Pizza Night

  Over the last couple years my home has turned into a regular pizzeria. My family loves pizza (who doesn't?) and especially loves homemade pizza (can you blame us?)

  My sister introduced us to a new recipe from Annie's Eats for Shaved Asparagus Pizza, which became the featured pizza for last week's pizza night. I made three adjustments to this recipe- I used my own pizza dough recipe, added sliced mushrooms to the pizza and created a cream cheese mixture to replace the Boursin Cheese (something you can't find in my hometown). The results: Heavenly Deliciousness!

  Tuesday night I was in the mood to try another new-to-our-home pizza recipe (No, we don't typically have pizza every week. Weekly pizza night...not a bad idea though!) There is a restaurant just 25 minutes from our home that my husband and I love. They feature wood-oven pizzas on their menu and our absolute favorite is the "Hawaii Five-O" pizza. Let me start by saying, I don't like Hawaiian pizza. Pineapple on a pizza? Yuck! However, this one is to die for! Seriously!! Let me tell you why:

-Start with a pizza crust (my traditional recipe or your own family favorite

-Brush the entire thing with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

-Pile on the mozzarella cheese

-Top with Canadian Bacon (my favorite is "Land O Lakes" because it's nice big slices)

-Top with grilled, fresh pineapple (see my recipe for grilling pineapple here, except omit the brown sugar and grill the fruit plain) that you've diced small

-Top with crispy cooked and crumbled bacon (my addition to the original)

-Top with caramelized onions (Here's a great how-to, except replace the oil with butter. Trust me!)

-Top with crushed macadamia nuts (Unless you have some horrible macadamia nut allergy, trust me on this one and just go with it.)

-Drizzle with Teriyaki Sauce (I found this fantastic Teriyaki Glaze recipe. I doubled the brown sugar though, and cut the recipe by half.)

  I have to brag now and say how incredibly impressed I was with my ability to re-create this delicious pizza. My husband is now requesting it for our next pizza night!

Pizza/Breadstick Dough

2 c. warm Water (101-105 degrees)        2 Tbsp. Oil

2 Tbsp. Yeast                                         2 tsp. Salt

4 Tbsp. Sugar                                         4-6 c. Flour

Proof water, yeast, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add oil and salt and slowly add flour until dough pulls away from sides and no longer sticks to the bottom of the bowl; knead smooth (about 4-6 minutes). Makes 2 14-16” pizzas.

  To use as a breadstick dough simply divide dough into equal balls and shape into breadsticks. Place breadsticks on baking sheets and brush with egg wash (1 egg & 1 Tbsp. water beaten together). Bake immediately at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Brush breadsticks with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic salt; bake until golden (about 3-6 minutes more).

Cream Cheese Blend (To replace Boursin)

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1-2 Tbsp. milk

1/2-3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning (or combination of basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary and sage)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. coarse salt

1/4 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper

Blend all ingredients until smooth. You want a light consistency without it being runny.