Friday, September 17, 2010

Pizza Puff

ok..I was sure I had posted this in here before.... these were an easy snack and a hit with visitors for a tasty appetizer.... so I can find it again :(need it for a party!)
compliments of the Rachael Ray magazine....
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
4 ounces pepperoni, cut into small cubes (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup store-bought pizza sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1 red bell pepper, sliced Frozen Assets
TIP: Freeze the baked puffs in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. To reheat, bake the frozen puffs on a baking sheet in a 350° oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.
Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through, then stir in 1 tablespoon basil. Sprinkle the puffs with the remaining 1 tablespoon basil. Serve the puffs and red pepper slices with the pizza sauce for dipping.

UPDATE: in the dry ingredients I add dry herbs like Italian seasoning , (or separately I add dried oregano , basil) , garlic powder, onion powder and even a pinch of curry. Anything you’d put on pizza goes ! It adds so much more flavor. I also sprinkle chopped  fresh basil and a little fresh grated Parmesan on top of the muffins BEFORE I put them in the oven. This is the recipe I  get the most requests to make for any party.