Chicago Style Pizza

One of my lovely readers noticed my absence lately (hi Linda!). I was wondering if anyone was still reading and I am glad to know that one reader is still hanging on.

I tease...and yet. Really. It's kinda lonely in here.

A couple weeks ago my mom and I made a trip with my daughter to Chicago, to the American Girl store. Yes, we drove six and a half hours one way just to take her to the American Girl Sore. For her birthday. Once in a lifetime kinda thing.

I was really disappointed that we never got any Chicago-style pizza while we were there. I was actually really disappointed that we had one good meal the whole time we were there, and that was breakfast, but that's another story. As luck would have it the Monday after we got home the Brown-eyed Baker featured Chicago style pizza. It took about .00001 seconds for me to decide that I needed to make Chicago style pizza for dinner.

Thanks to the Brown-eyed Baker I never have to go to Chicago again (because now the AG store is off the bucket list). This recipe was very easy to follow and it was delicious pizza! My boys love, loved it, and I think it will be making an appearance here often. The dough might look complicated, but it's not. It's easy as...pie.

I think my one mistake was to use shredded Parmesan instead of grated. I think we needed grated, although no one complained.  Next time I will use grated. Also modified -- I used a couple tablespoons of sugar instead of the 1/4 teaspoon Michelle used. We like sweet sauce.

 

Chicago Style Pizza

makes 2 pizzas

For the Dough:
3¼ c. all-purpose flour
½ c. yellow cornmeal
1½ t. salt
2 t. sugar
2¼ t. instant yeast
1¼ c. water, room temperature
3 T. unsalted butter, melted
4 T. unsalted butter, softened
1 t. + 4 T. olive oil, divided

For the Sauce:
2 T. unsalted butter
¼ c. grated onion
¼ t. dried oregano
½ t. salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¼ t. sugar ( I used at least 2 T.)
2 T. coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 T. olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

For the Toppings:
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
(Pepperoni)
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

 Make the Dough: Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Add water and melted butter and mix on low speed, using a dough hook, until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occasionally. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is glossy and smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 4 to 5 minutes. (You can easily make this by hand, mixing in the water and butter with a spatula and then kneading by hand.)

Coat a large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Using greased spatula, transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat the dough in oil; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.

 Make the Sauce: While dough rises, heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add onion, oregano, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar, increase heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to about 2½ cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil and olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.

 Laminate the Dough: Turn the dough out onto dry work surface and roll into a 15×12-inch rectangle. Using an offset spatula, spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border along the edges. Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. With seam side down, flatten the cylinder into an 18×4-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle in half crosswise. Working with one half, fold into thirds like a business letter; pinch seams together to form ball. Repeat with remaining half. Return balls to oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in refrigerator until nearly doubled in volume, 40 to 50 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower position and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

 Bake the Pizzas: Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons olive oil each. Transfer 1 dough ball to dry work surface and roll out into a 13-inch circle. Transfer dough to the pan by rolling the dough loosely around a rolling pin and unrolling into pan. Lightly press dough into pan, working into corners and 1 inch up sides. If dough resists stretching, let it relax for 5 minutes before trying again. Repeat with remaining dough ball.

 For each pizza, sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella evenly over surface of dough. (If you’re using any meat or veggie toppings, add them now, on top of the cheese.) Spread 1¼ cups tomato sauce over the cheese (or toppings) and sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan over sauce. 

Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove pizza from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Source: Brown-eyed Baker

Asian Barbecue Chicken Pizza

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By now you probably have realized that I can turn almost anything into a pizza. To me, a circle of dough is just the perfect blank slate for almost any flavors, and what better way to get the food from your plate to your mouth? ;-)

This pizza was inspired by a recipe I saw for Asian Chicken Salad -- the flavors looked yummy, and so did all those fresh veggies, but my husband and teenage sons don't ever consider salad to be dinner. The funny thing is, I can load all those same ingredients on top of a pizza dough and there you have dinner. Silly boys.

Asian Barbecue Chicken Pizza

serves 4 to 6

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2 boneless chicken breasts

2 T. olive oil

2T. soy sauce

1 T. honey

Sauce:

2 t. oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. minced fresh ginger

1/4 c. diced red onion

1/3 c. reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/3 c. brown sugar

1 T. rice vinegar

2 T. ketchup

1/2 t. sesame oil

Salad:

1 bag cabbage slaw mix

1 red pepper, thinly sliced (or combination of red and yellow)

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1 carrot, cut into matchsticks or shredded

1/4 c. seasoned rice vinegar

1 T. sesame oil

1 T. honey

salt and pepper to taste

1 recipe pizza dough (or prepared pizza crust)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix 2 T. soy sauce, olive oil and honey. Pour over chicken breasts and marinate for an hour or more in the refrigerator.

Prepare sauce: In a small saucepan, heat oil. Add garlic, ginger and onion and saute over medium low for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Simmer over medium low heat until thickened, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool slightly.

When ready to prepare pizza, heat outdoor grill or grill pan. Cook chicken over medium low heat until done. Set aside to cool a minute.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Prep pizza dough: grease large pizza pan. Spread dough to edges of pan (see technique here).

 Slice chicken into bite size pieces. 

Spread sauce over dough and then top with chicken pieces.

Top evenly with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is golden and crust is evenly browned on the bottom.

Meanwhile, place cabbage, radishes, carrots and peppers in bowl. Mix together vinegar, sesame oil, and honey in a container with a lid. Shake thoroughly and pour over salad. Salt and pepper and toss. Taste and adjust seasoning and sweetness if necessary. Toss occasionally while pizza bakes.

When pizza is done, remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes. Slice and serve, topped with salad.

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Chicken Gryo Pizza

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One favorite dish in our house is Annie's Eats' Chicken Gyros. I was having company over for dinner and wanted the yummy flavors of the Gyros, but they are not an easy meal to serve to a crowd -- getting the pitas hot and keeping them hot for a lot of people in a chaotic kitchen is not easy. I decided to combine the yummy flavors of the Gyro with the ease of serving and eating a pizza and the result was really yummy. The kids especially enjoyed it and said they liked it better than the Gyros.

Chicken Gyro Pizza

serves 4

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2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Marinade:
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 T. lemon juice
1 t. red or white wine vinegar
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 heaping T. plain yogurt

1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. salt

Flavored oil:

2 T. olive oil

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 t. oregano

1/2 t. basil

1/4 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

one recipe pizza dough (mine is found here)

3 cups mozarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup Feta cheese

 very thin wedges of tomato

very thin wedges of red onion

Tzatziki sauce:
8 oz. Greek yogurt
1/2 cup peeled, seeded and shredded English cucumber
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
squeeze of fresh lemon juice

drizzle extra virgin olive oil

Cut chicken into bite size pieces and place in a plastic bag or glass bowl. Whisk together marinade ingredients and toss with chicken. Refrigerate for several hours.

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Drain chicken. Spray a large baking sheet with oil and place chicken pieces in a single layer on pan. Place in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is done. You can let them get some color, if desired, but don't let them dry out. (The chicken will mostly be hidden under the cheese, however, so color isn’t necessary.)

Place oil and garlic for flavored oil in a glass measuring cup and microwave for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add spices and stir.

Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees F. 

Grease a large pizza pan and spread dough to edges (if you need to see technique go here).

Arrange chicken pieces on top of pizza dough, breaking pieces up if necessary to make sure pieces are all fairly small. Drizzle with flavored oil. Cover with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is browned lightly and crust is golden (lift with a spatula to check). If cheese browns before crust, move pizza to lower rack. If crust browns before cheese, raise to higher rack.

Cool for a few minutes, then cut into wedges. Top each wedge with tomatoes, onions and Tzatzki sauce, as desired. 

Serving suggestion: serve with a Greek Salad

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Effortless Coconut Custard Pie

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This is one of those recipes that you have seen in my favorite types of cookbooks (group cookbooks) that is always called Impossible Such and Such Pie. I never understood that title because if you've ever made one, you know it's anything but impossible. Effortless, uncomplicated, elementary...yes. Impossible? No.

I've only ever made the Coconut version, but they are basically all the same -- custard ingredients mixed together with a variety of flavoring ingredients. In this one, the flavoring is coconut. It's so simple, you just put all the ingredients except the coconut into the blender, turn it on for three minutes and pour it all into a greased deep dish pie plate. Sprinkle on coconut and bake. When it cools is it, essentially, a crustless custard pie (though the Bisquick does form a sort of soft crust). It has great flavor and texture, and all of my children love it -- including one who usually doesn't eat coconut.

Coconut Custard Pie

6 -8 servings

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2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Bisquick
4  eggs
1/4 cup butter 

1 t. vanilla
1 1/4 cups coconut

Combine milk, sugar, Bisquick, eggs, butter and vanilla in blender. Blend on low for 3 minutes. Pour in greased pie pan. Sprinkle with coconut. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate any leftovers.

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Pizza Rolls

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Lunch is such an issue in my house. My picky children just don't like to eat the same thing all the time. I could eat peanut butter and jelly every day. They balk if I serve the same thing two weeks in a row. Most of the time I just ignore their complaints, but once in a great while I create something new, and to their liking. These pizza rolls were created to shush them. They are just like cinnamon rolls, but with pizza toppings inside instead of cinnamon and sugar. They are really yummy. I used pepperoni and cheese, but you could use cooked sausage, or veggies, or make it into something else entirely -- like corned beef, Swiss and sauerkraut, or ham and Swiss with Dijon mayo -- the possibilities are endless. They would be great to serve at a party or for a ball game on the television.

Pizza Rolls
serves 6

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1 cup warm water
2 t. yeast (or one package)
2 T. sugar
2 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
3 - 3 1/2 cups flour (amount needed depends on brand of flour and humidity)

6 oz. package sliced pepperoni
8 oz. package shredded pizza cheese (or mozzarella)
14 can pizza sauce, or 2 cups homemade

Combine water, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 c. flour, oil and salt and mix with dough hook until dough forms (or if mixing by hand, with a spoon). Add flour, 1/4 c. at a time, kneading at low speed until a smooth elastic dough forms,
about 5 minutes, in mixer (or if kneading by hand, turn onto floured surface
and knead until smooth and elastic). Place in a greased bowl, turning once. Cover and let rise about one hour, until doubled. Punch down. Roll dough out into a rectangle 24 inches long and about 10 inches wide on a lightly floured surface.

Spread with about 2/3 cup sauce. Place pepperoni and cheese in bowl of food processor and pulse until chopped finely (but not pureed -- see picture of mixture). Spread pepperoni mixture over sauce. Roll up from long side and pinch edges to seal.



Cut in half and then cut each half in half. Cut each quarter into three pieces for a total of twelve rolls. Place rolls in a greased 13 x 9 pan. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. and when preheated, bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until rolls are golden brown and when poked in the middle look completely baked.

Let cool for 10 minutes or so and serve with leftover sauce warmed up.

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Tostada Pizza

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If you have followed this blog for long you probably have noticed that we eat a lot of pizza. The funny thing is, I really don't like pizza that much. At least not the "plain" kind with sauce and cheese and maybe some pepperoni. I'll eat it, but it's not my fave.

Now, take the same dough and spread some pesto, or spicy barbecue sauce or even a layer of tasty black beans, add some grilled chicken or fresh tomatoes or, how 'bout some lettuce? Then we're talking. That's not really pizza to me, it's just a meal on a flat bread. That I love.

This last weekend we had Tostada Pizza. I've made it a few times and I think I'm finally ready to share. I mixed it up a little on Saturday and made it on the grill instead of heating up the house, but I'm writing the recipe as if I made it in the oven, because the other times I made it, I baked it in the oven. (If you'd like to learn how to make pizza on the grill, be sure to let me know.) I have also made this pizza without the chicken for a meatless Friday. It was just as yummy, but my guys, they like meat, so I usually add chicken.

I originally enjoyed this pizza at CPK, but it's such an easy dish to make at home -- there's no reason to pay high restaurant prices. You can also find a similar recipe in the CPK Pizza cookbook, but like many of their recipes, it's kind of long and involved and uses many ingredients that I feel are unnecessary to the finished product. Just keep it simple. I happened to have some black beans in my freezer left over from this dish, but if I hadn't, I would make my own with canned beans. I'm posting the recipe below.

In the pizza pictured above, I forgot to use the tortilla strips. They would normally go on top of the lettuce before you drizzle the Ranch dressing. They are a yummy addition, so don't forget them. While you could certainly fry your own, I don't find it's worth the time and mess involved and I use these.

Before topping with salad ingredients.

Tostada Pizza
serves 6

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recipe for pizza dough (below)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
juice of one lime
1/2 t. Worchestershire sauce
1 1/2 t. Soy sauce
1 t. honey
pinch cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
2 T. olive oil
recipe for black beans (below) or your favorite recipe -- you'll need about 2 cups (more or less to taste)
2 cups cheese (I use 1 cup Monterey Jack and Cheddar blended and 1 cup Mozzarella)
4 cups shredded Romain lettuce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced red onion or scallions
1/3 cup creamy Ranch dressing (I use this)
1 cup fried tortilla strips (I use these)
salsa for serving (optional)

Combine lime juice with Worcestershire, soy sauce, honey, cumin, cayenne and olive oil. Pour over chicken breasts in a shallow dish and allow to marinate at room temp for about 30 minutes. Preheat grill, then grill chicken until done (you could broil it as well). Remove chicken from grill and allow to cool slightly. Cut each piece into 3/4-inch dice.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a large round pizza pan or a large jelly roll pan. Press pizza dough on pan to edges. (My technique can be seen here. If dough doesn't give easily when you first begin, let it rest for five minutes and try again. If you try to force it, you'll just end up ripping it.) Spread beans from edge to edge, using as much of the bean mixture as you like (I like a lot). Top with chicken pieces and then cheese. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bottom of crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Cut into squares or pie-shaped pieces. Then, top with lettuce, tomatoes, onion and tortilla strips. Drizzle with Ranch dressing. Serve with salsa, if desired.



Quick Black Beans

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1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies, drained (I use original flavor and save a little of the liquid for cooking)
1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and garlic and heat until garlic is warm and fragrant. Add beans and Rotel tomatoes, and a little of the tomato liquid or water. Simmer for about ten minutes, adding more liquid if necessary to keep beans from drying out. Add cumin, oregano and salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes until beans are rather soft.


Pizza Dough

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1 cup warm water
1 T. olive oil
1 T. sugar
1 1/4-ounce packet yeast (or 2 t.)
2 ½ cups flour
1 t. salt


Place water in a bowl and add sugar. Sprinkle yeast over the surface and allow to sit for 10 minutes (until it foams). Add the oil, 2 cups of flour and salt, and mix until smooth. Knead with dough hook for 3-5 minutes (or 7 minutes by hand) adding flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking. Place in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 30 minutes to an hour, until doubled.


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Pita, Pita Pumpkin Eater -- Pizza!

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I had a bag of pita bread in my pantry this weekend when I made pizza on Saturday night, and decided to do something different, using the pitas for a crust. Not only were they a breeze to make, they were delicious -- the creaminess of the ricotta paired with the salty, crunchiness of the pumpkin seeds -- yum! They would also be a tasty appetizer.

You could substitute toasted pine nuts for the pumpkin seeds and I think it would be delicious. Pine nuts would have been my first choice, except for our tree nut allergy, and the cost of pine nuts (about $5 per 4 oz. bag). Of course, you'll have to change the name if you use pine nuts!

Pita, Pita Pumpkin Eater Pizza

4 large pita breads (I use these pocketless flat breads)
1 c. part skim ricotta cheese
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. fresh cracked pepper (about three cranks on the pepper mill)
8 sun-dried tomatoes (if packed in oil, squeeze between paper towels to soak up oil)
1/4 c. feta cheese
1/4 c. roasted and salted pumpkin kernels



Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix garlic and olive oil in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave for about a minute until garlic sizzles. Place ricotta in a medium bowl and add garlic and oil. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper and stir.

Place pitas on baking sheet. Divide ricotta cheese among pitas and spread evenly to edges.


Mince sun-dried tomatoes and divide among pitas. Sprinkle with feta cheese -- about one tablespoon per pita.

Bake for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle tops of pitas with pumpkin kernels, dividing evenly. Continue baking until bottoms are golden brown and crisp.
Cut each pita into quarters.



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Stromboli

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When I put Stromboli on my menu last week (college boy's choice), I went to link to it and then realized that I had never posted the recipe. I can't imagine how I missed it, since it's one of my children's favorite dishes -- right up there with pizza. And since it's as easy to make as pizza (maybe easier), I'm not sure why I never posted it.

I'm fixing that today with the recipe for Pepperoni Stromboli and a Veggie Stromboli (down at the bottom) which I usually make for myself when I make pepperoni for the family. You can stuff a Stromboli with just about anything, however, and I have used sausage, peppers and mushrooms, and chicken and peppers for stuffing as well. But, really anything goes here -- BBQ beef, taco meat, Mexican pork or chicken. It's all good!

I don't usually brush the tops of my Stromboli with egg white, but if you like a shiny crust, go for it. It gets eaten far too fast at my house to worry about shiny crust.

Stromboli
(as written, makes one Stromboli)

1 pkg yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 T. sugar
1 T. vegetable oil
1 t. salt
3 to 3 1/4 cups flour
2 -3 cloves garlic, crushed, or 1 t. minced garlic
8 oz. package pepperoni, quartered (just stack 'em and cut 'em)
6 oz. shredded mozzarella or pizza blend cheese

pizza sauce or marinara sauce (homemade or canned), heated to steaming


Combine water, yeast and sugar.
Let sit for 5 minutes, until foamy.
Add 1 c. flour, oil and salt and mix with dough hook until dough forms
(or if mixing by hand, with a spoon).
Add remaining flour, 1/2 c. at a time,
kneading at low speed until a smooth elastic dough forms, about 5 minutes, in mixer
(or if kneading by hand, turn onto floured surface
and knead until smooth and elastic).
Place in a greased bowl, turning once.
Cover and let rise at least one hour, until doubled.
Punch down proceed with stromboli.

With each piece, roll out a rectangle about 8 inches by 24 inches.


Dot with garlic (it doesn't take much, so don't be surprised by how little you have -- see my picture?).


Place pepperoni down the center of the bread dough.


Top with shredded cheese.



Then, fold one side of the dough over the center and then the other side. Pinch to seal down the length of the dough.



Place, seam side down, in an almost circle, on a greased cookie sheet or pizza pan.
Make small slits in the top for the steam to escape. Let it sit on the stovetop while you heat the oven.



Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, until top is golden brown.
Let cool for a few minutes, cut in wedges and serve with hot sauce.





For a veggie version of the Stromboli, just use whatever veggies you like. I used about 1/2 an onion, sliced, half a bell pepper and half a red pepper, sliced, about 8 button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced, and two cloves garlic, crushed.



Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a small saute pan.
Add onions and peppers and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until peppers get a little bit soft.
Add mushrooms and garlic and cook until mushrooms are soft, but not really done.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, Cool for about 5 minutes and if there is any liquid in the pan, soak it up with a paper towel.
Then follow the directions for the Stromboli, placing your veggies down the center of the dough, topping with cheese, folding, sealing and baking. Don't forget to slit the top.

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Calzones

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By now you've probably noticed that we eat a lot of pizza on Saturday nights. Sometimes I get tired of pizza -- unlike my children, it's not my favorite dish. I try to mix it up a little, every once in a while and serve burgers or stromboli or calzones. They are all easy Saturday night dishes. This past weekend I mixed it up with Calzones. Basically all the ingredients of a pizza are involved and you're just changing the method for baking them. We attended Saturday evening Mass, so I made my dough and sauce ahead of time, and assembled them when we returned.

The dough is almost my pizza dough. I add a little more oil so you get a crispy exterior on the calzone. This is really not so much a recipe as a method because you can fill them with whatever you want. Some of my kids like just pepperoni and cheese and some like everything, so these are made to order. You can make meat calzones, veggie calzones, or a mix. Mine (pictured) had sausage, mushrooms and cheese. If you're using sausage (I use Bob Evans Italian or spicy Italian), brown it and cool slightly before filling the calzone. I sauté mushrooms, cool, then squeeze out the moisture on paper towels. Green or red peppers, onions, hot pickled peppers can all be used raw.

Calzones
makes 8

Dough
2 c. warm water
2 T. sugar
2 packets yeast (or 4 t.)
1/4 c. olive oil
5 to 6 cups flour
2 t. salt

Filling
1/3 cup cheese for each calzone (total about 3 cups for 8 calzones)
meat or veggies -- about 1/2 cup all together for each

Sauce for dipping
1 large can tomato puree or crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
3 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. dried basil
1/2 t. oregano
1/8 t. pepper



For dough:
Place water in a bowl and add sugar.
Sprinkle yeast over the surface and allow to sit for 10 minutes (until it foams). Add the oil, 3 cups of flour and salt, and mix until smooth.
Knead with dough hook for 3-5 minutes (or 7 minutes by hand)
adding flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking.
Dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your hands or the side of the bowl. The amount of flour may need to be adjusted if the weather is very dry or very humid. Just add flour slowly by the tablespoon and allow to incorporate before adding more. Place dough in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 30 minutes to an hour, until doubled.

While the dough is rising, start sauce. Heat a medium pan over med-high heat; pour in olive oil; turn down to low. Add garlic and stir until it is fragrant and hot, but not cooked. Add tomato puree, sugar, salt, and spices. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning to taste, adding more sugar if desired, or salt and pepper.


When dough is ready, preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
To assemble calzones, punch down risen dough. Cut into eight equal size pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each dough piece to about an 8 to 10-inch circle.
On one half, place meat and/or veggies and cheese. Flip other side of dough over the meat and cheese and pull the bottom dough up over the top and crimp to seal. It doesn't have to be pretty, just sealed. You can mash the edge with a fork if that's easier. Place calzone on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with sauce to dip.

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Chicken Fajita Pizza

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Last weekend I took a break from our regular pepperoni or sausage pizza and created a Chicken Fajita Pizza. I think it was my favorite pizza ever.

I can't say exactly what made it my favorite. I guess I like a good fajita and I think putting the chicken, cheese and all the toppings on a pizza crust made it pretty darn unbeatable. It was easy enough to prepare (don't let all that text down below fool you) -- I marinated the chicken during the day, my husband grilled it while I prepped the crusts and the toppings, and then I sliced the chicken and put it on the crust. In the oven for 10 minutes or so and then we each topped our own piece(s) with the toppings of our choice.

It was fresh tasting with salsa and guacamole and sour cream, but the kids who like "less freshness" (i.e. vegetables) could eat it without any toppings at all. It was a perfect meal for grown ups and kids.

Chicken Fajita Pizza
2 large pizzas

pizza dough recipe (recipe below -- times two for two medium-crust pizzas like I make)
2 to 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (depending on how large they are)
fajita marinade recipe (below)
2 cups cheddar-jack cheese, shredded
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
half onion, sliced
one green pepper, sliced
1 T. olive oil
salsa (see below)
guacamole (see below)
sour cream

Slice chicken breasts horizontally, creating two thin chicken breast pieces out of each breast.
Place in a dish and cover with marinade.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
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Make pizza dough and let rise for 30 to 60 minutes.
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Grill chicken until cooked through.
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When dough has doubled in size,
punch down and let rest for five minutes.
Grease two pizza pans.
Spread dough over pans.

In the meantime, slice cooked chicken into thin strips, across the grain.



Heat oven to 475 degrees F.
Heat oil in a small skillet over med-high heat.
Add onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally,
until onions and peppers are browned and softened.

Sprinkle cheddar-jack over each pizza crust.
Arrange chicken strips over cheese.
Sprinkle chicken with cheddar cheese.


Bake pizza for 10 minutes, or until golden brown,
switching the pizzas, top to bottom, so both brown evenly.
Slice pizzas and serve with toppings.


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Pizza Dough

1 cup warm water
1 T. olive oil
1 T. sugar
1 1/4-ounce packet yeast (or 2 t.)
2 1⁄2 cups flour
1 t. salt

Place water in a bowl and add sugar.
Sprinkle yeast over the surface and allow to sit for 10 minutes (until it foams).
Add the oil, 2 cups of flour and salt, and mix until smooth.
Knead with dough hook for 3-5 minutes (or 7 minutes by hand)
adding flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking.
Place in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Let rise for 30 minutes to an hour, until doubled.

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Chicken Fajitas Marinade

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. cumin
2 T. cilantro
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Mix marinade ingredients.
Place chicken and marinade in a dish or bag.
Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.


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Fresh Salsa

4 medium ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and finely diced
1/4 c. red onion, finely diced
2 jalapeño chilies, stemmed, seeded and diced finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. cilantro, leaves only, chopped
2 T. lime juice
salt, to taste

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Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
3 heaping tablespoons salsa (see above)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lime
salt

Peel ripe avocados and break into chunks, removing pits;
place in a medium bowl.
Spoon salsa on top,add garlic and squeeze lime over the top.
Mash with a potato masher, or the back of a fork, until guacamole is creamy,
but not pureed (there should still be small chunks).
Salt and stir, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.




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Atsa Spicy Pizza Sausage

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I tried this pizza sausage recipe a few weeks ago and have had the picture on my computer since. Though not my recipe, it's worth re-posting because it's goooood. I had never made sausage before, but how easy it was! I really liked buying my own lean ground pork (if your grocer doesn't have any you can ask your butcher to grind a couple lean pork chops) and white meat ground turkey. It was nice to know exactly what was in my sausage meat. The recipe came from myrecipes.com and received a five-star review. I divided the recipe into thirds and that was plenty for one pizza night. I stored the other two-thirds in the freezer. The sausage would also be yummy cooked with some peppers and onions and placed on Italian rolls.

This was all sausage and half red onion and red peppers --
the onion and pepper side was really yummy.

Atsa Spicy Pizza Sausage

1 pound ground turkey
1 pound ground pork
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1 T. fennel seeds
1 1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1 t. salt
1/4 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, crushed


Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned,
stirring to crumble. Drain.

Note: The sausage can be frozen in zip-top plastic bags for up to 3 months.


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Saturday Night Pizza

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You may have noticed, if you look here often, that pizza is usually on the menu on Saturday night. We don't call Domino's, however. We have homemade style.

Whenever we have friends over for pizza they always seem surprised that I bother to make my own. But, honestly, pizza is one of the easiest things to make, and if you make your own, you can make it just the way you like it. Where we live in Ohio, a very thin crisp crust is what all the pizza shops make. I detest a thin "cracker crust," so that's really why I started making my own. Mine varies from medium thin to a thick pan pizza. Sometimes we're in the mood for one, sometimes the other, and sometimes I make both.

I make my own sauce too, because we like it kind of sweet, but you can buy a can of pizza sauce if you're not into creating your own. But, if you've never tried your own, you may be surprised that you do have a preference as to how it tastes and until now you've never even thought about what that preference is. If you use my recipe and don't like a sweet sauce, reduce the amount of sugar you add by half until you give it a taste.

Pizza
(2 large regular crust pizzas or 2 pan pizzas)

2 recipes for dough (below)

1 large can tomato puree (28 oz)
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
3 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. dried basil
1/2 t. oregano
1/8 t. pepper

6 cups shredded mozzarella or pizza cheese
4 T. Parmesan

While the dough is rising, start sauce.
In a med. hot pan, pour olive oil; turn down to low.
Add garlic and stir until it is fragrant and hot, but not cooked.
Add tomato puree, sugar, salt, and spices.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
Taste sauce and adjust seasoning to taste,
adding more sugar if desired, or salt and pepper.

When dough and sauce are ready, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
Grease the pizza pans or cast iron skillets.
(You can also make a deep dish pizza in a cake pan --
it will take a few cake pans, at least two, for one recipe of dough.)
If you want one of each, make one of each.
Punch down dough and divide in half.
Press each half onto the prepared pan.
I find that to spread the dough on a large pizza pan,
it is easiest to put the dough in the middle
and slowly push it out with my fingers,
turning it while I'm pushing.
If dough doesn't give easily when you first begin,
let it rest for five minutes and try again.
If you try to force it, you'll just end up ripping it.




When you get it all spread, use the side of your hand to give the dough an edge.


After dough is spread, ladle on the sauce -- thick or thin, however you like it.
Sprinkle each pizza with 2 T. Parmesan.
Top each with 3 cups shredded cheese.
Place other desired toppings on top of cheese.
Bake for about 15 minutes, alternating pizzas from bottom to top racks
so that the crust gets crisp and the toppings get browned.
Check to be sure crust is browned on the bottom before removing from oven.


A tip for crispy pepperoni:
Place four layers of paper towel on a plate.
Put pepperoni on paper towels, close together.
Top with a paper towel and microwave for 45 seconds.
Blot to absorb grease.




Regular crust, cheese only.



Deep dish, pepperoni.



Pizza Dough

1 cup warm water
1 T. olive oil
1 T. sugar
1 1/4-ounce packet yeast (or 2 t.)
2 ½ cups flour
1 t. salt


Place water in a bowl and add sugar. Sprinkle yeast over the surface and allow to sit for 10 minutes (until it foams). Add the oil, 2 cups of flour and salt, and mix until smooth. Knead with dough hook for 3-5 minutes (or 7 minutes by hand) adding flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking. Place in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 30 minutes to an hour, until doubled.

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Deep Dish Shrimp Scampi Pizza

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Yesterday afternoon I was in a quandary about what to have for dinner. I usually don't give it too much deep thought, but having been in cooking overdrive for several days, I was just stumped. Nothing complicated...it was meatless Friday...could I work in the feast of St. Stephen? Well, I finally gave up on working in the feast day, but I managed something uncomplicated that was meatless and didn't involve me leaving the house for a trip to the store.

This Shrimp Scampi Pizza was just what we needed. Doug said it was the best pizza he'd ever eaten. And three of the kids really enjoyed it, too (although one little girl I now ate the shrimp off the top and left the rest!).

I used a recipe from CPK for the basic idea and adjusted quantities of ingredients to taste. Although I was also making a basic deep dish cheese pizza for one non-fish eating kid, I wanted to make the pizza mild enough that I could eat it. I have tummy trouble with too much garlic and this recipe called for loads. I reduced the amount and still had tummy trouble because even reduced, it's a lot of garlic. But, that's really what scampi is all about so I wouldn't reduce it any more.

My recipe for pizza dough can be found here. I used one recipe for two deep dish pizzas (using a 9-inch cake pan and a 9-inch cast iron skillet). The toppings are the right quantity for one large regular pizza or two medium deep dish.

Deep Dish Shrimp Scampi Pizza

1 recipe pizza dough
5 T. butter
1/4 c. minced shallot
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. salt
pinch pepper
1/3 c. chardonnay
1 T. freshly-squeezed lemon juice

10 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 t. olive oil

1- 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
12 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut in half lengthwise
2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Melt 1 T. butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
Add shallot, garlic and thyme.
Cook, stirring until mixture is light brown, about 6 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, wine, and lemon juice.
Cook until the mixture is reduced to about 1/2 cup.
(Toward the end of the reduction,
reduce heat to low and stir to prevent scorching.)
Remove pan from heat and quickly whisk in remaining 4 T. butter.

In the meantime, preheat oven to 325 degrees F to cook garlic.
Coat the chopped garlic with the olive oil and
place in a small casserole or baking dish.
Roast for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges of the garlic begin to brown.
Stir to provide even browning.
Cook for 15 minutes longer.
Remove from oven when garlic is evenly golden brown.

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
Grease two 9-inch oven-proof skillets or cake pans.
Divide dough in half and press each half into a pan,
pressing up the sides about 1 inch.
Spread half of the garlic/butter/shallot mixture over the surface of each pizza.
Sprinkle 3/4 cup of cheese over each pizza.
Evenly distribute the roasted garlic over both pizzas
and then top with shrimp, skin side up.

Bake until crust is crisp and cheese is bubbly in the center,
10 to 15 minutes.
The shrimp should be pink and cooked through.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley.
Cut in slices.


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Lunchtime Pizzas

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Lunchtime at our house is not the time to prepare a big meal. We're usually squeezing lunch in between recess and recess, or schooltime and recess, or schooltime and schooltime. You get the idea -- we have stuff to do. But, sometimes you just want more than a sandwich. When my oldest kids were preschoolers I started making these little pizzas for lunch. And even though I usually make the dough from scratch, this is still a pretty quick lunch.

I start with a biscuit dough because there is just not time in the daily schedule before noon for yeast dough. But the kids like the biscuit dough -- it gets flaky and stays light in texture. You can use canned biscuit dough, but they have so much sugar in them (or high fructose corn syrup) that I'm not big on the flavor. You could also thaw some frozen yeast rolls overnight in the refrigerator and use those (or half of one).

Lunchtime Pizzas
makes 6-8

2 cups flour (any combination of whole wheat, white or unbleached --
I use white whole wheat)
1/2 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
5 T. butter
2/3 cup milk

1/2 c. pizza sauce
3 T. Parmesan cheese
1/2 to 1 cup shredded mozzarella
pizza toppings, if desired



Stir together dry ingredients.
Cut in butter until crumbly.
Add milk until dough forms a ball.
Knead gently 5 to 10 times.
Roll or pat out dough on a floured surface.
Cut into rounds with a 3-inch floured glass or biscuit cutter.


My baking sheets are dark from use, which makes them not-very-pretty,
but they sure work well -- nice browning.


Place rounds on ungreased baking sheet.
Press dough down until it is about 5 inches across.



Divide sauce, Parmesan, mozzarella and toppings evenly among pizzas.



Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes,
or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
Don't burn your mouth!

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