Party food: Stuffed bread with sausage and salami

I first saw a version of this recipe many years ago on a Food Network show. It was called an umbulata, and I was intrigued. The concept was simple: bread dough stuffed with meat, cheese, and fresh herbs. It was an old, Italian family recipe. Now, I'm nowhere near Italian, but this recipe spoke to me. It said, "Invest in Google." I should have listened.

Here's my version. 

What you'll need:

• Pizza or bread dough
• Bulk Italian sausage, hot or mild
• Romano or Parmesan cheese, cubed
• Salami, cubed
• Balsamic vinegar
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Fresh herbs like oregano, Italian parsley, mint

You'll first want to brown the Italian sausage, and let it cool a bit before stuffing into the bread. I add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the sausage after it has browned to give it a nice glaze. Just let the vinegar cook out completely before taking the sausage off the heat.

I'm using a tube of refrigerated thin crust pizza dough. Roll it out flat on your baking sheet. I have cubed about half a block of Romano cheese. Sprinkle the cubed cheese evenly across the dough, pushing it into the dough.

Next, sprinkle the dough evenly with the sausage and salami. I'm using a salami that is crusted with chile peppers and fennel for a nice little kick. I also sprinkle some fresh oregano leaves over everything. I just pull them off the stems - no need to chop. After the herbs, you want a light coating of shredded mozzarella. It's the glue that holds everything together when you start slicing the finished product.

Here's a close up before the mozzarella is added:

Now you need to roll it up. Carefully start rolling it up, making sure you tuck in the ends, so everything stays sealed while baking. Brush the top with some oil or an egg wash, and lightly sprinkle with a coarse kosher or sea salt.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until nicely browned. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with tomato sauce for dipping.

The basic concept of this dish can be transformed into whatever you'd like. Stuff it with chicken, steak, veggies, sliced deli meats - the possibilities are endless. It's quick, easy, and serves a crowd.

Make what you like, and like what you make!

Deep dish pizza

Chicago absolutely holds the patent for the best deep dish pizza I have ever experienced. I don't know how they do it, but this is my attempt to capture just a fraction of that glorious baked Chicagoan goodness.

What you'll need:

• Two refrigerated pie crusts
• 1 can of whole plum tomatoes
• 1 lb of bulk Italian sausage
• Sliced provolone or mozzarella cheese
• Grated romano or parmesan cheese
• Fresh or dried herbs: basil, oregano, Italian parsley
• Salt and pepper

You need to let the tomatoes drain. Pour them into a colander, and open the tomatoes, so they can lay flat on the pizza. I also pull out the stem. Just do this carefully, so the little buggers don't spit their juice at you.

Let the pie crusts sit out for 10-15 minutes to soften. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. I have a 10" cake pan, but you can certainly use whatever size you've got. The pie crusts are for a 9" pan, so I need to roll the 2 crusts together to make them a little bigger than the pan. If you're using a 9" cake pan, you can just place the 2 crusts on top of each other directly in the pan.

Place the pie crust in the pan and fold over the edges to make a crust. You can take the time to make the edges pretty, but I prefer a more unkempt look to mine. Grate some cheese over the crust - I like to use Locatelli. Then you can layer with sliced cheese. I'm using provolone, but mozzarella would work just as well.

The next layer is bulk Italian sausage - hot or mild or a combination of both. If you have links, slice open the casings and press into the pan to cover the whole pizza.

The next layer is the tomatoes. Make sure they have drained. I also pat them with a paper towel to get any excess moisture off of them. Lay them out on top of the sausage to cover the entire area. Season with kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Add a sprinkle of sugar if the tomatoes are too acidic.

At this point, you can add any number of toppings: mushrooms, onions, peppers, olives, etc. I'm keeping it simple this time, adding only some fresh oregano and grated cheese.

This needs to bake 50-60 minutes. When you take it out of the oven, let it sit for at least 10 minutes. There will be some juices around the crust from the sausage that will reabsorb a bit as it sits.

This is as close as I can get it. If anyone has any other suggestions or inside information as to how to make an authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza, please share. In the meantime, I'm happy with the baked goodness that is my deep dish pizza.

A Cajun-inspired shrimp, andouille sausage, and rice dish from the pantry

Or as I like to call it: a hunting and gathering meal. I didn't have anything planned for dinner last night, so I hunted and gathered in my house to find ingredients to put a dish together. This is what I came up with.

From my freezer, I gathered a diced onion and pepper seasoning blend, raw shrimp, and 2 links of Kowalonek's andouille sausage. From the pantry, Cajun seasoning, boil-in-a-bag brown rice, garlic, and a tomato, and some fresh parsley and oregano from my window. As always, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to season. I also wrangled some butter, olive oil, and flour.

The rice takes 10 minutes in the microwave, so that gets going first. Meanwhile, I pulled the shells off the shrimp and sprinkled them with the Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. I had some dried cilantro on hand, so I added a few shakes of that, too. If you want more heat, add some cayenne. Then the garlic, tomato, herbs, and sausage get chopped and sliced. It's important to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking.

Put a frying pan on medium heat with a tablespoon of butter and an equal splash of olive oil. The oil prevents the butter from burning. When it's hot, throw in the sausage to brown on each side.

Remove the sausage from the pan and put on a plate with a paper towel to remove the excess oil. Next, add the shrimp to the same pan and cook on both sides until pink. Just don't overcook the shrimp. It takes only a minute on each side.

Remove the shrimp from the pan and throw in the frozen veggies. Season with salt and pepper. When they are soft, add the garlic. Let the garlic cook for a minute, and then add the tomato. Season the tomato with salt and pepper. Allow to cook for another minute.

At this point, you may need to add additional olive oil if there's not enough fat in the pan. Sprinkle the veggies with a couple tablespoons of flour and stir to coat. Allow the mixture to cook for at least 2 minutes, stirring constantly. If I had the time, I would make a proper Cajun roux - thick and chocolate brown. But I didn't plan ahead, so my apologies to the state of Louisiana for making a roux that is as pale as my winter legs.

Now that the flour and veggies are cooked together, you need to add liquid to make a sauce. If you've got chicken stock, throw it in. If you've got bouillon cubes, add water and throw one in. I added only water and then seasoned with salt and pepper. Allow it to come up to a boil, so the sauce thickens. I like a thick sauce, so this is what mine looks like:

Once you've got the sauce seasoned to your liking, everyone gets in the pool.

The andouille gives it a kick, the sauce is creamy, and the shrimp have a nice snap to them. You can use kielbasi if you don't like the heat of andouille. This would be great with chicken, too. Throw in whatever veggies you can find: okra, peas, black beans. It's a wonderfully warming dish for a cold winter's day. Make a big batch and put it in the crock pot for a crowd.

You should always make what you like, and like what you make!

Quick and easy pasta with sausage and tomato sauce

Here's a super easy dish to make that takes no longer than the time you need to boil the water and cook the pasta.

What you'll need:

• Pasta
• Bulk Italian sausage, hot or mild
• Crushed tomatoes
• Minced fresh garlic
• Balsamic vinegar
• Dry or fresh herbs like basil, Italian parsley, oregano
• Grated parmesan or romano cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the pasta: You can use whatever you have on hand. I like to use either an orecchiette (little ears) or a medium shell. Those shapes hold the sauce like Snooki holds a cocktail. Put your pot of water on to boil (cook your pasta according to the package) and a large frying pan on medium-high heat.

You can use mild or hot Italian sausage. If you get links, just cut the casing open to release the sausage into the pan. Fry the bulk sausage, breaking it up into small pieces, until it is browned. Lower the heat. Add as much minced or crushed fresh garlic as you'd like. I like to use a couple tablespoons, but I'm a big fan of garlic. Allow the garlic to cook for only a minute and please do take a few huffs of that marvelous smell coming up from the pan.

Minced garlic

Add the balsamic vinegar and allow to cook until evaporated (just don't huff the vinegar or you won't be able to breathe for a minute). It will glaze the sausage, adding a hint of sweetness.

Browned and glazed sausage

If you are using dried herbs, add them now, and let them cook for a minute. Don't go overboard on the dried herbs - a little goes a long way. If you are using fresh herbs, don't add them yet. Mix in the can of crushed tomatoes. At this point, you need to salt and pepper to taste. Please use either kosher salt or sea salt. If the tomatoes are too acidic, add a sprinkle of sugar, but you must taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as you like.

Chopped fresh Italian parsley and oregano

Your pasta should be ready by now. Drain it, add it to the pan with the sauce, and throw in your fresh herbs now. I have Italian parsley and oregano growing in my window, so that's what I used this time. Mix everything together until all the pasta is coated. Remove from heat.

Sauce, pasta, and herbs

As a variation, I also make this with peppers and onions. Just add them while the sausage is browning. Mushrooms would be fabulous with this as well, but then I would be the only one in the house eating it. Serve with some grated cheese on top. My favorite is Locatelli, but use whatever you've got. Enjoy!

My hubby gets the big serving.

I get a smaller serving on top of greens.