Homemade Pizza Sauce

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Bradley's favorite thing to do (by far) is play with his toy kitchen and pretend to cook us food. When he wakes up in the morning, the first thing he asks is to go downstairs and cook, so I find it super important to let him help me out in the kitchen wherever he can. It's fun for both of us and is a good tool to teach him healthy eating habits! 

His favorite thing to make is homemade pizza since he loves spreading on the sauce and sprinkling on the cheese. I made a big batch of this homemade sauce and keep frozen dough on hand (and let's be honest…I always have cheese on hand), so we can easily whip up some homemade pizza whenever the craving calls. It's a fun activity for the whole family. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (29 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. basil leaves
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Use as desired.

You can freeze this sauce for up to 6 months.

Source: SK Original

Supreme Pizza with a Cauliflower Crust

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I was so excited when I got Kirstin's blog, Loving Life, for SRC this month! I came across her recipe for a Cauliflower Crust and I just couldn't wait to make it. I had seen cauliflower crusts floating around Pinterest for some time now, and this was the perfect excuse to finally give it a try!

We loved this healthy version of a pizza! We still satisfied our pizza craving with the cheese, sauce and toppings, but cut back a ton of calories and carbs by using cauliflower as the "dough" instead of it being bread-based. The crust had a little bit of a different texture than a regular crust, but not by much! Chris took a bite and knew there was something different about it, but couldn't put his finger on what it was. He ate three slices! This is a great dinner for when you want to eat unhealthy, but you know you shouldn't. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. garlic powder

For the topping:

• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup pepperoni slices
• 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/4 green pepper, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Using a food processor, pulse the cauliflower until "riced" or broken up into small, rice-sized pieces.

Place in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes (no liquid needed).

Allow cauliflower to cool slightly and then place in a clean dish towel. Ring out excess liquid. Place back in bowl and fluff with a fork.

Add in egg, 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Mix well.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Dump mixture on to pan and pat with your hands. Crust should be about 1/3" thick.

Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until nicely browned. 

Remove from heat spread with pizza sauce. Sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese. Top with pepperoni, olives and green peppers. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Source: Adapted from Loving Life

An InLinkz Link-up

Veggie Deep Dish Pizza

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Considering tomorrow is Pi Day (3/14) and today is Lenten Friday, it's only fair that I share this incredibly tasty (and meatless) deep dish pizza pie with you today! It's so good that I can guarantee you'll want to eat this even when you don't HAVE to go meatless. 

I crammed so many veggies on this pizza that I even impressed myself. I basically used all the vegetables in my refrigerator that didn't have much shelf life left in them. That included mushrooms, peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes and black olives. Yum! 

Making this in a cast iron skillet gave the crust a nice crispy crunch. Since it was deep dish, I had no problem adding all the roasted vegetables and a ton of sauce and cheese. This is an awesome deep dish pizza that you don't even have to travel all the way to Chicago to have. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 homemade pizza dough recipe
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 green pepper, sliced thin lengthwise then cut in half
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup black olives, drained, sliced
• 3/4 cup pizza sauce
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to broil. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Put tomatoes, green pepper, mushrooms, onion and garlic on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to combine. Broil for 5-8 minutes, tossing every couple minutes, until vegetables are tender and begin to brown. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Coat a 12-inch cast iron skillet or round baking dish with extra virgin olive oil. Put your dough in the pan and push it up around the sides about 1 to 1.5 inches.

Sprinkle 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese over the dough. Add the roasted vegetables and olives. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Top with remaining 1 cup Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese and sauce are bubbly. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting, then serve immediately.

Source: SK Original

Easy Supreme Stromboli

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Stromboli is basically a pizza wrap. All the gooey deliciousness of a pizza is wrapped in crust for a portable snack. It's perfect for a game-time treat or to incorporate pizza into something classier for a get-together. This particular one is jam-packed with flavor. I added some chopped meat to the pizza sauce, then topped that with pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers and olives. Oh, and cheese. Lots and lots of ooey gooey cheese. Enjoy!

 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (13.8 oz.) can refrigerated pizza dough
• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 3 oz. pepperoni
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 (2.25 oz.) can black olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

Brown beef in skillet. Once done, drain and return back to skillet. Add pizza sauce to the pan. Cook until heated through.

Unroll dough on baking sheet.  Spread meat mixture on dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the sides. Top the meat mixture with pepperoni, bell pepper, mushrooms, olives, cheeses and Italian seasoning.  Roll up dough lengthwise and seal around edges. Cut slits across top to allow steam to escape.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Source: SK Original

Meatless Mexican Pizza

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For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned Desiree's blog, Steak and Potatoes Kinda Gurl. Her blog started off as a way for her to keep track of restaurants she reviewed, and then she slowly started added her own recipes to her blog. And I'm glad she did--her recipes are right up my alley and I love her pictures. You should check her out!

I decided to go with a meatless option this month since I recently created a new "Vegetarian" label on my site. This was requested a while ago, and I finally got around to sorting all my recipes that fit the criteria. And when I say this pizza doesn't even need the ground beef--I mean it. The refried beans act as the sauce and I love the cool contrast of all the fresh vegetables. The crisp romaine has to be my favorite part, although the lime-marinated grilled corn and avocado are right up there. This is a pizza that both meat and non-meat lovers will enjoy!

 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (10-12 inch) ready-made thin pizza crust
• 1 (15 oz.) can fat-free refried beans
• 1 cup Mexican cheese, shredded
• 1 corn on the cob
• 1/2 red onion, diced and divided
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice 
• 1 cup romaine lettuce, shredded
• 1 medium tomato, diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet and roll out pizza crust. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, grill corn until charred and cooked. Using a knife, cut off grilled corn kernels into a bowl.

Spread refried beans evenly onto partially baked crust, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle with cheese and half of the diced red onions. Place in oven for an additional 6-10 minutes, or until crust is golden.

Meanwhile, gently stir avocado with 1 tbsp. lime juice. Toss corn with remaining 1 tbsp. lime juice.

Top cooked pizza with romaine, tomato, avocado, remaining diced onions, and corn mixture.

Source: Adapted from Steak and Potatoes Kinda Gurl

Portobello Mushroom Pizzas

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We've had a lot going on in our house the past few weeks. Between getting our deck redone, our AC breaking and waiting a week and a half to have it repaired, and cleaning out all the furniture/junk in the guest room to prepare the baby's nursery, the last thing I've wanted to do is make time-consuming meals or things that would take a long time in the oven.

Enter Portobello Mushroom Pizzas. Since we ate out quite a bit while our AC was broken, it's a nice change of pace to have something that is easy to make that's still healthy and satisfying. Portobello mushrooms replace carb-loaded crusts, while the tomato sauce and cheese add the familiarity we're all used to. Both Chris and I really enjoyed these, and the scale thanked us, too. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 large Portobello mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store bought
• 1 cup Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Preheat broiler in oven to 500 degrees F.

Scrape out the insides of each mushroom. Place on a baking sheet, bottom side up, and put under broiler for 1-2 minutes or until a little dried out. Flip the mushrooms over and cook another 1-2 minutes. Remove from oven.

Spread each mushroom with 1/2 cup marinara sauce. Top with cheese and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.

Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Source: SK Original

Lighter Chicken, Mushroom and Caramelized Onion White Pizza

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I'm not afraid to hide the fact that I will happily indulge in a hot slice of Papa John's or Domino's pizza every once in a while. After a long day of work, sometimes the last thing on my mind is making dinner. In those rare instances, a to-your-door-in-thirty-minutes pizza will suffice. But homemade pizza is still my ultimate love.

I like experimenting with different types of pizza. Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza is one of my favorites, but this past time I decided to try something different and wanted to experiment with a white sauce. Simmering milk and Parmesan cheese makes a delectable coating for the crust. Topped with caramelized onions, shredded chicken and mushrooms, this pizza immediately shot to the top of my "favorites" list. Enjoy!

 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. refrigerated fresh pizza dough
• 1 tbsp. yellow cornmeal
• 2 tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 red onion, sliced thin
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced 
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat milk
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp. yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/2 cups shredded boneless, skinless roasted chicken breast
• 1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tbsp. scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp. dried parsley                

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle cornmeal over a baking sheet. Roll out the pizza dough so it is the same size as the baking sheet. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and set aside.

Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a medium saucepan. Add sliced onion and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until onions are softened and caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 1 tbsp. butter in another saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add flour, salt and pepper. Stir constantly with a whisk for 1 minute. Continue stirring while gradually adding the milk. Whisk until sauce begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat and add Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. Stir until cheese melts.

Spread the cheese sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with chicken, mushrooms and caramelized onions. Bake on bottom oven rack for 17 minutes or until crust is golden. Sprinkle with oregano, scallions and parsley. Serve.

Source: SK Original

English Muffin Pizza

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English Muffin pizzas were always a coveted dinner at our house growing up. My mom would surprise us and make them for dinner one night and everyone would be ecstatic. If you happened to miss dinner that night, it was the biggest bummer ever. They're the easiest things to make, but are so much better than delivery pizza. Some of us even choose to have these for our birthday dinners to this day. That's how much we love them. I usually make them healthier by using whole-wheat or 100-calorie English Muffins and reduced-fat cheese, too. Still just as good. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 whole-wheat or 100 calorie English Muffins, separated
• 1 jar pizza sauce
• Part-skim Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Pepperoni slices, quartered
• Green pepper, chopped
• Other desired pizza toppings (optional)
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Toast English Muffins in a toaster oven until lightly browned. If you don't have a toaster oven, set your oven on the low broiler setting. Toast each side of the English Muffin for 1-2 minutes, keeping a close eye on them so they don't burn.

Put the toasted English Muffins on a baking sheet. Lightly spread 1-2 tablespoons of pizza sauce on top. Sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese. Add pepperoni, green peppers and whatever other toppings you desire. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Place English Muffin pizzas under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or just until cheese is melted and bubbly, careful not to burn. Enjoy!

Source: SK Family Recipe

Clams Casino Pizza

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Sometimes I get the urge to make something and it won't leave my mind until I make it. This past time it was pizza. I went to the store, bought some pizza dough (yes, I was feeling lazy), Mozzarella, pepperoni...typical pizza toppings. And it sat. And sat. And sat. Each night I would ask Chris what he wanted for dinner and his response was, "It doesn't matter." But as soon as I would suggest pizza he'd shut it down. Blasted!

I finally found this awesome sounding recipe for Clams Casino Pizza. Chris loves clams, and he normally loves pizza, so I thought maybe this would catch his attention. And it did. This pizza came and conquered. The flavors were so great together and the clam flavor wasn't too overpowering. Plus there's bacon in it, and bacon always makes everything taste amazing. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 large pizza dough, homemade or store bought
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 slices of thick-cut bacon
• 1 small red onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 small red pepper, chopped (about  1/2 cup)
• 1 small green pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 small tomato, deseeded and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4-5 shakes of Tabasco/hot sauce
• 8 oz. Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 cans of minced clams, drained well

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Chop the 4 raw slices of bacon and add to the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes (no longer), just so a bit of fat is rendered. You do not want the bacon to be crispy at this point. Remove it with a slotted spoon and set it aside in a bowl, then turn heat down to medium. Add in onion, peppers and tomato with a sprinkle of salt and stir. Cook for 5 minutes, continuously stirring. Add in garlic and cook for 3 more minutes. Completely drain clams, then add them to the peppers and onions along with half of the bacon. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add a few shakes of hot sauce.

Spread pizza dough over a pizza pan. Brush olive oil over pizza dough evenly and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Sprinkle dough with 4 ounces of Mozzarella. Spoon clam mixture evenly over pizza, then top with remaining Mozzarella, Parmesan and the rest of the bacon. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Source: Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Flatbread Pizzas

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Around Christmastime when I was trying to keep myself on a budget and had a lot of other things to take care of, I relied on one of my many go-to dinner recipes: pizza. Instead of making my own pizza dough, I was just going to make English Muffin pizzas like my mom always used to make. However, when I was in the bread aisle of the grocery store I came across these cool mini flatbreads and I just couldn't resist!

I decided to make three different varieties of pizzas: an "Everything Flatbread Pizza," a "Pesto Flatbread Pizza," and a "BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza." Variety is my friend. And I'm sure those who you are serving these to will appreciate it as well! Although it seems like a lot of ingredients, most were already on hand and it took hardly any prep work. This would also be a great appetizer for a get-together since it's so quick and easy and can be cut into small pieces. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 pieces of small flatbread
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 2 cups reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 green onion, chopped
• 1 jar canned black olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup mini pepperoni slices
• 1 cup pesto sauce
• 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1-2 cups cooked chicken

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange flatbreads on two baking sheets.

For "Everything Flatbread Pizza": Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over flatbread. Sprinkle Mozzarella over the pizza sauce and top with green onions, olives and pepperoni.

For "Pesto Flatbread Pizza": Spread a thin layer of pesto sauce over flatbread. If dry, add a little olive oil on top. Sprinkle a thin layer of Mozzarella cheese and then add tomato pieces on top.

For "BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza": Combine cooked chicken with 2-3 tbsp. barbecue sauce. Spread a thin layer of barbecue sauce over flatbread. Top with Mozzarella cheese and then add the coated chicken pieces and slices of red onion.

Cook flatbreads for about 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.  Cut each flabread into quarters. Serve immediately.

Source: SK Original

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

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These pizza bites are my go-to when I need to make an appetizer and I'm out of ideas. They're always the first thing to go at a party, too. They literally come together in five minutes and just need to be baked. You can add other fillings (such as olives, green peppers, etc.) if that's what you fancy, but I prefer plain ol' pepperoni and cheese. To simplify things even more, I serve them with store-bought pizza sauce, which makes my life so much easier (especially around the holidays).

Give these a try for your next holiday potluck or for a new Christmas appetizer this weekend. You won't be disappointed!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp. fresh chopped basil (or 1 tsp. dried basil)
• 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 4 oz. pepperoni, cut into small pieces (about 1 cup)
• Pizza sauce for dipping

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan. In a large bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder. Slowly whisk in the milk, egg, Italian seasoning and basil. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir batter and divide among the mini muffin cups. Fill almost to the top. Bake until puffed and golden, about 20 – 25 minutes.

Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Source: Adapted from EveryDay

Pizza Roll-Ups

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Watching football on Sundays always calls for some kind of snack. These pizza roll-ups were delicious and definitely a fan favorite. I only had sauce and cheese on hand so I couldn't make them all fancy-schmancy, but we still really enjoyed them. The outside is light and flaky, but the inside is a cheesy, gooey, delicious mess. You can easily add pepperoni, olives, green peppers, etc. to the center to tailor them to your preference. These are great for game day, a child's birthday party, a small get-together, or an every day appetizer. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 roll Pillsbury Reduced-Fat Crescent Rolls
• Pasta or pizza sauce
• Reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese, shredded
• Pizza seasoning, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Roll out crescent roll sheet. Seal the perforations together with your hands so that the dough does not fall apart.

Spread a light layer of sauce over top of the dough. Sprinkle with cheese and top with seasoning, if desired.

Starting on the longer side, roll up the dough all the way. Cut the dough into 3/4-inch pieces.

Arrange the dough slices about an inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with extra sauce.

Source: SK Original

Cheddar, Prosciutto, Caramelized Onions and Apple Pizza

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This recipe was inspired by a pizza I had at a local restaurant a few months back. I was a little hesitant to order it since the ingredients were ones that I had never experienced together on a pizza before. But, as you should know by my French Onion Soup post, I am a sucker for caramelized onions so that reeled me right in. I also love prosciutto and Granny Smith apples, so I figured it couldn't be too bad!

Boy was I right! This pizza was awesome and I knew right away that I wanted to recreate it at home! The apples add a little bit of sweetness, which pairs nicely with the onions. They loose some of their crunch while cooking, but still add some texture to the pizza. The peppery prosciutto and cheddar cheese are perfect compliments to each other and pair nicely with the other toppings. Please try this one at home and don't be intimidated by the ingredients. They work together perfectly! Promise!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• Quick and Easy Pizza Dough
• 2 cups Cabot white cheddar cheese
• 1/2 lb. prosciutto, sliced thin and cut into small pieces
• 1 onion, sliced thin
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 Granny Smith apple, sliced thin

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Make your pizza dough. Let it rest while preparing the other ingredients.

In saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Once dough ready, stretch it out on a large pizza pan or baking stone. Spread the cheese evenly on the dough. Top with caramelized onions, prosciutto and apple slices.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!


Source: SK Original

Supreme Calzone

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I don't like to eat store-bought pizza that often just because of the calories and the grease. But when I do get it, I like to get it right. Getting it "right" means including all of my favorite toppings, such as green peppers, onions, mushrooms, olives and pepperoni. So when I was going to make calzones for dinner, it was only right that I included all of my favorite ingredients.

This is another super quick and easy meal. This one would be fun for the kids since it's fun to stretch out the dough and they can fill their personal calzone with all their favorite toppings and with as much or as little as they want. What a fun family weeknight activity! And it will feed you too!

I chose my favorite pizza toppings for this calzone, but you can fill it with whatever you prefer. Make sure after you fold over the dough to press the edges together very tightly with a fork. You don't want it exploding in your oven. I've heard that causes fires (I have proof). Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 quick and easy pie crust
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into small strips
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup pepperoni slices
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 cup pizza sauce, for dipping

Make pizza dough as directed. Place baking stone in the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add bell peppers and mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes or until tender.

Divide dough in half and roll out each piece into 8-inch rounds. Put 1/2 cup of cheese on one half of each circle. Top each piece with pepperoni, bell peppers, mushrooms, and olives. Put remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top of each round.

Fold over the other half of the circle and press the ends with a fork to seal.

Lightly whisk the egg and the water together. Brush the mixture over top of each calzone. Puncture a few holes in the top to allow steam to escape.

Transfer the calzones to the preheated baking stone. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until calzone is lightly brown. Serve with pizza sauce.

Source: SK Original

Pizza Dip

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I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend and that all the fathers had a very wonderful Father's Day!

Yesterday I spent the day with my amazing dad and all we did was sit around, talk, eat and play card games, but that's all we need. We all really have a lot of fun together and enjoy each other's company. We also watched the end of the U.S. Open and the guys cheered on McIlroy while the girls critiqued the outfits and commented on their putting skills (even though we've never golfed a day in our lives). Pretty standard.

For an appetizer, I decided to make this Pizza Dip since it seemed hearty and appropriate for Father's Day. We devoured it. In 17 seconds. We even had to wait a couple hours before we could throw the hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill since this was so filling, but we just couldn't stop. Hope you all enjoy it, too!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. dried basil
• 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 ounces sliced pepperoni
• 2 tablespoons black olives, sliced 
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• Sliced Italian bread, for serving 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, garlic powder, dried oregano, parsley and basil.

Spread cream cheese mixture into a 9-inch pie pan, and sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of Parmesan on top of the cream cheese mixture.

Spread the pizza sauce over top. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the pizza sauce. Top with bell pepper, pepperoni and black olives. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and bubbly. 

Source:  Adapted from All Recipes

Bacon, Mushroom, Caramelized Onion and Green Pepper Pizza

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I absolutely love pizza. I love how it brings back memories of my childhood; when we would help my mom make English Muffin pizzas and use olives and peppers to make smiley faces. How it was always a staple at every birthday party I ever had or went to. How my dad and I would sneak down to the kitchen early in the morning to have a cold slice (or two) of leftover pizza for breakfast. I could honestly eat pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner (which I have done...don't judge) and be perfectly content.

Homemade pizza is so easy to make and is much cheaper than delivery since you can normally just use whatever you have on hand. Something I've learned is that when making homemade pizza dough, it's always a good idea to double the recipe and throw the second half in the freezer so you always have some on hand. You could substitute anything on this pizza for whatever you prefer, but these are pretty much all my favorites. Hope everyone has a pleasant "Hump Day!"

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• Quick and Easy Pizza Dough or store bought dough
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
• 2 cups reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• 1 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. garlic, finely minced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (or as directed on package).

In a small saucepan, melt 2 tbsp. butter and oil. Add the sliced onion and cook until caramelized, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Slice bacon into small pieces and cook in a frying pan until crispy.  Move to a paper towel-lined plate to let the grease soak up.

Add a small amount of oil to a small pan. Add the mushrooms and red pepper flakes and let cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.

Spread the pizza dough over a pizza pan or stone. Spread the sauce evenly over top. Top with the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Layer the mushrooms, green onions, caramelized onions and bacon on top.

Melt the remaining 1 tbsp. butter in the microwave with the garlic. Spread this over the crust.

Bake the pizza for 12-15 minutes (or as directed on package), until cheese is melted and bubbly. Enjoy!


Source: SK Original

Caprese Pizza

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Almost every time my family gets together, we have mozzarella and tomatoes as a side dish. Or what others may know as a Caprese Salad. Yum. But it has to be made with fresh mozzarella! There's just no other way.

My dad and I recently traveled up to New York for the day to visit my aunt for her birthday. In the span of 14 hours, we drove a total of 7 hours, visited family for 5 hours, and shopped for 2 hours. Yes, we spent valuable family time shopping. But not for clothes or knick-knacks...but for food. 

Yea I said it. Food.

We got round sausage, sausage links, sweet sausage and broccoli rabe sausage. We bought Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, rice balls, kanishes, and cookies. But the best thing we bought was the Mozzarella cheese. Ohh the Mozzarella cheese. My dad spent $40 on three balls of this stuff. Forty bucks!! So I guess I should have felt special when he gave me one of these prized possessions.

I had a hankering for pizza shortly after we came back, so I decided to use this fresh New York Mozzarella to top my pizza. Pair this with Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, some spices and fresh basil and you've got yourself a Caprese pizza! And isn't it purrrty? Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• Quick and Easy Pizza Dough
• Fresh Mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
• Olive oil
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. marjoram
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a pizza pan or lightly flour a pizza stone.


Combine seasonings in bowl and set aside.


Spread pizza dough out on pizza pan. Lightly drizzle a coat of olive oil directly on top of dough. Cover with 6-8 slices of fresh Mozzarella cheese. Lay tomatoes, cut side up, over cheese and dough. Sprinkle top with seasoning mixture and the basil leaves. Finally, sprinkle a generous amount of Parmesan cheese evenly on top.


Cook in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cut and enjoy!!


Source: SK Original