PIZZA!!!!

I thought I had been thoroughly spoiled for pizza. Sorry Dominos, Pizza Hut, Little Ceasars, Jets and Home Town Pizza. Stucci's has it all over you. That's a little ice cream shop in town with a pizza take out businees on the side...literally. They have a little personal Chicago style pizza that will knock your socks off. Tasty, full of just the right amount and mix of meat and cheese....yum. Don't get it much though 'cause it's a little out of our way. And then I was web crawling over to one of my favorite blogs - The Pioneer Woman - and she posted pictures of a pizza baking experiment. Dang if it didn't make me hungry to try it. I mean, if she can cook like this for her Marlboro Man and Little Punks....then so can I! And I love my little vegetarian wannabe Princess more than usual on some days. She was totally game to try something new with me. Had to make two pizzas though. Prince and HRH were not so eager to give up their tomato based sauce from a jar. Heh. We started with a premade pizza crust. It was really good but I think I will be experimenting with my own crust recipe next time. Might be a little softer. Brushed that sucker with a little EVOO. Thank you Rachel Ray!! I feel really cool when I say 'EVOO'......and feel even cooler that I even have 'extra virgin olive oil' in my kitchen.
Now three people near and dear to me just had to tell me that this stuff looks like 'crap'. It smelled delicious. Pesto Sauce. Straight from a jar. Gonna try the fresh made stuff next time. Spread it all around..... Fresh mozarella cheese slices. COVER the pesto sauce. HIDE that 'crap!' And yes....I love my cheese! Yum....
Veggies......tried to get the princess to try some fresh mushrooms but we like the soggy ones from the can. Used thin slices of Roma tomatos, thin shards of green pepper and onion this time around.
Add some grated Parmesan to top it off.... And bake.....according to the crust package directions.


Lions and tigers and bears....oh MY! What a difference it makes not to have a tomato based sauce. It's more....exciting. Smells even better. Yum. And made even MORE special with a brownie sundae chaser. You see, when the Prince saw his sister baking and wanted in on the action, I handed him the brownie mix I keep on hand for those 'I'm so bored' summer moments. He is 14, after all. He can read the directions on a box. As for me....I like the pictures. Heh.