Pizza - Rye Bread

It seems that I can't follow directions, story of my life it seems! I really wanted to make this dish, but for only Mike & I it seemed a little overkill to use the tiny rye bread squares, like the recipe states. I wasn't making this as an appetizer, which is how it is written, I wanted it to be our dinner. One of Mike's favorite food is pizza, which is not one of my favorites! Too much cheese for me. Those of you that know me pretty well know that I am VERY weird when it comes to cheese. If it's not melted, I won't eat it and I only like certain cheeses. I'm the weird one that picks off cheese from sandwiches, etc. But, making these mini pizza's were great because I loaded up the cheese on his and only a little for me. What a happy medium. Also, we love rye bread so these pizza's were different and tasty. You should make it, very easy to do!


Ingredients:

2-3 loaves snack rye break
2 sticks butter melted
1 can pizza sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 1/2 lb ground beef
3 packages shredded mozzarella
1 Tbs oregano
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning

Ingredients I used:

1 loaf sandwich rye bread
1 jar of pizza sauce
a couple sprays of butter on each piece
1 cup shredded mozzarella
dried basil
minced garlic

Directions:

• Mix pizza sauce and tomato paste together and add garlic and oregano.
• Brush bread with butter.
• Cover with sauce
• Press a thin layer of meat (uncooked) on top of sauce (I'm unsure of this. Does it really cook all the way through? I would cook the meat, but that's just me. If this really works I would like to know so message me!)
• Cover with cheese. 
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Note: They can be made ahead of time and frozen.


Directions:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Lay pieces of rye bread on a cookie sheet.
• Spray each piece with a few sprays of butter OR spread margarine butter on the bread. 
• Spoon pizza sauce on the rye bread.
• Top with cheese.
• Sprinkle basil on top.
• Bake for 15 minutes.

I also found that I LOVE Romano cheese so I threw a little on top when they were done.

Tortellini Salad

I love this salad! You can make it in advance, like the day before and it's even better that way. The dressing has time to marinate together with the rest of the ingredients that way. This dish is very simple, pretty much just chopping everything and cooking the pasta. Easy! And oh so delicious. You can pair it with meat as a side salad or do what Mike and I did... eat it all by itself as a main dish! In the picture, I forgot to include the olives. I don't like olives so I was just going to put it in Mike's and take a picture of his plate, but I forgot it all together. Oh well. Make this dish! You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!!!


Ingredients:

1              green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup    black olives, sliced
1 cup       cheese, cubed - any hard cheese of choice. I chose mozzarella.
1/2 cup    salami or pepperoni chips (I bought salami lunch meat & chopped it up)
3-4          green onions, chopped. Include tops
1/2 cup    chopped celery
1/4 cup    fresh parsley
1 pkg       tortellini - cooked

Dressing:

3 Tbs     red wine vinegar
1 tsp      basil
1 tsp      Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp   salt
1/4 tsp   pepper
1/2        olive oil
1 tsp     oregano
few crushed red pepper flakes

• Mix in small bowl with a whisk.

Directions:

• Cook tortellini according to package instructions.
• Mix all ingredients together. 
• Pour dressing over & mix together.

Gram Serafino's Sweet & Sour Sauerkraut

Mmmmm. Sauerkraut. It just reminds me so much of family because it has been a staple dish by both my Mom's side and my Dad's side. I hate to say it, but I have never made sauerkraut from either side's recipes. I made Gram's for this blog but also decided to list my other grandma, Nancy Grabiniski's recipe as well. Nancy still makes the sauerkraut come holidays and it is delicious. Yes, I called her Nancy instead of Grandma. She's not reading this so I won't tell if you won't! I'm only joking of course. Lighten up a bit, jeez.

When I made this, I doubled the recipe... for just Mike & I. When I was plating the sauerkraut, Mike was standing next to me and says, "Load up my plate. I love Sauerkraut." My response was, "And that is why I doubled the recipe." Now, he didn't take too kindly to that statement and proceed to ask me if he was a fatty!!! hahaha I totally dug myself into a hole on that one. You live and learn!

Side note, I thought that I had caraway seeds and I ended up not having them so I just went without. It was still very good and a recipe I will continue to make. Enjoy!

Gram Serafino's recipe:

Ingredients:

1 can of sauerkraut
2 tsp flour
1-2 tsp sugar
1 tsp butter
1 chopped onion
1 tsp caraway seed

Procedure:

• Open & drain a can of sauerkraut but save the liquid.  
• Put sauerkraut in a saucepan with half the liquid. Heat over med/high heat. 
• Add caraway seed.
• Chop onion.
• Heat a frying pan on med/high heat with the butter. 
• Saute the onions until they become clear.
• Add sugar, flour, and 1/2 the liquid from the can of saurkraut to make a paste. 
• Add the paste to the sauerkraut, stir very well and cook until thickened. (Simmer... means on low heat)
• Keep watch so it doesn't stick and if it needs a little more liquid, add a little bit of water.  

Nancy Grabinski's recipe: 

(The recipe doesn't have proper measurements! Sigh.)

Ingredients:

1 can of sauerkraut

2 tbsp flour

1 tsp butter

1 chopped onion

1 small green apple

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp caraway seed

1 tsp white sugar

Procedure:

• Boil sauerkraut for 1/2 hour with the juice that it came with. 
• Add salt (doesn't say but I'll assume 1 tsp)
• Add brown sugar to taste (doesn't say but I'll assume 1 tbsp)

• Chop apple finely, almost like a mince. Chop onion.
• Saute apple & onion in a frying pan with a tsp of butter. 
• Add pinch of caraway seed (doesn't say but I'll assume 1 tsp)
• Add 1/4 cup of water to the frying pan (This step is left out of the recipe but I think it belongs)
• To thicken add one tablespoon of flour with one tablespoon sugar. 
• Add to sauerkraut mixture and stir until incorporated. 
• If still too sour, add a little more white sugar.