Ham and Havarti Pizza with Onions and Apples

Tags

apples, cheese, Dinner, ham, havarti, Italian, onions, pizza, quick

These little pizzas are a snap to throw together one a busy work night. Buy the flatbreads so you don’t have to make crust. Even your kids can make these. And the salty/sweet combo is amazing.

Ham and Havarti Pizza with Onions and Apples

• 3 oz thinly sliced deli ham
• 1/3 cup Havarti cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
• 1/2 tart apple, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 2 flatbreads

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the two flatbreads on a pizza stone. In a small bowl, add the onions, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Toss to combine. Spoon evenly over flatbreads. Take the thin apple slices and lay evenly over the onions. Roll the ham into a cigar and slice thinly. Sprinkle ham over apples. Top with the cheese. Bake until cheese is melty and slightly browning. Serves 1 or 2 with a large side salad.

Greek Flatbread Pizza

Tags

asiago, cheese, flatbread, food, greek, kalamata, main dishes, parmesan, pizza, prosciutto, quick

Working late the past couple of weeks has really put a crimp in my cooking style. I can’t stand just eating fast food or frozen junk. This pizza is super quick and very tasty. Thank goodness for flatbreads. You can just throw on your toppings and bake. Poof! Tasty meal in less than 30 minutes. Really.

Greek Flatbread Pizza

• 1 flatbread pizza crust
• Your favorite sauce or pesto
• 3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 10 kalamata olives, halved
• 3 to 4 thinly sliced slices of prosciutto
• 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved
• 5 mushrooms, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the flatbread on your pizza pan (I used a pampered chef stone. LOVE IT!). Top the crust with the desired amount of sauce or pesto. Add the olives, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms. Evenly sprinkle the cheese over the veggies. Scatter the prosciutto over the cheese. Bake the pizza until the cheese is melty and the edges of the proscuitto is lightly browning on the edges. Serves 3.

 

Fontina and Mushroom Pizza with Bacon and Onions

Tags

bacon, cheese, fontina, food, Italian, mushroom, onion, pizza

Studies show that people who eat more veggies and less meat have lower cholesterol. Not to mention 16 oz of mushrooms is cheaper than 16 oz of steak. But I couldn’t do without the meat… so I added the bacon. I just can’t give up the bacon 🙂

Fontina and Mushroom Pizza with Bacon and Onions

• 1 prepared pizza crust
• 16 oz mixed mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 5 slices of fried bacon, crumbled
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 6 oz grated fontina cheese

In a skilled, saute mushrooms, garlic, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper together until wilted. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread dough out onto your pizza pan and bake until very very lightly browned. Top the crust with the sauteed mushrooms, the bacon crumbles, the onion slices, and the fontina cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is beginning to brown. Serves 2 to 3.

Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pizza

Tags

alfredo, artichoke, cheese, food, Italian, pizza, spinach, vegetarian

Michaelangelo: Ahh, ninja pizza!
Donatello: “Ninja pizza”?
Michaelangelo: Pizza that vanish quickly without trace!

Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pizza

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp pesto
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and sqeezed dry
• 1 can of artichoke hearts, rinsed and squeezed dry, roughly chopped
• Pizza Crust

In a heavy saucepan, combine the cream, butter, and cream cheese over medium heat until melted together. Add in parmesan cheese, garlic, pesto and pepper; continue cooking for about 15 minutes or until thickened. On the baked pizza crust, pour the alfredo sauce and spread evenly. Top with spinach, artichokes, and cheese. Bake until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Kale, Caramelized Red Onion, Bacon, Mushroom, and Blue Pizza

Tags

bacon, blue cheese, Italian, kale, mushroom, onion, pesto, pizza

Shew! What a long name for such a great recipe. But how to shorten it?!? If you remove any of the title, you would remove such a key ingredient the reader would no longer have any idea of the true flavor palate or the recipe. So here it is… the whole long title….

Kale, Caramelized Red Onion, Bacon, Mushroom, and Blue Pizza 

The Crust:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 package of yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups beer heated to 110 degrees F (I used my candy thermometer to make sure it wasn’t too hot)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Dashes of red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

The Toppings:

• 8 strips of bacon
• 1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
• 1 bunch of kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped
• 5 button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 oz crumbled blue cheese
• 8 oz grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup prepared pesto
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a glass measuring cup, warm in the microwave your favorite beer to 105 to 110 degrees. Pour in yeast, and let stand for 10 minutes to activate. In a greased large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, garlic, and hot pepper flakes. When proofed, add the liquid to the flour mix. Slowly work it in until it forms a ball. On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth. Add more flour if the mix is too wet. Form into a ball and rub olive oil over the dough ball’s outer skin. Place back in the bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450 F and place a pizza stone (if you have one) inside.

In a skillet, saute the onions in the olive oil until softened and brown, about 20 minutes. Set aside and cool.

In the same skillet, fry the bacon until crispy. Drain and set aside to cool.

In the same skillet, saute the kale until slightly wilty. Add a few tablespoons of water and cover, if necessary.

In the same skillet, saute the mushrooms until the moisture has been rendered.

Sprinkle cornmeal on the heated stone. Carefully spread the dough onto the stone. Spoon pesto on to the dough and spread evenly with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the bacon, onions, mushrooms, and kale over the dough. Top with blue cheese and mozzarella. Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browning. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Slice and enjoy!

Recipe loosely based on this recipe from Melting Pot.

Fruit Pizza with Sugar Cookie Crust

Tags

celebrate, cookies, dessert, fruit, parties, pizza, sugar

Later this month I am going to FoodBlogSouth 2013. I am so EXCITED!!!! I can’t wait to meet new people, learn new blogging techniques, and find new awesome recipes/flavor combinations. Are you going too?

One of the best things about meeting new people is being introduced to their family recipes. Over Christmas I met Kelsey B. She and her sisters brought a beautiful fruit pizza to our family Christmas dinner. It was such a hit that it nearly disappeared off the platter. The presentation was gorgeous. The bright, colorful fruit was so inviting and refreshing after a heavy Southern meal. It would be perfect for baby showers, wedding showers, work events, family reunions, etc.

Fruit Pizza with Sugar Cookie Crust

• 1 package of refridgerated sugar cookie dough
• 1 package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup strawberry jelly (lump free for easy spreading)
• Seasonal fruit (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, kiwi, etc)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a greased cookie sheet, spread out the cookie dough evenly. Bake about 14 minutes or until cookies are done. Cool completely. Spread the cream cheese evenly over the cookie crust. Spoon and gently spread jelly over cream cheese. Top with fruit (do not use bananas, apples, or pears as they brown over time). Refrigerate for storage.

Grilled Margarita Pizza

Tags

food, grilled, Italian, margarita, pizza, summer, tomatoes

I had never attempted grilled pizza before today, thought I have always heard that once you try it, you never want to go back to regular oven pizza. The rumor is true. It is fantastic! I made the margarita pizza, as well as a pizza with proscuto, spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes. They were both very good but the margarita was better. Even the hubby, who is sparing on the compliments, said “this is really good.” Just be sure to watch your crust very closely. It will burn if you don’t keep an eye out. It’s totally worth the effort!

One Year Ago: Insalata Caprese

Grilled Margarita Pizza (courtesy of Old World Farms)

The Dough:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 package of yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups beer heated / warmed to about 110 degrees F  (you can use water – the beer just really adds a great taste to the dough
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

The Toppings:

• Mozzarella cheese
• Tomatoes
• Fresh basil
• Fresh oregano
• Tomato sauce

In a glass measuring cup, warm in the microwave your favorite beer to 105 to 110 degrees. Pour in yeast, and let stand for 10 minutes to activate. In a greased large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, garlic, and hot pepper flakes. When proofed, add the liquid to the flour mix. Slowly work it in until it forms a ball. On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth. Add more flour if the mix is too wet. Form into a ball and rub olive oil over the dough ball’s outer skin. Place back in the bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 hour. Knead again and divide into four equal dough balls.

Have your grill hot and make sure you give the grates a quick brush cleaning so they are fairly clean. Lay out the dough on the hot grill grates and let it on for at least five minutes. Lift up the edges and see if it’s got those nice grill marks.  Flip the dough over and top with your desired toppings. Close the grill lid and allow cheese to melt and the bottom of the crust to cook. Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust

Tags

bread, crust, Dinner, food, Italian, pizza, Supper

I used to make pizza crust with the pre-packaged crust mix. It was a little too hard and dry. This version is very nice. The best part is that it is so quick to make. No time spent rising. I am so glad that AllRecipes posted this recipe. I plan on this being my go-to crust from now on.

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.

 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker’s peel dusted with cornmeal. Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let baked pizza cool for 5 minutes before serving. Makes one 12 inch pizza crust.

Roasted Mushroom Pesto for Pizza

Tags

cheese, Italian, mushrooms, pesto, pizza

I don’t remember how I came across Korena In the Kitchen’s recipe. It looks so fantastic and I just had to try it, even though I didn’t have all the ingredients she used. One day I will make the pizza, ingredient for ingredient. Until then, this version was very satisfying.

Roasted Mushroom Pesto Pizza

For the pesto:

• 5 ounces baby portabellos
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/4 ounce dried shiitake mushroom
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1 tbsp shallot, chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 3 tbsp olive oil

For the toppings:

• 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
• 4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup oven roasted tomatoes
• Desired amount of Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses (Korena used fontina.)

Place the 5 ounces of mushrooms on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil; salt and pepper as desired. Bake mushrooms for 5 minutes at 450 degrees. Add the smashed garlic to the mushrooms and bake another 5 minutes. 

While the mushrooms are roasting, soak the shiitakes in the boiling water.

In a food processor, add the roasted mushrooms, soaked mushrooms and their water, parsley, shallots, thyme, Parmesan cheese, and oil.

Pulse until the mushrooms are in small pieces and spreadable.

On a prepared 12 inch pizza crust, spread the mushroom pesto. Top with spinach, bacon, tomatoes, and cheeses.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is lightly browning.

Mexican Pizza Bake

Tags

appetizer, bake, black bean, Mexican, pizza, quick

This little dish is the perfect appetizer or one-person main course. I whipped it up tonight just before the Super Bowl. Yum!

Mexican Pizza Bake

• 4 small corn tortillas
• 1/4 large onion, diced
• 1/2 jalapeno chile, minced (remove seeds and ribs for less heat)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 can (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 bottle of beer
• 1/2 package (10 ounces) frozen corn, defrosted
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
• 6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 small chicken breast, roasted and seasoned as desired, sliced thinly

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a saucepot, combing spices with the beans, corn, onion, jalapenos and beer. Simmer until most of the liquid is cooked out of the mixture. Spray the bottom of a springform pan with Pam.  Layer in this order- tortilla, sliced chicken, beans and corn combo, tortilla… Top the final tortilla with cheese and scallions.

Bake at 400 until heated through and the cheese is melted. Slice into wedges. Garnish with cilantro and sour cream.