Carmelized Onion Feta Spinach Pizza with White Sauce

from Little Spice Jar

Serves: 1-12 inch pizza

Notes: This was nice to have to change up our regular peppperoni. Everyone seemed to like it, especially Camilla. 

Ingredients

• pizza dough for one pizza
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 ounces fresh baby spinach
• 4 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced ( I didn't have any so we skipped)
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced (about 1/4 inch thick) (used regular)
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons warm milk
• 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (see note)

Instructions

1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the baby spinach and saute until just wilted. Transfer the spinach to a strainer and using the bottom of a glass, press out some of the excess liquid from the spinach, set aside.
2. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet and saute the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes or until they brown just barely. Season with a little salt and pepper, remove to a plate.
3. Add the last tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions and season them with a small pinch of salt. Allow the onions to cook down for 10 minutes, stirring as necessary. Do not allow the onions to brown. Add the sugar and stir to coat evenly. Allow the onions to cook for another 10 minutes. When the onions have cooked down, add the balsamic vinegar and stir to combine, set aside.
4. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 475ºF. Flatten the pizza dough into a 12-inch circle. Create a lip or rim by thickening the dough around the crust portion. This keeps the sauce in instead of running over the sides. Transfer dough carefully to a parchment lined baking sheet. Let dough rest for 10-15 minutes.
5. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour and garlic and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes. Do not let the flour brown. Continue to whisk as you add in the warm milk. Add the parmesan cheese, and a small pinch of nutmeg if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste. When the sauce just barely reaches a boil, remove from heat.
6. Top the prepared pizza dough with sauce, leaving the ‘lip’ sauceless. Sprinkle on three-quarters of the mozzarella cheese, followed by the mushrooms, spinach, and caramelized onions, and finish with the remaining mozzarella and feta cheese. Allow the pizza to bake for 10-15 minutes. You can turn the broiler on for the last minute of cooking if you’d like your edges and cheese to be a little more brown.

Caprese Garlic Bread

Notes:Used this same idea on pizza. Only used 2 garlic cloves and was plenty. Used grape tomatoes and think bigger tomatoes would be better as you would have more bites with tomato. I cooked the tomatoes a bit but would try not doing that either. Definitely want to try again with fresh garden tomatoes and basil.

From: Two Peas and Their Pod

 Caprese Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

1 loaf ciabatta bread, horizontally cut in half
4 tablespoons salted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place both sides of the baguette on a large baking sheet with the cut side up.
2. In a small bowl, combine butter and garlic and spread evenly on bread halves. Place the mozzarella cheese slices on top of the bread, making sure the cheese covers the bread completely. Bake the bread for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
3. While the bread is in the oven, make the balsamic reduction. Place the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring the vinegar to a boil, decrease the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by about half. This should only take about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
4. Remove the bread from oven. Top the bread with tomato slices. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the fresh basil and drizzle with balsamic reduction. Cut into slices and serve.

CPK's Thai Chicken Pizza

Notes: Peanut Sauce was a little too strong

from Fav Family Recipes

Ingredients

• Pizza Crust recipe HERE
• 1 to 2 chicken breasts
• 3/4 c. House of Tsang Peanut Sauce (just for the marinade)
• 2 to 3 cups mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 c. julienned carrots
• 1/2 c. bean sprouts
• 1/2 c. peanuts
• 1/4 c. fresh chopped cilantro
• 1/4 c. diced green onion
• PEANUT SAUCE:
• 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 6 Tbsp. (heaping) creamy peanut butter
• 2-4 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce - depending on how hot you like it
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 6 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
• 4-5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

Instructions

• Marinate the chicken in the House of Tsang peanut sauce while preparing the rest of the pizza.
• In a small sauce pan, stir together all the sauce ingredients and let simmer on a low heat.
• Grill the chicken (discarding excess marinade) then cut into thin slices.
• Make the pizza crust according to directions then top with cheese, peanut sauce (that you just prepared) grilled chicken slices, carrots, bean sprouts, peanuts, cilantro, and onions.
• Bake 10-15 minutes at 450 degrees until edges are golden brown.

Zucchini Pizza with Garlic and Fresh Basil

got from mom, but I don't think either of us have tried this yet.

Ingredients:
1 pizza crust (suggests whole wheat)
2 medium zucchini
olive oil
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes in juice, juices drained
5 oz mozzarella
1 small red onion
2 large garlic cloves
a large handful of fresh basil leaves
chili peppper flakes (optional)

Directions:
1. Prepare crust.
2. Trim zucchini and cut lengthwise into 1/16 inch slices. Heat a grill pan over medium high heat; lightly brush with oil. Grill zucchini until softened and golden, about 2 min per side. Transfer to a plate; season lightly with coarse sea salt.
3. Put tomatoes in a bowl and using clean hands, break up into small pieces. Season tomato sauce with a pinch fine sea salt. Very thinly slice cheese, onion and garlic. Tear large basil leaves in half; leave small ones whole.
4. Make 4 small pizza crusts out of dough.
5. Spread tomato sauce onto dough, leaving a 1/4 inch border at edge. Working quickly, sprinkle some garlic and onion slices over sauce, then tear several slices mozzarella and put them onto pizza. Arrange zucchini slices over pizza in a crisscross pattern. Drizzle pizza with 2 teaspoons oil (avoiding edges), top with basil and sprinkle with coarse salt.
6. Cook on stone.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

from Mom

Ingredients:
1 pizza crust
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 1/3 C BBQ sauce, divided
6 oz Provolone cheese, grated
6 oz Gouda cheese, grated
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 C cilantro

Directions:
In large Ziploc bag, combine chicken and 2/3 C of the bbq sauce. Marinate in fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

To cook, place chicken and marinade in small baking dish and bake for 30 min at 325 degrees. Let chicken cool, then slice into thin pieces. (Mom didn't marinate, just used already cooked chicken and mixed with barbeque sauce in a bowl.)

Sprinkle half of the grated cheeses over crust. Spoon 2/3 C barbecue sauce over cheese; cover with chicken and onion. Sprinkle on remaining cheese. Bake for 10-12 min at 450 degrees. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Balsamic Strawberry Pizza with Chicken

from here: The Cafe SucreFarine

Ingredients:
½ cup strawberry jam or preserves, I used my Strawberry-Pineapple Freezer Jam, use your favorite
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Sriracha Chili Sauce
1 ball pizza dough, your favorite or this recipe or a purchased ball of dough*
1 cup diced or shredded chicken breast, from rotisserie chicken or left over chicken of any kind
½ cup applewood smoked bacon, cut in 1 inch pieces, cooked and drained
½ cup thin sliced sweet onion
12 ounces shredded Italian blend cheese, I used Sargento, but whatever you like best is fine
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh strawberries, diced small

Directions:
1. Place pizza stone or sheet pan on middle rack of oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Place balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until reduced to half of the original volume and mixture is thick and syrupy. Add strawberry preserves and Sriracha and mix well. Set aside to cool.

3. Pat or roll out pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to approximately a 14 inch circle. Shape does not have to be perfect, this is a rustic pizza. Place a piece of parchment paper, slightly larger than your dough on a pizza peel or an upside down sheet pan. (The parchment paper will make your transfer of the pizza to the oven infinitely easier!) Sprinkle parchment paper lightly with cornmeal. Fold dough in quarters and place on parchment paper, then unfold.

4. Combine chicken with 2 tablespoons of the balsamic-strawberry mixture and mix to coat all chicken with sauce. Pour rest of sauce onto pizza dough and spread to cover. Leave a 1 inch border all around the edge. Scatter chicken evenly over the sauce.

5. Place about 3/4 of the cheese on top of dough and spread to cover sauce evenly. Scatter  bacon and sweet onion over cheese to distribute evenly. Scatter remaining cheese over this layer.

6. Slide parchment paper with pizza on top onto stone or cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Watch carefully, at this temperature it is easy to burn the pizza!

7. Remove from oven and let cool slightly, 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and fresh diced strawberries. Serve and enjoy!

Bacon and Pepper Pizza

from Licking the Spoon

Ingredients:
12 slices of bacon
1/2 C. pesto
4 pitz breads
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 mushrooms, sliced
Mozzarella cheese
Spinach leaves

Cook your bacon.  Then saute the chopped onions, peppers, and mushrooms in your bacon grease.

Brush pita breads with pesto sauce. Place pita breads on a cookie sheet and heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place 3 slices of bacon on pizzas, Pile with onions nad peppers. Top with spinach and mozzarella cheese.

You can also put feta cheese instead of mozzarella and a few slices of tomatoes.

Pesto Pizza with Pine Nuts and Feta

from Mykitchencafe.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
1 batch pizza dough
1 1/2 C. shredded chicken
Pesto
4 oz. feta cheese
1/2 red onion, cut into slivers
1/2 large tomatoes sliced (or grape tomatoes sliced into half)
Shredded mozzerella
Toasted pine nuts (to your liking)

Preheat pizza stone (in preheated 475 degree oven for 45 minutes).

Roll out pizza dough and place on pizza stone or regular pan. Top pizza dough with pesto, spreading liberally to outer edges of dough. Layer on additional toppings to your liking.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until nicely browned.

Crazy 8 Pepperonis

Ingredients:
pepperoni
pizza sauce
parmesan cheese
1 can or more of breadsticks

Form breadsticks into figure eights. Place pepperoni pizzas on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.

Bake. and Serve with pizza dipping sauce.

Quick Rise Pizza Crust

from Licking the Spoon

Ingredients:
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 C. warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/4 tsp. salt
3 C. flour

Stir yeast into warm water till dissolved.

Combine sugar, olive oil and salt with 2 C. of flour.

Pour yeast mixture in and mix by hand. Gradually add up to more 1 more C flour, mixing and kneading to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead till smooth and elastic. Let dough rise about 20 min. in covered dish. Roll dough into smooth circle.

Can bake 2 ways:
Pizza stone: preheat oven with the stone in it to 500 degrees. Place crust on stone and bake 3-4 min. Then add toppings and bake for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.

If you are using a traditional pizza pan, bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.