Baked Pizza Egg-rolls

In the past two months I found out just how versatile egg-roll wrappers can be. You can stuff them with chicken, vegetables, pizza toppings, or turn them into baked chips. This week however we will be discussing stuffing them with pizza toppings. Believe it or not, these egg-rolls are a lot better for you than an actual pizza.

Now, you can use any pizza toppings you like; however, the one time that we have made them we used mushrooms and peperoni. But by all means, be creative!

What You’ll Need…

Egg-roll wrappers (They come in packs of 20, but you can make as many as you want.)

Pizza Toppings (Anything you like.)

Water (To sealing)

Olive Oil

Preheat your oven to 400.

Start out by cutting up any toppings that require it, for example vegetables.

Now, lay your wrapper flat on the counter and layer up all of your toppings. Be careful, though, these wrappers can only hold so much.

Once all of your toppings are layered you can fold up the wrapper. Start out by folding in the long side that is closest to you. Fold in the sides next. Now, with your finger lightly wet the top edge of the wrapper so that it will stick. Lastly fold in the top.

Place the finished wraps on a greased baking sheet. 

 

Once all of the egg-rolls are complete lightly brush the tops with olive oil.

Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.

Serve with the tomato sauce of your choice and enjoy!

Zucchini Lasagna

After last week’s delicious, yet high-calorie recipe, I figured that a relatively healthy dish was in order. I personally love lasagna and I love zucchini, and the two together is amazing! Two of the greatest things about this dish are that it is delicious and because the zucchini is the “pasta” there is no waiting for water to boil.

This is one time where you have to be extremely careful in the kitchen. To get the zucchini thin enough to be like pasta you either need to have extreme skill with a knife or use a mandolin; either way, please approach this with caution.

What You’ll Need…

3-4 Medium Zucchini (Thinly sliced, long ways)

1lb Ground Meat (Any kind you like.)

1-1 ½ Cups Tomato Sauce

1- 1 ½ Cups Cheese (You can use more or less, depending on how much you like cheese. Also, use any kind you like.)

6oz Goat Cheese (Optional)

1 ½ Cups Corn

Spices (Of your choice, to taste.)

Preheat your oven to 375.

As always, start out with the vegetables. Carefully, thinly slice the zucchini.

Once the zucchini is sliced move on to the meat. Brown the meat in a skillet. While the meat is browning bring the corn to a boil. When both the meat and corn are cooked combine them in the skillet and add the spices of your choice.

In a greased 9 x 13 pan lay a layer of zucchini followed by meat and corn, then the goat cheese, the other cheese(s), and finally the sauce. Repeat this pattern again for a second layer. 

The final layer should be zucchini. Top with a thin layer of sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Spray the underside of aluminum foil and cover the lasagna. Bake covered at 375 for 30 minutes, and an additional 10-12 minutes uncovered.

Allow the lasagna to rest for a few minutes before serving so that it isn’t as runny. Store left overs covered with foil in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cocoa Brownies

As most of you know Howard and I were in Pittsburgh for a few days. Well, we were there to see my youngest brother graduate from high school. Of course, being the cook sister I am I brought something to the party; and that something was these brownies.

Now, two other relatives had also brought brownies; so mine did not disappear as quickly as I would have like, but I guarantee you that these are delicious. My recipe is based off Food Network’s Alton Brown’s Cocoa Brownie Recipe.

If you like homemade, super chocolate-y brownies, then these are for you. Note: These are by no means healthy.

What You’ll Need…

Soft butter, for greasing the pan

Flour, for dusting the buttered pan

4 Large Eggs

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar

8oz Melted Butter (2 Sticks)

11/4 Cups Cocoa

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

½ Cup Flour

½ Teaspoon Salt

6oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

First, preheat your oven to 300.

Now, butter and flour an 8-inch square pan. You can just use cooking spray, but this is one place where I take the extra time to thoroughly grease my pan. You don’t want to lose any of the delicious chocolate-yness.

In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients but the chocolate chips. After you have mixed the batter fairly well add the chocolate chips and mix well. You can always beat the eggs and sugar and sift all of the dry ingredients, but the brownies turn out just fine when you dump everything into the bowl. Make sure that you mix the batter thoroughly so that all of the ingredients are combined well. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl. (You can always use a mixer if you so choose.)

Pour the batter into the greased and floured pan and bake at 300 for 45 minutes. Check for doneness at about 40 minutes, all ovens are different. When they are done a tooth-pick should come out clean. Cool the brownies in the pan on a cooling rack for about 20minutes, that way you don’t burn your mouth.

Enjoy plain, or topped with icing or ice cream.

Enjoy!

Baked Cinnamon Chips

This week’s recipe is quick, simple, delicious, and it only takes three ingredients. I came up with these chips because I needed a side dish and had extra egg-roll wrappers from a previous recipe. If you like cinnamon, these chips are for you.

What You’ll Need…

Egg-roll Wrappers (As many as you like.)

Honey

Cinnamon

Start out by pre-heating your oven to 400.

Tear the egg-roll wrappers in half, this is easily done if you fold them in half first. Line the half sheets of pasta on lined baking sheets.

Brush the sheets with honey and sprinkle generously with ground cinnamon.

Bake the “chips” at 400 for 10 minutes.

Believe me, you won’t have any left-overs .

Enjoy!