Hip Pizza Party – No Cooking Required! June 20, 2008

 

You can still host a great get-together even if cooking isn’t your idea of a good time.  By ordering some gourmet pizzas you can save yourself from cooking and still please the crowd.  Here are some tips for hosting a hip pizza party.

 

If you can find a place with wood burning or brick ovens order your pizza there.  Their pizzas will generally have a crispy, thin crust with lots of flavor.  Another option is to order from a pizza place that offers lots of different toppings so you can create your own flavor combinations. 

 

A few of my favorite combinations are:

• Goat cheese, spinach and sun-dried tomato
• Portabella mushroom, sausage and spinach
• White pizza (garlic and olive oil base) with fresh tomatoes and basil
• White pizza with arugula, figs and goat cheese
• Spinach, roasted red pepper, black olive and feta cheese
• Pesto pizza with grilled chicken and fresh tomatoes
• BBQ sauce base with grilled chicken, red onion, bacon and jack cheese

 

If you are ordering from a basic pizza place that doesn’t have an extensive topping selection, pick up a bunch of fresh basil and sprinkle chopped or torn basil over a traditional margarita pizza to add a dash of fresh flavor and bright color. 

 

A few presentation ideas:  serve pizza on a wooden pizza peel, a large cutting board, or a plain cake stand. 

 

To round out the meal, serve pizza with a simple salad with homemade vinaigrette (balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, fresh basil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice). 

 

Sliced tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella drizzled with olive oil would be a good appetizer. 

 

Dessert can be anything from tiramisu or gelato (for an Italian-inspired theme) to a seasonal fruit pie (to stick with the pizza “pie” theme).

 

Pick up a few menus on your way home tonight and invite some people over.  You don’t even need to turn on the oven!

Black Bean Pizza February 26, 2008

Tired of braving the cold to meet up with friends for dinner?  Rather than hibernating, invite a few friends over and serve this quick and delicious pizza.  The spicy salsa will warm you up, and your friends will enjoy eating this healthy, protein-packed pizza in the comfort of your home.

Serve with a simple salad of torn romaine, cucumbers and grape tomatoes, topped with cilantro vinaigrette (olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lime juice, dijon mustard, garlic and fresh cilantro), to round out the meal.

Black Bean Pizza 

1 package refrigerated or frozen whole wheat pizza dough, defrosted*
1 8oz jar medium salsa (Newman’s Own is a good choice)
1 C. shredded chipotle cheddar cheese (Cabot brand) or pepper jack cheese
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbs. cornmeal (optional)

1.     Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray pizza stone with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil.  If you are using cornmeal sprinkle it on the pizza stone.  Stretch pizza dough to fit the pizza stone.   

2.     Top pizza dough with 1 jar salsa, spreading the salsa around the dough with the back of a spoon, leaving a 1/2 inch border for the crust.  Scatter the rinsed black beans over the salsa.  Top with shredded cheese. 

3.     Place the pizza on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the bottom of the crust is golden brown.   

4.     Remove from oven and let the pizza cool for 2-3 minutes.  Using a pizza cutter, slice into 8 pieces.

 

*Many grocery stores carry whole wheat pizza dough, including Wholefoods, Hannaford and Trader Joe’s.  You can substitute regular white dough, which is available at most grocery stores or at your local pizzeria.