Pizza Quesadillas

Here's a recipe I shared on over at Kiki and Company a few weeks back, check her site out this month, there are so many fun ideas for having fun with your kids in the sun!





I was thinking of kid lunches in the summertime. I am so tired of making Mac and Cheese and hot dogs, so we switched things up a bit this week with this twist on the quesadilla. My boys loved them, my brothers, and lets just say I ate a few as well The boys love lunches that they are able to help put together. This one definitely was kiddo friendly!




Pizza Quesadillas

8 flour tortillas
8 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 lb pepperoni
1 16-ounce jar of pizza sauce
Optional: 1 6-ounce can of sliced black olives, 1 cup of sliced cremini mushrooms

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and fry the pepperoni until crisp. Transfer on a paper towel to drain.

Brush each tortilla with a thin layer of pizza sauce (so thin that if you turned it over, none would drip).

Sprinkle cheese on top of the sauce on the bottom tortilla. Top with pepperoni and other toppings, if desired. Sprinkle with another layer of cheese and place the other tortilla on top (sauce side in).

Pre-heat a medium cast-iron skilled over medium heat. Lay quesadilla in the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cheese is melted and tortillas are crispy. Slice into quarters and serve with a little bowl of pizza dipping sauce.

Recipe Source: Snixy Kitchen

Copycat California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken Pizza

I love copycat recipes!  There is something so fun about being able to re-create some of your favorite recipes from a restaurant and save a lot of money while doing it!  Some of our greatest memories here in Ohio is with friends having Cafe Rio nights.  When we found an amazing recipe for Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, my hubby was so excited (it's the only soup I've ever seen him excited about.)  It is just plain fun :)


I honestly can't say that I have ever had this pizza from the California Pizza Kitchen...I am usually partial to their yummy salads.  Maybe next time I'll have to try this to compare because it was dang good!  It may be a bit spicy for the kiddos, so you may have to have another option for them...but you need to try this!

 Copycat California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken Pizza




1 ball pizza dough (see recipe below)
Olive oil, for brushing
¼ cup sweet Asian chili sauce, plus extra for drizzling
1 shallot, thinly sliced
½ large zucchini, thinly sliced
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3-4 tbsp. chopped peanuts
2 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. minced fresh basil (optional)


To make the pizza, increase the oven temperature to 500˚ F and preheat a pizza stone.  Roll out the pizza dough into a 12-14 inch round.  Lightly brush the perimeter of the dough with olive oil.  Spread the chili sauce over the crust in an even layer.  Layer with the shallot, zucchini, red pepper flakes, shredded chicken, and cheese.


Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.  Sprinkle evenly with the peanuts, cilantro, and basil before slicing and serving.


Recipe Source:  Annie's Eats


Pizza Dough

1 c warm water, divided
1 tsp sugar
1/4 oz package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp.)
3 Tbsp oil (olive oil or vegetable)
2 ½-3 c flour
1 tsp salt

Put warm water in bowl. Stir in sugar and yeast and let proof for 1o minutes. Stir in rest of ingredients. Mix until a ball, knead 10 minutes. Put additional oil in bowl and let rise in oil bowl for 1 ½ hours.

Chicken, Bacon, and Spinach Pizza with White Sauce

I love traditions.  I love them.  I love going over to Grandma's house for a Christmas Eve dinner or homemade pizza.  Such great memories :)


This year we were away from all of our family (we live 2,000 miles away from them) because of how schedules panned out.  I missed having all the parties, people, and traditional food that makes it feel like the holidays.  So this year, homemade pizza was on the menu.


The hubby and I made up our own version of a white(ish) pizza.  The results were awesome!  Enjoy.


Chicken, Bacon, and Spinach Pizza with White Sauce


1 recipe pizza dough (see below)
About 2 cups rotisserie chicken (skin removed)
handful of baby spinach leaves
4 pieces of bacon cooked and crumbled
2 cups mozzarella/provolone mix, shredded
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4-1/2 c. prepared Alfredo sauce
1 Tbsp. minced garlic


Pizza Dough


1 c warm water, divided
1 tsp sugar
1/4 oz package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp.)
3 Tbsp oil (olive oil or vegetable)
2 ½-3 c flour
1 tsp salt

Put warm water in bowl. Stir in sugar and yeast and let proof for 1o minutes. Stir in rest
of ingredients. Mix until a ball, knead 10 minutes. Put additional oil in bowl and let rise in oil bowl for 1 ½ hours.


When dough is ready, press out onto pizza pan.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spread Alfredo sauce over dough and spread garlic over sauce.  


Layer chicken, spinach, bacon, mozzarella, then Parmesan cheese.  (You can brush crust with butter and dust with garlic powder...it is really good :)  Bake for 15-18 minutes until cheese gets bubbly.


Recipe Source:  Our own creation :) 

Buffalo Chicken Stromboli

I LOVE the flavor of buffalo chicken, I have used it in various recipes and have about 10 more on my 'to try' list.  A few of the other recipes I have tried that turned out are listed below:


Buffalo Chicken Po Boy Sandwich
Wingless Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Buffalo Chicken and Potato Casserole


I love hot sauce!  Strombolis and really fun to make, I love that you can stuff almost anything in side dough and it turns out amazingly well :)  Rachael Ray has tons of delicious sounding buffalo chicken recipes that I will hopefully be trying soon!


Buffalo Chicken Stromboli
From:  Rachael Ray

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 to 4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cups chopped cooked chicken, such as rotisserie, leftovers from the night before or cooked chicken breasts
1/2 cup hot sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot, for extra spicy or1/4 cup tomato sauce or juice mixed with 2 tablespoons hot sauce, for mild
1 pizza dough, defrosted
1 cup Monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 scallions, sliced
1 egg
A sprinkle of sesame seeds or poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 400˚F.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter with
 the EVOO and cook the celery and carrots until tender,
 about 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken and hot sauce to the pan
 and toss everything together with some salt and ground black
 pepper. Set aside and let cool.

When the filling is cool, roll out the pizza dough into a
 rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the cooled filling evenly out onto the entire dough, making sure not to get too close the any of the edges. Top with cheeses and scallions.

Roll the stromboli, starting at one of the long sides, tucking in both ends firmly. Press the seam with your fingers to seal. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a splash of water then lightly brush it over the stromboli, covering the entire surface. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, transfer to a baking sheet and bake in the oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes (I would start checking it at about 25, though.  Mine was browned and ready to come out then!).

Bacon, Leek, and Potato Pizza

I absolutely love making pizzas. There are about a zillion ways to change things up with pizza. So many toppings, not enough time to try all the variations! Some are awesome, others not so great. This one was definitely a keeper :)


Bacon, Leek, and Potato Pizza


From: A Hint of Honey


1 recipe of your favorite pizza dough
6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
extra virgin olive oil
3 leeks, thinly sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 small Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced paper thin
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced (or low-moisture mozzarella, grated)
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled (I used feta)
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over
medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic (if using) and saute until
tender and caramelized, 10-15 minutes (reduce heat if browning too
quickly). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Brush prepared crust with a thin coat of olive oil. Top with a
single layer of thinly sliced potato. Season lightly with salt and
freshly ground black pepper. Lay slices of mozzarella over the
potatoes. Top with the bacons and caramelized leeks. Sprinkle with
Parmesan and crumbled goat cheese.

 5. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is
puffed and golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Let cool
several minutes before slicing.

 Makes 1 large pizza.

Malawi's Chicken Pesto Pizza

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE grilled pizza. I love it a lot! I have waited months and months, and have kept my hope alive that the rain would stop so we could get the grill up and running. I saw this recipe for this pizza, and knew I wanted to give it a try, only on the grill. It was pretty dang good....the only thing that would have made it better would have been a little crumbled bacon :) I have never been to, or heard of Malawi's (I guess it's in Utah County)...maybe one day. In the mean time, I will just enjoy their pizza recipe!


Malawi's Pesto Pizza


From: Our Family Treat


1 recipe pizza dough (need a recipe? Look below)
1 cup pesto (homemade or store bought)
2 chicken breasts, shredded
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 bunch asparagus, halved


*Next time I will add bacon!


This pizza can be as easy or as difficult as you would like. To save on time, use rotisserie chicken and pre-made pesto....or make your own!
Follow directions for pizza dough. Roll out and spread pesto over the crust. Then layer with chicken, cheeses and asparagus. Bake as directed (or grill...using instructions here.) Sometimes we have to finish it off on the broiler...otherwise the crust will get burned!

Pizza Dough

1 Tablespoon Yeast
1 Cup +2 Tablespoons warm water
1 Tablespoon Sugar

Set aside and let grow.


2 Tablespoons Shortening
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Sugar
3 Cups flour


Combine, and then add yeast mixture.


Once mixed well, let rise for twenty minutes.  Roll out dough and add toppings!


Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes

Vegetable Pizza

Mmmm...I hadn't had any veggie pizza in years, and it sounded delicious. So I headed on over to Allrecipes to find a recipe for it. This turned out really yummy. It made for a good lunch, and I'm sure it would be great as an appetizer as well if you cut it up a bit smaller. It is perfect for Springtime :) I love that it is sunny enough now to take pictures outside. The pictures look a thousand times better!

Vegetable Pizza

2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
I added some fresh chopped up dill (to hike up the flavor)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 

Roll out the crescent roll dough onto a large baking sheet, and pinch together edges to form the pizza crust.

Bake crust for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Once finished cooking, remove crust from oven and let cool 15 minutes without removing it from the baking sheet.

In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and dry Ranch dressing. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust (I did not use it all, it seemed like too much). Arrange broccoli, tomato, green bell pepper, cauliflower, shredded carrots, and Cheddar cheese over the cream cheese layer. Chill for one hour, slice and serve. Sprinkle dill, if desired.

Meatball Stromboli

I have loved making strombolis!  They are so easy, and so versatile as to what you can put in them.  We had the missionaries over again last night, and this is what we ate.  They ate lots of them, so they must have liked them!  Like I said before, my Father-in-Law told me how to make strombolis, and there is a great tutorial on how to make them here.

Rhoades frozen white bread loaves
Frozen pre-cooked meatballs (about 12 per stromboli)
1 c. mozzarella per stromboli (I like to 50/50 mozzarella/provolone mix at Sam's Club)
Italian seasonings you prefer (I used a McCormick Italian grinder)
Pesto (1-2 Tbsp. per stromboli)
1 egg, beaten
Parmesan cheese, shredded

Let bread dough rise until doubled per package directions (usually takes me 4-5 hours). Cook meatballs per package directions (without sauce directions) and slice in half.  Roll each into 12 X 15 inch rectangles. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella down the center of the bread. Season as desired.  Arrange meatballs over cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan and pesto. Fold 2 sides over toppings, tucking ends and sealing seams. Repeat with remaining loaves of bread and ingredients. Place seam side down on greased baking sheets. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with additional Parmesan. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with pizza sauce.

Easy Stromboli

Here is one last easy weeknight meal for you.  The only hard part is remembering to put your bread out in the morning long enough to unthaw and rise.  The possibilities are endless with the fillings for these. I have a list of "stuffers" for these strombolis...

-Broccoli, cooked and diced chicken, and cheese dipped in Alfredo sauce

-Ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning, mexican blend cheese, olives, green onions, and cilantro dipped in salsa

-Precooked meatballs, mozzarella, italian seasonings, and parmesan dipped in marinara

Use your imagination!  

 This stromboli is fabulous dipped in this marinara sauce.  

Easy Stromboli

4 loaves frozen white bread, thawed
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb. shaved deli ham
1/2 lb. salami, sliced
1/2 lb. pepperoni, sliced (I like to use sandwich pepperoni)
1/2 lb. provolone, slice thin
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Spices: garlic powder, Italian blend spice, oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes. (Use what you like in the amounts that you like)
1-2 eggs, beaten
additional Parmesan to sprinkle on top

Let bread dough rise until doubled. Roll each into 12 X 15 inch rectangles. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella down the center of the bread. Arrange 1/4 of all of the meats and provolone over the mozzarella. Sprinkle with Parmesan and spices. Roll up, jelly roll style, tucking ends and sealing seams. Repeat with remaining loaves of bread and ingredients. Place seam side down on 2 greased baking sheets. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with additional Parmesan. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with pizza sauce.

Recipe Source:  Krista's Kitchen

5 Minute Marinara Sauce

I love making homemade sauces versus buying the jarred variety.  I think it gives your meal just a little more love behind it :)  This marinara is no exception with only a few minutes of prep time.  

It definitely has a kick with the red pepper flakes, but I like it spicy!  The recipe said it is a Rachael Ray recipe, so I'll go with that :)  It was delicious with the stromboli...I will definitely make it again and try it on some other dishes!

5 Minute Marinara

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (I use less)
3 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (crush in palm before throwing them in to release flavor)
1 TB tomato paste (I didn't have this, so I left it out)
1 32-ounce can chunky-style crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Italian dried seasoning
1 handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Add the olive oil to a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed pepper. When the pepper snaps and the garlic sizzles, add the tomato paste, cook for a minute, then stir in the crushed tomatoes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for five minutes and stir in parsley.

Recipe Source: Sisters Cafe

Thai Chicken Pizza

After having Rachael Ray's Thai Chicken Wrap with Peanut Sauce (which was fabulous), I was excited to try this pizza.  The reviews on the pizza were fantastic, not a negative thing to say about it, and I would have to agree.  I loved the crunchy cold veggies in contrast with the warm crust and cheese :)  Many of the reviewers said they liked this pizza better than the California Pizza Kitchen's version, which I've never had, but this was mighty tasty!  Rachael's original recipe can be found here.


Thai Chicken Pizza


1 pizza dough, any brand
1/2 cup duck sauce or plum sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 package (2 cups) shredded provolone or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 rounded tablespoonful peanut butter
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 teaspoons grill seasoning
4 chicken breast cutlets, 1/2 pound
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1/4 seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks
4 scallions, chopped
1 cup bean spouts, a couple of handfuls
Palm full cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped peanuts, 2 ounces
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.


Form pizza crust on pizza pan or cookie sheet. Top with duck or plum sauce - spread it around like you would pizza sauce. Sprinkle the pizza with some crushed red pepper flakes then top with cheese and peppers. Bake until golden and bubbly, 13-15 minutes.


Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine vegetable oil, soy sauce and peanut butter with hot sauce and grill seasoning. Use the microwave to loosen up peanut butter if it is too cold to blend into sauce, 10 seconds ought to do it. Add chicken and coat evenly with mixture. Let stand 10 minutes then grill chicken cutlets 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until firm. Slice chicken into very thin strips.


While chicken cooks, mix honey and vinegar and add the cucumber. Turn to coat evenly.


Top the hot, cooked pizza with chicken, scallions, sprouts and cilantro. Drain cucumbers and scatter over the pizza. Garnish pizza with peanuts, cut into 8 wedges and serve.

Pizza Bites

We had some people over the other night to watch our Buckeyes play (don't ask the outcome).  We had a few snack-type foods to have on hand that would be good for a football game, and these were perfect!  Just a little pizza bite that wasn't greasy like the pizza rolls you get at the store.  I will definitely make these again!  I found these on over at Our Best Bites and will make them again for sure!  They also had the suggestion for using chicken, bacon in these and dipping in ranch...that'll be on my to try list next!

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough* (or make your own)
marinara/pizza sauce (click here to make your own)
2 T grated Parmesan cheese (sorry, I don't know how to make that)
1 T olive oil or melted butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
mozzerella cheese
Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

*You can use regular pizza dough, or thin crust.
Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it's 400 degrees. If you make your own dough, 400 is usually a good heat as well.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". You're going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. Just eyeball how much. You just need to be able to enclose the toppings in the dough so keep that in mind.
When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or mini muffin tins).


Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese.

Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top (if using mini muffin tins, start checking them around 9 or 10 minutes). Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I'd check them after even 10 minutes.


Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Bubble Pizza

I am always on a quest to find creative ways to "spice up" regular old recipes, so when I saw this recipe from Cook and Tell, I knew I had to give it a try.  It was nice for a change to make pizza and not to have to make the dough (although I do think homemade dough is better).  This is a really quick to put together dinner on a busy night!

4 cans buttermilk refrigerator biscuits, quartered and shook in cornmeal

1 1/2 cups pizza sauce
2-4 cloves garlic
3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
cornmeal (the recipe on the website never said how much to use...I think I ended up using about 1/4 a cup, maybe just a bit more :))

Toppings: onion, ham, mushroom, olives, green pepper, bacon, pepperoni, whatever you like on your pizza!

Preheat oven to 375.

Quarter biscuits and shake in cornmeal. Place in a large bowl. Mix pizza sauce, garlic, and any other toppings. Stir with biscuits. Put in a 9x13 pan. Top with cheese and other toppings. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Grilled Chicken Pesto Pizza

If you missed my last grilled pizza post, click here.  My recipe I've been using for pizza dough is on that last post.  This pizza I've been wanting to try for a while, and it was worth the wait.  It is VERY tasty!  I am going to miss my grilled pizza this winter, it's been so fun to try new things!

1 recipe white pizza dough, found here.

2-3 chicken breast, cooked and diced (I diced mine and cooked it in italian dressing in a skillet)

homemade or prepared pesto

1 small jar artichokes, diced

mozzarella cheese

bacon crumbles

red onions, sliced

Prepare pizza dough, and cook initially using instructions found here.  Use pesto for sauce on top of crust, place some cheese on pesto, then other toppings, then a little more cheese.  Cook on grill for a few more minutes, ensuring not to burn. Finish by putting pizza in broiler for a few minutes to cook top of pizza, until cheese is bubbling.  Enjoy!

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

I still haven't made it to Chicago, which is sad considering we only live 5 hours away!  When I do get there, on my list of things to eat is a authentic Chicago Dog and a deep dish pizza.  In the meantime, I thought I'd try making one of my own!  This recipe comes from Annie's Eats, and it was very delicious!  I must admit, I cheated and used store-bought sauce this time around....being lazy!

For the dough:


1½ cups plus 2 tbsp. (8 1/8 oz.) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (1 3/8 oz.) yellow cornmeal
¾ tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/8 tsp. instant yeast
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. (5 oz.) water, at room temperature
1½ tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

For the sauce:

1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. grated onion
Pinch of dried oregano
¼ tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
Pinch of sugar
2 tbsp. fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1½ tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper

For assembling and topping:

2 tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups)
¼ oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2 tbsp.)
sausage, cooked and crumbled
pepperoni


To make the dough, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook on low speed. Mix until blended, about 1 minute. Add the water and melted butter and continue mixing on low speed until fully incorporated, 1-2 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is glossy and smooth, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 4-5 minutes.

Using your hands, coat a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turning once to coat with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled, about 45-60 minutes.

While the dough is rising, prepare the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until reduced to about 1¼ cups, about 25 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To laminate the dough, turn the dough out onto a dry work surface and roll into a 8- by 6-inch rectangle. Using an offset spatula, spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. With the seam side down, flatten the cylinder into a 9- by 2 inch rectangle. Fold into thirds like a business letter, pinch the seams to form a ball, and return to the oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator until nearly doubled in size, 40-50 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. To assemble, coat a 9-inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Transfer the dough ball to a dry work surface and roll out into a 13-inch disk about ¼-inch thick. Transfer the dough to the pan. Lightly press the dough into the pan, working into the corners and 1 inch up the sides. If the dough resists stretching, let rest 5 minutes before trying again.

Place toppings on (pepperoni and sausage).  Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the surface of the dough. Spread the tomato sauce over the cheese and top with Parmesan. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Wingless Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Whenever we go out for pizza, I am always drawn to buffalo chicken.  I don't know why, maybe I just love th kick buffalo chicken has.  On top of that, homemade pizza is one of my favorite meals lately.  This one from Rachel Ray is wonderful!  If you'd like to use homemade dough, click here for a good recipe.

3/4 pound chicken breast cutlets
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
2 teaspoons grill seasoning, (recommended: McCormick Montreal Seasoning) eyeball it
1 pizza dough, store bought or from your favorite pizzeria
Cornmeal or flour, to handle dough
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
2 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce, medium to spicy heat (I used Frank's)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, a few generous handfuls
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Preheat grill pan to high.

Place chicken on a plate and drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the chicken then season with grill seasoning. When grill is hot, add chicken and cook about 3 minutes on each side.

Stretch dough to form pizza using cornmeal or flour to help you handle it. If you let it rest and warm up a few minutes it will handle even easier. Set pizza on pizza pan to the side and clean board.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter and stir in Worcestershire, hot sauce, and tomato sauce.

Remove the chicken from grill and thinly slice it. Add chicken to sauce and coat. Cover the pizza dough with the saucy Buffalo chicken, cheeses, and scallions. Bake 18 minutes or until crisp (mine was definitely done around 15-16 minutes).

Grilled Pizza

This is soooo good!  I don't think I've ever had pizza made on the grill before, and now I'm sure I'll do it all the time!  We just used traditional ingredients this time (pepperoni, sausage, olives, regular pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese), but next time I'd like to try a pesto chicken or a buffalo chicken.  Yummy!  Thanks for the idea Sisters Cafe!

Make a batch of your favorite pizza dough, or use this one from Sisters Cafe.

White Pizza Dough

1 c warm water, divided
1 tsp sugar
1/4 oz package active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp.)
3 Tbsp oil (olive oil or vegetable)
2 ½-3 c flour
1 tsp salt

Put warm water in bowl. Stir in sugar and yeast and let proof for 1o minutes. Stir in rest
of ingredients. Mix until a ball, knead 10 minutes. Put additional oil in bowl and let rise in oil bowl for 1 ½ hours.

Once the dough has raised, lightly flour two cooking sheets. On a floured surface roll out dough into a circle about 1/8 inch thick (I made two pizzas with this recipe). Place on cooking sheet. Place one pizza on a clean, oiled and preheated grill. Grill pizza crusts for about 1 minute on until the bottom is brown. With tongs, gently flip it over and grill for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from grill and repeat with remaining pizzas. Let cool. Top with your favorite pizza toppings and return to a preheated grill for about 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning. It's best to grill one pizza at a time.


Be creative and use a variety of sauces, cheeses and toppings!

Mexican Pizza

I am always on the hunt for a new dinner idea.  One of our go-to meals is tostadas...this was a slight twist on the tostada.  I thought of trying my own after seeing it on Taco Bell's menu!

Tortillas
refried beans
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can green chiles
1 packet taco seasoning
salsa
shredded cheese

Brown ground beef with onion, brown and drain.  Add taco seasoning per package directions and add green chiles.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place tortillas on cookie sheet, spoon beans on tortilla, then ground beef mixture.  Place second tortilla on top and cook for 8-10 minutes in oven.  Remove, spoon salsa on top and sprinkle cheese.  Place back in oven to melt cheese.  Remove and add toppings.

Toppings:
shredded lettuce
sour cream
olives
avocado
green onions
cilantro

BBQ Chicken Pizza

This is such an easy dinner, but looks so pretty :)  I found the idea for this out of a cookbook the hubs got from his mission president way back when.  It is always a hit around our house. Enjoy!

2 large chicken breasts, coarsely diced or shredded
1/2 c. your favorite BBQ sauce
1 1/2c. shredded mozzarella, swiss, or gruyere cheese
Bobboli pizza crust
3/4c. red onion, thinly sliced
1 green onion, chopped
fresh cilantro
3 strips bacon, cooked and chopped

Place baking sheet on rack in oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss the chicken with 1/4c. BBQ sauce. Spread remaining sauce on pixxa crust. Spread half of cheese on crust. Arrange chicken evenly over crust. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, red onion, green onion, bacon bits, and cilantro over pizza.

Transfer pizza to hot baking sheet. Bake until bottom of crust is crisp and cheese on top melts, about 14 minutes. Let pizza stand 5 minutres before cutting