Pizza

Candy's Kitchen | home

Pizza

Pizza. Not too many people out there can honestly say they don't like it. Whether it is a traditional pizza with red sauce or a fancy pizza with a white sauce, most everyone has a favorite.

But most of us don't bother to make our own pizza. We just pick up the phone and call the local delivery joint and in 45 minutes to an hour you have your pizza. But did you know that in less time than that you could have made your own pizza?

It is not as much work as you might think. With so many ingredients available pre sliced or diced it is easy to make a custom pizza for the whole family. Even the crust is easy, too. You can purchase a pre-made crust or take a few minutes and make one from scratch. My favorite is using bread called Taftoon bread that I buy at a store called Phonecia's in Houston. It is very thin and makes a wonderful pizza.

As for the sauce, a pre-made is fine. Toppings can include anything your heart desires. The cheese can be shredded or sliced. There is no limit to what you can make. And this is a great fun idea for a party. Gather in the kitchen and make your own pizzas.

If you are feeling a little low on the creative end, here are a few suggestions to get you started. Enjoy!

BARBECUE CHICKEN PIZZA

10 oz. pkg. refrigerated pizza dough

1/2 of 32 oz. container (about 2 cups) shredded cooked chicken in barbecue sauce

8 oz. shredded four- or five-blend

pizza cheese

1/4 Cup snipped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Lightly grease a 15 x 10-inch baking sheet or jellyroll pan. Unroll pizza dough; transfer to greased pan, pressing out dough with your hands to a 12 x 10-inch rectangle. Build up edges slightly. Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread chicken mixture evenly over hot crust. Sprinkle cheese and cilantro over chicken. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 6 main dish servings.

ROASTED GARLIC PIZZA

1 (13-inch) uncooked dough crust

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 bunch spinach, wilted

6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

8 sun-dried tomato pieces, sliced

1 head garlic, roasted

Prepare wilted spinach by first thoroughly washing and drying, removing stems, and then stir-frying until wilted. Prepare roasted garlic by skinning garlic, coating with olive oil, and baking covered for 20 minutes in a 350ºF oven.

Top dough crust with olive oil, spinach, feta cheese, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes. Bake in preheated 500°F oven on pizza stone for 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 2 or 3 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

THAI PIZZA

1 Boboli or homemade crust

Thai Sauce

1 Cup bean sprouts

Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Shrimp

Green onion, chopped

Crushed red chilies, to taste

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Spray or grease a pizza pan or stone.

Spread sauce over pizza crust. Scatter pizza with bean sprouts, cheese, shrimp and green onion. Bake on the bottom rack of preheated oven for 8-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is piping hot. Serve with topping of crushed red chilies to taste.

Thai Sauce

2 Tablespoons water

2 teaspoon soy sauce

2 teaspoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoon granulated sugar

2/3 Cup smooth peanut butter

2 Tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

1 teaspoon Oriental sesame oil

Combine water, soy sauce, cider vinegar and sugar. Add peanut butter, rice vinegar and Oriental sesame oil. Mix well.

MUFFALETTA PIZZA

1/2 Cup finely chopped celery

1/3 Cup chopped pimento-stuffed green olives

1/4 Cup chopped pepperoncini

1/4 Cup chopped cocktail onions

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoon dry Italian salad dressing mix

3 oz. thin-sliced deli ham/salami, diced

8 oz. shredded provolone cheese

1 (13-inch) uncooked dough crust

Extra-virgin olive oil

Mix first 7 ingredients for marinated olive salad and chill overnight.

Combine olive salad, ham, and cheese. Top dough crust with 1/2 of mixture. Drizzle with oil. Bake in preheated 500°F oven on pizza stone for 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 2 or 3 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.