a tale of two pizzas

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

I told you pizza would end up on my blog sooner or later! This post is a double duty post. I made this Buffalo Chicken Pizza on Wednesday night, using leftover roast chicken from Sunday. Another great use for leftovers! That’s what I was saying about the versatility of roast chicken. I was searching for casserole recipes and nothing was really calling out to me, so I asked J’s opinion and he suggested Buffalo Chicken Pizza. I’ve made BBQ Chicken Pizza, which I thought was fabulous, but J has a thing for wings, so I gave this a shot. It was really, REALLY delicious.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza (my recipe!)
1, 12″ prepared Arrowhead Mills pizza crust
1-1 1/2 c cooked, shredded chicken
6 oz Buffalo style wing sauce, separated
1/2-3/4 c EACH, sharp cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 scallions, chopped
White rice flour or corn meal for dusting and handling the dough

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. You can use a pizza stone if you have one, but this pizza cooks nicely on an ungreased sheet pan as well – NOT a cookie sheet. Prepare crust per package directions. Combine the chicken with 4-5 oz of the wing sauce in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate while the dough rests. Spread the dough as thin as you can without creating holes. (I recommend preparing the pizza directly on the sheet pan or pizza peel. The dough tends to be sticky -this is why you want to use rice flour or corn meal – and not especially sturdy, so the less you move it before it cooks, the better.) Spread the rest of the wing sauce in a thin layer on the dough making sure to leave a small boarder. Next, top the pizza evenly with the shredded chicken and any wing sauce left in the bowl. Top the chicken with both cheeses, mixing them evenly. Finally, sprinkle the scallions evenly over the entire pizza. Bake for 22-24 minutes until the crust and cheeses are browned. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.

*I didn’t use as much wing sauce as the recipe calls for, when I made this the other night, and while it was delicious, J and I both felt it could have used a little more sauce. You can use any type of wing sauce you want. This pizza goes well with a salad with creamy ranch dressing. A different spin on the “wings with ranch dipping sauce”. (On that note, J and I don’t do blue cheese with our wings, that’s why I would use a ranch dressing for the salad.) This recipe is very similar to my BBQ chicken pizza recipe, so you could definitely substitute a sweeter wing sauce and have the BBQ effect.

Supreme Pizza

This one is a Supreme Pizza. This is one of the first pizzas I made for J and it has been a staple in our house ever since. (It was a HUGE hit at our “opening night of football” party a couple of months ago.) I made this for dinner last night and like the Buffalo Chicken pizza, it pairs very well with a nice side salad.

Basic Pizza Sauce (recipe from Gluten-Free Quick & Easy by Carol Fenster, Ph.D.)
1, 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
(I add a few grinds of fresh black pepper)

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Simmer over medium-low heat for at least 15 minutes until slightly reduced. Makes about 1 cup, enough for a 12″ pizza. (I find that this makes enough sauce for two Arrowhead Mills pizza crusts.) I just have to sing the praises of this pizza sauce. It is delicious! It is full of flavor and the sugar gives it the sweetness that makes pizza sauce different from regular tomato pasta sauce.

Supreme Pizza (my recipe!)
1, 12″ prepared Arrowhead Mills pizza crust
1/2 recipe of basic pizza sauce (recipe above)
1/4 of a green bell pepper, diced
1/4 of an onion, diced
10-15 slices turkey pepperoni
1/2-3/4 lb ground pork sausage, browned
3/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese
White rice flour or corn meal for dusting and handling the dough

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. You can use a pizza stone if you have one, but this pizza cooks nicely on an ungreased sheet pan as well – NOT a cookie sheet. Prepare crust per package directions. (I’ve decided that next time, I’m going to add some seasonings to the dry mix before preparing it. Maybe Italian seasoning…if you have any ideas, please post in the comments!) Make the pizza sauce (recipe above) and brown the sausage in a skillet while the dough rests. Spread the dough as thin as you can without creating holes. (I recommend preparing the pizza directly on the sheet pan or pizza peel. The dough tends to be sticky -this is why you want to use rice flour or corn meal – and not especially sturdy, so the less you move it before it cooks, the better.) Spread pizza sauce over the dough in an even layer, leaving a small boarder. Sprinkle just about a tablespoon each of the green peppers and onions right on top of the sauce. Top with the cheese, reserving about 1/4 cup. Evenly space the pepperoni on top of the cheese. Spread the cooked sausage over the whole pizza (minding the boarder, of course). Top with the rest of the green peppers and onions. Finally, sprinkle the remaining cheese over all the toppings. Bake for 22-24 minutes until the crust and cheese are browned. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.

*When I did my grocery shopping for the pizza ingredients, I couldn’t find bulk Italian sausage. (Shame on you, Publix.) I bought .90 lb of plain ground pork instead, knowing I had seasonings at home to make my own sausage. I added 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp fennel seeds, and a few pinches of garlic powder to the pork as I browned it in the skillet. I think I should have used a little bit of olive oil in the pan to help with the browning because the sausage ended up a little dry (and not as brown as I was expecting). I actively DIDN’T add any oil before browning the pork because I figured it would give off plenty of fat on it’s own. If anyone has any tips or feedback on this issue, please share. I’m stumped. It tasted great, though dry, and I have leftovers for brunch this weekend. (I’m thinking a ground sausage omelet with home fries (or skillet potatoes) using the leftover diced peppers and onions.

(I know the pictures don’t look all that different. The problem is, after I make the food I need to take the best photographs I can, but I really just want to eat! I’m working on the photography aspect of my blog. Bear with me.)