Jalapeño Popper Pizza

Confession: I don't think I've ever even had a jalapeño popper!  I don't even know what they really taste like but I could not stop thinking about the idea of this pizza.  So mouth-watering, I had to make it.  Like over and over.  My husband's response to what kind of pizza we were having the other night when I made this was, "oh, that one again."  Yeah, that one again.  Don't get me wrong, he loved it too. The first two times I made it there was no chance of getting a picture so I had to make it again to make sure I got it just right and had a quick couple of seconds to snap some pics.

This pizza definitely isn't the hottest thing I've tasted, but just enough heat and smoke for my taste.  I used half pepper jack cheese and half smoked cheddar cheese (my fave).  Smoked cheddar (not the processed smoked cheese "product", but real cheese) might be hard to find in some areas, so using all pepper jack or using mozzarella or sharp cheddar would be a good substitute. Sometimes I like to add grilled chicken but it can get heavy. In that case, I would use parchment to roll the dough on and just slide that onto the pizza stone. I also brush the edges of the dough with some of the bacon fat and that's TOTALLY optional, but not really....just do it. 

Jalapeño Popper Pizza

Perfect Pizza Crust 

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced

a few thin slices of red onion

Prepare pizza dough as directed.  While dough is rising, cook bacon and set aside, reserving a couple tablespoons of the bacon grease.  Prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 degrees. Stretch out pizza dough onto pizza peel dusted with flour or cornmeal. Brush bacon grease around the outer edges. Using either your fingers or a spatula, spread softened cream cheese over the dough, leaving about a 1-inch border where you brushed the bacon grease. Layer both cheeses, crumbled bacon, red onion and jalapeños.  Slide pizza onto baking stone and bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden and cheese  is bubbly. 

 

Fresh Peach and Corn Caprese Pizza

So, now that I've basically taken the whole summer off from blogging, I'm going to cram all the summer-luvin' food in your faces the next couple weeks before fall starts.  EEEK!  I'm just a little excited. 

Summer was busy for us, but, hey, who wasn't it busy for?  Our most exciting time was a week up in Island Park, Idaho near Yellowstone, with my WHOLE family; all my siblings, their spouses and kids, and of course my parents.  It was just awesome to get away and be together, but we also got to see and do some fun things as well.  The rest of the summer has not been too incredibly exciting.  Lots of trips to the pool and water parks, playing with friends and such.

Anyway, I digress.  We got out of our regular Friday night pizza night over the summer and had missed several.  I was craving it big time!  I was just craving a regular caprese pizza but my mom always gives me stuff from her garden.  She gave me some corn and peaches from her tree (fresh peaches=heaven!), and I thought, hey, why not throw it onto a pizza? So, not only does this pizza have homegrown corn, peaches and basil but I also threw on some fresh mozzarella and smoked jack cheese.  MMMmmm!  I discovered my love for smoked cheese last year, thank you Trader Joes, and it's one of my most favorite things to put on pizza.

This pizza is the essence of summer!  It will not disappoint.

Fresh Peach and Corn Caprese Pizza
1 recipe Perfect Pizza Crust
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small peach, thinly sliced
handful of grape tomatoes (halved or whole)
corn cut from 1 fresh ear
4 oz. fresh mozzarella
1/2 cup smoked cheese (such as mozzarella or jack), shredded
2-3 Tbsp. fresh basil, chiffonade

Mix pizza dough according to directions.  While dough is rising, make balsamic reduction.

Pour balsamic vinegar into a small pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium high and cook until reduced by half, about 2 tablespoons.  Set aside.

Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 degrees F.

Once dough has risen and doubled in size,  roll out on a pizza peel generously dusted with corn meal.  You can also roll it out on parchment paper (which you can slide right into the oven with the pizza); the more toppings the harder it is to slide off onto the baking stone.  Brush the entire top of the dough with olive oil.  Spread the garlic around the dough as evenly as you can, either with your fingertips or a pastry brush. 

Slice the mozzarella and layer on top of dough, followed by the sliced peaches, tomatoes and corn.  Top with the shredded smoked cheese. If you want you can tuck in a few basil leaves too.

Slide pizza onto pizza peel and bake 8-10 minutes or until top is lightly golden and cheese is bubbly.  If you're using parchment, slide pizza on top of an inverted cookie sheet, then either place that right into the oven or use it to slide it onto the pizza stone. 

Remove pizza from oven, allow to cool slightly, then drizzle the balsamic reduction over the top.  Slice and serve warm.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza

Hooray, it's pizza night at our house! This is one of my most beloved nights of the week.  Today I'm especially excited because I'm using a specialty flour I ordered, that comes from Italy; 00 caputo flour, just for pizza-making!  I'm still deciding tonight's toppings but I'm pretty sure it's gonna be good.

I digress though.  Let's talk about THIS pizza. Chicken Cordon Bleu was a dish I used to make frequently when I first got married. Over the years I stopped making it but I still love the flavors.  This pizza is just as mouth watering as the actual dish.  The creamy sauce is the perfect base for the ham and chicken and, of course, the flavors are all fabulous together. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza
makes 2 12-inch pizzas

Perfect Pizza Crust (doubled)
2 chicken breasts, grilled and chopped
1 cup cubed ham
4 green onions
2 cups swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

for the sauce:
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 cup swiss cheese, shredded
salt and pepper, to taste

Make pizza dough according directions.  While dough is rising make sauce and grill chicken.

To make the sauce, melt butter in a small saucepan.  Add the flour and let bubble about a minute.  Whisk in milk and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and whisk constantly until thickened; about a minute or so.  Remove from heat and whisk in mustard.  Add cheese and stir until melted and incorporated.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, to taste.  Set aside.

Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 degrees F.

Once dough has risen and doubled in size, split it in half.  Roll one half out on a pizza peel generously dusted with corn meal.  You can also roll it out on parchment paper.  Brush the edges of the dough with olive oil. Spread half of the cheese sauce on the rolled out dough.  Evenly layer half of the chicken, ham, shredded swiss and shredded parmesan cheeses.  Top with green onions.

Slide pizza onto preheated pizza stone in oven (or inverted cookie sheet).  Bake 7-9 minutes or until golden on top.  Repeat with other half of dough and toppings.  Serve warm.

Easy No-Cook Pizza Sauce

I am eternally grateful to my friend Carrie for introducing me to this pizza sauce.  We have regular pizza nights around here so I want something that tastes GOOD if I'm going to be eating it over and over! I have used this easy sauce a TON and still do on occasion, but I just love this one a little more.  Plus it has fresh basil, need I say more?  I think not.  I love that this sauce has the ease of opening up a couple cans and tossing in some herbs but still has that fresh taste to it.  This is my favorite, it'll be yours too.


Easy No-Cook Pizza Sauce
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 6 oz- can tomato paste
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano (or 2 tsp. dried)
8 large basil leaves (or 2 tsp. dried)

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.  I like to divide mine up into small containers and freeze it for the next time we make pizza.


SOURCE: Carrie's Creative Kitchen

Spinach, Artichoke and Pesto Pizza

We've had a long-standing tradition of having homemade pizza every Friday night and it's one of our family traditions that I absolutely LOVE!  When I was teaching school I always used to tell my students on Friday that it was party day because it was the weekend.  I couldn't wait to get home and celebrate, veg and make yummy food.  Although over the years our Friday nights have changed, we eventually settled into the Friday night pizza night, which I'm sure we'll keep for years to come.

On pizza night I usually make two pizzas.  My girls are still not adventurous when it comes to toppings, so I just stick with homemade sauce and mozzarella.  Thank goodness my hubby is a good sport because I always try to make something different for us to share.  MOST of the time, it works out great.  Tonight was no exception.  This pizza was fabulous!!  Maybe it's because it's slathered with pesto, I LOVE all things basil, or the combination of toppings, but it really hit the spot.  You'll love it!


Spinach, Artichoke and Pesto Pizza
1 recipe Perfect Pizza Crust
1 recipe Basil Pesto (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded parmesan


Prepare pizza crust according to directions.

Preheat baking stone* and oven to 450 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes.

Once dough has risen and doubled in size, roll it out on a pizza peel generously dusted with corn meal.  You can also roll it out on parchment paper.  Spread the pesto over the dough, leaving about a 1-inch border.  Layer the spinach, artichokes, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.  Slide dough onto pizza stone and bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.  Cool slightly before cutting into it.

*If you don't have a baking stone, you can use an inverted cookie sheet.


SOURCE: Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Chicken Enchilada Pizza

By the time I get to Fridays I'm spent, totally and completely!  I leave pizza for the weekend because, HEY! it's Friday, it's the weekend! Let's have something fun and easy.  My girls ALWAYS choose cheese pizza, I just don't ask anymore.  One day, their taste buds will be a little more distinguished, ONE DAY!

Don't get me wrong, my cheese pizza is pretty dang good, especially when I make it on my garlic bread pizza dough (which I have yet to post), but I don't want to forever and always eat cheese pizza when I do eat it.  So, this is my latest installment of our adult pizzas.  It was really delicious, especially all that fresh on top and the zingy lime juice! If you don't like or want the chicken, it is easily swapped out for black beans and just as tasty. 


Chicken Enchilada Pizza
1 recipe Perfect Pizza Dough
Enchilada Sauce
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 - 1 1/2 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded (or use half Cheddar and half Monterey Jack cheese)
Romaine Lettuce, thinly shredded; about 1 leaf
1-2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
Avocado, sliced
grape tomatoes, halved
fresh lime

Mix up pizza dough according  to directions and allow to rise. While dough is rising, cook the chicken, shred and set aside.  Also, make the enchilada sauce and strain as instructed. Add about half of the onion mixture and a couple tablespoons of the sauce to the shredded chicken and toss. 

Preheat oven (along with pizza stone if you are using one) to 450 degrees F.  Roll out dough and brush edges with olive oil.  Spread about 1/4 cup of the strained encilada sauce onto the dough.  Layer with about half of the cheese, then the chicken/onion mixture and top with the other half of the cheese.  Slide pizza onto hot baking stone (or inverted baking sheet) and bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until cheese has browned a bit and is bubbly.

While pizza is cooking, prepare the rest of the toppings; lettuce, cilantro, avocado and tomatoes.

Remove pizza from oven and allow to cool slightly.  Top with remaining toppings, then squeeze fresh lime juice all over pizza and serve.

*Use some remaining enchilada sauce for dipping, if desired, and the rest plus the onion mixture can be stored in the freezer for later use (more pizza yay!!!).

Pizza Sorrentina

I almost feel silly calling this a recipe (rather than a list of ingredients) for the pizza above unless you count the pizza dough, because it's so easy!  At first glance, the basil and lemon combination caught my eye, but then I saw the recipe called for smoked mozzarella rather than just fresh and I was completely SOLD!  I searched high and low for the smoked mozzarella but finally found it at Trader Joe's in Salt Lake City.  I'm sure there might have been somewhere slightly closer that had the motz, but hey, any excuse to go to Trader Joe's and I'm there!

The story behind this pizza is pretty cool.  The story/recipe was run in the Wall Street Journal and is served at Keste Pizza & Vino in New York City's West Village. The pizza was invented by the daughter of a great pizza maestro in Naples, Italy.  She created it for her mother, who loved lemons. It gets it's name, Sorrentina, from the town Sorrento, which is known for it's lemons.  

This pie is deceptively delicious and you will love every bite.  The bites of smoky mozzarella are cut by the bright and tart flavors of the basil and lemon. A perfect balance.

Pizza Sorrentina
Notes: I did not use the recipe for the pizza dough from the article in the WSJ because it called for a specialty flour (00 Caputo) and I didn't have 8 hours for it to rise.  I did use a slightly adapted version of my favorite pizza dough, which still turned out wonderfully.

For the dough:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used bread flour)
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. active-dry yeast
2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 - 1 2/3 cups warm water

For the toppings:
1 lemon, very thinly sliced
3 ounces smoked mozzarella
10-12 fresh basil leaves
olive oil, for drizzling

To make the dough, place the dry ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Make a quick pulse to combine, then add the oil and water.  Mix until dough is firm and smooth, 5 minutes or so, but still slightly tacky to the touch.

Divide the dough into 3-4 balls and place on an oiled cookie sheet (you may need more than one). Rub the dough balls with oil and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled in bulk. During the last half hour preheat pizza stone in a 450 degree F oven. You can also use an inverted baking sheet, which doesn't need to preheat.

Soak lemon slices in water for 15 minutes, then pat dry.

To roll out the dough: Dab your fingers in flour and then place one ball on a generously floured work surface (either parchment or a pizza peel). Press down in the center with the tips of your fingers, spreading the dough with your hand. When the dough has doubled in width, use a floured rolling pin and roll out until it is very thin, like flat bread. The outer portion should be a little thicker than the inner portion.

Layer cheese over the top of the dough, leaving  about a 1-inch border.  Arrange lemon slices and tuck in basil leaves. Drizzle olive oil over the top, brushing around the edges.

Slide pizza into oven onto baking stone. If using parchment, no need to slide pizza off parchment onto stone, just slide it on there with it.  Bake 8-10 minutes, until puffy and golden. Remove pizza and repeat with remaining dough.


SOURCE: WSJ: Pizza With a Twist via Alexandra's Kitchen, dough adapted from Todd English's The Fig's Table.

Winter Squash Sage and Pine Nut Pizza

One thing I love about our family pizza nights is that we always get to try new things!  Now granted my 4 and 6 year old daughters will eat nothing but cheese pizza, but hubby and I love experimenting.  Pizza is another great way to embrace the flavors of seasons, so that is exactly what I did.  Sage and winter squash are a perfect pairing and get used a lot around this time of year.

Pizza does not have to be boring!  We've had weekly pizza nights (give or take a week here and there) for quite a while now and I never tire of it because were always thinking of something new to put on top.  It's a fun tradition to do with my family that creates memories and a tradition I hope to carry on for a while.

Winter Squash Sage and Pine Nut Pizza
1 recipe Whole Wheat Crust
1 cup butternut squash puree (you can either roast your own squash and puree it or buy it already pureed)
1 small onion, sliced thin
2 tsp. fresh sage leaves, minced
10-12 fresh sage leaves, whole
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, shredded
1-2 Tbsp. pine nuts
4 Tbsp. butter

Mix dough according to directions.  Allow to rise. 

While dough is rising, caramelize onions.  Drizzle 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil in a saute pan and heat over medium-high heat.  Add onions and allow to cook until translucent and browning; about 10-15 minutes.  Meanwhile, melt the butter. Add whole sage leaves and cook until crisp and butter is browned and has a nutty fragrance.  Remove sage leaves and set aside.

Preheat pizza stone and oven to 450 degrees F.

Stir the squash puree, nutmeg, salt and pepper until mixed well.  Stretch pizza dough over pizza peel dusted with cornmeal or parchment paper.  Spread squash mixture over the top, leaving about 1/2-inch border.  Brush the edges with some of the browned butter.  Top with caramelized onions, minced sage, mozzarella cheese, pine nuts and Parmesan.

Slide pizza into the oven onto preheated pizza stone or an inverted cookie sheet, no need to remove parchment if using, just slide it right in there with the pizza. Bake 8-10 minutes or until top is golden and bubbly. 

Remove pizza from oven and drizzle with some of the remaining browned butter and crisped sage leaves.

Apple-Sausage Pizza on a Whole Wheat Crust

Nothin' screams fall like apples!  Apples go good with so many things, like cheddar, bacon, chicken sausage, caramelized onion, so why not just throw it all together on a pizza?  Yup, that's what I did....oh so delish.   The whole wheat crust is perfect for this pizza because it can stand up to all those wonderful toppings and still deliver a great taste. 

We have pizza night about once a week and I'm always looking for ways to change it up for the hubs and I.  My girls are not very venturesome when it comes to pizza, so I make one cheese pizza for them and a different one for the "adults."

Apple-Sausage Pizza on a Whole Wheat Crust 
For the crust:
1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. instant yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup warm water

Place all ingredients except the water in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Pulse a time or two to evenly distribute everything.  Add water and mix for about 30-60 seconds.  If dough seems too dry, add a little more water, one tablespoon at a time.  If it is too wet, add more flour, about one tablespoon at a time.   Let dough knead for about 8 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.  Place dough in a greased bowl.  Cover lightly with a lid or damp kitchen towel and let rise until doubled in size.


For the pizza:
cornmeal, for dusting
1 recipe whole wheat crust
1 Tbsp. Dijon or coarse-ground mustard
1/2 pound chicken sausage, cooked and crumbled
1 apple (I used Gala), thinly sliced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced and caramelized
4-5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated (I used white cheddar, but not necessary)
1/4-1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

*To caramelize onion, place onion in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil and cook on medium to medium-low for about 8-10 minutes or until slightly browned and soft.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  If using a baking stone, place it in the oven as well to preheat.  Dust a pizza peel or parchment paper with cornmeal and roll out pizza dough.

Drizzle olive oil over the top of the crust, and brush around the edges.  Spread the mustard evenly, leaving about 1/2-inch border at the edge.   Top with about 3/4 of the cheddar cheese, sausage, bacon and caramelized onions.  Tuck in the apple slices, then sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese and mozzarella.

Slip pizza from the peel onto the hot baking stone, or if you're using parchment paper, just slide it right onto the stone. Alternately you can use and inverted cookie sheet. Bake for about 7-10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

Summer Berry Sweet Pizza

I think WinCo is my absolute favorite place to grocery shop!
1-because I can always find fresh basil there,
2-because their bulk section is a granola-maker's heaven,
3-chocolate covered cinnamon bears (need I say more???)
4-they have awesome deals on produce.

A couple of weeks ago they had amazing deals on their blueberries and strawberries and I found myself going back for more and more!!! I bought them mainly to support my green smoothie habit, so I froze most of them, but I couldn't help using some of them fresh; like on this pizza.

Pizza night is pretty much a weekly occurrence around here and we've finally upgraded to 2 pizzas instead of 1 for our little family. I usually make my girls a cheese pizza, per their request, and make something a little more fancy shmancy for my hubby and I. This time, I decided to divide the dough for the second pizza into 3 and make 2 individual pizzas plus a dessert pizza. Let me tell you , BEST DAY EVER!

This is the perfect summer pizza. Right now all the berries are in season, so they not only taste yummy but don't cost ya an arm and a leg to buy them either. And, how can you go wrong with chocolate and more chocolate?

This recipe is equivalent to one large pizza, divided into three smaller pizzas. I would only make as much dessert pizza as you will eat, as it does not keep well. Divide the topping ingredients accordingly for each pizza you make.

Summer Berry Sweet Pizza
1 recipe Perfect Pizza Crust (add additional 2 Tbsp. sugar with dry ingredients)
9 Tbsp. nutella
2-2 1/2 cups mixed fresh berries, cut into smaller pieces if necessary (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc.)
1 cup white chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. melted butter, for brushing the edges
3 Tbsp. turbinado sugar, for sprinkling the edges

Make pizza dough according to directions, making sure to add 2 tablespoons sugar when mixing. Allow dough to rise once. While dough is rising, preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 degrees F.

After the dough has risen, punch down and divide into 3 smaller dough balls. Let it rest for about 5 minutes. I highly recommend using parchment paper for this pizza because it may be too heavy to slide off onto the stone (or inverted baking sheet). Roll one dough ball out on a piece of parchment. Brush edges with melted butter. Spread with 3 tablespoons of the nutella, then evenly distribute 1/3 of the berries, topping with 1/3 of the white chocolate chips. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of turbinado sugar around the edge of the pizza. Open oven quickly and slide parchment onto baking stone. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Repeat with remaining dough and ingredients. Feel free to bake more than one pizza at a time, if you have sufficient room.

SOURCE: Adapted form Donal Skehan

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza

So, um, prepare to have your socks knocked off, mm-kay! What an unlikely combination, this pizza is; strawberries, cilantro, bacon, balsamic vinegar and a few other things. I was completely intrigued by this pizza and I happened to have every single ingredient the day I stumbled upon this recipe. So, as any good food blogger would do, I made it-like immediately, that very day!

Unfortunately, the power went out the first time I made this pizza (right as I was putting it in the oven), and although it tasted wonderful, the crust didn’t turn out quite right because it was only being cooked with the residual heat left in the oven. Well, I had no problem making it again, in fact I could hardly wait.

Now is still a great time to get strawberries in season, so I suggest you make this pizza rapido!! Your family and your belly will thank you.

So, without further ado, here are the cast of characters.....

Doesn't it look pretty all put together? I love all the colors! Colorful food is yummy food in my book.

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza
For the sauce:
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup good quality strawberry jam or preserves
1 Tbsp. sriracha sweet chili sauce

To assemble:
1 ball pizza dough
olive oil, for brushing
1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken
4 slices bacon, diced and cooked until crisp
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 oz. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
Scant 1/2 cup hulled strawberries, small-diced


Add the balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let cook 4-5 minutes or until reduced by about half with a thick, syrupy texture. In a small bowl, combine the balsamic reduction with the strawberry jam and sriracha chili sauce. Set aside.

To make the pizza, heat the oven to 500˚ F and preheat a pizza stone. Roll out the pizza dough into a 12-14 inch round. Lightly brush the perimeter of the dough with olive oil. Spread the balsamic-strawberry mixture in a thin layer over the crust. Layer with the chicken, bacon, onion, cheeses, cilantro, and strawberries.

Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing and serving.


SOURCE:Slightly adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from The Cafe Sucre Farine

Thai Chicken Pizza

I absolutely could not wait to share this pizza with you. It was so incredibly delicious and quite unique too. If you love Thai food, this is right up your alley. The pizza has pretty typical toppings found in many Thai dishes: carrots, red pepper and cilantro. And the sauce....oh the sauce!!! Let's just say I could swim in it and slurp it up all day. It's the most amazing thing ever. I found myself using the leftovers for pasta, dipping veggies, and as a salad dressing.

I threw this together rather quickly on some Indian Naan bread. It makes a fabulous lunch or a speedy weeknight dinner.

Thai Chicken Pizza
4 Indian Naan bread
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
1 red pepper, julienne
2 green onions, chopped
1-2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Thai Peanut Sauce (recipe below)
sweet chili sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Make the Thai peanut sauce and set aside. Gather the veggies and chop them up accordingly. In a small bowl, toss the chicken with a little sweet chili sauce.

On each piece of Naan, spread about 2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce. Layer with chicken, peppers, onions, carrots and cilantro. Top with a small handful of cheese. Bake about 7-10 minutes.


Thai Peanut Sauce
1/2 C peanut butter
1 lime, juiced
2 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. minced ginger
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
2-3 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce
2-4 Tbsp. water

SOURCE:Pizza adapted from Budget Bytes and sauce adapted from Our Best Bites

Linked to...
These Chicks Cooked @ This Chick Cooks

Easy Pizza Sauce

Just taking a second to throw this up here, especially since it goes with my last post for pizza. I love this pizza sauce. If you make pizza a lot, you should try it.



For over a year now I have been using an easy pizza sauce that you just add a powder mix to a can of tomato sauce. I liked it ok, but I realized it wasn't the freshest option, nor the healthiest (since most pre-packaged spice mixes have anti-caking agents in them for a long shelf life.) I don't know about you but I'd much rather have something fresh, plus the taste is always better. This sauce is pretty close to fresh and it's super quick and easy to boot! It also tastes loads better than the stuff you can get in a pre-packaged spice mix.


Easy Pizza Sauce
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
drizzle of olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

Add everything together in a small mixing bowl and mix well. Let sit for an hour or so before you're ready to make your pizza.

SOURCE: Adapted from Alli-n-Son

Sweet Pepper, Tomato and Feta Pizza

This has been my new favorite pizza lately. I actually made it twice within a week once and didn't even get tired of it. The flavors of all the fresh veggies and two cheeses really go together well; I especially love the pop of the fresh basil. I know it's nearing the end of the season, when you can get all this produce cheap, but if you have a chance, squeeze this into your menu before it gets too cold!

Sweet Pepper, Tomato and Feta Pizza
Makes 1 large (about 16-inch)pizza
1 recipe Perfect Pizza Crust
your favorite pizza sauce
2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup julienned red and yellow peppers
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn or chiffonade

Make pizza crust according to directions. Preheat oven (and pizza stone) to 450 degrees F. Roll pizza dough out onto either a pizza stone or the back of a cookie sheet that's been generously sprinkled with cornmeal. Spread sauce on top.

If you're using sun-dried tomatoes that are not packed in oil, place them in a small saucepan and add water until they are just covered. Boil for about 5 minutes, until soft; drain and chop.

Layer Roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and peppers on top of pizza dough. Top with feta, mozzarella and basil. Bake for about 7-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and just starting to brown.



SOURCE:Adapted from the Costco Cookbook

Pesto Pizza with Butternut Squash

I think it would be good if time just stood still for a little while. There's always too much to do and not enough time to do it in. After throwing my daughter's 2nd birthday party last weekend, it took my house days to recover from all the mess I made in the kitchen. I'm not even fully recovered yet. I came down with a nasty cough because I was doing too much and not sleeping enough and my body is just worn out. So, time can just stand still while I crawl into bed and recover.

Needless to say, meals have been pretty simple around here for the past few days; leftovers, soup, peanut butter sandwiches....

However, I did buy some fresh basil last week in anticipation of making this pizza and it was calling my name last night. This pizza totally hit the spot. I love basil to begin with but anything with pesto, sign me up! The combination of flavors here is perfect. Who would have thought butternut squash would work well on pizza but it really does. This recipe calls for Gouda cheese, which I happened to have some leftover from a previous meal, but you could substitute another soft mild cheese such as mozzarella or provolone. If you can't find fresh basil to make a pesto, you can use store bought.



Pesto Pizza with Butternut Squash
1 recipe Perfect Pizza Crust
6 (1/4-inch-thick) slices peeled butternut squash or pumpkin (about 1/2 pound)
2 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. olive oil
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Fontina or Gouda cheese
1 (14.5-ounce) can finely chopped tomatoes, drained (or 2 medium fresh tomatoes)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup basil pesto (recipe to follow)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese

Make the pizza dough and set it aside to let it rise. While it is rising, place the squash on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sugar and toss to coat. Cook on 400 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes or until tender.

Roll out pizza dough on pizza pan or stone and sprinkle cheese over it, leaving a 1/2-inch border; top with squash mixture, tomatoes, and oregano. Drop pesto by level teaspoons onto mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 425° for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Basil Pesto (Joy of Cooking)
2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts (walnuts work too)
2 medium cloves garlic,
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup olive oil

Process first 4 ingredients in a blender to a rough paste. With the machine running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube. Add a little more oil if sauce seems too dry (it should be a thick paste). Add salt and pepper to taste.

Refrigerate up to a week or store in the freezer.


SOURCE:Adapted from Cooking Light on myrecipes.com

Linked to...
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
This Week's Cravings @ Mom's Crazy Cooking
Seasonal Sundays @ Real Sustenance

Whole Wheat Zucchini Parm Pizza

I wish I had all these zucchini recipes last year when I actually had zucchini in my garden. Sadly to say much went to waste because we didn't eat it fast enough and got tired of it. Zucchini is so versatile, there are endless possibilities.

This is a great little pizza and super easy to throw together. I thought the taste would be mediocre at best but I was wrong. Between the parmesan and the garlic seasoning, the taste was wonderful! I loved it.

1 recipe Perfect Pizza Crust (substituting at least half of the flour for whole wheat flour)
2 small zucchini, sliced thin
oilve oil
Johnny's Garlic Bread Seasoning (Costco)
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4-1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Make pizza crust according to directions. After you spread it out on a pizza pan or stone, brush or drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with the Johnny's seasoning. Lay out zucchini on top of the dough then top with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

Bake at 425° F for about 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.

Pizza Rolls

I have been dying to post these pizza rolls for a LONG time, but the last time I made them and took pictures, the pictures didn't turn out. Now, I know this is probably not a novel idea to most but I hadn't ever seen anyone do it and I thought it was pretty cool. They turned out so delicious too. We love these pizza rolls.

1 recipe perfect pizza crust
1 cup Easy Pizza Sauce
1 cup (more or less) mozzarella cheese
3-4 Tbsp. melted butter
3/4 Tbsp. garlic butter seasoning (I use Johnny's from Costco)

Make pizza crust according to directions and let raise once. After it has risen, turn it onto a counter sprayed with cooking spray and roll it out thin, in the shape of a rectangle. Spread sauce; you may only need 1/2-3/4 cup but you can use the rest for dipping after the rolls are cooked. Add cheese and start rolling the dough tightly in a neat line. When there's about an inch of dough left, stop rolling and pull the edge up and over, pinching it closed.

With a piece of dental floss (preferably not the mint kind), slide it under the roll and pinch of pieces about 1-inch thick (for a visual, see photo on my orange roll recipe). Lay the rolls in a 13x9-inch baking pan, sprayed with cooking spray. You should get 12 rolls out of the dough. Cover lightly and let raise until about doubled.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine melted butter and Johnny's seasoning and brush over the tops of the rolls. Bake for about 17-20 minutes.

Serve warm either plain or with extra pizza sauce for dipping.

This recipe linked to Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen

Perfect Pizza Crust

*Wow, has it already been a week since my last post? Time flies when you're packing. The big day is Saturday. Then all the unpacking, ugh! Here's another one I saved up for ya'll.


We make pizza for lunch at our house about once every other week and we LOVE it! I used to use my white bread recipe but I found this one from Annie's Eats that I now use all the time. It's easy and it's yummy and it's quick. This dough makes enough for one pizza.

Perfect Pizza Crust
Makes 1 large pizza
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup hot tap water

Place flour, yeast, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Pulse a second or two to combine dry ingredients. Add oil and hot tap water and mix for about 10 seconds. If it looks too wet, add a little more flour, if it's too dry, add a little more water. (NOTE: You want it wet enough to leave a little residue on the side of the bowl at this point but not so wet that it's gooey.) Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Dough should be a little sticky to the touch. Do not add any flour or water after the dough is done mixing.

Form the dough into a ball, put it in a deep oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap,a damp towel or a lid. Let rise until doubled in size (times will vary, so just keep an eye on it). Punch dough to deflate it.

Form dough into a ball and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough relax for about 10 minutes. Preheat the oven and your pizza stone to 450 degrees F. If you don't have a pizza stone, you can use the back of a cookie sheet.

Roll out dough on pizza peel that has been generously dusted with cornmeal. If you don't have a pizza peel you can use parchment paper and slip it right onto your hot stone. If you are using the back of a cookie sheet, no need to preheat it.  Add toppings of your choice. Gently slide pizza off onto the stone and bake about 7-10 minutes or until the edges brown and cheese is golden brown in spots.

SOURCE:Adapted from Annie's Eats.

Garlic Ranch Chicken Pizza- 3 sauces

I knew this was going to happen! I went to take a picture of the last 2 pieces of pizza while I had good, natural light but this is what I got instead. So, you'll have to settle for the picture I took at night, in the dark, with my flash. I think it still looks pretty yummy.I posted this originally back in August, I think, but I've made it since then with different sauces, so I thought I'd updade it.

for 2 pizzas

1/2 recipe homemade white bread
Sauce (your choice)
2 small grilled chicken breasts,chopped(I seasoned them with powdered ranch dressing)
1 roma tomato, diced
green onion, sliced
mozzarella cheese
chives

Make bread dough and split in half. Spray pizza pan, cookie sheet or pizza stone with cooking spray and roll out dough. If you only have one stone to cook on, leave the other half of the dough in a ball and when the first pizza is done, slide it off and roll the remaining dough out. Spread half of the sauce on the dough, then sprinkle with chicken, tomatoes, green onion and cheese. Bake in 425 oven for 15 minutes. Repeat with second pizza.

Sauce 1: Garlic Ranch Cream Sauce
2-3 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
salt & pepper
2-3 tsp. powdered ranch dressing
1 cup chicken stock
2/3 cup whipping cream

Heat butter in frying pan and saute garlic on medium heat for a minute. Add the flour and whisk. Let bubble for about a minute. Add chicken stock and cream, whisking to combine; let bubble until thickened. Add ranch powder and salt & pepper to taste. This makes enough for 2 pizzas.

Sauce 2: Johnny's Garlic Spread
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. Johnny' Garlic Spread (I bought mine at costco)

Mix together and refrigerate a couple hours before use. Use half on each pizza. This nifty jar of seasoning has come in handy a lot lately! I've used it here, for my pizza, because I didn't have any ranch dressing, I've used it to season my chicken and I always use it for my garlic butter when making garlic bread. It's terrific!

Sauce 3: Your favorite bottle of ranch dressing

NOTES:As far as the sauces go, I really like the garlic ranch cream sauce, it has a lot of depth to the flavor and is, as stated, creamy. Johnny's is my next favorite and ranch dressing my least. I have to say, I'm not sure if I would use a bottle of ranch because I just like to make things from scratch, but hey, it's pretty convenient if you find yourself in a bind.

You could also add cooked and crumbled bacon to this pizza and switch up your cheeses if you like; make it your own. Here's a tip about chicken stock when making the first sauce: If you use chicken stock in the can, you'll have almost a cup leftover to refrigerate and use within 2-3 days or freeze for later. However, I like to use chicken soup base or buillon granuals so I only have to make as much chicken stock as I need and not have any leftover. I small jar of soup base takes up a lot less space than a case of chicken broth and it's more cost-effective.

Tomato Mozzarella Tart with Basil Garlic Crust

For the dough:
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1-2 cloves garlic
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 8-10 pieces*(see notes)
4-5 tbsp. ice cold water

For the filling:
8 oz. mozzarella, sliced (fresh or regular)
Ripe roma tomatoes, sliced from top to bottom (to make circles)
2-3 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 tbsp. minced fresh basil


To make the dough, combine the basil and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely minced. Add the flour and salt; pulse briefly to combine. Add in the chunks of butter and pulse about 10 times, or until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. Add 3 tablespoons of the water and pulse a few times to incorporate. Add 1 more tablespoon and process for several seconds to see if the dough forms a ball. If not, add the remaining tablespoon of water and process until a ball of dough forms. Remove the dough, flatten into a 5-inch disc, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

When you are ready to bake the tart, preheat the oven to 425° F. Lay out 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Transfer the chilled dough to onto the plastic wrap and lay another 2 sheets on top of it. Roll it out into a 12-inch circle. Remove top sheets and lay the dough over a 9-inch round tart pan (plastic wrap side up) and press it into the sides. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Trim the excess dough as needed. (I use this to reinforce the edges.) Lay a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper loosely over the tart dough and fill the center with baking beads. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil or parchment and baking beads. Return the empty tart shell to the oven to bake for 5 minutes more. Remove from the oven and lower the heat to 375° F.

Layer the bottom of the pre-baked tart shell with the sliced mozzarella. Arrange the roma tomato circles on top of the cheese in a single even layer. Sprinkle with toasted pine nute. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with freshly grated Parmesan and minced fresh basil.

Bake about 30 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned in places. About halfway through baking, rotate the tart 180° and wick off any excess moisture that has collected on top with a towel if necessary. Allow the tart to rest at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

NOTES:Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats. As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I had everything and immediately made it for lunch that day. She never fails, it was delish! However, I did feel that the crust had WAY too much butter in it. So, I went to my trusty old Cooking Light books and found several other tart shell recipes that only had a tablespoon or 2 of butter/oil. The next time I make it I will only use 2 tbsp butter.