Pioneer Woman's Olive Cheese Bread

1 loaf French Bread

6 ounces, weight Pimiento-stuffed Green Olives

6 ounces, weight Black Olives

2 stalks Green Onions (scallions)

1 stick Butter, Room Temperature

½ cups Mayonnaise

¾ pounds Monterrey Jack Cheese, Grated

Roughly chop both black olives and pimiento-stuffed green olives. Slice green onions into thin pieces. Combine butter, mayonnaise, cheese, olives and green onions in a mixing bowl. Stir together until thoroughly combined. Spread mixture onto French bread that has been sliced lengthwise. Bake at 325ºF for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and browning. Mixture can also be refrigerated (up to two days) and used as a dip. Great with crackers.

Alfredo Sauce

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3 oz. cream cheese

2/3-3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Heat heavy cream, butter, and cream cheese in medium sauce pan over low-medium heat to combine, stirring often.  Add cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.  Simmer 20-25 minutes until thick.  Serve immediately.  To reheat after refrigerated: heat on low and whisk until butter and cream marry.

Red Sauce

3-4 sweet Italian sausage links

2 large cans plain tomato sauce

2 cans petite diced tomatoes

2-3 Tbsp. minced garlic

palmful of Italian seasoning

2 Tbsp. dried parsley

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

2 bay leaves

In large saucepan, brown sweet Italian sausage links for 7 minutes over medium-high heat, turning often.  Add all other ingredients and simmer over low for 3-4 hours.  Flavor gets better the longer it sits, so leftovers are wonderful!  Remove bay leaves before serving.  Enjoy!

Pizza in a Pot

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can mild chili beans

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (2 or 4 oz) can sliced black olives, drained

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp quick-cooking tapioca (optional -It helps thicken the sauce)

1 Tbsp dried basil

1 bay leaf

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

Hot cooked pasta

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Crock pot version: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until it is no longer pink; drain.  Transfer to a slow cooker.  Add the next 13 ingredients; mix well.  Cover and cook on low for 8 - 9 hours or until slightly thickened.  Discard bay leaf.  Stir before serving over pasta.  Sprinkle with mozzarella.

Stove-top version: In a large stockpot over medium heat, cook sausage, onion and green pepper until sausage is no longer pink.  Drain.  Add the next 13 ingredients; mix well.  Simmer on stove for 2 hours.  Discard bay leaf.  Shortly before serving cook pasta, then add to pizza mixture.  Mix well.  Sprinkle with mozzarella.

Cheesy Garlic Bread

1 pound loaf Italian bread

5 tablespoons butter, softened

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the broiler. Cut the bread into slices 1 to 2 inches thick. In a small bowl, mix butter, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Spread the mixture evenly on the bread slices. On a medium baking sheet, arrange the slices evenly and broil 5 minutes, or until slightly brown. Check frequently so they do not burn. Remove from broiler. Top with cheese and return to broiler 2 to 3 minutes, until cheese is slightly brown and melted. Serve at once.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

pizza dough

BBQ sauce

cubed cooked chicken

diced onions

green peppers

mozzarella cheese

Toss dough to desired thickness and bake until golden brown.  Use BBQ sauce as your pizza sauce.  Top with Chicken, onions, peppers, and cheese. Place back in the oven until cheese is melted and pizza is heated through. Enjoy alone or dip in ranch dressing.

Spinach Carbonara Pizza

1 pkg (13.8 oz) refrigerated pizza crust

6 slices bacon, divided (pre-cooked is easier)

1 pkg (6 oz) fresh baby spinach leaves (about 8 cups)

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 oz grated fresh Parmesan cheese (about 1⁄4 cup packed)

1 cup jarred Alfredo pasta sauce

1⁄4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Additional coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Unroll dough over bottom of lightly greased large pizza pan. Gently stretch and press dough to cover bottom of pan. Bake 10-12 minutes or until crust begins to brown; remove pan from oven. Meanwhile, slice bacon into 1⁄4-in. pieces; cook over medium heat 5-6 minutes or until crisp. (or use pre-cooked...it's faster!) Remove bacon from pan; drain on paper towels. Place spinach and pressed garlic into a large microwavable bowl and microwave on HIGH 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Carefully remove lid; press spinach to side of bowl and dab excess moisture with paper towels and set aside. Grate Parmesan cheese; set aside. Finely chop half of the bacon. Measure Alfredo sauce and mix in chopped bacon and black pepper. To assemble pizza, spread sauce to edges of crust. Top sauce completely with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, spinach mixture and remaining bacon. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and additional black pepper, if desired.Bake 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown. (Yields 6 servings)

Black Bean Pizza

Homemade Pizza crust or 1 can refrigerated pizza crust

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup finely chopped zucchini

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can Italian diced tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided

Press dough into a greased baking pan. Bake at 425 for 4-6 minutes or until crust just begins to brown. Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add zucchini; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the beans and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Boil, uncovered, for 2 minutes; drain. Sprinkle 2/3 cup of cheese over crust. Top with bean mixture and remaining cheese. Bake 8-10 minutes longer or until crust is browned and cheese is melted.  Serve with Ranch dressing if desired.

Tomato Alfredo Pizza

1 Cup Alfredo sauce

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

3 oz shredded Parmesan cheese (~ 1 cup)

10 oz can of Rotel Bold Italian Diced Tomatoes with garlic, basil, & oregano – drained (or regular Rotel works, too)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded provolone cheese

Pizza crust

Stir together Alfredo, spinach, and Parmesan cheese. Spread mixture evenly over crust.

Sprinkle evenly with tomatoes and remaining cheeses. Bake at 425 for approximately 15 minutes. (prep time: 10 minutes; bake time: 20 minutes; yields 4 servings)

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cups warm (115 degrees) water

2 packets (ounce each) active dry yeast

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for bowl

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for kneading

2 cups whole-wheat flour (white whole wheat works great in this, too)

Place water in a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Brush another large bowl with oil. In bowl with yeast, whisk sugar, oil, and salt. Stir in flours with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms. Transfer to oiled bowl; brush top of dough with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm spot until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. With floured hands, knead until smooth, about 15 seconds; divide into two balls. To freeze- set balls on a plate (they should not touch); freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Then freeze in a freezer bag up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator.   

 To bake: Stretch out dough and cover with favorite toppings.  Bake in 450 degree oven for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. This dough is easy to work with, especially after it’s been frozen.  It’s my go-to recipe and I love having a ball or two of dough stashed away in the freezer.

Fruit Pizza

Cookie Crust:

1 (16.5 ounce) package prepared sugar cookie dough

Filling:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 container of Whipped Topping

Fruit & Glaze:

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon Corn Starch

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Dash salt

2 1/2 cups assorted cut-up fresh fruit

Press cookie dough into greased 12-inch pizza pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 15 minutes until done, but still soft. Cool. Mix filling ingredients in a medium bowl with a hand mixer until thoroughly combined. Spread over crust. To prepare glaze: Combine sugar and corn starch in a small saucepan until well mixed. Add orange juice, water, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cool 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Slice fresh fruit and arrange on cream filling. Drizzle with glaze and chill at least 30 minutes.