That's Amore!

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie,

That's amore!

When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine,

That's amore!

Love Dean Martin, love the song, love pizza even more...

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For multiple reasons, mainly the economy and for our health, my family has been trying to eat at home more in recent months. I enjoy cooking, so this really isn't a problem, except that we're busy people! Coordinating the schedules of two active boys plus work and volunteer commitments for both parents makes cooking dinner difficult on some nights.

We've come to rely on pizza and tacos. A lot. Not takeout though -- homemade of either of those meals can be accomplished quickly and affordably. We'll put anything on a pizza or in a taco.

This brings me to this week's Salon Kitchen Challenge. What better way to usher in the spring than with a pizza topped with goat cheese, ham or prosciutto, and fresh, tender asparagus. Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and some fresh basil, and it's a simple meal fit for a warm spring evening. Make it even quicker with store bought crust (or dough from the deli department) and bottled sauce.






Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Ham Pizza

1 pizza crust (store bought or homemade)

Simple marinara sauce or bottled pizza sauce

Shredded mozzarella (about a cup and a half)

2-3 ounces crumbled feta

Around 4-6 ounces fresh asparagus

2 ounces smoked deli ham or prosciutto, cut into thin ribbons

4-5 fresh basil leaves

drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Prepare pizza crust. If using fresh dough, stretch onto pizza stone, drizzle with olive oil, and bake at 450 for about 5 minutes, just to get it started. If using a bought crust, omit the prebaking, but do drizzle with a little olive oil. In the meantime, blanch asparagus in boiling water for one minute, then immediately drain and shock in iced water to stop the cooking and maintain the vibrant green color. Drain again, chop into 1-2 inch pieces, toss with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and set aside. Top pizza crust with sauce to taste (start with around half a cup and add more until you're satisfied). Top with mozzarella, ham or prosciutto, feta, and asparagus. Bake at 450 until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly -- about 10 minutes, but watch it carefully. Tear basil into small pieces and toss on top. Cut into wedges and serve.

To finish off the spring theme of the evening, we included a salad of spring greens, feta, and strawberries topped with a balsamic vinaigrette and accompanied the meal with a crisp Chardonney.

Buon appetito!







(C) 2010 Lisa Kuebler

Song lyrics (C) Dean Martin/Capital Records