A Super Bowl snack, for your consideration

I bring to you a recipe for a snack Ryan & his school buddies often find themselves enjoying at Paccini's, a cozy bar - with fireplace - up at PSU.

At Paccini's these delights are called Pepperoni Balls and are simply slices of pepperoni wrapped in dough and baked, served with a side of marinara sauce for dipping. We experimented with these at home recently and came across, we think, an improvement on the original.

Pizza Rolls
- 12 frozen dinner rolls, like Rhodes (I always have a bag of these in the freezer)
- favorite pizza toppings: pepperoni, olives, sauteed veggies, anchovies (!), etc.
- shredded or cubed cheese: mozzarella, parmesan, etc.
- sauce: marinara, alfredo, olive oil with garlic red pepper flakes, etc.
- butter or olive oil to grease pans and brush on top of rolls
- something to sprinkle on top: salt, parmesan, Italian seasoning, etc.
- dipping sauce: marinara, alfredo, blue cheese (yes - should I be embarrassed?)

1) Place the frozen rolls on a plate and defrost them in the microwave until soft (this took several minutes for me - I checked every minute, though, to make sure I wasn't cooking them)

2) Working with one roll at a time, roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it's about 6" in diameter

3) Place a spoonful each of your choice of toppings, cheese, and sauce in the middle of the dough

4) Gather edges of dough up together and press shut with your fingers to seal; place the stuffed roll in a greased cookie sheet or in a muffin pan

5) Repeat until all twelve rolls are stuffed. Cover the rolls with a clean dish cloth and let sit for several hours or until the dough has completely risen (2-4 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is)

6) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. When rolls are ready, brush with olive oil or melted butter, top with salt, parmesan, or Italian seasoning, and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until done

7) Serve with your favorite dipping sauce

Our favorite combo: turkey pepperoni, marinera sauce, low-fat mozzarella.

I'd be lying to you if I said these are the finest in gourmet cooking and that they'd be great for a romantic dinner or as an impressive entree when entertaining the in-laws. However, they are fun, fairly quick, customizable, and great for snacking during the game or as a recipe to make with/for kids. There, done with disclaimers. Enjoy!