Spectacular Pizza

I had company over this weekend.

They need to eat just like everyone else in the world.

But, there were dietary restrictions- I needed gluten free and they needed nearly dairy free. Whatever we ate needed to be healthy, fit our dietary guidelines, and be delicious. So I thought about it for a few days prior to the visit.

What did I come up with for supper? Pizza. Yep, pizza.

We ended up making two separate pizzas. The first was a pineapple and ham pizza on a new gluten free crust (which I was told by my husband is the best pizza crust ever) and the second were mini veggie pizzas. (Equally spectacular)

The gluten free crust was great. I was little nervous when I made up the dough (this seems to be a recurring theme lately LOL) because it looked like lumpy mashed potatoes. No joke. My company looks over my shoulder and giggles- "It looks like seasoned mashed potatoes." GF cooking really is an adventure.

This dough was different from others I've tried because it contained a teaspoon of unflavored gelatin. I have read a lot of recipes that call for this particular ingredient but I didn't know why. Well, now I know why. The gelatin gives the finished crust a great "chewy" texture just like a thick wheat-based crust from a pizzeria. Jon was beyond impressed. I've got to admit, I was too.

For the other pizzas we did a simple veggie pizza, on a fat free corn tortilla. I came up with this quick thin crust option when I was ravenous after work one day. All you do is toast up a corn tortilla on both sides under a broiler. Remove the browned "crust" from the oven, top with desired toppings (in this case mounded fresh spinach, fresh mushrooms, a drizzle of olive oil, a small amount of feta and Parmesan cheeses, finished with a sprinkle of kosher salt & black pepper) Return the pizza to the oven, broil until the cheeses brown and the veggies wilt down a little bit. And there you have it, lunch or supper in just a few minutes. Fantastic!

As much as I want to give credit to someone for this crust recipe, I can't. I read this same recipe on so many websites I don't recall which one I actually wrote it down from. So- to everyone in the blogosphere who has posted this recipe: I thank you for the wonderful addition to my family favorites!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!


Pizza Crust (Jon's Favorite)
Makes one large crust

1 packet dry yeast (rapid rise)
2/3 cup rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
2 TBS powdered milk
2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
1 tsp dry Italian seasoning
2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1 tsp brown sugar, NOT packed
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 425.

In a small glass bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit to proof.

Meanwhile, in a mixer fitted with regular beaters (not dough hooks) combine all the dry ingredients.

Once the yeast has bloomed (about 3-5 minutes) Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the oil and vinegar. Blend on low speed until combined. Add additional warm water 2 TBS at a time until the dough resembles a soft bread dough (or in my case soft, lumpy mashed potatoes)

Dump onto a floured counter top. Liberally sprinkle the dough with additional flour. (I just used my gf all purpose flour) Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes until it holds together.

Spray a pizza pan lightly with cooking spray. Spritz your hands with cooking spray and press the dough into a thin, even layer.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. (If you are using a pizza pan with a zillion little perforations like I do, take a long handled spatula and gently loosen the par baked dough from the pan.) Top dough with desired toppings.  Return to oven and bake 15-20 minutes longer, until the toppings are done and cheese is golden brown.

Let rest 3-5 minutes before slicing.

Pizza!

I was so scared to make supper tonight. I mean, really, genuinely nervous. I was going to make pizza. Gluten free pizza. With my very first homemade blend of gluten free flours.

Soy flour, rice flour, tapioca flour, and corn starch. The combo had me seriously questioning my cooking skills.

I followed the recipe.

Doubted my cooking skills.

Rolled out the dough, and continued to over analyze the situation. (And what were the most invasive thoughts? What if this turns out to be the biggest disaster of a meal I've ever made?! What am I going to do? Order a pizza? Um, no.)

I preheated the oven. Threw the crust in.

A few minutes later I pulled out the dough to putting the toppings on.

I returned it to the hotbox.

I waited, face nearly pressed against the glass door. I watched it bake for 16 minutes, until it looked like pizza.

I took it out. I looked at Jon. He looked back at me, not knowing quite what to say. (I'm thinking- It LOOKS like pizza, but what's it going to taste like!?)

I must have looked unsure because Jon said to me- Honey, I'm sure it will be great. (Note to self- Remember to mark those points down for him in the good husband book)

I cut the pizza. And said to myself, (reassuringly ha!) Well, let's give it a whirl.

I took a bite. Jon waited.

I smiled and relief washed over my face. It was pizza. Real pizza.

It was very filling. The dough was a little denser than I'm used to, but it was still very good. As far as our first ever attempt at gf pizza, we called it a success.

I think this dough would make an excellent deep dish pizza. Next time we try it, we are going to make 2 smaller pizzas with thinner crusts, on our pizza stone, so it's a little more crunchy. I'll let you know how that works out :)

Do you have a favorite gf pizza dough recipe you use? Feel free to share it in the comments.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Pizza Crust
Makes enough for: 1 deep dish or 1 extra large pizza or 2 large thin crust pizzas

1(1/4 oz) packet yeast 
1 1/3 cup milk 
1 tsp brown sugar 
2 1/3 cup gluten free all purpose flour mix 
2 tsp xanthan gum 
1 tsp salt 
2 tsp. olive oil 
2 tsp. cider vinegar

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the milk using your microwave to about 110 degrees (warm but not Hot).  Mix in the yeast, sugar and milk in a medium bowl and set it aside.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and xanthan gum. 

The yeast mixture should be foaming(bloomed) by now. Add the apple cider vinegar and olive oil to the yeast mixture and then stir it into the flour blend. Mix it well.

Drop your dough out onto a well floured surface. Sprinkle with flour liberally and work into a soft, but no longer sticky dough.  Sprinkle the dough with a small amount of flour. 

Divide and roll out the dough to your desired thickness.  Transfer the dough onto your baking sheet and cook it until the dough is just starting to brown.(For a regular xl pizza it took about 10 minutes) 

Remove from oven. Top with toppings. Return to oven until the cheese is thick and bubbly. (This took about 16 minutes in my oven)

Remove from oven. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting. Serve.

Griddle Pizza

Jon and I enjoy pizza on occasion.

We very rarely eat fast food pizza.

When we eat pizza it's generally "good for you" pizza. Lots of veggies, sometimes fruit, light on the sauce, and homemade pizza dough.

I've made pizza on a pizza stone,on a sheet pan, on a perforated pizza pan, on a grill, and over a campfire. Tonight we tried a new technique- pizza on a counter top griddle.

Super easy. It doesn't heat up the house. And it makes a really crispy, sturdy crust. We really enjoyed it.



We've had this particular recipe before, but I've always made some adaptations. This is first time we've followed it step by step, ingredient for ingredient. The revisit was well worth the time and effort.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Griddle Pizza
Serves 4
357 calories per pizza

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
2/3 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
3 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped trimmed arugula (about 4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons oil. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, salt, oregano, and thyme. Add to yeast mixture; stir well. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into the dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide in quarters. Roll each portion into a medium sized circle on a floured surface.

Heat a griddle coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Place one dough portion on pan; cook 5-10 minutes until golden brown. Turn dough over; sprinkle with 1/8 cup mozzarella and 1 tablespoons Parmesan. Cook 5-10 minutes; remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining dough and cheeses. (My griddle is large enough to make 2 pizzas at once.)

Combine 2 teaspoons oil, arugula, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Spoon 2cups salad onto each pizza crust using a slotted spoon. Cut each pizza into 4 wedges. Serve immediately.

Fruit Pizza & Broccoli Casserole

First things first, did you remember to change your clocks ahead? It's 7:10 pm, it's still sunny outside. Yea, I dig it.

Jon and I went to Mom & Dad's house last night for dinner. We had ham, potatoes, fresh tomatoes, super easy biscuits, and for dessert- fruit pizza. So delicious.

I told my coworkers I was bringing fruit pizza and got several puzzled looks. Apparently it's a Midwest food?

Well, here's my little work of art:

It's not the best for you, but it hits the spot :)

For tonight's dinner we had chicken & broccoli casserole with side salads. We really liked it. The casserole was creamy and cheesy, and filling. A definite keeper.

A side note to a sneaky individual - thanks for the tangerines! You're right, you can't ever have enough fruit around.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Fruit Pizza
Serves 12

1 tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough
8 oz strawberry cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
assorted fruit (we used bananas, strawberries, grapes, kiwi, and canned Mandarin oranges- drained very well)

Roll out the sugar cookie dough into one large cookie. Bake until lightly browned. (I ended up flipping my cookie halfway through because the center didn't want to set up for me) Cool completely.

Mix the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together. Spread over the cooled cookie crust. Top with fruit.

Cut into 12 slices.

Optional- drizzle melted chocolate over the entire pizza.

Chicken & Broccoli Casserole
Serves 8
275 calories per

3 quarts water
1 (12 oz) package broccoli florets
24 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 (12oz) can evaporated fat-free milk
1/4 cup flour (about 1 ounce)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 (10.75-ounce) can healthy request cream of chicken soup
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400°.

Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, and cook 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer broccoli to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Add chicken to boiling water; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until done. Transfer chicken to a cutting board; cool slightly. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, and add chicken to bowl with broccoli.

Combine evaporated milk, flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a saucepan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add mayonnaise, next 4 ingredients (through soup), and 1/2 cup cheese, stirring until well combined. Add mayonnaise mixture to broccoli mixture; stir gently until combined.

Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until mixture bubbles at the edges and cheese begins to brown. Remove from oven; let cool on a wire rack 5 minutes.

Copycat

Jon and I love Papa Murphys pizza. Unfortunately, we don't have one within driving distance, in fact, the closest store is in Florida which is 1 1/2 hours away.

When we lived in MN some times I would get a craving for their chicken, bacon delite pizza. Usually, it was in the middle of a blizzard. Go figure. So I learned to make my own version at home. It is very close to the original.

I haven't mastered my own thin pizza crust yet, so in the meantime I use a little help from the store. Feel free to experiment with your favorite crust and see what you like best.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Thin Crust Chicken Bacon Pizza
Serves 6 (But not really because this pizza is so yummy you can't have just one)
272 calories per slice

1 prepared thin pizza crust
1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 TBS light ranch dressing
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tyson grilled chicken breasts, diced
20 (or so) fresh spinach leaves
8-10 quartered artichoke heart pieces (packed in water, drained)
4 TBS Oscar Mayer bacon pieces
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

In a small bowl, mix together the ranch, garlic, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese.

Spread evenly over the entire pizza crust, all the way to the edge.

Sprinkle chicken, spinach, artichokes, and bacon over the sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese.

In a 450 degree preheated oven, bake for about 10 minutes until the crust is crunchy and the cheese is melted.

Let set for 5 minutes before cutting into 6 pieces.

Parting is such sweet sorrow

I had my final day at the adult foster care home where I've worked for the last 4 years. Saying goodbye to everyone was much harder than I ever imagined it would be. I've learned so much about myself and about what I can do. Lessons I may never learned otherwise.

There were ups and downs, as it is with life. I am thankful for who I've become because of everything I experienced.

I met a lot of interesting people over the years. I forged friendships that will go with me no matter where I move. For those treasured few, I am left without words to express my gratitude for their part in my life.

My dear friends Kate and Joshy decided we needed to celebrate our friendship over dinner last night. It was more than I could have ever asked for. Good friends, laughter, and food. It was perfect.

Kate posted a quick blog about our dinner that you can check out here:

http://kathleenjbade.blogspot.com/2010/10/rockin-fondue-pot.html

The only words I have for these two gems are- Thank you. I love you both.

Although I didn't make dinner, I did make a snack when I got home. It was a little project I started the day before- pepperoni chop bread.

My brother, Adam, has a friend from high school named Wyatt. Wyatt's mom used to make a snack bread that Adam really enjoyed. He brought the recipe home and my dad baked up the pepperoni chop bread. We ate it around the table playing board games one night. It was a hit.

When I moved out the recipe disappeared somewhere into the depths of my cookbooks. I found one similar the other day I wanted to try out. Guess what!? It was the recipe I remembered.

Jon gave it a thumbs up. He really liked that he could just pull a piece off and go back to what he was doing. Pizza flavor without the mess. Yum.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Pepperoni Chop Bread
Makes 1 free form loaf

1 loaf frozen white bread dough
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1 tsp. oregano
4 oz. thin-sliced pepperoni
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Thaw dough at room temperature on a cutting board lightly sprayed with vegetable oil spray for 2 hours, or until thawed. Pat into a 10-inch circle on cutting board. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or in an air-conditioned house for 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.

Or dough may be thawed and risen overnight in the refrigerator, in a bowl lightly coated with vegetable oil spray. Pat dough into a 10-inch circle on a cutting board and continue with recipe.

Spread pizza sauce over dough. Sprinkle with oregano. Top with pepperoni, then mozzarella cheese.

Draw dough up around filling. With a large, sharp knife, slice bundle about five or six times across, then five or six times in the other direction. With knife, gently mix by lifting dough and pizza mixture from bottom and piling on top. The dough pieces should be about 2 inches square.

With a spatula, gently mound mixture on a lightly greased baking sheet, re-shaping into a circle and making sure most of the filling touches the dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until puffy and brown. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before removing from baking sheet. Serve warm or cold. To reheat, bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Pizza Time

I love mushroom pizza. The problem is when you order it from a restaurant it's usually greasy, loaded down with cheese, and there are only about 5 mushroom slices for the entire pie.

I want my slice to be super loaded with mushrooms and flavor. The only solution? Make my own.

I went with a white sauce instead of traditional red pizza sauce. It was a perfect match for the mushrooms, sauteed onions, and bacon.

A helpful hint my husband gave me years ago- when your pizza is done baking, let it sit on a counter top or cooling rack and rest for about 8-10 minutes before cutting. This allows everything to set up and not just slide all over the place when you slice through the gooey goodness. It makes all the difference between a messy pizza and a pretty pizza. Plus, you are far less likely to burn your mouth on super hot pizza!

This pizza is fantastic right out of the oven(cooled slightly of course), but it's even better the next day cold.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Mushroom Pizza
Serves 6
238 calories per slice

1 Marketside thin crust pizza
3 1/2 cups thickly sliced mixed fresh mushrooms (portabellas, button, shitaki),
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 clove garlic
4 slices center cut bacon, cooked partially

1 tsp flour
2 tsp I can't believe its not butter light
7 TBS skim milk
fresh cracked pepper
2 TBS shredded Parmesan
2 laughing cow light, original flavor
1/2 TBS fresh parsley

3 oz part skim mozzarella (about 3/4 cup)


Preheat oven to 450.

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, and bacon. Saute until tender. Remove from pan.

Add flour, butter, milk, and pepper to the skillet. Stir constantly. Once thickened slightly, add cheeses. Remove from heat and stir until cheese is melted. Stir in the fresh parsley.

Spread sauce over crust. Top with mushroom mixture. Finish with cheese.

Bake directly on the middle rack for 7-9 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Cool for several minutes before cutting into 6 pieces.

Easy Peasy

Sometimes I want a super easy meal. A lot of times that means meatless. I am a big fan of Boca products, particularly Boca Chik'n patties. They are super versatile. You can eat them alone, on a bun as a sandwich, or diced up as a healthy chicken replacement.

Jon is a big pizza fan. We make pita pizzas at home so that we can each make whatever type we want.

Basically it is just pita, sauce, and toppin's. Jon's favorite basic pizza is pepperoni, bacon, and green bell pepper. Mine is mushroom and diced ham.

First I will outline the basic steps for making pita pizzas, then I will offer up some different combinations.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Pita Pizzas
Basic directions

Pita bread rounds- whole wheat work really well for this recipe
sauce
toppings of choice- these need to be cooked through, you are just warming them up

Preheat the broiler in an oven to 450 degrees. If you have electric oven, leave the door cracked to keep the element on.

Place pitas directly on the rack. Keep and eye on the pitas and lightly brown one side of the pita. Remove from oven with tongs being careful not to tear the pitas.

Flip pita over so the soft side is up. Place toppings on the pita. Broil until toppings are warmed through and cheese is melted.

Remove from oven and cool slightly. To do this step, you can use a pizza peel or slide them onto a baking sheet. Cut into 4 wedges.

You can also do these on a grill: preheat grill to medium high heat. Follow the same procedure- crisp up one side. Flip, top and return to grill. Close the lid in order to melt the cheese and warm through.

Here are some of our "fancy" pitas:

Philly Pita: light Alfredo sauce, thin sliced steak(leftover is great), sauteed onion and bell peppers, fresh mushrooms, and mozzarella.

Chicken Bacon Artichoke Pita: light Alfredo sauce, grilled chicken pieces, crumbled bacon, fresh spinach, canned artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, and a smidgen of mozzarella.

Hot Chik'n Pita: spread a wedge of light laughing cow cheese over pita. Cook and dice a Boca Chik'n patty then coat in Franks Hot wing Sauce, sprinkle over pita. Top with a cheddar and mozzarella mix. Drizzle with ranch and additional hot sauce if desired when done cooking.

Garden Pita: No sauce! chopped canned artichoke hearts, chopped sun dried or fresh tomatoes, feta cheese, Parmesan cheese. Top with fresh spring greens (toss in a balsamic/olive oil/coarse ground mustard vinegrette). Fresh baby basil is awesome on this.

BBQ Chik'n Pita: BBQ sauce, cooked and diced Boca Chik'n patty, sauteed onion, cheddar and mozzarella cheese. (Leftover pulled pork is good instead of chik'n for a BBQ pork pita)

Seafood Pita: light Alfredo sauce, chopped shrimp, imitation crab meat, Italian seasoning, fresh diced tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese.

Chicken Cordon Blue Pita: light Alredo sauce, diced ham, diced chicken, shredded Swiss cheese. Finish with fresh chopped chives.

Mexican Pita: cheddar cheese, taco meat, sauteed onion, bell pepper. Once you cooked the pizza, top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sweet banana peppers, drizzle with sour cream that has been thinned out slightly with skim milk.

Breakfast Pita: Spread a wedge of light laughing cow cheese on the pita. Top with scrambled egg, diced ham, bacon, or sausage, sauteed onion and bell pepper, and a smidgen of mozzarella. Top with fresh, diced tomato when finished cooking.

Adam's Pizza Pita: red sauce, turkey pepperoni, canned corn (drained well), mozzarella. No joke, this pizza is super good!

Mushroom and Ham Pita: Spread a wedge of tomato basil mozzarella Laughing Cow Light cheese over your pita. Top with sauteed ham and onion. Dice an artichoke heart(packed in water, drained well) and sprinkle over ham. Slice some fresh mushrooms and spread evenly over all. Top with a little mozzarella.

Upside down and backwards

Jon often works a different schedule from me. So, a lot of the time, I am ready for dinner but he is ready for breakfast or lunch. The other day he requested on his favorites that would please us both: breakfast pizza.

Like most pizzas, this one is very versatile. Think of this recipe as more of a basic idea and fit it to your personal tastes. It can be as healthy or naughty as you make it. So have fun!


Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend! Cheers!

Deep Dish Breakfast Pizza
(Listed with Jon's favorite toppings)
Makes 6 servings

1 (8oz) can refrigerated crescent rolls, reduced fat
6 links sausage, cut into bite sized pieces
1/3 cup diced ham
1 1/2 cups frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
1/2 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 whole eggs or 4 egg whites
3 TBS skim milk
fresh cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Unroll crescent dough and place on a lightly sprayed, shallow, 8x8 pan. Press seams together. Gently press dough partially up sides of pan to form a crust. Set aside.

In a skillet, brown sausage, ham, and onion over medium heat; drain well and cool slightly.

Sprinkle crust evenly with hash browns. Then meat mixture.

In a bowl, beat eggs, milk and pepper; pour over pizza.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into 6 pieces.

It's pronounced "Cal-Zone"

While I was out picking green beans and tomatoes from my garden yesterday I got to thinking about all the things my mom used to cook. My brain is often one big web of thought when I garden. I let my brain relax and wander to places I haven't thought about in years. It's like one giant domino game, in that one thought leads me to the next in a seemingly random but beautiful pattern.

First, I was thinking of BLT's with my own lettuce and tomatoes, then about cleaning my green beans, then about my mom and how she used to set me and my brother up in the dining room with green beans and brown grocery bags. We would snap green beans for what seemed like an eternity(which was in reality probably only 20-30 minutes)while our mom would wash and freeze them for winter.

From there my brain turned to later in my adolescence, to Mom making calzones. They were of course cheesy and delicious, but she managed to "sneak" spinach in there too. Then I remembered a few people had requested the recipe. So, today, before I snap beans and get ready to freeze and can them, I will take a moment to share her recipe with the world.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Ms. Mary's Cheese Calzones
Serves 4

8 oz frozen bread dough, thawed
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 TBS water
1 clove garlic, minced
5 oz frozen, chopped spinach
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 egg slightly beaten
7 oz ricotta or cottage cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/8 cup parmesan cheese
Pizza sauce or marinara sauce for dipping

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Place on a floured surface and cover with a clean towel. Let dough rest while preparing the filling.

In a skillet, mix onion, water, and garlic. Cook until onion is soft. Add spinach and seasoning. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook until warmed through.

In a medium bowl, combine egg and cheeses.

On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 6 inch round. Place 1/4 of the spinach mixture on one half of each circle. Be sure to leave an edge. Top with 1/4 of the cheese mixture, again leaving an edge. Moisten the edges of the dough with water. Fold the dough in half to cover the filling. Pinch the edges together to seal. You may want to use a fork to help press the seals together, just be careful not to poke a hole in the calzone.

Using a fork, poke three to five vents in the top of the calzones.

Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 15-22 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with wamed pizza or marinara sauce.

Summer Lovin'

Just an amusing side note, as I was putting in the title for this blog I automatically did this: Summerli. Can we say old habit!? The muscles in my hand just know "mmer" is followed by "li". I guess it will take some more practice to replace Zimmerli with Erickson. :)

Ok, moving on. I was at a local park the other day enjoying the sunshine when a smell caught my nose. You know, like in the old cartoons. Imagine the aroma wafting in, it turns into a hand and lures you in. You float, mouth watering, across the room to whatever the wonderful smell is, be it pie or pizza or whatever you fancy that day. That day the smell reminded me of a cold veggie pizza. Once it was in my brain, I had to make it.

You can use any of your favorite raw veggies, I just used what was in my fridge. Enjoy this light, cool summer pizza.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Veggie Pizza
Serves 4

1 (8 ounce) can reduced fat crescent roll dough
1/2 (8 ounce) package neufchatel cheese
1/2-3/4 cups reduced fat sour cream
1 tablespoon dried dill weed or 1 tsp fresh
1 package ranch dressing mix
Diced raw veggies of your choice: carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, red onion, cherry tomatoes, green peppers


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Unroll crescent roll dough and lay flat on a baking sheet (do not separate sections). Bake in preheated oven for 11 to 13 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool.

While crust is baking, mix together cheese and sour cream until smooth. Stir in dill and dressing mix.

When crust is cool, spread cheese mixture evenly over top. Sprinkle with chopped veggies. Chill until cream cheese mixture is firm, about 20 minutes. Cut into 4 portions and serve. (Or for more manageable slices: cut into 8 equal pieces, then 2 pieces is a serving)

Out Door Fare

It has been hot here, in the mid to upper 80's and 80-95% humidity. I am not a fan of turning on any heat sources during the summer. (Excuse the pun, I know)

So, when I came across a recipe for grilled pizza I was all over it. This is a veggie pizza served warm, not hot. Jon and I are going to add some grilled chicken next time to add some protein. But a great pizza as is.

GARDEN UPDATE: Things are going great in the square foot garden. Plants and seedlings are growing quickly. They like the recent warm, humid weather. I have high hopes for fresh produce. Photos soon!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Grilled Salad Pizza
Serves 4

1 refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped trimmed arugula (about 4 ounces)*
1 1/2 cups chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse ground mustard
2 tsp olive oil
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped
OPT: grilled chicken strips

Heat a grill grate coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Place dough directly on grill; cook until golden brown. DO NOT WALK AWAY, it will burn quickly if left unattended.

Turn dough over; sprinkle with mozzarella, herbs, and Parmesan. Cook until cheese melts, again, don't walk away or it will burn. Remove from grill.

Combine oil, arugula, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Spoon salad onto pizza crust using a slotted spoon. Cut pizza into 8 wedges. Serve immediately.

* I used baby spring greens which was a blend of arugula, baby lettuces, endive, and radicchio.