Wingin' It with Flat Pizzas

I remember when I first moved into my house, I was so excited to do all sorts of dazzling landscaping. Of course, when it came time to actually start, I was completely lost and overwhelmed. I asked friends, family, even strangers at the garden nursery, for guidance on how to choose plants that grow well together and compliment one another. They all tried to help, but the general consensus was, "Have fun with it and figure it out as you go - kind of like trial and error". My Dad recommended several books that "map it all out for you and makes it as easy as can be", but still, I often found myself staring blankly into the dirt - numb with confusion. BUT, as the years went by, I realized every one of them had been right. It takes time, practice, patience, and creativity to know how to mix things together to create beauty in the garden.

The same holds true in the kitchen. People want step by step directions with precise measurements and exact ingredients to help guide them through a recipe, but if they just perked up and paid attention when they ate their food, they would find themselves becoming aware of how many different foods, spices, and flavors create magic together. Think back to the last fabulous meal you experienced at a restaurant. Remember all the different flavors they used to excite and please your palate? Well, YOU can reproduce that same tantalizing flavor in your own kitchen using the same ingredients and flavors. It might take a few tries to make it spectacular, but all the rough drafts are sure to be tasty too. Or not...

Today, we're going to create several pizzas with no rules - just the way I like it. I'm going to give you ingredients to consider and spices to try, but it's up to you to throw it all together using your own imagination and create your own personal style of pizza.

Ezekiel Flat Pizzas

First off, you can use any tortilla you want, but Ezekiel Tortillas are the healthiest and their flavor and texture are perfect for these pizzas. You can find these tortillas in the freezer health section of most of your regular grocery stores.

For the pizza down below, I chose Red Onion and Sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms. I tossed them in my wok ( you can use a skillet ) with a little Olive Oil, Salt, Cracked Pepper, and a sprinkle of Garam Masala. While those were softening over the heat, I chose to cover the tortilla with thin slices of Havarti cheese. Then, I covered the cheese with the onions and mushrooms and sprinkled a dusting of Asiago cheese on top. I placed it in a 400 degree oven and waited a few minutes for the tortilla to crisp up and the cheese to melt. It was Deelish.

For this pizza, I chopped up a Yellow Quash, Green Zucchini, Red Pepper, and Red Onion. I tossed them around in a wok over medium heat, with some Olive Oil, Basil, Oregano, Salt, Pepper, and a dash of Chili Pepper. I had just a little shredded Chicken left in the fridge, so he sort of crashed the vegetarian party - oh well - gotta have some protein at every meal anyhow, and then laid this over some Muenster Cheese, I think. Before I tossed it in the oven, I decided to toss a few Spinach leaves on just for fun. It had marvelous flavor.

And for my last trick, pictured at the top, I decided to use the Smoked Chitpotle Peppers my Dad ordered from the health food co-op and shared with me. He uses them on his own homemade pizzas and they are fabulous! I chopped up the "Chittle-Pole" Peppers - as my Dad calls them - and threw them in a skillet with some Ground Beef, Red Onions, and Italian Seasonings. I decided to cover one half of the tortilla with Havarti Cheese - because I'm on a Harvati kick lately - and the other half with Sharp Cheddar, because it's so intense. Then I layed the Ground Beef and some Orange Peppers that I had lightly sauteed with Red Onions on top the cheese and popped it in the oven.

Ouch! This pizza was a little zippy with that Chittle-Pole pepper in there - he's a real firecracker of flavor!

I know, I know, you've got to run - gotta get to the store and buy yourself some Ekekial Tortillas and create your own Flavor-Filled Flat Pizzas.

Have Fun!

Coming Soon... Tips On Making The Perfect Pancake From The One and Only "Pancake Master"...Jen!