Interesting Ham-Wrapped Things

This was mostly an experiment, albeit a yummy one.

Get some Black Forest ham from your favorite deli, relatively thinly sliced. Black Forest is cured as a whole ham, so the slices can be quite large; mine were about 6" x 9". I used two at a time, as if they were a tortilla, wrapping the rest of the ingredients.

Layer the filling inside:
3 or 4 thin slices (cut into ribbons) of hard salami
2 or 3 spears of zucchini
4 or 5 shrimp
a few shards of sliced onion
a few ounces of shredded cheese (I used cheddar, but use whatever you have!)
a tablespoonful of honey mustard salad dressing

Pin the whole thing together with toothpicks, and bake (toaster oven!) at 400 for 10 minutes. Use a knife & fork: it'll be juicy.

Sausage & Onion Roll

Into the bread machine, in this order:

1½ tsp active dry yeast

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups white flour

2 TBSP white sugar

2 TBSP dry milk powder

2 TBSP butter

1¼ tsp salt

1⅓ cups water, lukewarm.

Set the bread machine on “dough” setting.

While the bread machine is producing dough for you, sauté and set aside:

1 pound of pork sausage

Then in the same pan, sauté in
1 TBSP of olive oil plus
1 TBSP butter:

2½ large onions, sliced

When they're medium brown, add

the previously cooked pork sausage,

2 tsp beef soup base or bouillion

1 small can tomato sauce

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp chili powder

¼ tsp cumin

and sauté until they're dark brown. Set aside to cool.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

When the dough is done, roll it out on a floured board, until it's about 12" x 20". Spread with:
2 TBSP butter, melted
all of the sausage/onion mixture, and
½ cup grated cheese (Cheddar works; Jack is better.)

Roll up the dough like a cinnamon roll, resulting in a roll that's 12" x maybe 4" diameter. I like to slice the top artistically and brush with:
1 egg, beaten (you'll probably not use more than half of that).

Let it raise for 20 minutes, then bake at 350 for 35 or 40 minutes until the inside is completely cooked. Cool on a cooling rack. Serve warm, sliced thick as a main dish (I like it with fresh corn on the cob), or sliced thin as a side dish or re-heated for a snack.

Onion Garlic Bread

Into the bread machine, in this order:
1½ tsp active dry yeast
2    cups whole wheat flour
2    cups white flour
2 TBSP white sugar
2 TBSP dry milk powder
2 TBSP butter

1¼ tsp salt

1⅓ cups water, lukewarm.

Set the bread machine on “dough” setting.

While the bread machine is producing dough for you, sauté and set aside:
2   large onions, sliced
6   cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped


Sauté these in 1 TBSP of  olive oil plus 1 TBSP butter.
When they're light brown, add
2 TBSP brown sugar


and sauté until they're dark brown. Set aside to cool.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

When the dough is done, roll it out on a floured board, until it's about 12" x 20". Spread with:
2 TBSP butter, melted
all of the onion/garlic mixture, and
½ cup Parmesan cheese.

Roll up the dough like a cinnamon roll, resulting in a roll that's 12" x maybe 4" diameter. I like to slice the top artistically and brush with:
1   egg, beaten (you'll probably not use more than half of that).

Bake at 350 for 35 or 40 minutes until the inside is completely cooked. Cool on a cooling rack. Serve warm, not hot. We sliced it thin and served it alongside barbecued steak.

This produces a hearty bread, slightly sweet. It's more filling than I expected.

Olive and Feta Shred Bread

Into the bread machine, in this order:
1½ tsp active dry yeast
1½ TBSP fresh rosemary, removed from the stem, roughly chopped
1½ TBSP fresh lemon thyme, removed from the stem
1½ cups whole wheat flour
1½ cups white flour
1¼ tsp salt
2 TBSP white sugar
2 TBSP dry milk powder
2 TBSP butter
1 1/3 cups water

Set the bread machine on “dough” setting. Three minutes before it’s through kneading, add:
¼ cup Kalamata olives, very roughly chopped (quartered lengthwise is fine)
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled or very roughly chopped

(I buy these at an olive bar in the local specialty food store, which means that they come in oil – olive oil, I presume. I drain much of oil from the olives and feta when I buy it, but I include what remains in the bread: it carries much of the flavor!)

When the bread machine pronounces the dough ready, remove and shape into a loaf. I prefer to slice the top of the loaf, brush the top with melted butter, and sprinkle some shredded parmesan cheese on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes until done. We prefer not to slice the bread, but to rip hunks off of it, hence the name “Shred Bread.”