Beefy, Cheesy.....PIZZA!

The most delicious Pizza!

I am linking this recipe up with my Sister's Blog, Walking on Sunshine's Foodie Friends Friday.  
 
Well I have been lazy yet again.  I just can't seem to get back into the swing of blogging.  You see I have this busy life here, with two crazy kids and a husband!  Life has been busy, and I am enjoying it.  Sure hope you are too.

We have yet another storm coming, they are naming it "Winter Storm Nemo".  I know, I know, I love snow, but this has been an overwhelming Fall/Winter for us in the good old northeast part of the country.  Where can I move where the weather is always beautiful?  I love a rainy day, but not the stormy rain we get here. And I do enjoy snow, but not this much! So we are hunkering down, and preparing for the storm, hoping we don't get too much.

I made this most delicious recipe a couple of weeks ago.  Another Pioneer Woman's recipe, that looked so good I had to try.  It was so good, and you know me, I can never follow a recipe....so I changed it up to make it my own, but it really is a delicious recipe, and encourage you to try it.

Carnitas Pizza 

Preparing the Chuck Roast
2 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
One 3-4 lbs Chuck roast
12 oz can pineapple juice (YES makes it so good)
2 TBS Canola Oil

1. Combine the spices and rub over the roast. Heat a large oven/proof pot on medium heat and brown the meat in 2 TBS canola oil. Brown on all sides for about 2 minutes per side.  Pour the pineapple juice over the meat and cook in a 325 oven for almost 4 hours, until it is falling apart and tender....it took my roast about 3 hours.

After the 3 - 4 hours take the roast out of the pot, and put it on a cutting broad, with 2 forks start pulling it apart.  It will be so well cooked and tender.  Put the pulled beef back in the pot with the juice and drippings until ready to use.

All shredded and ready!

2. Making the Pizza dough - You can find the recipe for my Pizza dough here..

 Rest of the Ingredients
1 jar of Salsa Verde (one of the changes I made)
1 chopped red pepper saute until soft
1 chopped onion saute until soft
2 cups of cheddar cheese (another change)
About 3 TBS chopped Cilantro (another change)
2 TBS butter
1 TBS Canola oil
Sour Cream for serving

Find it in the Mexican isle at the grocery store

Saute the onion and red pepper in the butter and oil.  Set aside and let cool

After the pizza dough is all risen, punch down cut it in half, this recipe only calls for half of the homemade pizza dough, so use the other half and make another pizza with other toppings.  Spread one half on a large greased cookie sheet, or pizza stone, which ever way you make your homemade pizza.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees put the spread out pizza dough in the oven (with nothing on it) for 5 minutes, I call this prebaking the pizza dough.

Notice the picture below....my new cookie sheet from my family for Christmas, I love them, I got four! 

Take it out and spread the Salsa Verde all over the crust, I didn't use the whole jar, about half the jar.
Then the cooked shredded beef drained from the liquid, next the onions and peppers, top it off with the cheddar cheese.

All ready for the oven!

 Bake in the 450 oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted, and the bottom of the pizza is lightly brown and crusty.  Sprinkle with Cilantro before serving,  Serve with sour cream, and the left over Salsa Verde. So delicious, So YUMMO!

Right out of the oven!

Taco Pizza!

I'm linking this recipe up with Walking on Sunshine's Food Friends Friday....go take a look-see!

I made Taco Pizza a couple weeks ago when my daughter had some friends over.  It was a hit!  It was delicious, and easy, and I surely will make it again soon.

I make my own pizza dough, it's so easy, and if you have a Kitchen Aid Mixer, or a bread machine, go for it!  Here's my recipe for Homemade Pizza Dough.  (this pizza dough recipes makes 2 large pizza's).  Enjoy!






Taco Pizza

Two loaves of Pizza Dough, homemade or store-bought
1 can refried beans
1 jar salsa
1 lb ground beef cooked and drained from all fat
1 can black beans rinsed
1 envelope Mexican seasoning
2 TBS water
4 cups Cheddar Cheese or Mexican Blend
sliced black olives - for garnish
1 small can chopped chili peppers - for garnish
chopped tomatoes - for garnish
Sour Cream - for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Brown the ground beef and drain from all fat.  Add the rinsed black beans to the beef, and the Mexican seasoning with 2 TBS water. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes on low. Let cool.

Spread the Pizza Dough on 2 GREASED large cookie sheets or stones. Make sure you let the pizza dough sit at room temp for about 1 hour before you spread it out, otherwise it won't spread easily.  Then pre-bake the pizza dough (without anything on them) in the 450 oven for about 5 minutes and no longer!

Once the pizza dough is pre-baked, take them out and start layering.  Spread the refried beans, salsa, cooked beef mixture, and cheese. 

All ready for the Oven!

Put them back in the oven at 450 for about 15 - 20 minutes being careful to rotate them so the top get crispy, and the bottom gets crispy.

Top the pizza's off with sliced olives, tomatoes, peppers, and serve with sour cream!  YUMMO!

Homemade Calzones!

Making Calzones are really very easy. I make my own pizza dough, it's easy when you have a Kitchen Aid Mixer. You just dumped all the ingredients in the bowl, using the dough hook, the dough is ready within minutes. 

I like to add pepperoni, cooked meatballs, or cooked sauage to the Calzones.  I have even tried sauteed zucchini once, and they were very delicious! 

Use your imagination, making Calzones are so easy, you will be amazed how easy, and satisfying they are!  Serve them with a most delicious salad, and your meal is complete!  Enjoy!

The Dough - for 4 Calzones

1 1/4 cups warm water (warm water, NOT HOT)
2 TBS sugar
2 Tsp. Active Dry Yeast

In a bowl add the water, then the sugar and yeast...mix with a fork and let sit for 5 minutes until it gets all foamy, this is called "Proofing the Yeast".

Yeast all foamy

To the Kitchen Aid Mixing bowl add:
4 1/2 Cups Bread Flour (I use Bread Flour, but you could use Regular too)
2 TBS oil (I use olive)
1 tsp salt
Yeast Mixture already foamy

With the Dough Hook attached, mix on low. Increase speed, and mix until all the mixture forms a ball around the dough hook, you may have to scrap the sides of the bowl down with a spatula.

Dough hook with dough around it

Now look is the dough forming a ball around the dough hook like the picture above? Or does it look like a "cake batter" in the bowl? If it looks like a batter, add 1/4 cup more flour, you want all the dough mixture to be wrapped around the dough hook, that means it's done kneading. Or, there may be extra flour on the bottom of the bowl, then you need to add a little more water. Take the dough out of the bowl, and work it a little with your hands, if sticky add some more flour to your hands. Put in a well oiled large bowl, let rise for one hour.

Dough all risen and ready to spread!

These are the tricks to bread making, if you don't have a Kitchen Aid Mixer, you can use this same method, just the OLD FASHIONED way.....knead with your HANDS!!!!

When the dough is done rising, it will double in size, punch down. Divide it into 4, and let sit for about 5 minutes, will be elastic and easy to spread. On a big board with your fingers, start spreading the dough into a circle, it will spread easily.

Making the Calzones

2 cups Ricotta Cheese
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
Pepperoni, cooked meatballs, cooked sausages, sauteed Zucchini (that's what I have below)

On a floured board spread out the dough into a circle (doesn't have to be perfect) with your hands.  Add about 1/2 cup of the Ricotta on one side and top with about 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese and whatever kind of topping you wish, I used sauteed Zucchini in the picture below.

Fold the dough over.....

 Seal the sides together making sure the filling doesn't come out. Crimp the sides together and seal with a fork.

All ready for the Oven! Using a sharp knife, carefully cut air holes in the top.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes!

Now you are ready to cut into it and eat.  Serve with your favorite tomato sauce!  YUMMO!