Create your own pizzas {Revisited}

from thepioneerwoman.com

The beautiful thing about pizza is you can create each one however you want!  Each one can be different, and tonight I created three completely different tastes that satisfied everyone over.  The pizza dough is, in my opinion, what makes these pizzas so amazing.  Nothing beats a homemade yeast-based anything.  Enjoy!

I N G R E D I E N T S

--For the dough--

--2 cups flour

--3/4 tsp. salt

--1 scant tsp. yeast

--3/4 cup warm water

--3 tbsp. olive oil

--For the toppings--

--mozzarella 

--pizza sauce

--pepperonis

--pesto sauce

--3 chicken breasts (I had plenty leftover, but used them in quesadillas later on in the week!)

--barbecue sauce

--pineapple

--onions (and brown sugar and butter)

--cilantro

 --For the dough, combine the yeast with the warm water and allow these two to bubble for about ten minutes.

 --This is ten minutes later.

 --In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour and salt and start mixer on low speed with the paddle attachment.

 --Slowly drizzle the olive oil in.

--Next, pour in the yeast/water mixture, and turn the mixer to medium speed. 

--Mix until the dough comes together.

 --Continue to mix on medium speed, unless you have the dough hook attachment, then switch attachments and mix until the dough is completely combined and starts to *splat* the side of the bowl.

 --Like so.

 --Find a large bowl, and either spray it with cooking spray, or coat the bowl with some vegetable/canola oil so the dough won't stick.

 --Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, find a warm spot to allow the dough to rise, and leave it alone to do its thing for an hour, or until doubled in size.

 --After an hour of rising, with a floured surface, dump out the dough and roll it out, then divide it up into smaller pieces to create personal-sized pizzas!

 PREP OF THE TOPPINGS

--Seasoned Shredded Chicken--

 --Heat a large skillet with 1/4 cup canola oil to medium-high heat, and season your chicken with some salt and pepper on each side, then add the chicken to the skillet.

 --Cook on each side until the chicken is browned and cooked completely through, about 4-5 minutes each side.

--Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool, then shred into small pieces (SHORT CUT:  if you have an electric mixer, did you know you can shred your chicken with it?? Just use your paddle attachment, stick the chickens in the bowl, and turn your mixer to medium speed and be amazed at what happens!).

--Caramelized Onions--

 --In a small saucepan, add in 1 tbsp. butter with 1 tbsp. brown sugar and heat to medium heat.

 --Toss in your thinly sliced red onion and stir together, coating the onions with the buttered sugar combo.

 --Then turn the heat down to low and mix occasionally while the onions brown and caramelize. These onions are as amazing and as easy as they sound.  It's also the perfect condiment for burgers!

 --Does anyone else love pineapple on their BBQ pizzas??  It's a staple on mine.  But what I love most is fresh cilantro sprinkled on top right before it's done cooking.  Grab a handful of some and slice it up for yours!

 --This is the cast of characters for the BBQ pizza of my dreams:  pineapple, onions, cilantro, and chicken.

 --You also need barbecue sauce and your mozzarella.  For your other pizzas, get out the pizza sauce and pesto sauce and also your pepperonis I forgot to photograph.  Time to assemble!

 PESTO CHICKEN PIZZA

PEPPERONI PIZZA

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA

--Bake at 500 degrees for 12-15 with the oven rack positioned on the lowest level--

I

LOVE

 PIZZA

 --Pepperoni usually ends up triumphant over the other two kinds, but I'll take my BBQ masterpiece any day.

 XOXO

Chicken Enchiladas

from thepioneerwoman.com

I think there's only a handful of people who I would get super star-struck if I ran into them.  Top person on my list would be Ree Drummond.  The Pioneer Woman.  The red head of all red heads.  If you haven't seen her show on Food Network, go watch her new episodes every Saturday morning she changed my life.  ANYWAY, This recipe is a combination of two of her enchilada recipes, and it just might've been my favorite enchilada dinner ever!  And the list of ingredients isn't too long, always a plus!

I N G R E D I E N T S

--For the Sauce--

--28 oz red enchilada sauce (or green chile, if you prefer!)

--2 cups low sodium chicken broth

--1 tbsp. flour

--1 tbsp. canola oil

--1/2 tsp. salt

--1/2 tsp. pepper

--Rest of Ingredients--

--~2 cups cheddar cheese

--1 white onion, diced

--16 corn tortillas

--3 chicken breasts

--1/4 cup canola oil

--cumin, chili powder, for seasoning

--cilantro, optional, for garnish

--Turn the oven on to 350 degrees.  In a saucepan on medium-low heat, combine flour and oil and whisk together, allowing this to bubble up for 2-3 minutes.  This will be the base for your sauce!

--Next, pout in chicken broth, followed by the can of enchilada sauce.

(Sorry for how bright some of these pictures are, my kitchen lights are operating room bright!)

--Also toss in the salt and pepper, and bring this to a boil.

--Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30-45 minutes while you get started on the other components.

--Over a stove top or on a pan, heat the tortillas over medium heat on each side until warmed, about 30 seconds per side.

--Season each breast liberally with cumin and chili powder on both sides of the chicken, and heat up a skillet with the 1/4 cup oil until it's hot.

--Cook the chicken in the skillet until it's brown on each side and completely cooked through, about 4-5 minutes on each side.

--Transfer the chicken to a plate, and don't clean the skillet out yet!

Once the chicken has cooled, shred it into bite-sized pieces.

--Take your nicely diced onion and toss it right into the skillet with all the seasonings and oils from the chicken.

--After tossing them around for a minute or two, transfer those onto a plate and still don't clean that skillet out!

--Pour your sauce that's been simmering away right into the skillet and allow all the bits and pieces that have stuck to the bottom of the pan to bubble up and become engulfed in the sauce.  Allow the sauce to simmer on low heat after it's been added to the skillet.

--Pour the extra juices from the chicken into the sauce. This recipe is all about flavor, using it from each step if possible!

--Now comes the fun part:  assembly!!  In a large 9x13 pan, pour in about 2 cups of the sauce to coat the bottom of the pan.

--Dip one of the tortillas into the sauce...

--Sprinkle down the middle your chicken, onions, and cheese...

--And roll it up, placing it face-down in the pan, repeating with each enchilada until the pan is filled.

--Drizzle the top with the remaining sauce, sprinkle cheese over, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.  (yes, this is a different pan, I had already put the other one in the oven, and I fit the remaining six enchiladas in the second dish!)  Once it comes out, option would be to add some cilantro on top for garnish.  Enjoy!!

XOXO

Churro Waffles

from seriouseats.com

My dream was to have a churro cake for my wedding.  When I couldn't figure out how to construct that, I still made sure to serve them so everyone could enjoy the best dessert ever.  The decision to make churro waffles was unanimous at our household tonight, and this recipe is so easy I didn't feel like I needed to take pictures for steps (okay I just didn't think to get my camera out before, oops!)

I N G R E D I E N T S

--1 cup water

--8 tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter

--1/2 tsp. salt

--2 tbs. sugar

--1/2 cinnamon

--1 cup flour

--4 eggs

--melted butter, 1 cup sugar, 2 tsp. cinnamon for coating

D I R E C T I O N S

In a medium saucepan, melt butter, water, cinnamon, salt, and sugar and bring to a simmer.  Add in flour and stir while on the stove.  This will turn into a thick batter super quickly.  Don't be alarmed!  It is fine! (lol heavyweights)  Continue to stir for a minute longer and then remove from heat for about three minutes.  Add in the eggs, one at a time, whisking together until it's the consistency of buttercream frosting.  Meanwhile, heat up a waffle iron and spray with nonstick spray or coat with butter (choose the latter).  Scoop small amounts of dough into the iron.  The dough will expand while cooking, so don't try to fit too much in!  Once cooked, dip each waffle in the butter and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.  And then eat all of them while they're hot.  And for goodness sakes get started on this now!!

XOXO