BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza

To reduce the prep time to about 10 minutes, use your favorite store-bought pizza dough—you’ll need about 3/4 pound. To vary the pizza, try it with different cheeses, or try adding thinly sliced red onion or chopped fresh cilantro.

Recipe Ingredients:

Pizza Dough:
2 tablespoons water, warm (115°F to 120°F)
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water, cool (65°F to 70°F)
1 teaspoon salt
Olive oil for the bowl

Toppings for Assembling Pizza:
6 ounces cooked pulled pork
1/4 cup barbecue sauce, purchased or homemade
1/2 cup shredded smoked Gouda, smoked mozzarella, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack cheese
3 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Cooking Directions:

1. For Pizza Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water and yeast and set aside 15 minutes (the mixture might not get foamy). Add the flour, cool water, and salt and mix with a dough hook attachment on medium-low speed for 4 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes then mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly sticky, about 3 minutes.
2. Lightly oil a medium bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turning it to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill the dough at least overnight, or up to 2 days.
4. Transfer the dough to a countertop and return it to room temperature, 1 to 2 hour.
5. To Assemble Pizza: Preheat an oven, along with a pizza stone if you have one, to 500°F (260°C).
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll or stretch the dough out to a 12 to 14-inch round. Transfer the dough to a pizza pan or a flour-or-cornmeal dusted pizza paddle.
7. Top with the barbecue sauce, cheese, pork, and green onions. Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake until golden and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes.
8. Cut into wedges and serve.

Cheese "Steak" Pizza

Almost as easy as having pizza delivered to your door—and no tipping the delivery person! A ready-made pizza crust, topped with familiar cheese steak sandwich fillings, makes a quick and easy main dish kids and adults alike will enjoy. Serve with a simple tossed green salad and a cool beverage for a complete meal.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, sliced thin, separated into rings
1 small green or red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) package thick pre-baked pizza crust (12-inch)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Brown ground beef in large nonstick skillet over medium heat 6 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper; cook until beef is not pink and vegetables are crisp-tender, breaking beef up into small crumbles. Pour off drippings; season with salt and pepper.
2. Place pizza crust on baking sheet. Top with beef mixture, then cheese. Bake in 400°F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Pizza Di Napoli

This Neapolitan delight is simple, yet offers a perfect marriage of flavors with pesto, plum tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, ripe olives and fresh oregano leaves.

Recipe Ingredients:

3 tablespoons pesto sauce
1 (12-inch) pre-baked pizza crust
3 plum tomatoes, sliced
1 (4-ounce) ball Wisconsin Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, thinly sliced
1/3 cup pitted ripe olive slivers
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Place the pizza crust on a cookie sheet.
2. Spread pesto evenly over pizza crust. Top with tomato slices, mozzarella cheese and olives.
3. Bake for 8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with oregano.

Makes 4 servings.

Variations:

• Pizza Primavera: Omit the pesto, tomatoes, olives and oregano. Spread crust with 1/4 cup commercial Alfredo sauce; top with 1 cup yellow summer squash slices, 1/4 cup thawed frozen peas, 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, julienne cut, and cheese. Bake as directed. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil leaves.
• Tri-Pepper Pizza: Omit the pesto, tomatoes and olives. Top crust with 1/2 cup each: yellow, red, and orange or green bell pepper strips and 1/4 cup red onion slivers. Dot with 1/2 cup chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes. Top with cubed or diced Mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup grated Wisconsin Asiago cheese. Bake as directed; sprinkle with oregano.