Quick Breadsticks

Last week, while preparing dinner, I found myself wanting some type of bread to go with it. I didn't have enough time to bake butter rolls, or even my one hour loaf in the bread machine. Quick thinking...what did I have, besides sandwich bread, to make into a quick accessory to our meal? No crescents, no biscuits, and it was pouring (what else is new??!!), so I wasn't about to take the children and run out to the store for bread!!

Ah hah!! I had pizza crust shells! The crust bakes up so wonderfully tender inside and has a little crisp on the outside, why not make it into breadsticks like they do at Pizza Hut??!!

What a hit...quick, and easy-peasy!! I'll definitely make these again!!

Ingredients:

Frozen pizza crust/shell, or you can use any pizza dough of your choice.

Parmesan cheese (I used both shredded and grated)

Salt (to liking...you can omit)

Oil

Butter

Directions:

Oil your pizza pan or stone.

Roll out your dough and brush melted butter over top, making sure to cover.

Lightly sprinkle Parmesan cheeses and salt (to taste/liking) over top.

Bake at 375° for about 10-12mins, or until slightly brown.

Cut lengthwise in thin strips, then horizontally the same way (until desired size/amount).

Makes about 2 dozen.

Linked to: Kitchen Tip Tuesday

Grilled Pizza

It's been so hot and humid here lately, I don't dare turn on the oven! However, our love for pizza causes me to get creative. And I've figured out a way to make one great pie...not just on hot, humid summer days, but we'll be adopting this method all year long it comes out so delicious!! Just grill it!!!

First, prepare your pizza to your liking...crust (rub a little oil over the bottom and top edges of crust), sauce, cheese, and toppings, (I use the premade shells from Sam's Club...they are so yummy!!) and turn at least 4 burners to medium heat on your grill and allow to heat up for about 10mins.


Next, using a pizza pan or other pan, slide your pizza onto the hot grill...

Allow to cook for about 15-20mins, watching, adjusting heat setting, and turning if needed to prevent burning. Allow to "bake" until cheese is cooked and brown and bubbly.

And finally, enjoy inside in the central air, since it's too hot to eat outside!!!

Linked to: Kitchen Tip Tuesday, Works for Me Wednesday

Quick Meat Sauce

This week we're eating from the fridge/freezer/pantry due to lack of sales, time constraints, and an overabundance of food. So, tonight when I was craving a nice plate of spaghetti with meatballs I knew I didn't have the time to fix them. So, since we took Amy's idea and "loaded up the grill" on Sunday, I had lots of already prepared burgers left over. Hmmm... a burger on spaghetti wouldn't quite work, but a burger made into meatsauce? That would work!! I tossed an already BBQ'd burger into the food processor, added a little beef stock to moisten it up, and chopped. Tossed it into some homemade tomato sauce, and Voila...Spaghetti with meat sauce. It was delicious, and quick!! The taste from the grill was brought into the sauce for even more homemade flavor!
When in a time crunch, put on your thinking caps!

Linked to: Kitchen Tip Tuesday, Works for Me Wednesday

Kitchen Tip Tuesday...Alfresco Dining

I've always read various bloggers tips for Kitchen Tip Tuesdays, but never participated. But since I'm taking a hiatus from Menu Planning, I thought this would be a great way to still dabble in one of my passions...my kitchen and cooking.

We absolutely love being outside. We live on a hill and have a great view all the way across our "Tiny Town". So this summer since my husband is home, we have really enjoyed dining alfresco (outside)! The kids can hop out of the pool, grab a bite to eat, then head back to their fun and my husband and I can enjoy eating together, and watching them. Here in the northeast we've been having an abnormally mild, cooler summer thus far, but I still don't like heating up in the kitchen by having to put the oven on, even if we do have A/C!! So I've been planning light summer meals and grilling, usually having one larger meal per day...be it either lunch or dinner.

Some summer meals we like to prepare:

*Pastas tossed with butter and some parmesan cheese with some broccoli thrown in, or a light alfredo or pink vodka sauce, with grilled chicken and a salad...

*Amy's Desperation Dinner (made Desperation Lunch actually) out on the grill on the side burner...

*Grilled chicken BLT's...

*Grilled steak salad (great with leftover steak from a previous BBQ)

What are some "cool prep" meals you like to serve...keeping you out of a warm kitchen??

So that's my kitchen tip of the day...check out others at Kitchen Tip Tuesday