Tag: pizza

potato + leek + prosciutto pizza

by Rachel McCarthy

3-4 medium-sized redskin potatoes, paper-thin sliced

2 medium-sized leeks, cleaned well & thinly sliced

1/3 pound prosciutto, diced

Fresh mozzarella {I used about 6 thin slices}

4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Store-bought pizza dough

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees {or the recommended temperature on your store-bought pizza dough}. In a medium-sized skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat; add diced prosciutto. Cook until the prosciutto is crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate. In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil {or if there is enough grease left over from the prosciutto, you won’t need any olive oil} and add leeks. Cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Spray pizza pan with cooking spray and stretch out the dough. Drizzle a little olive oil over the crust. To assemble the pizza: arrange the potato slices in a single layer all over the crust, overlapping just slightly. Sprinkle potatoes with a little salt. Lay the mozzarella slices on top of the potatoes in a single layer, followed by the leeks. Sprinkle the prosciutto on top followed by the crumbled goat cheese and grated Parmesan cheese. Finally, sprinkle the entire pizza with ground pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese begins to bubble.

By now, I’m sure you are well acquainted with my love for pizza. Fall pizzas are probably one of my favorite to make because there are so many delicious ingredients to incorporate. This particular pizza is my version of the Pioneer Woman’s Potato-Leek Pizza {the Pioneer Woman is my favorite Food Network star — she has such simple, yet delicious recipes!}. I’ve always been a fan of the potato-leek combination, especially in the soup version; it’s the perfect comfort food on a cold, fall day. In the Pioneer Woman’s recipe, she uses bacon. I’m not a huge fan of bacon, but I knew that the potatoes and leeks needed something salty to compliment the flavors. I decided to go with something similar to bacon, but more tolerable to my palate: prosciutto. This was such a fabulous fall pizza, I will definitely be making this again before fall is over! 
P.S. See more of my fall pizzas below!

roasted fall vegetable pizza

by Rachel McCarthy
roasted-vegetable-pizza

As I’m sure you know by now, pizza is a weekly staple in our house. And it’s not just regular pizza. I love coming up with new ideas for toppings. Now that fall is in full swing, a whole new section of vegetables are available at the grocery store. Two weeks ago, I made a roasted butternut squash and kale pizza that was absolutely delicious {post here}. This time, I wanted to incorporate the butternut squash again, but add more vegetables — more specifically, fall vegetables. The red onion, carrots and baby potatoes were the perfect combination for this pizza. And there is something SO delicious about adding ricotta to the top of a pizza!! Thanks for reading!



Roasted Fall Vegetable Pizza

{what you will need}
1/2 medium-sized red onion, sliced into bite-sized chunks
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded & diced
10-15 baby medley potatoes, quartered {I used these}
3-4 carrots, chopped
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons basil pesto
4 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Pizza dough
Salt and pepper

{directions}
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray. Place the red onion, butternut squash, potatoes and carrots in a large bowl and toss with 3-4 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the baking sheet and spread evenly into one layer. Roast for 30 minutes, turning with a spatula once at the 15 minute mark. To assemble the pizza: spread a thin layer of basil pesto on the pizza dough and place in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the shredded mozzarella cheese and roasted vegetable mixture. Finish with a few tablespoon dollops of ricotta cheese and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese begins to melt.

roasted butternut squash + kale pizza

by Rachel McCarthy
This is my first truly fall pizza and I am so excited about it! I made this over the weekend and it was so delicious! After eating the entire pizza, my husband expressed his initial concerns with this concoction: he thought the butternut squash would be too sweet for a pizza. I considered this too when I first came up with the idea, but my hope was that the kale and ricotta would balance the sweetness out perfectly…and I’m happy to say it did! The butternut squash browned just enough to mix with the crispy kale to create the most divine pizza ever. And the colors on this pizza are so awesome, they just scream fall! This was the perfect introduction to fall pizzas…I am so excited to try out new ideas in the coming weeks! Thanks for reading!

roasted-butternut-squash-kale-pizza
Roasted Butternut Squash + Kale Pizza



1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds remove and diced
1 1/2 cups kale, de-stemmed
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons basil pesto
4 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Pizza dough
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray. Place diced butternut squash in a medium bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to baking sheet and spread evenly into one layer. Roast for 30 minutes, turning with spatula once. Transfer roasted butternut squash to a clean bowl. In the same medium bowl previously used to coat the squash with olive oil, toss kale with 1 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper. Arrange kale on same baking sheet used for the squash and cook for about 6 minutes until the kale is crunchy. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. To assemble pizza: place a thin layer of basil pesto on the pizza dough and place in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Place kale on top of the mozzarella followed by the butternut squash. Finish with a few tablespoon dollops of ricotta cheese and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese begins to melt.

roasted brussels sprout + eggplant pizza

by Rachel McCarthy
Last Friday night, I posted a teaser picture of this pizza on my Instagram account just as it was going in the oven. I promised to share the recipe this week so here it is! For those who have been following A Blonde’s Moment, it’s no secret I’m super excited for fall. And one thing that screams fall to me is brussels sprouts. It is one of my favorite vegetables no matter what season, but it just seems to be the perfect fall vegetable. For those that don’t like brussels sprouts, the flavors of eggplant, pesto and goat cheese combine to make you forget that you are even eating brussels sprouts! This was one of my favorite pizza creations, as evident by the fact there was only one slice left {and only two of us eating it!!}. Next time I make this pizza, I will try the fresh brussels sprouts route — it was great with the frozen, but I can’t even imagine how delicious it would be with the fresh, right off the stem, brussels sprouts!

Thanks for reading and happy cooking! 
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roasted-brussels-sprout-eggplant-pizza

Roasted Brussels Sprout + Eggplant Pizza

16 ounces brussels sprouts, halved {I used frozen because it was a weeknight, but you can definitely use fresh!}
1 eggplant, diced into bite-sized pieces

2-3 tablespoons basil pesto {I used store-bought}
4 ounces goat cheese
2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 store-bought pizza dough
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat broiler. Cook brussels sprouts {if frozen} according to package directions. Place cooked brussels sprouts {that have been halved} and diced eggplant in a large bowl. Stir in olive oil, salt and pepper. Distribute brussels sprouts and eggplant evenly on baking sheet {that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray} and roast in broiler. I roasted mine for a total of 12 minutes, and every 3 minutes I removed them from the oven and moved them around. Roast until just beginning to brown. Decrease the heat to 450 degrees. To assemble pizza, spread the pesto on the pizza dough and then top with the roasted brussels sprouts and eggplant. Slice the goat cheese into thin circles {I placed my goat cheese in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes to make sure it was firm enough to slice}. Place the goat cheese slices on top of the vegetables and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the goat cheese begins to brown and the crust turns golden brown.

Spicy Pepper Pizza

by Rachel McCarthy
For this pizza, I used a mix of fresh and canned peppers. You can really use any kind of pepper you like or whatever your grocery store has, which makes this recipe even better. There was a “locally grown” section at Wegmans this past week, and the sweet Italian peppers looked so good, I had to find something to use them in. And, while browsing the extensive pepper section, {Wegmans is truly amazing!} I found the hot cherry peppers. Not only was the pepper mixture spicy and delicious, the colors were absolutely beautiful! What types of peppers would you add to this pizza?!

Thanks for reading and happy cooking! 
spicy-pepper-pizza
Spicy Pepper Pizza

1 sweet Italian pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
6 ounce jar hot cherry peppers, drained & rinsed
8 ounce jar banana peppers, drained & rinsed
1 14 ounce jar chunky pizza sauce
1 store-bought pizza dough
1 fresh mozzarella ball, thinly sliced
3-4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the red and green bell peppers and the sweet Italian pepper in slices. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add all the peppers and season with a little salt. Sauté until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, work the pizza dough onto a sheet or pizza pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Spread a layer of the pizza sauce on the dough. Evenly space mozzarella slices on top of the sauce. Once peppers are soft, disperse the peppers across the pizza to cover. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. Cook about 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

kale + goat cheese pizza

by Rachel McCarthy
Kale is one of my favorite vegetables to cook with. I love adding it to salads, as a side or even making kale chips 🙂 So I thought, I should add it to our weekly pizza! Goat cheese can have a pretty strong taste, but when mixing it with the mozzarella, it almost takes on the taste and texture of ricotta {which, by the way, ricotta cheese would be amazing on this pizza too!} Although, I think what really made the pizza was the crispy kale on top 🙂 This pizza will definitely be added into the weekly pizza rotation. Happy cooking! 
kale-goat-cheese-pizza

Kale + Goat Cheese Pizza

2 cups kale, stems removed

¼ – ½ cup pesto (I used store bought)
¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounces goat cheese
1 store bought pizza dough

Salt to taste

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss the kale with olive oil and spread out onto parchment-lined baking sheet; sprinkle with salt. Cook for 6-7 minutes, or until crispy. Remove the kale from the oven. Spray pizza pan with cooking spray and form dough onto pan. Place pizza dough in oven, with no toppings, for 5 minutes. Remove dough from oven and add pesto, goat cheese, mozzarella cheese and top with crispy kale. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pizza is golden brown.

Roasted Eggplant & Tomato Pizza with Pesto

by Rachel McCarthy
 This is one of my favorite pizzas ever. I love roasted eggplant and tomatoes and when you mix that with pesto, it’s like heaven! This is a weekly staple in our house! 

roasted-eggplant-tomato-pizza-pesto


Roasted Eggplant & Tomato Pizza with Pesto

1 medium-sized eggplant, diced into bite-sized pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 tablespoons prepared pesto
1 mozzarella ball, sliced into thin pieces
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Prepared or homemade pizza dough
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by halving the cherry tomatoes and placing them in a small bowl with the minced garlic; stir to combine and set aside. Meanwhile, turn your broiler on and begin slicing the eggplant. (You can slice the eggplant into rounds and salt each slice and wait for about 20 minutes to “drain” the bitterness out of the eggplant, but it’s not necessary.) Slice eggplant into bite-sized pieces and toss with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Place on baking sheet and roast under the broiler for about 3 minutes. Toss the eggplant and roast for another 3 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the oven and toss the tomato and garlic mixture with the eggplant. Place the eggplant and tomato mixture back in the oven and roast for another 2 minutes or so (the tomatoes won’t need very long). Once the vegetables have been roasted, turn the oven down to 450 degrees (or the suggested temperature for your prepared pizza dough). To assemble the pizza, spread a thin layer (about 3-4 tablespoons) of prepared pesto onto the dough and then place the thinly sliced mozzarella on top. Carefully spoon the eggplant and tomato mixture over the mozzarella and finish with Parmesan cheese and a little salt and pepper to taste on top, if desired. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Brie Pizza

by Rachel McCarthy
Friday night is pizza night in our house. More specifically, homemade pizza night. Although the toppings sometimes change, it’s always some kind of pizza for dinner on Friday night. Lately, we have been doing Meatball Pizza, which is absolutely amazing! Unfortunately, we get our meatballs back in Ohio (they are the best!) and we are currently out 🙁 So, until we visit Ohio over Christmas, I have to get creative.

But, not to worry! This pizza would have to come in a close second (maybe even tie for first?). It’s only three ingredients (excluding the crust, oil and spices) and super easy to make. It is super filling and on the richer side, so you won’t have to eat as much of it (even though we always do!).

I’m so happy that we have finally reached Friday, and even more excited that it’s Pizza Friday. After writing about the pizza and listing all the ingredients, I am very much looking forward to making this delicious pizza this evening 🙂

Happy Pizza Friday and Enjoy!

Caramelized-Onion-Mushroom-Brie-Pizza

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Brie Pizza

1 yellow onion, sliced

8 ounces mushrooms (I used baby portabella)
5 ounces brie
1 tablespoon butter
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pizza dough
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (this was the recommended time on the fresh pizza dough I bought from the grocery store). Start off by caramelized onions in olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add a little salt to help with the caramelizing process. Once onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes, add the mushrooms. Cook until the liquid from the marshmallows has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the brie in small pieces. Prepare dough on pizza pan and add onion and mushroom mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes in the oven, or until the crust is starting to look golden brown. You don’t want to put the cheese on yet since the dough is still raw. The cheese won’t need that long to melt. Scatter the brie cheese around the pizza and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown and the cheese starts to melt and becomes bubbly (if you are using Boboli pizza crust, you can put the cheese on top of the onion and mushroom mixture and just let it cook, no need to wait on the cheese). Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.