Almost, Totally Homemade Pizza

There are some items that I consider to be kitchen staples. Frozen cheese pizza is definitely on that list. They are inexpensive and versatile. Last week I purchased four.

Today, we are being couch potatoes, watching football and mentally preparing ourselves for the upcoming work week. (The long, holiday weekend FLEW by!)

We need food! We need food that requires little effort for optimal taste, few ingredients and can be on the table quickly.

Since it's football Sunday, I decided to doctor a frozen pizza. Here's what I did:

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2 to 3

Equipment Needed:

Pizza Stone or Large Cookie Sheet and a pizza cutter or knife

Ingredients:

1 - 12inch Thin Crust Cheese or Vegetable Pizza

1 raw, Turkey Italian Sausage link, about 1/4 pound, torn into half inch pieces

1 tsp Oregano

1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese

Black pepper

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°

If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven while oven heats.

Unwrap the pizza, but leave on pizza board.

Place sausage pieces on pizza, spacing them about one inch apart.

Season with oregano.

Sprinkle cheese evenly over pizza.

Season with black pepper.

Using the pizza board, slide pizza onto pizza stone.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for a few minutes prior to cutting.

Cut pizza in slices or squares.

Serve with condiments of choice. I chose mild Giardiniera, grated parmesan and red pepper flakes,

For Hors d'oeuvres:

Cook cheese pizza according to package instructions. Allow pizza to cool. Using a biscuit or cookie cutter, make pizza cutouts. Then, top with the protein of your choice (prosciutto, check breast, steak, shrimp, sliced turkey... ),herbs or dips. Place hor d'oeuvres on a platter with a a flat edge serving utensil and Enjoy!

Shrimp Egg Foo Yung

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 to 30 minutes
Makes: 4, 6 inch patties

Ingredients

Shrimp:
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
20, 31-40 count Shrimp, raw, shelled & deveined
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

Patties:
8 large Eggs
1/2 cup Low-sodium Soy Sauce
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Ginger, minced

1/2 cup Green Onions, chopped

1 cup Bean Sprouts

1 cup Cabbage, shredded or chopped
8 tsp Peanut Oil

Gravy:
2 cups Chicken Broth
2 tbsp Corn Starch

2 tbsp Sugar

2 tbsp Vinegar

2 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce

1 tsp Sesame Oil

Green onions, chopped for garnish

Freshly ground black pepper

Cook Shrimp:

1. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet, over medium heat.
2. Toss shrimp in garlic & black pepper, then add to the skillet.
3. Cook for 1 minute on each side.
4. Remove from heat & set aside.

Patties:

1. In a large bowl, beat eggs. 
2. Stir in soy sauce, garlic, ginger. 
3. Fold in soy beans, cabbage & green onions.
4. Heat 2 teaspoons of peanut oil in a small wok.
5. Pour 1/4 of mixture into wok and place 5 shrimp in patty.
6. Cook for about a minute and begin to shake skillet too make sure the patty is not sticking to pan and continue to cook for about 3 minutes.
7. Carefully flip patty and repeat step # 6.
8. Gently slide patty onto a serving plate to rest.
9. Repeat steps 4 through 8 until all patties are done.

Gravy:

1. Whisk all ingredients in a medium sauce pan.
2. Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Once boiling, lower heat to low and stir occasionally for 5 minutes.

Serve:

1. Place 1 patty in each bowl
2. Pour 1/2 cup gravy over each
3. Top with green onions and freshly ground black pepper.

Serving Suggestions/Substitutions:

Serve with quinoa, or fried rice or noodles

Substitute shrimp for  veggies, like broccoli & mushrooms,  chicken and or beef. .

10 inch Turkey Sausage Calzone

Prep Time: 1 1/2 hours

Cook Time: 35-40 minutes 

Serves 2- 3

Ingredients: 

Deep Dish Pizza Dough

2 cups Pizza Sauce

1lb Turkey Italian Sausage, cooked, drained & crumbled

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

1 Tbsp Butter

1 Tbsp Butter, melted

1. Preheat conventional oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place 1 tbsp butter in heavy 10 inch skillet (cast iron) and place in oven while oven preheats.
3. Meanwhile, press dough into a 10 inch circle between parchment or wax paper.
4. Mix 11/2 cups of pizza sauce and sausage. Set aside.
5. Remove skillet from oven and using parchment paper, place dough in skillet.
6. Pour sauce/sausage mixture on half of dough, about an inch from the edge. 
7. Sprinkle cheese on top of sauce/sausage mixture.
8. Fold other half of dough on top of cheese and press edges of dough together.
9. Bake for 30 minutes.
10. Baste with melted butter and bake an additional 5 minutes. 
11. Serve with Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and remaining 1/2 cup of pizza sauce for dipping.

Pizza Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients:
6 oz Tomato Paste
2 to 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Red Wine
2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese, Grated
1 Tsp Minced Garlic
1 Tsp Oregano
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Tsp Sugar

Whisk all ingredients in a medium bowl.

Tofu & Broccoli

Prep Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Marinade
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb Extra Firm Tofu, cut into half inch thick strips

Sauce
1/4 C Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/4 C water
2 Tbsp brown sugar
4 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp sherry
1 Tbsp sesame oil

Additional Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 heads broccoli crowns

Make Marinade:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk first 6 ingredients
2. Toss tofu in marinade, cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Make Sauce:

      In a large bowl whisk all ingredients and set aside.

Cook Tofu:

1. Preheat a conventional oven to 400 degrees
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
3. Place tofu on cookie sheet in a single layer
4. Bake for 15 minutes.
5. Using a spatula, flip tofu to other side and bake for an additional 15 minutes
6. Remove from oven and set aside.

Cook Broccoli: 

1. Preheat a large saute' pan or wok over medium heat.
2. Add broccoli to pan, stirring occasionally to sear, for about 5 minutes.
3. Remove broccoli from pan and set aside.

Serve:

1. Add tofu and broccoli to bowl with sauce and toss to coat.
2. Serve alone, over rice noodles or with fried rice.

Chicken & Broccoli

Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes 
Cook Time: 30 minutes 

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Marinade
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb boneless & skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" x 3" strips

Sauce
1/4 C Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/4 C water
2 Tbsp brown sugar
4 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp sherry
1 Tbsp sesame oil

Additional Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 heads broccoli crowns

Make Marinade:

1. In a medium bowl, mix first 6 ingredients
2. Toss chicken in marinade, cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Make Sauce:

      Whisk all ingredients and set aside.

Cook Broccoli & Chicken: 

1. Preheat a large saute' pan or wok over medium heat.
2. Add broccoli to pan, stirring occasionally to sear, for about 5 minutes.
3. Remove broccoli from pan and set aside.
4. Heat olive oil over medium heat in large saute' pan or wok.
5. Add chicken to pan in a single layer.
6. Using a spatula, flip chicken over every couple of minutes for about 8 minutes.
7. Pour half of sauce over chicken and stir chicken to coat.
8. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Add broccoli and remaining sauce to pan, stir to coat and remove from heat. 
10. Serve alone, over rice noodles or with fried rice.

Enjoy!

Spinach Salad w/Tarragon Chicken Breast & Honey Mustard Dressing

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 - 10 minutes 

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1/4 Tsp each: Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Smoked Paprika & Salt 

1lb Chicken Breast, sliced

1/2 Tsp: Tarragon, dried

1 Tbsp Olive oil or Non-stick pan spray

4 C Baby Spinach

2 Tbsp Red Onion, diced

1 Medium Tomato, sliced or 1 C Cherry Tomatoes

1 Large Egg, boiled & diced

3 Tbsp Honey Mustard Dressing

Instructions:

1. Whisk black pepper, garlic powder, paprika & salt in a medium bowl
2. Place chicken in bowl and toss to coat.
3. Sprinkle chicken with tarragon.
4. Preheat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
5. Pour chicken in skillet and separate the slices so that they are flat and not touching.
6. Cook on each side for about 4 minutes or until juices run clear and remove from heat.
7. In 2 large plates or medium bowls, place spinach and top with onion, egg, tomatoes and chicken.
8. Serve with honey mustard dressing.

Enjoy!