BBQ Chicken Pizza

As many of you probably know, I love pizza. I could probably eat it several nights a week.  While there are a lot of great pizza places in the area, I love to make my own because I can put on whatever toppings I want and I can make it healthier, if I so choose.  Here's my take on CPK's BBQ chicken pizza.

BBQ Chicken Pizza
Makes: 1 large pizza

Pizza Dough
BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup Gouda cheese, shredded
3/4 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
3/4 cup chicken (I used left-over chicken)
1/4 cup red onion, sliced thinly


Pre heat your oven to 425 degrees.  Roll out your pizza dough and place in on a pizza pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for about 10 minutes.  I keep an eye on my pizza dough while it bakes in case I see any air bubbles form.  If this happens, just take a fork and prick them so they deflate.

While the crust is baking, get all of your pizza toppings ready - shred cheeses and dice the chicken and onion.

 

Once the crust comes out of the onion spread a thin layer of BBQ sauce over the crust.  Be sure not to add too much or the crust will get soggy.  You can always drizzle extra BBQ sauce on top once it's finished baking. Then add the Gouda cheese, chicken, onion and top with the cheddar cheese.  Put the pizza back in the oven for another 10 minutes or so, until cheese us bubbly and starting to brown. 

Voila! Pizza is finished!  I like to let the pizza rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. If you try to slice it right away when it's too hot, it's been my experience that it doesn't slice very well and the toppings tend to get caught up in the pizza cutter.  Enjoy!

xoxo Melissa

Chocolate Malt Cake

I've always been of the opinion that if I'm going to make a cake, it's needs to be from scratch. This means no cake mixes or pre-made ingredients.  I've never been one to break out a box mix for brownies, muffins or heaven forbid, break-and-bake cookies!  However, my mom recently gave me Taste of the South's special Southern Cakes edition, which included several cakes which use cake mixes.  Initially I thought "A cake mix?!? What? Not me!" However, since I'm trying to slowly overcome my need for perfectionism, I thought this would be a great opportunity to put this practice into play!  Could I actually make a cake using a cake mix?  Here's my attempt and my adaptation on their Easy Chocolate Malt Cake.

Chocolate Malt Cake
Makes One 8" double layer cake

Cake:
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs

Icing:
1 cup malted milk powder
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chopped malt balls, optional

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray two 8" round cake pans with cooking spray.

To make the cake, dump the cake mix in a large bowl. Add water and oil and stir until partially combined. Add the 3 eggs and continue to stir for about 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth.  Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Transfer both cakes to a wire cooling rack. Let them cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then invert them onto the wire racks and remove the pans.  Once cooled, I wrapped both cake layers in plastic wrap and let them sit over night in the refrigerator.  You want to make sure the cakes are completely cool before trying to ice them.

Once ready to ice, I put one cake layer on my cake tray.  With a serrated bread knife, I cut off part of the top of the cake so it was level. I then flipped it over on the cake tray so the flatter, un-cut cake bottom would be facing up.  This helps to not accumulate too many crumbs when you ice it.  Then take a generous scoop of frosting and spread it on top. You don't want this layer to be too thin or thick, it will be the center icing layer.  I then scattered on some chopped up malt balls. Then take your second cake layer and like the first layer, cut off some of the top to make the cake even.   Flip the cut side of this layer on top of the frosted, first cake layer.  Spread a thin layer of icing on the top and sides of the cake. This is what we call a crumb coat.  It's okay if you get some crumbs in it, we're going to do another layer of frosting later.  Once finished with your crumb coat, stick your cake in the refrigerator until the frosting has firmed up - about 1-2 hours.  This will ensure the second and final layer of frosting will be smooth and crumb free.  Once the crumb coat has hardened, remove the cake from the refrigerator and frost the tops and side with an even layer of remaining frosting. Scatter more chopped malt balls on top, if desired.  Slice, serve and enjoy the fruits (or should I say sweets) of your labor!  P.S. Can I add that everyone had rave reviews of this cake and never even questioned if it was from a box mix - woo hoo!

xoxo Melissa

My Year of Pie Update: April

Happy Spring Everyone!  As we move into April, I am officially three months into my year of pie baking.  For those of you new to my little space here, back in February I bought the cookbook A Year of Pies by Ashley English.   I've always wanted to cook my way through a cook book and I'm finally making that happen! So far I've made 11 pies and have been having a great time with this project.  Prior to starting this year long quest, I'd probably only made a handful of pies and those were mostly of the basic apple or cherry variety.  It's been interesting and fun to make such an assortment of different pies. Here are a few of the fan favorites from February - April. 

Buttermilk Brown Sugar Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie with Mint Whipped Cream
 

Rhubarb Pie

xoxo Melissa