Canadian Bacon & Broccoli Pizza Rolls

This quick and easy dinner was a huge hit at our house.

A new twist on pizza that was ready for dinner in less than 45 minutes too!

I've always been a theoretical fan of pizza bread, but every time I've tried to make it, the middle tends up soggy and the edges burnt.  Not so with these.  Simply slice them like a cinnamon roll and bake!  

If you are looking for a fun new recipe, give this one a try.  It would even make a great NCAA tournament snack too.  

Canadian Bacon and Broccoli Pizza Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 recipe No-Rise Pizza Dough
• 4 T freezer-friendly pizza sauce
• 10 slices of canadian bacon, quartered
• 1 C finely chopped broccoli, steamed
• 4 oz. mushrooms, sliced/chopped & cooked
• 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Begin by preparing the no-rise pizza dough in your stand mixer (or by hand) as the recipe instructs. Cover with a tea towel and set aside when you have kneaded it.  Then, chop/prep the veggies and shred the cheese.  

Divided the dough in half and roll it out into a large rectangle.  Spread about 2 T of the pizza sauce over the top of the dough.  Arrange half of the quartered Canadian bacon over the top.  Add diced and cooked mushrooms and half of the steamed chopped broccoli.  Top with cheese.     

Then, just like you would cinnamon rolls, roll up the dough lengthwise until you have a long roll.  

Slice each dough roll into 7-10 slices and arrange each in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.  

You'll want to set them about 1/2 inch apart; they will expand a little bit as they bake, but not a lot.  This makes them like cinnamon rolls in that respect.  

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned and puffy.   

Serve warm and enjoy!

Recipe Make Over: Christmas Eggs Lightened Up

To kick off the new year, I wanted to share one of our favorite recipes lightened up.  This recipe comes from my husband’s family: Christmas Eggs.  Cheesy, bacon goodness made extra creamy with sour cream. 

This year for Christmas, I tried tweaking the recipe a bit (you always hate to do that with a family favorite) to see if I could make it a little better for you. 

We swapped Greek yogurt for sour cream, Canadian bacon for some of bacon, and used less but more flavorful cheese. 

We loved the result.  Still creamy and cheesy – a hearty and filling way to start the day.  You can easily double this recipe to feed 5+ people; this recipe feeds 4. 

Lightened Up Christmas Eggs – Adapted from FJiMK 

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1/4 C milk
• pinch of salt
• dash of pepper
• 1/8 tsp. parsley
• 1/4 C plain non-fat Greek yogurt (we used Fage)
• 2 strips of bacon
• 3-4 pieces of Canadian bacon
• 1/4 C extra sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish and a large skillet.  Whisk together 6 eggs and 1/4 C milk.  Mix in salt, pepper and parsley.  Cook eggs over medium heat until they are nicely scrambled and just about set.  You don’t want to overcook them and dry them out since this dish will later be baked. 

Stir in 1/4 C Greek yogurt, and then place the eggs in the bottom of the 8x8 prepared pan. 

Dice up the bacon and Canadian bacon into small bits.  Cook the bacon over medium-low heat until crunchy.  Drain and discard bacon grease.  Then, in the same skillet, fry up the Canadian bacon pieces. 

Top the eggs with the bacon and Canadian bacon crumbles. 

Cool to room temperature and cover; refrigerate overnight if you plan to  make the eggs in the morning.  If not, continue on in the instructions. 

Top the eggs with shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese. 

Then, bake at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes until warmed and cheese is melted.  If you are baking the dish in the morning, place the dish in an non-preheated oven and bake following the above directions. 

Serve warm. 

Spinach Open Face Egg Sandwiches

This was a filling, delicious and easy breakfast to make.  We enjoyed it as something different than our traditional breakfasts of granola or waffles, and our guests enjoyed it too.

Wholesome honey oat bread, fried Canadian bacon, topped with cheesy garlic eggs and spinach.  Yum-o. 

Spinach Open-Face Egg Sandwiches – Adapted from The Live-In Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1-2 C fresh spinach, washed and trimmed
• 2 oz. White Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• ~6 eggs
• 2 T milk
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 T butter
• 1 tsp. minced garlic, divided
• 1/4 C Panko Bread Crumbs
• Parsley
• Whole Wheat Bread {Honey Oat recommended}
• ~8 pieces of Canadian Bacon

Directions

Lightly grease a 9x9 glass baking dish.  Line the bottom with the fresh spinach and top with a handful of white cheddar cheese. 

Crack open the eggs over the top of the spinach layer.  Use a knife to slit the yolk for each egg.  Season with salt and pepper and 1/2 tsp. minced garlic. 

Then, drizzle over 2 T milk or half and half.  Top with remaining cheese. 

Bake the casserole at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until eggs are set.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet, adding in garlic and stirring until fragrant.  Add in the bread crumbs and sauté until lightly browned. 

When the eggs are set, remove from the oven and top with the bread crumbs. 

Fry up the Canadian bacon, toast your whole wheat bread (1 slice of each per person). 

Assemble the sandwiches by placing the Canadian bacon on top of the bread, and a slice of eggs on the top. 

Serves 6-8. Sandwiches are best made up fresh the day you plan to eat them.

Enjoy!

Mini Heart Pizzas

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Whip up a batch of these quick heart pizzas for lunch or dinner – your family is sure to enjoy them, especially if you let them top their own!

Mini Heart Pizzas

Ingredients

• Whole Wheat English Muffin Hearts
• Quick Freezer-Friendly Pizza Sauce
• Shredded cheese, of your choosing (we used mozzarella and cheddar)
• Meaty toppings: Canadian bacon, pepperoni, bacon bits
• Veggie toppings: Mushrooms, bell peppers, black olives, spinach, diced

Directions

Take your English muffin hearts (get the recipe here), or other English muffins and slice them in half. 

Slather each half with pizza sauce.  If you are short on pizza sauce, just use tomato paste seasoned with garlic, basil and oregano. 

Top each half with desired toppings – start with the meat, then veggies and end with the cheese. 

Place on a cookie sheet or oven rack and toast at 450 degrees for 5-7 minutes.  Watch carefully to make sure they don’t burn.  We used our toaster oven for this!

Serve warm.  Perhaps alongside tomato soup?  Get the recipe here.

Enjoy & Happy Valentine’s Day!

Canadian Bacon & Mushroom Pizza

When I was a kid, my family used to order Canadian Bacon & Mushroom Pizza whenever we ordered from our favorite pizza place.

After a recent trip to Costco {where we purchased Canadian bacon}, Frog Prince and I came home craving a pizza. 

It was just the time to re-create a childhood favorite!

Canadian Bacon & Mushroom Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 recipe no-rise whole wheat pizza crust
• 12 slices Canadian bacon
• 4 oz. mushrooms, baby bella preferred
• 1/4 C freezer-friendly pizza sauce
• 4-6 oz. shredded cheddar & mozzarella cheese
• Optional: diced red bell pepper, spinach, pineapple, olives

Directions

Begin by preparing the crust according to directions.  Shape into 2 pizzas & place on lightly greased or parchment paper covered cookie sheets.  If you have a pizza stone, go that route. 

Top each pizza with 1/8 C pizza sauce, and the arrange mushrooms & Canadian bacon over the top. 

Top with cheese. 

Place into an oven heated to 425 degrees. 

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until dough is cooked through & cheese is browned & bubbly. 

Enjoy!