Kitchen Krafts: Hearty Father’s Day Fare

By Karen J. McMurtrey and Lei Broadstone

Hearty Father’s Day Fare

Amazing Pizza Cookie

Crust

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

Toppings

1 roll red fruit leather, cut into 1 1/2″ (3.8 cm) disks

1 black licorice rope, cut into 1/4″ (6 mm) lengths

1 tablespoon flake coconut

3 tablespoons flake coconut, colored yellow *

1 teaspoon flake coconut, colored green *

  1. 1.

    Cream the sugar with the shortening; stir in the egg, vanilla, soda, salt, and flour. Mix until well blended.

  2. 2.

    Divide the dough in half, setting one half aside; add the red food coloring to the remaining half and blend well.

  3. 3.

    With your fingers, press the colored dough on a cookie sheet into a circle (the pizza center) about 12″ (30 cm) in diameter.

  4. 4.

    Use the uncolored dough to form a 1″ (2.5 cm) “crust” around the red dough; pinch together.

  5. 5.

    Arrange the topping ingredients on the colored dough, starting with the coconut “cheese” and “spices,” then the fruit leather “pepperoni” and the licorice “olives.”

  6. 6.

    Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 10–12 minutes or until done.

Note: To make small, individual pizza cookies, simply divide the colored and uncolored dough into smaller pieces when you reach step 3, and make the crust narrower in step 4.

Sparkle Punch

3 ounces (85 g) gelatin—orange, cherry, strawberry, or lime

1 cup boiling water

6 cups apple juice, chilled

1 1/2 cups lemon-lime carbonated soda, chilled

  1. 1.

    In a large pitcher, dissolve the gelatin in the water; cool to room temperature.

  2. 2.

    Stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve cold.

Pizza-Macaroni Casserole

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, beaten slightly

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce (any kind)

16-ounce (454-g) can kidney beans, drained

6 ounces (170 g) thinly sliced pepperoni sausage

1/2 pound (.25 kg) pizza sausage, cooked

4-ounce (113 g) can mushrooms, drained

1 small green pepper, diced

1 tomato, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons diced green chilies (optional)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 1/2 cups shredded American, cheddar, or Mozzarella cheese

  1. 1.

    Prepare the macaroni according to package directions; drain.

  2. 2.

    Mix together the milk, egg, and salt; add the drained macaroni, and stir to coat well.

  3. 3.

    Spread mixture on the bottom and sides of a greased 10″ x 15″ (25 cm x 38 cm) casserole.

  4. 4.

    In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients; pour them into the macaroni “crust.”

  5. 5.

    Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 30–35 minutes; let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Makes 8–10 servings.

[photos] Photos by John Luke

Show References

  1.   *

    To color the coconut, place into two plastic bags; add 5 drops yellow food coloring to one for the “cheese,” and 2 drops green food coloring to the other for the “spices.” Shake well, then knead until the colorings are uniform.