Garlic Pesto Breadsticks
These Garlic Pesto Breadsticks are a fun and tasty snack…perfect for football games on cold winter weekends!
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As a child of the 1980’s, I can absolutely say that I loved that decade! From Nintendo to Jello Pudding Pops to “Bo Knows” t-shirts , the 80’s rocked it. But one area where the 80’s totally dropped the ball? Children’s music. That’s right. Children’s music.
I actually can’t remember any of the music I listened to when I was a kid. I think there was a cassette tape with Baby Beluga on it, but that just didn’t cut it. Of course, as I got older, I discovered Michael Jackson, John Cougar Mellencamp and UB40. But let’s take it back a few years. I’m talking about kid’s music here.
So what made me think about this, you ask? Well, you guys know that our lives have been consumed with our newborn son lately. And if there’s one thing that babies (and their parents) love, it’s music that helps them fall asleep. Enter Rockabye Baby. This collection of music features all sorts of classic artists like The Beatles, the Stones and Led Zeppelin…in lullaby form.
I stumbled across the Queen version of Rockabye Baby when we were picking some stuff up at the baby store…and that CD landed in our cart in all of 1.7 seconds. Queen lullabies. My father-in-law is a serious Queen fan, and he cracked up when we pulled this CD out. But here’s the thing…the music is pretty fun. I couldn’t stop laughing when we played it for the first time, and now our son jams out to Queen on a regular basis. (By “jams out,” I mean he falls asleep. He’s a real Freddie Mercury that one!)
Speaking of Queen, you guys know Bohemian Rhapsody, right? You know you jam out in the car when that song comes on the radio…admit it! I do. But do you know what that song is actually about? There’s been a lot of debate about the real meaning of the song, but my wife showed me this cartoon the other night.
One interpretation is that Bohemian Rhapsody is about a guy who goes and kills his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend. Seriously? Well, it does kinda make sense. Maybe it’s not exactly the kind of music I want my son listening to…but then again, it’s in such soothing lullaby form! Needless to say, I’ve been walking around for weeks now with Queen lullabies playing in my head.
But enough about children’s lullabies. Let’s talk delicious football food. After college football bowl games and March Madness, I think the NFL playoffs are one of my favorite sports times of the year. They come at the perfect time. The holidays are over, and everyone is suffering through a mild case of depression as they get back into the normal routine. And it’s downright frigid outside, too. Perfect time to put on a good football game and hang out with the neighbors! It’s also the perfect time for tasty football snacks like these Garlic Pesto Breadsticks.
For these breadsticks, I went with pizza dough as I like my breadsticks to be on the chewy side. I then brushed these bad boys with a butter-garlic-Parmesan mixture while they were still hot out of the oven. The result? Uh, let’s just say that pan of Garlic Pesto Breadsticks didn’t last long. Delicious!
Oh, and can I leave you with the thought that Rockabye Baby has a Kanye West version? I can safely say that our son will not be listening to a lullaby version of Gold Digger.
Are you a Queen fan? What about Queen lullabies?
Will you be watching the NFL playoffs this weekend?
Garlic Pesto Breadsticks
Ingredients
- 1 batch pizza dough homemade or store-bought
- ⅓ cup pesto homemade or store-bought
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese finely grated
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- Place pizza dough on a well-floured countertop; roll dough into a large rectangle (~12”x16”).
- Spread the pesto evenly across top of dough.
- Using a pizza wheel, cut dough into (16) 1” strips. Twist each strip into a spiral and place on parchment-lined sheet pans.
- Bake breadsticks at 350°F for 25-27 minutes, or until light golden in color.
- While breadsticks are baking, melt the butter and stir in the minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and kosher salt.
- Remove breadsticks from oven and brush with the garlic butter mixture. Serve hot.
And this is yet another case of my failure to actually listen to song lyrics…I had no idea that was the gist of Bohemian Rhapsody! Now I’m kind of bummed out. I’m sure a couple of these mouthwatering garlic pesto breadsticks will cheer me up, though! They look so delicious and easy – a dangerous combination!
Oh I had no idea that was the gift of Bohemian Rhapsody either! (And to be fair, there is a lot of disagreement out there about the true meaning of that song…) But if you think about the lyrics, it kinda makes sense? Yes, let’s just eat breadsticks and sing Queen at the top of our lungs! (In the car with the windows rolled up, of course.) 🙂
Everybody loves breadsticks, and when you flavor them with garlic and pesto they’ll disappear in seconds! I love how they are so easy to make if you use prepared dough! So delicious!
You’re totally right, Melanie! If you use prepared dough, these breadsticks can be hot and ready in like 30 minutes! Breadsticks for lunch today? Yes, please! 🙂
Hah now I have Queen in my head! These look delicious. I want to snack on one (or three) right now.
Hahaha…sorry about that, Bianca! I heard the other day that chewing gum might help you get song lyrics out of your head. Something about the repetitive motion I think? Sounds a bit iffy to me, but go for it! Although, if a song is gonna be stuck in your head, it might as well be something awesome like Bohemian Rhapsody, right? 🙂
Whoaaa..UB40, haven’t heard it for such a long time until you mentioned it. And Bohemian Rhapsody, that’ makes sense now. I used to listen to it over and over again as I learned to play it on the piano. These breadsticks is calling my name! I love all the ingredients you add to it and I never say no to garlic.
I know, right?? You gotta go find an old UB40 CD now…or maybe even a cassette? (If you can find a way to still play a cassette these days…haha!) How about we bake up a batch of breadsticks and listen to awesome 80’s music all day? I think that can be arranged, right? 🙂
OhMy – I’ve been jamming out to Bohemian Rhapsody since forever – but I had no clue about the meaning of the lyrics and now I’m stunned! GAH! And double GAH that Kanye West has a version of Rockabye baby!
Crabs would help with the sting of all this mind boggling news! Especially when said carbs take on the form of these breadsticks! Lil Shashi could probably eat her weight of these breadsticks!
Yeah, don’t take this as definitive proof of the meaning of Bohemian Rhapsody, Shashi! I did a bunch of reading about that song as part of this post, and there are definitely different opinions out there. But I came away mega-impressed with Freddie Mercury. And yes, you can take that Kanye West and shove it…Rockabye Baby, regular Kanye, it doesn’t matter. 😛 And yes, I think I polished off all of these breadsticks shortly after the photos were taken. Every last one.
UGH – I meant CARBS not crabs…gosh darnit!
I knew what you meant! 🙂
Hi David! Where’s the marinara sauce for dunking these beauties? I can get fresh pizza dough at my local grocery and I’ve already put it on my grocery list! I do make marinara, but Newman’s Own is pretty darn good for store bought. A side of meatballs and I’ll be happy happy! 🙂
Good tip on the Newman’s Own, Dorothy! We have a local company here (we didn’t know they were local until not too long ago), and they make the best pizza sauce. In fact, we just saw something on the news where Target has picked them up for nationwide stores. If you stumble across Casa Visco sauce, get it. But you’re right, breadsticks always need sauce! I can’t believe I didn’t think about that for these tasty bad boys! 🙂
I’ve listened to Bohemian Rhapsody like a million times and I always thought it had no meaning whatsoever. Just some random words thrown in there because they sounded well with the symphony.
Now, now I know and I have to thank you for that.
BTW these breadsticks are Galileo Figaro Magnifico! 😉
#WolkpackLyrics
Yeah, I’m not entirely sure this interpretation of Bohemian Rhapsody is exactly what Freddie Mercury had in mind…but it does kinda make sense, right? Let’s make a huge batch of breadsticks, invite all of the Wolfpack guys over and jam out to Bohemian Rhapsody. Sound like a plan?
Long craving indeed, you’re avery patient man Dave. 🙂
Led Zeppelin in lullaby form? I gotta hear this! As for Queen, I was lucky to have seen them twice and what a VOICE. So talented, each of them.
I’ve heard various background thoughts on the song as well. The one that resonated with me was how Freddie was in a relationship with Mary Austin for years and then had a relationship with a male record exec (and many other men thereafter). Being judged for being bisexual, etc. That conflict of killing the old Freddie and living and being the new bisexual Freddie. Self judgment is a b*tch. Anyways – thanks of the mention and anytime is a good time of these!
Haha! Yes, that craving had been building for a while, Kevin! 🙂 Go check out this link (http://bit.ly/1N9zcCe). Nothing says Stairway to Heaven like playing it in lullaby form! I can’t believe you got to see Queen twice. Can I just say that I’m incredibly jealous? Yeah, I came across that version of explaining Bohemian Rhapsody, too. I gotta say that I’m incredibly impressed with Freddie Mercury. That guy was just living a few decades too early. Anyways, lets make breadsticks and listen to Queen all day today??
This is the perfect food for the game day! I can never resist pesto, that stuff is so good!!
You’re totally right, Manali! I think another batch of these will need to show up for the Super Bowl this year…and maybe for some of the playoff games, too! 🙂
Song lyrics though! Isn’t it crazy how sometimes you just listen or sing along because you like the beat and then you stop and think to yourself… “Wait, what?!” Haha! This recipe looks amazing! What a great recipe!
Yeah, tell me about it, Cailee! I have no idea if this interpretation is what Freddie Mercury was thinking when he wrote that song, but hey…it kinda makes sense, right? I’m thinking a batch of these breadsticks and a Queen album might be in order today! 🙂
My mom used to sing the songs from The Sound of Music to me when I was a kid, and look how I turned out. (I can solfège like you would not believe.) Now, about these breadsticks, they’re just begging to get dunked into spaghetti sauce, gravy, cheese sauce, you name it. I could make a dinner out of that. Regarding sleepy-bye music, it’s Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik or nothing. I mean, Freddie Mercury is not going to get that little guy into Harvard!
I’m not gonna lie. I just had to Google solfège to see what it meant. I had no idea you were such a musician, Jeff! You’re right. We need to bring some classical music into the picture for this little guy. (This little guy is sitting in a rocker next to me right now, and I have a YouTube mix of various lullaby rock songs going. Stairway to Heaven in lullaby? Yes. Don’t Stop Believin’ in lullaby? Yup.) So while I want this little guy to get into Harvard, I also want him to go to sleep. 🙂
These pesto breadsticks look delicious! I definitely need to try the recipe! 🙂
Thanks so much, Jess! Pesto breadsticks are the perfect treat for cold winter days! 🙂
Okay, so now I have that song in my head. At least it’s not a bad song 😉
What are you doing to me with all this football food? I am going to have to host a football party now just to make all this delicious food!
That’s true! I could have come up with a much worse song to talk about. 🙂 And I hate to say it, but I’ve more football food lined up in the coming days, too. Hey, I just have a secret (well, now not so secret) love affair with football food! 🙂
Okay, I love that song. And I don’t care what it’s about. It’s like American Pie, with all these hidden meanings and references, but I just jam to the music. If an adult can’t understand it without trying, then a baby is totally safe. Besides, babies like their songs, even if we hate them. My youngest was into “Hey There, Delilah” and it was stuck in my head for a solid year. I no longer like that song.
Oooh, breadsticks. With pesto, no less. Sign. Me. Up.
Oh, American Pie! I love that song. I was totally a nerd with that song back when I was in high school. I went and Googled (was Google around then?) all of the different references in that song. I loved me some Buddy Holly! And Hey There, Delilah. Great song! Until it got overplayed to death…and now I can’t stand listening to it. Anyways, pesto. breadsticks. Pesto breadsticks. No hidden meaning there! 🙂
Somehow, I don’t remember myself being a baby (weird, isn’t it?), so I don’t know did I need lullabies. However, these days I know for sure I’m fine without them. I want a nap all day round. Well, I’m already ready for another nap once I’ve waken up. I guess, If I were a kid, I would be a perfect one:) And what a delicious recipe, David! Just recently though I should bake some grissini, but know I’ve changed my mine. You should send them to me while I’m taking a nap:)
Wait, you don’t remember being a baby?? Why not, Ben? Haha…just kidding! I think you should totally start playing lullabies around your house. It’ll help you nap more. I mean if you don’t remember being a baby, then maybe at least you’ll remember this year and the napping! Oh, I love me some grissini. Great idea. Unless they involve lavender. Haha!
Dude, I can never listen to Bohemian Rhapsody again without feeling sinister.
Thanks for that.
Just kidding, it’s such a pub classic…So many good memories. I’ll just listen with a brew 😉 These breadsticks look amazing and I love the pesto addition- I had a parmesan version a few weeks ago!
That’s what I’m here for, mate. To ruin your memories of your favorite songs. Haha! Just kidding! I have no idea if this is actually what Freddie Mercury wrote the song about…but it does kinda make sense, right? Hmmm…let’s join forces and do pesto + parmesan, yes?