Easy Halloween Batdogs Appetizer Recipe

Holy Batdogs! I know the kids are just going to go crazy over these Batdogs I created for them.  For six of the kids this will be their first Halloween party over here, that's how crazy things have been in our family, six more babies in last 2 years alone.  One of my nephews is a huge Batman fan coupled with the fact Ms. Katty from Kattyskitchen posted a Batdad video on my FB wall the other day, I just couldn't Batman get out of my head.   

I was in Trader Joe's with the biggest kid around here (Hot Dog Dude) and when he spotted mini hot dogs he threw them in the cart faster than I don't know what.  They sat in the fridge for a least a week, all the while he kept reminding me I needed to do something with those hot dogs.  That is when it occurred to me they would fit in perfectly on my diabolical Halloween menu.  

First thing you need to do is heat up the bat oven to 350 degrees F.

Secondly, open a roll of crescent roll dough and unroll the whole thing in one sheet on your cutting board. Cut the dough into 2-inch strips and then in 2-inch squares and then cut the squares in half on the diagonal. Lay the hot dog on the triangle as pictured and wrap up the cape and pinch it securely. Place the hot dogs with the small side of the cape down on the baking tray lined with parchment paper or sprayed with no-stick spray.  Wrap the rest of the hot dogs the same way. Bake for 5 minutes, turn them over and bake 5 more minutes until the cape is browned.

While the Batdogs are in the oven make the caped crusaders masks. Cut 1/4-inch or so off of a large sized pitted black olive, the side without the large opening.  Then stand the olive on the cutting board and cut a slit down the side.  Then turn the olive so the slit is towards the backside and cut a v-shaped notch in the front of the olive.  Place the olive masks on the Batdogs and pipe mustard eyes on with a little mustard placed in a piping bag.

My two kids disposed of those Batdogs faster than Batman rids Gotham of crime.  I'm sure the kids are going to love them too on Saturday.  Sometime I wonder who likes these parties more, the kids or me.

I just wanted to thank you guys for your continued support of this little hobby of mine and to let you know I'm having some major technical difficulties with the site and just short on time and energy all the way around in life and probably won't be posting anymore or at least not until after the holidays are over or my clone is ready. 

Happy Halloween,

Gina 

Pizza Bears

Are the kids being out on summer break driving you stark raving mad yet?  It only took 4 hours to hear those dreaded words "I'm Bored" around here.  I got really behind with work and some other projects and figured summer would be the perfect time to catch up.  Why am I always so delusional, why?

I did get started on a painting I promised my niece and I survived a work audit.  Having everyone home and in my grill 24/7 should be delightful and refreshing, shouldn't it?  Wrong - way wrong, when is summer break over with anyways?

I put a batch of pizza dough in the mixer in the morning and pulled out some coloring books and markers to make the day go a little quicker.  Staring down at the smooth, supple bowl of pizza crust I made an executive decision that this dough wasn't going to be any ordinary old pizza.

Pizza Crust

1 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast

3/4 cup water, 110 degrees

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

Also needed:  Pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, garlic salt, 1 egg + 2 teaspoons water, sliced black olives and roasted red peppers or tomato slices

Add the yeast and water to a large bowl or bowl of a mixer and let proof for 5 minutes.  Once the yeast is a little bit foamy add the salt, flour and olive oil and mix with a dough hook until the dough is starting to climb up the hook.  Or mix by hand and turn out on a floured board and knead by hand for five minutes and return to dough to the bowl.

Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise for an hour or so.

p.s.  If you want go buy some pre-made dough from the store, my lips are zipped.

Place the dough onto a floured cutting board and cut it into four equal pieces.  Cut a big portion for the body, a golf ball sized piece for the head and a small 1-inch strip and cut the strip into 2 legs, 2 arms and 2 ears.

Flatten the body portion and smear the middle with a little pizza sauce and then place a bit of shredded mozzarella cheese on top of that (a couple pieces of pepperoni would be tasty too).

Gather the dough up with your fingers and twist to close.  I like to push the cheese in a bit with my finger while I'm pulling up the edges.  Place the body on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment.  Flatten the body a bit and shape into an oval.  Take the head piece and flatten and insert a bit of cheese and pinch and twist just like the body piece and place it on top of the body on the baking sheet.  Roll the legs, arms and ears into small balls with your hands and place them next to the body.

Make all 4 bears and cover them with a clean dish towel and let rise for 40 minutes.

Beat the egg and water together and brush over the bears.  Sprinkle the bears with garlic salt and place two black olives for eyes and a strip of roasted red bell pepper for the mouth.

Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 18-22 minutes until nicely browned.

Serve with a bowl of pizza sauce and grated Parmesan cheese for dipping.

Hopefully these cute little bears will put a smile back on your face, because let’s face it you know you missed me while I was on my little break.  I missed all of you, sniff - sniff.

Enjoy,

Gina