Mini Pizzas

'Tis the season when you end up at a party or two, enjoying fellowship between friends, family and of course, getting new recipes and ideas for them!  This incredibly simple recipe is not only quick and easy, but it is also a crowd pleaser.  Consistently, they are the first things devoured.  While trying not to stuff my cheeks like a chipmunk, I begged for the recipe and (yea!) got it.  The only thing that I can think of to say as a warning is that they are quite hot upon removal from the oven so you might not want to "pop" them into your mouth, no matter how good they look.

Pillsbury Grand Biscuits (or any like type of this biscuit)

your favorite spaghetti sauce (one cereal spoonful/approx. 1 teaspoon each muffin cup)

Pre-sliced Pepperoni (can substitute with finely diced pre-cooked ham or finely ground pre-cooked sausage. I freeze what is not used for later use.)

Finely shredded Mozzarella cheese

muffin or cupcake tin

PAM (or like) cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly spray muffin pan with cooking spray. 

Open biscuit package and remove biscuits.  Since biscuits are in layers you can either A) pull the layers apart into four fairly even pieces, or B) cut the biscuit into quarters (or thirds depending on how thick you like your crusts) and use rolling pin to flatten out into rounds that fill the bottom and partial sides of your muffin pan.  (You can play with how thick you want your biscuit "crusts" to be.  The thinner they are the more you can make but if you like the more thicker type of crust then you may want to sacrifice a few pizzas for your favorite style).

Once the bottom of muffin cups are filled with the biscuit rounds, place one slice of pepperoni (or one teaspoon full of meat) into cup over biscuit.  Spoon the sauce over the meat and top fairly liberally (mounded even) with the cheese.  Top with another layer or round of biscuit.  For added cheese, you can place more on top of the upper biscuit layer. Bake for about 15-20 minutes (depends upon oven, check for biscuit "doneness").  Look for golden biscuit color and may be bubbly from the sauce/meat juices.  Remove from tin and place on plate to cool and serve. 

Yields approx. 24 mini pizzas (depends on how much dough you use).

Feel free to experiment with different meats, cheeses, and may even be fun with fruit instead of pizza fillings.  Have fun with it.

Please have a wonderfully safe and festive Christmas and New Year and remember to thank Jesus for the many many blessings that we have; some of them being this yummy blog, great friends and family to share them with. 

Grandma's Apple Brown Betty

Here it is October and the nights are getting chilly and the days crisp, at least up here in Oregon.  I was trying to come up with a dessert for the company we had, something other than pie (again), and remembered my Grandma's old stand by.  Perfect!  This dessert is cheap, easy and total comfort food.  It also makes the house smell like you have been baking apple pies half the day long.  Does it get any better than this?  I don't think so.  Bon Appetite!

Grandma's Apple Brown Betty

1 box Graham Cracker Crumbs (or you can crumble your own)

Applesauce (your favorite brand or homemade), large jar

1 stick Butter (or margarine)

Cinnamon

Sugar

Cooking spray (optional)

A round casserole baking dish

Grease the baking dish with either cooking spray or butter.  Put about a 3/4 inch layer of graham cracker crumbs on the bottom (if you choose to crumble crackers yourself, crumble them finely). Place thin pats of butter over the top of the cracker crumbs (you can choose to melt the butter and mix the cracker crumbs together and then apply to the dish or you can simply put the pats on top of the crumbs, your choice).  Make a mixture of the cinnamon and sugar (I use about 1/3 cinnamon to 2/3 sugar).  Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the top of the graham cracker crumbs so that it lightly covers the crumbs.  Apply about an inch of applesauce.  Repeat the procedure at least once, maybe twice depending upon how deep your dish is.  End the procedure with graham cracker crumbs on top, covered with the butter and cinnamon/sugar mixture. 

Place in the oven at 350F about 30-40 minutes or until it is hot and slightly bubbling.  Remove from oven, let cool a bit and serve warm.  Best with vanilla ice cream! YUM!

Chili-Orange Glaze for the Turkey

I'm forever trying new ways to "do" the turkey each Thanksgiving. Some go over very well and others are a lesson in trying to please my Mother or as noted in a song, "You can't please everyone so ya gotta please yourself." I introduced this to the family Thanksgiving of 2000, with success I might add. This recipe from Sunset Magazine is both simple and yummy.

Not being one that enjoys "in the bird stuffing," I like to rub butter all over and under the skin, stuff cavity with halved oranges, apples, onion, etc. instead. Basting occationally with a white wine and melted butter mixture. I glass for the cook and one for the bird...repeat!

If glaze starts to get too dark, loosely wrap dark areas with foil.

Yield: enough to glaze a 12-24 lb turkey.

Serve with a nice sparkling wine.

Sherry Spiced Cranberry Sauce

St. Patrick's Boiled Dinner

I just love St Patrick's Day. Not because he ran all the snakes out of Ireland (though that does help), but because it allows me two of my favorite indulgences...Guinness and Corned Beef Dinner...yumm! It conjures up all sorts of memories like Dad doing the two-step to the plethora of Irish folk songs in our vast music collection! I've created a twist on the old time favorite by adding a baste that zips it up a wee bit...but not too much. It's the only corned beef (or cabbage) my Brother-in-Law and Sister will eat!

Irish Soda Bread

4 – 4½ c. Flour
½-1 tsp. Salt
3 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Soda
¼ c. Sugar (optional)
2 shakes Cinnamon, Ginger & Nutmeg each
¼ c. Butter or Margarine
1 Egg
1¾ c. Buttermilk

Optional:
2 c. Currents, Raisins, &/or Cranberries

In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and sugar until thoroughly blended. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or knife until crumbly. In a separate bowl, beat egg slightly and mix with buttermilk; stir into dry ingredients until blended. Add optional items. Turn out on a floured board and knead until smooth (2 – 3 min). Divide dough in half and shape each into a smooth, round loaf; place each loaf into a greased pie pan. Press down until dough nearly fills the pan. With a floured knife, cut a cross in the top of the loaves, about ½ inch deep. Mix ¼ c. buttermilk with a capful of Irish whiskey and bathe the top of each loaf and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a 375o oven for 35 – 40 min., or until nicely browned.
Yields 2 loaves.

~Marta