Pizza Bites

My family loves Double Kwik pizza rolls but they are way too expensive.  I have tried several different recipes but this one is the closest, and my family loves them.  You can add other ingredients if you want, but we are tradionalists when it comes to pizza rolls.  I hope you enjoy them!

Pizza Bites

makes 48 bites divided into 3 trays, prep 20 min, cook time 20 min

• 2 recipes pizza dough (or 2 cans refrigerated pizza dough)
• 8 oz block mozzarella cheese
• 4 oz thin sliced pepperoni
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp Garlic Salt 
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• pizza or marinara sauce

1. Prepare pizza dough, recipe on my blog, and roughly chop pepperoni. Cut block of mozzarella into 48 cubes.
2. If you are going to bake some (or all!) right away preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 3 pie pans.
3. If using refrigerated pizza dough: roll one dough out into a large rectangle and cut into 24 pieces. Repeat with 2nd pizza dough. If using homemade dough just pinch off walnut sized pieces as you go.
4. In each dough piece place a couple pieces of chopped pepperoni and a cube of cheese. Seal dough around meat and cheese and place seam side down in pie pan.
5. Repeat, placing approximately 16 dough balls in each pie plate.
6. Once assembled, combine butter and spices and brush over the dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
7. Now you can cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze or you can bake right away.
8. When ready to bake: bake at 400°F for 16-20 min. Serve with warm pizza or marinara sauce.

Basic Pizza Dough

My family LOVES pizza!  But I hate the expensive price of restaurant pizza and frozen pizza is yucky! :)  I have used many recipes over the years, and but this one is the best.  It is very easy to make and very versatile.  You can use it for mini pizzas, pizza bites, grilled pizza, cast iron skillet pizza, breakfast pizza, anything you can imagine.  I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.  I mostly double my recipe each time.

Basic Pizza Dough

makes 1 recipe pizza dough, prep 10 min, rise time 1 hour

• 1 pkg active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp loose yeast)
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 3/4 cup flour

1. Combine yeast and warm water, stir to dissolve.
2. Let this sit for several minutes, until you see bubbling of the yeast.
3. Add oil, salt, and flour. Stir to combine.
4. Once dough starts to come together, turn out onto a floured counter and knead to thoroughly combine-until dough is smooth and elastic. If it is uncooperative let it rest for a few minutes and come back to it.
5. Place dough ball in a greased bowl and cover loosely. Allow dough to rise until doubled, approximately an hour, if your house is warm.  If your house is cooler, like ours, rise time will be longer, even two hours or more.

I am all about saving money and buying the least processed items that I can.  By doing this, I save money, I know what is in my food and I feel that I am feeding my family food that is a little more healthy.  I use Bisquick for my oven fried chicken, sausage balls and a few other favorites.  Plus it is easy to whip something up for dessert or anything with a little bisquick on hand.  I make mine with lard instead of shortening.  Lard is all natural and is more easily processed by the body.  It is says it lasts for four months, mine never lasts more than a few weeks.

Homemade Bisquick Mix

 

 

6 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons baking powder

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup vegetable shortening

Directions:

1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt three times into a large bowl.
2. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
3. Store mixture in airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 months.
4. Use whenever your recipe calls for "Bisquick mix".