Maple Roasted Pear Pizza with Pistachio Olive Oil, Caramelized Shallots, Crispy Prosciutto, + Crumbled Goat Cheese

Sweet + Salty is mah jam. I'm the weirdo that likes dipping french fries in a chocolate milkshake... adding salt to my lattes, pouring maple syrup on my bacon, and so on + so on. Last year, we went to our favorite pizza place, Hearth, and my dreams were made. Their pizza special that night was a pear pizza. What? PEAR ON A PIZZA.... that's genius! I knew then and there that I would have to recreate this masterpiece. I ending up changing most of the toppings to include my favorite ingredients, and you know what, I thought ours was even better. First, I started off by making a chunky pistachio olive oil by using a molcajete + pestle to pulverize the nuts into the oil. This serves as the base for your pizza. Next up is one of my go-to recipes as of lately... crispy prosciutto. If you don't have prosciutto on you though, you can always sub in some bacon... because... um, bacon is good on everything. It's also a personal belief that every single pizza should have caramelized onions, so I added lots of those too. Then there is the usual of fresh mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese, and for good measure, some tangy crumbled goat cheese (yum). The single most important ingredient has to be the bosc pear, which I shaved using a mandolin. Gently arrange the shaved pear on top of the pizza and brush a light coating of maple syrup over the fruit. The maple syrup not only sweetens the whole pie just a little bit, but helps the pears to beautifully caramelize in the oven. Lastly, you have to season the pizza with fresh thyme (an absolute must), crushed red pepper flake (for a slight kick), and a small sprinkle of kosher salt + fresh cracked pepper. After you have baked the pizza, all that there is left to do is to cut it into slices and devour it while it's still warm. We also loved putting some peppery baby arugula on top for garnish, but that step is completely up to you! I hope you love this ultimate autumn pizza as much as we do!! Enjoy :)

pre-baked pizza

this is what heaven looks like.

For the Pistachio Olive Oil:

1C Shelled Pistachios (can be unsalted or salted)

EVOO (enough to cover the pistachios)

For the Crispy Prosciutto:

6oz Shaved Prosciutto

4 Sprigs of Rosemary or 8 Leaves of Sage

EVOO, For Drizzling

Fresh Cracked Pepper, For Sprinkling

For the Maple Roasted Pear Pizza:

1 Batch of Homemade Extra Crispy Pizza Dough (made into two dough balls)

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

Prepared Pistachio Olive Oil

Caramelized Shallots

8oz Fresh Mozzarella, Shredded by Hand

Freshly Grated Parmesan

Prepared Crispy Prosciutto

1 Bosc Pear, Thinly Shaved Using a Mandolin

High Quality Maple Syrup, For Brushing

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, To Taste

Minced Fresh Thyme, To Taste

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, For Sprinkling

2oz Crumbled Goat Cheese

Fresh Baby Arugula, For Garnishing (optional)

Directions:

1. For the Extra-Crusting Pizza Dough: Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add 1.5 cups water; stir until well incorporated. Mix dough gently with your hands to bring it together and form into a rough ball. Transfer to a large clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature in a draft-free area until surface is covered with tiny bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size, preferably 18 hours (but anywhere between 12-18 hours would work as well). Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Gently shape into a rough rectangle. Divide into 2 equal portions (depending on thin or thick you want your pizza dough). Working with 1 portion at a time, gather 4 corners to center to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust dough with flour; set aside on work surface or a floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions. Let the dough balls rest, covered with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, until soft and pliable, about 1 hour.

2. Prepping the Dough: During the last hour of the dough’s resting, preheat the oven to its hottest setting, around 500-550 degrees, and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Working with the dough, dust it generously with flour and place onto a floured work surface. Gently shape the dough balls into a two 10-inch disks. Press or spread the dough dish on top of a baking sheet or pizza stone. Now it’s time to add on the toppings.

3. For the Pistachio Olive Oil: In the bowl of a Molcajete, add in all of the shelled pistachios, and the pour in enough olive oil to just cover the pistachios. Using the pestle, crush the pistachios until they are rough and chunky in texture, and not smashed into a powder. Stir the crushed pistachios with the olive oil to make a cohesive mixture. Set this aside.

4. For the Crispy Prosciutto: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the prosciutto evenly between both baking sheets, making sure to lay them flat. Brush the tops of the prosciutto with some EVOO and scatter the fresh sprigs of rosemary or sage on top. Bake the prosciutto until the fat turns golden and the meat is darker in color. This will take about 15 minutes (making sure to rotate baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through the baking time). Using tongs, carefully transfer the prosciutto to paper towels to drain (it will continue tot crisp as it cools). Set them aside until you are ready to assemble the pizza.

5. Assembling the Pizza: Get your two prepped pizza dough disks on baking sheets and press two cloves of minced garlic into each dough round. Place the pizzas into the preheated oven and bake for 7-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and begin assembling the toppings. Start by spooning and spreading the pistachio olive oil, followed by scattering the caramelized shallots evenly over the pizza dough. Next add on the shredded mozzarella, freshly great Parmesan, crispy prosciutto, and shaved pears. Brush the tops of sliced pears with some maple syrup, and then sprinkle the surface of the pizza with crushed red pepper flakes, fresh thyme, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Lastly, crumble the goat cheese on top to finish off the pizza. Boost the oven up to broil and place them back into the oven for about 3-5 minutes until the cheese has melted, the pears have begun to crisp around the edges, and the crust has a toasty golden brown color (make sure to rotate the pizza pans, so they evenly cook).

6. Remove the pizza from the oven and cut into slices. Garnish the pizza with fresh baby arugula on top, if you please! Enjoy!

Saturday Down South: In 'n Out Animal Style Double Bacon Cheeseburger Dip with Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles, Pan Fried Caramelized Onions, Cubed Dill Pickles, Diced Tomatoes, Crispy Bacon Lardons, + Secret Sauce Drizzle

It's officially the most wonderful time of the year... football season!! I swear my Mountain Man has been counting down the days since we won the national championship last season. Now comes the time of friends, tailgating, fatty food, bonfires, and plenty of booze. 

One of the mainstays of our menu is hearty dip, and this recipe that I am featuring today is just that! The inspiration came from a burger joint that is extremely popular in California... In n' Out Burger. Since Alabama is playing USC tomorrow, I thought this would be the perfect time to feature my first (of many) tailgate recipes this year. When you order a burger or fries "animal style", this usually means that it comes with extra secret sauce, caramelized onions, mustard grilled patties, and pickles. So, I started off with a creamy dip base and added mustard grilled burger crumbles, crispy bacon lardons, pan fried caramelized onions, cubed bread n' butter pickles, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese. After it is baked in the oven until golden brown + delicious, you whip a batch of my not-so-secret secret sauce and drizzle it over the top. At this point, everyone will be salivating, so all that is left to do is serve with some some chips or crackers. I also like to put out some different bowls with burger toppings for extra garnishing... pickles, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, + more sauce. That way, when a friend grabs a chip and some dip, they can sprinkle a little bit of this and a little bit of that on top for the perfect bite! This recipe is super easy, so almost anyone can whip it up, don't y'all worry. I hope y'all love this first recipe of the season!! Enjoy :)

For the Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles:

1lb 75-25 Ground Chuck

¼C Yellow Mustard

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

4T Unsalted Butter

For the Pan Fried Caramelized Onions:

2 Large Vidalia Onions, Sliced

4T Unsalted Butter + 2T Vegetable Oil

Kosher Salt, To Taste

¼C Sugar

For the Dip:

8oz Herbed Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

1C Sour Cream

½C Mayo

2C Shredded Cheddar, Split

2C Mozzarella Cheese, Split

1 Garlic Clove, Minced

1-2T Worcestershire Sauce

½t Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, & Onion Powder

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Prepared Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles

Prepared Pan Fried Caramelized Onions

1 Medium Tomato, Diced

½C Bread n’ Butter Pickles, Diced

Shredded Romaine Lettuce

For the Secret Sauce:

1/3C Mayo

3T Ketchup

1-2T Sweet Pickle Relish

1t Sugar + 1 White Vinegar

¼t Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, + Paprika

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the open to 350 degrees and spray a pan with Pam.

2. For the Mustard Grilled Burger Crumbles: In a large skillet, over medium high heat, brown the ground beef. Pour off any extra fat and stir in the mustard. Season with salt and pepper, and then set it aside.

3. For the Pan Fried Caramelized Onions: Heat the butter and onion in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.

4. For the Secret Sauce: Mix together all of the ingredients until everything is incorporated. Taste the sauce and adjust to your taste preferences. Set this sauce aside until you want to top the dip with it.

5. For the Dip: Place the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, and bet until smooth. Add in 1C each of the shredded cheddar and mozzarella (saving the rest to put on top), followed by the mustard grilled burger crumbles, cooled caramelized onions, minced garlic, Worcestershire, spices, diced tomato, and diced pickles. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the left over cheese on top and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the cheese has melted and begun to brown on top. Remove the dip from the oven and drizzle the secret sauce over the top. Serve with Ritz crackers or potatoes chips, and have a bowl of shredded lettuce on the side to garnish the dip.

"Pizza Polenta" with Creamy Parmesan Polenta, Homemade Brown Butter Rainbow Baby Heirloom Tomato Sauce, Crispy Pepperoni, a Drizzle of Gremolata Pesto, Burrata, + Fresh Basil

Okay, so I promised a couple days ago to feature a recipe that uses my favorite go-to Homemade Brown Butter Rainbow Baby Heirloom Tomato Sauce as a main component. And well, I think y'all are gonna really love this one because we sure did! Now the whole concept of this dish is to make a hearty bowl of polenta that tastes like a slice of fancy pizza. It starts with a big ole serving of my creamy parmesan polenta. This polenta is so versatile that you can eat it at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. We make it at least once a week, it's that good. Anyway, on top of that dreamy porridge pillow comes a few ladles of that tomato sauce I've been raving about lately. The sauce has that perfect bite of acidity and sweetness that the tomato lends to the meal as a whole. Then comes the crispy pepperoni, which has texture. Now, I don't want y'all to go out and buy slices of pepperoni and just throw it on there because that just won't do. Go to the store, grab a log of pepperoni, and cut it into thick cubes, toss it into a skillet with a little bit of butter, and crisp it up until it has a gorgeous char to it. Next, I came up with a little mash-up of what I like to call "Gremolata Pesto", which is just mix of all of the ingredients from a traditional gremolata and a classic pesto. I have always loved the lemon zest that goes in a gremolata, it brings such brightness to any dish to put it on. And this condiment does just that in such a considerably rich recipe. I can't wait to drizzle it on my next homemade pizza or over some spaghetti + meatballs. Lastly and most importantly, like any good piece of pizza, you need some good mozzarella. Now, not any kind of mozzarella would do, so I quickly grabbed some Burrata while I was at the store. When you plop one of those ever-so-creamy Burrata balls into the center of the piping hot parmesan polenta and tomato sauce, the heat begins to melt the thin layer of cheese on the outside and the heavenly filling will begin to ooze out into the bowl. You meet heaven, heaven greets you and welcomes you inside, you can die happy now, rest assured. Garnish the dish with some fresh basil and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes, and this bad boy is ready to go. I know y'all will enjoy this bowl of goodness just as much as we did!! Enjoy :)

Oh you know you want a bite of this...

For the Parmesan Polenta:

4C Unsalted Chicken Stock (Homemade or Store-Bought)

2 Large Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1C Stone-Ground Cornmeal

1T Kosher Salt + 1t Fresh Cracked Pepper

1C Freshly Grated Parmesan

4oz Creamy Fontina Cheese, Shredded

¼C Crème Fraiche or Sour Cream

4T Unsalted Butter

¼-½C Heavy Cream or Milk (to thin it out to your desired thickness)

For the Gremolata Pesto:

1 Small Bunch of Fresh Parsley

1 Small Bunch of Fresh Basil

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced into a Paste (with a little fleur de sel)

2 Organic Lemons, Zested

½C Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

½C Walnuts, Finely Minced

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

½C EVOO

1T White Balsamic Reduction (honey may be substituted)

For the Pizza Polenta:

Prepared Parmesan Polenta

1 Batch of Homemade Brown Butter Baby Heirloom Tomato Sauce, Warm

8oz Pepperoni, Cut into Cubes & Cooked until Crispy

Prepared Gremolata Pesto, For Drizzling

Balls of Burrata

Fresh Basil, For Garnishing

Red Pepper Flakes, For Sprinkling

Directions:

1. For the Parmesan Polenta: In a large pot, pour in the chicken stock and add in the minced garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until the stock comes to a boil. Reduce to heat to medium-low and very slowly whisk in the cornmeal, whisking constantly to make sure there are no lumps. Switch to a wooden spoon and add in kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Simmer, while stirring constantly, for 10-12 minutes or until they are thick. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan thoroughly while you’re stirring. Move the pan off the heat and mix in the freshly grated Parmesan, shredded fontina cheese, crème fraiche, butter, and fresh herbs. If this mixture becomes to thick (either by overcooking and allowing it to sit too long), stir in some of the heavy cream/milk to loosen it again. Taste for seasonings and serve it immediately.

2. For the Gremolata Pesto: Finely mince the basil, parsley, garlic, and walnuts and place into a small mixing bowl. Using a Microplane, grate the Parmesan cheese and lemon zest in next. Stir in the olive oil and white balsamic reduction. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set it aside until you are ready to drizzle it on top of the dish.

3. In a small sauté pan, heat 1T of butter over medium-low heat. Add in the pepperoni and brown them until they are beginning to crisp up on the outside. This will take about 5-10 minutes. While the pepperoni is cooking, heat up a batch of your homemade Brown Butter Baby Heirloom Tomato Sauce in a small pot.

4. Assembling the Dish: Ladle in a few scoops of the Parmesan Polenta into a serving bowl, followed by some of the tomato sauce, burrata, some of the crispy pepperoni, a drizzle of Gremolata Pesto, chiffonade basil, and red pepper flakes. Serve while the dish is still piping hot!

"Easy Peasy" Pizzadilla with Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Double Flour Tortilla, Homemade Brown Butter Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella, Grated Parmesan, Pepperoni, Italian Herbs, + Balsamic Reduction

"Easy Peasy" Pizzadilla with Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Double Flour Tortilla, Homemade Brown
Butter Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella, Grated Parmesan, Pepperoni, Italian Herbs, + Balsamic Reduction 

Raise your hand if you hate me or are mad at me. Seriously, do it. You can't see me now, but my hand is high up to the sky because I'm ashamed I left you high and dry over the last year. I think I posted less recipes in an entire year than I used to in an entire month, and I promise I'm going to change that. It has been a difficult year to say the least, one day my world was completely normal, and then I woke up and my world came crashing down. I struggled, I struggled a lot. I don't quite think struggle actually depicts on how depressed and sad I have been. Thank god for my amazing husband and the unbreakable friendships with my best friends because I was surely losing my sanity every hour that passed by. So, 2015 was a learning experience to say the least, but I think that it has made me a stronger person in the long run. I never thought in a million years that my mid-life crisis would occur at age 25, but hey, maybe that means I just got mine out of the way before everyone else goes through it. However, I do not want to make this blog post sad or kind of a drag, so the second the clock his midnight on New Years Eve, my year of hell was over. I was ready to begin the next chapter of my life and put my energy into what I love doing, starting a family, and experiencing as much as I can. So here is a list of my resolutions for 2016...

1. Be a better blogger
2. Learn how to make cute embroidery hoops
3. Bake more; Cook more
4. Try to let go of the bitterness and move onto the next chapter of my life
5. Learn how to control my stress and anxiety
6. Show how much I love my husband every single day
7. Begin a healthy lifestyle and feature some healthy recipes on the blog
8. Never EVER take my best friends for granted. They keep me sane and have been there for me during the worst year of my life. They are my family.
9. Do whatever I can to help my father through this difficult time 
10. Become a “half glass full” kind of girl AND stay positive no matter what!

The University of Alabama won the National Championship... ROLL TIDE!

With his hand in mine, I feel like the luckiest girl alive.

Meet Hercules: our brand spankin' new Blue Merle Great Dane puppy who sports an
Alabama themed bow tie on game days! How handsome is he??

fratty daddy + flower child

At the Farmer's Market with our doggie version of Biggie-Smalls

At our one year anniversary dinner party with our closest friends
celebrating where we got married, JCT Kitchen + Bar

We love our Dirty Birds!

Our wedding anniversary Celebration... fit with an amazing floral crown!

My Whole Damn Fam... Hercules, Cleetus, Eloise, + I

Okay, so now that we've caught up a little, it's finally time to move onto the first recipe post of the year, yippee!! There's a funny story behind this and it has to involve my diva of a niece, Miss Mollywood, as I like to call her because it's her world and we're all just living in it. When my husband and I babysit her, she always requests a pizza on a flour tortilla with tomato sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. I had never heard of the concoction, but I figured if she loves them that much, then heck I should make a grown-up version. And I trust her advice because she's 4 going on 30. I started off by making my famous brown butter-fresh tomato sauce (which I will post the recipe for that tomorrow, just in case you want to make it... if not grab a your favorite jar of sauce from the store). You can buy any kind of tortilla... I use super soft flour tortillas, but surely you can make it healthy by getting whole wheat, low-carb, or gluten free! Now, moving onto the cheese, I use three different types. The first is a homemade herbed ricotta cheese that I spread on top of the bottom tortilla "crust", and then I press the second tortilla onto the ricotta, so that they stay together. Warm up a big enough skillet to low-to-medium heat and place a few tablespoons of butter in the pan until they have melted. Continue assembling the "Pizzadilla" by spreading on a few generous spoonfuls of the brown butter tomato sauce, making sure to leave an edge for a crispy crust. Generously sprinkle about 1-2 handfuls of shredded mozzarella and as much freshly grated Parmesan, as you want. But hey, the more cheese, the better... right? Spice up the pizzadilla with Italian herbs, such as dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flake, kosher salt, + fresh cracked pepper. Just a little dab of each will do ya, so it's up to you how much you use! As for the toppings, this is way you can go crazy... add ANYTHING you want :) I had pepperoni on hand and it was just a great pizza alternative with a classic pizza topping. Place the assembled pizzadilla into the skillet of the melted butter and slowly let the bottom tortilla to turn perfectly golden brown and crispy. Don't keep it on there to long because you don't want a burnt pizzadilla, y'all. You just don't. I think I kept it on there for about 5 minutes, but just keep checking occasionally until the desired crust color has been reached (and don't worry about getting the whole p'dilla done in the skillet). After your crust in perfect, slide the p'dilla onto a baking sheet, lined with a Silpat, and place it in the oven. Turn your broiler on and watch it carefully, like really, don't leave its side. You will want your cheese melted, your pepperoni slightly crisping up, and an outside crunchy ring of tortilla "crust". Remove it from the oven and slide it onto a cutting board. I recommend letting it sit for a few minutes, so that when you cut it into slices, none of the cheese oozes out and the pepperoni doesn't slide off. Finish it all off by slicing it into triangle pizza wedges and add a healthy drizzle of yummy balsamic reduction for a little bit of sweetness! I hope y'all enjoy this easy peasy recipe, y'all! I know my niece and I sure do! Enjoy :)

For the Herbed Ricotta Cheesy Yum:

8oz Whole Milk Ricotta, Strained for Excess Water

½C Freshly Grated Parmesan

¼-½C Fresh Mixed Herbs, Minced (do this to taste; we used basil, oregano, parsley, & chives)

Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste

For the Pizzadillas:

2T Unsalted Butter

2 10-inch Super Soft Tortillas

Prepared Herbed Ricotta Cheesy Yum (to your liking)

¼C Homemade Brown Butter Tomato Sauce

½-1C Shredded Mozzarella (to your liking)

Freshly Grated Parmesan (to your liking)

10-15 Slices of Pepperoni

A Sprinkling of Dried Oregano, Dried Basil, & Red Pepper Flakes

Pinch of Kosher Salt + Fresh Cracked Pepper

Homemade or Store-bought Balsamic Reduction, For Drizzling

Directions:

1. Assembling the Pizzadilla: Place one super soft flour tortilla on a cutting board and spread on some of the herbed ricotta cheesy yum on top, following this step, press a second tortilla onto the ricotta until they have completely adhered to one another. Next, spoon on some of the brown butter tomato sauce on top of the second tortilla, making sure to leave an edge in order to achieve a crispy outer crust. Mound a big ‘ole pile of mozzarella cheese all over the tomato sauce until it is covered, and then freshly grate some parmesan to finish it off. Don’t forget those slices of pepperoni, so make sure squeeze as many of those as you can onto the pizzadilla. Lastly, sprinkle the top of the assembled pizzadilla with the dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper.

2. Crisping the Tortilla: Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add in the unsalted butter and let it melt completely. Place the pizzadilla into the pan and cook it until the bottom tortilla is golden brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Watch this carefully by checking the bottom of the tortilla “crust” with a spatula… trust me, you do not want a ruined, burnt pizzadilla.

3. Preheat your oven to broil and slide the pizzadilla out of the skillet and onto a Silpat lined baking sheet. Once the oven is up to the correct temperature, it’s time to put the pizzadilla in to finish cooking.

4. Finishing the Pizzadilla: Broil the pizzadilla until the cheese has completely melted, the pepperoni has started to slightly crisp up, and the outside tortilla “crust” has reached a delightful golden brown color and is crunchy in texture. Do not leave the oven while this is broiling because it can burn quite quickly, so stay there and watch until it is perfectly done. Remove the pizzadilla from the oven and put it on a cutting board. Let the pizzadilla cool for a few minutes, just to ensure that the cheese doesn’t ooze out and the toppings don’t slide off. After cooling, cut the pizzadilla into triangle-like slices. Drizzle the top with some balsamic reduction for a touch of sweetness and devour immediately.