GOAT CHEESE, SPINACH, BACON, SWEET POTATO AND WALNUT ARTISAN PIZZA

Its winter and I find myself making more and more comfort types foods for dinner and lunch. Yesterday I cooked up a chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy!  Oh gosh, I forget how awesome gravy tastes!  Anyway, I am still thinking comfort food sounds like a good idea, and it's time for pizza.  And you know me - regular ol' pizza will never do, I have to have "good food" pizza. Made with the best, fresh ingredients I can find and if I grow them myself - even better. Well, I had some of these ingredients I grew myself, like the sweet potatoes, but the rest I bought from the Farmer's Market or the Good Food Store. Now I'm thinking I need to challenge myself to make the "Artisan Pizza of the Month." I've been eying up those beets I bought a while back that might need to be used up soon….

So how did I come up with this kind of pizza?  My step-daughter told me how her brother-in-law made a pizza very similar to this one when they were visiting once.  So I made it and never looked back!  Best pizza - EVER!  I get a craving for this pizza at least once a month, and I don't know what it is, maybe its the salty taste from the goat cheese and bacon and the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, or the ton of garlic I add to it, but it is so darn good, I can't help but eat half of it!  and then eat the other half for breakfast.

GOAT CHEESE, SPINACH, BACON, SWEET POTATO AND WALNUT ARTISANAL PIZZA

8 oz goat cheese (use herbed goat cheese if you dare)

2 cups chopped spinach

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (use candied or spiced ones if you are really in for a taste sensation)

1/2 lb bacon ( I've been known to use a whole pound - shh!  don't tell my doctor)

2 medium size sweet potatoes - baked

1 tbs garlic

1 tbs garlic salt

1/2 cup milk

1 tbs butter

1 12" pizza crust - Gluten-free if you prefer.

Bake the sweet potatoes until soft and once cooled, remove skin and place in a bowl.

Add milk, garlic, garlic salt, and butter.

Make into mashed sweet potatoes.  This will be your 'sauce.'

Spread onto the crust (I added rosemary to the crust for even more flavor)

Chop the spinach and toss onto the pizza pie.

Chop the walnuts and add to the awesomest pizza ever.

Cut the bacon into small strips and fry it up in a pan (and never ever let you forget you're a maaannn - oh! sorry) until semi-crispy or to your liking. Drain on paper towels.

Add to the pizza.  At this point you will be salivating heavily.  Find a napkin and wipe your chin.

Add the goat cheese.  Unless you are like me and want to eat half the goat cheese by licking the soft cheese off your fingers the whole time as you are trying to break it up and put it on the pizza, freeze the cheese while you are making everything else and it should crumble better.

If using a regular crust, bake in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until crust is browned and toppings slightly brown.

If using a gluten-free crust, which will be partially baked, cook under the broiler for 5-8 minutes, again until top is lightly browned.

And there ya have it!  The best, most incredible, taste tantalizing, awesome, drool inducing pizza in the world.  I shared this with you.  You will be forever grateful.  You are welcome.  I take credit cards. And cash.

GOAT CHEESE, SPINACH, BACON, SWEET POTATO AND WALNUT ARTISANAL PIZZA

8 oz goat cheese (use herbed goat cheese if you dare)

2 cups chopped spinach

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (use candied or spiced ones if you are really in for a taste sensation)

1/2 lb bacon ( I've been known to use a whole pound - shh!  don't tell my doctor)

2 medium size sweet potatoes - baked

1 tbs garlic

1 tbs garlic salt

1/2 cup milk

1 tbs butter

1 12" pizza crust - Gluten-free if you prefer.

Bake the sweet potatoes until soft and once cooled, remove skin and place in a bowl.

Add milk, garlic, garlic salt, and butter.

Make into mashed sweet potatoes.  This will be your 'sauce.'

Spread onto the crust (I added rosemary to the crust for even more flavor)

Chop the spinach and toss onto the pizza pie.

Chop the walnuts and add to the pizza.

Cut the bacon into small strips and fry it up in a pan until semi-crispy or to your liking. Drain on paper towels and add to pizza.

Add the goat cheese.  

If using a regular crust, bake in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until crust is browned and toppings slightly brown.

If using a gluten-free crust, which will be partially baked, cook under the broiler for 5-8 minutes, again until top is lightly browned.

A GOOD FRIEND, LOTS OF GOOD WINE AND TONS OF GOOD FOOD = ONE HAPPY DAWN!

Awhile back I helped my friend Cathy with a little healthy cooking.  She just wanted someone to guide her through cooking some food with the whole bunch of dietary limitations she has.  She knows how much I love food and good food for that matter so she gave me a call.  I was happy to help.  We went shopping at the local co-op, good, all fresh, organic, gluten free and dairy free food.  The challenge for me was to cook without cheese!  I know, right?  No one should eat meals without cheese.  Just sayin'.

So I cooked up some incredible chicken broth from the chicken carcass that I baked, made some enchiladas with ground turkey, my grandma's recipe for stuffed peppers made with ground up bison meat, eggplant parmesan without the parmesan but with homemade marinara sauce, and a braised pork loin. Nummy!

Well, because Cathy is just this awesome person, she wanted to treat me to a night out.  A local winery here, called Four Daughters,  had a Chef's dinner night, so Cathy said we had to go.  Who could turn that down?  They were offering a tour of the winery, a three-course meal and wine tasting.

We took a cab so we could really enjoy ourselves and had just the best time chatting with the cabbies.  I never took a cab here in Rochester, didn't know they were so friendly and fun, them cabbies.

We got there about 7 and sat at the bar to wait, there were supposed to be a few more signed up for the dinner.  About 7:15 they assumed they weren't coming so we got started with the tour.

Our first course was a scallop with bitter greens and balsamic redux.  We got that while having the tour.  Then our next course was a peice of artisinal pizza.  At this point I'm thinking this is great!  But the best part is when the two Chef's announced that they were 'practicing' tonight and were gonna serve us more like 8 courses, which turned out to be 9.  Yeehaaa!  Glad I wore my leggings instead of my jeans. Seriously.  And don't forget wine poured with every course!  Yeehaa!  Dawn's living it up tonight!

We didn't get pics of the first two courses, we were still in a state of shock from the sumptuous taste of the them.

Next came a baby pear, goat cheese and beet …. I guess you can call it a... salad.

Then it was duck proscuitto and housemade grape jelly.

Then the Chef loves to use a noodle.  One long noodle.  And a shrimp with some house pickled pepper pepita salsa. Chef said he likes redundancy.

Then there was the potato soup with bacon - yes, BACON!  (Bacon should always have an exclamation point)

And then… it was the pan seared roasted duck breast with sauteed kale and this bread pudding made with housemade driend grapes and andiuolle sausage. I think… it was getting a little fuzzy by then and I didn't write all this down.

then the intermezzo was a house made pita chip with 5 year old cheddar.  Cheese!

Well, now that we are ready to roll out of the room, dessert arrives. It's two ginger pancakes stuffed with this amazing cream filling that tasted like heaven!

Now that's what I call a good time.  Great food, good wine, good friends and just an overall great night out.  I just really love my life.  Of course it wouldn't be this great without my really great friends. : )

And Marilyn.

THE BEST GLUTEN FREE PIZZA CRUST!

So I went searching on line the other day for "Gluten Free Pizza Crust Recipe" and low-and-behold I found one from The Gluten-Free Goddess®, a food blog.  I tried it out, even though I didn't have the total right ingredients - I just had two kinds of Gluten Free flour mixes that contained the same ingredients, it turned out Fabulous! Yes, that's Fabulous with a capital F!  I'm sure it's even better with the right measurements of flour as she has in her recipe, but I did my best with what I had on hand.  Next time I'll try her specific measurements of flour. I promise!

GLUTEN FREE PIZZA CRUST (thank you Gluten-Free Goddess!)

 

Ingredients:

1 cup tapioca starch
1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup potato starch 
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup GF millet flour 
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons organic light brown sugar
1 1/4 cup warm water (between 110 - 115ºF)
1 teaspoon organic light brown sugar
1 packet (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup beaten organic free-range egg whites (or egg replacer for two eggs)
1/4 teaspoon light tasting rice vinegar


Instructions: 

Grease two 12-inch pizza pans and dust lightly with gluten-free flour. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours and dry ingredients.

Proof the yeast in 1 cup warm water with a pinch of sugar. 

Add the proofed yeast to the dry ingredients. Add the oil, eggs and vinegar.

Beat the dough until smooth and sticky. Add the remaining 1/4 cup water if you need to. The pizza dough should be creamy smooth and not too thick- it's not sturdy like typical bread dough. It almost borders on batter.

Using a silicone spatula divide the dough in half. Scoop each half onto the center of a prepared pizza pan. Using clean, wet hands press down lightly and flatten the dough to create a thin, even pizza shell, with slightly raised edges. You'll have to rinse your hands more than once to do this. Take your time to smooth out the dough with wet palms. Have patience, Bubela. You will be rewarded with a lovely crust. Promise.

Set the pizza shells in a warm cozy spot to rest and rise a bit- about 15 minutes.

Top with a little olive oil

I sprinkled with rosemary

And minced garlic for my other pizza, left one
plain for the date pizza

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

When the oven is hot, place the two pizza pans side by side on the center rack (if your oven is too small to accommodate both pans on one rack, you'll need to use two racks; rotate the pans half way through baking time to avoid overcooking on the lower rack).

Bake for ten minutes till golden.

Remove from the oven. Preheat the broiler.

Brush the pizza shell with extra virgin olive oil. Season with sea salt and fresh garlic. Sprinkle with Italian herbs.

Top with your choice of fresh vegetables and herbs.

Broil briefly to melt the cheese, 4-5 minutes. Don't over cook.

Cook time:20 min

Makes two 12-inch pizzas

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

So after cooking to perfection I made the actual pizza - GOAT CHEESE, DATES, CARAMELIZED ONION AND PROSCUITO ARTISANAL PIZZA.  Oooohhhh YEAAHHH!

karina's gluten-free pizza crust recipe

Ingredients: 

1 cup tapioca starch
1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup potato starch 
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup GF millet flour 
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons organic light brown sugar
1 1/4 cup warm water (between 110 - 115ºF)
1 teaspoon organic light brown sugar
1 packet (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup beaten organic free-range egg whites (or egg replacer for two eggs)
1/4 teaspoon light tasting rice vinegar


Instructions: 

Grease two 12-inch pizza pans and dust lightly with gluten-free flour. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours and dry ingredients.

Proof the yeast in 1 cup warm water with a pinch of sugar. 

Add the proofed yeast to the dry ingredients. Add the oil, eggs and vinegar.

Beat the dough until smooth and sticky. Add the remaining 1/4 cup water if you need to. The pizza dough should be creamy smooth and not too thick- it's not sturdy like typical bread dough. It almost borders on batter.

Using a silicone spatula divide the dough in half. Scoop each half onto the center of a prepared pizza pan. Using clean, wet hands press down lightly and flatten the dough to create a thin, even pizza shell, with slightly raised edges. You'll have to rinse your hands more than once to do this. Take your time to smooth out the dough with wet palms. Have patience, Bubela. You will be rewarded with a lovely crust. Promise.

Set the pizza shells in a warm cozy spot to rest and rise a bit- about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

When the oven is hot, place the two pizza pans side by side on the center rack (if your oven is too small to accommodate both pans on one rack, you'll need to use two racks; rotate the pans half way through baking time to avoid overcooking on the lower rack).

Bake for ten minutes till golden.

Remove from the oven. Preheat the broiler.

Brush the pizza shell with extra virgin olive oil. Season with sea salt and fresh garlic. Sprinkle with Italian herbs.

Top with your choice of fresh vegetables and herbs.

Broil briefly to melt the cheese, 4-5 minutes. Don't over cook.

Cook time:20 min

Makes two 12-inch pizzas

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

GOAT CHEESE, DATES, CARAMELIZED ONION AND PROSCUITO ARTISANAL PIZZA

As I sure I have mentioned before, I LOVE goat cheese!  One of the main reasons I bought a goat, so I could make chevre.  I know, I know, buy it from the store it's easier, but then - that wouldn't be me.  I like to make my own stuff.  So every now and them I get a craving some some great pizza, and usually it doesn't involve pepperoni.  At least not anymore, it used to…. but I've grown up.  No, not really, I just like new kinds of pizza.  Growing up is overrated anyway…

So I made the crust Gluten Free - cuz that's what I like to do (not because I have to, but because I want to).  And then I added the fabulous toppings to make the best pizza EVER!  Well, close to ever - because my favorite pizza ever is the one I'm gonna show you in a couple days.  I won't tell you the total ingredients now, but I will tell you it involves chevre goat cheese.  Surprised?

GOAT CHEESE, DATES, CARAMELIZED ONION AND PROSCUITO ARTISANAL PIZZA

Ingredients:

1 pizza crust ( I prefer this Gluten Free Recipe from the Gluten-Free Goddess®) or if you prefer regular 'ol pizza crust, try this recipe.  I've used it before and it's great with a little added garlic.

Toppings:
1/2 cup chopped Medjool dates
1/2 cup chopped proscuitto
6 oz chevre - soft goat cheese

caramelized onion:

1 large onion - chopped
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbs butter, divided

chop onion - or you can cut in strips (I did both - sometimes I am indecisive)

melt 1 tbs butter in pan

sauté onions in pan until brown and totally caramelized (wait patiently - this can take up to 45 minutes - but it's worth it!

add balsamic vinegar and reduce, takes about 2-4 minutes

add 1 tbs butter and melt in

Take the caramelized onions and use as your 'sauce', then top with the other ingredients.

If using regular crust recipe- bake at 400 degrees until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

If you are using the Gluten-Free crust, heat broiler and bake for about 4-5 minutes until toppings are brown.

Walah!  Awesomely good PIZZA!

GOAT CHEESE, DATES, CARAMELIZED ONION AND PROSCUITO ARTISANAL PIZZA

Ingredients:

1 pizza crust (I prefer this Gluten Free Recipe from the Gluten-Free Goddess) or if you prefer regular 'ol pizza crust, try this recipe.  I've used it before and it's great with a little added garlic.

Toppings:

1/2 cup chopped Medjool dates

1/2 cup chopped proscuitto

6 oz chevre - soft goat cheese

caramelized onion:

1 large onion - chopped

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbs butter, divided

 

chop onion - or you can cut in strips

melt 1 tbs butter in pan

sauté onions in pan until brown and totally caramelized (wait patiently - this can take up to 45 minutes - but it's worth it!)

add balsamic vinegar and reduce, takes about 2-4 minutes

add 1 tbs butter and melt in

Take the caramelized onions and use as your 'sauce', then top with the other ingredients. 

If using regular crust recipe- bake at 400 degrees until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

If you are using the Gluten-Free crust, heat broiler and bake for about 4-5 minutes until toppings are brown.