Personal Pan Chicken Pesto Pizzas

I love kitchen gadgets and am always seduced into buying them. Most of the time over the years I have gotten them guilt free by buying them at garage sales. I love garage sales! I can usually justify the purchase of kitchen collectibles reasoning that "it is really cheap entertainment" first of all "shopping" and then putting these finds to good use. Some of the time I use the item once or twice and never get in the habit of using it. Such as the Microwave Waffle Maker. Only 75cents and if I only use it once oh well. Well, I only used it once. And then there is the donut maker...used once and the spaetzel maker...never used. But this little appliance is different. I do use it occasionally. It is good for one person cooking, so if you cook for one this may be a valuable tool in your kitchen. It is the Express, Ready, Set, Go. I am sure you have seen the infomercials. They are seductive...just like the Easy Bake Oven commercials when I was a kid. This I did buy new as I couldn't find any used ones out yet that came with all the accessories which of course I had to have. Here is a recipe that I make in it. You could bake these in the oven and make more than one at a time and they would be just as good. But, I use my little appliance making only one for myself for lunch when I am home alone just to get past the guilt!

Personal Pan Chicken Pesto Pizza


1 gyro bread or pita
2 T. Spinach Pesto
2 T. leftover cooked broccoli
2 T. chopped roasted red pepper
2-3 T. chopped cooked leftover chicken
1 slice provolone or shredded mozzarella

Preheat your Ready Set Go for about 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, spread pesto on bread; top with broccoli, pepper, chicken and top with cheese.  Spray inside of appliance and set pizza in.  Cover and cook 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted and golden.  If making these in the oven, bake at 350 degrees about 10 minutes.

Sunday Pizza

When I was growing up, our family had pizza night every Sunday.  Back then it was quite a treat for us kids.  We only had frozen pizza, not homemade, but we loved it.  Sundays were the only time we ever had it.  Sundays were Mom's day off from her work in the kitchen.  All the rest of the week Mom made all our food from scratch.  She made all our breads, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls,(she had a knack for yeast breads) Every meal was pretty much homemade.  When she and Dad would go to a wedding or just out for the night she would treat us with t.v. dinners or frozen pot pies which we thought were the best.  We looked forward to these rare meals because we didn't get them too often. I have carried the tradition of Sunday "pizza night" down to our family as well.  We make the pizza, put in a movie and eat while watching t.v.  It is the only time we eat in front of the t.v.  All other meals are eaten at the table together as a family.  Here is a recipe I use when I make homemade pizza. The dough for the crust I make in my bread machine.

Pizza Crust:

1 1/4 c. warm water
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 T. soy flour (optional)
2 T. ground flaxseed
2 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 c. olive oil
2 envelopes active dry yeast

Put in bread machine pan in order given.  Make on dough cycle.  When cycle is done, punch down dough and let rest 10 minutes.  Roll out and place into oiled jelly roll pan, pulling and stretching to edge of pan and up sides.  Let rest in pan 15 minutes, until slightly puffy.  Bake in pre-heated 375 degree oven 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned.  Spread sauce onto hot crust; then top with desired pizza toppings.  Bake an additional 12-20 minutes till cheese is bubbly and browned.


Pizza Sauce


1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. Italian seasoning
1 T. oregano
6 oz. tomato paste
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
7 oz. water
2 T. burgundy wine
1 t. salt
1-2 t. sugar

Saute onion 2-3 minutes; add garlic and saute 2 minutes more.  Add remaining ingredients; cook 35 minutes more.  Top pizza with desired amount of sauce and cool and refrigerate or freeze remaining sauce.

Add pizza toppings.  Choose your favorites.  We like diced 99% fat-free ham, fresh mushrooms, red onions, black olives and 2 c. mozzarella cheese.