Pizza Party

Cauliflower Pizza Crust!

(First things first, I did not get the idea from Pinterest. Give me more credit than that!)

I was actually inspired to try a cauliflower pizza after reading a book about eliminating wheat from the diet. Some believe wheat is controversial in its role in nutrition-related disease and weight gain... but you know what's never controversial? Vegetables! Thank goodness... because there are too many to try and they are just too delicious. Now in pizza crust-form!

You would never know I'm vegetables on top of vegetables.

I've made this pizza multiple times over this past winter, and loved it every time. Most recently, I made it with my friend Karen and my mom when she visited last month. Believe it or not, this sheet pan fed 4 people. There were zero pieces leftover. Who cares?! Eat as much as you like... it's almost all veggies!

 

Cauliflower-Crust Pizza

Steam 1 head cauliflower until soft. Mash it up. Add 1 egg, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella or Italian cheese blend (I use part-skim). Spread into a greased, 8-in square pan and bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

*Note* Go big. Use 2 heads cauliflower, 2 eggs, plus the oil and cheese and spread in a 9x13 or slightly larger sheet pan to feed a few more.

When the crust has set after baking, top with your favorite toppings. Our family classic includes sauteed onions directly on the crust before covering with marinara sauce. (I'm so glad I was with Karen... she whipped up her own pizza sauce in minutes with canned tomatoes from last year's garden bounty. Otherwise I just use any good jarred sauce.) So far we've got onions, then sauce, ok, now shredded cheese. Sauteed spinach, mushrooms, and red bell pepper. Cover those veggies with a dusting of Parmesan, black pepper, dried basil, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or so, until cheese browns and bubbles... as seen here!

Smitten by cauliflower

This is more of a knife-and-fork pizza... but I am telling you, the crust has GREAT flavor, even if you can't hold it in your hand. It is still delicious reheated, which I love as a post-run late breakfast on the weekend.

 

Shake up your pizza routine and give cauliflower a chance!

 

The Best Christmas Cookie You Aren't Baking

The cookie swap is a cool new thing to do with a bunch of ladies. Everyone brings a ton of cookies and their recipes to a party, and then you divide up the cookies amongst yourselves! And you go home with even MORE cookies than you brought (miracle), and you eat them uncontrollably for days, putting yourself in a prolonged state of hyperglycemia! (Nutrition term for... back away from the cookies.)

Anyway... there were PLENTY of fantastic cookies to choose from (and I did, multiple times). Here were some of my favorites:

• Peppermint Bark Chocolate Chip
• No-Bake Oatmeal PB Chocolate
• Chewy Molasses Crinkles
• Snickerdoodles
• Classic Sugar
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (NOT Buckeyes)
• Chocolate Mint
• Oatmeal M&M
• Pretzel Snaps with a Hershey's Kiss and an M&M (especially addicting)

 The cookies I baked for the swap are a recent favorite in my family. We love them for three reasons:

1. They only take about 30 minutes, start-to-finish.
2. They are SO DELICIOUS!!!
3. They are wheat-free... for the glutard in your life- love ya Mom!

 So do something wonderful for you and your loved ones this holiday season... bake Flourless Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies (affectionately known as Peanut Butter Bombs). You probably have all of the ingredients already in your house!

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Flourless Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy

1 egg

1 1/3 cup sugar, divided

1 tsp vanilla

Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped (dark chocolate is best!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet.
2. Combine peanut butter, egg, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla in mixing bowl and stir well.
3. Roll small dough balls in remaining sugar to coat. Place on baking sheet and bake 12 minutes.
4. When removed from oven, immediately top each with a Kiss. Wait 4-5 minutes until Kiss is melted, then smooth down with a knife or back of a spoon.

Yield: 18 cookies

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You simply MUST bake these! (Unless you are allergic. Duh.)

Special thanks to Mrs. Karen Bassett for hosting the Cookie Swap! Your Molasses Crinkles were to-die-for!