Bell Pepper, Red Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza

minus the red onion :-)

As i mentioned in the couscous entry, I had a large splurge at TJ’s a week ago and still had so much delicious food to cook. My lovely TJ’s whole wheat pizza crusts were on their way out, so they were first on my things to cook. I had a lot of bell pepper and goat cheese around the fridge, so I wanted something quick, easy, and delicious.

Many times, I know what I want to include, but I just need some ideas on how to get there. I did a search on epicurious for pizza, goat cheese and bell peppers, and this little gem popped up. It was well reviewed and seemed easy enough, so I thought I would give it a try.

I got my stuff together in the kitchen but oddly enough, there was NO onion in the house. GASP! it wasn’t that late but I was hungry and didn’t feel like heading back out to the store just for some onion, so I decided to venture without it. Looking back, I do believe that the onion would have added some nice flavor but the pizza was still quite delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 10-ounce purchased fully baked thin pizza crust (such as Boboli), or if you have a TJ’s close by, i definitely recommend their garlic, plain or whole wheat crust for 99 cents!
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves (1 1/2 to 2 ounces)
• 1 1/2 cups thickly sliced mushrooms (5 to 6 ounces)
• 1/2 cup drained roasted red peppers from jar, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cup paper-thin red onion slices
• 8 large fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
• 5-ounce package soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 425°F.

2) Place pizza crust on large baking sheet

- Ever made a pizza and then you barely weren’t able to eat it because it was stuck to the baking sheet! Well, have no fear, BOOF is here. A best buddy of BOOF, AB, a pizza/everything italian expert gave me the best advice ever regarding this matter. use cornstarch! So make sure you OIL and add cornstarch to the baking sheet. Ever since I started doing this little trick, my pizza has never stuck! amazing!

3) Mix olive oil and minced garlic in small bowl. Using pastry brush (or whatever works, I didn’t have a pastry brush!), and brush 2 tablespoons garlic oil evenly over crust.

4) Top with spinach leaves, then sprinkle with sliced mushrooms, roasted red peppers, red onion slices, fresh basil, and crumbled goat cheese.

5) Drizzle pizza evenly with remaining garlic oil.

6) Bake pizza until crust is crisp and cheese begins to brown, about 18 minutes. Transfer pizza to board. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

7) Enjoy and Share!

Notes: If you have onions, definitely use them! Although I am trying to not recycle recipes yet, when I eventually make this again, I will make sure to have onions on hand! I did not use basil, I used cilantro to top my pizza. Whichever herb you have in your fridge, just use that. I also didn’t have “roasted red peppers” and I would have roasted the red peppers that I had, but I got too lazy. The pizza probably would have had a little more flavor with the roasted red peppers but it was still delicious. :-)

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bell-Pepper-Red-Onion-and-Goat-Cheese-Pizza-232538#ixzz0n0zmFM2i