Butternut Squash and Gorgonzola Pizza

• Crust
• ¾ cup warm water
• 2½ teaspoon yeast
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoons salt
• 1½- 2 cups white whole wheat flour (or unbleached all purpose)
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• Topping
• 2 cups butternut squash puree
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 spring rosemary
• ½ cup blue cheese
• 3-4 ounces mozzarella cheese

1. In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, yeast, and honey- stir with a wooden spoon until yeast is dissolved. Let sit until yeast begins to activate, 5-10 minutes. Once yeast is ready, add in oil, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Turn your mixer on low with the dough hook on and let mix, scrapping down the sides as needed. From here on out, add 2-4 tablespoons of flour at a time, letting the dough mix for a bit until adding more flour. When the dough starts to come together, continue to let the mixer run for 1-2 minutes and adding more flour until your dough has pulled away from the sides of the mixer. Remove from the mixer and place in a warm spot. Brush with oil and let rise for 1 hour.
2. If needing to make butternut squash puree, slice a butternut squash in half, remove the seeds, and place cut side down in a roasting pan. Fill with a ¼” of water and roast butternut squash at 425˚ until tender, 40-50 minutes depending on size. Remove and scoop out the squash. Alternatively, peel and cube butternut squash. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add butternut squash. Boil until tender and mash. In a food processor, pulse garlic and rosemary until broken into small pieces. Add the butternut squash and puree until smooth.
3. Once your dough has double in size, preheat your oven to 500˚. Return to your dough and punch it down. Let rise for 20 more minutes. Roll the dough out onto a surface covered in cornmeal (I used a large wood cutting board put some of you may have a pizza peel.) Roll it out to the size of your pizza stone.
4. Spread the squash puree over the pizza dough and top with mozzarella cheese and blue cheese.
5. Carefully transfer pizza to the stone and bake until cheese is bubbling and crust is golden, 12-15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

**** You can substitute pre-made pizza crust/dough if you'd like *****

adapted from www.naturallyella.com

Potato and Rosemary Pizza

Potato Rosemary Garlic Pizza

1 pkg of pizza dough (I used the Garlic and Herb dough from Trader Joes)
1 large Yukon Gold potato, very thinly sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, slightly smashed but still intact
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Rosemary sprigs for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 F. Toss potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Arrange potatoes in one layer on a baking tray. Bake in oven until edges begin to turn golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Increase oven temperature to 475 F.

Lightly brush pizza crust with olive oil. Rub all over with smashed garlic cloves. Lightly sprinkle with salt. Arrange one layer mozzarella cheese over crust. Top with one layer of potatoes. Sprinkle with one tablespoon rosemary leaves over crust. Top with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

Bake on pizza stone or on a tray on lowest rack in oven until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh rosemary leaves and drizzle with more olive oil.

Mac and Cheese Lasagna

Mac and Cheese Lasagna

• 2 (7.5 oz) pkgs. of Kraft Thick and Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
• 1 lb. soy beef (or regular beef for the meat-eaters)
• 1 1/2 cups of spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese

1. Prepare the macaroni and cheese according to the package directions. I prepare it using half the amount of butter and use fat free milk to reduce the fat.
2. While the macaroni cooks heat the spaghetti sauce and soy beef and stir to combine.
3. In a 9x 13 or 11 x 7 dish, spread half of the meat mixture to cover the bottom of the pan.  Follow with a layer of half of the macaroni and cheese.  Repeat the layers with the remaining meat mixture and mac and cheese.
4. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the layers and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound soyrizo
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32-ounce) container vegetable broth
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 ounces broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 4 noodles)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick saucepot or Dutch oven. Add the soyrizo, onion, garlic, broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Add the noodles; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the noodles are tender, 10 – 12 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in mozzarella, basil, and the Parmesan.

Serves 4

Serving size- about 2 cups

White Pizza with Broccoli and Mushroom

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• 
  
• 2 tbs. coconut oil
• 6 oz. mushrooms, sliced (2 cups)
• 8 oz. broccoli florets (3 cups)
• 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, divided
• 1 13.8-oz. pkg. refrigerated whole wheat pizza dough (I get mine from Trader Joes)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place pizza stone or baking sheet in center of oven, and heat to 425°F.
2. Melt 1 1/2 tsp. coconut oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, and cook 4 to 7 minutes, or until beginning to brown, stirring frequently. Add broccoli and 1/3 cup water. Cover tightly, and steam broccoli in skillet 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/2 tbs. oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour, and cook 2 minutes, or until pale golden, stirring constantly. Stir in milk, garlic, and salt. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until mixture thickens and begins to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup mozzarella and 2 Tbs. Parmesan until sauce is smooth and cheese is melted.
4. Shape pizza dough according to package directions. Remove pizza stone from oven, and place dough on hot stone.
5. Spread white sauce over dough to within 1/2 inch of edge, and top with broccoli mixture. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over top. Return to oven, and bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until edges of pizza are golden and center is hot and bubbly. Cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Serves:  4
Serving size: 1 slice

Calories:  401
Fat: 11.3g
Carbs:  65.8g
Protein:  23.4g

***** SO good!  My husband even asked for seconds which is rare AND he said I could make it again for him to take to lunch.  That, my friends, is a dinner well made!!!

Caramelized Onion Tart

2 Tbs. Olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced (6 cups)
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 16-oz. ready-to-bake whole-wheat pizza dough
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated aged provolone cheese
20 green olives, halved

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onions, and sprinkle with salt, if desired.  Saute 5-7 minutes or until softened.  Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in thyme and pepper.   Cook 15 minutes more or until onions are browned and caramelized, stirring often.  Stir in vinegar and cook 5 minutes more.  Remove from heat.

2.  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Coat a 12-inch pizza pan or rectangular cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Press dough into 10-inch circle on pizza pan or sheet.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup provolone over dough.  Spread onions over top, then sprinkle with remaining cheese and olives.  Bake 20 minutes or until crust is golden.

Serves:  8 (1 slice) -  Serve with simple side salad

Calories:  287
Fat:  11g
Protein:  11g
Carbs:  37g

Tomato-Mozzarella Packets

1 16-oz. tube prepared polenta, cut into 16 slices
2 large tomatoes, each cut into 8 slices
16 green olives, halved, optional
4 tsp. garlic olive oil
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. dried Italian herbs
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 4 16-inch lengths of foil on work surface. Fold foil in half from short side. Unfold. Shape corners and edges of one half into semicircular “bowl” with 1/2-inch sides. Coat insides of foil with cooking spray.
2. Place 4 polenta slices, slightly overlapping, in each foil semicircle. Arrange 4 tomato slices over polenta. Scatter 8 olive halves (if using) over tomatoes. Drizzle each serving with 1 tsp. garlic olive oil and 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. Italian herbs; season with salt and pepper (if desired), and top with 1/4 cup mozzarella. Fold other half of foil over ingredients, and seal edges in overlapping folds until packets are sealed. Transfer to baking sheet, and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Remove baking sheet from oven, and transfer packets to serving plates. Let each person open packet slowly and carefully—escaping air will be hot. Garnish with basil.

Serves: 4
Serving size: One packet
Calories: 216
Fat: 9g
Protein: 11g
Carbs: 23g

***** (out of 5-star rating)

I made these for dinner- so good! They tasted like pizza when you combined everything. I will most definitely be making these again. They went over very well with the husband as well!