More Flavor, Please!!!!

I consider myself to be a lover of all starches..mainly french fries and bread.  However, bread is one of my most absolutely favorite things to eat...garlic bread, cheesy bread, croutons, etc. So when I found this recipe, I couldn't be more excited.  Pizza bread...YAY!!!

After doing  a little bit of research I learned that there were other names for it, like Pizza Monkey Bread.  The recipe below is one of the first recipes that I personally pinned on Pinterest and, as usual, I made some changes (with the help of a friend).  Those changes are what I want to share with you.  The original recipe is as follows.

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 lbs pizza dough (I used this recipe because it makes enough for two pizza)
• 6 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes (you'll need ~48 pieces)
• 48 slices of Turkey pepperoni (from 1 package)
• 2-3 cups marinara sauce, warmed, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat garlic and butter over medium heat just until the garlic begins to brown. Remove from heat and let sit.
2. Lightly brush the inside of a bundt pan (or other oven-safe dish) with garlic butter.
3. Pull off large marble-sized balls of dough and flatten (~2/3 of an ounce, a kitchen scale makes this very easy). Top with a slice of pepperoni and a cube of mozzarella    
4. Wrap the dough around the pepperoni and cheese, pinching well to seal.
5. Very lightly brush the pizza ball with garlic butter and place into the bundt pan (I dabbed the     pizza balls on a butter-dipped silicon brush to keep butter use low - there will be 1+ Tbsp leftover - and my hands butter free. Buttery hands make it hard to get the pizza balls to seal).
6. Repeat until all of the dough is used.
7. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes, while preheating the oven to 400.
8. Bake for ~35 minutes, until the top is very brown.
9. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes.
10. Turn out onto a platter and serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

My Issues and Recommended Solutions:

• Not much flavor/seasoning.  So here is what I add to the garlic butter:
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese sprinkled on top before baking
• The pepperoni easily breaks through the dough so the solution is to either cut the pepperoni into quarters or use mini pepperoni.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese works as a substitute for the cubed mozzarella.
• Non-stick cooking spray can be used on the pan instead of brushing the garlic butter on the inside of the pan.

Hope you try my recommendations one day soon!!!!

Recipe and Photos courtesy of http://www.jasonandshawnda.com/foodiebride/archives/7195