Taco Quesadilla Pizzas

Taco meat and cheese stuffed quesadillas made pizza style topped with salsa and even more melted cheese!

Servings: makes 2 taco quesadilla pizzas or 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon homemade taco seasoning or 1/2 store bought packet
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 (8 inch) tortillas
• 2 cups cheese such as cheddar and/or jack, shredded
• 1/2 cup refried beans
• 3/4 cup salsa
• 1 tomato, diced
• 2 tablespoons black olives, sliced
• 4 green onions, sliced

Directions

1. Brown the meat in a pan over medium heat, drain the excess grease, mix in seasoning and water and simmer until most of the liquid is gone, about 10 minutes.
2. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese evenly over two tortillas followed by the meat and the 1/4 cup of the salsa.
3. Spread the refried beans over the remaining two tortillas and place them on top of the meat covered ones with the bean sides down.
4. Place one of the taco quesadillas in a large pan and grill it over medium heat until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are lightly golden brown, about 2-4 minutes per side.
5. Place the taco quesadilla on a large baking sheet and repeat for the remaining taco quesadilla.
6. Spread the remaining salsa over the tops of the taco quesadillas, sprinkle on the cheese, black olives and green onions.
7. Broil in a preheated oven until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes. (Keep an eye on them so they do not burn!)

Cheese Pizza Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lukewarm water 
• 1/4 ounce dry yeast 
• 1 teaspoon sugar 
• 3 cups bread flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1/2 cup tomato puree 
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped 
• 4 ounces Fresh mozarella cheese(grilled and sliced) 

Procedure:

• Making a Dough.
• Making Sauce: 
• Mix tomato puree, tomato paste, minced garlic, and basil.
• Spread a layer onto prepared pizza dough. 
• Add grilled mozarella cheese onto the layer of sauce. 
• Add another layer of sauce. 
• Now top with sliced Mozarella Cheese 
• Finally bake it at 500°F for 10-12 minutes.

Youy easy, hot Cheese Pizza is now ready to be enjoyed.

Chopper’s meatball deep dish pizza

For the dough

• 1 pint water
• 3/4 ounces active dry yeast
• 1 pound 12 ounces flour
• 1/2 ounce sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Whisk water, corn syrup, and sugar together until fully dissolved. Then add yeast, and whisk until yeast is also dissolved.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
When the liquid mixture looks “foamy” on top, add to the dry ingredients, and then add the oil.
Fold the ingredients together until all of the flour is hydrated. Then knead for 20 minutes, and mold into a large ball.
Clean out and dry the bowl, then apply a thin coat of oil with a paper towel. Then rub another thin coat of oil on the ball of dough and place in the bowl, and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
While the dough is resting and rising, make your sauce, meatballs, and grate your cheese ;-)
For the meatballs

• 1/2 pound ground pork butt
• 1/2 pound ground beef round
• 1/2 pound ground lamb shoulder
•  
• 2 teaspoons dry basil
• 2 teaspoons dry parsley
• 2 teaspoons dry thyme
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 5 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
• More bread crumbs for coating

Work all ingredients together with your hands, making sure not to be too rough.
When everything is fully combined, portion into 3/4 to 1 oz balls, and set aside.
Place 1 quart of vegetable oil in a pot over medium high heat, and have a bowl of bread crumbs ready (about 1/2 a cup will do).
When the oil is hot enough to fry, roll your meatballs in the bread crumbs in batches, and lightly fry them, just enough to get a crust on the surface, but not enough to thoroughly cook them.
For the sauce

• 2 cans whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 each medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dry basil
• 1 tablespoon dry oregano
• 2 teasoons dry thyme
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Put a medium sized pot over medium heat, and add 2 tbl of olive oil.
Crush the tomatoes by hand in a bowl and set aside
Add onions and garlic, and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the aromas start to become pungent and the onion turns translucent.
Add herbs, and sweat another minute, then add red wine.
Reduce the mixture by about 1/4, then add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for about 10 minutes, then puree the sauce (I use a stick blender), and bring back to a simmer.
Add sugar, and season to taste.

Homemade Barbecue Pizza (Secret Ingredient Included)

1 cup Heinz ketchup (I simply won’t use any other brand. Sorry.)
¼ cup dark brown sugar
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 heaping Tbsp brown spicy mustard
3 Tbsp SECRET INGREDIENT** (see below)
7-8 good shakes of Tabasco sauce

This barbecue sauce is excellent on grilled meats, sandwiches, crispy eggs, and, my favorite, pizza. With fresh corn on the cob, sweet Vidalia onions, and creamy smoked Gouda, this is a swoon-worthy summertime pizza that I return to again and again.


BBQ Pizza with Fresh Summer Corn and Sweet Onions
Serves 4
Print recipe only here.
1 pound pizza dough
1 tsp canola oil
1 sweet onion, such as a Vidalia, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
2 tsp sugar
1 ear of corn on the cob (about 1 cup)
½ cup never-fail bbq sauce
1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese (or sharp cheddar, if you prefer)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, optional garnish

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and sugar; stir occasionally, until the onions caramelize and turn a deep golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Add the corn, and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven (see temps below). Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper (if using a stone) or to a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread barbecue sauce evenly over the dough; top with ½ shredded cheese. Arrange the onion and corn mixture on top. Top with remaining ½ shredded cheese.

For a pizza stone, bake at 500 degree for about 10 minutes, or until both the top and bottom of the crust is brown and the cheese is melted.

For a baking sheet, bake at 450 for about 20 minutes, or until both the top and bottom of the crust is brown and the cheese is melted.

Let cool slightly before slicing. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley if desired, and serve with a side of barbecue sauce for dipping. (Oh, Jeff just reminded me—and a cold beer).

**OK, I give. My secret ingredient is soy sauce. So, PLEASE, no threats of bodily harm. Would you share YOUR SECRET INGREDIENT with us?

Patriots' Potato Pizza

1 pound pizza dough
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 shallot, sliced
¼ cup shredded part-skim milk mozzarella cheese
2 small potatoes of your choice, preferably a firmer variety
¼ cup crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Wash potatoes and pat dry. Microwave the whole potatoes for 2-3 minutes until soft enough to handle but firm enough to cut so they won’t crumble. Cut into ¼ inch-thick slices.

Heat half the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add shallots; cook 4-5 minutes until slightly browned.

Preheat oven (see temps below). Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper (if using a stone) or to a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush dough lightly with remaining olive oil. Place a thin layer of shredded mozzarella on the dough, then arrange potato slices on top. Season well with salt and pepper. Add crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese, and lightly press it down with your hands.

For a pizza stone, bake at 500 degree for about 10 minutes, or until both the top and bottom of the crust is brown and the cheese is melted.

For a baking sheet, bake at 450 for about 20 minutes, or until both the top and bottom of the crust is brown and the cheese is melted. Let it cool for a couple of minutes before slicing.

Before serving, sprinkle pizza slices with chopped fresh rosemary and a bit more fresh ground black pepper.

TIP: Boiling the potatoes makes them too moist which leads to a soggy crust. Ugh. Microwaving or baking them are better bets. Also, adding the fresh rosemary after removing the pizza from the oven helps to maintain its color and flavor.

Homemade Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza Dough: Makes enough dough for two 10-12 inch pizzas

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F-115°F)
• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) of active dry yeast (check the expiration date on the package)
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour (can use all-purpose but bread flour will give you a crisper crust)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Pizza Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Cornmeal (to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone)

• Tomato sauce (purée)
• Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, shredded
• Feta cheese
• Mushrooms, thinly sliced
• Bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, thinly sliced
• Italian sausage, cooked ahead
• Chopped fresh basil
• Pesto
• Pepperoni, thinly sliced
• Onions, thinly sliced
• Sliced ham

Special equipment needed

• A pizza stone, highly recommended if you want your pizza dough to be crusty
• A pizza peel or a flat baking sheet
• A pizza wheel for cutting the pizza, not required, but easier to deal with than a knife

Method

Making the Pizza Dough

1 In the large bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer (such as a Kitchen Aid), add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.

2 Attach a mixing paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with a dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix and knead by hand. If the dough seems a little too wet, sprinkle on a bit more flour.

3 Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place (75-85°F) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or several hours longer, a longer rise will improve the flavor). If you don't have a warm spot in the house you can heat the oven to 150 degrees, and then turn off the oven. Let the oven cool till it is just a little warm, then place the bowl of dough in this warmed oven to rise.
At this point, if you want to make ahead, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Preparing the Pizzas

1 Place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.
2 Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place each in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes.
3 Prepare your desired toppings. Note that you are not going to want to load up each pizza with a lot of toppings as the crust will end up not crisp that way. About a third a cup each of tomato sauce and cheese would be sufficient for one pizza. One to two mushrooms thinly sliced will cover a pizza.

4 Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Let the dough relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter - 10 to 12 inches. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker. You can pinch the very edges if you want to form a lip.

5 Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes.
Repeat with the second ball of dough.

6 Lightly sprinkle your pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) with corn meal. Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape in the transfer, lightly shape it to the desired dimensions.

7 Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza.

8 Sprinkle some cornmeal on the baking stone in the oven (watch your hands, the oven is hot!). Gently shake the peel to see if the dough will easily slide, if not, gently lift up the edges of the pizza and add a bit more cornmeal. Slide the pizza off of the peel and on to the baking stone in the oven. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes. If you want, toward the end of the cooking time you can sprinkle on a little more cheese.
Yield: Makes 2 10-12-inch pizzas.

Pizza Rolls

Ingredients :
•    2 quarts canola oil for frying
•    1 egg
•    3 tablespoons water
•    1 (16 ounce) jar pizza sauce
•    1 (8 ounce) package sliced pepperoni
•    1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
•    1 (14 ounce) package egg roll wrappers

How to Cook :
1.    Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl.
2.    Combine the pizza sauce and pepperoni in a blender or food processor. Process until pepperoni is well chopped and the sauce has thickened. Transfer sauce to a large bowl, and stir in mozzarella.
3.    Lay out one eggroll wrapper on work surface. Place 1 tablespoon filling at the bottom center of the wrapper, leaving 1/2 inch border on each side. Lightly brush the wrapper edges with the egg mixture. Fold over both sides; roll up to encase filling in wrapper. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
4.    Deep fry pizza rolls in batches until crisp and golden brown, 5-9 minutes.

Serving : 10