Hearty Father’s Day Fare

By Karen J. McMurtrey and Lei Broadstone

Amazing Pizza Cookie

Crust

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

Toppings

1 roll red fruit leather, cut into 1 1/2″ (3.8 cm) disks

1 black licorice rope, cut into 1/4″ (6 mm) lengths

1 tablespoon flake coconut

3 tablespoons flake coconut, colored yellow*

1 teaspoon flake coconut, colored green*

Cream the sugar with the shortening; stir in the egg, vanilla, soda, salt, and flour. Mix until well blended.
Divide the dough in half, setting one half aside; add the red food coloring to the remaining half and blend well.
With your fingers, press the colored dough on a cookie sheet into a circle (the pizza center) about 12″ (30 cm) in diameter.
Use the uncolored dough to form a 1″ (2.5 cm) “crust” around the red dough; pinch together.
Arrange the topping ingredients on the colored dough, starting with the coconut “cheese” and “spices,” then the fruit leather “pepperoni” and the licorice “olives.”
Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 10–12 minutes or until done.

Note: To make small, individual pizza cookies, simply divide the colored and uncolored dough into smaller pieces when you reach step 3, and make the crust narrower in step 4.

Sparkle Punch

3 ounces (85 g) gelatin—orange, cherry, strawberry, or lime

1 cup boiling water

6 cups apple juice, chilled

1 1/2 cups lemon-lime carbonated soda, chilled

In a large pitcher, dissolve the gelatin in the water; cool to room temperature.
Stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve cold.

Pizza-Macaroni Casserole

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, beaten slightly

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce (any kind)

16-ounce (454-g) can kidney beans, drained

6 ounces (170 g) thinly sliced pepperoni sausage

1/2 pound (.25 kg) pizza sausage, cooked

4-ounce (113 g) can mushrooms, drained

1 small green pepper, diced

1 tomato, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons diced green chilies (optional)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 1/2 cups shredded American, cheddar, or Mozzarella cheese

Prepare the macaroni according to package directions; drain.
Mix together the milk, egg, and salt; add the drained macaroni, and stir to coat well.
Spread mixture on the bottom and sides of a greased 10″ x 15″ (25 cm x 38 cm) casserole.
In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients; pour them into the macaroni “crust.”
Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 30–35 minutes; let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Makes 8–10 servings.

Photos by John Luke