Bloomin' Pizza Bread

Ingredients:

1 unsliced round loaf sourdough bread

12-16 ounces mozzarella or Provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1 (3.5 ounce) package pepperoni, halved
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonings
2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
pizza/marinara sauce for dipping

Instructions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Cut the bread lengthwise and widthwise without cutting through the bottom crust. This can be a little tricky going the second way but the bread is very forgiving.

Place bread on a foil-lined baking sheet and insert cheese slices and pepperoni between cuts. Combine butter, garlic powder, and Italian seasonings. Drizzle or brush over bread with a pastry brush. Sprinkle bread with Parmesan cheese. 

Wrap bread completely in foil and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap the bread and bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted and pepperoni is a little crispy.

Eggplant Parmesan Panini

Ingredient:

* olive oil
1 eggplant (cut into 1/4 inch slices)
1 cup marinara sauce
Parmesan cheese8 slices bread
8 slices of mozzarella

Directions:

1. Saute the eggplant in oil in a pan in batches.
2. Spread the marinara sauce over one side of each slice of bread. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
3. Place a slice of mozzarella on each slice of bread.
4. Place the eggplant on half of the slices of bread and top with the other half.
5. Lightly brush the bread with olive oil and grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Italian Marinara Meatball Grilled Cheese

makes 1 sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices of sturdy bread
2 tablespoons softened butter mixed with 1 teaspoon very finely minced garlic
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or more)
1 large meatball, carefully sliced into about 4 or 5 rounds, warmed 
¼ cup toamto/marinara sauce, warmed 
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
fresh basil, chiffonade
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

Spread both slice of bread with garlic butter. Top each half with ¼ cup each of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium low heat. Place both slices of bread in pan with cheese facing up. Allow the bread to brown and the cheese melt. It will take about 6 or 7 minutes.

Remove grilled bread from pan. If your meatball is cold (leftover) gently warm the slices in the pan, then remove to another plate.

On one slice of bread, carefully arrange the warm/hot meatball slices. Spoon marinara sauce over meatballs, then sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Add a few ribbons of fresh basil, then cover the sandwich with the top half of the bread. Firmly press the sandwich together.

Delish Baked Portobello Parmesan

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 cup (3-oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 cup fresh minced parsley, divided use
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon marjoram leaves
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
4 large (5 to 6-inches wide) stemmed potobello mushrooms, brushed clean
1-1/2 cups (6-oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup commercially prepared "light" tomato sauce
Cooking spray

Directions:
1) Position a baking rack in upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 17-1/2 x 11-3/4 baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a 16-1/2 x 11-1/2-inch wire cooling rack inside the baking sheet. Mist rack with cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Combine bread crumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons parsley, paprika and 1 teaspoon salt in a shallow pan. Mix well. Set aside.
3) In a separate bowl, combine egg substitute, remaining 1 teaspoon salt. pepper, marjoram, garlic powder and oregano. Mix well.
4) Dip both sides of mushrooms into egg mixture. Dredge in crumb mixture until both sides are completely coated. Transfer, stem side down, to prepared wire rack. Spray tops with cooking spray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Remove pan form oven.
5) Reset oven thermostat to 450 degrees F. Meanwhile, carefully turn mushrooms stem side up. Cover each mushroom with 2 tablespoons of remaining Parmesan cheese, 1/4 of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup tomato sauce. Spray tops lightly. Return to oven and bake until cheese melts and mushrooms are warmed through, about 10 minutes. Use a wide spatula to transfer mushrooms to a serving platter. Sprinkle with reserved 1 tablespoon parsley.

Fantastic Apple Pecan Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients For Topping
2 cups granny smith apples, sliced thin
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, salted
1 cup pecans, chopped

Ingredients For Cake
1 1/2 cups granny smith apples, shredded
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, salted, room temperature
2/3  sugar
1  teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Peel, remove core from apples, quarter and slice thin.
2. In a medium sauce pan combine 3/4 cup butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1/3 cup sugar. Stir continually over medium heat until butter is melted.
3. Pour butter/sugar mixture into a greased and floured 10 inch round cake pan. Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over buttered/sugar mixture.
4. Arrange apple slices decoratively in a circle. Take a spoon a drizzle some of the butter/sugar mixture from the middle of the cake pan over the tops of the apple slices. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon ; whisk.
6. In a standing mixer, beat 2/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in sour cream, scraping down sides if needed; next beat in eggs.
7. Stir in shredded apples and flour mixture. Spread gently over the top of decorative apples. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven. Put cake pan on the middle rack of oven. Bake 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and cake is golden brown. Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes. Run a butter knife along the edges of pan and carefully invert cake onto desired plate. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.

Super Baked Chicken Fajitas

The best part was being able to throw everything into one pan and toss it in the oven...

(Serves 4-6)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 T vegetable oil
2 t. chili powder
2 t. cumin
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. salt
12 flour tortillas, warmed to serve

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13×9 baking dish. Mix together chicken, tomatoes, chilies, peppers, and onions in the dish.

In a small bowl combine the oil and spices. Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and toss to coat.
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Serve with warmed tortillas and enjoy!

Wisconsin Cheese Cauliflower Soup

INGREDIENTS

3 Tbsp. butter

• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
• 2.5 lbs cauliflower
• 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
• 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese shredded

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Melt butter and chopped onion together in a large sauce pan and sauté for approximately 10 minutes over medium heat until onion gets golden in color.
2. Add flour and stir to make a roux. Heat while stirring for a couple of minutes.
3. Slowly add half and half along with the milk. Gradually add and stir the entire time. Following the milk, gradually add water and chicken broth and stir constantly.
4. Add chopped cauliflower and heat until boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until cauliflower is tender. This will take approximately 15 minutes.
6. Place contents of sauce pan into blender and blend until smooth. Remove center part of blender cover to allow steam to escape.
7. Return cauliflower mixture to saucepan; heat over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in mustard and cheese until melted and smooth.
8. Serve soup topped with a little cheese for garnish.