Mexican Pizza

An easy "Mexican" pizza - two crisp corn tortillas filled with ground beef and refried beans, then topped with cheese, tomatoes, olives, green onions, and any other taco toppings you'd like!

Basic Pizza Crust

We had a hankering for pizza and some extra time, so I figured I could go ahead and make a basic pizza crust. I like this pizza crust even though it is so simple and straightforward (or should I say, because it's so simple and straightforward)! Since this is a basic pizza crust, it goes well with just about any pizza, and you can easily customize it when you're making your pizza. Since it does take a while to make the crust, I sometimes like to make enough for a few crusts and then freeze for later.

What's your favorite kind of pizza?

Basic Pizza Crust

by CJ Huang

A basic pizza crust made from scratch and suitable for just about any pizza. Make a few extra and freeze!

Prep time: 60 minutes
Cook time: optional
Total time: 60 minutes
Yield: 2 pizzas

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
		4 cups		flour	I used half whole wheat and half white.
		2 teaspoons	1 packet	yeast
		1 teaspoon		salt
		1 tablespoon		sugar
	12 ounces			milk, warm

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Form Dry Team by combining flour, salt, sugar, and yeast.
	3. Add in milk, mixing until dough formed. You may need to add a bit more milk or flour to form the dough.
	4. Cover the dough, and let it sit in a warm spot until doubled in size. Freeze for later use or roll out and make a pizza! (Optional - I like to pre-bake my pizza crusts since it results in a more crisp crust.)

Shared with: Full Plate Thursday, Artsy Fartsy Party, BFF Open House, Traffic Jam, Fiesta Friday, Meal Plan Monday, Handmade and Otherwise, What's for Dinner?, Hearth and Soul, Over the Moon, Tuesdays at Our Home

Pizza Puffs

Pizza toppings encased in a flavorful garlic herb dough and formed into little pizza puffs.

September's Top 5

Is it just me, or are the month’s just flying by for you too? I can’t believe it’s October already! Christmas decorations are up in stores (What’s up with that? Halloween hasn’t even passed yet!), and it’s definitely feeling more like fall weather.

Without further ado, here's the Top 5 most visited recipes last month!

	5. Garlic Herb Pizza Crust Pin It A tasty pizza crust that combines savory herbs and garlic in a simple, yet flavorful crust. You know it’s gotta be good – fourth time on the “This Month’s Top 5” list! (#2 in March and April and #1 in May)
	4. Cornmeal Pie Crust Pin It A crisp, buttery crust with a bit of crunch – I made it for Tomato Pie, and it was scrumptious! But don’t let that keep you from using it for something else!
	3. Green Mung Bean Soup Pin It An easy and refreshing dessert or snack soup made with green mung beans. This soup is delicious cold or as popsicles during warmer weather, but don’t let that stop you from making it warm for these cooler months!
	2. Creamed Corn Cornbread Pin It This cornbread made the list last month at #5, and this month it’s up at #2! A slightly sweet Southern style creamed corn cornbread – perfect alone or paired with BBQ or chili. Don’t forget the cast iron skillet!
And finally, last month's most visited recipe:
	1. Coconut Popsicles Pin It #1 two months in a row! Smooth and creamy coconut popsicles with little bits of coconut! Not quite weather appropriate anymore around these parts, but readers in warmer climates can still try these popsicles. Those of us in cooler climates might have to do with a bookmark!

Leave a comment telling us your favorite recipe of the month!

Tomato Pie

One of my favorite iconic scenes of the summertime is the beautiful fruit pie cooling on the windowsill, but sometimes I prefer a twist or something slightly off the beaten path. Having lived most of my life within the comfortable confines of both Southern cooking and Chinese cuisine, I’ve been largely unfamiliar with other fine foods that might, at least from my view, feel like a novel interpretation on an old classic. Imagine my surprise, when I learned of the existence of the tomato pie, apparently an Italian-American dish with Sicilian roots. (In fact, I got the idea for this tomato pie from Simple Girl when she posted about a Heirloom Tomato Pie.) Until recently, the extent of my knowledge of Italian-American food went no further than pizza, spaghetti, and maybe that cannoli from the Godfather movie. With some beautiful heirloom tomatoes given to me by a coworker, the stars aligned for this recipe, which turned out to be an absolute delight.




Tomato Pie by Morsels of Life
A crisp buttery crust filled with savory onions and cheese, topped with herbs and heirloom tomatoes.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings

Materials:

• 1 onion, thinly sliced


• 2 cups cheese (I used ricotta, parmesan, cheddar, and mozzarella.)


• 1 slice bread, crumbs (optional)


• 3 tablespoons parsley


• 1 tablespoon thyme


• 3 tablespoons basil


• 2 pounds tomatoes, sliced (I used Rainbows and Black Krims.)


• 1 pie crust, baked (I used a cornmeal pie crust, but you could also use a standard pie crust, or even a pre-made pie crust.)

Methods:

1. Lightly drain tomatoes. (I just put the slices in a salad spinner, although a colander would work just as well.) You don't want to take all the liquid out of the tomatoes, but depending on what varieties you use, it might make the crust soggy if you don't drain a bit of liquid first.


2. Meanwhile, caramelize onions, and then mix with breadcrumbs.


3. Add in cheeses and herbs.


4. Spread mixture in pie crust.


5. Top with sliced tomatoes, and then sprinkle a bit of basil on top. (You don't have to be like me and spill it though!)

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June's Top 5

Is it just me, or are the months just flying by for you too? I can't believe this year is already more than half over and it's July! On Morsels of Life, that means it's time for the monthly Top 5 list, so here's the top 5 most visited recipes in June! (Today also marks 3 years of magic sink!)

5. Cheddar Cheese Crackers - We're starting off the Top 5 with these crackers that have real cheddar cheese baked into each crispy bite. They're kinda like Cheez-Its, Cheese Nips, or even the childhood favorite, Goldfish. But better! Since they're homemade - and you just can't beat homemade!

4. Baked Teriyaki Beef "Kabobs" - Juicy chunks of beef, marinated in teriyaki sauce, then baked with fresh vegetables. Loaded with flavor and very versatile! (Picture from beckyhiggins.com, so they don't look exactly like mine, but I didn't take any of mine - they were eaten too fast! I'll try to do better next time. Promise.)

3. Caramelized Onion and Date Flatbread - Sweet Medjool dates, baked with caramelized onions and rosemary on flatbread, topped with cheese. This flatbread is perfect for appetizers, snacks, and if you're like me, even meals! It's also a quick option that you can fool your friends into thinking took a long time. :)

2. Wheat Crackers - Delicious baked wheat snack crackers that you can make right at home! These crackers are similar to Wheat Thins, but better since they're homemade. Easier to make than the Cheddar Cheese Crackers, and based on your visits, more popular! :) After making these, I don't think I'd pay for Wheat Thins again.

and finally, the most visited recipe in June!

1. Bacon and Cheese Muffins - Bacon and cheese together in muffin form? I'm not sure how anyone can resist! I know I couldn't, and it's #1, so I guess you couldn't either! :) I love muffins since they're so easy to eat on the go, and let's be honest here - I don't remember the last time I had a weekday breakfast that wasn't on the go! These muffins are perfectly portable, and they don't make your fingers sticky like sweet muffins will. A win on every front in my book!

Leave a comment letting us know what you think!

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Caramelized Onion and Date Flatbread

We recently got some Medjool dates. I had heard about how tasty they are, and James had eaten them before, so when we spotted some at the grocery store, we knew we had to get some. Medjool dates, also known as the "king of dates," contain a relatively high amount of flesh, and they tend to be very sweet. However, they contain a lot of fiber, as well as potassium, manganese, magnesium, and copper. Near the dates, we found some recipes that looked good, so I thought I could start off with one of those recipes. This recipe is somewhat similar to the Roasted Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Pizza, but using different materials. Most obviously, I used fresh dates instead of roasted butternut squash. Also, instead of the Garlic Herb Pizza Crust, I made some basic flatbread. This flatbread perfectly combines the sweet Medjool dates with the savory caramelized onions.

Which dates are your favorite? What's the best way to enjoy them?

Caramelized Onion and Date Flatbread

by CJ Huang

Sweet Medjool dates, baked with caramelized onions and rosemary on flatbread, topped with cheese.

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
		1 handful		Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
				onions, caramelized
				cheese, shredded	I used Jack.
				rosemary, chopped
				flatbread

Methods:

1. Spread cheese and caramelized onions over flatbread.
2. Sprinkle dates and rosemary on top.
3. Bake at 350F until cheese melted.

May's Top 5

Well, May is over now, and it seems like it went by so fast! (Of course, taking 3 weeks to explore Thailand and Cambodia probably helped the time fly by too.) Since I just got back yesterday, I'll get straight to the top 5 most visited recipes in May. (And no, I didn't forget about the new look I had promised in April, but I'm going to continue working out some of the details this weekend, so hopefully it'll be up sometime next week!) finished!

Without further ado, here's the Top 5 roundup for May!

	5. Chai Tea, Version 3 Pin It On the Top 5 list for the second month in a row, this rich and complex tea has certainly earned it’s spot again! You can also try out Version 1 (#1 in February 2011) and Version 2.
	4. Zucchini and Onion Teriyaki Pin It A very quick, easy, and tasty way to use up zucchini. I know it hasn’t hit yet, but zucchini overload will be here before you know it! This zucchini with sauteed onions, flavored by teriyaki sauce and garnished with sesame seeds is one great solution.
	3. Scallop Bisque Pin It I have to admit, I was a bit surprised by this recipe making the Top 5 list this month. Not that anything is wrong with scallop bisque, but rather, bisques are usually more of a winter soup. But apparently this bisque is good enough to make the cut, coming in at #3! This creamy bisque really lets the scallop flavor show through.
	2. Garlic Herb Pizza Crust Pin It Another recipe that’s made the Top 5 list again. This tasty pizza crust combines savory herbs and garlic in a simple, yet flavorful crust. You know it’s gotta be good if it skyrocketed to the #1 most visited recipe within a day of being posted, and it’s still #1 now!
	1. Basic Banana Bread Pin It A quick and basic banana bread – easy to dress up if you choose, perfectly delicious if you don’t. You know it’s good if it beat the most visited recipe on this site!

Leave a comment telling us your favorite recipe of the month!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Pizza

When I first saw this recipe, I wasn't sure if it would work. Butternut squash as a pizza topping? But then, it also had caramelized onions, something that can add a layer of delicious to just about anything. It also calls for roasted butternut squash, and roasting makes just about anything more flavorful and delicious. Turns out, I'm definitely glad I decided to give this recipe a try - the resulting pizza turned out delectably. The sweetly savory caramelized onions perfectly complemented the sweet roasted butternut squash for a combination that I just can't quite describe. The rosemary also added another dimension of flavor, and while optional, is something I'd certainly recommend adding a little bit of on top of the cheese so it can get nice and crispy and flavorful. For this pizza, I also opted to use a tomato paste pizza sauce, but I think next time, I would simply let the caramelized onions serve as the pizza sauce. I think just using the caramelized onions instead of pizza sauce would really allow the flavor those onions that you spent so long caramelizing to really shine through. When I brought this pizza to work for lunch, however, I was informed that I can't call it a pizza since it has butternut squash on it. But the person couldn't tell me what something with a pizza crust and topped with roasted butternut squash and caramelized onions would be called, so until I'm informed of what this dish should properly be called, I'm going with pizza. And thus, I present Roasted Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Pizza!

What do you think this should be called?

Roasted Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Pizza

by CJ Huang

Combining roasted butternut squash and caramelized onions for an unconventional, but sweetly savory and delicious pizza.

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
			1/2	butternut squash, cubed
			1	onion, sliced
			2 cloves	garlic, minced
			1 branch	rosemary
				pizza crust	I used a garlic herb pizza crust.
				cheese	I used mozzarella, cheddar, and pepper jack.
				tomato paste	optional
				salt
				pepper
				oil

Methods:

1. Toss butternut squash with salt, pepper, and oil.
2. Roast the squash until tender.
3. Caramelize onions, adding garlic towards the end.
4. Spread tomato paste (optional), and then caramelized onions over the pizza crust, followed by butternut squash and cheese.
5. Sprinkle rosemary over cheese.
6. Bake until cheese melted and rosemary crispy.

April's Top 5

Well, April's over now, and May is here! It seems like it went from freezing to near sweltering this month - what a difference a month makes! I'm sure May will be gone too before I know it, especially since we'll be taking a trip to Southeast Asia! I'm definitely looking forward to eating all sorts of new foods out there! As for this blog, I'll have new posts go up this week as usual (hopefully), but I haven't 100% decided what I'll do between then and when I get back. However, I'm leaning towards putting everything on pause until after we get back. (Don't everyone leave me while I'm gone!) I'll look forward to sharing my trip with you all once I get back! (AND I also have a new look in the works!)

Without further ado, here's the Top 5 roundup for April!

	5. Roasted Peppers Pin It A quick and easy way to make your own roasted peppers - just peel off the charred skin, and you'll find a sweet and tender flesh with just a hint of smokiness.
	4. Cheesy Flatbread Pin It A very quick and easy flatbread recipe, made better with cheese. Eat it by itself or use it as a pizza crust!
	3. Savory Oatmeal with Sesame and Scallions Pin It A more Asian flavored oatmeal that's about as easy as regular oatmeal, but much more tasty! Perfect as a quick and flavorful start to your day.
	2. Chai Tea, Version 3 Pin It Chai tea, with its richness and complexity, has been savored for centuries in many parts of the world. Version 3 so you know it's better than the #1 most visited recipe just 2 months ago!
	1. Garlic Herb Pizza Crust Pin It A tasty pizza crust that combines savory herbs and garlic in a simple, yet flavorful crust. Perfect for garlicky pizzas like the white pizza or white garlic sauce pizza (or really, any pizza you want to make more flavorful). You know it's gotta be good if it skyrocketed to the #1 most visited recipe within a day of being posted!

Leave a comment telling us your favorite recipe of the month!

White Pizza

So, after writing about the white garlic sauce pizza, I decided I wanted to make something more like the standard pizza bianca. Although, after doing some research, I'm finding out that pizza bianca, also known as schacciata, is actually served without cheese but with just some garlic, rosemary, and sea salt in olive oil, spread over the crust. However, I was going for something more like what I had eaten in undergrad and not so much for authenticity. :P The flavor of this pizza was pretty much what I remembered, but the crust recipe I used didn't quite work out, so I'll need to do some more research and experimentation on that. I'm thinking about adding a raising step earlier on since this dough did not rise for me at all! If anyone has any hints or recommendations for getting the crust to work out, let me know! So even though I didn't get the tender, soft crust I would have liked, this white pizza was still quite tasty.

White Pizza

by CJ Huang

A basic version of the white pizza with three cheeses and a garlicky base.

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
				pizza crust	some options: garlic herb pizza crust, flatbread
				garlic, minced
				olive oil
				cheese	I used Romano, Mozzarella, and something else - maybe Jack?

Methods:

1. Mix garlic and olive oil and spread over crust. Another option might be roasted garlic and roasted garlic oil.
2. Top with cheese.
3. Bake at 300-350F until cheese melted.

Flatbread Pizza

After making the flatbread, I knew I had to make some flatbread pizza. The only place I regularly saw flatbread pizza was at my previous workplace, and they would sell a small piece for way too much. So now that I had my own flatbread, I was determined to make a better flatbread pizza. We decided to load up the pizza with lots of toppings so that it would be tastier and also more filling. The only complaint I have about eating flatbread pizza is that it is usually not very filling or we'd get hungry again soon after eating it. But, if you make your own, you can load up the pizza as much as you want, and then you'd be full of delicious flatbread pizza! Give this flatbread pizza a try and let me know how you like it!

What are your favorite pizza toppings?

Flatbread Pizza

by CJ Huang

A quick and easy flatbread pizza that you can customize to your heart's content!

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
				flatbread
				tomato paste
				cheese
				toppings	I used garlic and white wine chicken, green peppers, onions, and mushrooms.

Methods:

1. Spread a thin layer of tomato paste on the flatbread.
2. Place remaining materials on top of the tomato paste. Some prefer to put the cheese on first, and then layer the other toppings, while others prefer putting the cheese on at the end. I tried both, and for this flatbread pizza, I think I have to say I prefer the cheese on top approach.
3. Bake until cheese melted.

March's Top 5

Well, March is just about over, but what happened to spring?!? I think there's even snow projected for tomorrow! Anyway, continuing on with the Top 5 recipes for this month...

	5. Arañitas (Plantain Fritters) Pin It Arañitas means little spiders in Spanish, and this dish is named for the pieces of plantain sticking out, making it look like little spiders. These aranitas are even easier to make than most fritters since the starch in the plantains holds everything together. Great by themselves, as a substitute for fries, or as a side, they go well with some garlic dip. But, be careful, they are addictive!
	4. Cha Shao (Chinese BBQ Pork) Pin It This recipe is the first recipe that's made the top 5 list more than once! It first appeared in January 2011 (as #1!), and it's sure to please! Delicious as a filling for chao sao bao or by itself!
	3. Thai Sticky Rice Pin It I got this recipe from a friend's mother since she made it for us and it was delicious! Although the sweetly salty dried fish topping is not usually served at restaurants (probably because dried fish doesn't quite sound appealing to many Americans). The fish topping might not seem appealing, but give it a try and see what you think - you might be pleasantly surprised!
	2. Garlic Herb Pizza Crust Pin It This crust goes really well with the white garlic sauce pizza. This dough starts smelling good before it even hits the oven! The slight garlic scent and Italian herbs combined to create a delicious fragrance, and it only improves after baking! I couldn't resist eating a bit of the crust by itself before adding the pizza toppings.
	1. Luther Burger Pin It A Luther Burger is a bacon cheeseburger, but with more awesome added in. Oh, and a Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut replaces the typical sesame bun. This burger has the perfect blend of savory filling and sweet glaze. While I wouldn't quite call this burger health food, I was expecting a hugely greasy (but tasty!) burger, but most fast food burgers feel more greasy and are less tasty!

Leave a comment telling us your favorite recipe of the month!

White Garlic Sauce Pizza

I had had a white pizza once in undergrad, and that deliciously garlicky flavor is something I wanted to make myself. I had the more standard pizza bianca back then, with just garlicky olive oil and cheese instead of the more common tomato paste sauce with various toppings. However, this time, I wanted to combine the best of both worlds - a garlicky sauce with lots of topping - so I went ahead and made a garlicky sauce, and I also threw in some red pepper flakes to add a bit of spice. What I didn't think about was how all the toppings would hide the white garlic sauce, so you'll just have to take my word for it, although I do plan on making a more traditional pizza bianca, or white pizza, in the future - so stay tuned for that! Overall, this white garlic sauce pizza was quite good. Even with the toppings, the garlicky deliciousness was not completely hidden and in fact, it provided a tasty background for all the toppings!

What foods do you remember from your past?

White Garlic Sauce Pizza

by CJ Huang

A garlicky white sauce pizza with a bit more complex flavor than your standard pizza bianca.

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
			1 head	roasted garlic
		1.5 tablespoons		red chili flakes
		1 cup		milk, warm
		3/4 teaspoon		butter
		2 tablespoons		flour
			1	crust	I used a garlic herb pizza crust.
				toppings

Methods:

1. Place all materials into a food processor or blender and pulse until no lumps remain.
2. Spread over pizza crust.
3. Add toppings/cheese.
4. Bake until done.

Garlic Herb Pizza Crust

I found this recipe, and I thought I would give it a try, especially since I like easy recipes. :) Although most pizza crust recipes are not too difficult, I chose the garlic herb pizza crust since I had been thinking about the garlicky pizza bianca I had way back in undergrad. It's funny how sometimes you'll eat a food and never think about it for years, and then suddenly, it pops back into mind. Anyhow, I thought this crust would go really well with the white garlic sauce pizza since it has some garlic flavor as well, and I usually like to add some herbs when making a pizza crust. I have to say, this dough started smelling good before it even hit the oven! The slight garlic scent and Italian herbs combined to create a delicious fragrance, and it only improved after baking! I couldn't resist eating a bit of the crust by itself before adding the pizza toppings. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Garlic Herb Pizza Crust

by CJ Huang

A tasty pizza crust that combines savory herbs and garlic in a simple, yet flavorful crust.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 90 minutes
Yield: 16 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
		3 cups		flour	I used half wheat and half white.
		2 teaspoons		yeast	You could substitute 1 packet yeast.
		1 teaspoon		salt
		1 tablespoon		sugar
		2 tablespoons		Italian seasoning
		1 tablespoon		garlic powder
		8 ounces		milk, warm
		4 ounces		water, warm

Methods:

1. Combine flour, yeast, salt, sugar, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
2. Add water and milk, then mix well.
3. Cover bowl with a moist towel and set aside in a warm area until dough doubles in size.
4. Roll dough into desired shape/size/thickness.
5. Bake at 400F until surface done (optional). I like to pre-bake my pizza crusts since it results in a more crisp crust.)