Modern Housewife: I'm back, baby!

Ugh, long time no post - what an epic fail. After December, with the holidays, wedding, deaths, etc - I couldn't find the time to sleep let alone post.

Finally got Kona on her new work out deal, she was getting far too lazy and destructive, all at the same time. We do 4 miles a day, M-F and then 10 miles on the weekends. That burns approximately 3,000 calories. Give it a go :)

In exciting news, purchased new books today! Jeffery Deaver, "The Burning Wire" and Michael Connelly, "The Poet", check back for my reviews :)

Spent my day trying to master a recipe that I can find NO WHERE, that a cute shop near Mike's family has (www.Delallo.com). It's a pepperoni roll. It's basically bread with cheese and pepperoni inside. DELIGHTFUL! I have a bread machine, so here is the bread machine recipe:

For French Bread (place ingredients in bread machine in order that YOUR machine specifies, mine is wet then dry, yeast last)

Ingredients:
-1 1/3 c. water
- 4 c. bread flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp rapid rise yeast for bread machines

Directions:
1) Add wet ingred., followed by dry (should cover wet) to bread machine pan.
2) Make a well in the flour, add yeast (should not touch water)
3) Place pan in bread machine, set to french bread setting (or dough setting. If you do not have a dough setting, set to French bread baking, and remove dough before final rising stage.)
4)When cycle is complete, remove bread from pan and place on lightly floured surface and punch down.
5) Divide into 3 equal portions and roll into a ball. As shown below.

6) Roll out to rectangle measuring approx 7x3 inches.

7) Fold in half, and in half again. Press to flatten. Let rest for 1 minute. Re-roll as above. Repeat twice.

8) After final roll, use basting brush to spread a light layer of olive oil (I use Delallo brand, EVOO) and garlic directly on the dough. Then add about a 3/4 c. mozzarella cheese (I use skim) and pepperoni (my # deviated with the size I was able to safely get the dough).

9) Fold top and bottom to meet in the middle.

10) Fold ends in.

11) Brings folded sides together and press dough to form a seam along the bottom.

12) It should look like this. Make it as long as you'd like (make sure you have some room in your bread pan to allow for rising) by rolling it into a long loaf.

13) Place in floured pan, cover with olive oil coated plastic wrap or a warm kitchen towel. Place in a warm place and allow to rise for 30-45 minutes. Begin preheating oven to 450 degrees.