Ham and Pineapple Swirl Buns

Are you wondering what to pack in your lunch boxes for next week?

  Ham and Pineapple and Cheese Swirls can be made and frozen and packed into lunches.  By the time lunchtime comes, the buns are thawed and ready to eat.

I've used a small recipe of Anneliese's easy french bread dough but you can use any refrigerated dough in a tube if you are in a pinch.

Dough

• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cups hot tap water
• 2 cups flour, white - can be half whole wheat or multigrain *
• 1 Tbsp instant yeast

1. Put sugar, oil, salt and hot water in a large mixing bowl. 
2. Add 1 cup of the flour mixed with the yeast, then the rest of the flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Add flour until dough comes away from side of bowl or easily holds together in a ball shape and is not too sticky if you handle it with floured hands. Cover bowl with wax paper and tea towel.
3. Let rise until double, about 1/2 hour.
4. Roll dough into a long rectangle about 8 inches wide.

Filling

•  sliced ham
•  crushed pineapple,  drain well and press juice out of pineapple
•  shredded mozzarella or cheddar mozzarella blend cheese

1. Layer the ham, pineapple and cheese  over the dough, leaving an inch around each edge.
2. Roll up starting with long edge and cut into even 1 1/2 inch pieces. 
3. Pinch underside of dough together to keep cheese from melting out.  The top of the bun will open up more and that is fine.
4. Place on a parchment paper lined pan and cover for 45 minutes.
5. Bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Serve with warmed marinara sauce.