Breakfast Pizzas

I have been on a huge homemade pizza kick lately. Back when we lived in Fenway, we had three different pizza places within walking distance, so we enjoyed our fair share of pizza. Here in Somerville, we haven't yet found our go to pizza place yet. (email me if you have suggestions!) So, I've started to really enjoy making my own and experimenting with all kinds of different toppings. I have always wanted to attempt breakfast pizza, I've seen it done in magazines and always thought it would be so much fun to have bacon and eggs on pizza.

I started with some whole wheat pizza dough that I rolled out into super thin, mini pizzas. To keep things light, I slathered on some tasty ricotta and topped it with fresh herbs. Then I got creative. I used bacon as well as a bunch of other toppings to make each pizza unique. You could add whatever you like to make your favorite breakfast combo. I was thinking next time I'd do some mushrooms and I was even thinking about adding salsa as a topping. I will keep you posted as my experiments continue.

You obviously don't have to eat these pizzas for breakfast. We ate them for dinner while watching some playoff hockey (go Bruins!). I am excited to host a brunch and make these as individual pizzas for my guests.

Read more for the full recipe!
Read more »

Thai Chicken Pizza

I have had pizza on the brain lately. I was walking around the store on Saturday and randomly decided to make some kind of Thai pizza. I decided to use my peanut sauce as a base and incorporate some yummy fresh veggies. I have had variations of this at restaurants so I wanted to put my own spin on it while keeping it light and fresh.

I debated various Asian-inspired toppings, and settled on some chicken breast, with a little bit of mozzarella, carrots, green onions and cilantro. I topped it off with some crunch bean sprouts. I was so happy with the result. The peanut sauce is really flavorful and adds so much to the pizza. As always, I got my oven really really hot, 500 degrees, which allows you to get a really crispy crust. I spent some time with a rolling pin getting the crust uniform and super thin. The result was a tangy, crispy and filling treat that was pretty simple to make. I think I might try this again with different veggies, maybe pepper and snow peas.

Read more for the full recipe!
Read more »

White Bean, Potato and Prosciutto Pizza

Pizza night continues! So, for my second and more adventurous invention, I decided to combine some untraditional pizza toppings in hopes of coming up with a tasty white pizza. I wanted to use beans, since they are healthy, filling and packed with protein and fiber. I decided to mash some cannelini beans with garlic and olive oil and use it instead of sauce. I spread a thin layer on the crust and then topped with some parmesan, prosciutto and sliced fingerling potatoes. I've seen potatoes on pizza a few times and wanted to give it a try. I used fingerlings, which I par boiled and then sliced on top.

This pizza was amazing! I cut it into small squares like a flatbread and it was so yummy. The creamy beans paired beautifully with the salty, crisp prosciutto and potatoes. I thought yesterday's sausage version would be more popular, but we gobbled this up first!

I will definitely be making this for my next party. It makes for delicious finger food or a full meal.

Read more for the full recipe
Read more »

Sausage, Fennel and Ricotta Pizza

Because Archer was sick last week, Craig and I decided to stay home and keep an eye on him on Saturday night. I decided to spice things up by having pizza night. We had a great time rolling dough and putting them together. I actually came up with two new pizza combinations, both of which I will put up this week. First, I did a simple chicken sausage with sliced fennel. I used mainly part skim ricotta cheese, to lower the calories, and complimented that with a sprinkle of mozzarella. I bought dough at the store and  just rolled it out to fit my pizza pan.

My favorite part of making pizza is that it only takes a few minutes to cook! I am by no means a pizza expert, but I have complied some tips along the way toward getting restaurant quality results:
1. Get your oven as hot as you can. Until I build a brick pizza oven in my dream house, I settle on getting my oven up to 500 degrees and preheating it for 20-30 minutes
2. Get your crust as even as possible. One of the challenges of homemade pizza is to get an even crust thickness. This goes a long way towards keeping it crisp. I recommend constantly flipping, flouring and rolling
3. Keep your toppings light and spread evenly. If your toppings are too heavy it will make your crust soggy. The best thin crust pizza is only lightly topped.

Full recipe after the jump!
Read more »

Kale, Bacon and Caramelized Onion Calzones

Had another clean out the fridge style cooking dilemma last night. So I decided to use one of my Christmas gifts. My brother Jeff bought me a calzone press, so I decided to make some tasty calzones using some multigrain pizza dough I had just bought. Calzone is such an underrated pizza alternative, especially since I always fold my pizza anyway. Using a little bit of bacon and some tasty caramelized onion for flavor, I also added kale to pack in some healthy vitamins. The combination of these ingredients yielded a flavorful and tasty calzone that wasn't overloaded with calories and salt. These made a fabulous dinner and I loved using the press, which made rolling, measuring and filling the dough a snap! Paired with some zesty homemade pizza sauce for dipping, it was a great meal that made some fabulous leftovers.

Read more for the full recipe
Read more »

Pizza Fish

I'm back! I apologize for the weeklong hiatus. I had another big project that took up every spare minute of my time. Fortunately, I am back blogging and have a lot of exciting recipes planned.

This is my favorite dinner from childhood. My mom would always make this for us to get us to eat some healthy fish. It is so simple and quick, the entire dish takes 20 minutes, start to finish. Tasty Italian flavors combine with some fresh fish for a healthy, yummy dinner.

Read more for the full recipe
Read more »

Bacon, Ricotta and Pistachio Pizza

Homemade pizza is always a special treat. This is a very unique combination of ingredients, but it makes for a delicious gourmet pizza. Crisp bacon and salty pistachios compliment the whole wheat crust and creamy ricotta. The secret to this pizza is to rub the crust with garlic and olive oil and bake it briefly before adding all the toppings. This adds a lot of flavor and character to the pizza. This is a filling meal, but could also be an impressive appetizer or dish to bring to a potluck.

Read more for the full recipe.
Read more »

Stromboli - A great Superbowl idea

Stroboli is a fun party food that is quick to prepare and can feed a crowd. It's basically a rolled up pizza which you can fill with whatever you like. I chose sausage, spinach and ricotta, but you can substitute veggies, italian meats such as cappicola or prosuitto, or chicken. I include ricotta because it's protein packed and adds a creamy texture while cutting down on the amount of mozzerella used. You serve it sliced with pizza sauce or hot sauce on the side.

Full recipe after the jump!

Read more »