Easy Taco Pizza

We're going out to dinner tonight to celebrate my mom's birthday. Unfortunately, hubby will not be joining us because he has classes. An exam, too, for that matter. But I still have to cook something for him to bring for lunch tomorrow. This recipe popped up on the Yahoo website that I've been saving to use and I thought today would be a good day to make it. I made this for lunch, before my parents picked me and my daughter up in the afternoon. It tastes just like a taco on a pizza crust. And it was super easy to make. I omitted some of the ingredients it originally called for because I didn't have any (like the olives, but I don't really like olives). But I'll probably add it the next time I make it again. I think hubby will like this one.

prepared pizza dough
3/4 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 cup chopped onions
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 (2 1/4 oz) can pitted olives
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a Mexican cheese blend)
shredded lettuce

chopped tomatoes
diced avocados

1) Preheat oven to 425 deg F. Grease pizza pans or baking pans. Roll out dough and transfer to pans. Prick dough generously with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

2) In a large skillet, cook ground meat and onions until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain off the fat. Stir in tomato sauce, olives (if using), and taco seasoning. Heat through.

3) Spread meat mixture over hot crust. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for another 10 minutes, until cheese melts. Serve, topped with tomatoes, lettuce, avocados, and additional shredded cheese. Top with a dollop of sour cream.

Fig and Prosciutto Pizza

Fig and Prosciutto???? Sounds pretty wild, huh? I first heard of this flavor combination on the food network and I was intrigued. I've always loved the sweet and savory combination of flavor. So I thought why not give it a try. I stopped by a local produce store during my lunch break today and they had the figs on sale. What perfect timing. I used goat cheese on this pizza, but I think I'll use brie next time. Its much milder than than the goat cheese, which I think overpowered the flavors of fig and prosciutto. Otherwise, this pizza was quite refreshing and really simple to make. Especially for an evening like today where I didn't really feel like cooking anything.

pre-made pizza dough

figs, sliced

prosciutto, shredded into small pieces

goat cheese (or any other mild cheese like brie, or even mozzarella)

1) Heat grill or oven to 400 degrees. Roll out dough to desired thickness. (**skip this part if using an oven) Place dough directly on grill. Heat for 2-3 minutes, until the dough begins to harden. Remove from heat.

2) Place toppings on dough (if pre-cooked on grill, place toppings on the cooked side) and return to heat until cheese have all melted. Serve.

California Club Pizza

We took our boss out to lunch to California Pizza Kitchen for Boss' day last week. I normally order the Santa Fe Chicken Pizza or mushroom ravioli. I decided to be adventurous and try something different from the menu. So I tried their California Club Pizza and it was really good. It was so simple but had all kinds of different flavors. The saltiness of the bacon, the crunch and creaminess from the salad on top, and the butteriness from the avocado. So I decided to replicate it at home. Hubby took a look at his meal and his eyes bugged out. He was quite impressed.

1 tube of prepared pizza dough (like Pillsbury)

slices of fresh mozzarella cheese

1 cup cooked chicken, cubed

1/2 cup cooked bacon bits

1 large tomato, sliced thinly

shredded lettuce, dressed in a mayonnaise dressing (mayonnaise splashed with a little milk)

avocado slices

1) Preheat oven to 425 deg. F. Spread pizza dough on an ungreased cookie sheet. Layer slices of the mozzarella cheese on top of dough. Evenly spread cooked chicken over the cheese. Sprinkle bacon bits. Place tomato slices evenly on top. Bake for 15 minutes.

2) Cut pizza in slices. Place salad mixture on top of each slices and top with avocado.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

For my first recipe entry, I guess I should start with something simple. Our new favorite pizza place is now Big Mama's & Papa's. We always like to get their BBQ Chicken pizza. Here's a quick and easy way to get your pizza fix. You'll be surprised how easy this recipe is.

1 tube of refrigerated pizza dough (like Pillsbury, found in the refrigerated cookie dough section)
1/4 cup of BBQ sauce (I used a store bought bottle)
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
Shredded mozzarella cheese
chopped cilantro for garnish

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2) Spread pizza dough on a greased cookie sheet. Separate about 2 Tbsp. of the BBQ sauce and spread a thin layer of the remaing sauce on top of the dough.

3) Mix together the reserved 2 Tbsp. of BBQ sauce with the cooked chicken.

4) Top the dough with the cooked chicken mixture, onions, red bell pepper and mozzarella cheese. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Add chopped cilantro for garnish and serve.