Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

Today on this here ole blog we have an incredibly easy and ridiculously delicious meal that the whole family will love. I love meals that are easy to make and fun to eat and this one does just that. Charlot and I made this on Saturday night for movie night. It was simple and she was able to help with every step. We probably didn’t end up with as much pepperoni in the actual roll due to her eating it as she went but she had a ball. The best thing about this recipe for us is Charlot isn’t a huge fan of sauce so we put very little in the roll and served it on the side so she could dip into the sauce and she loved that!

This would be the perfect meal for those busy nights that supper needs to get on the table fast and you want no complaints. Plus the added bonus is you could switch this up to accommodate your family’s tastes, add veggies, or ham, chicken, or whatever your crew’s favorite pizza toppings are. This just makes it a fun and different way to enjoy your pizza.

Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

1 Can Pizza Crust Dough

1 Small Jar Pizza Sauce

2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese

1 Package Pepperoni (I used Turkey Pepperoni)

2 TBSP Corn Meal

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (or whatever your pizza dough calls for). Spray a large rimmed baking sheet sprinkle on corn meal. Spread pizza dough over the corn meal try to get it pretty thin without any holes. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the dough, do not use too much here your roll won’t turn out right if you do. Top sauce with 1 cup of the cheese, then pepperoni followed by the remaining cheese. Then roll the dough up like you are rolling up a cinnamon roll. Then brush the top with some EVOO and sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. While roll is baking warm remaining sauce for dipping. Once roll is out of the oven allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. After that slice and serve with sauce! ENJOY!

Pretzel Chicken Strips

This is one of my new favorite meals because you can serve the protein to suite many pallets. I made these last night for supper, the hubs and I ate ours on a salad while Charlot enjoyed hers with ketchup and carrot sticks.

Give these a try the crispy crunchy crust on the outside is perfectly salty and keeps the chicken extra moist and juicy! I love the idea of serving these with honey mustard to give some sweet to go with the salty! YUMMY!

Pretzel Chicken Strips

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into strips)

½ cup Flour

2 Eggs

2 TBSP Water

2 Cups Pretzel Sticks (Crushed)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Take three cake pans or something kind of pan with sides, in the first put flour seasoned with salt and pepper, next add eggs and mix with water and season with salt and pepper, in the last pan put your pretzels. Now season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge with flour, move to egg, then coat in pretzels, finally place on sheet tray. Once all strips are done, bake in oven for 12 minutes, turn the strips and return to the oven for 12 more minutes. Serve as you wish I served mine over a salad with honey mustard vinaigrette.

It could never be me...could it?

That face oh how I just cherish that face. It isn’t real often that I get super serious here on the ole blog and I can’t say I ever want this to be a serious blog. I want you to come here to see my family, experience our life and share our food! But today something has been weighing on my heart.

Each and every summer I hear stories over children being left in cars…and I used to think how in the world does that happen? How does one simply just forget about their child in the back seat of the car? Didn’t they help the kid in? Didn’t they secure all their safety belts? Didn’t they??? Then at the end of last summer my attitude towards this completely changed. I can’t say I have shared this story with anyone, and the day it happened shook me to the core…I don’t think anyone could tell by looking at me but I was deeply troubled by the incident. 

So here’s my story: 

It was a typical Tuesday Morning I was in my typical morning routine, lunch packed check, child dressed check, breakfast in tow check, teeth brushed check, we headed out the door. As I was buckling Charlot into her seat she says to me “Momma can we get donuts for Telpha’s please?” Not exactly what I wanted to hear but she was so polite and I could tell she really wanted them so I said “Sure.” Off we head to Casey’s to get a half dozen donuts. She and I head in get the donuts; I pay and back out to the truck we go repeat the routine, buckle in hand her the cup I get in I buckle in and we are off. I am driving I am thinking about the busy day I have ahead of me I am thinking about what I have to do once I get to work. I brake for a squirrel, I continue thinking about the rest of the activities for the day and I continue to drive. Then from the back seat I hear a sweet little voice say “Momma I think you missed the turn off for Telpha’s.” I had nearly gotten clear out of town, all the blood drains from my face. Oh my gosh I had gotten into the trance that they speak so frequently about in many of the cases where kiddos are left in the car…how in the world. Quickly I turned around I was starting to cry, I couldn’t believe that my child had to remind me to drop her off. What just happened? The rest of the day I didn’t think about much else. I kept going over the what-ifs. I knew I should but I couldn’t help it. 

Still to this day I can remember everything about that morning except going on pass the street to Telpha’s. And still to this day it troubles me. I know many of you are saying well your child is old enough that she can talk surely she would have said something if I had made it clear to work. And you are probably right. The thing that this incident, that my child will never remember and I can never forget, did for me is it made me realize that in this busy world we live in things happen. Horrible things happen and we have to do our best to insure that they don’t happen to us. So here are few things I do.

1. I have the best daycare provider on the planet, who if we haven’t arrived within a bit of our usual time…gives us a call, sends a message, something.

2. Each morning I leave my purse, lunch, cell phone, and tablet in the back seat with Charlot.

3. I try to take a different route to the sitters house a couple of times a week 

I will say I am sure these are not fool proof, but I know they make me feel better. And if any other momma’s out there have any suggestions please feel free to share. I would love to go a full summer without reading an article about a child being left in a hot car.   

Avocado Ranch Chicken Club...

I haven’t been the best about posting over the past few weeks and I am truly sorry. Definitely not my usual plan, but hey life happens! And then I had a whole different post planned for today. But last night a glorious event happen…THIS SANDWICH!

The hubs had been out baling hay most of the evening he came in late, and hot and tired. And to top it all off hungry. What’s a wife to do??? Jump right up and make him an amazing supper right??? Hum no, or no most of the time. The bulk of the nights like this he has leftovers waiting or he can make his own, but last night he looked particularly beat. So I pulled myself away from watching Chopped to make him some dinner.

This is how the conservation went. “What do you want to eat?” Hubs, “What do you have?” Me, “Chicken, Ham, Turkey, Bacon, cheese, lots of fruit and veggies.” Hubs, “Hum ok all of that.” Me  “Say what!” Hubs “I don’t care chicken, bacon, something.” Me “awesome guidance I am so glad we are married.” Hubs “I know you are!”

I head off to the kitchen to make chicken bacon something, for some reason a club sandwich, avocados, and ranch dressing just won’t leave my head. That is when this beaut was born…and man alive she was GOOD! Make this for your family tonight, ok forget your family MAKE IT FOR YOU!!!

Avocado Ranch Chicken Club

This is for 1 sandwich (yes it is huge and excessive)

1 small chicken breast (thinly sliced)

2 strips of Bacon (cut in half)

1 Slice of Deli Cheese (I used Munster)

1 Roma Tomato (thinly sliced)

2 leafs Romaine lettuce

1 Avocado

3 TBSP Ranch Dressing

3 Pieces Wheat Bread (I used the fit and active 45 calorie kind from Aldi (all about health here))

Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder to taste

EVOO

Heat a small amount of EVOO over medium to high heat in a small non-stick skillet, season chicken breast with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook chicken until browned and cooked through. Remove from skillet and place on a plate put your piece of cheese over the chicken to melt. Lower heat on the skillet to a medium/medium low and put in your bacon. Meanwhile toast your bread. Mix together your avocado and ranch dressing, the softer the avocado the better. Once bacon is cooked it is assembly time! Take one piece of bread for the bottom, spread a bit of the ranch mixture top with chicken and cheese, next lettuce then tomatoes. Now take your middle piece of bread and spread more ranch mix on, place on top of tomatoes, spread the now top of the sandwich with more ranch mix, top with bacon, lettuce and finish with tomato take your last piece of bread and spread with ranch mix and top the sandwich. Put a toothpick in each half and slice. Proceed to take a huge bite then serve to your hubs, or loved one of choice! ENJOY!

Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Kabobs

Today has been really dreary and rainy here today, one of those days where being curled up on the couch watching movies from the 80’s sounds like the best thing out there! But since that really wasn’t an option for the day I felt that a recipe that reminded me of warmer sunnier days ahead was in order! I made this for supper Sunday night, perfectly light and refreshing. Added bonus it took literally 10 minutes to put together.

Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers

1 lb Raw Shrimp (I used frozen and let them thaw as they marinated)

1 Can Pineapple Chunks

1 TBSP Brown Sugar

1 TBSP Hot Sauce

Salt and

Skewers

In a large bowl or glass pan combine juice from pineapple, brown sugar, and hot sauce. Add the shrimp and allow it to marinate a few hours, or all day in the fridge as the shrimp thaws. When ready to grill, soak skewers in water for about 10 minutes. Take a skewer and start with shrimp then a pineapple chunk, then shrimp then pineapple, ok you get the drift, I did four shrimp three pineapple. Repeat the process with all shrimp and pineapple. Preheat your grill and make certain to brush some EVOO on the grill. Season skewers with salt and pepper, then place on the preheated grill. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side. I served mine over a nice salad, but these could be served with rice or sesame noodles or as a nice appetizer.