A Semi-Homemade Pizza

The other day I had an extra frozen pizza that was just begging to be dinner. My problem was that the pizza happened to be a cheese pizza—a big hit with the kids and not so exciting for Mom and Dad.

I love getting creative with my food (which is why I’m not the best baker), and a cheese pizza is all I need to get my creative tastes brainstorming for a semi-homemade dish.

Cheese pizza with a kale and bacon topping

I left a little less than half the pizza plain, just enough to please the kids. Then I got to work on the adult portion: kale, diced onions and bell peppers, bacon bits (real, not imitation), and a little sprinkling of cheese on top. Kale is not something I normally have on hand, but I had extra after using it in my Zuppa Toscana soup recipe (think Olive Garden, yum!).  The kale came out crispy, subtle, and a perfect compliment for the bacon. The pizza was absolutely delicious, probably one of my favorite combinations.

And it gave me a brilliant idea for several other variations of the semi-homemade pizza: Tuscan; chicken bacon ranch; mexican. The possibilities are endless! Best of all, I can have all the custom ingredients of homemade without any nightmares with yeast or homemade dough.

Fried (or oven-fried) Chicken

I’ve got meal planning on the brain, so while I’m in the meal planning/cooking mode, I figured I’d share one of my favorite recipes from my rotation. This recipe is a constant. In other words, it’s on my rotation all year round because it is such a family favorite. It’s my mom’s recipe, and it’s a good one.

List of Ingredients

1 c flour

2 t garlic salt

2 t salt

1 t paprika

1/2 t seasoning salt

2 t black pepper

1/2 c milk

1 egg

Mix the first six ingredients in one bowl, and the last two ingredients in a separate bowl. I usually will use 3-4 chicken breasts cut in half to make tenders (it cooks faster this way). Dip in the milk/egg mixture, then in the batter, once more in the milk/egg, and a final time in the batter. Double-coat if you are frying the bird; coat only once for oven-fried (the less batter, the better chance for crispy with oven-fried). And one note on the batter: it looks like a lot of pepper, but it really balances out with all of the salt. However, feel welcome to adjust to your family’s tastes.

When I deep-fry (which is an extra special treat at our house), I’ll cook the battered tenders 3 at a time for 10 minutes at 360 degrees. The time will vary a little bit depending on the thickness of the tenders.

To oven fry, cover a baking sheet in aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Spread the tenders onto the baking sheet. Then spray the tenders thoroughly with cooking spray. I’ll bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20. Broil for the last couple of minutes to get a little crispiness. It’s tasty, but of course not quite as tasty as its deep-fried cousin.

I will warn you, however, that neither my husband nor my father would ever buy restaurant fried chicken after eating this recipe. Your KFC days will be at an end.  It’s just that good.