Cheesy Pizza Roses #BreadBakers

Cheesy pizza roses are the perfect Mother’s Day breakfast (or gift!) for moms who are fans of savory pepperoni pizza. After all, who doesn’t love fresh baked bread rolls?

This month my Bread Bakers group is baking up breads inspired by flowers or Mother’s Day. A Google image search revealed all sorts of rose-shaped buns filled with jams but since my mom isn’t with me right now, I am going to have to eat these rolls myself. And I much prefer savory fillings.

Plus, doesn’t the pepperoni make them look even more like roses? I think so!

Ingredients for 12 cheesy pizza roses
1 package (¼ oz.) active dry yeast (I use Fleishmann’s Rapid Rise.)
About 4½ cups or 560g all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups or 355ml warm water
Olive oil
3/4 cup or 180ml pizza sauce
8 oz or 226g mozzarella cheese, grated
7 oz or 200g sliced pepperoni

Method
In a large bowl, combine yeast, 2 cups or 250g of flour and 1 teaspoon salt. In a microwaveable measuring pitcher or a saucepan, heat water until warm but not hot. With mixer at low speed, just blend water into dry ingredients.

At medium speed, beat two minutes, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in 1/2 cup or 60g of flour to make a thick batter.  Beat two minutes more.

Stir in about 1 1/2 cups or 190g of flour to make a soft dough.  Knead dough by hand or with a bread hook for a few minutes.

Pour a little olive oil in the bowl and put the dough in to rest for 15 minutes (if using Rapid Rise yeast) or to rise for 30-45 minutes (if using regular yeast) covered with a damp cloth.

Note: If you want to bake these fresh in the morning, you can punch the dough down and rest it overnight in the refrigerator at this point. Cover the bowl in cling film so it doesn't dry out.

Punch the dough down and shape it into a round disk. Use a sharp knife to cut it into 12 equal pieces.

Shape each piece into a round dough ball.

Preheat your oven to 350ºF or 180ºC and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan with olive oil.

Use a rolling pin to flatten each ball out into a circle and cut it as shown (pic 1) with the tip of your sharp knife. Spread a couple of teaspoons of pizza sauce on the dough and sprinkle on some grated mozzarella. Add two pepperoni slices to one side of the cross and fold the dough up and around the pepperoni. (pic 2) Do the same to the opposite side, this time wrapping the corners of the dough around the first side. (pic 3) Repeat with the third side. (pic 4)

Finally, add two slices of pepperoni to the fourth side and bring it up and around the others. Pinch the edges to get it to stick.

Tuck the pizza rose into your greased muffin pan. Repeat the process until all the pizza roses are made. Top each with an extra teaspoon of the pizza sauce in the middle.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown and puffy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Complete cooling on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to our host this month, Julie at Hostess At Heart. Check out the rest of the lovely flower or Mother’s Day inspired breads we have for you today!

• Almond Rose Bread by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Apricot Sweet Rolls by Cook's Hideout
• Banana and Chocolate Chip Flower Cake by Sneha's Recipe
• Beetroot Cinnamon Rolls by Herbivore Cucina
• Blueberry Muffin Cups with Warm Lemon Sauce by A Salad For All Seasons
• Cherry Almond Kugelhopf by Hostess At Heart
• Cheesy Pizza Roses by Food Lust People Love
• Flower Bread with Savoury Onion Filling by Sara's Tasty Buds
• Lemon Poppyseed Muffins by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Orange Marmalade Rolls by Ambrosia
• Peynirli Cicek Pogaca/ Turkish Cheese Flower Bread by Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Pogaca -Turkish Breakfast Bread by Mayuri's Jikoni
• Pumpkin Lavender Coconut Biscuits by The Schizo Chef
• Sfoof by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Sunflower Crumb Muffins by Baking Sense

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

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Red Camargue and Wild Rice Salad with Tuna

This easy, healthy Red Camargue and wild rice salad is made with red Camargue and wild rice, yellow peppers and avocado. Serve it on your favorite mixed greens, topped with well-seasoned seared fresh tuna. It's light and refreshing but makes a satisfyingly filling meal.

All too often when I think of rice and dinner, it’s usually basmati or risotto that springs to mind. But occasionally, when my protein is unusual, like spice-encrusted tuna, something with more verve and bite is needed.

Always on the lookout for new and unusual starches, I brought home a bag of red Camargue and wild rice mix from my local Spinney’s grocery store the other day. Wild rice, I’m familiar with but I had never heard of red Camargue. Turns out that it is a new breed (type? species? variety?) of rice that is being cultivated in the south of France in an area called, not surprisingly, Camargue.

A little quick research reveals that the Camargue region of Provence grows a wide variety of rice, of which the red is only one, and it produces 75 percent of all the rice grown in France. Who knew? What I do know is that its nutty flavor and chewy texture make a beautiful rice salad. Add some greens and spice-encrusted seared tuna to make it into a meal.

This week my Sunday Supper friends are sharing summer dinner salads, salads that make a full meal. Since it's so hot in Dubai during the summer, we eat dinner salads a lot. We call them fancy salads and, in addition to the vegetables and greens, they must contain three more things: cheese, nuts and fruit. Occasionally meat is added, usually something off the grill like chicken or beef. This red Camargue and Wild Rice Salad with Tuna doesn't fulfill those standards of fancy salad, but it sure is pretty and delicious.

NOTE on cooking red Camargue and wild rice: I’ve learned from experience that colored rice, in general, needs a much longer cooking time than white rice, so I cooked this stuff in a big pot of salted boiling water, much as you would pasta, checking a grain or two periodically after 20 minutes, until the rice reached an acceptable cooked, yet still chewy, texture, which took closer to 30 or 35 minutes. Then I turned the fire off, strained off the water and put the rice back in the hot pot with the lid tightly closed for another 10-15 minutes.

Ingredients
For the salad:

1 1/2 cups cooked rice mix (about 4 1/2 oz or 125g before cooking)
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Small handful green onion tops
Small handful cilantro or fresh coriander
1/2 small yellow bell pepper or capsicum
Sea salt
Black pepper
Mixed greens of your choice
1 ripe avocado, plus extra to serve, if desired

For the tuna:
2 tuna steaks – about 9 oz or 255g each
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fennel
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon mixed peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil – plus more for the frying pan

Method
Cook your rice mix as described above or according to your package instructions. Set aside to cool.

Roughly chop your green onion tops and cilantro. Cut your bell pepper into small, skinny strips.

Put your balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a bowl big enough to hold the whole salad. Add in the bell pepper slices and a good pinch of sea salt and a good couple of grinds of fresh black pepper.  Mix well.

Once the cooked rice is cool, add it to the bowl.

Add in the onion tops and cilantro and give the whole thing a good stir. Set aside and get on with the tuna.

Lay your tuna steaks out between paper towels to dry.

Use a mortar and pestle to grind the spices finely.

The pink is Himalayan sea salt.  Use any sea salt you have. 

Mix the whole grain mustard thoroughly with the olive oil.

Spread half of the mustard mixture on one side of the tuna steaks and then sprinkle with half of the spice mix.

Put the tuna on a piece of cling film, which will make it easier for you to flip it over into the frying pan.  Repeat the seasoning on the other side, first mustard, then spices.

Heat a non-stick frying pan until it is very hot and then drizzle in a little olive oil.  Cook one side of the tuna for just a couple of minutes before turning it to the other side.

Watch the side of the tuna and you can see the cooked part coming up.  You want to leave a good amount of pink still in the middle.

Sear the other side for just a minute or two and then remove from the pan and allow to rest for a few minutes.

Slice into thin pieces with a serrated knife, using a sawing motion so you don't mash the tuna.

Right before serving, peel and chop your avocado and fold it into the salad.

This tasty rice salad makes a full meal, heaped on some leafy greens with extra avocado, if desired, and topped with the fresh spice-encrusted tuna steak.

Do you love serving dinner salads when it's hot outside too? You are going to want to pin each of these Sunday Supper Summer Dinner Salad recipes. Summer is nigh!

Many thanks to our event manager, Em, and our event host Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for all of their behind-the-scenes work!

Sunday Supper Summer Dinner Salad Recipes

Brilliant Beef Salads

• Grilled Greek Steak Cobb with Greek Goddess Dressing by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Grilled Keilbasa and Warm Mustard Viniagrette Salad by Our Good Life
• Healthy Steak Salad by Cricket’s Confections
• Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette Beef Salad by Sunday Supper Movement
• Southwestern Steak Salad by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Choice Chicken Salads

• BBQ Chicken Salad by Palatable Pastime
• BBQ Chicken Avocado Hemp Seed Salad by Family Foodie
• Caribbean Chicken Quinoa Salad by My Life Cookbook
• Chicken Fried Picnic Salad by The Freshman Cook
• Chicken Salad with Orange and Fennel by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chrissy’s Cobb Salad by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Grilled Panzanella Salad with Chicken Sausage by A Mind “Full” Mom
• Rainbow Greek Chicken Salad by Jersey Girl Cooks

Superb Seafood Salads

• Beer Steamed Shrimp Salad by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Crab Salad with Chili, Tomato and Avocado by Monica’s Table
• French Lentil Salad Nicoise-Style with Seared Tuna by Caroline’s Cooking
• Red Camargue and Wild Rice Salad with Tuna by Food Lust People Love
• Roasted Cod and Edamame Salad by The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Seared Ahi Tuna Salad with Key Lime-Dijon Vinaigrette by Gourmet Everyday
• Shrimp & Orange Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Vibrant Veggie Salads

• Chopped Greek Salad by Soulfully Made
• Farmers Market Quinoa Salad by And She Cooks
• Iron Chef Morimoto Inspired Salad by NinjaBaker.com
• Kale Guacamole Salad by Pies and Plots
• Kale Superfoods Salad by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Loaded Chopped Salad by Simple and Savory
• Muffuletta Pasta Salad by Cosmopolitan Cornbread

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Spicy Micheladas #SundaySupper

A refreshing drink that’s full of flavor but light on alcohol, spicy micheladas are made with cold beer, tomato juice, lime juice and lots of spicy seasonings. They are the perfect brunch or party cocktail, specially if you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo.

Until a few years ago, I had never heard of a michelada. Just wasn’t on my radar until my mom brought some home from the store. I’m not a big fan of the store-bought version but spicy micheladas made at home, with extra lime and hot sauce? Count me in! (I’ll make you some when I’m home, Mom. So much better than those cans!) 

Today my Sunday Supper group is sharing easy Mexican or Mexican-inspired recipes for your Cinco de Mayo parties. This spicy michelada recipe is an amalgamation of several I found on the internet. Many claim to be authentic but they vary widely. Some have tomato or clamato juice. Others insist that the only things that should be added to the beer are lime juice, salt and chili. Then there's the whole chelada vs michelada controversy. Apparently it all depends on where you are from in Mexico.

Since I’m sitting in Dubai, where the hot summer is already upon us, this is my version. You can mix them up in a pitcher but I prefer to have all the ingredients to hand and make them one by one. That way you can vary the spiciness for each individual.

Note: 1 1/2 oz is one jigger. If you have one of those, it makes for easy measuring.

Ingredients for 1 spicy michelada
Ice
1 1/2 oz or 44ml fresh lime juice
3 oz or 88ml tomato or V-8 juice (We like the low sodium version since we add Maggi Seasoning.)
Mexican beer
Several shakes each, or to taste:

• Worcestershire sauce
• Maggi Seasoning
• Hot pepper sauce

To serve:
Sea salt
Cayenne pepper
Lime wedge

Method
Sprinkle sea salt and cayenne pepper in a small saucer. Use a lime wedge to wet the rim of your glass and place it upside down in the saucer so that the salt and cayenne stick.

Add three or four ice cubes to the glass, then the lime juice and tomato juice, along with the Worcestershire sauce, Maggi Seasoning and hot pepper sauce. Stir to combine.

Top up with cold beer and stir gently. Add a lime wedge to the rim of the glass.

Enjoy!

How do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo? How about making one of these easy recipes while you sip on spicy micheladas? Start with the Carlota de Limón (my Sunday Supper Movement recipe) and get it in the freezer. Easiest dessert ever! I fancied it up by adding strawberries and whipped cream, but you can also serve it just as is.

Many thanks to our event manager Cricket of Cricket’s Confections and Shelby of Grumpy’s Honeybunch for their behind the scenes work!

Sunday Supper Easy Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Appetizers

• Beef and Portobella Tostados by Our Good Life
• Cumin Spiced Potato Quesadillas by Sprinkles and Sprouts
• Easy 5 Minute Restaurant Style Salsa by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Fiesta Corn Dip Recipe by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Rotisserie Chicken Nachos by Pies and Plots

Drinks

• Cherry Paloma by The Crumby Cupcake
• Spicy Micheladas by Food Lust People Love
• Strawberry Pineapple Agua Fresca by Authentically Candace

Entrees

• Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Chicken Tinga Chalupas by Palatable Pastime
• Chicken Tortilla Soup by Soulfully Made
• Chipotle Chicken and Black Bean Soup by Cooking Chat
• Mexican Chicken and Black Bean Casserole by Simple and Savory
• Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas with Mexican Slaw by A Mind Full Mom
• Southwestern Chicken Layered Salad with Cilantro Dressing by My Savory Spoon

Sides and Sauces

• Alambre Skillet Cheese Dip by My Life Cookbook
• Black Bean Cilantro Rice by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Mango Habanero Sauce by Caroline’s Cooking
• Queso Fundido (Melted Cheese with Chorizo) by Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Slow Cooker Healthy Refried Beans by Cricket’s Confections

Tacos

• Chicken Street Tacos by The Freshman Cook
• Chicken Fajitas by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lime Chicken Soft Tacos by Life Tastes Good
• Mini Taco Bowl Bites by Jersey Girl Cooks
• Pineapple Lime Chicken Tacos by Brunch-n-Bites
• Taco Bake by My World Simplified

Sweets

• Blueberry-Chocolate Jicamuffins by What Smells So Good?
• Carlota de Limón – Lime Charlotte by Sunday Supper Movement
• Flourless Mexican Hot Chocolate Cake by Baking Sense
• Margarita Cupcakes by Gourmet Everyday
• Oreo Taco Cookies by Ninja Baker
• Sopapilla-Inspired Cheesecake Bars by Books n’ Cooks
• Strawberry Gluten-Free Hand Pies by And She Cooks

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter every Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7 p.m. ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat.

To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

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