Side Dishes & Miscellaneous Fun Food

FOCACCIA

I know that most of you think of focaccia as Italian flat bread that you now make pizza on top of, as in Bobolis, but for as long as I can remember Focaccia was a rolled thing with meat inside which apparently is known in some parts of the country as Stromboli, or at least close to it...which in turn I always knew to be calzone.  So anyway, let's not give this a name or call it Sausage Jellyroll or something.  Either way, whatever you call it, it is great and I can still remember making it at the Allegretti house.

INGREDIENTS:

raw bread dough (this can be pizza dough, frozen bread dough, your own recipe ready to go, or whatever)
spaghetti sauce
Italian Sausage fried bulk (no skins etc.) til golden and crumbly
parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese (or scamorza if you live in civilization and can find it)
1 egg beaten

ASSEMBLY:

Roll out the dough to the size of a cookie sheet then cover it like you were making a pizza, sauce, cheese, and the sausage.  Dribble a bit more sauce over the sausage but not too much.  Wet the edges of the dough with beaten egg to assist in the sealing, and roll it, tucking in the edges like an eggroll only huge.   roll the whole thing up, using the egg to seal the end and placing it seam side down on a cookie sheet.  Bake it like you would the bread, whichever one you use, following those directions.  Let it cool before slicing in 1" thick slices. Can be used as an appetizer, a side dish, or an entree. 

SPANISH RICE

I remember enjoying spanish rice as a child almost to the exclusion of other foods.  I still like lots of different kinds of rice, but this one brings back memories, is fast and easy to prepare, and is wonderful as a side for anything mexican, at a little taco/tostada do-it-yourself party, or even baked or bar-b-que chicken.  There may be lots of other recipes that taste better than this but this one will appeal to your kids too.  TIP: just remember, that with kids, you chop the vegetables so fine you can hardly see them.

INGREDIENTS:

5 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (If you want it spicier, use 1 can chopped green chilies, drained)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can Campbell's Tomato Soup
1 soup can of liquid: water (if you must) or beer (I use beer)
1 cup prepared Salsa of your choice
1 cup uncooked regular (not Uncle Ben's minute rice) rice (I use basmati rice)

PROCEDURE:

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until lightly browned.  Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and sute in the bacon fat until vegetables are tender (adding olive oil if needed), stirring occasionally.  Stir in the uncooked rice, and stir it until the rice is slightly browned.  Stir in the soup, liquid, and Salsa, mixing well and continue cooking over medium/high heat until it boils.   Reduce the heat and simmer covered for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid should all be absorbed by the rice when done.  Serves 6 as side dish.