Grilled Pizza {A How-To}

Step 1: Prep your ingredients and pre-heat your grill. You will need pizza dough, about 1 cup of sauce (I used pesto), 1 lb. of sliced fresh mozzerella, any desired toppings (I did grilled veggies on this one), 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan, and some olive oil.

Step 2 (no photo, sorry!): Grill your veggies. I sliced up 2 zucchini and 2 yellow squash on an extreme diagonal, drizzled them with olive oil, seasoned them with s & p, and grilled over medium heat until tender. I also roasted an orange bell pepper, placed it in a ziploc to steam for about 20 minutes, removed the blackened skin and sliced it.

Step 3: Roll your dough out into a rough rectangle shape about the size of a cookie sheet. Brush or rub olive oil all over it. Place on the grill oiled side down (very carefully) and close the lid. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the bottom is done and has nice grill marks. Make sure to keep an eye on it so you don't burn it! Loosen with a spatula, and using a cookie sheet, carefully slide it off the grill.

Step 4: Working quickly, oil the un-baked side of the crust and flip it over. On the baked side, place your toppings- first sauce, next mozzerella, then desired toppings, and last a sprinkle of Parmesan.

Step 5: Very carefully, slide your pizza from the cookie sheet back onto the grill. Cook just until bottom has grill marks and cheeses are melted.

Step 6: Remove pizza from grill, slice, and eat to your heart's content. The crust is crispy, the cheese is melty, and the veggies are smoky and delicious. This was definitely the best pizza I've ever had! Enjoy!

Grilled Pizza
for the dough:
1 tsp yeast
3/4 c. warm water
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tb olive oil + more for brushing
for the pesto (you can also use plain 'ol pizza sauce, alfredo, or whatever):
3/4 c. fresh basil leaves
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
3 tb. pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
s & p
1/3 c. olive oil
for the toppings:
1 lb. fresh mozzerella, sliced
1/2 c. grated parmesan
desired toppings (some ideas are grilled veggies, ham & pineapple, sausage & mushrooms, pepperoni & olives, sliced tomatoes & fresh basil, grilled chicken & artichoke hearts, etc.)

Make the dough by combining yeast & water and letting sit for a few minutes. Mix flour and salt, add yeast mixture and oil. Mix by hand or mixer and then knead for a few minutes. Roll into a rectangle about the size of a cookie sheet. Brush dough with oil & set aside.

Make pesto by combining basil, parmesan, garlic, pine nuts, and a little s & p in a blender or food processor. While machine is running, slowly add olive oil until combined. Set aside.

Prep all topping ingredients, slice & grill any meats or veggies. Pre-heat grill to medium heat. Place all ingredients on a table near the grill.

Grill crust, oiled side down, with the lid closed for about 10 minutes or until it is cooked on the bottom and has nice grill marks (watch carefully to avoid buring). Very carefully, loosen with spatula and remove to cookie sheet. Oil un-baked side and flip over. On baked side, top with pesto or other pizza sauce, sliced mozzerella, desired toppings, and grated Parmesan. Carefully slide back onto grill and cook until bottom is cooked and cheeses are melted. Remove, slice, eat and enjoy!

Mushroom, Sausage & Pepperoni Calzones

Mushroom, Sausage & Pepperoni Calzones
1 recipe whole-wheat bread dough (find it here), or enough dough for 2 pizza crusts
1 c. marinara sauce, plus more for dipping
3 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
6 large button or crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. ground sausage, browned and drained
1 sm. package pepperoni

If using my recipe for dough, divide into thirds and freeze one third for next week's pizza or some breadsticks! Roll out each piece of dough into a 15 " circle. Place on pizza stones or greased baking sheets. Spread a thin layer of sauce on one half of each crust. Layer each with half the cheese, pepperoni, sausage and mushrooms, leaving a 1" border around edges (see figure 1). Brush a little water onto edges of crust, fold empty half over top, and press to seal. Using fingers, fold the edge up on itself and seal tightly (see figure 2). Cut a few slits in top for steam to escape. Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes, until golden brown and crispy on top. Slice, serve with dipping sauce, and enjoy! Makes 2 large calzones (enough for 4 very hungry people, or 2 adults and 4 children!).


Figure 1


Figure 2

BBQ Chicken Pizza

BBQ Chicken Pizza

15" pizza crust (I use my whole-wheat dough, recipe here makes enough for 3 crusts)
1/2 c. pizza sauce

1/2 c. BBQ sauce, divided (our faves are Sweet Baby Ray's and Famous Dave's)
2 c. (8 oz.) mozzarella cheese, grated
1 c. pineapple chunks
1 large chicken breast

olive oil, s & p

1/2 medium onion, sliced

Roll crust out and place on pizza stone or tray. Mix pizza sauce and 1/4 c. bbq sauce. Season chicken w/ salt & pepper, cook in skillet over medium-high heat in olive oil for about 5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink in center. Chop chicken and mix w/ remaining 1/4 c. bbq sauce. Cover crust with sauce, mozzarella cheese, chicken, onion, and pineapple. Bake in a pre-heated 425 oven for about 15 minutes, or until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly. Mmmm!

Gourmet Veggie Pizza

Gourmet Veggie Pizza
1 15-inch pizza crust (I make my own using my whole-wheat bread recipe- one recipe makes about 3 crusts)
3/4 c. ranch dressing
2 tb. fresh minced garlic
2 c. (8 oz.) mozzerella cheese, grated
1 c. baby spinach leaves

4-5 large mushrooms, sliced
1 large tomato, chopped (I didn't use this time since they aren't in season)
1/2 onion, chopped

1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
2 tb. parmesan cheese
1 tsp. basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning

Roll out crust and place on pizza stone or greased baking tray. Mix dressing and garlic, spread on crust. Place spinch leaves over sauce, then cover with cheese. Evenly spread on mushrooms, tomato, onion, and artichokes. Mix parmesan and herb of choice together, sprinkle over top of pizza. Bake in a pre-heated 425 oven for 12-15 inutes, until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly.

Hawaiian Pizza

Hawaiian Pizza

15" pizza crust (I use my whole-wheat dough, recipe here makes enough for 3 crusts)

3/4 c. pizza sauce

2 c. (8 oz.) mozzarella cheese, grated

1 c. pineapple chunks

canadian bacon slices

1/2 c. colby cheese, grated

Roll crust out and place on pizza stone or tray. Cover with layer of sauce, mozzarella cheese, canadian bacon, and pineapple. Sprinkle colby cheese over top. Bake in a pre-heated 425 oven for about 15 minutes, or until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly. Mmmm!

Gourmet Chicken Garlic Pizza

Ever since we moved an hour away from the closest Papa Murphy's, I have been looking for a copycat recipe for their pizza of the same name- it is one of our faves. I never could find one, so I made up my own. Oh, man, was it good! The original calls for green onions, but I didn't have any so I used red. Choose the one you prefer- they are both good! *We have a new family tradition of having homemade pizza and watching a movie every Friday night, so I'll post some other pizza recipes as I make them.

Gourmet Chicken Garlic Pizza

1 15-inch pizza crust (I make my own using my whole-wheat bread recipe- one recipe makes about 3 crusts)

3/4 c. ranch dressing

2 tb. fresh minced garlic

2 c. (8 oz.) mozzerella cheese, grated

2 small or 1 large chicken breasts

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 large tomato, chopped

1/2 red onion or 3 green onions, chopped into 1" pieces

1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained

2 tb. parmesan cheese

1 tsp. basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning

Roll out pizza dough and place on pizza stone or greased baking sheet. Mix together ranch dressing and garlic, spread on dough. Sprinkle mozzerella cheese over sauce. Heat saute pan on medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper, cook in hot oil for about 7 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Chop chicken and spread on pizza. Evenly place tomatoes, artichokes, and onions on pizza. Mix parmesan and herb of choice, sprinkle on top of pizza. Bake on 425 for about 12-18 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned. Slice and enjoy!

Pizza & Breadsticks, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, and Chili Rellenos!

Okay, I have to catch up before I post my more recent recipes. So sorry they are all clumped together. The above picture is some pizza and breadsticks I made with the 100% whole-wheat bread dough (recipe below a few posts). They were delicious! For the pizza, I used about 1/3 of the dough, rolled it into a 15" circle on my pizza stone, topped it with 1 c. sauce, 2 c. mozzerella, and toppings. I baked it for about 15 minutes at 425. The breadsticks I just rolled another 1/3 dough into a large rectangle, cut into strips with my pizza cutter, and brushed with butter/garlic salt/parmesan mixture and then baked until done. I used the other 1/3 dough to make a small loaf of bread.

This is the delish cake the kids made me for my birthday (with my supervision, of course). I got the recipe from my new favorite food blog, Smitten Kitchen. The recipe calls for rum, but you can just leave it out and it still turns out great! Oh, yeah, she hates the bright red cherry thing, so she didn't do that, but I like them so I added them back in.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Topping:

1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cored (I used 1 can pineapple slices)

3/4 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
Batter:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon dark rum

1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice (saved from pineapple can)

2 tablespoons dark rum for sprinkling over cake
Special equipment: A well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet. If you lack a cast-iron skillet of this size, make the caramel in a small pot and scrape it into the bottom of a similarly-sized cake pan. (I used a 9″ cake pan in the pictures above, do not use springform, it will leak!)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Make topping: Cut pineapple crosswise into 3/8-inch-thick pieces. Melt butter in skillet. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, four minutes. Remove from heat. Arrange pineapple on top of sugar mixture in concentric circles, overlapping pieces slightly.
Make batter: Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in granulated sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and rum. Add half of flour mixture and beat on low speed just until blended. Beat in pineapple juice, then add remaining flour mixture, beating just until blended. (Batter may appear slightly curdled.) Spoon batter over pineapple topping and spread evenly. Bake cake in middle of oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cake stand in skillet five minutes. Invert a plate over skillet and invert cake onto plate (keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together). Replace any pineapple stuck to bottom of skillet. Sprinkle rum over cake and cool on plate on a rack. Serve cake just warm or at room temperature.

Both Dustin and I love Mexican food, and we both agree that although we like tacos, enchiladas, and the likes, our very favorite is chile rellenos (stuffed green chiles). However, the varieties found at some restaurants (actually most of them around here) are sadly lacking. They most often consist of a smallish chile and some cheese wrapped in humongous amounts of an eggy batter, fried, and then soaked in red enchilada sauce until soggy. Yuck! Nothing like the lightly breaded, slightly crispy rellenos that really let the smoky flavor of fire-roasted chiles shine through. So we make our own. I adapted this recipe from Mrs. Grigg's Cookbook.

Chile Rellenos

10-15 large whole skinned fire-roasted Anaheim chiles (canned or fresh*)

colby-jack, cheddar, or jack cheese, sliced into strips about 1/4" by 3"

2 eggs

1/4 c. milk

flour

salt and pepper

vegetable oil, for frying

Heat oil (about 1" deep) in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Rinse seeds out of chiles, pat dry. Place one strip of cheese in each chile. Mix eggs and milk in one bowl, and flour with a little salt and pepper in another bowl. Dip each chile in egg mixture, then flour mixture, then egg again, and flour again. Slide carefully into hot oil. Fry about 4-5 at a time until golden, turn over and fry until golden on second side. Remove with tongs onto a plate lined with paper towels. Fry remaining chiles, eat and enjoy! I usually serve them with refried beans and either corn or spanish rice, along with some quesadillas for the kids.

*If you want to roast your own chiles, choose large straight ones. Using either a gas burner or a grill, roast the whole chiles over a hot fire until completely black, turning to roast all sides. Wrap chiles in a damp kitchen towel, and allow to steam for 10-15 minutes. Peel off black skin and remove top and seeds.

A Little Slice of Heaven (Homemade Bread)!

I have always been intimidated by baking bread. It's one of those things, like pie crust, that people think is hard to do right. But we are eating so much bread lately (about 4 loaves/week) that I figured I better learn. I will only feed my family whole-grain bread, and that gets expensive! It is a little tricky, but now that I've done it and had it turn out great, I have an opinion on why it's known for it's difficulty: the wrong ingredients. Seriously, I really think it's that simple. This bread is 100% whole wheat, and unlike most homemade whole-grain breads, it is NOT a brick! On the contrary, it is fabulous- light, soft, fluffy, and delicious. It slices easily, so it's perfect for sandwiches. If you have any left. We devour it warm by itself or with butter and jam, and hope there's some left for sandwiches. The secrets I've learned: vital wheat gluten, new instant (or rapid-rise or bread-machine) yeast, and the right whole-wheat flour are essential. The flour I've always gotten is too coarse and weighs the bread down. You've gotta find a really fine flour, and I especially like soft white spring wheat flour (as opposed to hard red winter wheat, which if it doesn't specify, it probably is). The kind I found I like is Wheat Montana Prairie Gold Whole-Wheat Flour ). I got it at Wal-mart. A 5 lb. bag will make about 6 loaves of bread. You can usually find the gluten by the yeast. Enjoy!
100% Whole Wheat Fluffy Homemade Bread
Mix together:
3 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. vital wheat gluten
1 heaping tb. instant yeast
Mix in:
2 1/2 c. hot tap water
Mix for one minute, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes (this is called sponging).
Now mix in:
1/3 c. oil (I use canola)
1/2 c. honey or sugar
1 tb. lemon juice
1 tb. salt
1 egg
1 tb. flax seed, optional
Lastly, add in:
2 to 2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour, a little at a time.
Dump dough onto your counter. Only add enough flour that your dough is barely not sticky. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand, or until the dough feels nice and elastic (you could also use a mixer for all this if you want- I use my Bosch and only knead for about 5 minutes). Heat your oven for 1 minute to warm it for rising, then turn it off. Divide dough in half, roll into 2 logs. Place dough in large greased loaf pans, then flip and kind of flatten the dough and squish it into the corners of the pan. Place in warm oven to rise about 30-45 minutes, or until it rises just about an inch over the top of the pans. If you let it rise too much, it may cave in when you bake it. When risen, turn on oven to 350 degrees, set timer to bake for 30 minutes. When finished, remove from pans, brush top with butter for a soft crust, and let cool for 1-2 hours before slicing (if you can stand it!). Freezes well, but slice it first and wrap it well.
Makes 2 loaves.

*You can also use this recipe for rolls, cinnamon rolls, or cinnamon raisin bread. YUM! If you want to use the dough for pizza, this amount makes enough for 3- 15" crusts.