CK'S KITCHEN: Pizza monkey bread

Ahead of a Cleveland-sports dominated weekend which included hosting the Browns game on Sunday, after a Guardians event and game at Progressive Field on Saturday, I made a beeline to Pinterest hungry for inspiration early in the week. I volleyed between recipes for enticing fall creations and football fare. I felt caught in a virtual maze of pumpkin breads, creamy soups and cheesy dips until this pizza monkey bread lit up my iPhone. My brain and belly rapidly connected in mutual agreement. The picture was mouth-wateringly delicious, ingredients were economical, and hands-on time was minimal — I'd found my centerpiece dish for game day. Savory vs. sweet Just the term monkey bread evokes sweet memories and good culinary vibes. Images of pulling one warm, gooey fluffy piece after another until all the sticky buttery-sugary sections vanished in record time. A pure and infrequent indulgence for sure, but who doesn't love pull-apart anything, especially a sweet or savory bread? Also called bubble loaf or pinch-me cake, monkey bread originated as a Hungarian coffeecake and was apparently brought into the American mainstream by first lady Nancy Reagan, who brought the dish into the White House for Christmas. Politics aside, I think we can all thank Nancy for this. This pizza monkey bread is a savory twist combining all the basics of traditional glorious pie: pepperoni, mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, Italian seasonings, olive oil and a good helping of butter! Game-time decisions The best part of prepping this monkey bread was using scissors to cut the biscuits and pepperoni into quarters — so fun! The recipe doesn't really give any pointers on how to mix it all together but I would suggest (after not doing it this way) mixing together the butter, olive oil, garlic and seasonings in a bowl and then coating the biscuit quarters, adding in the pepperoni and cheeses and giving it a good go. I used a combination of tongs and my bare hands. I chose to use a Bundt pan and baked it for about 35 minutes uncovered and then the final 10 minutes covered with foil. Even though the pan was well greased, it didn't release well and was a bit overdone. Next time I would bake it for less time or even in a 9-by-13 pan. The end result? Not pretty because it was a bit hacked up on the top, but it was pretty yummy. I will say I liked this pizza monkey bread but I didn't love it. Dead giveaway: I sent all the leftovers home with my boyfriend. It did leave me craving some sweet monkey bread. Maybe I should make that next? Contact Chrissy Kadleck at ckadleck@sbcglobal.net. Pizza monkey bread 2 (16.3 ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits, quartered 6 ounces pepperoni, quartered 2 cups shredded mozzarella 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated 1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons Italian seasonings 2 teaspoons minced garlic, (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder) Marinara for dipping Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients (except marinara) and toss well until combined. Pour mixture into a greased 10-inch Bundt pan (you can also use a 9-by-13 baking dish). Bake for 35-45 minutes or until rolls are cooked on the inside; cover with foil after 20 minutes or until top is browned. Check every 5 minutes toward end of cooking to see if done. Remove from oven and loosen edges of bread with a knife. Invert Bundt pan on a plate and then invert onto a serving plate so that the pretty side is up. Pull apart and dip in warm marinara. NOTES: If using a 9x13 baking dish, cooking time will be shorter — around 30 minutes. Makes 8 servings