Italian Cheese Bread

The Best Italian Cheese Bread

Weather you’re used to Little Caesars Italian Cheese Bread or Papa John’s Cheese Sticks, maybe even some other version from another local Pizza Pie cafe you love, they’re all pretty much one in the same; a baked pizza crust with some variation of ingredients mixed into the melted cheese. So, it doesn’t matter what you call it just as long as it’s good and I’ve got a great recipe for you. Not only is it good, it’s great and it’s really easy to make, too.

Fresh out of the oven, sliced Italian Cheese Bread.

How I make Italian Cheese Bread

When I make Italian Cheese Bread I use my Pizza Dough Recipe, only I bake it at lower temperature. I also use my Pizza Sauce Recipe for dipping, as well. One of the secret ingredients, however, to making great cheese bread is seasoning the dough after it’s been rolled out. I keep it very simple by spreading 1/4 cup of Italian dressing because it’s got everything you need. Then I lay down the cheese, Mozzarella and Romano. It’s a perfect combination mixed with dried Mexican Oregano and some crushed Chili Flakes.

Italian Cheese Bread Ingredients:

1 lbs Pizza dough
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
2 tbsp Romano cheese, grated
1 tsp Mexican Oregano, dried
1 tsp Crushed Chili flakes, dried

Make the dough the day before and refrigerate for best results. Remove the dough 1 hour before baking and allow it to rise and reach room temperature before rolling it out. Bake Italian Cheese Bread at 475 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes on the bottom rack.

Caprese Portobellos with Balsamic Glaze

The Best Caprese Portobellos

If you love Mushrooms and you love Caprese, you are absolutely going to love this Caprese Portobellos recipe because it combines the best of both worlds. Using Large Portobello mushroom caps gives a ton of surface area to cram in plenty of Mozzarella, Tomatoes and Fresh Basil. And, if you prepare your dish the way I show you how to do it, you’re whole world will change. So open your mind to other possibilities and I’ll show you how to make the best Mushroom Caprese.

What is Caprese Portobellos

To understand Caprese you must understand, first, that it is a traditional Italian recipe that usually breaks down to 3 basic ingredients: Mozzarella, Tomatoes and Fresh Basil. Many folks consider Caprese Antipasto ingredients and many Caprese Salad recipes exist because of the over all freshness the combination provides. My sources tell me that the real Caprese is just Buffalo Mozzarella, which is made from Buffalo milk and it’s a typical dish served in the Isle of Capri.

Normally, Caprese Portobellos is prepared and served with fresh Tomatoes but I am recommending my Marinated and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, instead, for several reasons. First, because roasted cherry tomatoes are awesome, so that’s just a no brainer, and second because you want to add olive oil to the mushrooms and the olive oil, marinating the cherry tomatoes, has garlic and fresh herbs roasted into it. So it really enhances the flavor, a ton. If you want to use fresh tomatoes, instead, that’s fine too but I highly recommend mixing a 1/4 cup of olive oil with some fresh chopped garlic and a pinch of salt, at the very least, and add that to the mushrooms.

Also, when it comes to the Balsamic Glaze, most recipes recommend a 1 to 4 ratio of Brown Sugar and Balsamic Vinegar. I don’t agree with this at all and I was trained to balance the bitter with more sweet. I would recommend a 1 to 1 ratio, instead but that’s entirely up to you. Bring it to boil and reduce the heat to medium. Cook it for 5 minutes until the sauce reduces and practically caramelizes and you will have a perfect glaze.

Caprese Portobellos Ingredients:

4 to 6 Large Portobello Mushroom Caps
4 oz Cherry Tomatoes, marinated & roasted
1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese
6 Fresh Basil leaves, chopped
2 tbsp Butter, melted
1 Garlic Clove, chopped
Salt and Pepper, taste

Balsamic Glaze
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 tbsp Brown Sugar

Be sure to watch the short video tutorial for this Caprese Portobellos recipe and follow the recommendations in this post for a perfect dish.

Alfredo and Cheese Sauce

The Best Cheese Sauce

Here is the Alfredo and Cheese Sauce I promised and it is so good. You’re probably going to be shocked when you see how it’s made but I’m certain that if you try it, you’ll be even more bewildered but amazed. I will admit that I was a bit bored when I came up with this idea but when I served this up to the wife and kids, we couldn’t stop eating it. So basically what I’ve done is taken a classic Italian Sauce recipe(French technically), Alfredo, and I’ve turned it into a true “Poor Man’s” recipe by adding an ingredient that will just blow your mind. Which is exactly what I do here, right? So let’s get crackin’!

Alfredo Cheese Sauce is Amazing

Believe it or not, the secret ingredient for this Alfredo Cheese sauce is Macaroni and Cheese Powder! And as you can see from the picture above, there’s nothing poor about this recipe. It’s rich, it’s creamy and the Fettuccine is perfectly cooked to Al dente. The only other thing you could add to make this sauce better, honestly, is Sriracha. I started squeezing that stuff over my Mac and Cheese a few years ago and it didn’t stop with this. I also love this dish with Garlic Parmesan Chicken, which is my next video recipe by the way, or with seafood twist; shrimp and scallops. Either way, I am certain you’re going to find this recipe dreadfully delightful! 😉

Also be sure to Check out the Olive Gardens Alfredo Sauce if you’re needing a more detailed tutorial on the basics of this sauce. I’m also plugging my Hawaiian Mac Salad recipe in case you need ideas for your left over Macaroni from the cheese box. You’ll see what I mean in the Alfredo and Cheese Sauce video below.

Alfredo and Cheese Sauce Ingredients:

Alfredo Sauce
1 Garlic Clove, chopped
1/4 cup Fresh Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/4 cup Dehydrated Parmesan Cheese
1 cup Whipping Cream
1 pinch of Salt
1/4 tsp White Pepper

Add this for Cheese Sauce
1/4 cup Whipping Cream or Milk
1 Mac and Cheese Powder Packet

Don’t let the ingredients fool you if you are doubting this recipe. This Alfredo Cheese Sauce tastes absolutely amazing and don’t forget the Sriracha if you’ve got some.