Pepperoni - it's not just for pizza and subs anymore!
11/28/2020
By Mike Thayer
I love pepperoni, it's a 'Must Have' ingredient when I order pizza and I like it a lot on a sub sandwich as well. So in looking for ways to get creative with the meal menu, I've been looking for ways to enjoy pepperoni other than on a slice of pizza, slapped on some bread or laid out on a charcuterie board.
It's a great addition to scrambled eggs! Saute about one ounce of pepperoni slices in a small pan, let it start to sweat a little bit. Then add a couple of scrambled eggs, you don't need to add any oil, the pepperoni takes care of that for you. Options with your scrambled pepperoni eggs include chopped black olive, diced onion, or green pepper (throw such ingredients in when you're sweating the pepperoni). And yes, we're talking pizza toppings! Don't forget the cheese!
This scramble delivers a lot of protein to keep you feeling fuller, longer and we're talking less than 500 calories. Toss the doughnuts aside!
Another idea for pepperoni was suggested by a friend of mine on Facebook. When you're craving chips and a crunch factor, throw some pepperoni in the oven!
Place pepperoni in a single layer on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and soak up the excess pepperoni oil by patting paper towels against the 'chips'. Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 2 to 4 minutes to get them chip-like crispy! I tested this out while putting together my pepperoni scramble..... Mmmmm-mmmm!
And here's another alternative, pepperoni is a fantastic add to sweet potato soup! An autumn classic, sweet potato soup is kicked up another notch when 1 - 2 cups of diced up pepperoni is included in the recipe. Pepperoni really compliments the sweet potato flavor, you get the sweet from the potato and a little spice from the pepperoni.
Pepperoni doesn't have to be a secondary ingredient, make it the star!