Pulled Pork Pita Pizzas

Have you ever eaten a meal at a restaurant and just kept obsessing over it until either a.) you went to the restaurant again specifically to have that dish one more time, or b.) you finally broke down and tried to duplicate it in your own kitchen? That exact thing happened to me after I tried the pulled pork pizza at Rivage Atlantique during a lunch with my family a couple of months ago. It was so delicious that I thought about it for weeks until I finally decided to make my own version at home.

This may sound simple, and it is; it's just pulled pork, coleslaw, cheese, and pickles on a pizza. But the end result is insanely delicious. It's such a wonderful combination of flavors, and one that most people enjoy on a sandwich -- so why not on a pizza?

Instead of using pizza crust, I pulled a package of pitas out of the freezer and used those -- they're the perfect size for personal pizzas. The hands-on cooking time is very minimal, making these pizzas perfect for a weeknight. And I can guarantee that they'll make your family very happy! You'll definitely have pork left over, but that's okay; you'll probably want to make these again the next night...and the next.

Pulled Pork Pita Pizzas
inspired by a meal at Rivage Atlantique

For the pork:

1 2-pound pork shoulder or butt
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

For the pizzas:

4 pita breads
2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
Prepared coleslaw
Refrigerated pickles, sliced

1. Combine garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, olive oil, and vinegar. Rub pork with garlic mixture and refrigerate overnight. Cook in a Crock pot on low for 8 hours. Turn off the heat and stir in the BBQ sauce; replace the lid and let sit until warmed through.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the pita breads on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and top each pita with 1/2 cup of the pork, 1/2 cup of cheese, and sliced pickles to taste. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until pita is crisp and cheese is melted. 

3. Top with coleslaw and cut each pizza into slices. Serve immediately.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Once upon a time, my husband and I made BBQ chicken pizza. And it was good. Very, very good. And I thought I’d never forsake that version for another.

Once upon another time, my best friend and I went out for dinner and drinks before a concert, and we split a BBQ chicken pizza at the restaurant. And it was AMAZING. And I knew I had to duplicate that version in my kitchen as soon as humanly possible.

Well, I’ve officially found a new go-to version of BBQ chicken pizza – and it is so simple, you guys. Including the crust itself, this version only has six ingredients: crust, BBQ sauce, leftover grilled chicken, Monterey jack cheese, red onion, and cilantro. That’s it. But the ingredients all work together perfectly (the sharp bite of the onions, the tangy sauce, the bright cilantro) and make such a flavorful combination. I used leftover marinated, grilled chicken from a pasta I’d made earlier in the week (I’ll share that recipe tomorrow), and thought it worked really well for this. You could definitely use shredded cooked chicken, or any type of leftover chicken, but I thought grilled chicken worked just perfectly.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

1 store-bought or homemade pizza crust

1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese

1 cup cooked diced chicken

1/4 cup diced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1. Pre-bake pizza crust according to directions on package or instructions in your favorite recipe.

2. Top pizza crust with BBQ sauce, shredded cheese, chicken, onions, and cilantro. Return to the oven and cook for 6 to 10 minutes more, until edges of crust are golden brown, cheese is melted, and toppings are heated through.

Stuffed Crust Pizza

I feel a little bit silly even posting this recipe, because it’s incredibly semi-homemade and so simple, but it’s such a crowd-pleaser in my house that I can’t not post it.

If there are two things that both of my sons love, it’s string cheese and pizza. One night when Joe wasn’t home and I didn’t feel like cooking anything too involved, I decided to combine these two loves to make my own at-home version of stuffed crust pizza. It was definitely a hit, and has been requested frequently ever since.

This really couldn’t be simpler. Pull the edges of refrigerated pizza dough (you could of course make your own) up over string cheese, add your toppings and bake as normal. Voila! Stuffed crust pizza at home. My favorite thing about it is that some of the cheese oozes out of the crust, so the entire bottom half of each pizza slice is pure cheese. Does it get any better than that?

Stuffed Crust Pizza

1 refrigerated rectangular pizza crust
String Cheese
Pizza Sauce
Toppings of choice

1. Preheat the oven to the temperature listed on the package. Place string cheese around edges of crust and fold crust up and over, pinching to seal the edges. Pre-bake crust as directed on package.

2. Add pizza sauce and toppings of choice. Bake as directed until crust is crispy and browned.

Spinach Artichoke Dip Pizza

The thing I love most about food blogging is connecting with others through food. Food is such a universal language, and it’s been so much fun for me to share the recipes my family loves with all of you – and to hear about the ones that you love as well. I get lots of e-mails from readers and friends, recommending a certain recipe or dish to me because they thought it sounded like something I would like. I think that’s so cool! And apparently I am very transparent, because whenever this happens (and it happens a lot!), the recipe is almost always something I’ve already had my eye on for quite some time. Either that, or it’s something I can’t believe I hadn’t already thought of myself – like this pizza.

My friend Jessie e-mailed me about this pizza soon after she tried a version of it at a pizza place. She said she couldn’t wait to share it with me, and that she knew it was something I would love. And as soon as she described it in her e-mail, I knew I would without question be trying it. I put it on the menu that very week.

Spinach artichoke dip. On pizza. It’s...I just...I can’t even, you guys. I can’t describe how amazing this pizza tastes. There are just no words. So, okay, it’s far from the healthiest thing to have for dinner...But it’s the perfect meal for a once-in-a-while indulgence. Give it a try, and tell me it’s not the best thing you’ve ever tasted.

Spinach Artichoke Dip Pizza
inspired by Jessie

1 pizza crust (store-bought or homemade)
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can artichokes in water, drained and roughly chopped
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup sour cream or mayonnaise
A few tablespoons of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded Italian-blend cheese, divided
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Pre-bake pizza crust, if necessary, according to the directions on the package or your recipe.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add artichokes and cook for a few minutes.

3. Stir in spinach, cream cheese, sour cream or mayonnaise, milk, salt and pepper, and 1 cup of cheese. Stir until completely blended and smooth. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

4. Spread dip mixture on top of pizza crust, leaving a half-inch border around the edges. Top with remaining 1 cup of cheese, parmesan and halved tomatoes.

5. Bake according to package directions or recipe, until crust is browned and crispy.

Pizza Chex Mix

This is barely a recipe, really. It is, however, a completely addictive snack, and would be the perfect thing to munch on during a football game this weekend.

I was intrigued when I saw this recipe. Pepperoni and cheese with Chex Mix? Really? How good could that be? The answer is really, really good. It sounds a little strange, but it’s delicious. I would recommend mixing it all together right before you serve it, because otherwise the cheese and pepperoni will make the Chex Mix a little soggy. It won’t ruin your enjoyment of it, though, which I know from firsthand experience.

Pizza Chex Mix
adapted from Betty Crocker

1 8.75-ounce bag traditional Chex Mix
1 cup mini pepperoni
1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together. Serve immediately and enjoy.

One year ago: Nutella mousse tartlets

Portobello Pesto Pizza

I’ve found that people have strong opinions about both pesto and mushrooms: They either love them, or they hate them. My family falls into the “love” category for both things, and when I saw them paired together in one delicious pizza…Well. Making this recipe was a no-brainer.

This is an absolutely delicious pizza. The cremini mushrooms and pesto work so well together: The mushrooms provide that deep earthiness, and the pesto is so fresh and vibrant in contrast. Topped with tons of melty, blistery cheese, it’s pretty much perfection.

I definitely enjoyed this more than Joe did, though; he thought the pizza needed “something else.” I expect that “something else” that he couldn’t define was some sort of tomato-y element, which I’ll add for him next time I make this – in the form of roasted cherry tomatoes, which I think would be delicious in the mushroom layer.

And here comes the geeky English major in me: Another thing I love about this pizza is the alliteration. Portobellos, pesto, provolone, parmesan…I’m tempted to throw in some prosciutto or pancetta next time I make this, too, just for one more “P” ingredient!

Portobello Pesto Pizza
adapted from Brown-Eyed Baker

1 pizza crust (make your own, or buy a thin-crust one at the store, which is what I did without shame)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup pesto (homemade or store-bought)
8 ounces provolone cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Arrange pizza crust on a rack or pizza stone in the oven. Pre-bake according to recipe or directions on package.

2. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the sliced mushrooms and shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the mushrooms have released all of their liquid and both the mushrooms and shallots are soft and browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Spread the pesto over the pizza dough, just as you would pizza sauce, leaving a 1/2-inch border uncovered. Spread the mushroom and onion mixture evenly over the pesto, and then top with the provolone and parmesan cheeses. Place your baking sheet or pizza pan into the oven.

4. Bake until the crust edges brown and the cheese is golden brown in spots, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, slice and serve.

One year ago: Baked zucchini macaroni and cheese

Shaved Asparagus Pizza

The problem with trying so many new recipes all the time is that I’m always inevitably way behind in sharing those recipes with you. This shaved asparagus pizza is a perfect example. I made it back in June, and we loved it, and now it’s at least a month later and I haven’t even posted the recipe yet. And for that, I really do owe you a huge apology, because this pizza is AMAZING. It’s so ridiculously good that I’m almost at a loss as to how to describe it to you. I wish I would have made two of these pizzas for us, because I think Joe and I both could have eaten an entire pizza on our own. This pizza will be a staple meal in our house for a long time to come, and I’d even feel comfortable serving it to dinner guests.

Asparagus is traditionally a spring vegetable, I know, but I just couldn’t wait until next spring to share this with you. Besides, asparagus is readily available in the supermarkets year-round. I maintain that there are few ingredients in the world more delicious than Boursin cheese, and when it’s paired with ribbons of asparagus and slathered on pizza, well…There are just no words.

Shaved Asparagus Pizza
adapted from Tasty Kitchen

1 batch of your favorite pizza crust, prepared according to recipe (I used a Pillsbury thin crust, prepared according to the direction on the package)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese
1 bunch of asparagus, washed and trimmed
5 1/4 ounces Boursin cheese (or other garlic and herb spreadable cheese)
Fresh cracked black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. If not already shaped, stretch your pizza dough into a large rectangle or circle 12 to 16 inches in diameter and place on your pizza pan or stone. Drizzle dough with a thin stream of olive oil.

2. Sprinkle mozzarella and provolone evenly over dough.

3. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the asparagus into thin ribbons. Use the entire bunch, as you might only get 3 or 4 good ribbons from each spear. Pile asparagus shavings on top of the cheese.

4. Top asparagus with several cranks of black pepper and dot generously with Boursin cheese.

5. Bake on pizza stone or baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes before slicing and serving.

Pizza Panini

I think this is one of the best ideas for a quick and easy lunch or dinner I’ve ever had. It’s a pepperoni and cheese panini, and the bread is store-bought garlic Texas toast. Served with pizza sauce on the side for dipping, this meal is literally ready in minutes, and it’s absolutely delicious. It’s also a kid-pleaser, to which I’m sure both of my boys would attest.

The panini itself is easily customizable – use any combination of pizza toppings and cheeses you like. I think black olives and/or banana peppers would be particularly delicious in addition to the pepperoni. I kept them simple for my first go-round, but I’ll definitely be experimenting with different ingredients when I make these again!

Pizza Panini

Frozen garlic Texas toast
Deli-sliced pepperoni
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Pizza sauce

Prepare garlic toast according to package directions. To assemble sandwiches, top a slice of garlic toast with pepperoni and a sprinkling of cheese, then another piece of garlic toast. Cook in a panini press until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Pizza Macaroni and Cheese

I have a two-and-a-half-year-old and, like most kids his age, he has some very definite ideas about what he wants for dinner. Also like most kids his age, usually what he wants is macaroni and cheese, pizza, or chicken nuggets. But unfortunately for Andrew, I don’t cook these things all the time, and the rule in our house is you eat what’s put in front of you -- or you don’t eat. Some nights this is easier than others, but Mommy is stubborn, too, and Mommy almost always wins. :)

I created this pizza macaroni and cheese specifically with Andrew in mind, because it combines two of his favorite foods in a made-from-scratch, balanced dish. I snuck in lots of veggies -- mushrooms, green peppers, tomatoes and onions -- so it would taste like a supreme pizza. We all really enjoyed this, and thought that the finished dish really did hit all the same notes as a big slice of pizza. It was definitely easy to get Andrew to eat his dinner the night I made this, and since I’m all about making things easier on myself, I’ll be making this one a lot.

Pizza Macaroni and Cheese

1 pound mini penne pasta
1 green pepper, sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/4 cups mini pepperoni slices, divided
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
3 cups shredded pizza-blend cheese, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons pizza or Italian seasoning

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to directions on box; drain.

3. Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a large skillet. Add green pepper, mushrooms, and red onion to skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook until vegetables are softened. Add garlic; cook and stir for 30 secons. Stir in tomatoes and 1 cup pepperoni slices; remove from heat and set aside.

4. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly for 3 seconds. Stir in milk; heat to boiling and cook until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste and pizza seasoning. Reduce heat and stir in 2 cups of cheese until melted.

5. Stir cheese sauce and vegetables into pasta. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese and remaining 1/4 cup pepperoni. Sprinkle with additional pizza seasoning, if desired.

6. Cook under broiler until cheese is bubbly and pepperoni is slightly crisp. Serve.

Mexican Biscuit Pizzas

This is (yet another) of those “Why didn’t I think of that?” sorts of recipes. It never occurred to me before to roll out a biscuit and use it as the crust for an individual-sized pizza. But now that I have this method in my repertoire, I can guarantee you I’ll be using it a lot. Andrew’s daycare lunches are about to get much more exciting!

In this particular version, swiped from the trustworthy Pioneer Woman, the “flatbread” base is topped with refried beans, salsa, seasoned ground beef and tons of cheese to make a pizza that tastes just like a taco. Unfortunately I didn’t have all of the ingredients for pico de gallo immediately on hand, or I would have put some of that on top of these too. But as it was, we thought salsa, sour cream, and hot corn dip were the perfect toppers for these delicious, simple little pizzas.

I think this is a great recipe for a gameday spread because it’s so adaptable. You could make a ton of the biscuit crusts and sit out assorted toppings to make a fun and easy pizza bar for your guests. But be sure you present this version as one of the options, because I guarantee you that your guests will love it!

(Oh, and one other item of note: These hold up surprisingly well as leftovers. We had them again for lunch the next day.)

Mexican Biscuit Pizzas
adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks!

1 can large biscuits (not flaky!) (8 biscuits per can)
1 14.5-ounce can refried beans
3 tablespoons salsa
1 pound cooked, taco-seasoned ground beef or turkey
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Lettuce, pico de gallo, salsa, sour cream, or cilantro for serving

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Flour work surface and roll out each biscuit until very flat. Brush very lightly with olive oil. Bake for 8 minutes, or until starting to turn golden. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Mix refried beans with salsa. Heat on stovetop.

3. To assemble, spread refried beans over each flattened biscuit. Top with plenty of beef. Sprinkle shredded cheddar over the top. Return to oven for 3 minutes, or until melted and bubbly. Top with desired toppings and serve.

Broccoli, Salami, and Mozzarella Pizza Pockets

Oh, you guys, this was The Meal That Almost Wasn’t. Everything seemed to go wrong when I was making these pizza pockets.

…Okay, not everything; that may be a little bit dramatic. I was originally planning to make this stromboli from Martha Stewart, but then I sliced my pizza dough in a way that didn’t allow for all the filling to fit. So then, thinking myself quite clever, I decided to make pizza pockets instead, and I divided the dough into 8 squares. I’m brilliant! I thought.

In my brilliance, I added the filling to each one and wrapped the dough around all of them...before I realized I hadn’t seasoned the filling in any way, or added the marinara sauce. So I had to improvise further. I decided to heat the marinara and just use it for dipping, and quickly melted and seasoned some butter, which I brushed over the top of the pizza pockets before I baked them.

Then I crossed my fingers and just hoped they were edible. Much to my surprise, not only were they edible...they were absolutely delicious, and something we all loved. When I thought about it later, I realized this really shouldn’t have been all that surprising, since what I did was pretty much unknowingly follow the directions for these pizza rolls. In any case, I still think these are worth sharing, especially since this particular filling combination is a knock-out. Whether you make the stromboli in the original recipe, or you adapt it into these pizza pockets out of necessity as I did, this is definitely something worth trying. The filling options are endless, and I’ll be trying lots of variations in the future.

(And I know I've listed marinara as the dipping sauce in the recipe, and while that was very good, I should also mention that I ended up dipping one of my pizza pockets in ranch dressing, and I loved that. Ranch is the best!)

Broccoli, Salami, and Mozzarella Pizza Pockets
source: heavily adapted from Martha Stewart

1 package refrigerated pizza dough
1 package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
4 ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami, chopped
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and black pepper to taste
Marinara sauce, warmed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out pizza dough and cut into 8 equal squares.

2. Place broccoli in a strainer, and press to remove excess liquid. Transfer to a double layer of paper towels, and pat dry.

3. Dividing evenly, scatter broccoli over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with mozzarella and salami.

4. 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 on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Slice a hole in the top of each to vent.

5. Combine melted butter, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper and brush over tops of pizza pockets.

6. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with marinara (or ranch!) for dipping.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

Chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing. They’re three flavors that are delicious all on their own, of course, but when you think about it, they were sort of made for each other. The salty bacon, creamy dressing, and savory chicken complement each other so well. They should be best friends forever.

So imagine those flavors, together, on a pizza. Then add in sweet tomatoes, sharp green onions, and tons of gooey cheese.

Yeah. It’s pretty much perfection. Make this amazing pizza this weekend. I promise you’ll love it.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza
source: adapted from Allrecipes

1/2 pound bacon, chopped
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 cup Ranch-style salad dressing
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped green onions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a pizza pan or medium baking sheet.

2. Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat to desired crispness. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.

3. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until no longer pink and juices run clear. Cool, then either shred or chop into small pieces.

4. Unroll dough, and press into the prepared pizza pan or baking sheet. Bake crust for 5 minutes in the preheated oven, or until it begins to turn golden brown. Remove from oven.

5. Spread ranch dressing over partially baked crust. Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese. Place tomatoes, green onion, and chicken on top of mozzarella cheese, then top with Cheddar cheese. Return to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle with reserved bacon, slice, and serve.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Oh, man, you guys, today’s recipe is a really good one. I can’t wait to make these again, as a matter of fact. If I had another mini-muffin pan, I would double the recipe. In fact, I may go buy another mini-muffin pan just for that purpose.

These are basically little pizza muffins. And they’re delicious, and a fun dinner alternative to a traditional pizza. Andrew loved them because he could dip them. Joe loved them because pizza is his favorite food in the world, and I loved them just because they were so darn good! They’re addictive, too -- I dare you to eat just five.

Because it seems like I can never follow a recipe exactly as it’s written, I did make a couple of modifications. I added pizza seasoning and parmesan cheese to the filling. But that’s what’s so great about this recipe -- you can change it up with whatever pizza toppings you prefer: green peppers, mushrooms, olives, onions, sausage, all of the above. Even ham and pineapple would be delicious if you prefer Hawaiian pizza. My family, though -- we’re pretty simple. Give us cheese and pepperoni, and we’re happy.

And we were VERY happy eating these.

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs
source: seen on Home Cooking with Sonya and adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray, April 2010
3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon pizza seasoning
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 package mini pepperoni rounds (or 1 cup cubed pepperoni)
1/2 cup store-bought pizza sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and pizza seasoning; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella, parmesan and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.

2. Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through. Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I have been really excited to share this recipe with you. But I can't take credit for this deliciousness; this is actually my husband's creation. Every once in a while he gets the urge to experiment in the kitchen, and I love these urges because they usually result in some pretty spectacular food. It's also nice to not have to cook for a couple of days, although for some reason I still end up cleaning up after him. I'm going to have to remedy that next time.

Recently Joe wanted to experiment with pizza. He wanted to make BBQ chicken and buffalo chicken versions, and since there is nothing about any of those ingredients I don't love, I was completely on board. One night we had his buffalo chicken pizza (which was good, but needed some tweaking, so we're going to make it again soon and then I'll post the recipe), and the next night he made his BBQ chicken version, which we both fell in love with.

This pizza is so good. It starts out with bacon (and anything that starts with bacon is a win, right?), then you add red onion to the bacon and let it caramelize, mix that amazing combination with shredded chicken, BBQ sauce, and a bit of hot sauce, slather it on a pizza crust, and top it with tons of cheese. Sounds amazing, right? It tastes even better than it sounds. This is a great way to jazz up your weeknight dinner menu!

BBQ Chicken Pizza
source: my culinary genius of a husband

1 store-bought pizza crust
4 strips bacon, diced
1 red onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/2 to 3/4 cup BBQ sauce
Dash hot sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

1. Preheat oven to temperature listed on pizza crust package (usually it's 400 or 425 degrees).

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon just shy of crispy; add red onion and cook until onions are softened and begin to caramelize. Drain mixture on paper towels.

3. In a large bowl, combine chicken, BBQ sauce, and hot sauce; add bacon and onion mixture. Spread evenly over pizza crust. Top with shredded cheeses.

4. Bake until crust is crisp and cheese is melted, according to directions on crust package.

Chicken Bacon Broccoli Alfredo Pizza

We liked the chicken taco pizza we had a couple of weeks ago so much that I couldn't wait to start experimenting with different toppings using the same method. First up was an idea I saw ages ago on Courtney's blog for chicken bacon alfredo pizza. I took her idea and ran with it, adding broccoli to the topping, because I love the taste of broccoli with alfredo sauce. We liked this pizza a lot. Next up to try: BBQ and buffalo chicken versions!

Sorry for the poor photo quality. Unless I can somehow manage to get dinner on the table by 4:30 PM, it's looking like I'm going to have to start using my flash more. I wish Daylight Savings Time lasted all year!

Chicken Bacon Broccoli Alfredo Pizza
source: inspired by Cooking Up a Family

1 12-inch pre-baked thin Italian pizza crust
1/2 cup alfredo sauce (purchased, or you can get fancy and make your own)
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cups shredded mozzarella or Italian-blend cheese
6 strips of bacon, diced
1 cup cooked broccoli

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook bacon over medium heat to desired crispness; set aside on paper towels to drain.

2. Place pizza crust on cookie sheet. Stir together chicken and alfredo sauce in a small bowl; spread over crust, stopping about one inch from the edges. Top with cheese.

3. Bake 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and pizza is thoroughly heated.

4. Top with broccoli and bacon.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

These pizza rolls were The Meal That Almost Didn't Happen. When I went to the grocery store to buy the ingredients on the night I was going to make them, the store was out of refrigerated pizza crust. The shelf was totally empty, and I couldn't find an employee to help me. And I live in a pretty small town with only one grocery store, so it's not like I could go somewhere else.

Instead of scrapping our dinner plans, though, I decided to improvise. I found a package of Pillsbury's crescent creations that I thought would probably work, so I decided to use that instead. And it worked wonderfully! I was so glad I went forward with making these, because they were absolutely delicious. Joe is pretty obsessed with frozen pizza rolls, so I was eager to see what he'd think of this homemade version -- and he really liked them too. The same goes for Andrew, who would eat anything dipped in red sauce (he's just like his mama).

These pizza rolls will be a repeat dinner in our house, for sure. Wait until you see what I served them with -- that's coming up on Monday. Have a good weekend, everyone!

Stuffed Pizza Rolls
source: Our Best Bites

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough (I substituted crescent creations out of necessity, which worked fine)Marinara/pizza sauce

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon melted butter

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Mozzarella cheese, diced

Pizza toppings of your choice: i.e., ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc. (I used diced pepperoni)

1. Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package, usually 400 degrees.

2. Unroll dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.

3. Place cheese and desired toppings on each square, about a teaspoon each of cheese and toppings.

4. 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 similar sized dish).

5. Brush the tops of the dough balls melted butter and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with parmesan cheese.

6. Cook rolls in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Chicken Taco Pizza

This chicken taco pizza was seriously delicious. And it was such a quick and easy weeknight meal for us, too; it came together in about 20 minutes, and tasted absolutely amazing. This is a really versatile recipe; you can add your favorite taco toppings, and even use the same preparation method for lots of different kinds of pizzas (Joe suggested buffalo-style and BBQ chicken versions; he was very excited about this prospect). We loved this version, though, and will be making it frequently!

Chicken Taco Pizza
source: adapted from Betty Crocker

1 12-inch pre-baked thin Italian pizza crust
1/2 cup refried beans
1/2 cup salsa
2 cups cooked shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese blend
1/2 cup sour cream
Your favorite taco toppings: shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, sliced red onion, black olives, avocado
1/2 cup crushed Doritos

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place pizza crust on a cookie sheet and spread refried beans over surface, stopping about 1 inch from the edges. Stir together salsa and chicken in a small bowl.

2. Spread chicken mixture over refried beans. Top with cheese. Bake 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and pizza is thoroughly heated.

3. Top with desired taco toppings, dollops of sour cream, and crushed Doritos. Cut into 8 wedges.

Grilled Pizzas with Sausage, Peppers and Onions

I don't know why I never seem to make a recipe exactly as it's written. Lately it seems like I'm always doing something to change it up -- mostly for convenience's sake, but also because sometimes it seems like recipes are missing something (usually garlic. I really heart garlic).

Anyway, I did it again with last night's dinner. You can click the link below to get to Bobby Flay's original recipe if you want, but I have to say that my variations were still pretty darn tasty. I used store-bought mini pizza crusts, which got nice and crispy on the grill, and I mixed the honey and basil into the ricotta cheese instead of preparing the basil vinaigrette. Then I spread the ricotta mixture underneath the cheese on the pizzas, instead of dolloping it on the top. I used ground Italian sausage, which I pan-fried with a little garlic (this recipe definitely needed some garlic). Anyway, I have to say that these pizzas turned out absolutely amazing. Neither Joe nor I could stop raving about them! They provided the perfect balance of sweet and spicy and crunchy and smooth. This was the first time we'd ever made pizzas on the grill, but we're definitely going to be doing it a lot more. All throughout dinner, we couldn't stop talking about pizza variations to try. What a delicious and simple dinner this was. I love grilling night!

Grilled Pizzas with Hot Sausage, Peppers and Onions
Source: adapted from Food Network

1 pound Italian hot sausage
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 of a large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 large orange pepper, cored, seeded and quartered
1 large red pepper, cored, seeded and quartered
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
3 store-bought mini pizza crusts (6- or 8-inch)
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup chiffoned basil leaves

Pepper

1. Preheat a grill. Brush onions and peppers with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill them until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove and roughly chop.

2. Meanwhile, brown sausage in olive oil in a skillet. When sausage is cooked through, stir in garlic. Keep over low heat.

3. Stir together ricotta cheese, honey, basil and pepper; set aside.

4. Brush pizza crusts with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn over and grill for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the grill and place on a flat surface.

5. Top each crust with 1/3 of the ricotta mixture; spread evenly across surface. Divide the shredded cheese among the 3 pizza rounds. Divide the sausage, onions and peppers over the cheese. Place the pizza on the grill, close the cover and grill until the cheese has melted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Slice and serve.

French Bread Pizzas

The inspiration for this dinner came from Katie. A few weeks ago she posted about the French bread pizzas she made for dinner, and it was like a light bulb went off in my head. Joe loves Stouffers French bread pizzas. How could I have never thought about making them at home before? I felt so silly, and I knew I had to make some right away.

I used our favorite pizza toppings -- pepperoni, green pepper, red onion, and mushrooms -- but obviously this dinner has about a million variations. I probably could have gone a little heavier on the toppings, but I'll remember that for next time. This was such a simple, delicious dinner -- one I can see myself turning to frequently in the future. Yum!

French Bread Pizzas

Source: inspired by Katie

1 loaf store-bought French bread
1 cup store-bought marinara sauce
2 cups shredded pizza-blend cheese
1/2 of a green pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 of a red onion, thinly sliced
3 button mushrooms, chopped
Italian seasoning to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Shredded parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice French bread in half, then cut each half into three slices (for six pizzas total).

2. Top each slice with marinara sauce, cheese, and toppings. Season each slice with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt and pepper.

3. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is crisp. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Thai Chicken Pizza

This meal was kind of a departure for us and definitely not something my husband would have chosen for us to eat. He's sort of a pizza "purist," if you will; he needs his red sauce and his oily cheese and his pepperoni. When he asked me what was for dinner on Friday night and I told him it was Thai chicken pizza, he was skeptical.

But, in the end, he really liked it; we both did. I followed the suggestion of a reviewer and added some lime juice to the sauce mixture, which added a nice tang, and I let the chicken stew in some soy sauce for a few minutes before I added it to the pizza. I will make some changes to this recipe if I make it again, though, like adding thin strips of red bell pepper to the toppings and using cilantro or basil as a fresh, fragrant garnish. Also, I'll use less sauce next time; there was just a little too much, and it sort of overwhelmed the flavor of the pizza.

I think bean sprouts are the culinary love of my life. This recipe called for them, so I bought a bag at the store, and thankfully I have plenty left over for snacking today at work. Yum!


Thai Chicken Pizza
Source: All Recipes

1 12-inch pre-baked pizza crust (I used a thin crust one, which worked really well)
1 7-ounce jar peanut sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
8 ounces cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts (optional)
1/2 cup shredded carrot (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped roasted peanuts (optional) (I didn't use)

1. Preheat the oven to 400º.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the peanut sauce and peanut butter. Spread over the pizza crust. Arrange strips of chicken on top. Sprinkle on the green onions and cheese.

3. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with bean sprouts, carrot shreds and peanuts, if using. Slice into wedges and serve.

And I just have to share this picture of my son with you, who "helps" me cook dinner every night. His little feet can just barely touch the floor in his Jumperoo, but distraction is the name of the game when you have a three-month-old and need to get dinner on the table, and this definitely helps in that department!