Garlic Bread Sticks

Pizza night is great. Pizza is great. Pizza

A few nights ago I heard a knocking on my bedroom door. “Yes?” I called backed, not taking my eyes off the screen of my laptop (because Tumblr needs me). Enter in my Mom. I don’t know if it’s just a mom thing or not, but there is a distinct knock every mom does when they want you to do something, and this knock was that knock. My mom is different though, she uses tactic and deceit to get her way. My brother always says she’s like Genghis Khan; she doesn't stop until she gets her way (love you Momma!) Like the sly women she is, she always begins with small chit-chat, asking how I’m doing, what I’m up to, etc, before diving head first into the meat of her demands.

Let me dramatize the scenario for you:

Mom: Well hi

Me: Well hi

Mom: How’s it going?

Me: Fine

Mom: Isn’t that nice.

A pause, Mom takes this moment for dramatic effect

Mom: You know supper is in a few hours

Me: Yes

Mom: And we’re having pizza

Me: Oh, well that’s nice

Mom: But the thing is…I don’t want to make the pizza.

Long story short, I was making pizza. I love making homemade pizza. Scratch that, I love making anything with dough. Breads are one of the only things I actually enjoy baking. Anything homemade is going to taste better than anything frozen or store bought (I think it says that in the Bible.) As I was making the pizzas and getting ready to put them in the oven, I decided to pull out my jar of Garlic Infused Olive Oil I bought on a family weekend trip to Galena, Illinois.

Side Note: If you've never been to Galena, you have to make a stop whenever you’re in the upper northwest of Illinois (because everyone travels there). It’s almost like you have taken a step back in time when entering this small little burg on a hill. The town has so much history and a lot of amazing shops and restaurants. It has that cute charm that I absolutely love. I seriously have been there more times than I can count.

Where was I? The fancy olive oil! The olive oil in question I got at a canning shop in downtown Galena properly called the Galena Canning Company. This place has the most incredible selection of homemade jams, spreads, oils, dips, and etc. All there food is amazing. Here is there online store, it’s truly magical. Back to pizza, so I decided I was going to brush some of the garlic olive oil on the outline of the dough (because I'm edgy). A sprinkle of garlic and paprika and I was completely blown away of how good that crust turned out. It was the perfect blend of garlic flavor with just a little kick of paprika. It's subtle at first and then BAM! (Kind of like when you realize you still have a test to study for....oh wait!). This dough recipe actually came from the Butter Queen herself Paula Deen, so thanks Paula. 

I cannot tell you how good these came out. My whole family devoured them and kept asking for more. You can pair these with some marinara sauce or some queso dip for an extra kick. I would love to try a variation of these, using cinnamon-sugar and make a churro type monstrosity of sorts.  

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 Garlic Bread Sticks 

Ingredients

1 ¾ cup of warm water

1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast

2 teaspoons salt

5 cups of flour

3 tablespoons of olive oil

Cornmeal for the pan

¼ cup of garlic infused olive oil or regular olive oil

1 tablespoon of garlic powder

1 tablespoon of paprika

Directions

Pre-Step- Have a dream! And a purpose!

Step 1- Add warm water into a bowl of dry active yeast and let set for 10 minutes.  

Note: the water should be warm to the touch. Too warm of water and the yeast will die. And you don’t want to be known as a yeast murderer. No, no you do not.

Step 2- In a separate bowl add the flour and the salt and whisk together to combine.

Step 3- In one cup increments; add the flour/salt mixture to the yeast/water mixture. After the first cup of flour, add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Now mix, mix, and mix until dough forms.  

Step 4- Put dough on well floured surface and knead for a minute.

Note: It’s not need as in “I need your love”. Remember a very important rule of baking; dough can’t love.

Step 5- Put dough in a greased bowl and place bowl in the oven turned off with a towel over the bowl for 45 minutes.

Step 6- After 45 minutes, take your dough out of the oven, place it on well floured surface, divide in half, and roll out. Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C)

Step 7- Roll the dough out into a square shape (about a ½ inch thick). Take a pizza cutter or sharp knife and cut the dough into 1 inch strips long ways. Take your strips of dough and cut them in half

Step 8- With your half cut dough strips; fold them in half long ways (like a hot dog bun). Twist away all those bad feelings away until you get something twisty and fun.

Step 9- Sprinkle some corn meal on a cookie sheet. Lay the spiral strips of dough on the sheets, about ¼ inches apart (these sticks are going to expand)

Note: That is definitely, without a doubt “that’s what she said” ↑

Step 10- Take a brush and gently brush your olive oil along the dough. Sprinkle some garlic powder and paprika over the dough. Take your brush again and brush over the sticks to evening coat the seasonings.  Put your bread sticks in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown