Pepperoni Pin Wheels!

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While on our cruise up the east coast of the United States and Canada, we were looking for new and different dishes that we could share. We were directed to a pub in Quebec for the best lobster rolls, as it turned out we didn't have lobster rolls, but, we had a terrific meal starting with Pepperoni pinwheels and deep fried pepperoni.......trust me, this was all Wee Bear!! We loved the pinwheels and I decided to recreate them.

With football season here and the holiday's on their way, this is a quick, easy, and make-ahead appetizer. These delicate little pinwheels are absolutely delicious, positively addicting, and devoured by adults and children alike.  Oh, and the smell of these while they are baking?  Pizzeria comes to mind.

This appetizer can be made in advance (perfect for the Holiday rush). Just roll them up and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to one month.  Defrost the rolls in the freezer before slicing and continue with the recipe.

Two roll Pepperoni

1 package puff pastry

That's it! Easy Squeezy!!

Normally I like to make my own puff pastry, however there are a few acceptable options in the freezer section at the grocery. If you can find Dufour, it is a all butter puff pastry that bakes up nicely with tremendous flavor. I found it at my Whole Foods. Most stores have Pepperidge Farm, and with the strong flavor of the pepperoni in this recipe....I think it will be fine.

 I prefer the taste of log pepperoni and used that in my recipe, however, you could use the slices.  I just peel off the casing, give it a rough chop, and then throw it in my food processor to finely mince the pepperoni. 

Spread the pepperoni mixture over the puff pastry, and roll up!

This picture is the other mixture I used, bacon and cheese. Same technique.

Bake the pinwheels just before your guests arrive and serve warm and within the hour.  Any leftovers can be refreshed in a 350º F oven for 5 minutes, but I doubt there will be any leftovers.  Perfect for a Holiday get together and lovely for a cocktail party.  Give this a try, you won't be disappointed!

These golden brown rounds are everything you want in an appetizer, lots of pepperoni flavor, everything you want in a recipe!

I also made bacon and cheddar cheese pin wheels, using the same technique above!! Cook the bacon and chop, shred the cheese and mix together.


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As promised here is the clip of Sweet One and TT's Oktoberfest! Enjoy!

I have had a ball with I movie and am looking forward to improved tutorials on the blog!

Cheers!

JJ

Hungarian Nut Strudel!

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The Nut Roll is a traditional Hungarian pastry that is a sweet bread known as Beigli. Eva Kenly, my mentor for 20+ years, made her Beigli or Hungarian Nut Roll usually during the holidays of Christmas and Thanksgiving. Beigli [pronounced BAY-glee] is really a Hungarian sweet bread with special fillings. It is the filling that makes this nut roll pastry so tasty and nutty! My favorite nut roll fillings include chopped walnuts or chopped pecans.

JJ's tips for hosting a dinner party at home!

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JJ's Tips for Hosting a Dinner Party at Home

Sweet One and TT are hosting a large party tomorrow, so, I thought this a great time to put together some tips. They are hosting 25 neighbors and a couple of relatives....Wee Bear and I! Nate Dogg and Tink are hoping to stop in for a German beer in small kegs later in the evening.

Hosting a dinner party doesn't have to be a huge and intimidating undertaking. With the right preparation and attitude, even the least experienced cook can host a fantastic event. Here are a few tips that will help give you confidence to pull off a fun dinner party with gusto!  

Easy Banana Bread!

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 What do you do with all those over ripe bananas? I usually make up a batch of my yummy homemade granola (March 11, 2012 blog) or when I had children living at home, I made banana bread. The kids would come running through the door after school to a house filled with the aroma of this delicious banana bread. They would gobble down a couple of slices, and off they would go to play in the back yard. I have several versions of this recipe............mostly changing the type of nut. Feel free to use any nut or none at all!! In the Winter, I add pecans or even chocolate chips, for a heavier feel. I like all types of nuts, so each time I make it, it is different, depending on the flavor profile I am looking for or what I have on hand.

Veal Scallops with Angel hair pasta and Gorgonzola Sauce!

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Veal Scallops with Gorgonzola sauce served with angel hair pasta is Wee Bears....I cry Uncle dinner! If I'm in the dog house, I serve this and I'm out and running again!! It combines three of his favorites, veal, pasta and Gorgonzola. This not only a good choice now, but an excellent choice during the Winter. If you don't care for veal, try it with pork cutlets, beef steak or even a thick slice of egg plant sauteed.....mmmmmm!

Veal is quick to cook, so this is a good recipe for a quick mid week dinner or a elegant weekend dinner party. Everything can be done in less than 45 minutes.

Honey-Roasted Onion Tart

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I came across this recipe while flipping through the February issue of Bonappetit magazine. I know...I know, I'm a little behind on my magazines. It literally takes me a week or so to get through one magazine. I will read a few pages and then something distracts me and I walk away from it. I'm terrible! This past week my husband was on a business trip so instead of watching television before bed as we usually do, I decided I would catch up on my reading. 

This tart looked so good, and easy that I felt I needed to make it and share with you all! The recipe in Bonappetit says it makes 6 appetizer servings, but I think they are very generous servings. You could get away with slicing smaller pieces and they would still be pretty sizable. I made a few revisions to the recipe which I have noted below.

Lobster Rolls!

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How to make the best Lobster Rolls!