Spinach-Chicken Stromboli

Spinach-Chicken Stromboli

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Yield: 8 servings

1 recipe of twisted breadstick dough or basic dough (click for links)

2 tsp. olive oil, divided

1 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning

3 ½ TB canned Parmesan cheese, divided

1 ½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese

2 c. loosely packed spinach leaves (I like to cut mine up a little)

2 c. cooked and shredded chicken

2 Roma tomatoes, diced (smaller is better)

Favorite pizza sauce for dipping

Preheat oven to the temperature indicated for the dough recipe you choose. Working on a floured surface, roll pizza dough into a 12x15” rectangle. Brush 1 ½ tsp. olive oil over entire surface of crust. Evenly sprinkle Italian seasoning and 2 TB Parmesan on top. Keeping toppings about an inch from all edges, evenly spread spinach leaves, shredded chicken, and tomatoes over the dough. Working from the long end of the rectangle, roll up from one end to the other (like a cinnamon roll). Pinch seam shut and place on bottom. Pinch each end shut and tuck under toward seam. 

Place seam-side down on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Brush remaining ½ tsp. olive oil on top and sprinkle with remaining 1 ½ TB Parmesan cheese. Gently cut three slits diagonally along the top of the Stromboli. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing into 1” slices. Serve with marinara or Alfredo sauce for dipping.

Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls

Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls

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Yield: 12 rolls

1 recipe of Basic Dough: French bread/hoagies/rolls (click for recipe link)

½ c. real butter (no substitutes

1 ½ TB Garlic Bread Seasoning (click for recipe link)

1 ½ c. shredded cheese (mozzarella, parmesan/romano mix, etc.)

Prepare the dough through the first rising step. Allow to rise 1 hour. While the dough is rising, combine butter and garlic bread seasoning. Set aside.

When the dough has risen, roll the dough into an 18x6 inch rectangle on a surface lightly sprayed with cooking spray or sprinkled with flour. Smear garlic butter over the entire surface of the dough and then sprinkle with cheese. Roll up the dough jelly-roll style and then use dental floss to cut it into 12 equal slices. Place each slice in a muffin tin cup that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a clean cloth.

Preheat oven to 350 and allow the rolls to rise while it’s heating. When the oven is ready, bake rolls for 18-22 minutes (longer if you placed them in an 8x8 or similar pan). Keep a close eye on them the last 10 minutes or so…once you notice the cheese getting brown, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the rolls (just lay flat on top) to keep the cheese from burning.

Basic Dough: French Bread/Hoagies/Rolls

Basic Dough: French Bread/Hoagies/Rolls

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Yield: 1 loaf French bread or 8-10 hoagies

1 TB active dry yeast

1 ½ c. warm water

1 ½ TB sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 TB vegetable oil

1 egg, separated

4-5 ½ c. flour, divided

2 TB cold water

Combine yeast, water, and sugar in a large mixing bowl and allow to stand 5-10 minutes or until bubbly. Add salt, vegetable oil, and egg yolk (save egg white for later) and combine. Add 3 c. flour and mix well until combined. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that barely sticks to your finger. Knead, either by hand or in mixer for another 2-3 minutes. Cover and allow to rise 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Punch down the dough. Spray a cookie sheet. For a loaf of bread, shape into a loaf and place on the cookie sheet. For buns or hoagies, divide equally into 8-10+ pieces and shape as desired. Cover and allow to rise another 1 ¼ - 1 ½ hours or until doubled. If they look like they’re too big and going to collapse, start cooking them.

Preheat oven to 375. Mix egg white with cold water and brush over the dough. Bake for 10 minutes and repeat brushing with egg whites. Bake an additional 8-10 minutes or until bread is golden brown.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

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Yield: 2 loaves

2 c. flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

6 TB cocoa powder

½ c. canola oil

1 c. sugar

¼ c. brown sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

½ c. sour cream

3 c. shredded zucchini

¾ c. mini chocolate chips (or chopped normal ones)

Topping:

2 TB brown sugar

2 TB sugar

½ tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 loaf pans and set aside (8” pans will be full, 9” pans will be less full). Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Place flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cocoa pwder in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a mixer, beat oil, sugar, brown sugar and eggs until combined and slightly fluffy (102 mins.) Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined. Gently stir in the zucchini. Take a spoonful of the flour mixture and stir in with the chocolate chips (helps chocolate chips mix in evenly when added). Stir in remaining flour mixture into batter and mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine. Divide batter between pans and sprinkle topping over each.

Bake 50-60 minutes total, checking if they’re done starting at 45 minutes.  When they’re done, a toothpick should come out clean and the top should be cracked with sugar. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack 5-10 minutes.  Cracked sugar top will absorb into bread after a day or two (if bread lasts that long before being eaten!)