce or cheese sticks with sauce. I think she was inspired by one of the school lunches she saw kids eating. When we go out for pizza, she gets pizza and doesn’t venture out of that routine. So I know she didn’t get it from restaurants. Anyhow, I promised her I would make some when I had the chance.

I came up with a breadstick base – similar to my pizza dough recipe. Stuffed some cheese in it, and baked. Was pretty easy. She said it was the best lunch ever! 
Cheesy Breadsticks (makes about 8 breadsticks)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup warm milk
1 tsp. yeast
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. italian seasoning

1 tsp. garlic powder

Filling:
shredded mozzarella cheese or cheese sticks

Topping: 
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450.

Add the yeast to the bowl of a mixer. Add the warm water and milk. Let it sit for a minute.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Mix until the dough starts to form a ball and pulls away from the bowl.

Knead the dough and form in to a bowl. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover for about 5-10 minutes.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface. Slice the dough in eighths.

Roll out the slices a bit. Fill with cheese and seal the bread sticks. I found that wrapping it like a burrito works well.
Let the breadsticks rest in the pan for about 5-10 minutes.

Brush the breadsticks with olive oil and parmesean cheese.

Bake for about 12-15 minutes.  
Serve breadsticks with a side of marinara sauce. Would also be good with a nice aioli. Enjoy!

Homemade Pizza

There once was a man named Joe. Trader Joe.

Have I ever shared with you my love for Trader Joe’s? I probably have…

Trader Joe’s makes my life much easier. We shop at Trader Joe’s every other week or so. Lately, it is about half of our groceries. The other half is made up of the vegetable market, the kosher store, and occasionally a run to a big name place for odds and ends.
Trader Joe’s supplies us with many yummy, healthier, and kosher ingredients that are much cheaper than the counterparts at mainstream places.
Sundays in our home are pretty busy. Errand to errand, playdate to playdate. When I come home, I need to resist the urge to buy takeout. Trader Joe’s made my life easier tonight.
Tonight I made some semi-homemade pizza that I served with a salad. I say “semi-homemade” only because the dough and sauce came premade from Trader Joe’s.
The pizza dough, which is enough for a 12″ pizza, is only 99 cents.
The jar of sauce, only needs to be spiced up a bit, and is under $2.
Sunday Night Pizza
Ingredients:
1 package of pizza dough – or make your own
1 ladle or so of tomato sauce – use your favorite kind
8 oz. shredded mozarella cheese
A few cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 package of Lightlife or other soy “pepperoni”
1/2 cup parmesean, shredded
red pepper flakes, optional or to taste
a sprinkle of olive oil
Preheat your oven to 425
Let the dough sit on the counter as per the instructions, for a half hour.
Sprinkle some flour on the dough.
Either using a rolling pin, or your hands, stretch the dough to fit a 12″ pan, or toss into desired size and thickness, and arrange on your pizza peel or pizza pan.
Bake for 5 minutes.

Remove from oven.

Let the crust rest a bit to cool down.
Pour a ladle full of sauce on your crust. Spread with a spatula. Do not make your pizza too saucy.
Arrange the cheese and then the toppings in the order I suggest on top of the pizza. I like a sprinkle of olive oil to finish it off as well as some red pepper flakes.
Place back in the oven. Bake for 8 minutes or so, until the cheese looks nice and ready and the crust should have some browning on it.

In the picture, you will see a plain jane area of the pizza. That space is reserved for my daughter. She doesn’t like the frills. Enjoy!
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