Tuesday, April 16, 2013

TORTILLA PIZZAS Great summer dinner!


Summer is coming and I am always looking for easy and healthy dinners. We love pizza but have yet to find a really great local pizza place. I wanted to make a recipe that was easy to prepare and fast to cook because having the oven on in the summer is brutal! Some of the best pizza I ever ate was in New York. The thinnest crust combined with the freshest ingredients cooked quickly in a wood fired oven. Mmm, delicious! We always fought over who was going to get the piece with the bubble! 




I went to Aldis supermarket and found a family pack of 20 flour tortillas the perfect size for a personal pizza for only 99 cents! What a bargain, making each pizza crust less than 5 cents each. If you don't have an Aldis near, you can always find flour tortillas at any local market. I know they also have them in different flavors such as tomato basil, garlic or even whole wheat. 

BBQ CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIZZA
This is great for kids to make or when having friends over for game night. I chop up all my toppings ahead of time and everyone can make there own. My favorite is BBQ chicken pizza with mushrooms. Jess loves the 3 cheese tomato basil pizza with basil picked fresh from our herb garden. To make our pizza we start with a cookie sheet sprayed lightly with pam to ensure a crispy crust. Lay the tortilla on the pan and cover it with very thinly sliced tomatos. Using pizza sauce would be considered a sin in our family! I season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, italian seasoning and some garlic powder. Then add any toppings that you would like but I always finish with some hand grated parmesan. Bake in a preheated 500 degree oven for 6-7 minutes. I know 500 degrees seems high but its the only way to get the pizza crisp and bubbly like pizza parlors do. 

TOMATO BASIL CHEESE PIZZA
Everyone loves these personal pizza's! They are super healthy for you and your family. Use ingredients that are in season and find what is on sale to make new topping combinations. If you have everything already chopped ahead of time, dinner can be ready in under 15 minutes including preheating the oven. Add a tossed salad for a more complete meal if you would like. 

TIP: As much as I love fresh whole milk mozzarella it has too much water to use in this preparation. Try finding a healthy low moisture, part skim cheese and your pizza will be crispy and fabulous! Bon Appetit...