March, 2023 | I Can Cook That

Italian Sausage Bread

Some recipes, like this one for Italian Sausage Bread, are so easy and yet are oh so satisfying. My mother-in-law seems to have an endless supply of sausage bread prepared at her house, so I never really thought to make it myself until this past year. Now that I have, I know it is the perfect make-ahead option to keep in your freezer!

This sausage bread can be made with either hot Italian sausage or sweet Italian sausage. I suggest changing the color of the pepper you use inside so that when you have it out for snacking, everyone knows what they are about to bite into. (I used red in these photos because I was making one with hot Italian sausage; I use green in my sweet Italian sausage breads.)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 or 2 bell peppers, chopped
1 lb hot or sweet Italian sausage
1 (13.8 oz) tube of refrigerated pizza crust
1 (8 oz bag) shredded mozzarella
1 egg, beaten

Continue reading Italian Sausage Bread

Honey Ginger Lemonade

I’m still trying out some recipes for my sister’s upcoming baby shower, which is going to be bumble bee themed. I’m working on making a beehive cake and have already determined a batch cocktail with honey to serve. Because it is a baby shower, it seemed only appropriate to also serve an alcohol-free beverage. After testing a few versions, this recipe for Honey Ginger Lemonade the perfect nonalcoholic drink for my sister to enjoy!

This recipe has just four ingredients and feels special enough for a baby shower or other celebration!

Ingredients:

6 cups water, divided
1 cup honey
1/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 8-10 lemons)

Continue reading Honey Ginger Lemonade

Bees Knees Batch Cocktail

I am in full preparation mode for my sister’s upcoming baby shower. We are doing a honeybee theme, I’ve been working on a beehive cake, honeycomb decorations, and honey-filled beverages, including this Bees Knees Batch Cocktail.

The Bee’s Knees is a Prohibition-era cocktail made with gin, lemon juice, and honey simple syrup. This batch cocktail version adds lemon seltzer to make it more of a sip-able day cocktail with a little bit of fizziness.

Ingredients (makes 20 servings; multiply/divide as needed):

3/4 cup water
1 cup honey
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 (750 ml) bottle gin
1 (1 L) bottle lemon seltzer

Continue reading Bees Knees Batch Cocktail

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

A friend reached out to me with a food challenge: how to make baked ziti that will be hot and ready when they come back from a christening. A Slow Cooker Baked Ziti recipe seemed like the perfect solution!

Naturally, I had to do some experimenting so that I could give her a recipe to use that I know will work for her needs.

This recipe for Slow Cooker Baked Ziti involves layering ingredients in your slow cooker (paid link). letting it cook for 2 1/2 hours, and then adding some mozzarella cheese on top for ultimate cheesiness!