Pizzalicious!

About a month ago, my husband Scott and I were busy with house projects and we decided to order out. Scott swore by a place he drove by on his way home named "Pizzalicious". We searched for at least thirty minutes via internet to hopefully call in an order and found nothing in our immediate area with that name. He finally decided to just go to the pizzeria. The name of the place was actually something similar to "Pizzarellos". In his head, he had transformed the name because of how delicious he thinks pizza is. Whether it be children or adults, we all find pizza night to be a big thrill. Turns out, the pizzeria gave us one large greasy pizza for twenty some dollars, very few toppings, and a massive side-ache the next day while I was running. Our solution... create our own "Pizzalicious" pizzeria at home from now on. Whether it be on the grill or in the oven, pizza is a year round favorite.

Pizza can be healthy- incorporate your favorite veggies! Believe it or not, the vegetables seen in the picture on the left were all used in the four pizzas with recipes below. Who knew pizza can be healthy too?! Pick up your local seasonal vegetables and incorporate into any pie. Corn is a Jersey favorite in September so I added that to my BBQ chicken pizza. I also tend to use pizza night as a clean-up the refrigerator event. Have vegetables left over from a meal and not sure what to do with them? Get creative and incorporate into an innovative pizza. I created a sweet potato pizza from leftovers. See recipe below.

Now that you're saving a few bucks by making at home, go for the specialty cheeses and meats. Fresh mozzarella, feta,goat, Gruyere, blue, and Gorgonzola are some of my favorites. If you are entertaining a large party, create a mix of the specialty cheeses above and shredded mozzarella from the bag (much more cost effective). Some meats to include: leftover chicken or strip steak, salami, prosciutto, and uncured bacon.

Pizza as a date night or party. Making pizza at home tends to become a progressive dinner. I love how casual and social the event is. As each pizza cooks on the grill or in the oven, we're gathered around the table sipping on wine and having a good time. Generally, the evening turns into a 2-3 hour event of cooking four different pizzas and eating one slice at a time. Don't be afraid to get everyone involved either. It will help take the stress off doing all the cooking and you'll have a great time. Help make the event easier on yourself and have ingredients organized and ready to go when guests arrive. I buy pizza dough already made at a local pizzeria or grocery store. A budget friendly and perfect Friday night!

Ready, Set, Pizza! Heat your stone on the grill or in the oven, about 400 degrees. You'll end up cooking about 20 minutes or until brown. Work the dough and lay over a floured pizza board. I glaze the outer crust with olive oil. Layer sauce of choice and favorite ingredients. I treat each pizza like a different course, pair a different wine with each. Picture of pizza on the grill, left hand side.

Featured Pizza:
Sweet Potato, Arugula, Caramelized Red Onions, Gruyere, Bacon with a Bechamel Sauce
- Bechamel sauce: Basic French white sauce - saute leeks and shallots in olive oil with salt, pepper, fresh thyme and rosemary. Add a tbsp of flour and mix. Add milk and Gruyere until thickened.
- Saute red onions and add tbsp sugar and red wine, cook bacon
- Cook sweet potato in microwave for about 2 minutes, until slightly soft. Slice thin.
-Layer Bechamel sauce, onions, arugula, sweet potato, bacon bits, and Gruyere on dough.
- Cook 20 minutes

Other Pizza Recipes I've Created:
Greek:marinara sauce, sun dried tomatoes, shallots, artichokes, mint,feta, mozzarella, olives.
Basic Italian:marinara sauce, minced garlic, fresh basil, sliced zucchini, salami, chopped tomato, fresh mozzarella
Steak and Chutney: Mango chutney, sliced strip steak, caramelized red onion, arugula, blue cheese crumbles, shredded mozzarella
BBQ Chkn:BBQ sauce, cooked chicken bites, fresh corn kernels, chopped raw red onion, chives, chopped red onion, Mexican cheese
Pesto Pizza: Pesto sauce, cooked chicken bites, saute red onion, chopped tomato, bacon, fresh mozzarella

What is your favorite pizza recipe? Comment with link below. Not a follower? Click "Follow" button in upper left hand corner.