Pizza with Bacon, Sauteed Onions & Mushrooms

Oh, pizza, pizza, pizza.  Our Friday night tradition.  Growing up, it was one of my family's weekly traditions that we loved and looked forward to.   And my husband is totally on board with the idea of keeping that tradition alive in our family now.

More often than not, our pizza are the clean-out-the-produce-drawer kind but occasionally, I try to think of a good pizza combination ahead of time.  Recently, we had some friends over and made both a margherita pizza and this bacon, mushroom and onion one.  Margherita is always a classic but this one was so incredible.  Probably because you sautee the onions and mushrooms in the bacon fat (which is really the best and only way to go). You don't need a lot of bacon -- 2-3 strips was enough to get some bacon on every slice.

Pizza with Bacon, Sauteed Onions & Mushrooms

• pizza dough (I use this recipe the most)
• tomato sauce (jarred or homemade)
• 1-2 cups of mozzarella cheese, grated (I used half fresh mozzarella and half part-skim)
• 3 strips of bacon
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup onions, thinly sliced
• fresh basil, chopped (optional)

1. If using a pizza stone, set it in the oven on the lowest rack.  Preheat the oven to 450.  
2. Roll out your pizza dough into desired shape.  
3. Meanwhile, in a large pan over medium-high heat, place bacon strips and cook until both sides are done, flipping about halfway through.
4. Remove bacon from the pan and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Roughly chop.
5. Keep about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, and then add the onions to the pan.
6. Cook the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and then add the chopped mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper.
7. Continue to cook onions and mushrooms for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned.
8. Dust cornmeal onto pizza stone to prevent sticking (or a baking sheet) and place pizza dough on it.  Cook crust for about 7 minutes.  Remove from oven and then add sauce, cheese, and sauteed mushrooms and onions.
9. Place pizza back in the oven and continue to cook for about 8-10 minutes until pizza is done.  Remove from oven, top immediately with bacon and basil.  Let cool for a few minutes and then slice and serve.

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Asparagus, Potato & Goat Cheese Pizza

I know this is at the end of asparagus season but I just couldn't let a good pizza recipe pass us by.  As soon as I found this recipe for asparagus, potato and goat cheese pizza and saw that it got good reviews, I was intrigued.  Okay, a little scared (potato on pizza?) but definitely intrigued.

Actually, this sounded like such an unusual combination that I ended up making a second pizza (with our normal veggie toppings) just in case this one didn't work out.  And my husband, who was even more skeptical than I was, ended up being the one who liked this pizza the most.  The potato actually gives great chew to the pizza and dressed with a simple olive oil sauce, the asparagus

Friday night is homemade pizza night so this is definitely a new one to add into our pizza rotation!

Asparagus, Potato & Goat Cheese Pizza
Taken from: Epicurious
Makes 1 pizza

• 1 ball pizza dough (I've been using this King Arthur pizza recipe lately)
• Cornmeal (for sprinkling)
• 5 ounces potatoes (red, Yukon gold, or fingerling; I actually had no idea how much 5 ounces was so I used about 3 small Yukon golds)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced, divided (I substituted red onion instead)
• 1 1/3 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces - I used about half of this fresh mozzarella and half regular)
• 2-4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• 8 ounces asparagus, trimmed, each spear cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 2- to 3-inch pieces

1. Halve potatoes for faster cooking.  Place potatoes in small saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Sprinkle with salt. Bring to boil and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes (you want them tender enough that you can run a paring knife through them). Drain. Cool. Once cool enough to handle, cut potatoes into thin slices.
2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Sprinkle rimless baking sheet with cornmeal. Roll and stretch pizza dough to 16x11-inch oval. Transfer to baking sheet. Mix 1 tablespoon olive oil and garlic in small bowl. Brush garlic oil over dough. Sprinkle 3/4 of green onions over (if using), then mozzarella, leaving 1/2-inch plain border. Top with potato slices and goat cheese. Toss asparagus and 1 tablespoon oil in medium bowl. Scatter asparagus over pizza, then lightly salt and generously pepper the pizza.
3. Bake pizza until crust is browned and asparagus is tender, about 18 minutes. Transfer to cutting board. Sprinkle with remaining green onions. Cut into pieces.

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Chicken Tikka Pizza

Friday nights are pizza nights here.  It was a tradition in my family growing up so it's been fun to carry it on with my husband (and now our little baby who can hold her own when it comes to food).  While my usual go-to is some kind of homemade veggie pizza, I was definitely intrigued when I saw a recipe for chicken tikka masala pizza.  We LOVE this recipe for chicken tikka masala and it seemed like a fun twist on pizza. 

We really enjoyed this!  The garam masala and ginger add a great amount of spice and change it from Italian to Indian.  I added a generous dose of chopped spinach and red bell pepper which went really well with the pizza. 

I altered the recipe by using whole wheat pizza dough instead of the recommended pita for individual pizzas.  My way took longer to cook (although it just takes 20 minutes).  I've written out the directions if you want to make individual pizzas or one whole pizza.  Either way, it'll be delicious! 

Chicken Tikka Pizza
Taken from: Cooking Light
Serves 4
The original recipe calls for individual pizzas make on pita or flatbread.  I made this one pizza made with homemade dough. 

• 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 teaspoons garam masala, divided
• Cooking spray 
• 5/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 large (28-ounce) can unsalted diced tomatoes, drained (the original recipe called for a 14 oz can but I liked the extra sauce)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 4 (6-inch) whole-wheat pitas (I'm sure you could substitute individual flatbreads or naan) OR 1 round of pizza dough
• 1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
• 3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup) plus more, if desired
• several handfuls of baby spinach, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

1. Move oven racks to very top and very bottom of the oven. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Cut chicken in half horizontally. Combine chicken, yogurt, and 1/2 teaspoon garam masala. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Broil 5 minutes on each side on top rack.
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Finely chop tomatoes with a knife, use an immersion blender or  place tomatoes in a mini chopper and pulse until almost smooth. Add oil to pan. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala, ginger, red pepper, and garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes; simmer 4 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and cream; cook 1 minute. Cut chicken into pieces. Add chicken to pan; toss.
4. If using pitas: Place pitas on baking sheet. Broil 1 minute each side. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken and sauce onto each. Top with spinach, then top with onion, red bell pepper and cheese. Broil 2 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
5. If using pizza dough: Preheat oven to 450 (if you have a pizza stone, put it in the oven on the bottom rack when you start to preheat it). Roll out pizza dough.  Place pizza dough on a cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet (or pizza peel, if you have one).  Spoon chicken and sauce onto pizza dough.  Top with spinach, then top with onion, red bell pepper and cheese.  If using a pizza stone, gently slide pizza off of the baking sheet and onto pizza stone. Bake pizza on the bottom rack until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-17 minutes.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

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Cast Iron Skillet Pizza (the best pizza ever)

This is probably a bold statement but this pizza was the best pizza I have ever had in my life.  And not just the best homemade pizza ever -- the.best.pizza.  This recipe is more about a method rather than the pizza toppings.  Go crazy with whatever toppings you like!  All this method takes is a cast iron skillet and a broiler, and it creates an incredibly light, chewy crust that is reminiscent of (and we think even better than) wood fired pizza.  The crust made all the difference in the world.

Oh, and this pizza cooks very quickly -- 3 minutes of active time and 5 minutes for the pizza to sit.  3 minutes!  I do highly recommend making your own crust (my favorite crust is below, also from How Sweet It Is) which does take time to rise.  However, I do have some pizza dough already in the freezer so we can pretty much have this pizza whenever we want...which will be very soon and probably very often.

The toppings I used for the pizza pictured above included crispy bacon, and sauteed chopped Brussels sprouts, garlic and onion.  There was no sauce but for cheese, I used a combination of cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan.  We really liked this combination but feel free to choose your own sauce, cheese and toppings.

Cast Iron Skillet Pizza
Taken from: How Sweet It Is
Makes 2 small pizzas with a 10-inch cast iron skillet, each pizza serving 2-3 (if you have a 12-inch skillet, I recommend using these proportions for the dough)

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pizza toppings of your choice (sauce, cheese, toppings)  -- for our pizza above, I used no sauce, a combination of mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan cheese, and then sauteed onions, garlic, Brussels sprouts (yes, really), and cooked bacon

crust

1. In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 1 1/2 cups flour and salt, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but it still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work in the additional 1/2 cup flour, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1 1/2 hours.
2. After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on the floured surface. Sometimes I work in a few more sprinkles of flour if the dough is sticky. This amount of dough yielded 2 pizza crusts for my 10-inch cast iron skillet. If you're using an 8-inch, you may get 3 doughs, but you also may just want to stick with 2 thicker doughs. Divide the dough evenly in half (or thirds). Place one dough on a well-floured pizza peel and roll into a round about the size of your skillet.

the cast iron skillet method

1. Place an oven rack directly under your broiler and preheat your broiler to the highest setting (make sure your cast iron skillet can fit on the rack under the broiler). Additionally, place your cast iron skillet on the stovetop burner, turning the heat on high. You want to heat the skillet for 10 minutes. If it begins to smoke a lot, you can reduce the heat a bit. But you want it HOT. (As a caution, the second time I made pizza this way, I accidentally heated my skillet too long -- 20+ minutes -- and it burned the bottom of the pizza.  Still delicious when you scraped off the black but I'll stick to heating for 10 minutes in the future!)
2. While the skillet is heating, begin placing your toppings on your dough. Remember, the dough MUST be on a well-floured pizza peel (or non-plastic surface, I used an upside down cookie sheet) so you can simply slide the entire thing into the skillet. Add your sauce, cheese, and toppings.  We topped our with some extra cheese on top.
3. Place a potholder or thick towel on the handle of the skillet (it will be hot). Carefully slide the pizza into the skillet, dough side down. Don't worry if a few toppings or pieces of cheese slice onto the surface - it will be totally fine. After about 30 seconds, turn off the burner, grab the skillet and pop it in the oven, right under the broiler. Broil for 1 minute, the using the potholder, grab the handle and rotate 180 degrees, broiling for only 1 more minute. 
4. Remove immediately and place on the stovetop. Let cool slightly for about 5 minutes, then use a large spatula to remove the pizza.  Enjoy the best pizza.

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Barbecue Chicken Pizza

In addition to making these incredible ice cream cookie sandwiches for Anne’s birthday a few weeks ago, I also made dinner.  This was the dinner Anne requested, probably because it’s one of the few recipes I’m qualified to make.  What I am about to say is kinda pathetic considering it was her birthday, but she did the hardest part by making the pizza crust—this garlic bread crust which she has made in the past.

This za is a good alternative to the usual tomato sauce variety.  I first consumed it at my brother and sister-in-law’s house several years ago, and, believe it or not, I actually made it on my own a few times thereafter.  I just used Boboli crusts, however, so this permutation is even better.  You can change the toppings, of course, but I believe the best combination is chicken, red onion, garlic, and cilantro.

By the way, did you know that barbecue is not spelled barbeque?  I just learned that from the squiggly red line on Blogger and confirmed it in the American Heritage Dictionary.  How come BBQ became the abbreviation?  It should be BBC.  I, for one, will be using BBC from now on.  If you're with me, send this link to all your friends and tweet out the good news.  (I would, but I don't have a Twitter account.) 

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

• Pizza bread crust (again, we made this garlic bread crust)
• 1-2 chicken breasts
• ½ cup barbecue sauce (we used Trader Joe’s Kansas City Style Barbecue Sauce)
• ½ cup mozzarella, shredded
• ¼ cup smoked gouda, shredded
• 4-6 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 tsp crushed red pepper (if desired)
• 2-4 Tbsp fresh cilantro
• cornmeal, for sprinkling on pizza stone or baking sheet

1. Move oven rack to bottom shelf.  If using a pizza stone, put the stone on the bottom rack. 
2. Preheat oven to 425. 
3. Make pizza dough (can be made in advance and frozen or refrigerated; if frozen, put in fridge the day before making this pizza to thaw completely).
4. Cook 1-2 chicken breasts and cube (I like smaller bites of chicken).
5. Roll out dough.  Dust cornmeal on the preheated pizza stone and then place pizza dough on the stone(or baking sheet) for about 8 minutes.
6. While the dough is baking, mix cubed chicken breast in a bowl with barbecue sauce, diced red onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper.
7. Grate cheeses.
8. Once the dough is partially baked, top with a small amount of barbecue sauce.  Then add chicken mixture and top with cheese.
9. Continue to cook for 10-20 more minutes (depending on your toppings) until bottom is crispy and cheese is completely melted.
10. Add cilantro slightly before completion of cooking.
11. Remove pizza from oven and serve!

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Garlic Bread Pizza Crust

Oh, yes.  And it is just as good as it sounds.  Actually, I didn't think the garlic was as pronounced as I had expected it to be (however, we do like a lot of garlic).   But it did make for a wonderfully chewy crust that my husband pronounced as one of the best pizzas yet which is high praise indeed (I loved this recipe as well but can't forget about this arugula pizza). 

I included two options in the instructions below about how to bake the pizza.  Many people seem to have no problem with putting the entire pizza with all its toppings together and baking it all at once (this is what the original recipe calls for).  However, that doesn't seem to work well for me as the crust gets soggy and just never completely bakes through.  Instead, I partially pre-bake the crust and then I pull out the pizza rack and add the sauce, cheese and toppings.  The complete pizza then bakes for 10-20 more minutes until done. Either way you try it, enjoy this pizza!

Garlic Bread Pizza Crust
Taken from: How Sweet It Is
Makes 1 pizza crust (I doubled this recipe and froze the second one)

• 1 1/8 cups warm water (100-105 degrees)
• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose, 1 cup white whole wheat and 1 cup whole wheat flour)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or very finely minced
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• cornmeal, if using a pizza stone
• Pizza sauce (I used probably 1/2-1 cup marinara sauce)
• Cheese (I used a 6 oz. container of fresh mozzarella, torn in small pieces as well as about 1/4 cup grated parmesan)
• Pizza toppings (we used thawed chopped artichokes, sliced black olives, sliced mushrooms, chopped red bell pepper and sliced cherry tomatoes)

1. In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour, salt, garlic powder and dried basil, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but it still sticky. If using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work the additional 1/2 cup flour (you don’t need to use all if it is not needed and you might even need more dough like I did) into the dough, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. (Alternately, you can combine in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until dough starts to come together and then switch to a hook attachment for 4 minutes on low to medium speed.) Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1 1/2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  (If using a pizza stone, place that on the bottom rack while the oven preheats.)
3. After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on a very floured surface. Using a rolling pin or your hands, form it into your desired shape (you can form a pizza on a baking sheet or do a free form pizza that you can transfer to the pizza stone).
4. Place the towel back over the dough and let sit in the warm place for 10 minutes. While the dough is rising again, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Mix it with the minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese.
5. Sprinkle cornmeal on pizza stone, if using (don't sprinkle the cornmeal too far in advance before placing the crust on the pizza stone as it can burn).
6. OPTION 1 (the original way): Bring the dough back out and using a spoon or pastry brush, douse the outside edges with the butter and garlic mixture. You can spread the butter all over, just make sure to focus on the edges (I just brushed on the edges). Continue to make your pizza with your desired toppings. Bake the pizza for 23-25 minutes (or longer if needed, depending on your toppings), or until crust and cheese are both golden.  While pizza is baking, melt remaining butter and combine with the last tablespoon of parmesan. Remove pizza from oven and immediately brush the outside edges with parmesan butter, using it all up. Serve.
7. OPTION 2 (my way): Move pizza to pizza stone very carefully (I often have to use a bench scraper and need extra flour to help move the pizza without changing the shape too much.  Cook pizza dough for 8 minutes alone.  Once partially baked, top with sauce, cheese and toppings.  Continue to cook for 10-20 more minutes (depending on your toppings) until bottom is crispy and cheese is completely melted.  While pizza is baking, melt remaining butter and combine with the last tablespoon of parmesan. Remove pizza from oven and immediately brush the outside edges with parmesan butter, using it all up. Serve.

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Pesto Pizza

I'm a marinara lover all the way.  Even up to a year or two ago, I wouldn't have even considered having a pizza without marinara sauce.  This butternut squash pizza changed my tune slightly but then I pretty much went back to making regular red sauce pizza.

Maybe this pesto pizza is a testament to how our food tastes have changed and broadened for the last two years but more likely, I was just looking for an easy and tasty midweek meal.  I already had our favorite pizza dough in the freezer -- I simply put it in the fridge the night before and then the next afternoon let it sit on the counter for a hour or two to come to room temperature.  I also had the pesto made and frozen (I freeze it in ice cube trays which my husband laughs at but I think is pretty smart!) so that was just a quick thaw, too. 

We really liked this! I thought the pesto gave a wonderful flavor but wasn't overwhelming.  We also heaped the pizza high with plenty of cherry tomatoes, olives, crisp prosciutto and bell pepper.  It made a fabulous Tuesday night meal along side a simple salad.
Pesto Pizza with Prosciutto (say that three times fast)
Serves 3-4

• pizza dough for 1 pizza (here's the recipe I used)
• 1/2 cup + of homemade or store-bought basil pesto (here's the recipe I used)
• 1 cup+ mozzarella, shredded (I used part-skim but I bet fresh mozzarella would have been wonderful!)
• 1/4 cup parmesan, shredded
• 1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in thirds
• 2-4 tablespoons kalamata olives, sliced
• 3 slices prosciutto, cut into small squares
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1. Move one oven rack to directly under the broiler and move the second oven rack to the second from the bottom. If using, place pizza stone on rack second from the bottom. Preheat broiler.
2. Arrange squares of prosciutto on a baking sheet and place on the top oven rack.  Broil for about 1-3 minutes, until prosciutto is crisp (I check every 30 seconds).  Remove from oven .
3. Preheat oven to 450 (for best results with the pizza stone, preheat it for 30 minutes).  
4. While oven is preheating, roll out the pizza dough. Once preheated, transfer pizza dough to pizza stone or a baking sheet.  Cook the dough alone for about 7 minutes (for me, this helps to prevent soggy pizza).  
5. Then, while the pizza is still in the oven, spread the pizza dough evenly with pesto, then top with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives, prosciutto and chopped red bell pepper.  Cook for 7-10 more minutes until bottom is crisp and cheese is fully melted.
6. Remove pizza from oven. (If using a pizza stone, be careful because it gets hot.  Make sure you have the proper oven mitts.)  Let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

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Arugula Pizza

Our Superbowl was a quiet one. We didn't really have a dog in the fight and I like to go to bed at a ridiculously early hour so we stayed in.  However, even though it was just the two of us, I still wanted us to have some Superbowl party worthy food.  Also, we had recently gone to a great pizza place with my sister and had a delicious arugula pizza; while I couldn't replicate wood-fired oven pizza, I could still find a way to make my own arugula pizza.


While I was making the pizza, I was worried the ingredients wouldn't be enough -- I wasn't sure that the dough would stretch enough to fill the pan (it did) and that the toppings would be too scarce (they weren't). I also wondered at adding the cheese first and then topping with the tomato mixture.  However, I figured the people at Cook's Country knew what they were doing so I forged ahead.

Although the original recipe for this pizza doesn't even have arugula, it still seemed like something that would work. And it worked so well!  The crust was delicious and crisp and thanks to a few tablespoons of olive oil, felt very rich ("buttery" as my husband called it).  The toppings were in just the right proportions, too.  My only additions were that I added fresh mozzarella and arugula, both of which were wonderful - highly recommended!

Arugula Pizza
Taken from: Ezra Pound Cake
Serves 4-6

Dough:
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups (8 1/4 ounces) bread flour (I used 3/4 cup all purposed and 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces (2 cups) mozzarella cheese, shredded (I used about 1 cup of part-skim mozzarella and 1 cup of chopped fresh mozzarella)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• Approx 2 cups of arugula (I didn't measure this)

1. For the Dough: Measure 2 tablespoons olive oil onto a rimmed baking sheet (18″ by 13″), and use your fingers to coat the sheet with oil.
2. Measure water and remaining 1 tablespoon oil into a liquid measuring cup. Set aside.
3. Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt on low speed. With the mixer running, slowly add water mixture, and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute.
4. Increase speed to medium-low, and mix until dough is smooth and comes away from sides of bowl, about 10 minutes.
5. Place the dough on the oiled baking sheet, and turn to coat. Stretch dough to 10 by 6-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 
6. Stretch dough to corners of pan, cover loosely with plastic, and let rise in warm place until slightly puffed, about 45 minutes.
7. While dough is on the second rise, adjust oven rack to lowest position, and heat oven to 500 degrees.
8. For the Topping: Place tomatoes in colander, and drain really well.
9. In a medium bowl, combine drained tomatoes, oil, garlic, oregano, and salt. Set aside.
10. In a second bowl, combine mozzarella and Parmesan. Set aside.
11. Sprinkle cheese mixture over the dough, leaving 1/2-inch border on all sides.
12. Top with tomato mixture, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until well browned and bubbling, about 12 minutes. (If the oven starts to smoke, lower the temperature or move your pizza up a rack.)
13. Slide pizza onto a wire rack, sprinkle with basil and then arugula, and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve.

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Thai Chicken Pizza

I had a feeling we weren't going to like this.  My husband doesn't love peanut butter (I know, right?) and I'm pretty darn loyal to tomato sauce pizzas.  So I'm not sure why I chose to make this Thai Chicken Pizza with a peanut butter-based sauce but perhaps I was won over by the fact that I had pretty much all the ingredients on hand. For whatever reason, I put this pizza on the menu for this week.

While I was making the sauce last night, I even mentioned that we could always buy a pizza if this didn't turn out. Well, it did turn out.  In a big way.  I ended up halving the sauce which was perfect because it added great, creamy taste without being overpowering.  And the toppings added so much to the pizza -- a generous sprinkling of mozzarella, fresh veggies (red bell pepper, green onion, sliced zucchini, grated carrot and chopped cilantro made it onto our pizza), cooked and shredded chicken and a squirt of Sriracha sauce.  (Supposedly, this is supposed to be a knock off from California Pizza Kitchen's Thai Chicken Pizza although I've never had their pizza before.)

When I asked my husband what he thought (which seems particularly important since he consumed 75% of the pizza within 24 hours), he had two words: five stars.  Maybe that says it all.

Thai Chicken Pizza
Taken from: Food.com
Makes 1 pizza

Sauce

• 1/4 cup peanut butter (I used smooth)
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (I used more like 1 1/2 teaspoons)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sriracha (or hot chili sauce), plus more for serving
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1/4 cup water

• pizza dough (I recommend this one)
• 1+ cup of mozzerella cheese 
• red pepper, thinly sliced (I used about 1/2 red pepper)
• 2-4 tablespoons of grated carrot
• mung beans (omitted)
• zucchini, thinly sliced in rounds
• 2 green onions, sliced 
• cooked chicken, shredded (I used 2 small cooked chicken breasts)
• approx. 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• limes (completely forgot to add this but I bet it would be delicious!)

Instructions

1. Premake pizza dough (this one has to rise for about an hour).
2. Preheat the oven to 500.  If using a pizza stone, add stone to oven.
3. To make sauce: Combine sauce ingredients in a small pan over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a boil; boil gently for one minute, stirring occasionally.  (If the sauce seems too thin, simmer on the stove for several more minutes, stirring occasionally.) Set aside.
4. Slice the vegetables and grate the carrots. Slice the limes to squeeze over the pizza when it is finished cooking. 
5. Roll out the pizza dough.  Use a large spoon to spread sauce evenly over pizza dough within the rim. Top with cheese, then add vegetables and chicken (do not add cilantro or limes - they will be added after the pizza is cooked).
6. Bake for 7-10 minutes until crisp and golden and cheese is bubbly.  (Baking in a 500 degree oven that has been preheated for at least 30 minutes will help get the crust crispy).
7. Garnish the pizza with minced cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

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BLTizza & New Favorite Pizza Dough

This was not what my husband was expecting when I said I was making "BLT pizzas."  He was expecting a classic marinara and cheese pizza, topped with sliced tomatoes and bacon.  What he actually got was this.  As he surveyed it, he said, "Do you want me to take a picture? You know, just in case?"  That means, of course, just in case it was good enough to put on the blog (I really only write about things that we want to make again).

Despite his hesitation, this ended up being a refreshing, albeit a bit messy, dinner option (we served this with roasted cauliflower).  It's like an open-faced wrap piled high with lettuce, a maple-dijon vinaigrette, crumbled bacon, feta and farmers market tomatoes.  I loved it - it was light, loaded with vegetables in and smoky from the bacon and vinaigrette (you use some bacon grease in the vinaigrette...which I'm totally okay with).

And yes, my husband had to have a second piece.  And a third.  And I had to stop him after that or he wouldn't have any lunch the next day (although in his defense, without the marinara and cheese of a traditional pizza, it makes this pizza much lighter so he needs to eat more). 

I'm also giving the recipe for my new favorite pizza crust that we used for the BLT pizzas.  My dad introduced me to it and it's become my go-to pizza crust recipe (we used it for the roasted eggplant pizza). The ingredients take a spin in the food processor and then the dough has to rise for an hour - and that's it!

New Favorite Pizza Dough Recipe
Taken from: Martha Stewart
Makes 2 pizzas (I always halve this because my food processor is small)

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or white whole wheat flour (I use about 2 cups of white whole wheat and 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose; you could also try whole wheat, whole wheat pastry or spelt flour)
• Extra flour for work surface and bowl
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water (approx 100 degrees)
• 1 (1/4-ounce) package or 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons raw sugar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• cornmeal, for dusting pizza stone

1. Place flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add water, yeast, sugar, and olive oil. Process until a dough has formed.
2. Dust a large bowl with flour and transfer dough in bowl. Sprinkle flour on top of dough and cover with a damp towel. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Use immediately or wrap dough in plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

BLTizza
Taken from: Can you Stay for Dinner?
Serves 3-4 

• 4 cups mixed baby greens 
• 1-2 tomatoes, diced (I used one sliced tomato and 1/2 cup of halved grape tomatoes)
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional - my husband doesn't like raw onion)
• 6 slices bacon, pan fried, drippings reserved for dressing 
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup maple bacon vinaigrette, recipe below
• prepped pizza dough, recipe below (you could also use flatbreads or naan) 
• Maple Bacon Vinaigrette Dressing:  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tablespoons bacon drippings 
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup 
• 1/2 tablespoon spicy brown mustard 
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 

1. To cook the pizza dough - Place a pizza stone (or overturned baking sheet) into the oven and preheat the oven to 425.  Shape the pizza (it would be best to make these 4 individual pizzas but I was too lazy for that).  Once oven is preheated, sprinkle hot pizza stone with cornmeal.  Slide pizza(s) onto pizza stone, cooking until the bottom is crisp, about 10-15 minutes (after 10 minutes, I had to deflate the pizza using a spatula).
2. While pizza is baking, cook the bacon.  Save the bacon drippings for dressing.  
3. MAKE DRESSING:  Whisk all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. Store extras in an airtight container.
4. Top each pizza with greens, tomato, onion, crumbled bacon, and feta cheese and drizzle on the vinaigrette. 
   
   
   
    

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Roasted Eggplant Pizza

This recipe was made on a whim.  I had bought an eggplant from the farmers market on Saturday with no real idea of how I wanted to use it.  I just knew that my husband likes eggplant and I had been slightly intimidated by them (probably from an unsuccessful stuffed eggplant recipe). And at least I knew that I had eggplant parmesan as a great backup recipe. So while I was perusing for inspiration, I found this roasted eggplant pizza recipe.  We love roasted vegetables and we love pizza. I was sold.

It was a good thing, too, because it was one of our favorite homemade pizzas so far! Partially thanks to a pizza dough recipe that my dad gave me, this pizza was fantastic.  The roasted eggplant was delicious (I generously helped to eat all the roasted eggplant that didn't fit on the pizza) but what I think also added so much to this recipe was the roasted tomatoes.  Roasting the tomatoes helped them to caramelize and develop a much deeper flavor.


Roasted Eggplant Pizza
Taken from: A Hint of Honey
Makes 1 pizza

• 1 large eggplant, chopped
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (I used regular heirloom tomatoes instead, cut into thick slices)
• 1 yellow or red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• drizzle extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced or shredded (I never follow measurements for cheese -- I just grate some and see if it covers the pizza)
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated (same as above)
• Pizza or marinara sauce (I simmered olive oil, chopped tomato and a little chopped onion together
• Fresh basil, thinly sliced (optional)

1.  Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions (here's the link to the crust I used - I halved the dough recipe which was a perfect amount for one pizza!)
2. To roast the veggies, preheat oven to 450 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Combine the chopped eggplant, halved (or sliced) tomatoes, and chopped onion on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss to coat. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet. (Or onto two baking sheets. The vegetables caramelize better if they have room to breathe.) Roast in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes then add the garlic and turn roasted vegetables to coat evenly.  Cook for 10-15 more minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
3. Keep the oven at 450 F and preheat the pizza stone.
4. Prepare the pizza crust (I like to shape the pizza crust, throw cornmeal on the pizza stone, place the rolled crust on top of the stone and pre-bake the crust for about 9 minutes). Top with marinara, cheese and roasted vegetables.
5. Bake on preheated pizza stone for about 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden and the cheese is bubbling. Top with basil, if desired.  Slice and serve.

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Blazin' Buffalo Chicken Calzones & Menu Plan

As promised, here is the chicken calzones recipe.  These went over very well at the hospital this weekend: spicy, a nice amount of melted cheese and a crispy crust.  The recipe said it served 4 but as I was dividing out the buffalo chicken, I was worried it wouldn't really be enough. However, it worked out perfectly - it was definitely enough to go around. Not only are they really satisfying, they're also really easy to make. If you don't have time to make your own pizza dough, you can always find dough at a grocery store (or use this incredibly quick no-rise dough recipe).

Before our meal, Bryant had told his co-worker Greg what I was making.  By the time I got to the hospital, Greg had given them a much more colorful name, something to the effect of Blazin' Ragin' Wild Western Buffalo Bill Chicken Calzones. So here you have it: the recipe for Blazin' Ragin' Wild Western Buffalo Bill Chicken Calzones.

I've also included our week's menu plan.As you can see, we'll be celebrating Thanksgiving two days later than the official day. My sister is coming to visit for our Thanksgiving weekend and we are so excited to celebrate Thanksgiving with her! This will also be my first year cooking the Thanksgiving meal and I am really excited for it.  I can't wait to try this new slow cooker stuffing recipe and attempt to make Carolyn's delicious pecan pie. We loved a brined turkey breast recipe I had made a couple months ago so that will appear again (Who says turkey has to be once a year?).  To round it out, we'll also be having cranberry relish, green beans (both classic Thanksgiving dishes for my side of the family) and sweet potato casserole (courtesy of Bryant's side).  Finally, since I hate pumpkin pie but actually really like all other pumpkin dishes, our nod to this famous dessert will be to have pumpkin bread (with a cinnamon pecan swirl) in the morning.

Blazin' Ragin' Wild Western Buffalo Bill Chicken Calzones
Taken from: Healthy Food for Living
Serves: 4

• 1 whole wheat pizza dough, at room temperature (I used this recipe made ahead of time but if you're pressed for time, use this one)
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce (add more if desired)
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion

-Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
-Make pizza dough (this can be made up to a day ahead of time). If made ahead and refrigerated, set on counter to bring to room temperature.
-Make blue cheese sauce.
-Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
-Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to heated pan, and cook until done, about 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Reduce stove heat to low.
-Melt butter in the skillet and stir in Worcestershire, hot sauce, and tomato sauce. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Add the cooked chicken to the buffalo sauce, and stir to coat evenly.
-Divide pizza dough into four equal portions. Roll each out into a circle on a lightly floured surface.
-Working with one dough circle at a time, spoon 1/4 of the chicken onto one half of the circle. Top with 1/4 cup shredded cheddar and 1 tablespoon sliced green onion. Drape other half of the dough circle up and over the filling, and pinch edges together to seal the dough.
-Repeat with remaining three dough circles. Transfer calzones to 2 baking sheets or preheated pizza stone (sprinkle the baking sheet/pizza stone with cornmeal). Using the tines of a fork, pierce the top of each calzone a few times to let steam out while cooking.
-Place calzones into the oven, and cook for 10-12 minutes. Let calzones sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Serve with the blue cheese-yogurt dip and extra hot sauce.

Week's Menu Plan

Monday:  grilled cheese & tomato soup and Napa cabbage salad

Tuesday: Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Cilantro Pesto with roasted cauliflower and wild rice

Wednesday: Caribbean Salad  

Thursday: pumpkin bread for breakfast, Maely's chili for dinner

Friday: Mexican pulled chicken with nutella blondies

Saturday (Thanksgiving observed!): brined turkey breast, slow cooker stuffing, Carolyn's sweet potato casserole, green beans, cranberry sauce, Carolyn's pecan pie

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Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza & Menu Plan

This wasn't even supposed to be our main meal of the day. This was the kind of lunch where you scrounge through the refrigerator to see what you can throw together.  And luckily for us, that something that started as the last ingredients in our fridge ended with a delicious roasted butternut squash pizza with caramelized red onions, sauteed spinach and rosemary. 

We love, love, love pizza but I'm such a marinara fan that I've only made pizza with different toppings on top of tomato sauce. However, I had some leftover pizza dough that needed to be used today (since it wasn't on my menu plan for the week). However, we didn't have any good toppings to be used on tomato sauce and wasn't about to go to the store.  I did, however, have a leftover half of a butternut squash, half a bag of baby spinach and leftover fresh mozzarella.  I vaguely remembered reading that that to use up leftover butternut squash, someone suggested making a pizza of roasted butternut squash, spinach, feta and pine nuts. And this is a very versatile recipe. I added caramelized red onions but nixed the pine nuts. Feel free to do the same - throw in something extra or leave out what you don't have.  Even as a marinara lover, I highly recommend this pizza!

Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza
Adapted from: A Hint of Honey

• 1/2 of no-rise pizza dough recipe or any other pizza dough of your liking
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• fresh chopped rosemary or dried (and any other herbs you want to throw on - I used dried thyme)
• Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• Asiago/mozzarella/fresh mozzarella, grated
• Feta cheese, crumbled
• Spinach or baby spinach, washed

Roasted Butternut Squash:

• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• salt and ground black pepper

Caramelized Onions:

• 2 red onions, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

-Prepare no-rise pizza dough.
-If using caramelized onions, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and caramelized, 30-40 minutes.
-Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 F. Spread cubed squash on baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Toss with minced garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
-In a skillet over medium to medium-high heat in skillet (could be the same skillet as the onions), add a little olive oil or cooking spray.  Add spinach and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until completely wilted.
-Add pizza stone to oven and cover with cornmeal.  Let heat for 10 minutes.
-While stone is heating, roll out the dough into a thin crust.  Transfer dough carefully to pizza stone.
-Bake crust 8-9 minutes (mine actually puffed up and I had to press down with a spatula to let out the air).
-Brush the crust with the remaining Tbsp. of olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary (I also threw in some dried thyme). Sprinkle with a little cheese. Distribute the roasted squash, caramelized onions, sauteed spinach and feta over the crust. Top with any remaining cheese.
-Bake in oven for about 8 minutes until cheese has melted.
-Remove from the oven and let cool several minutes before slicing. 


Menu Plan

Sunday: Balsamic roasted chicken with couscous and salad

Monday: Ground turkey and spinach ravioli

Tuesday: Cajun Shrimp Po'Boys with sweet potato fries and Napa cabbage salad

Wednesday: Mexican seven-layer dip

Thursday:  Butternut Squash and Coconut Curry with rice and green peas

Friday: Buffalo Chicken Calzones (For dessert: Apple Caramel Crisp)

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Pizza Sauce, Pesto and Cranberry Vinaigrette for an Apple Walnut Salad

This was a weekend of lasts and firsts.  It was my last local farmers market of the year on Saturday (although I'll see if there's an open farmers market close by since I can't seem to let go).  Since it was the last, I strayed from my weekly list and got extra items, including lots of tomatoes (which will be made into pizza sauce, salsa and tikka masala sauce), cantelope and fresh basil.  The basil smelled irresistible and while there's a ton of basil in this one bunch, I'm slightly kicking myself for not getting an extra bunch or two.  Since I have the last of the fresh tomatoes and basil, it only seemed appropriate to make homemade tomato sauce for a margharita pizza as well as homemade pesto.

However, it's also a first for our area because we finally got rain today! And a great, soaking rain. I can hear it patter outside.  After an October mostly with 80 degree weather and a summer without absolutely no rain (not even clouds), it's a welcome change.  Don't get me wrong - I've loved the summer weather but I'm excited for some true fall weather.  And what better way to spend a rainy day than drinking coffee and cooking (especially with simmering something on the stove)?

Pizza Sauce
Taken from: Smitten Kitchen
Makes approx. 1 cup of sauce (enough for a small/medium pizza)

• 4-5 roma tomatoes
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Splash of red wine
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

-Bring medium pot of water to a boil. On the bottom of each tomato, slit the skin making an small X mark with a knife.  Poach the tomatoes for one minute only, and then drain them. As soon as they are cooled off enough that you can touch them, peel them (I ran mine under a bit of cold water to speed the cooling process).
-Drain and dry the pot. Put it back on the burner over medium heat. Pour in olive oil and let it heat completely before adding the garlic and stirring it for a minute with a wooden spoon. Add the red pepper flakes and stir it for anther minute. You do not want the garlic to brown. Put the peeled tomatoes in the pot, along with the wine, sugar and salt. Break the tomatoes up with your spoon.
Let the sauce simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down. Carefully taste without burning your tongue and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Pesto

• 2 cups fresh basil, roughly torn (I find the basil at the grocery store really expensive and very small portions; I highly recommend a farmers market or at least Trader Joe's which gives you a lot more for your money)
• 1/4 c. pine nuts (I always have walnuts in the house so I use that instead)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. of grated parmesan cheese, if desired (I often omit)

-Place basil, nuts, garlic, salt and parmesan (if using) in a blender or food processor.  Blend, gradually adding oil until mix is thickened.  Taste and adjust accordingly.
-If not using the pesto right away or if you have leftovers, freeze the pesto in an ice-cube tray and then place in the individual pesto portions in a freezer bag for future meals.

Cranberry Vinaigrette for an Apple Walnut Salad
Taken from: AllRecipes
Makes 5-6 servings

• 2 tablespoons cranberries (if you use dried cranberries that have sugar already, omit sugar)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons white sugar (omit if you're using dried cranberries)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon-style prepared mustard
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

-In a food processor, combine the cranberries, vinegar, sugar (if necessary), and mustard. Puree until smooth; gradually add oil, and season with salt and pepper.
-For an excellent salad for this dressing, combine 1/4 chopped walnuts (toasted, if you'd like), 1/4 thinly sliced red onion, 1-2 sliced apples and lots of greens in a large bowl and then drizzle on cranberry vinaigrette.

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Homemade Pizza Dough, 2 Ways

My husband and I love pizza. And by love, I mean that if we go more than 2 weeks without pizza, we feel deprived. Actually, our first purchase together as a couple was a pizza stone (romantic, right?). And we've definitely put that pizza stone to good use! We love trying new toppings (black olives, artichoke, fresh mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, baked prosciutto, ham and pineapple...whatever you have on hand) and different kinds of dough. So far, we've actually tried about 3 kinds of pizza dough - thin crust, medium and deep dish. Although I usually love a chewy crust, our favorite homemade pizzas are the thin crust and deep dish.

The thin crust pizza dough might be my favorite, partially because it's SO easy. It doesn't even require any time to rise the dough, so you can just throw the ingredients together and roll it out (whenever I roll out the pizza, it's comes out in sad, amoeba-like shapes so I always enlist my husband's help). It develops a great crispy crust, too.

Deep dish, however, is my husband's favorite. I've actually only had Chicago style pizza once before (and it was in Seattle, not the Windy City). However, this pizza dough tastes so rich, I don't really care if it's authentic - it's delicious! Also, Chicago style pizza is typically created by layering the dough, then the toppings, then the cheese and then the sauce on top; it's always fun to have a different spin on pizza.

Thin, No-Rise Pizza Dough
Taken from: AllRecipes
Makes 2 small pizzas or one large pizza

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat or white whole wheat flour
• .25 ounce package active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 cup warm water (approx 110 degrees F)

-If you have a pizza stone, preheat in a 375 oven for 20 minutes (cover with cornmeal first).
-Combine flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Mix in oil and warm water.
-If making two small pizzas, take half the dough and turn out on floured surface (use all the dough if you are making 1 large pizza). Roll out dough until very thin.
-Repeat with second half of dough.
-Move dough to preheated pizza stone or baking sheet (a metal spatula separates the dough from the counter really well).
-Bake 9-10 minutes and then add sauce, dried herbs, cheese and toppings. Bake for 10-15 minutes more until bottom is firm and lightly browned.




Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza Dough
Taken from: Food.com

• 1/4 ounce package of active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
• 1 1/4 cups warm water (about 100-110 degrees) 
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 1/4 cups unbleached bread flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 cup medium-grind yellow cornmeal (I only had fine, white cornmeal)
• 1 teaspoon salt (or 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt)
• 1/2 cup olive oil (or 1/4 + 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp melted butter for a richer crust)

-In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in1/4 cup of the warm water. Add the sugar and 1/4 cup of the flour and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
-Add the remaining 1 cup warm water and 3 cups flour, cornmeal, salt, and olive oil (and melted butter, if used). Using a wooden spoon, mix the dough, incorporating as much of the flour as possible.
-Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, 10 to 12 minutes. It will be a little sticky, but shouldn't stick to your hands. (You can also you a dough hook on a stand mixer, if you have one.)-Using cooking spray, spray a large bowl. Add the dough to the bowl and turn to coat with oil on all sides.
-Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place a clean, damp, kitchen towel over the top.
-Set the bowl in a warm spot and let rise until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (For a slow rise, place the covered bowl in the refrigerator and let rise for 10 to 12 hours, returning dough to room temperature before using).
-Spray all sides of a cake pan (or cast-iron pan) with cooking spray.
-Preheat the oven to 375 F.
-When the dough has doubled in volume, punch it down and knead it for 2 to 3 minutes. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the cake/cast iron pan. Let the dough rise in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes.
-Press the dough until it comes 2 inches up the sides and is even on the bottom and at the corners of the pan (waiting those 15-20 minutes will make it easier to manipulate the dough).
-Bake for 10-15 minutes and then add the topping, cheese and finally, sauce and bake for approx 15-20 minutes more.

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