Arugula Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza

This is oh so good. We go through pizza fazes at our house and usually this is involved. Want salad? And pizza? Hmm how about pizza salad? Or salad pizza? If you don't have time to make pizza dough, store bought dough will work and make a super easy weeknight meal. 

Arugula Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza

Serves about 4-5

Ingredients

This pizza dough

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese

1-2 sliced pears

Your favorite balsamic dressing for drizzle

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with pizza stone on the middle rack. (Or and upside down cookie sheet)

Roll out dough into two pizzas.

Sprinkle about a cup of mozzarella and about 1/8th of a cup of Gorgonzola on each. 

Bake one at a time on the pizza stone for about 12-15 min until the cheese is melted and the dough browns a bit. 

Pull out of the oven and top with a couple handfuls of arugula, pears, Gorgonzola and balsamic dressing. 

Enjoy!  

Lemon Chicken Sandwiches

Hi, this is what I ate last night.  My mom made this for us all growing up.  I'm not sure where she got it but these chicken sandwiches are so light and should I say, refreshing? They cleanse your palate and are perfect for warm weather.  No need to be weighed down when you need to fit into that swimsuit right?  I often make these on the stove when it's not grilling season. I don't really have much to say... we all know I am a FABULOUS writer ;). So, just eat one of these and you will be happy.

Lemon Chicken Sandwiches

serves 4

Ingredients

4 Chicken Breast, pounded flat

1 Cucumber, sliced

1 Lemon, sliced into 4 wedges

4 Leaves of Lettuce and/or Sprouts

1 Tomato, sliced

Miricle Whip or Mayo

Lemon Pepper

4 Hamburger Buns

Directions

Preheat your grill to about 450- 500 degrees.  

Season the chicken with a few shakes of lemon pepper.  

Turn the grill to medium and grill the chicken for about 7 minutes per side keeping the BBQ closed, open only to flip the meat.

Removed from grill and create your sandwiches.  

Squeeze the lemon on the cooked chicken.

I prefer Miricle Whip for these sandwiches.  

You can also sprinkle on a little more Lemon Pepper if you want more.

Easy peasy.

Oh, and to make them on the stove just add about 1 Tbs oil to a pan and cook over medium heat.

BBQ Chicken Pizza on the Grill

Last summer my favorite was THIS, but this year it's gotta be grilled pizza.  When I first heard about it somewhere around a year ago I thought, "What?  No, that just wouldn't work".  But, since then I have seen a few different ways of doing it and the one I tried I loved.  It gives the pizza a smokey flavor that takes it to another level.  So far we have tried BBQ chicken and Pepperoni and I think the BBQ chicken takes the cake.

BBQ Chicken Pizza on the Grill


makes 2 pizzas, so depending on how hungry you are it serves around 4-6 people

Ingredients


One recipe of THIS dough (I haven't tried any other on the grill)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil (for the grill)
1/2 Cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce
3 Cups Mozzarella, grated
2 Cups Chicken, chopped or shredded (previously cooked)
1/2 Cup Olives, sliced
1 Cup Pineapple Tidbits, patted dry
1/4 Cup Banana Peppers, patted dry and chopped small
3 Green Onions, chopped small

Directions

Preheat the grill to about 400 degrees.
Divide the risen dough in half, and roll out one of the halves.  No toppings just yet.
Pour the olive oil into a glass or bowl and crumple up a paper towel and dip it into the oil with some tongs.
Open the grill up, turn the heat to medium (I set mine to just below medium) and rub the oiled paper towel onto the grill with the tongs.
Immediately and carefully transfer the rolled out (naked) dough to the grill.  Close and cook for about 2 minutes. It cooks quickly so be careful, take a peak at the bottom now and again if you need to.
Carefully remove from the grill. flip the cooked side up and lay on the toppings.  Don't make it too heavy.
Oil grill once more and carefully place the pizza with it's toppings back onto the grill.  Close and cook for 3 more minutes.  Checking the bottom if needed.
Carefully remove from the grill and enjoy!
Repeat with second half of dough.

Basic Chili

I got this recipe a few years back from a college roommate of mine (Thanks Emily!).  It's her mom's recipe, but I don't think I have it exactly how she makes it because I didn't write it down.  It is delicious and versatile.  I frequently make taco salad with this or just eat it as is with a side of corn bread and honey.  I may have once made a little something called "travelin' tacos" also.  My elementary school would serve them using a bag of Fritos with a scoop of chili inside.  From grade school on, whenever I eat Fritos I always think of that haha.  

Chili 

serves about 4

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Beef

1/2 Yellow Onion, finely chopped

1/2 Green Pepper, chopped

1/2 Red Pepper, chopped

1, 28 oz Can of Diced Tomatoes

2 Cans of Beans, rinsed and drained (kidney and/or black)

1 to 1 1/2 Tbs Chili Powder

1/2 tsp Cumin

Couple dashes of Worcestershire

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Brown the beef over medium-high heat, adding the onions and peppers when it is about half way cooked through.  

When the meat is browned and the onions soft, pour in the tomatoes and beans.

Season with spices and worcestershire.

Simmer, covered, on low for at least 20 minutes.

Sloppy Joes

It is summer.  Even if the weather doesn't cooperate, and Memorial Day is tomorrow then it is unofficially summer.  Quick and easy meals are what I need to have more time to play outside and to keep the house from heating up to one million degrees.  I didn't feel like firing up the barbecue today so this is second to it. I grew up with these Joes and I love them.  My husband doesn't really like Sloppy Joes in general but I haven't ever really met one I didn't like.  He actually thinks I am weird for putting a nice slice of cheddar cheese on top.  Yum. Well, I actually just realized that I haven't ever tried the canned versions of this dish and I can imagine I might not like those.  These are so simple there shouldn't be any reason to have to buy that canned stuff.


Mom's Sloppy Joes

serves about 6

Ingredients

1 lb Lean Ground Beef
1 Can Stewed Tomatoes, mash or slice the bigger pieces if you'd like
2 tsp Chili Powder
1/4 Cup Ketchup
2 tsp Mustard
1 tsp Brown Sugar
Few drops Liquid Smoke (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions


Brown the hamburger.
Add the tomatoes and remaining ingredients and let it simmer on low for at least 15 min.  If you don't allow it to simmer the flavors don't really get absorbed into the meat.
That's it, you are done.  :)