Brussels Sprouts and Leek Pizza

Dear Turkey,

Golden and curly

Leeks and brussels sprouts topped with

Ricotta and parm

Magical Potato Pizza (and Salad)

Dear Turkey,

On the first bite you're

Not so sure, and then you have

Eaten three pieces

Brussels Sprouts and Lemon Pizza

Dear Turkey,

A different pizza

That lives up to being more

Than just a gimmick

Use Up Your Zucchini Pizza

Dear Turkey,

You'll be amazed by

How many zucchinis you

Will make disappear

Cauliflower Pizza

Dear Turkey,

Sometimes when things are

All over the internet

You have to try them

Post-Run Pizza Awesomeness

Dear Turkey,

You ran ten miles:

Put this in the oven and

Go take a shower

Pesto Pizza

Dear Turkey,

This is a pizza

For those who don't like pizza

(And for those who do)

Polenta Pizza

Dear Turkey,

I invented this pizza yesterday, although I know that a google search would indicate that I am not the first inventor, or even the hundredth. I was still proud of myself.

This really tastes like a pizza, thanks to the toppings, but the polenta crust is crispy on the outside and surprisingly creamy in the middle. It's healthy and fast, and you don't feel like you just ate a whole pizza.

My Dream Pizza

Dear Turkey,

The following is a special message about how easy it is to make pizza:

1. You don't even have to make the dough.
2. You can use any toppings you want.
3. You don't have to make a big giant pizza and have to fit the rest in the fridge.
4. It only takes, like, 20 minutes.

When you're making a pizza for yourself, and/or hungry people, you can put anything on it that you want. This is my dream pizza. If you don't want your pizza to be an umami sensation, that's your prerogative.

Caramelized Shallot Focaccia

Dear Turkey,

I know that I post breads all the time, but this is one of the best breads that I've ever made. I also tagged it under "pizza" because you could definitely eat it as a meal. (I often use this dough to make pizza, and just roll it out a bit thinner.)

This focaccia is easy to make. It's sweet, salty, and umami. It's good left over (or out of the freezer). The bread part is also really hard to mess up, so if you're feeling intimidated by bread, this is a pretty foolproof way to impress people. Since that's what baking is all about.

Cast Iron Pizza

Dear Turkey,

Since I don't have a brick oven in my backyard that was built by a famous French mason (not to mention, my yard is covered in snow for many months out of the year), I love cast iron pizza. Cast iron pans are amazing, you don't have to wash them, they go in the oven, and iron is good for you (I just read that cooking with cast iron is a good way for toddlers to get enough of it).

I've made cast iron pizza before, but I didn't go into much detail (I was distracted by the M&Ms).

First, I want to say that there is no reason that you can't make pizza dough right before you want to have pizza. Yeah, it tastes really sophisticated if it's been in your fridge for a week, but there is also a direct relationship between age and difficulty to work with.

Here is the dough recipe that I used, adapted from King Arthur Flour:

Ingredients:

3 c flour
1 c warm water
2 t yeast
2 t salt
1 T oil
1 T sugar

Directions:

If you are in a hurry, combine the water, sugar, yeast, and oil and stir. Let stand for a minute or two. Then add the flour and salt and knead with your hands until it comes together, and then for another minute or two. Let it rise for as long as you can for a warm place (or, if it's going to be all day or longer, in the fridge, covered). I just let it rest uncovered in a 100-degree oven for 20 minutes or so.

I split the dough in two and stretched it into two disks, which I placed in the bottom of two WELL oiled and salted cold cast iron pans.

Second, if your mom is a tomato-pusher, this is a great way to use up some of the stuff she won't stop giving you (especially if it isn't quite fresh enough for a salad anymore). I topped my pizzas with caramelized (or sautéed if you're in a hurry) onions, arugula, tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, basil, garlic, fresh mozzarella, and shredded parmesan.

Now for the fun part: heat both of the pans on the stove for 3-5 minutes, or until you are so sure they are going to burn that you can't stand it anymore. Then, CAREFULLY put them in a 400 degree oven for 10-20 minutes more, until everything on top is brown.

Enjoy.

- Tofu

.