A Few Recipes I Owe You

I have had several people asking me for two recipes from my Football Food post, The Pepperoni Pizza Twist and the Snickerdoodle Cupcakes. Here they are - Enjoy!

Pepperoni Pizza Twist
From The Pampered Chef All the Best Cookbook

1 package (3.5 ounces) pepperoni slices, diced
1 can (3.25 ounces) pitted ripe olives, drained and chopped
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons flour
2 pressed garlic clove
2 packages (11 ounces) refrigerated French bread dough
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tsp. Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning Mix
(you can sub regular Italian Seasoning but it is not as good!)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
jar of pizza sauce, warmed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, combine pepperoni, olives, cheese, parsley, flour, and garlic; mix well. Place bread dough, seam sides up, on a cutting board. Slice each loaf lengthwise, end to end, cutting halfway through to the center of the loaf; spread open flat. Using the Baker's Roller, roll dough crosswise to a 4-inch width, creating a well down the center of each loaf. Spoon half of the pepperoni mixture down center of each loaf. Gather up edges over filling, pinching firmly to seal. Place loaves, seem sides down, in an 'X' pattern on the Rectangle Baking Stone. Crisscross ends of dought to form a large figure '8,' keeping ends of dough 1 inch from the edge of the stone and leaving two 1 - 1/2 inch openings in the center of the twist. Combine egg white and seasoning mix; lightly brush over dough. Cut a 3-inch slit in each of the top sections of the twist to reveal filling. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the loaf. Bake 30-32 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes. Serve sliced with pizza sauce for dipping.

(Making the twist is kind of tricky to understand via written directions. It is easier to see when done in person at a Pampered Chef party, which is where I usually teach people to make it.)

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

1 - 1/2 cups cake flour

1 - 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 - 3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 Tablespoons for dusting

4 eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 - 1/4 cups milk

For the cinnamon buttercream:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt (I feel this could be omitted...)

16 oz. powdered sugar

4 Tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together the flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each. Divide batter evenly among lined cups. Bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

To make the buttercream - combine all ingredients, adding more powdered sugar or milk to get the right consistency. Pipe frosting on cupcakes. Combine 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Using a small, fine sieve, dust peaks with cinnamon-sugar. Store at room temperature. Makes 24 large cupcakes.