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Over time my guilty pleasure got a bit out of hand.  I was purchasing specialty items that I would use maybe once a year.  The wake-up call for me was when one day I went to my storage cupboard to retrieve my favorite baking dish and the whole shelf came clattering down, smashing some of my most prized irreplaceable clutter.

Then and there I began to cull my kitchen implements and really stick to basic tools that I use frequently.  I found that by not buying a special slicer for this and a unique grater for that, I ended up saving more money to invest in upgraded versions of the kitchen gadgets I use on an everyday basis.  Not to mention the yard sale takings on my “must-have” kitchen gadgets were none too shabby!

With that said, if you are throwing your hat into the ring of becoming a home chef, there are not hundreds of things you will need….just 5.  This could be surprising to some, as it seems when you go into a kitchen store there are more items available than you can even fit into your house, let alone your kitchen.  This is not to say that I don’t STILL have several ‘nice to have’ items on hand – but the following are the ‘need to haves’!

Here’s my top 5 essential kitchen tools:

1.  A good set of knives. If you have ever read a famous chef’s top suggestion for a kitchen essential, it is always a good set of knives…and I have to agree.  A good set of knives will allow you to work quickly and safely.  While there is no set price for the perfect set of knives, I would suggest not paying $10 for them.  Do research online and then shop around (online and offline).  Just going and buying will not work.  And care for them.  Don’t just throw them in the drawer.  Wash by hand and store on a magnetic knife rack (which you can buy in a kitchen store) and keep them sharp!  There’s nothing more dangerous in a kitchen than a dull knife.  I’m not a fan or supporter of wood blocks as they dull the knifes terribly and can harbor bacteria.

2.  A good set of pots and pans. This is also one that gets top billing by professional chefs everywhere.  Why?  Because a good quality set of matching pots and pans really does make the difference: in the cooking time, technique and taste.  While cooking with a hodge podge set of pots and pans will still work, cooking with a complete set will make your life much easier.

3.  A food processor.  This is one of my go-to’s especially if you cook for a family or regularly entertain.  There is nothing worse then mincing, slicing or mixing for hours on end.  A food processor can help you create everything from perfectly sliced fruit and vegetables to mixing hummus, frosting, sauces and even dough!  There are different sizes, so make sure to get one that can accommodate the amount you need to cook.  If it is just you…I would say go for the smallest size.  If you go for the average, larger size – it is REALLY handy if the food processor has suction cups on the bottom.  This helps it not walk off the counter when mixing tough ingredients.

4.  An immersion blender.  When it comes to sauces and purees, the immersion blender is second to none.  I absolutely hate the idea of taking a cooked sauce off the stove, letting it cool slightly, pouring it into the blender, blending, then pouring into another bowl….and then dealing with all the cleanup.  An immersion blender helps you mix directly in the pot you are cooking in by plunging the mixer into your mixture.  It is a life saver and is also great for making homemade baby food in a pinch.

5.  A good set of mixing bowls. This is one of the essentials that I think many home chefs miss when they are building their perfect chef’s kitchen.  Without a good set of mixing bowls….what are you going to use?  Your serving bowls?  Your children’s cereal bowls?  Your salad bowl?  I say get a good set of 4 in 4 sizes (small, medium, large, x-large) in either stainless steel or good quality plastic.  An added plus is if they have a rubber gripper on the bottom to prevent sliding.  This is such a plus, especially when a bowl of pancake mix is edging closer and closer to the edge of your counter and when you turn to grab it, you slide it right off the counter and all over your pristine white tiled floor. (Yes, this happened to me….and that stuff is like glue!).

And there you have it!  Depending on where you shop and the quality of your items, these can set you back a couple of hundred dollars.  My suggestion is to purchase these items in drips and drabs so that you can nab a great price and superior quality.  Now…get cooking!

I’m a huge fan of spicy food, not only in the “hot” sense of the word, but also in a “spice-full” manner.  One of the best parts of Indian cooking I’ve always found is the heavy use of spice, which can seem overwhelming, but once you taste the food it absolutely explodes in your mouth with taste…while bringing a smile to your face.

But enough of that, let’s get to the food!

This recipe is for a wonderful spiced chicken and organic green olives and is pretty straightforward….but can take a bit of time.  But getting the best ingredients is the key.  Thanks to our friends at Negev Nectars they sent through two of the most crucial ingredients: the olive oil and organic green olives.  Here’s the entire list of ingredients!  This recipe serves as a main dish for 6-8 people.

*3 pounds of skinless chicken thighs (with the bone)

Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

*1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Organic Green Olives

*1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (add another 1/2 to kick it up a notch)

*1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

*1 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric (this is crucial)

*1 1/2 teaspoon of paprika (smoked paprika is even better)

*1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

*4 cloves garlic (smashed with the side of your knife)

*1 large white onion (minced)

*1 tablespoon of lemon juice

*2 lemons (peeled)

*1 teaspoon of freshly ground sea salt (I’m a big fan of Pink Himalayan)

*1 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper

*1/2 cup of Negev Nectars Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

*1 cup of Organic Green Olives (pitted)

*1 quart of chicken stock (skip the low sodium unless absolutely necessary)

*1 cup cilantro (minced)

First, grab a pan (which you can later cover) that can handle quite a bit of liquid (as you will be adding the quart of chicken stock to it in a few minutes).  Put it on the stove and add your olive oil.  When your oil is a little hot, pop in the minced onions and stir.  Then add the smashed garlic.  Let it heat through and brown, stirring occasionally.

Lean in...this smells good.

As I love to multi-task, this recipe is a great one to do it with.  Get you spices (cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, turmeric, paprika and cumin) and put into a small bowl and mix with your fingers.  Put your chicken pieces on a plate and then rub the spice mixture all over each chicken piece. Important note: make sure that your chicken is as dry as possible, as when it is a little damp, the spices can form little balls – which you don’t want.  Pat the spices all over the chicken, then set aside.

These look good, even before they hit their bath.

Your onions and garlic should be the right color now, so place the chicken pieces ontop of the onion mixture in the pot.  Then grab your stock and add it to the pot.

Easy so far right?

Now grab the lemon zest strips.  Basically you grab your vegetable peeler and take the skin off of two lemons.  Then..pop them into the pan!  Now add the salt and pepper and bring to a rolling boil.

Take one last look before you leave it for awhile.

When it begins to boil, take the heat down to a simmer and cover for one hour and 15 minutes.  This will be enough time to make the chicken meat tender and full of flavor.  Also, try to not be tempted to keep checking on the pot.  Every time you lift the lid, you affect the temperature.  Cover it and leave it alone!

At the end of the time, carefully take off the lid and VERY carefully transfer the chicken to a plate for serving.

Dish it up!

Cover the chicken as once it is out of the pan it will cool extremely quickly.

Now bring the mixture to a boil in the pot and add your lemon juice and olives.  Keep this boiling rapidly as you want to reduce the liquid by at least 1/2.  This will take about 10-15 minutes, but patience is a virtue on this.  It will richen the flavor and create a deep and lovely sauce.

Go on, throw a couple more olives in if you like. I won't tell.

When your sauce is reduced, take off heat and leave to thicken for a few minutes.

Then plate your chicken and pour a nice ladle of sauce over each piece.  Dust with a health pinch of cilantro.

The finished product.

Serve with your favorite vegetable side and starch.  Enjoy and Happy Passover to you and your family!

Growing up Catholic in a predominantly Jewish area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania I was exposed to a wide array of goodies over the years.  It was actually quite a juxtaposition of sorts, especially going to a private Catholic school and having nearly 100% Jewish friends.

What I love about the culture the most, aside from my amazing friends and memories, is the food.  Much like my Italian family, food is such an important part of the Jewish experience.

With that said, I want to provide two Passover recipes this year to honor these great memories and experiences.

The first one (here) is a sweet one and the second one (which can be found by clicking here) is a savory one.

Now for the sweet one!

I’m a big fan of an easy recipe that is all natural and healthy – and this one has it all!

My good friends at Negev Nectars happily stepped in to supply their absolutely amazing honey for this recipe.  You should definitely check them out – their range is absolutely delectable!

Let’s get onto this EASY recipe.  Keep in mind that this makes enough for 8-10 people as a side.  If you want less, 1/2 the recipe below (as this only keeps nice and crisp for a few days):

*1/2 cup of Desert Magic Pure Acacia Flower Honey (to die for)

*2 Granny Smith Apples

*2 Gala Apples

*1/2 Cup Raisins

*2/3 cup Walnuts (smashed)

*1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

*1/2 cup concord grape juice

Now, shopping is the hard part.  Making this is SIMPLE.  Let’s get started.

Now the shopping is over, let's get started!

Get your walnuts and pop them into a zip lock bag.  Grab a rolling pin and whack them until they are very small pieces….not too dust-like. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Dump the walnuts onto a cookie sheet and pop into the oven (when hot) for 10 minutes or until the walnuts brown slightly.  Keep an eye on them….they burn quickly when over done.

Now get onto the apples.  Core each of the apples and roughly dice them.  Knife cuts are not too important, as I like how the different sized slices add character to the dish.

Now…your prep is done!  Presto! Grab a large mixing bowl and apples, honey, raisins, cinnamon, toasted walnuts and grape juice and mix together until everything is fully incorporated.  Once mixed, cover and put into the refrigerator to set for about an hour and then serve!

Scoop and serve.

Easy, healthy and naturally sweet!

This recipe is simple, quick and very impressive.  Let’s get right to it:

*1-2 grilled pieces of salmon (chilled)

*8oz cream cheese (fat free cream cheese works in this recipe if you would like to opt for a light version)

*1 cup smashed walnuts

*1 pack of ranch salad dressing mix

*1 teaspoon of hot sauce

*1 tablespoon of dried dill (or more if you want a strong dill flavor)

*1/2 white onion (chopped)

*salt and pepper to taste

Now this couldn’t be more simple.  In a food processor, add all of the above ingredients (but not the nuts) and pulse until completed mixed into a rich pink color.

Put your smashed nuts (which is easy to do: simple grab a zip lock bag, put in the nuts, seal, and then bash with a rolling pin until they are little bits) in a wide bowl or plate.  Then scrape the mixture from the food processor into your hands and work into either a ball or log shape.

When you have the shape right, slowly roll in the nut mixture until fully covered.  You may need to press some of the nuts into place.  Once completely covered, cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.  This will help it harden into a good shape for serving.

The next day, when you are ready to serve – place onto a serving plate and surround with crackers.  Presto!  Instant appetizer!

One of my favorite cookies is one that I grew up with.  For years growing up, I remember a tradition in my father’s side of the family, was every Easter and Christmas my grandmother would bake.  And not just a little.  A. LOT.

I remember she would have so many cookies, that there was not a surface in the house that wasn’t covered with her delectable creations.  Most of her recipes were for Hungarian cookies….but one of them reminded me a lot of rugelach.

Years later, I was at a book convention in New York City, and there was a cookbook author who was giving away her own homemade rugelach to promote her cookbook.  One bite and I was transported back to my grandmother’s kitchen during the holidays.

I thought I would come up with a quick and easy version of rugelach that you could make at home.  Now, it is a little time consuming, but I tried to make it as easy as possible.  Keep in mind that the dough needs to set for around 24 hours, so make sure that you remember to do this ahead of time.

Also, when you make this recipe you should really go for it and make a lot (as it does take a bit of time).  This recipe yields 4 dozen+.

Let’s go shopping!

*3 cups of flour

*2 tablespoons of sugar

*2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

*8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

*Quarter teaspoon salt

*2 tablespoons granulated sugar

*1/2 cup brown sugar

*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

*1 cup walnuts (finely chopped)

*1/2 cup of raisins

First, grab your stand mixer (or a large bowl, whisk and fortitude) and add all of the ingredients.

The beginning of the deliciousness....

Honestly, I could just eat this as is.

Once all of the ingredients are fully incorporated (or nearly so), take the bowl off of the mixer and bring over to a work surface.  With your hands, knead the mixture until you feel that everything is mixed perfectly and you get a nice cookie-dough type consistency.

Then divide the dough evenly into 4 portions, cover with plastic wrap and throw in the refrigerator overnight.

I also like to do the filling the night before too as it saves time.  Grab the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, walnuts, and raisins and place them in a tupperware container.  Pop the lid and shake roughly until everything is incorporated.  Pop in the refrigerator and leave for tomorrow.

Go on....give it a taste to make sure its right.

The next day, the first thing you need to get ready is your work area.  Clean off a portion of your counter top and put down a sheet of wax paper.  Then grab two cookie sheets and grease them liberally (with butter or cooking spray).

Now you are ready to work.

As the dough gets really hard to work with as it heats up, work with one portion at a time.  Take the dough out of the refrigerator and using your hands, form it into a small pizza shape.  Then pop onto the wax paper and roll out until it is at least 12 inches across the center and from top to bottom.

Not perfect, but good enough!

Now add 1/4 of the mixture of sugar, nuts and raisins to the dough and spread evenly all over.  When it is even, press down with your hands and then roll the rolling pin over roughly.

Next, with a dough cutter, cut the dough in half lengthwise and then width-wise.  Then in each of the “quarters” cut two more even slices.  This will give you 12 pie-like slices in total.

Ready to roll!

Now is the delicate part, so grab that patience.

Working from the outside in, being to roll the dough to the point.  Take the point of the dough, press it firmly to seal and then place point-down on the baking sheet.

Rollin, rollin, rollin.

Make sure that each of the cookies are about an inch or so away from each other as they will raise a little.

Silpat - my lifesaver.

Now preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Then continue with the rest of the dough and mixture until you have both cookie sheets nearly filled up.

By the time you are finished with the rest of the cookies the oven will be warm.  Pop them in and bake them for 25-30 minutes.  Depending on how chunky they turn out, you may need to bake longer.  Rotate the pans halfway through the baking process to evenly brown.

You will know they are done when your entire house smells like brown sugar and they are a golden brown.  Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to wire racks to cook.

Ready Freddy!

Serve with coffee or just pop one in your mouth.  They are absolutely addictive….you’ve been warned…

One of my favorite recipes (besides the almighty fried zucchini dusted with parmesan and dipped in fresh, warm red sauce) is zucchini bread.  Like banana bread, this dense loaf has a rich, deep flavor which enables it to work great as a side dish, an appetizer, a snack, dessert….well, just about anything!

Here is my take on the classic recipe with a jazzed up spread that will make it really pop.  If you are not into the sweet side of life, skip this spread and substitute butter or plain cream cheese.

Shopping time, let’s hit the market:

*3 large eggs

*1 cup vegetable oil

*1 cup finely chopped walnuts

*1 and a half cups +1 teaspoon of sugar

*2 and a 1/4 cups of zucchini (grated with the skin on)

*3 teaspoons of vanilla extract

*2 and a half cups of flour

*1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon (more if you want more zip)

*3/4 teaspoon baking soda

*3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

*1/4 teaspoon baking powder

*4 oz plain cream cheese

Start off with the eggs.  Pop them into a stand mixer (or whisk) until they look like little suds.

In with those eggs....

While this is beating, add the grated zucchini, oil, sugar and vanilla to a bowl.  Once the eggs are nice and foam-like, toss in the zucchini mixture and thoroughly mix.

I could eat it like this....

This is the point where I like to take the bowl off of the stand mixer and do the work with just me and my trusty spatula.  To the mixture add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and fold together.

Ready for the pans!

Now you are ready to get these into the pans!

Right before you do, get your oven preheated to 350 degrees.

While the oven is heating up, get two loaf pans and grease them up (either with cooking spray or butter).  Then carefully transfer the mixture evenly between the two loaf pans.

Now ready for the oven!

Slow bake these in the oven for around 45-50 minutes.  You will know they are done when you can stick a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.  They will have a golden glow as well.

Cut me a piece!

After a few minutes, pop out of the loaf tin and put on a rack to cool.

While the loaf is cooling, whip up the spread.  Add the cream cheese, vanilla and reserved sugar to a bowl and mix until soft, creamy and fully incorporated.

Now, slice the loaf and serve with a dollop of the cream cheese.  Absolutely divine!  A cup of coffee is the perfect compliment for this tasty treat!

In my family spicy food is a way of life.  I remember my brother and my grandmother having contests of eating hot peppers to see who would tear up first (my grandma would always win).  I still remember how hot those peppers were my grandma used to have.  She’d grow them herself and they were absolutely lethal!

For me, I like a good solid hot sauce.  Don’t get me wrong, a nice chili or jalapeno never went amiss, but I like the vinegary heat of hot sauce.

That is until I looked at the label of one of the hot sauces I was using and saw lots of ingredients that I didn’t know what the heck they were.  As you know, I like to make things from scratch and get the full boost from the nutrients in each recipe.  Thus I began my search for the best recipe.

While I don’t share other people’s recipes on my blog, this one is too good to keep to myself!  I’ve added some pictures of the steps of making it as well as what the finished product should look like. This comes courtesy of the EXCELLENT cook book, “Bromberg Bros. Blue Ribbon Cookbook” and absolute must have for your shelf.  There are loads of recipes that work a treat, so check it out.

Now….let’s get cooking. Here is the recipe directly from their book (with some of my pictures):

Blue Ribbon Hot Sauce

The secret: Carrots make the bright-orange sauce glow, and also adds body and sweetness to temper the heat of the habanero chiles.  Store the sauce in your refrigerator.  It will last for years.

*3 cups distilled white vinegar

*3 to 4 red, orange, or yellow habanero chiles, to taste, trimmed and sliced

*2 tablespoons salt

*1 pound carrots, trimmed, peeled, and roughly chopped

Combine vinegar, chiles, and salt in a large nonreactive pot over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil.  Let the mixture cool, then puree in a blender and strain.

Infusing the Vinegar

While the peppers are cooking, in a seperate pot combine the carrots with water to cover.  Simmer until very tender but not overcooked, about 10 minutes.

Softening the Carrots

Drain well.  Puree the carrots in the blender until smooth (you do not need to strain them).

Puree the Carrots

Then stir into the strained vinegar mixture.  If it’s too spicy hot, thin it down with a little water.

Use immediately, or transfer the hot sauce to airtight, sterile jars or bottles and refrigerate.

Blue Ribbon Hot Sauce!

Makes 4 cups.

I know, I know…not too exciting.  Especially for someone who likes to cook and bake so much.  But I find salads enable you to not only have a fresh flavor, but also produces a balanced meal option.

There are millions of different salads I would like to share with you, but one that I know is a crowd pleaser is my fresh and easy greek salad.  If you have ever been to a restaurant and ordered one of these, you know what I am talking about.  The crispness of the veggies, the creaminess of the feta and the lemony sting of the dressing – all absolutely luxurious.

This recipe can be put together VERY quickly, but some of the prep needs to be done the night before.  You can put everything together at once, but the flavor is not as rich.  This serves 4-6 people as a main ( I suggest adding grilled chicken if you want to add some oomph).

Let’s go shopping!

*3 romaine hearts

*1 large red onion

* 2 tablespoons of dried oregano (do not substitute fresh!)

*1 cup of extra virgin olive oil

*1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

*1-2 large tomatoes (I like to use “ugly” tomatoes for this recipe)

*1 teaspoon of sugar

*1 fennel bulb (diced)

*small can of sliced black olives

*1 package of feta cheese

*1 teaspoon of kosher salt

*Pepper to taste

*Juice of 1/2  a lemon (or all of the juice if it is not very…well, juicy).

*2 cups of freshly made (store-bought) potato salad

Now, the night before you will be serving this salad make the dressing.  Peel the red onion and slice VERY finely.  You may want to use a mandolin to make this easier.  The best slices are ones that are nearly see-thru.  Then in a tupperware container add the onion, olive oil, vinegar, oregano and salt and pepper to taste (very little).  Let this steep overnight – the longer this is left to steep, the mellower the onions and the better the dressing.

Next on the night before, prepare the tomatoes.  As tomatoes come in all different sizes, I like to cut them in half, then in half again and then in half again.  They should be the size of a lemon wedge-ish.  Pop these into a separate tupperware container, add the sugar and teaspoon of salt, cover and gently shake a couple times until everything is mixed.  Pop this into the refrigerator…and go to bed!

The day you will be serving, start your prep about 15 minutes before you want to serve (which if you are adding grilled chicken, it will take around this long to cook).

Now begin to construct the salads.  First take the store-bought potato salad and separate it evenly between the dishes you have constructed.  Place a dollop in the center of each dish.  I like to think of this as the buried treasure of this dish.

The tear the freshly washed romaine hearts with your hands into inch-inch and a half ribbons and put into a large mixing bowl.  Take the dressing out of the refrigerator and dump over the lettuce.  Using your hands or tongs, gently toss the mixture until it is fully incorporated.  Then separate into even portions on each plate.

Now the hard work is done.  Next simply add the black olives, fennel and the tomatoes (drained) to each salad, distributing the ingredients evenly on top.  Finally, crumble a few tablespoons of feta over each salad.

To finish the dish, dash the lemon juice over the top of each dish and add a bit of freshly ground pepper.  Top with chicken, seafood, steak….whatever is your poison.  Serve with a nice crisp glass of white wine and some warm pita bread.  This is such a great dish for a lunch gathering and can be whipped up in no time.

The best part?  Everyone will want the recipe for your homemade dressing.  Share it if you like.

Personally when eating a calzone, it seems like as soon as you cut into it…the entire contents of the calzone is oozing out everywhere.  With a stromboli it is more contained and you can enjoy all of the elements together.

Anyways, I have created my own personal favorite stromboli that I want to share with you here.  The only time consuming part of this is the dough, but if you want forego making the dough and buy some pre-made at your local grocery store (I’ll just look the other way).

Let’s go shopping:

*1 pack of yeast

*1 1/2 cup warm water

*3 1/2 cups of white bread flour

*2 teaspoons course sea salt

*3 tablespoons of olive oil

*1/2 medium white onion (sliced thin)

*1 large red pepper (sliced thin)

*1 1/2 tablespoons of minced garlic

*1/4 cup white wine (any)

*5 oz salami (thinly sliced)

*7oz mozzarella cheese (cubed)

*1.5 oz basil leaves

*1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

First – let’s make the dough.

The starting block...

Mix the yeast, water, flour, salt and oil together.  You can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or do what I do – mix it with a spatula and then knead with your hands.

Don't be shy...use your hands.

When fully mixed, form into a ball, dribble a little olive oil on top.

A little olive oil....

Now cover with a warm towel and put in a warm spot to rise for an hour.

Time for my nap. Zzzzzz.

While you are waiting for your dough to rise, start preparing your fillings.  In a pan, add the wine, garlic, onion and red pepper.  Put the heat to high on your stove, place the pan on the heat and cover.  Heat this mixture covered (without taking the lid off) for around 8 minutes.

This smells amazing.

Then take off the lid and heat until all of the wine has cooked through and there is little moisture left.  Then take off heat, drain and leave to cool.

Drain and rest.

Take the rest of the fillings and place them at the ready for filling the dough.

Forget the stromboli - I'll have this for dinner please.

When your dough is ready, take it out onto your counter and punch it down and knead for 2 minutes.

This dough sure is knead-y.

Then cover with the warm towel and leave for 10 minutes.

At the end of that, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a large rectangular shape.

Rolling in the deep.

I usually tell people that it should be the size of the average cutting board (15 x 10).  Then baste on a little olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper to flavor the crust.

Nearly ready for the fun part!

Now you are ready to start adding the filling.  Start with the salami….

….then basil…

…and finally the cheese and the pepper and onion mixture.

Now you are ready to roll…quite literally!  Take both ends and tuck them in, and then grabbing one long side, carefully roll.

Rollin'

As you go, you can re-situate the dough at the ends so nothing falls out.

Tuckin'

When you get to the end, pinch everything together so that everything is tightly sealed.

Pinchin'

Then carefully pick up the stromboli and flip onto your baking sheet.  Here I used the Wellbake Cooking Liner as it helps to crisp in a healthy way (which with all of this dough and meat you definitely need!).

Cover again with a warm towel and leave for 10 minutes.

Wrap it up!

While waiting for your dough to rise one final time, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

After the 10 minute period, discard the towel and with a toothpick, poke hole 30-40 holes in the top of the dough.

This will help the stromboli keep shape and let the steam vent beautifully.

Baste with some more olive oil and sprinkle a little salt and pepper to taste.

Now you are ready to rock and roll!  Pop it into the center of a preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.  You will know it is done when you see steam coming from the holes and the outside being a golden color.

When finished, take out of the oven and place on a rack to cool.

Come on and cool off already! I'm hungry!

My suggest is serve once it has cooled slightly, so that the inside is still a little hot.

Ahh....perfecto!

It’s great with a side of fresh salad.

My dinner, yum!

I like to have a side of marinara handy in case anyone wants some, but usually this recipe does not need a thing.  Also, try this cold….even more delicious!

Our thanks to WellBake Silicone Cookware for the wonderful products used to make this recipe!