Sunny Pizza Snacks

When I found this among Grandma's recipes, I did not recall it, but with the use of hard-boiled eggs, I am not surprised to find it. As I've mentioned before, many of our family's Italian-American recipes include the use of hard-boiled eggs. I loved seeing my Grandma's handwriting on this recipe card. It reminded me of the letters that she used to write to me when I was in college.

This recipe is very easy. Grandma's recipe states that it makes 8 snacks or 4 main dishes. But, it can be scaled up or down with ease. In some ways, it is an Italian variation on the Egg McMuffin. But, I like that this recipe uses the broiler to melt and brown the cheese, rather than the microwave. MDS was skeptical, but he liked these sunny pizza snacks. Pizza sauce is simply tomato sauce with a few herbs and spices, such as garlic, oregano and basil, added in.

Sunny Pizza Snacks 

• 4 English muffins, split
• 8 oz. pizza sauce
• 8 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Place the muffin halves on a baking sheet. Spread each with one tablespoon pizza sauce. Arrange the sliced eggs on each half muffin. Spread each with one tablespoon of pizza sauce. Sprinkle each muffin with mozzarella cheese. Place the baking sheet under the broiler, about six inches away, until cheese is melted and just starting to brown. Enjoy!

Pasta with Broccoli

Mom's recipe box is filled with recipes that I do not specifically recall, but that sound good. This recipe is one example. When we were kids, we often resisted eating vegetables. Mom would try to find different ways to make vegetables that we would eat. If I did not like it when I was I kid, I was a silly kid. It is an excellent side dish. It could also be turned into a main dish by adding some protein, like beans or chicken.

When I made this dish, I mostly followed the recipe. However, I used elbow macaroni instead of cavatelli pasta, which is a small shell shape. You could use just about any type of pasta. I did not have any crushed red pepper, so I just used more black pepper. I also used more garlic than the recipes calls for, but I really like garlic. This recipe is easy to make and tolerates modifications. The next time that I make it, I will double the amount of broccoli. I modified Mom's recipe by sauteing the broccoli in the oil and garlic, rather than separately cooking it.

Pasta with Broccoli 

• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 6 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. pepper
• crushed red pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound pasta, cooked
• 1 pound broccoli

Cut the broccoli to bite sized pieces. Brown the garlic in olive oil in a large skillet. Add the pepper and broccoli and cook until tender. Add the pasta and cook until the flavors blend, stirring frequently. Enjoy!

Gooey Butter Cake

Every June, Mom and I go to St. Louis for opera weekend at Opera Theater of St. Louis. While in St. Louis, we are sure to sample some local St. Louis foods, and Gooey Butter Cake is legendary in St. Louis. The most common story is that it originated in the 1930s at a St. Louis bakery when a new baker made a mistake when making a coffee cake, but the result was so popular that it became a standard St. Louis specialty. Gooey Butter Cake is a dense cake that is similar in texture to brownies. When I brought the cake to Mom's on a recent Saturday night, my nieces and nephews loved it, and all the adults loved it too.

Mom and I have gotten gooey butter cake at Missouri Baking Company. This recipe is the standard vanilla flavor. But we have gotten other flavors, including tuxedo, which is a vanilla and chocolate marble version. The next time I make this cake, I might try to make another flavor but mixing the flavoring into the topping. I think chocolate, almond or strawberry would be delicious. The recipe below is adopted from Smitten Kitchen. It uses yeast, so it does require some rise time. But don't let that prevent you from trying out this excellent cake.

Gooey Butter Cake 

Base layer

• 5 Tbsp. milk
• 1 3/4 tsp. active dry yeast
• 6 Tbsp. butter, softened
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cup flour

Top layer

• 12 Tbsp. butter, salted
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 tsp. vanilla
• 4 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Make the base layer: In a small bowl, warm the milk to about 120 degrees. Add the yeast to the milk and allow it to dissolve and foam. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and salt until fluffy. Beat in the egg. Alternately add in the yeast and the flour, blending completely. Grease a 13X9 glass pan. Press the dough into the pan. Cover the pan and put in a warm place to allow the dough to rise until doubled, about three hours.

Make the topping: In a bowl, blend the sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Alternately add in the corn syrup and the flour and mix until smooth.

Spoon the topping over the risen cake and use an offset spatula to form an even layer. Bake at 350 for 30 to 45 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!