Skillet Pizza

This has got to be one of the quickest and easiest pizzas I've ever put together, and any of the toppings can probably be substituted with your favorites! 

I found this recipe in one of my recent Reiman Publications, probably Simple & Delicious.  I couldn't put my hands on the exact one before adding this to my blog, so I can't give full credit where it is due, and I can't tell you exact amounts of ingredients.  It's so easy anyone can figure it out!  This dish gets almost all 9's on the Melnarik rating scale.  My husband doesn't care for thin crust, so he gave it an 8!

In a small skillet, heat about 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil.  Add some thinly sliced yellow bell pepper and red onion.  Begin to saute vegetables over medium-low heat.

In the meantime, very thinly slice about 3 fresh mushrooms.  When the onion and pepper are beginning to soften, add the mushrooms and cook until vegetables are tender and the mushrooms are reduced.  Remove vegetables to a plate.

In the same skillet, add another 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil.  Add one medium (soft taco size) tortilla and warm about 30 seconds or so, or until it feels slightly hot to the touch.  Do not let it get really crispy.

Flip the tortilla over (you can see that it got a little crispy on the first side).  It will be on this side longer as the toppings are added and the cheese needs time to melt.

 

As soon as you flip it, spread some prepared pizza sauce on top.

Then add the pepperoni slices.  When first making this, I thought it was odd to have the pepperoni under the cheese, so I experimented putting on top.  But, it's better closer to the source of heat to get the  pepperoni hot.

Sprinkle some Mexican cheese blend (cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses) on top of the pepperoni.

Add the sautéed vegetables on top of the cheese.

Sprinkle a some diced tomato on top of that, cover the skillet and let it cook until the cheese is melted (about 1 - 2 minutes).

How simple is that?  In my house, I have two young men, who are hungry often.  This pizza can be on a plate in front of them in about 15 minutes!  And it's oh so tasty!  Enjoy!

Clean the Freezer Soup

It seems kind of silly to post a recipe for soup in late April, but I was ready to type this up when we experienced major computer problems for about 3 weeks.  Some days it seems like Spring and others it feels chilly enough to still be Winter, so I decided to go ahead and post this soup recipe.  This is a hearty soup made primarily of vegetables, so it's perfect if you need to make something to share with vegetarians.  There is cheese in it, so make sure their diet includes dairy.

I cut this recipe out of a magazine years ago and make it at lease once each Winter.  My guys give this soup all 8's on the Melnarik rating scale.

I begin by melting the butter in a Dutch oven.

To the melted butter I add the chopped onions and celery.  I cook these vegetables over medium heat until the vegetables are tender and the onions are translucent.

Once cooked, I add the flour to the vegetables and stir to combine.  I cook this for an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the flour is no longer raw.

As I stir and it cooks, the flour adheres to the vegetables.

I slowly add the chicken stock, stirring the entire time.  Adding the stock a bit at a time at first helps prevent lumps of flour in the soup.

Next, I add the frozen mixed vegetables, corn, and hash browns, stirring to combine.  I do not defrost these vegetables before adding them.  Also, I couldn't find the mixed vegetables with the carrots cut in cubes, which is what I prefer to use.  It was a little weird to find a "baby carrot" when eating the soup.

After defrosting the chopped spinach and squeezing it dry, I add it to the soup.

Then, I add the seasonings - fresh parsley, dried thyme, black pepper, and salt.

I turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil.  Because I've added frozen vegetables, I let the soup boil for about 3 minutes, then I reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

The last step is to add the cheese, stirring until it is completely melted.  I like to use the extra-sharp cheddar cheese and it adds the most flavor.

This soup is pretty simple to make and it freezes well!  It's also a great way to get kids to eat spinach as it's hidden in the middle of vegetables they are most likely used to.  Enjoy!

Clean the Freezer Vegetable Soup

¼ cup butter

1 onion, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 (32-oz.) boxes chicken broth

1 (32-oz.) pkg. frozen hash-brown potatoes, thawed

1 (16-oz.) pkg. frozen niblet corn, thawed

1 (16-oz.) pkg. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1 (10-oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and celery; cook 7 minutes, stirring frequently or until tender.  Add flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Sitr in broth, hash-brown potatoes, corn, mixed vegetables, spinach, parsley, thyme, pepper, and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat; reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.  Add cheese, stirring until smooth.

Yield:  10 – 12 servings

Note:  I defrost only the spinach so that I can drain it and squeeze it dry.  Otherwise, I put in the hash-browns, corn, and vegetables while still frozen and let the soup boil a few minutes before reducing the heat to simmer.  I also use extra-sharp cheddar cheese for more flavor.