Deluxe Chicken Alfredo Pizza

I've been making pizza for years.  I started by helping my mother make pizza for dinner, and then I worked at a pizza joint for 4 years.  The basic crust recipe came from my grandmother; I learned a few things from Mom; I learned a lot from making it at work every day; and I've read a book or two which helped me out.  Although I haven't made pizza for probably two years (it's hard to eat a whole pizza by oneself), I ventured to make some for my husband and me tonight.  Someone gave us a pizza stone for our wedding, so I was eager to use it!  

Floured up and ready to go!

The unfortunate thing is that the pizza was baking before I realized that we don't have a pizza cutter.  Thanks to the beauty of the stone, the finished pizza transferred easily to another surface, and cut up nicely with a knife.   

It might not be restaurant-worthy, but my husband said that it's possibly the best pizza he's ever tasted.  That kind of praise makes my day!

Deluxe Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Crust:

1 T. sugar

1/2 t. salt

2 1/4 t. yeast (one package)

garlic powder to taste

oregano to taste

basil to taste

parsley to taste

freshly-ground black pepper to test

3/4 c. warm water (to test the temperature, place a drop on your wrist: if you can't feel the temperature, it's just right)

1 1/2 c. flour + more for rolling

olive oil

In a large bowl, combine salt, sugar, spices, and yeast.  Add warm water.  Stir in 1 1/4 c. flour; gradually add more until the correct thickness is reached (it's impossible to describe this--it's basically trial and error making pizza dough).  Form dough into a ball and grease the top with olive oil.  Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rise in a warm place about 30 minutes or until double its original size.

Generously dust pizza stone with flour.  Flour a cutting mat, cutting board, or in a pinch the counter (this will make the transfer to the stone difficult).  Gently roll dough until slightly smaller than the stone (it does not have to be perfectly round).  Carefully flip or otherwise transfer from rolling surface to floured pizza stone.  If desired, crimp the edges; it's a pretty touch and it helps keep the toppings from overflowing the sides.  Let dough rise on stone for another 15 minutes.

Note: My grandmother never used a pizza stone, and for many years my mother didn't either.  This pizza dough works in regular pizza pans, or even rectangular baking dishes.  But if you really love pizza, consider investing in a pizza stone--it takes your pizza to heights of delights you never imagined before!

Toppings:

1 c. Alfredo sauce

mozzarella cheese (can use some cheddar as well, if desired; be careful since cheddar burns more quickly than mozzarella)

cooked chicken (approximately 1 large chicken breast)

2 slices cooked bacon

fresh spinach

finely chopped green bell pepper

sliced mushrooms (my husband likes these, so I put them on half the pizza)

Parmesan cheese

parsley, for garnish

Spread sauce nearly to the edge of crust (leaving probably 3/4 inch all around).    Top with part of the cheese (seal off the edge of the sauce-crust connection to prevent everything sliding off with one bite).  Add remaining toppings and top with a little extra cheese, Parmesan, and parsley.  

Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until crust is golden-brown and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Slice it up and enjoy!  (And then tell me what you think. Any of the toppings can be omitted for taste preferences, and chopped Roma tomatoes might make a pleasant addition.)

Leftovers can be frozen for lunch next week.

Oven-roasted Chicken and Vegetables

1 large potato
carrots
celery
frozen chopped broccoli
1 small boneless, skinless chicken breast
rosemary
black pepper
garlic powder
onion flakes
olive oil

Cut a large piece of aluminum foil.  Wash, peel if desired, and chop potato.  Peel and chop carrots, and chop celery.  Sprinkle with pepper, rosemary, garlic, and onion flakes.  Place frozen chicken breast on top.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Fold up foil to enclose.

Bake at 400° F for approximately 1 hour.  (Test chicken with meat thermometer to make certain it reaches 165° F internally.)

Serve over cooked brown rice, and top with shredded cheese.

This serves 2-3 small-appetite people, and probably 1 teen-aged boy.

Quesadillas Supremas

Olive oil for skillet
Flour tortillas
Shredded cheese
Chopped, cooked chicken
Mashed avocado
Chopped tomato
Minced bell pepper
Salsa and sour cream (optional)

Heat a very small amount of oil in a cast-iron skillet.  On one half of each tortilla, spread a teaspoon or two of avocado.  Top with chicken, tomato, pepper, and cheese.  Fold tortilla over toppings.  Place one at a time in hot skillet, cheese side up.  Cook until side is browned (a few minutes); flip and cook until the other side is browned and cheese is melted.  Place on serving plate.  Cut into four pieces.  Serve with sour cream and salsa for dipping, if desired.  Each quesadilla serves one.

Chicken Rice Soup

This is a nice alternative to chicken noodle soup, when one is restricted to a bland diet.

2 boneless, skinless chicken thigh pieces
3-4 celery stalks, diced
3-4 carrots, peeled and diced
parsley, to taste
rosemary, to taste
black pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
onion flakes, to taste
8 c. water
1 c. brown rice, rinsed
Olive oil

Place chicken pieces in a large, heavy soup pot.  Add celery, carrots, parsley, rosemary, pepper, garlic, and onion.  Add water.  Cover.  Bring to a rapid boil; reduce to simmering and cook about 2 hours, until chicken is thoroughly cooked.  Reduce heat to very low, enough only to keep warm.

Carefully remove 1 1/2 to 2 c. broth from soup pot.  Place in a saucepan with rice.  Cover; bring to rapid boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 45 minutes.  Stir in approximately 1 T. olive oil.

Place one small scoop of rice in each serving bowl; ladle soup over rice.  Serve immediately.  Serves 8-10

Store rice separately from soup.  If added to soup for storage, it absorbs too much liquid from the soup and begins to resemble oatmeal in appearance.

H's Chicken Tacos

(Measurements? who needs measurements? So sorry--I measured nothing.)

Chicken, cooked and cubed (I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs)

Hatch chili peppers, diced as small as possible (mine were frozen when I chopped them--that might affect things)

Red onion, diced as small as possible (not very much--onion is potent!)

Fresh garlic, diced as small as possible (I used more than it needed--garlic is potent, too)

Butter (not very much at all--probably less than a Tablespoon)

Frozen corn

Black pepper to taste

Cilantro to taste

Finely shredded cheese

Chopped tomatoes

Torn lettuce

Soft taco shells

Cook chicken (I baked it in the oven). Chop peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook onion and peppers in butter until tender; stir in garlic and corn; season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Cook over low heat until corn is hot. Prepare tomatoes and lettuce. Warm tortillas in the oven, if desired. Cube chicken. Serve immediately.

Servings: that depends what quantities of ingredients you use.

Note: If desired, serve with sour cream and/or black olives. If you must.

Note: If you are vegetarian like K, you may substitute beans for the chicken. If you must.

Rosemary

I've discovered a new favorite spice: rosemary! It compliments chicken wonderfully! Thank you, Aunt S, for 'planting' the idea in my head. ;)

Parmesan Chicken with Rice

Instead of posting this recipe, I am going to direct you to my favorite recipe website, allrecipes.com =)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Parmesan-Chicken-I/Detail.aspx