Cheesesteak Pizza

Homemade pizza is great! You get to put on how much of what toppings you want. For this pizza, I decided to try my hand at a cheesesteak pizza. Razor thin and tender meat, green peppers and onions topped with cheese all on a pizza crust. Yummy!

You will need an 11"x15" baking pan OR a 16" round pizza pan.

Ingredients:

Store bought or homemade pizza crust
1/2 pound thinly( approx. 1/8 " thick) sliced beef. I used loin, but choose what kind you prefer.
1 cup sliced green bell pepper
1 cup sliced onion
salt and pepper to season
Cooking oil for sauteing the meat and vegetables
2-1/2 to 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Prepare the crust and set aside to rest.
Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet.Medium heat is good.
Add the sliced meat and season with salt and pepper.
Cook for a few minutes until meat is browned.
Add the peppers and onions and cook until they are tender. Stir a couple times so they won't scorch.
Set that off the heat.
In a small pan, melt the butter and add in the oregano, basil, garlic powder,and onion powder.
When melted and mixed in, remove from the heat.
Grease your baking pan and press the dough into it.
Build up the edges slightly.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit /220 degrees Celsius.
Brush the butter/herb mixture of the pizza dough. A pastry brush is great, but a large spoon will work.
Spread the meat/veggies over that.
Top with the cheese.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until  the cheese is starting to brown and the crust is golden.

Remove from the oven and let it set for a few minutes to make for easier cutting.

Makes one large pizza.

Enjoy!

Taco Pizza

Who says you have to go out to eat to enjoy a taco pizza? You can make really great taco pizza at home. It's hot and fresh and oh so yummy.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
You will need a 11"x 15" greased pan.

Ingredients:

Pizza crust dough either homemade or buy a mix or premade.
3/4 cup refried beans
1 cup pizza sauce
1/2 lb cooked and crumbled ground beef, seasoned like taco meat
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese or cheddar/jack cheese, divided
2-1/2 to 3 cups chopped lettuce
1 medium ripe chopped tomato
handful of nacho cheese corn chips, crumbled

other optional toppings include:
chopped onion
sliced black olives

Pat the pizza crust dough into the pan.
Spread the refried beans over the crust.
Spread the pizza sauce over the beans.
Add the seasoned ground beef and the mozzarella cheese.
Sprinkle with about half the cheddar cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is all melty and starting to brown.
Remove from oven and cut into serving sizes but leave in pan.
Put the lettuce on the pizza.
Add the tomato, some more cheddar cheese, and the nacho cheese chips.
Add other toppings if you like.

Serve with taco sauce and maybe some sour cream.

If you'd like to try a chicken taco pizza, use 2 cups seasoned, cubed chicken breast instead of the ground beef.

Pizza Crust

Great homemade pizza starts with a great crust. What I really love about this recipe is that it is the same for making thin crust, pan pizza, or even calzones.
If you want a crispier crust, prebake it. If you want a softer crust, add the toppings and than bake.

For thin crust preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
For pan pizzas and calzones your oven is set to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
For tossed style crust preheat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pan sizes:

Grease whatever pans you are using.

Pan pizzas- two 11"x7", two 9" square, or two 9" round

Thin crust- two 12" pizza pans or baking sheets

Calzones- baking sheets

A tossed style crust like you'd get at a pizza place-11"x15"


Ingredients:

2-3/4 to 3-1/4 cups flour
1 package dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons olive oil or any cooking oil

In a large bowl, combine 1-1/4 cups flour, yeast, and salt.
Add the water and the oil.
Beat well by hand or a mixer until everything is incorporated well.
Gradually add most of the rest of the flour and stir it in.
Turn the dough out onto floured counter and knead and work in enough flour to make the dough smooth and elastic.
If you are making the tossed style, leave it in one piece. Otherwise divide it in two.
Let the dough rest for ten minutes, covered.

For the pan pizzas, pat the dough into the pans and halfway up the sides.
Cover and let rise til double about 45 minutes.
For a crispier crust, bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes . Add the toppings and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.
For a softer crust don't bake the first time. Just add the toppings after it rises and bake for 15-20 minutes.

For the thin crust, add some cornmeal to the greased pans if you want.
Roll each portion into a 13" circle and transfer to pans. Build up the edges slightly.
For a crispier crust, put into a 425 degree oven for about 12 minutes until brown.
Add the toppings.
Bake for another 10-15 minutes until bubbly.
For a softer crust do not prebake before adding the toppings.

For calzones, roll each portion into 13" circles and transfer to baking sheets.
Add toppings to half of each crust. Moisten the edges and fold over to seal.
Prick tops of crust with a fork.
Brush tops with milk.
Bake in 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes til crusts are brown.

For tossed style crust, press the dough into the pan. Add the toppings and bake in a 425 degree oven for 15-20 minutes til bubbly.