BBQ Chicken Pizza by Kayla

Last night I decided to experiment, and it was a success! Enjoy my BBQ chicken, red onion, mushroom and cilantro pizza!

You will need:

• A pizza crust. I bought a pre-made Boboli Pizza crust for convenience, but you can use whatever kind of crust you like. (They also make a thin crust version.) 
• BBQ sauce (I used and highly recommend Hutches brand Hot BBQ sauce) 
• Shredded Mexican cheese blend
• Red onion
• Sliced mushrooms
• Fresh cilantro
• 1 chicken breast (completely thawed for easy cutting)

Prep instructions:

1. Start heating your oven so it's ready by the time you are done prepping. (Boboli was 425 deg, but follow instructions for whatever crust you are using.)
2. Cut your chicken breast into small chunks. To do this, I cut the chicken long ways, then in half again to make two long pieces and then cut strips into small pieces.
3. After cutting up the whole chicken breast into pieces, place in a pan with a little bit of water (about 1/4 cup. Just a little bit of water is needed to cook the chicken and keep it moist.) When the chicken is done, add some BBQ sauce to coat the chicken.
4. To cook your mushrooms, you can use the same pan as the chicken. (after you have put the chicken onto the pizza. Don't cook the chicken and mushrooms together.) I used white mushrooms in the bag, but you can use any kind of mushrooms you like. I put about half of the bag into the pan with some BBQ sauce to coat them while cooking. Cook until mushrooms are tender, but still a little firm. (they will cook in the oven also.)
5. Cut your red onion into thin slices, then into quarters to give you long thin pieces.
6. Cut your fresh cilantro. Give it a few rough chops to break it up.

To assemble the pizza: 

• Spread a layer of BBQ sauce on the crust
• Sprinkle a generous layer of the Mexican cheese blend over the BBQ sauce
• Place chicken pieces on top of the cheese layer
• Add red onion to your liking (more or less onions)
• Add your sauteed mushrooms
• Sprinkle a thin layer of more cheese on top (This will help keep everything in place)
• Cook in oven approx 10-12 minutes, or until crust is brown and cheese is melted.
• Once you take the pizza out of the oven to cool, sprinkle fresh cilantro on top.

Your pizza is ready to eat! *Nom nom nom* :)

Savory Sausage Tart

Deviled eggs, Veggie tray, Cheese and cracker tray, all are good appetizers for any event. But my new favorite appetizer came from Rachel's mom, Lynne at our Easter Dinner! 

Now, when I first heard "Sausage tart", I have to admit that I was a little turned off...but figured, "I love sausage, so I'll try it". And I am so thankful I did! It was sooooo AMAZING! I'm definitely making this for our next gathering. It's different and delicious! Try for yourself!! Seriously, try it!

Thanks again, Lynne!

You will need:

1 Box of Refrigerated Prepared Pillsbury Pie Crust (comes with 2 crusts), allowed to come to room temperature

1 large yellow onion (finely sliced into long slivers)

1/2 Stick Butter

1/4 to 1/3 Cup Soy Vay Teriyaki Sauce/Marinade (or Trader Joe's Soyaki Teriyaki Sauce/Marinade)

1 Package Maple or Brown Sugar & Honey Breakfast Sausage (links or ground sausage), thawed, crumbled or diced

1 Tub of Rondele or Alouette Garlic Herb Cream Cheese Spread

Shredded Parmesan Cheese (about 1 & 1/2 cups)

Garlic Flavored Olive Oil (About 2 Tbsp.)

Dried or Fresh Rosemary (About 2 Tsp.)

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

 

In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium to medium-high heat, then add the slivered onions when the butter begins to sizzle.  Cook until the onions become translucent.  Add the Teriyaki Sauce, mixing the sauce and onions thoroughly.  The sauce should bubble and start to evaporate a bit.  You want the onions to "caramelize" but you don't want them to be soggy.  Transfer the caramelized onions to a medium-sized mixing bowl.

 

Using the same frying pan (do not rinse it out or wash it), brown the sausage over medium heat until thoroughly cooked.  Drain off any fat.  Add the cooked sausage to the caramelized onions and mix well.

 

Spray a round cooking pan (such as a pizza stone or pizza pan) with non-stick cooking spray.  Unfold one of the pie crusts and lay it on the center of the sprayed pan. Spread enough garlic herb cream cheese on the pie crust to completely cover the crust (not too thick, but don't make too thin, either).  Next, distribute the sausage-onion mixture evenly over the garlic herb cream cheese layer.  Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese on top of the sausage-onion layer (saving a little bit for the top crust).  Unfold and place the remaining pie crust over the top of the tart.  Fold the bottom crust edges together with the top crust edges to seal the tart, then press the edges together with the tips of a fork to make ridges in the crust.  Brush top crust with the garlic flavored olive oil, completely coating the crust from edge to edge.  Sprinkle the dried Rosemary evenly over the tart, then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.  

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes.