My Three Favorite Pizzas

Brace yourself for three super delicious, non-traditional, non-red-sauce pizzas.  These are definitely my faves.    

PIZZA #1: ROASTED GARLIC & CHEESE 
Who knew so few ingredients could be SO tasty? Sometimes less is more.
  

• pizza dough 
• olive oil
• Kosher salt
• roasted garlic, a how-to here 
• fresh mozzarella
• shredded mozzarella

Heat pizza stone in a 500 degree oven.


Roll out pizza dough on parchment paper.


Brush dough with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt.


Mash the cloves of roasted garlic on a plate and spread evenly over the crust.


Top with chunks of fresh mozzarella and then some shredded mozzarella.


Bake for 8-10 minutes or until bubbly and brown.



PIZZA #2: CHICKEN, ROASTED GARLIC, & SPINACH PIZZA
Roasted garlic plus some extras.  It was an experiment gone great.  

• pizza dough
• olive oil
• Kosher salt
• roasted garlic, a how-to here 
• red onion, thinly sliced
• baby spinach
• shredded chicken
• fresh mozzarella
• shredded mozzarella

Heat pizza stone in a 500 degree oven.

Roll out pizza dough on parchment paper.


Brush dough with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt.


Mash cloves of roasted garlic on a plate and spread evenly over the dough.


Top dough with red onions, spinach, and shredded chicken.


Top with chunks of fresh mozzarella and then some shredded mozzarella.


Bake for 8-10 minutes or until bubbly and brown.

PIZZA #3: HAM, CARAMELIZED ONION, & GRUYERE PIZZA
Trader Joe's has a flat bread similar to this that I was trying to recreate.  Mission accomplished!  So. So. Good. 

• pizza dough
• olive oil
• butter
• Kosher salt
• onion, thinly sliced 
• ham, sliced or small chunks
• gruyere or emmental cheese, shredded

Heat pizza stone in a 500 degree oven.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil on low heat in a medium-sized pan. 

  

Add onions, sprinkle with a small amount of Kosher salt, and cook on low heat for at least 20 minutes (or longer) until the onions are dark and caramelized. 

Roll out pizza dough on parchment paper.

Brush dough with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt. 

Top dough with caramelized onions, sliced ham, and shredded gruyere.  

Bake for 8-10 minutes.  

Roasted Garlic

Roasted garlic has been my favorite pizza topping lately. (Stay tuned for a forthcoming post on my three favorite pizzas.) It adds the most incredible flavor and works well in combination with so many other yummy toppings.  The only downside is that it takes some time, so you have to plan a little in advance.  It'll be worth it though.

Other uses for roasted garlic include, but are not limited to: spread on crusty bread, use in pasta dishes, or add to soups or sauces.

ROASTED GARLIC

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Slice off the pointed top of each head of garlic to expose the cloves.

Place on foil and drizzle generously with olive oil. 

Sprinkle with Kosher salt.  

Wrap foil around garlic and bake for 40-50 minutes.  

Allow to cool. 

To remove, squeeze gently from the bottom of the head.  The cloves should be pretty soft and pop out easily.    

Pizza Crust

I've been on a pizza kick lately.  I've been making the dough from scratch since I no longer have access to Trader Joe's and their pre-made dough.  And actually, it seems silly that I thought I needed pre-made dough since this is such an easy, EASY recipe.  Really.  I've always been a little nervous about using yeast, but you really can't mess this up.    

PIZZA CRUST

• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Stir yeast and sugar into hot water and let stand for 15 minutes or until foamy.


NOTE #1:  Water should be hot, but not so hot that you can't put your finger in it.  If the yeast does not grow, the water was either too hot or not hot enough.  


While yeast is proofing, measure out flour and salt and place in food processor.


With food processor running, pour water and yeast mixture into the bowl and let run until a ball forms.


NOTE #2:  You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook if you don't have a food processor.


NOTE #3:  If a ball does not form or all flour is not incorporated, add a few extra drops of water.    


Turn dough onto floured surface (I use my Silpat mat) and knead into a smooth ball.


Let dough rest for 10-15 minutes on a floured surface.


Divide dough in half.


Roll half of the dough out onto parchment until thin and then top with desired toppings.


Source:  Megan Porter

Butter Measurements

This little chart has really come in handy since butter here doesn't come in the same pre-labeled-half-cup sticks that it does in the states.  I refer to it a lot because I use butter often and have a horrible time remembering the conversions.

Can I get an amen for butter?!      

Butter Measurements
cups	sticks	tablespoons	ounces	grams
¼ cup	½ stick	4 tablespoons	2 ounces	57 g
½ cup	1 stick	8 tablespoons	4 ounces ( ¼ pound)	113g
¾ cup	1 ½ sticks	12 tablespoons	6 ounces	170g
1 cup	2 sticks	16 tablespoons	8 ounces ( ½ pound)	227g
1 ¼ cups	2 ½ sticks	20 tablespoons	10 ounces	284g
1 ½ cups	3 sticks	24 tablespoons	12 ounces ( ¾ pound)	341g
1 ¾ cups	3 ½ sticks	28 tablespoons	14 ounces	398g
2 cups	4 sticks	32 tablespoons	16 ounces (1 pound)	454g

Chocolate Mint Parfaits

I made these for a little St. Patty's Day get together last weekend and am happy to report that they taste very much like a shamrock shake from McDonald's. Apparently, shamrock shakes aren't really a thing here, even though there are a ton of McDonald's.  Boo.  This makes me sad.  They are so tasty and remind me of being a kid.  

These little parfaits are very similar to this peppermint pie, except for I made the marshmallow fluff from scratch (not hard at all), put them in individual glasses (or you can use plastic cups), and added a little green food coloring.  I think I like this version even better.  Oreo crust, chocolate silk pie, mint fluff, and a dollop of whipped cream?  Yes, please.  

CHOCOLATE MINT PARFAITS

Oreo Cookie Crust

• 20 Oreos, crushed
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Combine crushed Oreos and melted butter and mix well.  

Add a teaspoon or two of Oreo mixture into the bottom of each cup or glass and use a tart tamper to flatten it out.  

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Chocolate Silk Pie 

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups cocoa
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 eggs

Combine butter, sugar, cocoa, and oil in a mixer with the whisk attachment and beat for a significant amount of time.  


NOTE:  The sugar will not be dissolved yet.  Don't be alarmed. 


Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time.  Beat well after each egg and scrape the bowl several times.


Mixture will get lighter and fluffier as you continue to beat.


Transfer mixture to a piping bag and top crust with a small amount of chocolate pie mixture.


Place in refrigerator to chill while making the next layer.

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Mint Fluff 

• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract OR 1/8 teaspoon peppermint oil
• 2 cups whipping cream, whipped

Combine egg whites, corn syrup, and salt in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.  

Beat on high speed for 10 minutes or until thick.  

Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until blended.  

Add vanilla and blend.  

Transfer marshmallow mixture to a large mixing bowl.  

Add milk to marshmallow and combine using a whisk.


Note: It takes a while to incorporate the milk into the blob of marshmallow cream.  Stick with it, it'll eventually come around.

Add peppermint oil and green food coloring (if using).


Fold in whipped cream. 


Carefully spoon mint mixture on top of chocolate pie and place in the freezer for at least a couple of hours.


Before serving, top with a dollop of whipped cream.  


Source:  Megan Porter

Chicken Fajitas with Corn Saute

I really, really love Mexican food, but it can be pretty time consuming.  So many ingredients, so much chopping, so much clean up.  These yummy fajitas are so simple; just throw everything in a slow cooker and leave it be for 4-5 hours.  The corn saute is delicious as well, but not totally necessary, so you could go either way, depending on how much time and/or energy you have.

AND, my favorite thing ever is this new tip for making crispy taco shells.  I like them just a touch chewy.  Y.U.M.

TIP: CRISPY TACO SHELLS 

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.  
• Wrap several corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds.  
• Brush both sides of corn tortillas with olive oil.
• Drape tortillas over twos bars of oven rack so they hang down.  
• Place a baking sheet on a lower rack to catch any oil drips. 
• Bake for 7-10 minutes or until your desired crispiness.  

CHICKEN FAJITAS

• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 4 chicken breasts, frozen or fresh
• 1 lime, squeezed
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

In a small bowl mix together chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and salt.  Rub the spice mixture on the chicken.  

Place the chicken in slow cooker and top with red peppers, onions, and garlic.  

Pour the soy sauce and squeeze the lime over the top.  

Cook for 4-5 hours on low.  Shred chicken and serve in crispy or soft tortillas.    

CORN SAUTE

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups corn, frozen or canned
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• squeeze of lime juice
• salt to taste

In a skillet, melt butter. 

Add the onion and saute until translucent, 3-4 minutes.  

Add the corn and cilantro and cook for a few minutes more.  

Squeeze lime over the top and salt to taste.  

Source:  modified from Live Simply

Granola Bars

When I first moved to this far away place and was figuring out where to grocery shop and what food to buy, I ate a lot of Nature Valley granola bars.  They were easy and familiar.  And, since the ingredients and nutrition information were in Arabic, I didn't even have to know how bad they were for me.  Ignorance can be bliss, or at least convenient.  But, deep down, I knew there was probably a truckload of sugar in them and little nutritional value.  That's when I started making these yummy breakfast bites.  And, as much as I love those guys, I thought it was time to mix it up and have another breakfast-y item in the mix that I can grab for an easy, at-school snack, which is where this recipe comes in.  

I was drawn to this recipe because of the sesame seeds, which I love, but a little deterred by the dates, since they can be pretty sweet.  Surprisingly, the dates really made these; they gave the granola bars a nice chewy texture.  I listed the chocolate chips as optional in case you want them to be a little more breakfast-like.

I love these granola bars.  So much better than store-bought and full of good, hearty, natural ingredients. Thank you, David Lebovitz, for another winner of a recipe.
    

GRANOLA BARS

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup whole almonds
• 1 cup pitted and diced dates
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
• 1/3 cup dried sour cherries, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Line the bottom of an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.  

Spread the oats and sesame seeds on a baking sheet and toast for 10-12 minutes, until they are slightly browned.  

Scrape them into a large bowl. 

Spread the almonds on the baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes.  

Let cool, then coarsely chop and add the almonds to the oats and sesame seeds.  

Add dates, chocolate chips (if using), cherries, and peanuts to the bowl.  

Heat the peanut butter, honey, and salt in a small saucepan, stirring until warm, but not boiling.  

Pour the peanut butter and honey over the mixture in the bowl and stir until completely incorporated.  Use your hands if you want.  

Transfer the mixture to the pan and pat down so it's as flat as possible.  (Use a tart tamper if you have one.) 

Freeze the granola bars for 30 minutes.  

Cut and store in the refrigerator.  

Source:  David Lebovitz