August 15, 2011: White Pizza on the Grill Recipe

I’ve always wanted to try my hand at making pizza on the grill. Although I wasn’t confident enough to place it right on the rack (I used my pizza stone), this still has the flavor and crispiness of a crust cooked in a barbecue with an open flame. This version of pizza is perhaps my husband’s favorite so far. I hope you enjoy it, too!

White Pizza

Crust:

1 cup warm water

2 t. yeast

2 T. olive oil

1 t. sugar

1 t. salt

2 ½ cup flour

Dissolve yeast in the warm water. Add remaining ingredients (use a stand mixer for best results) and mix until it forms a smooth ball. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Roll out the dough into a circle. Carefully place it on a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal.

Place a pizza peel in your grill heated to as high as it will go (with indirect heating). Carefully slide the pizza dough from the peel to the heated stone. Cook for about 5 minutes, until it is just firm enough to slide back onto the pizza peel without breaking or falling apart.

Toppings:

½ jar store bought Alfredo sauce

1 lb. mild Italian sausage, crumbled and cooked

1 Roma tomato, thinly sliced

½ cup thinly sliced black olives

6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

1 ounce shredded Parmesan cheese

Spread Alfredo sauce on the prepared pizza crust (still on the pizza peel). Top with tomato and black olive slices. Sprinkle with cheese, followed by sausage. Slide the topped pizza crust back onto the pizza stone and cook for about 10 minutes. If desired, finish pizza under the broiler for a few minutes to brown cheese.

Makes 8 large slices.

July 27, 2011: Margherita Pizza Recipe

My husband and I love pizza but I get tired of making the same old pepperoni and black olives or white pizza with alfredo sauce. The other night I was watching the Food Network (which I’ve been accused of doing nonstop) and all the show episodes focused on pizza. Ever since then I was craving pizza so I decided to try this one with a thin crust and no sauce.

Note: I have some special tools in my kitchen because I love making pizza; if you don’t have them you can still make this recipe but it won’t turn out quite the same. Using this recipe, you should have a thin, crispy crust on the bottom that's hard to achieve without a pizza stone.

Margherita Pizza

Dough:
¾ cup warm water
1 ½ t. yeast
1 ½ T. olive oil
¾ t. sugar
¾ t. salt
2 – 2 ½ cups flour

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Add olive oil, sugar, salt and about 1 ½ cups of the flour to your stand mixer or food processor. Gradually add remaining flour until mixture forms a ball. Place in a greased bowl and let rest in a warm place until dough is doubled in size. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a thin circle. Fold into quarters and carefully place on a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal. Transfer the dough from the peel to a pizza stone set on the lowest rack of your oven. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the bottom starts to brown and the top bubbles. Remove from oven, using the pizza peel.

Brush the hot dough with 2 T. olive oil mixed with 1 head roasted garlic*, minced, and 6 large basil leaves, cut into thin slices.

Layer on top:
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
8 ounces mozzarella bocconcini, sliced

Put topped pizza back in the hot oven for 5 minutes. Turn oven to broil and cook for another 5 minutes, until toppings are sizzling. Remove from oven and transfer from pizza stone to cutting surface.

Serves 2 – 3

* To roast garlic: take an unpeeled head of garlic and place in the middle of a piece of foil. Sprinkle it with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven or on a grill at a moderate temperature for about 20 - 30 minutes.

July 21, 2011: California Cobb Wrap Recipe

Looking for a light lunchtime treat? Try this quick and easy wrap with beautiful colors and a great taste.

California Cobb Wrap

1 spinach sandwich wrap (tortilla)
1 T. ranch dressing (or use this chipotle garlic ranch recipe)
2 slices bacon, crisply cooked
½ avocado, thinly sliced
½ tomato, cut into thin slices
1 large leaf green lettuce

Spread dressing across one side of wrap. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, avocado slices and tomato slices. Top with lettuce. Roll up tightly, like a burrito.

Tip: Add shredded, leftover chicken for a heartier sandwich. Diced green chiles can also be added for a bit of a kick.

May 31, 2011: Mexican Pizza with Jalapeno Cornbread Crust Recipe

Here we are on the last day of the month… already! The summer season has officially begun and 22 years ago today I gave birth to my awesome, wonderful, handsome, intelligent, funny, responsible, hard-working, most precious son. Happy Birthday, Neal!

Now, for the last recipe of the month.

I made this one up the other day. I wanted something Mexican and I was craving pizza and this is what I came up with. Although I always make my refried beans from scratch (I actually don’t refry them but just mash them with the cooking liquid to save on calories) feel free to use a can of good quality beans instead.

Mexican Pizza

Jalapeno Cornbread Crust:
¾ cup warm water
1 ½ t. dry yeast
1 T. honey
1 T. finely chopped jalapenos
1 T. butter, softened
1 t. salt
¼ cup cornmeal
2 – 2 ½ cups flour

In the warmed bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water and yeast. Let sit for a few minutes, until it starts to froth. Add remaining ingredients, through cornmeal. Add one-and-a-half cups of the flour and process on Speed 2 for a couple minutes. Add remaining flour, half cup at a time, until mixture forms a smooth dough. Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides, and cover. Let rise in a warm place 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Punch down the dough.

Grease a pizza stone with olive oil. Evenly spread the dough across the pan, using your fingers to bring it to the edges; crimp the edges slightly.

For the Pizza:
2 cups refried beans
1 cup sliced black olives
½ onion, thinly sliced
1/8 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese
1 lb. chorizo, cooked and drained of grease
4 slices pepper jack cheese
Shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes, optional
Taco sauce, optional

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place oven rack in lowest position.

Spread the prepared dough with refried beans. Top with olives, onion, cilantro, shredded cheese, and chorizo. Place the four slices of pepper jack cheese around the pizza in a diamond pattern.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the crust is brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, cool slightly, and slice into eighths. Top with lettuce, tomato, and taco sauce, if desired.

Makes 8 slices.

April 25, 2011: Ham and Leftovers Recipes

Did you cook a ham for Easter dinner? Even if you didn’t, I hope you picked up a ham while they were on sale at the grocery store. A lot of stores had a fantastic price just in time for the holiday; that’s always when I stock up on big ticket meats. And according to something I heard on the radio recently, the leftovers from a ham will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 months as opposed to turkey, which should only be kept for 3 – 4 days!

While I’m not sure I want to put that theory to the test, I do enjoy leftover ham.

First I want to share you with the secrets I’ve learned to making an exceptionally tender, tasty ham and then share a recipe for a simple, quick breakfast (or even dinner) idea using the leftovers.

The Perfect Ham

Place your ham, cut side down in a roasting pan (no need to put it on a rack since the juices are going to keep it nice and moist).

Pour a baking sauce into the bottom of the pan. This year I used:

Juice of one large orange
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, curry powder, and paprika

Cover the roasting pan and place in a low (225 – 250 degree) oven. Cook for several hours (about half an hour per pound), basting with the pan juices occasionally. Remove the cover during the last 15 minutes of baking to crisp up the fat.

And here’s a tasty dish to use the leftover ham (serves one person for breakfast or a light dinner):

Simple Eggs Benedict

1 bagel or round sandwich thin (these are kind of like really thin bagels made by Oroweat), halved
Dijon mustard
Sliced ham
2 large slices fresh tomato
2 slices Muenster cheese
2 eggs
Freshly ground salt and pepper

Lightly toast the bagel or sandwich round halves. Spread with Dijon mustard; top with ham, tomato slices, and cheese. Broil for a couple minutes, just until the cheese starts to melt.

In the meantime, poach the two eggs. Carefully slide the raw eggs into boiling water to which you’ve added a sprinkle of vinegar. Turn down the heat to a gentle, rolling boil and cook for about 5 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, place the poached eggs on top of the bagel halves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.