Cheeseburger Flatbread Melts

I saw this recipe a year or two ago on one of the blogs that I follow. It looked absolutely delicious and I knew I had to try it. I just needed an occasion to make it!

So when my brother had a family Superbowl party last year (remember these babies?), I immediately thought of this appetizer. And I am glad that I did!

They are a terrifically simple concept –browned beef in a sauce, on top of pizza flatbread, topped with cheese! Doesn’t it sound fabulous?

You can certainly use your own homemade dough for the flatbread part. But I was making 3 or 4 things and there’s only so much time in the day! So I used the Pilsbury dough as a shortcut. It worked out great though!

You can cut them into pieces as big or little as you want – which is awesome! I like being able to offer smaller bite appetizers for someone who just wants a lil piece, or larger bite appetizers for those who want to feast on heavy apps! Here is how the flatbread part came out:

Annnnnnnnnnnd here is the final product – cheesy, meaty, deliciousness in your hand.

This little gem was a HUGE HIT. I believe I quoted one of my brothers saying “Please stop making these – you’re killing me”. He couldn’t stop eating them.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb lean ground beef, browned and drained
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tblsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 pkg dry onion soup mix
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tblsp mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 11 oz thin crust pizza dough, Pilsbury
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Brown and drain ground beef. Add water, vinegar, onion soup mix*, ketchup, mustard and garlic. Stir to combine and simmer over low heat.

Meanwhile, divide the pizza dough into six equal portions and roll into a round, tortilla-like shape.

Heat 2 tbsp canola oil over medium heat in a large, heavy bottomed skillet. Fry the dough for one minute on each side or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove to a paper towel to drain.

Top with beef mixture and shredded cheese. Serve warm.

Makes 6 flatbread melts – depending on what size you make. (* To double this recipe, double everything except the dry onion soup mix)

 

Spicy Cheddar Cheese Straws

These lil babies are a surprising treat for the person who bites into them.

My mom has been making them for quite some time – but those times were far and few in between. As I was perusing the Family Cookbook, I came across the recipe and remembered how tasty they were.

They are really like a spicy cheese cracker. You can make them into any shape you like – I like to keep them in a narrow triangle shape.

You are also supposed to put some seeds on top before baking. But I had forgotten to get them at the store. So I went naked with my cheese straws. No cheese straws were harmed – they still came out delicious.

You don’t need to provide any dip or cheese to accompany these crackers. They are good enough on their own 🙂 Of course if you want to dip, be my guest!

Ingredients:

• 1 10-oz block Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• 1.5 cups flour
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and softened
• 1tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp dried crushed pepper
• 2 tblsp half-n-half
• Seed mixture (see below)

Directions:

Pulse the first 5 ingredients in a food processor at 5-second interval until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add half-n-half and pulse 10 more seconds or until dough forms a ball.  (Note –dough may be wrapped in plastic wrap or Ziploc bag and chilled up to 3 days)

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare dough and divide in half. Roll each half into a 9-10 inch round. Transfer rounds to parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Whisk together 1 egg white and 1 tsp water just until foamy. Stir together ¼ cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup roasted sunflower kernels, 2 tblsp toasted sesame seeds, and 2 tblsp black sesame seeds. Brush rounds with egg white mixture and sprinkle with seed mixture.

Cut each round into wedges of random sizes, using a fluted pastry wheel. Separate wedges about 1 inch apart. Bake 16-18 minutes, cool on baking sheets on wire racks, 30 minutes.

Makes 24-32 triangles