On a [Sausage] Roll

Today we're making a Grandma recipe, from Scratch!

Sausage Rolls!

Truthfully I didn't like these at all when I was a kid, but now I don't make them often because I just want to eat the whole batch when I do. 

Typically the EASY recipe is:

Sausage Rolls

• 1 lb pack of Italian Sausage, Sweet, Mild or Hot. Get the formless forcemeat, it's easier than cutting it out of casings
• 1 bag of Pizza Crust Dough
• Olive Oil
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Anise or Fennel Seed

1. Preheat the oven to 350F, lightly grease a cookie sheet
2. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, somewhat thin.
3. Rub it down with olive oil.
4. Season it with red pepper flakes and anise or fennel seed if you want.
5. Evenly spread little sausage nuggets across the oiled surface. It's messy.
6. Roll tightly and slice into 1.5" pieces
7. Set onto the cookie sheet, cut sides vertical.
8. Bake for 25 minutes? or until golden brown.
9. Eat em hot or cold!

Or be like me and buy a meat grinder attachment for your KitchenAid. I used the Italian Sausage recipe from The Wurst of Lucky Peach (use link below to help me financially! I'm unemployed!)

I didn't like them :| Tom did, because the sausage wasn't overly-italian-y. It was a good exercise in learning how to grind meat, but in the future I'm going the lazy route and just buying a styrofoam tray of sausage. At least until I get better at homemade sausages.

And if you're a fan of Sausages AND Video Games, check out Stephen's Sausage Roll!

You Knead Cardamom Bread

One thing I am looking forward to during my impending Funemployment is all the time I'll have for multi-hour, multi-DAY recipes!

When you are limited to only two days a week, there's a lot that just gets left behind because I simply can't let something sit around for hours at a time. Bread usually falls into this category. I know there are plenty of no-rise, no knead breads too, ssshhhh. 

Which brings us to this, Cardamom bread! I had an extra quiet weekend, no appointments, no social events, no need to leave the house. Just me, my computer, and a cup of tea. 

It's really not too difficult, but I definitely need to get a gosh darn pestle & mortar. Smashing the cardamom pods, and subsequently smashing the seeds was not easy without them. 

Another thing to note about this week's project. I authentically shopped for the ingredients ahead of time!!! I already had plenty of cardamom pods and powder from Dual Specialty in NYC. I didn't have pearl sugar for the topping. I searched EVERY DANG STORE in my area! I used Demerara sugar but it definitely isn't the same :( I'll have to order some from the interwebs for next time. 

This is quite tasty, and best eaten whilst warm. With a cuppa.