Bruschetta

Recipe submitted by Erin Callahan

2 tomatoes, cubed
1 teaspoon dried basil
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
Balsamic vinegar
Crushed Red Pepper flakes (optional)

For hot bruschetta: In a pan, heat tomatoes, oil, garlic and spices until heated through and a little soupy (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat. Add a splash of Balsamic vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes to taste. Add Parmesan cheese. Serve over toasted french baguette slices.

For cold bruschetta: In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients. Cover and chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight, before serving. Serve over toasted french baguette slices.

BLT & Gorgonzola Stromboli

Recipe originally submitted by Jenae Montoya

Ingredients:

• Pillsbury Classic Pizza Dough, 2 tubes
• Oscar Meyer Turkey Bacon, cooked & crumbled (about 5 strips)
• Red Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, cut in half (1/2 container)
• Romain Lettuce, julienned
• Gorgonzola cheese
• EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• Balsamic Vinegar
• butter
• salt & pepper to taste (I use coarse sea salt or coarse uniodized kosher salt)

Instructions:

1. Heat oven according to dough recipe on cannister. Take out dough, stretch and roll, making it all even. Place on non-stick or foil lined cookie pan.
2. Brush flat dough with EVOO on top (this will be the inside of the stromboli) .
3. Add 1/2 crumbled bacon & 1/2 the cut tomatoes on the 2 rolled out doughs. (Divide bacon & tomatoes evenly to go onto both rolled out doughs)
4. Sprinkle salt & pepper to taste on top.
5. Add some of the gorgonzola cheese, crumbled, on top of bacon & tomatoes.
6. Roll one side of dough (with filling) to the other side, pinching sides together. Should be 2 long tubes (looks like really long burritos!) Pinch and close ends of dough also.
7. Rub soft butter or brush melted butter on tops of filled dough. May add some salt on top if you like.
8. Bake in oven according to dough directions, or until golden brown and fully cooked on inside.
9. Cut strombolis (cooked filled dough) at an angle for fancy effect.
10. Julien cut (thinly cut) Romain lettuce and put on serving tray/dish. Place diagonally cut stromboli ontop lettuce.
11. Sprinkle some more crumbled Gorgonzola cheese on top of dish/food.
12. Lastly, right before serving, drizzle EVOO & Balsamic Vinegar on top of food. May also sprinkle some more salt & pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

PS: You can use whatever ingredients you want to fill the dough!

Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies

Recipe originally submitted by Jenae Montoya

Ingredients

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 (19.5 oz.) package Pillsbury® Classic Traditional Fudge Brownie
• 1/2 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 large eggs, divided
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Smucker's® Seedless Strawberry Jam

Instructions

1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. Combine brownie mix, oil, water and 2 eggs in large bowl; stir 50 strokes with spoon. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes.
2. HEAT cream cheese until fluffy in large bowl. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Mix in remaining 2 eggs, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. Pour evenly over warm brownie.
3. STIR jam until smooth. Drop by teaspoonfuls over surface of filling. With a knife, swirl jam gently through filling to create marble effect. Bake additional 35 to 40 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Cool 1 hour. Loosely cover and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours or more. Cut into bars.
   

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Recipe originally submitted by Julie Thompson

Super easy and yummy!

1 ½ c. or 1 bottle chili sauce (the sweet kind found by the ketchup in the store)
½ c. cider vinegar
1/3 c. apricot preserves (room temp for easier mixing)
3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. minced garlic

Mix together in bowl then pour into large non-stick skillet. Then add:

1 cup diced green pepper
24 oz. frozen meatballs (beef or turkey)

Cook covered 20-25 minutes on medium heat, stirring half way through cooking time. For thicker sauce uncover during last 10 minutes.
Also can do in the crock pot, but won’t thicken in crock pot. Holds well if made on the stovetop, and then held in crock pot on low. Serve by themselves as an appetizer with tooth picks or as a meal with rice or vegetables.

Party Pita Wedges

Recipe originally submitted by Karalee Merrill

2 regular sized pita pockets (6 inch)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
16 slices pepperoni
4 round slices provolone cheese
1/3 cup medium chunky salsa

In a heatproof cup or bowl heat olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper in microwave on high for 40 seconds. Remove and add butter. Stir and set aside.

Using kitchen scissors, cut pita pockets into 4 pizza slice shaped wedges (slice in half, then slice each half again to make the wedges). Cut again along curved outer edge to separate into 2. Brush both sides of the pita wedges with warm olive oil mixture, coating well.

Place wedges crust side down on a baking sheet. Spread 1 teaspoon of salsa to top each wedge. Cut provolone slices into 4 wedge shapes and place one on top of each. Top with a slice of pepperoni, if desired. Drizzle with any remaining olive oil and sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Serve while still warm.

Makes 16 wedges