Shaved Asparagus Pizza

For Mother's Day I made my mom lunch.  I made her this pizza because it combines everything she loves--cheese, asparagus, and pizza.  This pizza was easy and so delicious!  We are already making plans to have this pizza again with different combinations of vegetables!

 {Shaved Asparagus Pizza}

Asparagus was courtesy of the Farmer's Market which I did not get a picture because my hands were full of bouncing puppy and flowers (I love getting flowers from the local market!).  I also apologize for the pictures.  I forgot my camera, and my god-dog ate my mom's so I used my phone's camera.

 {Shaving asparagus}

 {Pile of shaved asparagus}

 {Gathering toppings for pizza}

 {Pizza before it was baked}

One year ago:  Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Shaved Asparagus Pizza
from smitten kitchen cookbook

Makes 1-12 inch thin crust pizza

Prep time: 40 minutes
Assembly time: 8 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes

1 recipe rush hour pizza dough
1/2 pound asparagus spears (or other vegetables of your choice like spinach and mushroom)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 green onion, thinly sliced

1. Make pizza dough.
2. Meanwhile, prepare asparagus.  Do not cut off the ends as these will be your "handles" as you peel the asparagus.  Holding a single spear by its tough end, lay it flat on a cutting board.  Use a vegetable peeler, create long shavings of asparagus by drawing the peeler from the base to the top of the asparagus stalk.  Repeat with remaining stalks, and don't worry if they are not all even!
3. Preheat oven to 500 with pizza stone inside the oven. 
4. Roll out pizza dough.
5. Take the pizza stone out once hot and sprinkle cornmeal on the stone to prevent the pizza from sticking.
6. Transfer dough to the hot pizza stone.
7. Working quickly, sprinkle Parmesan on top of dough followed by placing mozzarella on top of Parmesan.
8. Sprinkle garlic over cheeses.
9. Top everything with the shaved asparagus.
10. Bake pizza for 10-15 minutes or until edges are browned, cheese is bubbly, and asparagus slightly charred.
11. Sprinkle pizza with green onions and some grinds of pepper.
12. Serve. 

I am so happy to announce that the winner of the salt and pepper grinder giveaway is Michelle!  I have sent the winner a message so I can send them their wonderful prize!

I want to thank everyone who has supported this blog by reading or helping be my food guinea pigs!!!  Here's to another year of blogging! <3

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Everything Bagel Flatbread and Lox

A fellow college alum, Brigitte Nguyen, posted a recipe that I knew I had to make ASAP!!!  She is the host of several TV shows, From the Kitchens of... and KY Proud Kitchen, (both definitely worth checking out) and is such a sweet and wonderful person!  If you are in the Bluegrass region of KY, the KY Proud Kitchen comes on Sundays on Fox 56 at 10:30 AM--definitely a must-see!!!  Now onto the food!

I love smoked salmon and cream cheese and onions--practically everything that on this flatbread.  So it was a no-brainer to try it.  Plus, my mother, brother, and I were wondering what to have for dinner on one of the last nights he was with us, and this definitely fit the bill--easy, healthy, and delicious!

 

{Everything Bagel Flatbread and Lox served with spinach salad}

 

{Rolling out the dough}

 

{Mixing the "everything"}

 

{Everything flatbread!}

 

{I used a Pampered Chef cheese slicer to get my cucumbers paper thin!}

{I might have left this in the oven a few minutes too long, but that's okay!}

 

{Spread cream cheese}

 

{I layered mine up with cucumbers!}

 

{Finished flatbread--doesn't it look heavenly?  It was, and it was incredibly easy!}

 

{My brother....  "messing up my presentation"  Gotta love him (and miss him too!)}

Everything Bagel & Lox Flatbread (follow the link for a 5 minute video on how to make this recipe!) 
from Brigitte Nguyen

Makes 4 servings

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 can (13.8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated artisan pizza crust with whole grain
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons garlic flakes
2 teaspoons onion flakes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 English cucumber or 2 mini cucumbers, very thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
6 oz smoked salmon, torn into small pieces
2 teaspoons capers
4 tablespoons fresh dill leaves
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Fresh squeeze of lemon

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Grease a 13x18 inch (half sheet size) baking sheet with olive oil. 
3. Unroll the dough onto the baking sheet and press to the size of the pan. 
4. Combine the poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic flakes, onion flakes, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the dough, pressing lightly to adhere. 
5. Bake for 10-13 minutes, until browned on the surface and crisp on the edges. 
6. Cool for 15 minutes. 
7. Spread the surface of the flatbread with cream cheese.  
8. Layer on the cucumber slices. 
9. Scatter the smoked salmon, capers, red onions, and dill. 
10. Finish with black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
11. Serve. 

I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday!  It's HUMP DAY!!!!

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Lazy Pizza Dough

It has been an insane October!  I won't bore you with details, but let's just say lots of stuff happened at work.  Plus my brother was in town!  When I wasn't working, I was hanging out with my brother.  One of my favorite food bloggers posted a recipe for lazy pizza dough, and wouldn't you know, my mom, brother and I were trying to figure out what to do that Friday night so I saw it and said "I'm making you guys pizza".  They didn't complain.

 

{Chicken Alfredo Pizza and red wine}

This was unbelievably lazy!  Just mix four ingredients together, and place the dough in a warm spot to rise.  I mean--you really can't get anymore lazy than buying dough from the store.  The bonus is that I had everything on hand to make it including homemade pizza sauce I made in bulk with leftover tomatoes from the season and froze.  Okay so we did have to buy the topping ingredients, but that's the fun part!

 

{I used bread flour, but all-purpose can be used instead}

 

{Blooming the yeast}

 

{Mix dough}

 

{This was the week it started cooling off so I would not turn on the heat and open the windows so the warmest place for me was in the oven with the door propped open.  This creates an insulated, warm place for the dough to rise!}

 

{It's ALIVE!!!}

 

{Stir dough with a spoon}

 

{Lay flour on the counter and press out while the pizza stone warms}

 

{Chicken Alfredo Pizza and Pepperoni with Peppers and Mushrooms Pizza (someone ate a corner while it was still hot.... Crazies)}

Unfortunately, it took all of us to press the pizza onto the hot stone, sauce it, and top it so I didn't get pictures.  This dough can be made 24 hours in advance or just 12 hours.  The only difference is the yeast amount.  I have done both times this past week with excellent results!  Which is good and bad because now I know how easy it is to make homemade pizza.....

One year ago:  Spiced Cider

Lazy Pizza Dough

adapted from smitten kitchen

Makes 1 pizza (doubles easily for two)

1 1/4 cups warm water, plus extra on the side

Yeast: 24 hour dough 1/2 packet yeast or 12 hour dough 1 packet

3 cups bread or all-purpose flour (up to half can be whole wheat flour)

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Cornmeal

1. Add yeast to warm water and let sit about 5 minutes.
2. Mix flour and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add yeast mixture to flour and stir to combine.  Dough should be slightly tacky when it is completely mixed together.  If not, add more warm water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough gets tacky.  Don't stress about it though because this dough is very forgiving.
4. Let dough rise in a warm place for 12-24 hours.
5. When dough has completed rising, stir with a spoon to deflate.
6. Preheat oven to 500 with the pan you are using to bake the pizza on.
7. Gather your pizza sauce and topping ingredients.  This pizza bakes quickly so make sure that any veggies or meat you have are pre-cooked.
8. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and with floured hands, start to stretch the dough to the shape and size of the pan.
9. Once oven has reached 500, take out pan and sprinkle with cornmeal.
10. Place dough on hot pan and press out as far as you can.  BE CAREFUL AS THE PAN IS HOT!!!
11. Spread sauce and toppings on pizza.  Do this as quick as possible because the pizza is already cooking on the bottom.
12. Place pizza bake in the oven.
13. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is browned.
14. Serve.

So now that you have this lazy pizza dough recipe, how many of you will add this to your monthly dinner list?  That's what I thought because I surely will!  Want to try a lazy bread recipe?  Head here!

PS--Only have a few hours?  Head over to get my Rush Hour Pizza recipe which gets you from ingredients to pizza in about 2 hours!

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Quinoa Pizza Bites

In my endeavor to not eat gluten, one food I miss the most is pizza.  I love pizza, especially a good homemade pizza in about an hour, but I am TRYING to be good!  Soooo I was looking around on Pinterest one day, and I found a recipe for Quinoa Pizza Bites.  I was intrigued; the recipe looked easy, and it was gluten free so I gave it a shot.  Although this doesn't taste like real pizza, it does hit that craving when I get it!  These are pretty tasty, and they are a bit healthier than having a real pizza.

{They hit the spot for a pizza craving!  I have to fight my husband for them...}

{Adding onions and garlic}

{Make sure to cool the quinoa before adding cheese!}

{Add egg last to make sure the seasonings are right for the pizza bites}

{Stir until well combined}

{Fill each cup to the top because these will not rise}

Quinoa Pizza Bites

Makes 40 mini-muffin bites

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 cup pepperoni, chopped
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 eggs, scrambled
Pizza sauce (dipping)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix together all ingredients except eggs.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.
3. Add eggs and stir until combined.
4. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of quinoa mixture into each mini-muffin cup and press down gently to compact.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops start to turn golden brown.
6. Cool and freeze for future cravings.
7. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

I froze most of these after they cooled so I would have quick dinners (or snacks) when I needed them.  They freeze and reheat well which is fantastic! 

What do you do when you have cravings for 'junk food'?  Do you just ignore it?  Or do you try to substitute it?  Or do you just give in?

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Rush Hour Pizza

Who doesn't love homemade pizza?  Exactly!  I saw a recipe for rushed pizza dough in smitten kitchen cookbook, and I knew that I had to try it (no brainer really!).  This pizza recipe is quick and easy--pizza from dough to table in about 1.5 hours (even making the sauce!)!  Before you make pizza, (I know your mouth is watering, but please!) look at smitten kitchen's 10 paths to painless pizza making, just please!!!

Enough talking--PIZZA!!!!!

{Finished thin crust pizza!}

{Blooming the yeast}

{I used the mixer method because I have a dough hook, but this can be made by hand!}

{Crumbly mess of a dough}

{After kneading for 5 minutes, dough should be smooth and elastic}

{While dough is rising make pizza sauce}

{Pizza sauce!}

{Because pizza is cooked fast and hot, I recommend steaming any vegetables you plan on using so they are nice and soft when you eat your pizza}

{Pizza sauce reduced in half}

{Sprinkle cornmeal on a hot baking sheet--Ben might have gotten a little happy, but the pizza didn't stick!}

{Dough after it has risen}

{Rolled out pizza dough}

{Putting toppings on pizza}

Rush Hour Pizza

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

Dough

1/2 cup warm water, a bit warm to the touch

2 packets active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for counter
1 teapsoon salt
Olive oil, for coating bowl

Sauce

2-15 oz cans diced tomatoes, drained

2-4 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup white wine (optional but recommended)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Any toppings desired

Dough

1. Turn oven on warm (about 200-225 degrees) for 5 minutes, then turn off.
2. Pour water into bowl (mixer or regular) and add yeast packets to warm water, stir, and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. By hand: Add remaining dough ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until a crumbly mass; turn dough and any loose pieces onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 5 minutes, or until a smooth, elastic dough forms.  Mixer: Add remaining dough ingredients and mix with your dough hook at moderate speed until dough forms crumbly mass; reduce speed to low and mix for 5 minutes, letting hook knead dough.
4. Wipe the bowl you made the dough in and coat the inside with olive oil.
5. Cover dough with a cotton towel, place it in the warmed oven and let it rise for 30-45 minutes (until it is doubled).
6. Meanwhile, make sauce and steam vegetables (if using).

Sauce

1. Pour in olive oil in a pot and let it heat completely before adding the garlic and onion.
2. Sweat (aka let cook until clear but DO NOT BROWN!) onions and garlic until fragrant and clear. Add the red pepper flakes and stir it for anther minute.
3. Put the tomatoes in the pot, along with the wine, sugar and salt.
4. Let the sauce simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced by half. Carefully taste without burning your tongue and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Pizza

1. Preheat your oven to its highest temperature (typically 500 degrees). If you have a pizza stone, sprinkle it with cornmeal and put it in the oven. Otherwise, sprinkle a baking pan with the same.
2. Roll out the dough on the floured counter until pretty darn thin, then lift it onto a cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet.
3. Add the sauce and other toppings desired; be careful it's HOT.
4. Bake for about 10 minutes, checking at 7.
5. Slice and serve immediately.

So go forth and make pizza!!!!!

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