Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Homemade pizza has always been a favorite in our house.  We like to do 'Pizza Fridays' (who doesn't?!) so I like to make sure I always have this dough in the fridge or freezer.  And that's the beauty of it, it freezes so well that you literally have pizza whenever you want.  

I have been known to actually double this recipe to get 4 balls of dough - which is what I actually did in these pictures.  Double, half it, it all turns out great.  Can't beat a healthy, delicious pizza dough!

Yields 2 dough balls (1-pound each)

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

1 package of Fast Rising Yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)

3 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon honey

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 tablespoon olive oil 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, flour, salt and honey.  Turn on mixer and add water while the hook is turning.  Add olive oil and mix again.  Continue mixing the dough with the hook until it completely pulls apart from the sides, about 5 minutes.  Lift the dough out, spray the bowl with non-stick cooking spray and place dough back in bowl, turning to coat the surface.  Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.  

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions.  Place on cutting board or baking sheet, cover again with towel and let rest for 30 minutes.  If you are not going to use both, wrap one in plastic wrap and put in fridge for no more than 3 days.  To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag.  Place in the fridge the night before you want to use it and let come to room temperature before using that day.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

I've posted a recipe for barbecue chicken on my blog before, but it is so good that it really needed an update.  Check it out (click here) and see for yourself what I mean...I've come a LONG way!!

I've recently became a huge fan of red onions.  And they really make this pizza (if you're not a fan, feel free to leave out).  And the fresh cilantro takes the flavors to a whole other level!  So good!!  

I roll my pizzas out super thin, almost like a flat bread.  I want to taste all the flavors, not just eat a lot of dough.  Make sure you click the link in the ingredients for the pizza dough - so easy and great to have in your fridge and freezer at all times!  

Serves 4-6

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

1 pound of pizza dough
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
1 tablespoon salt-free spicy seasoning (like Mrs. Dash Southwestern blend)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (we use Sweet Baby Ray's), divided
2 tablespoons ranch dressing
2-3 tablespoons diced red onion
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (we use a Mexican blend)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with pizza stone inside.  Roll out pizza dough into a circle (or close to it for a pizza stone).  While your pizza stone is getting hot in your oven, start making your chicken.  Add the olive oil to a medium skillet and heat on medium.  Add chicken and toss with grill seasoning, cook until done throughout.  Take off heat and add 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce to the chicken.  Stir until combined and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining barbecue sauce with the ranch dressing.  Remove pizza stone and place rolled out dough on top.  Top pizza dough with barbecue/ranch mixture, leaving about an inch border around the edge.  Top with chicken, cheese and red onion.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the pizza crust is a golden brown.  Top with fresh cilantro.

Veggie Ranch Pizza

Pregnancy cravings are funny.  I haven't made this pizza in ages and it randomly popped in my head one day.  Of course, I had to have it!  It didn't disappoint, I was a happy girl.  

It also made me think of my best friend in high school - we would make this all the time then watch cheesy movies.  Like the cheesiest - Cry Baby?  With Johnny Depp?  It's absolutely terrible but still a favorite of mine to this day! 

Like regular pizza, you can add your own favorite toppings.  I was going to add cucumbers but the one I bought had gone bad in just a couple of days.  So a bit of a bummer there, but I really didn't miss it.  Green peppers, grape instead of Roma tomatoes, green onions...add anything you like. 

I wrote the recipe using reduced fat cream cheese and crescent rolls.  It's just what I always buy, but it's not necessary.  Use what you would normally buy, it won't affect the recipe.  By the way, this is kid approved!  My 4-year old loves it - just like eating broccoli and carrots dipped in ranch which is one of her favorite snacks.  

Serves 6 

Veggie Ranch Pizza

1 tube of reduced fat crescent rolls
1 (8 oz) bar neufchatel cheese
1/2 packet Ranch dressing seasoning mix
1 cup broccoli florets, diced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 Roma tomato, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13-inch baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  Unroll the crescents onto the pan and use your fingers to spread over the entire pan and seal the seams.  Bake for 14-16 minutes until golden.  Let cool completely.

Mix the cream cheese and Ranch seasoning until combined.  Spread over cooled crescent crust.  Top with veggies (any order).  Chill in the fridge for about 2 hours before serving; cut into 12 squares.  Store leftovers covered in the fridge.    

Pesto Chicken Pizza

I'm not going to lie - this is probably the best thing I've ever made - EVER.  My husband agreed.  I try not to overwhelm my readers with too many pictures, but I could have put like 15 more up.  Not only is it delicious, but it's just an absolutely beautiful dish!

Tomatoes, hunks of fresh mozzarella, a pesto base AND chicken tossed in the pesto - how gorgeous is this?  Hard to believe something this gourmet looking took me all of 15 minutes to put together.  I used my pizza dough, already made (because I always have some in the fridge or freezer) and the Basil Pesto I just made last week. 

 I rolled the dough super thin, so it got crispy and so yummy...this would be so awesome on the grill too! The tomatoes took on this roasted flavor (love roasted tomatoes!) which was just one reason this is one perfect pizza.  I mean look at that melted mozzarella!  

Serves 6

Pesto Chicken Pizza

1 pound Pizza Dough

1 cup pesto (homemade or store bought), divided

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

5 Campari tomatoes (or 3 Roma), sliced

1/2 pound fresh mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with pizza stone inside.  Cook the chicken with a little salt and pepper, then toss with 1/4 cup of pesto.  Set aside.  Roll out dough on floured surface to as thin as you like.

Pull out the preheated pizza stone, spray with non-stick spray and lay out dough (here's a hint - when you are ready to move the rolled out dough to the stone, roll it up on your rolling pin, carrying it over the stone and roll it back out. Works perfectly every time!).  Spread the remaining 3/4 cup of pesto on dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch border.  Top with chicken, tomato slices, and chunks of mozzarella.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until dough is crispy and cheese is melted. 

 

Grilled White Pizza with Tomatoes

Where I live in Georgia, we typically don't have a "Spring" season.  We may have one or two really nice days between March and May but pretty much you can expect it to go straight from winter to the hot stickiness that is the deep south.  This year has been quite the exception.  The weather has been amazing and well, Spring-like!  Low 70's, breezy, no humidity.  Just lovely!  And we have been spending more time than ever outside - playing, eating and cooking. 

We also did this last summer - turned our backyard into a brick courtyard because we cannot grow grass to save our lives (too shady!).  It was the best thing we could have done, so relaxing.  But, onto our dinner!

If you've never tried grilled pizzas, you have to - absolutely amazing.  The dough gets crispy and the cheese melts so perfectly.  It's so easy to do any ingredients you like!  You'll throw the dough on first, so have all of your ingredients prepped and right next to you on the grill.  

  

This makes 2 pizzas (about 9x13" each) and this recipe is for one of them.  We actually did my Ranch Barbecue Chicken Pizza on the other dough.  Just remember to double your ingredients if you want to do this white pizza on both.

Grilled White Pizza with Tomatoes

1 pound pizza dough, divided into 2 equal pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 Roma tomato, sliced

1 cup shredded pizza cheese (mix of mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano cheese)

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

Preheat your grill to medium.  Roll the pizza dough very thin (in whatever shape you like) to about 9x13" and place on a baking sheet.  Combine the olive oil and minced garlic in a small bowl.  Carry the dough, tomatoes, cheese, olive oil mixture and a pastry brush out to the preheated grill.  

Carefully lay the dough onto the lower part of the grill and immediately brush the olive oil and garlic onto the dough.  Place the sliced tomatoes, followed by the shredded cheese and Italian seasoning.  Close the lid to help the cheese melt a little but it doesn't take long for the dough to cook - about 4-5 minutes.  Keep checking and pull off when dough is crispy and cheese is bubbling and melted.  Cut into bite size squares.         

Pizza Margherita

Pizza is a couple-of-times a month staple in our house.  It's a quick and easy meal, and part of the fun of it is making our our pizza dough!  The recipe I use for my pizza dough is so good and takes just minutes to prepare.  And I LOVE this style of pizza - light and garlicky, without a true tomato sauce, instead, it has slices of Roma tomatoes.  An authentic Margherita pizza is actually made by crushing the tomatoes into a sauce, but I love the look of the slices. 

Cool story - Pizza Margherita was named after Queen Margherita of Italy visited Naples and she was served a pizza resembling the colors of the Italian flag - the red is the tomatoes, white is the mozzarella, and green is the basil.  Basil was no where to be found at my local grocery store, so I did leave it off, replacing it with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning right before baking (which contains basil!).

I always leave my pizza just a little longer after the cheese has already melted.  I love it when the mozzarella gets golden brown and a little crispy.  

I used a pizza stone and made a round pizza, but this recipe will stretch out to a 9x13 or even 11x18 pan (depending on how thin you want your crust).  And I chose to cut my round pizza into squares so the little ones could eat it easier.  

 Pizza Magherita

Pizza dough
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced thin
1 1/2 cups shredded pizza cheese (or mozzarella)
3-4 slices of fresh mozzarella, cubed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, let pizza stone get hot.  Roll out dough and place it on warmed stone.  Sprinkle with the olive oil and garlic and rub all over the dough (you can leave a border for the crust or go all the way out).  Top with the tomatoes, spaced evenly apart, then top with the shredded cheese, fresh mozzarella, Parmesan, Italian seasoning and garlic salt if using.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until all the cheese is melted and pizza dough is cooked.  Cut into slices or squares.

Pepperoni Pizza Quesadillas

This is like the perfect lunch for toddlers...basically an enclosed slice of pizza.  Hardly any mess!  And great for adults, too.  I've made these many times when I needed a super quick and easy weeknight meal.  I know your whole family will be begging you to have these again and again! 

Also so easy to jazz up any way you like - especially for adults.  Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and whatever toppings you like on your pizza normally! 

  

Pepperoni Pizza Quesadillas

4 soft taco size tortillas

1/4 cup pizza or marinara sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

About 10 pepperoni slices

Preheat your quesadilla maker or large skillet.  Spray each side of the flour tortillas with cooking spray.  Spread about 2 tablespoons of sauce on 2 of the tortillas, layer with about 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella and about 5 slices of pepperoni.  

Heat in your quesadilla maker or skillet until the cheese is completely melted inside and the outside is a nice golden brown.  Serve with extra sauce for dipping.

Ranch Barbecue Chicken Pizza

I think I could eat barbecue chicken on just about anything...and I think I have!  Nachos, in egg rolls (click here for that recipe), sandwiches, and now pizza.  I made stromboli over the weekend and I had some extra dough to make pizza some night this week.  Have you tried my recipe for pizza dough yet?  It's so simple and makes enough for 2 pizzas.  Love, love, love having it around for a quick weeknight meal.  

Back to this pizza...what is better than barbecue chicken you ask?  How about spicy barbecue chicken with a hint of ranch?  Ta-da!  My husband and I ate the whole thing last night, yup, just the two of us.  We were lucky enough to have both kids in bed before 8.  It was heavenly.  I don't remember the last time we had an evening to ourselves like that ~ probably 7 1/2 months ago before Max was born.  Funny thing is that I think we were both asleep around 9.  

1 pound of pizza dough
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
2 teaspoons spicy Montreal steak seasoning
1/2 cup barbecue sauce, divided (we use Sweet Baby Ray's) plus more for drizzling
1/4 ranch dressing, plus more for drizzling
1 1/2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese (or whatever you like - Monterey Jack or cheddar, etc)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll out pizza dough into a circle (for a pizza stone - you can also do this on 11x18 baking sheet, then you'll need to roll out a rectangle).  While your pizza stone is getting hot in your oven, start making your chicken.  Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a medium skillet and heat over medium heat.  Add chicken and grill seasoning and cook until done throughout.  Take off heat and add 1/4 cup barbecue sauce to the chicken,stir until combined and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the other 1/4 cup barbecue sauce with the ranch dressing.  Once your oven is preheated, remove your pizza stone and place your rolled out dough on top.  Top pizza dough with your barbecue sauce/ranch dressing mix leaving about an inch border around the edge.  Top with chicken and cheese.  Drizzle extra barbecue sauce and ranch dressing across the entire pizza.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and the pizza dough crust is a golden brown.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

 We make pizza at home a lot, almost every week, so I like to come up with new and different ideas for my family to try.  When I made pizza dough (click to go to recipe) last weekend, I knew that I wanted to do something with chicken.  I thought about going with the old staple in our house, Buffalo chicken stromboli, or maybe turning that into a pizza, but then I remembered seeing a recipe for an Alfredo pizza, which sounded so good.  In order to keep it as simple as possible, I used a jar of Alfredo sauce, only kicked up a notch...I used a Four Cheese Rosa sauce.  Like a white sauce, only it's pink because it has tomatoes mixed in.  I sauteed the chicken with a little spicy Montreal grill seasoning (as usual!) which added incredible flavor to the whole dish.  Top it off with a ton of mozzarella cheese and your family will flip over this!!  

I'm loving my pizza stone (it's so awesome! I highly recommend one if you make a lot of pizzas, strombolis, etc) but you can very easily roll this out to a 9x13 inch baking sheet for thicker crust or a 13x18 inch baking sheet for a thinner, crispier crust.    

Pizza dough (about 1 pound)

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 tablespoon spicy Montreal grill seasoning (or salt and pepper)

1/2 cup Four Cheese Rosa sauce (by Bertolli - or you can use regular Alfredo sauce)

3 cups Mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat and add olive oil.  Once hot, add the chicken and season with grill seasoning or a generous portion of salt and pepper.  Cook chicken until completely done throughout.  Set aside.  

If using a baking sheet, spray with Canola or Vegetable oil cooking spray.  Roll out dough to fit your pizza stone or baking sheet.  At this point, pull pizza stone out of the oven and place dough on warmed stone.  Or place dough on greased baking sheet.  Top dough with sauce, leaving about a 1 inch border the whole way around for the crust.  Sprinkle chicken evenly over sauce.  Top with Mozzarella, Parmesan and garlic salt.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is done and golden brown.    

Breakfast Pizza

My in-laws were visiting over Easter weekend (also my husband's birthday!) and because they were leaving on Easter Sunday to head back to Pennsylvania, we decided to put a brunch together rather than do a whole big dinner.  We had fruit, cinnamon rolls, mimosa's and this delicious breakfast casserole, which is way more like a pizza than a casserole.

I threw it together in a matter of minutes, they only thing I had to cook was the sausage...and I use the word "cook" lightly because, Jimmy Dean makes these sausage crumbles that are already cooked and just need heated through.  And it's turkey sausage, too!  I browned the turkey sausage and threw that, the cheese and tomatoes all on top of the crust (crescent rolls) and baked it until it the eggs were set and the crust was puffy and golden brown.  We sliced it into squares and ate it with our hands, just like a pizza.  

I can only imagine all the goodies that you could throw into this.  I mean, just think about what you like in an omelette...peppers, mushrooms, ham?  This is a whatever you like, that's how you make it type dish.  I hope you'll try it your way and let me know!    

 12 - 16 slices

Breakfast Pizza

1 package of crescent rolls

1 1/2 cups cooked crumbled sausage

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

5 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Unroll the crescent rolls onto a 9 x 13-inch baking sheet and press down to close the seams.  Top with the cooked, crumbled sausage, tomatoes and cheese.  Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until combined and pour over the top of the casserole.

Bake 15-20 minutes until the eggs are set and the crescent roll crust is golden brown.  Cut into squares and serve.  

(Source:  Adapted from Bran Appetit!)