Favorite Dinner, Easter Suit, and a Blue Tongue

Did the title make you curious? It's really creative, I know......

This is a picture of one of my favorite things to make for dinner. I don't make it as often as I should, but it's pretty easy and super yummy.  I got the recipe from the Taste of Home Quick Cooking Magazine. I love that we can put whatever we want in it. I have done alfredo sauce and chicken instead of traditional pizza toppings and it's always delicious! I thought I had posted this recipe before, but I can't find it back in my old posts. Ta-dah!

Stromboli Ladder Loaf

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups water (70° to 80°)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups bread flour
• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 
  FILLING:
• 3/4 cup pizza sauce
• 1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

• In bread machine pan, place the first eight ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1-2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15-in. x 12-in. rectangle. Place on a greased baking sheet.
• Spread pizza sauce in a 3-in. strip lengthwise down the center of dough to within 2 in. of short ends. Arrange pepperoni over sauce; sprinkle with cheeses. On each long side, cut 1-in.-wide strips about 2-1/2 in. into center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling. Pinch ends to seal.
• Beat egg white and water; brush over dough. Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 1 loaf (2 pounds).

Nutritional Analysis: 1 slice (prepared with turkey pepperoni and part-skim mozzarella) equals 259 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 24 mg cholesterol, 554 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 15 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1-1/2 lean meat, 1 fat.

Stromboli Ladder Loaf published in Quick Cooking January/February 2006, p10

Easter Suit

I tried to take pictures of Xander in his Easter suit, but he wasn't very cooperative. That may have had something to do with the fact that I waited until after church and we were all hungry and ready for a nap! But, here are the three pictures that I did get. I plan to try to take a good one at some point, but we're having too much fun enjoying the nice weather to even think about it this week!

This is the face I got when I asked him to smile. Show me those teeth, buddy!

And finally, Blue Tongue....

Xander has been obsessed with these blue suckers they sell at Walmart. He's only actually had 3 of them, but every time we go there he asks for one. I just like the blue tongue he gets when he eats them!