Pizzettes!

Try this technique when entertaining a party or enlist "all hands on deck" getting the family involved in the slicing and dicing of their favorite pizza toppings.  Make as many or a few as you want to.  The purpose of pizzettes (aside from just the joy of pronouncing this most palatable of words)  is to do something fun that's personal and brings people together.  Isn't that the goal really of any gathering around the table?

Shopping List:

CRUST

2 c. whole wheat flour (keep bag handy)

1/4 c. wheat germ

1 Tbl. honey

1 c. warm water

1 pkg. quick-rising, active yeast

1/4 tsp. salt

TOPPINGS (choose what you love most!)

14 oz. jar prepared pizza sauce (you'll only use about half)


artichokes


tomato

sweet orange pepper

capers

mushrooms 

red onions

black beans

garlic

jalapenos

From the pantry:

italian seasoning

garlic salt

red pepper flakes (optional)

cayenne pepper (optional)

cumin (optional)

non-stick, olive oil cooking spray

Tools:

1 lg. mixing bowl

1 sm. mixing bowl

1 lg. cookie sheet

cutting board

sharp knife

Preparation:  

CRUST - Combine yeast and warm water in small mixing bowl.  Mix well and allow to stand for about 10 minutes or until it appears creamy.  Combine flour, wheat germ, and salt in large mixing bowl.  Add honey to liquid, yeast mixture.  Create well in center of flour.  Pour in yeast and combine all ingredients to create pizza dough.  Let stand while you prepare all your toppings.  

TOPPINGS - As you can see from my list above, I really didn't hold back on the options for my little pizzettes.  Pick and choose what you love.  Use as much or as little as you like (I happen to love my pizza to be BURSTING at the SEEMS while my husband prefers just a little taste of everything in each bite.  Whatever your preference, slice and dice to your hearts content, then pile your pizzette sky high with whatever delicious goodies you desire).  




NOW YOU'RE READY - Put it all together by removing your dough and placing onto a greased (I spray mine with non-stick cooking spray) and floured cookie sheet.  Separate dough into as many pizzettes as you want. Flatten on cookie sheet.  Sprits each pizza, paying special attention to what will be the crust, with olive oil cooking spray and sprinkle with garlic salt.  This will help the crust crisp up nicely (and the crust will taste like garlic bread… yum!)  Cover each with pizza sauce.  And… drum roll please… druh, duh, duh, duh, druh, duh, duh, duh, druh, duh, duh, duh, duh.  Get to topping!  You may be surprised at how adventurous you, or, some of your guests get with their pizzette toppings… 





"Really?  Jalapenos, black beans, garlic, red pepper flakes, and cayenne?  Don, I just never would have taken you for a "heat" man…  That's gonna be some hot breath, in more than one sense of the word, by the end of the night Beth. You better watch out!"

I jest.

Sprinkle each with Italian seasoning and a little garlic salt then, pop these bad boys into the oven for about 15 minutes.  (I only made four.  Depending on how many or how few of these you make, you'll want to keep an eye on them to make sure the smaller ones don't cook up too fast or the larger ones finish up nice and crispily… yeah… that's a word - crispily.)

This is an especially easy way to entertain if you happen to have family or friends who would prefer to sprinkle a little cheese or bacon on their personal pizzette.

 (The missing, fourth pizzette is not present because it was in my mouth!  So… sorry I didn't get better pictures of these.) :)

So much food.  So much fun.  I hope you'll try this and have a positively, pizzettey good time.

Homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli

This dish is a labor d'amour. The process is time consuming and a bit high maintenance but, I promise the results are gobble em' up good. Each mouthful is an absolute treat and will have your friends and family begging for seconds.

Shopping List:

7 lb. butternut squash

4 generous size garlic cloves

18 whole wheat lasagna noodles

2 Tbl. Tahini (ground sesame seed butter)

1 c. Pasta Sauce

1/4 c. ea. shelled pecans, walnuts, pistachios, and almonds

From the Pantry:

11/2 Tbl. paprika

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp ground ginger

cayenne (optional)

Tools:

9x13 baking dish

sharp knife

electric hand mixer

medium size mixing bowl

large spoon

1 gal. reclosable plastic bag

scissors

food processor

Consideration: As mentioned above, this dish is rather time consuming simply because there are a number of phases involved before getting to the final product. If preparing this dish for a special occasion or gathering, you may want to do a majority of the work before hand, leaving the final baking time for right before the event.

Preparation: Prepare butternut squash according to directions in Butternut Squash Bake making the following modifications: omit the scallions, bake only 1 hour and add ground ginger, adding cayenne to taste if you like a little more heat. After baking, move squash into mixing bowl and add tahini.* With hand mixer on the lowest setting, begin to blend tahini into squash, gradually increasing speed until squash is puréed. Prepare lasagna noodles according to package directions. Lay cooked lasagna noodles on flat surface, cut in half and let cool while you prep squash. Spoon squash purée into plastic bag, seal it, and cut off about a 1 inch corner. Squeeze about one heaping tablespoon's worth of squash mixture into center of one half noodle. Fold up the ends to create ravioli and place into 9x13 baking dish. Do this with half your raviolis (18 pieces). Cover raviolis with 1/2 c. pasta sauce and sprinkle the top with chopped mixed nuts. For mixed nut topping, place pecans, walnuts, pistachios, and almonds into food processor and chop. Use only about a fourth of your total nut mixture per layer; this means you will have about half left over for other dishes.* Repeat with second layer of raviolis, sauce, and nuts then cover and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Please share with me how you make this dish your own. You could add sauteed onions before you purée. You could add red pepper flakes or jalapeno paste if you love a meal that makes you sweat. I love to top my finished raviolis with a dab of vindaloo indian sauce. To each his own! Make your taste buds sing, that's the most important thing, and do it all on a delicious, whole foods, plant-based diet.

Nutrition per serving: Makes 9 servings of 4 raviolis

352 cal, 16.5g fat, 0mg chol, 136.2mg sodium, 909.3 mg potass, 64g carbo (8.6g dietary fiber, 7.3g sugars), 11.44g plant protein, 146mg calcium

*Tahini is ground sesame seed paste. Used in many ethnic cuisines, tahini is served in popular Middle Eastern dishes and is very versatile because of it's rich, creamy, nutty flavor. Search for it in the grocery store or explore your local ethnic groceries. You may find this and many other wonderful smells, flavors, and seasonings to incorporate into your ever increasing recipe book.

*Use your remaining nut mixture as a fancy salad topper, surprising pizza topping, or add it to your favorite sandwich. The crunch is a sure crowd pleasure and the taste is always a hit!