Snowed In

Most people who actually read this blog are probably in the same situation as I am today: snowed in with over a foot of accumulation sitting outside the door. I've seen a few cars on the road, but not many. One advantage of being trapped indoors for a weekend is the effect it has on one's wallet: None.

So today, Center and I decided to cook up one of my signature dishes, English Muffin Pizzas. The cupboards and fridge were relatively bare, as I am prepping for a week-long road trip for work next week. But all I needed for this dish was:
- English muffins
- Tomato sauce
- Parmesan cheese
- Pepperoni
- Pickled hot banana pepper rings
*Sometimes add hot pepper relish
**Sometimes add bacon bits (didn't have any)

1. Cut the English Muffins in half, and spread a layer of tomato sauce on top of each. Sprinkle on some parmesan cheese, and toss them in the oven at about 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the English muffin start to get brown/ crispy.

2. While this is going on, throw as many pepperoni slices as you'd like (I throw 2-3 on each muffin half) into a bowl or on a plate. Put a paper towel on top, and put in the microwave for 2 minutes. This makes the pepperoni nice and crispy. Also allows you to dab off some of the grease. *I actually used turkey pepperoni this time. Apparently there's 70% less fat. Once it's burnt and crispy, though, you cannot tell the difference.

3. After the muffins are nice and crisp and the layer of parmesan has melted, take them out of the oven and put the pepperoni and/ or any other topping on top. I usually throw on another layer of parmesan cheese, too. While I will readily admit I'm addicted to grated parmesan, this is a nice touch because when the cheese melts, it keeps all the other toppings together and intact.

4. Put these guys back in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the top layer of parmesan cheese starts to brown and/ or melt.

5. Take them out, let them cool, and enjoy.

Obviously, you can put whatever toppings you want on these, I just happen to love spicy food, so I usually put a thin layer of spicy pepper relish underneath the tomato sauce. Adds a nice kick. As do the banana pepper rings. Also, I have to give a nod to Mrs. Rogers and my mom for this recipe. Whether I was staying over my friend Tim's house or eating dinner at home on a random weeknight, many a night growing up featured this Britalian delicacy. They're cheap, easy, quick, and delicious. Next snow day, give it a try. (And as you may notice in the photo, never a bad idea to wash it down with a good old Iron.