Fajita Pizza

Happy Leap year Everyone! I have always wondered about those leap year babies. What do they do? Do they celebrate their birthdays on the 28th of February every year? I guess that is what I would do because no one should go an entire year without a birthday celebration in their honor. Right? And so I digress, back to the za.

I love fajitas! I would probably say that is my go-to order at any Mexican restaurant. They come out piping hot, sizzling on the skillet and make such a spectacle that usually other restaurant goers will turn around to get a glimpse of whatever is causing such a scene. So as I sat at the grocery store last weekend, I thought to myself that I wanted to make a pizza and why not throw my favorite Mexican dish on top - fajitas. So here she is people, the fajita pizza!

You Will Need:

• 2/3 cup red pepper, diced
• 1/3 cup yellow onion, diced
• 1 ball pizza dough (white or wheat)
• 1/3 cup yellow corn
• 1 1/4 cups pizza sauce
• 1/2 bag of mozzarella cheese (12 oz bag)
• 1/3 diced cooked chicken
• 1/4 cup black beans
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F
• Roll out dough to desired thickness using your hands or a rolling pin if you have one
• Rub pizza stone with olive oil and place dough on pizza stone or baking sheet
• Top dough with pizza sauce, cheeses and vegetables
• Bake for 10-12 minutes on top rack, or until golden brown

Makes 8 Slices
Happy Feasting!

Cream of Tomato Soup

I know what you are thinking. It is 90 plus degrees outside and I am making a hot soup! What the hell? Well, this recipe calls for fresh, ripe tomatoes and there is no better time than now to hit up your local famers markets or grocery stores before it is too late. This is a great soup that you can make on a lazy Sunday (because it does take about an hour) and freeze for later. It will be quite the pleasant suprise when you open your freezer this Fall and have this tasty, comforting soup to pair with an amazing grilled cheese.

Source: Barefoot Contessa

You Will Need:

• 3 Tbsp good olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)
• 2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Fresh basil, for serving

Here We Go:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat
• Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute
• Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well
• Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender
• Add the cream to the soup and process it through a blender or food processor and empty contents back into pot
• Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves

Serves 6
Happy Feasting!

Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

The tangy BBQ sauce coupled with the chunks of pineapple makes for the perfect bbq chicken recipe. This is my last post until my husband and I get back from our Europe trip. We leave bright and early tomorrow morning for Spain, Italy and France. I will be back at the computer once we return ready to share some of the great eats that we find. Until then, happy feasting!

Source: EatLiveRun (Originally from My Retro Kitchen)

You Will Need:

• 1 bottle BBQ Sauce of your choice
• 3 lbs boneless chicken breast, thighs or a combo of the two
• 1 large onion, sliced into chunks
• 1 can pineapple chunks
• Hamburger buns for serving

Here We Go:

• Place your chicken in the bottom of the crock-pot
• Top with onions, then pineapple
• Pour entire bottle of BBQ sauce over chicken, onions and pineapple
• Turn your crock-pot on LOW and cook for 8-10 hours (or on HIGH for 4-6)
• An hour or two before it is finished cooking, carefully remove the chicken from the crock-pot and shred it using two forks
• Place chicken back in the crock-pot and stir well to combine
• Finish cooking an additional hour or two so the chicken can absorb most of the sauce
• Serve on hamburger buns and top with coleslaw if desired