Cheesy Bacon Bites

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine 1 cup flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add very warm water and oil; mix until well blended, about 1 minute.
4. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
5. Dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky. Knead** on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes.
6. Cover and let dough rest for 10 minutes.
7. While dough is resting, in a large bowl, mix cooked bacon, mozzarella cheese, cream cheese.
8. Set aside.
9. On a floured surface roll dough out to 14×12-inch rectangle and cut into 24 squares.
10. Place 1 tablespoon of the bacon cheese mixture on the center of each square.
11. Pull corners together to enclose filling; pinch to seal.
12. Place in a greased pie or square 9×9-inch dish.
13. Brush the tops with the melted butter, and sprinkle black pepper on top.
14. Bake on lowest oven rack for 17 to 20 minutes, or until slightly brown on top.
15. Remove from oven let cool 10 minutes serve with a drizzle of favorite maple syrup.

*If you don’t have a thermometer, water should feel very warm to the touch.

**To knead the dough, add just enough flour to the dough and your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Flatten dough and fold it toward you. Using the heels of your hands, push the dough away with a rolling motion. Rotate dough a quarter turn and repeat the “fold, push and turn” steps. Keep kneading dough until it is smooth and elastic. Use a little more flour if dough becomes too sticky, always working the flour into the ball of dough.