No More Frozen Pizzas

By Carl Weiss

Beer Crust Pizza Step #1

Those of you who know me realize I tilt at epicurean windmills.  What I mean by that, is it irks me when people who have every technology available to modern man, choose to take the path of least resistance when it comes to cooking.  Chief among my complaints is frozen pizza.  Yes, it's convenient, but it also tastes about as good as the box from which it came.  Even worst is the fact that making homemade pizza is not that big of a deal.


Who wants to Eatsa Pizza?

Step #2

On a recent Man Cave Munchies video, I showed how to make pizza on the barbecue. Even better, the crust was made with beer in the food processor.  With the exception of letting the dough rise for an hour, the entire process takes no more than a half hour, which by the way, is the length of time it takes to cook a frozen pizza in the oven.  The dough whips up in the Cuisinart in less than 5-minutes.  Chopping the toppings and readying the pie for the oven or the grill takes another five.  Cooking a homemade pie takes all of 10-15 minutes depending upon the toppings.  (Veggie pizzas take a little longer to bake than traditional pies.)

Step #3

Now I don't know about you, but sinking my teeth into a pizza that I have made from scratch is way better than chomping down on a store-bought frozen pie.  Even better are the variety of toppings you can put on a homemade pizza.  Below are several of my personal favorites.  But the bottom line is that the sky (or in this case the pie) is the limit when it comes to coming up with creative pizza recipes.  (I have also included the video below.)

Favorite Pizza Recipes:

Pizza with Prosciutto and Fresh Basil

• 2 red bell peppers
• 1/2 onion, sliced thin
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1⁄4 lb. sliced prosciutto
• 1⁄4 lb. fresh feta cheese 
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil 
• 
  
• This simple pizza recipe will have your family clamoring for more.   The synergy of Italian bacon (Prosciutto), red bell pepper and onions, combined with tangy feta cheese and fresh basil is a magical combination.  It also proves the concept that making fantastic pizza doesn't need to be complicated.

Image courtesy of flickr

Spinach Artichoke Pizza

1 Cup Ricotta Cheese

1 Cup Frozen Spinach (Boiled, cooled and drained)

1 Can Artichoke Quarters (Drained)

1/4 cup of sliced green olives with pimentos

This white pizza is a real hit since it is simple but tasty.  I start by cooking the spinach, then letting it cool.  Squeeze all the water out of the spinach so you don't wind up with a soggy crust.  Spread the spinach around the pie, then add the Ricotta (or feta) cheese, dot with artichoke pieces and green olives.  YUM!

Hawaiian Pizza

Can you say Aloha?  You definitely will get into the island mood once you try this tangy pizza recipe. 

1/2 cup of Fresh Pineapple (diced or rings)

1 cup of Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 cup of Diced Ham

Pizza Sauce

Start by laying down a thin layer of sauce.  Top this with cheese, then dot with pineapple and ham chunks.  You'll think you died and went to Maui.

Image courtesy of flickr

Blueberry Pie Pizza

1/2 cup Fresh Blueberries

4 ounces Cream Cheese

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

If you have never thought of trying a dessert pizza, this is your chance. This dish is way easier to make than a blueberry pie and it will wow the crowd.  Start off by letting the cream cheese come to room temperature, then mix the cinnamon into the cheese in a bowl.  Spread a layer of the cheese atop the crust, then add as many blueberries as the pie can take.  Bake for 15-minutes until the blueberries begin to release their juices and the crust browns.  Feel free to serve this by itself or warm with a scoop of ice cream.  

To see more videos, go to Man Cave Munchies