BBQ pizza with chicken and leeks

This was thrown together on one of those nights that there appeared to be not-a-whole-lot in the fridge!

1 batch favorite pizza crust
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
thinly sliced grilled or baked chicken breast
1/4 cup leeks, trimmed and sliced, then sautéed in a little butter
mozzarella
fresh cilantro



Make pizza dough according to instructions thru to spreading out on pizza stone or baking tray.

Spread barbecue sauce over dough. Top with chicken and leeks. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in preheated oven at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Sprinkle with freshly snipped cilantro.

Pizza bianca with spinach

1 batch favorite pizza crust
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese or fresh goat cheese
1/2 cup crumbled mozzarella
3/4 cups frozen spinach, drained
1 small tomato, thinly sliced
3-4 Paris or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt

Roll the dough out onto a baking sheet or pizza stone. Mix together the garlic and ricotta, then spread over the crust, going almost to the edges. (If the ricotta is too thick, stir in a little milk to thin it.) Top with veggies and then crumbled cheese.

Bake in preheated oven at 400° for 25 minutes or unitil crust is just browned. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Chili pizza - just for you, Dad!

Kidney beans on pizza is kind of an inside joke in our family... but this is the ONE way I can think of that kidney beans are acceptable - and actually delicious - on pizza.

1 batch favorite pizza crust
2 cups chili with kidney beans and black beans
1 tomato, chopped
jalapeno slices
mozzarella

Make pizza dough according to instructions thru to spreading out on pizza stone or baking tray.

Spread chili over dough. Top with chopped tomato.

Sprinkle with cheese, then top with jalapeno slices.

Bake in preheated oven at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

BBQ chicken pizza

1 batch favorite pizza crust
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 tomato, chopped
mozzarella
5-6 paprika chicken fingers
1 onion, thinly sliced

Make pizza dough according to instructions thru to spreading out on pizza stone or baking tray.

Spread sauce over dough. Top with chopped tomato.

Slice chicken fingers thinly. Place them on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with cheese, then top with onion slices.

Bake in preheated oven at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Honey, fig and mint pizza

1 batch favorite pizza crust
1 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsps honey
5-6 figs, cut into wedges
thin slices of dried sausage
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
mozzarella

Make pizza dough according to instructions thru to spreading out on pizza stone or baking tray. Brush crust with milk and bake in hot oven at 425° until just golden.

Carmelize the onions in a frying pan with a few drops of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Cook over low heat until soft and translucent.

Remove crust from oven and brush with honey. Top with figs, carmelized onions, sausage and then mozzarella.

Bake for another 15 minutes. Sprinkle freshly cut mint over top. Salt lightly and serve hot.

Vegetable tarte with red pepper pesto

The richness of the red pepper pesto with the Gouda makes this an excellent vegetarian lunch or dinner.

1 prepared pastry crust, rolled out
3-4 Tbsp red pepper pesto
1/2 cup shredded Gouda cheese, divided
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1-2 zucchini, chopped
olive oil
Italian seasoning

Using a spatula, spread the red pepper pesto over the crust, going within 1/2 inch of the edges. Sprinkle 1/2 of the Gouda on top. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes while working on the next step.

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over med-high heat in a frying pan. Add zucchini and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add tomatoes and sprinkle Italian seasoning over top. Cover and cook 5 minutes.

Gently spoon the tomato and zucchini mixture over the baked crust. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top and a bit more Italian seasoning, then bake another 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Garlic pizza with fresh tomatoes

Rather than the traditional tomato sauce, this pizza uses fresh tomatoes, garlic and olive oil.

1 batch favorite pizza crust
4-5 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
mozzarella
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
fresh basil

Make pizza dough according to instructions thru to spreading out on pizza stone or baking tray.

Brush the crushed garlic and olive oil over the dough, going all the way out to the edges.

Top with chopped tomatoes, then mozzarella. Top with mushrooms.

Bake in preheated oven at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Sprinkle with snipped basil before serving.

Paprika and peach pizza

This was the result of a craving for BBQ chicken pizza at a time that we had leftover paprika chicken fingers and some amazing peaches. The green onions came from the garden and add a nice fresh touch to the sweetness.

1 batch favorite pizza crust
5-6 paprika chicken fingers
1/3 cup tomato paste
3 Tbsp vinegar
3 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
dash hot sauce
mozzarella
1-2 peaches, sliced
green onions, chopped

Make pizza dough according to instructions thru to spreading out on pizza stone or baking tray.

Prepare sauce by mixing tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and water. Spread sauce over dough.

Slice chicken fingers thinly. Place them on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with cheese, then top with peach slices.

Bake in preheated oven at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Sprinkle with green onions before serving.

Thin-crust pizza margherita

We make pizza every Friday, sometimes more often during the summer when I don't feel like slaving over a hot oven. By my estimates, I've made more than 300 pizza crusts in the past four years. We decided to try a thin crust pizza recently and are hooked! Bonus: it can be made in about an hour.

What you'll need:
a large bowl
strong spatula or wooden spoon
2 tsp sugar or 3 tsp honey
2 1/4 tsp yeast
11/4 cup warm water
3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp oil
paper towel
pizza stone or baking sheet

Pour the water into your large bowl.



Heat in the microwave to about 120 degrees, or until hot to the touch, but you can stand to keep your pinkie finger in it.



Dissolve the sugar/honey in the hot water.



Pour in the yeast.





Let stand 5 minutes or until 'fireworks' bubble to the top of the water.



Wait until the entire surface is covered with foam. Stir well to dissolve any remaining yeast granules on the bottom of your bowl.





Add half of the flour, stirring until blended. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to get it all mixed in. Your dough should have a batter-like consistency.

Add another cup of flour and stir until mixed in completely.



Sprinkle salt on the dough. Using the spatula, lift the dough up from the bottom and fold it over the top to trap the salt within the dough.



Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.





Knead until smooth and elastic (about 4 minutes). Add 1 Tbsp of flour at a time as needed to keep it from sticking. When you can knead it ten times without sticking to your hands, it's probably ready.



Shape it into a ball.



Place dough in a large bowl coated with oil, turning to coat top. Cover lightly with a damp paper towel. Microwave on high for 15 seconds. Repeat ten minutes later, and again ten minutes later. During this time, preheat the broiler.

Cut dough in half and roll out on parchment paper. Thin, thin, thin!





Top with marinara sauce and cheese.



Broil for 7-10 minutes until browned. Snip basil over the pizza.

White pizza with fresh vegetables

1 batch favorite pizza crust (optional: add 1 Tbsp flaxseed with the flour)
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/4 cup crumbled Mimolette or sharp cheddar
3/4 cups frozen spinach, drained
1 small tomato, thinly sliced
1 roasted red pepper, thinly sliced
3-4 Paris or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 purple onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt

Roll the dough out onto a baking sheet or pizza stone. Mix together the garlic and ricotta, then spread over the crust, going almost to the edges. (If the ricotta is too thick, stir in a little milk to thin it.) Top with veggies and then crumbled cheese.

Bake in preheated oven at 400° for 25 minutes or unitil crust is just browned. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Sun-dried tomato and feta foccacia

Last weekend on our regular pizza night I made up a recipe and half of the dough and saved the extra for this foccacia for lunch the next day. After rising, punch out the air and wrap in two layers of plastic wrap then refrigerate. One hour before baking, remove from fridge and place in a well-oiled bowl to come to room temperature.

4-5 sun-dried tomatoes
2 Tbsp crumbled feta
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
3-4 sprigs fresh thym, or 1/4 tsp dried
olive oil
1/2 recipe pizza crust

Make crust as directed, omitting wheat bran, through first rise. Punch down and place on aluminum foil rubbed down with olive oil - don't be stingy! Pushing gently with fingertips, push the dough out into a rough circle or oval. The thickeness is up to you, but I find some variation makes a nice texture in the end. Brush the dough lightly with olive oil. Let the dough rise another 30 minutes as the oven heats to 400°. Top dough with tomatoes, feta, garlic and thym. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until just golden.

Pizza à l'hawaïenne

1 recipe favorite pizza crust
marinara sauce
mozzarella
ham
last night's leftover grill mix: red peppers, onions, pineapple, mushrooms

Honestly, I don't think it requires any more direction than that. With those ingredients, it would be hard to go wrong.

Fresh veggie pizza

This pizza uses my favorite crust recipe and a marinara sauce. The toppings were pulled from what we had in the fridge, but 'pulled-from-the-fridge pizza' just didn't have the same ring to it. Thanks for the inspiration, Kendra!



1 zuchinni, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 Tbsp basil pesto
2-3 crushed garlic cloves
1 tsp olive oil
pinch salt
1 small tomato, chopped
2 cups grated cheese (also pulled from the fridge - we used Gouda, Emmental, mozzarella and goat cheese crumbled on top)

Heat oil over medium-high heat and add zuchinni. Cook until it just begins to soften. Add onions, garlic, mushrooms and pesto. Stir to mix well and cook 2_3 minutes.

Spread out the pizza dough and top with marinara sauce, then cheese. Top with zuchinni mixture and a pinch of salt, then the chopped toamatoes.

Bake in preheated oven at 450° or until cheese begins to brown.

Pesto-pepper tarte

1 prepared pastry crust
1/2 cup basil pesto
2 roasted red peppers, sliced
1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms
1/2 cup mozzarella, sliced thinly

Roll out the crust on a baking sheet or pizza stone. Using a plastic spatula, spreads the pesto evenly on the crust, leaving an 1/2 inch border. Top with peppers and mushrooms, then mozzarella. Bake in pre-hreated oven at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Pizza dough tutorial

We make pizza every Friday, sometimes more often during the summer when I don't feel like slaving over a hot oven. By my estimates, I've made more than 175 pizza crusts in the past three years. Some have been great, others needed help. But I think the following recipe is the best of the ones I've tried. It uses common ingredients and is pretty foolproof. Perfect.

What you'll need:
a large bowl
strong spatula or wooden spoon
2 tsp sugar or 3 tsp honey
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup wheat bran or 1/4 cup oatmeal
3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp oil
plastic wrap
pizza stone or baking sheet

Pour the water into your large bowl.



Heat in the microwave to about 120 degrees, or until hot to the touch, but you can stand to keep your pinkie finger in it.



Dissolve the sugar/honey in the hot water.



Pour in the yeast.





Let stand 5 minutes or until 'fireworks' bubble to the top of the water.



Wait until the entire surface is covered with foam. Stir well to dissolve any remaining yeast granules on the bottom of your bowl.



Add wheat bran or oatmeal, stirring until mixed.



Add half of the flour, stirring until blended. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to get it all mixed in. Your dough should have a batter-like consistency.

Add another cup of flour and stir until mixed in completely. Let dough sit 15 minutes. This allows the gluten to develop, but what you really need to know if that it makes kneading the dough go faster and be less messy.



Sprinkle salt on the dough. Using the spatula, lift the dough up from the bottom and fold it over the top to trap the salt within the dough.



Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.





Knead until smooth and elastic (about 4 minutes). Add 1 Tbsp of flour at a time as needed to keep it from sticking. When you can knead it ten times without sticking to your hands, it's probably ready.



Shape it into a ball.



Place dough in a large bowl coated with oil, turning to coat top.



Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (85°), 30 minutes or until doubled in size.



Gently press two fingers into dough. If the indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.



Sprinkle the top with a few pinches of flour. Turn the bowl sideways and pull it down from the edge so that it rolls out flour-side down on your baking sheet or pizza stone. Sprinkle with a few more pinches of flour to keep from sticking to your hands. Roll dough out all the way to the edges. Take your time so that the dough stays evenly thick. If it's too stiff or bounces back, wait about five minutes then try again.



Let sit 15 minutes while the oven heats to 400 degrees. Before baking, top with marinara sauce, cheese, and toppings.





Bake for 25 minutes or until crust is brown.