Deep Dish Pizza

I have always wanted to make Deep Dish Pizza, and I am so glad I did and I get to share it with all of you! I was born in a small town just outside of Chicago called Hammond, Indiana. One of my best memories as a child was going into the city for pizza. I loved their deep dish pizza. All the layers and the crust ... oh so delicious! There is something about it that just so much tastier than a "normal" Papa John's pizza! :o) Not that I have anything against a good ole Papa John's Pizza, I just love me some deep dish!


I was always a little nervous about trying to master the deep dish, because of the crust. I know that deep dish pizza has a special crust that is hard to master! But thanks to all the deep dish I have had in my past, I know what good crust should taste like!

So, when I finally decided to conquer this task, I did A LOT of research on recipes! And trust me there are a lot out there to choose from. I really didn't have much to go by other than the list of ingredients, so I kinda just picked one that sounded like it would taste good (pictures helped me too!) I really did like this dough. It had the texture that I remember so well as a kid. The only thing I would have done differently about this crust was rolled it out a little thinner. It got a little thick in the creases and was somewhat difficult to cut through. But remember...Deep Dish is not meant to be a delicate pizza! You need a fork and knife to eat it! Enjoy!!

Deep Dish Pizza

(adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod)

For the Crust:

4 Cups Flour
1 Cup Milk
1 Tbsp. Butter
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1 Package Instant Dry Yeast
About 1 cup of water-add a little at a time until you get the right dough consistency

Scald milk. Add butter, sugar and salt. Allow milk mixture to cool to "warm." Add yeast and mix thoroughly.

Using a Kitchen Aid mixture with your dough hook, add milk mixture. Slowly add flour until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and forms a ball. Add water, a little at a time, until the dough combines. Knead dough for 5-10 minutes. Cover and allow dough to rise for 2 hours. Punch down the dough, knead briefly, and allow to rise and additional 2 hours until approximately doubled in bulk.

For Pizza:

Your favorite Pizza Sauce (if you use jars you probably want 2)

I pack of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (next I will use fresh!)

Whatever toppings you choose...we did spicy sausage, mushrooms, and pepperoni

To assemble:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spray a 10 inch springform pan with non stick cooking spray (you could use a cast iron skillet which may taste better, but I thought it would be easier in a springform). Roll the crust to fit the pan. The edges should come to the top of the pan. Take a little bit of sauce and put it on the bottom. Put some cheese on the bottom. Take some of the sauce and spread it on the cheese. Add whatever toppings you like. Take more of the cheese and spread a layer. Add a lot of sauce to the top. Sprinkle with extra cheese if you wish. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until crust is cooked and cheese is bubbly!

This pizza was so delicious! I actually can't wait to make it again! It had the perfect combination of sauce and cheese and toppings! I really hope you give it a try...IT IS SO WORTH IT!

**I have send out a great big THANK YOU to Kristen Wiltse for taking photo's of my food! I don't have a great camera and she is always so willing to be at my mercy :o) for great photos! But have no worries...I always feed her!**

Spinach Turkey Alfredo Pizza

I was so excited when I found this recipe on Culinary in the Desert! I have been on this kick lately of finding new recipes/ideas for pizzas! I didn't have time to make my own crust, but I did make my own Alfredo sauce!!! My husband loves Olive Garden, and especially their Alfredo sauce. I finally have been able to come up with something that is similar enough that we don't have to frequent the restaurant as often!! :o) This pizza was really a lot better than I expected it to be! And it reminded me how much I love Spinach on pizza!!

Turkey Alfredo Pizza

(adapted from Culinary in the Desert)

12 ounces whole-wheat pizza crust

1 garlic clove, halved

1 cup shredded cooked turkey

10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup Alfredo sauce - homemade or store bought will do (I used a bit more than 1/2 a cup)

3 ounces (about 3/4 cup) shredded Parmesan cheese (I also sprinkled a little Mozzarella on top)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 450. Rub cut sides of garlic all over the pizza crust. In a medium bowl, toss together turkey, spinach, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly over crust - top evenly with turkey mixture. Scatter the top with the cheese and crushed red pepper. Slide pizza back onto the stone and bake until the cheese has melted and the crust is crisp, about 8 to 12 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly before serving.

Getting back in my grove...attempt #1!

If you are looking for something cheap and convenient, my friend let me introduce to you .... THE PIZZA ROLL! I was craving a little comfort (and quality time with my kitchen) yesterday and went looking through my recipes. I came across this family favorite and decided it was perfect. After being out of commission from my kitchen I wanted something simple, yet satisfying. It turned out perfectly...very tasty and comforting with hardly any effort!

EASY PIZZA ROLL

1 10 ounce refrigerated pizza crust dough

2 Tablespoons Garlic Butter melted (I just made my own using Garlic, Garlic Salt and Butter)

2 Tablespoons Pizza Sauce

1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

1/4 cup (maybe more) sliced Pepperoni

1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan/Romano Blend Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place Garlic Butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave until melted. Open pizza crust dough and roll out on a cutting board or flat counter surface. Brush melted Garlic Butter over top of crust. Rinse brush and brush Pizza Sauce over crust. Sprinkle Italian Seasonings over top of sauces. Next, arrange your pepperoni in a single layer. Sprinkle Mozzarella and Parmesan/Romano Blend on top of pepperoni. To roll the pizza crust, carefully start by folding over one end (long ways) about 2 inches. Pat down. Then continue folding/rolling until it is finished and the seam side is down. Place roll on a greased baking sheet seam side down. With a sharp knife, cut slits about 1/2 inch deep every two inches. Place in oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let rest for several minutes before serving. I also brushed the rest of my leftover Garlic Butter on top before serving. You can also serve this with a side of Pizza Sauce for dipping! Hope you like it!

I bow down to thee Cesar!!

Calling all you Cesar Salad lovers...yes, this tastes as good as it looks!!! I love it when other food blogger's leave comments on my blog, because half of the time it winds up taking me to a food blog I have never read!! That is what happened this time. I found this recipe on Whippin' It Up. I knew right away I HAD TO MAKE IT!!! My husband and I love Cesar Salad!!! What a great idea!!! I can't believe I never thought of it!!!

Chicken Cesar Salad Pizza

(per Whippin' It Up)

One Pizza Crust of your choice

1 cup Cesar Dressing

Parmesan Cheese

2 Chicken Breasts cooked and cut into bite size pieces (I boiled mine)

2 Roman Lettuce heads, washed and cut into bite size pieces (I buy the ones that come in a 3 pack and just used 2 of those)

Fresh Cracked Pepper

Bake the Pizza Crust according to the directions on the package. Take it out of the oven once it is baked and put half of the Cesar Dressing on the crust. Top with Parmesan Cheese and place back in oven to melt the cheese. Place the bite size chicken pieces on top. Then place the Roman Lettuce on top of the chicken. Top with remainder of the Cesar Dressing and sprinkle with more Parmesan Cheese and Fresh Cracked Pepper!

THIS WAS SOOOOO YUMMY!!!!! (excuse the paper plate...I was going for easy clean up last night! hehe!)