Fruit Pizza!

Something about summer shouts for fresh fruit dishes that are easy and appealing. Long before I had ever heard of a charcuterie board, my family has made fruit pizzas from a tried and true recipe in one of the old church cookbooks.  You can be as creative as you want to be. This particular example is one I made for my uncle Morris's 70's birthday party.

Recipe:

I did not know Lois Susag personally, and though she has since passed away, I feel it is only fitting that   her name is attached to this recipe that we have enjoyed all of these years. She was one of dozens of Norwegian/American cooks who attended Grandma's church and had their recipes immortalized for future generations to enjoy. 

Assembly:

Sorry it is somewhat blurry but this is what the crust looks like after you have baked it. I lined my baking sheet with parchment paper to make it easier to remove/clean up. You can lay a piece of waxed paper over the mixture and roll it out into the pan if this helps. One thing I have not yet tried is using a gluten free flour to make this, so I cannot say how it turns out. This particular one is like a shortbread cookie and very tasty.  Cool very well before adding frosting or you will have a mess.

Frosting: 

Who does not love a cream cheese frosting? Cheesy, creamy, sweet goodness. If you are one of the people who doesn't, you can use your favorite vanilla frosting recipe. I added a little extra powdered sugar than the recipe calls for, but I have a sweet tooth.

Spread the frosting over the entire "pizza" making sure to reach the edges. I won't tell if you lick the spoon! 

 

 

 
 

Fruits:

Here it is entirely your choice! I like a variety of in-season fruits, but you can make this with some well drained canned fruit as well. Just remember, if you use bananas, dip the slices in lemon juice first to prevent them from browning too much.  Make sure you wash and pat dry the fruit you are using. Remove any stems or greens.

 Design Time!

I sort of went for a fruity paisley effect but you can certainly make your own design or just put them randomly on. It will all taste amazing!  You just want to cover all of the frosting bits so that each slice has a nice portion of fruit on the top to enjoy.  I have seen flag designs for holidays that turn out well.

Voila! Chill in fridge before serving.  Cut into squares and use a small turner to help serve.  Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Thank you Lois Susag. May your recipe live on!

 McMeatsa© !  

by rusticfroggie©

 On a Keto or Low-Carb Diet? Craving pizza but know you should not indulge? This is a quick version of my Meatsa recipe, using pre-cooked fast food beef patties and some imagination.

So hubby didn't want to cook and I didn't feel like it much either, so he mentioned ordering a pizza. Since my cardiologist suggested I go on a low-carb diet, I have been trying to wean myself off of my carby addictions- mostly sugar but also gluten free bread.  We decided on a McDonald's run as I know my hubby likes to try to eat carnivore a lot of the time and the meat patties are not bad. I was still thinking of the pizza suggestion when I decided to get six plain small patties and make a version of my Meatsa recipe- ground beef and Parmesan cheese rolled out on parchment, pre-cooked, topped and baked all the way through to be a beef (and sometimes chicken) crusted pizza. 

Here is my take on the McMeasta© as I am calling it. 

 McMeatsa© Recipe

• Preheat the oven to 400º F
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  

Ingredients:

• 6-8 small pre-cooked beef patties from your favorite fast food place. I went for the smaller ones, not quarter pounders. -I ate three and was stuffed. You will have to judge by family size and appetites how many you want to buy. This is not the cheapest route, but convenient.
• pizza sauce- 1 tsp per patty (I used some spaghetti sauce I had on hand)
• pizza toppings of choice: I used 6 pepperoni slices per patty and a few chopped black olives. You are only limited by your imagination!
• cheese- I hand grated low-moisture mozzarella, but you can use what you like best

Assembly :

On your parchment paper, lay out the patties so they are touching.  Add 1 generous tsp of pizza or spaghetti sauce to each patty and smooth out with the back of a spoon. 

Add your favorite toppings: I used pepperoni (5 per patty) and some chopped black olives.

Top with cheese (I like to put veggies on top too)

                                                     

Don't be afraid to load on the goodness!
🍕🫒🍄🧀🥓🫑🧅

Pop the pan into the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly golden at the edges. 

****Allow to cool 5 minutes before enjoying. I noticed when I put the leftovers away they were easy to pick up as mini hand pizzas. 

Hope you enjoyed this recipe. Check out my Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/RusticFroggie/

Chorizo-Chicken Lasagna- With Low Carb Option

       Chorizo-Chicken Lasagna         

350º F/ 177 degrees C/Gas Mark  4   for 40 minutes.   Serves 4-6

Chori-pollo is one of my favorite dishes at Mexican restaurants as it is full of flavor and does not need to be carb laden. However, last night I was wanting something different. With a de-boned rotisserie style chicken, a few low carb/keto tortillas and chorizo I had the makings for lasagna without the pasta. You can substitute in thin sliced zucchini or egg crepes for noodles too, if you'd like.

Filling:

• 1 cold rotisserie stile chicken- de-boned and remove skin (you can put the skin in an air fryer for a treat) (Also, you could also use left over cooked chicken breasts/thighs ...you will need 3-4 cups)
  
• 1 14 ounce package pork chorizo (I bought the Supremo brand at Walmart as it has the least amount of ingredients)
• 1 tbsp butter or lard to fry chorizo
  
• 4 ounces cream cheese (I use Philadelphia brand as it is the lowest carb I can find here) 

• 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese

  

• 6-8 low carb or gluten free tortillas of your choice. 

Sauce:

• 2  4 ounce cans green chilies (can be mild-hot, depending on your tastes)
• 2 cups chicken broth (or you can use chicken bullion in water)
• 2 tbsp chopped jalapenos (optional)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder

2 TBSP sour cream do not add until sauce is cooked.

Directions: Preheat oven to350ºF/177 degrees C/Gas Mark  4

Filling:

De-bone and remove skin from the cold rotisserie chicken. Cut up in to bite sized pieces and place in a large microwave safe bowl. Next in a small pan add lard or butter and fry chorizo according to package directions. I used the whole amount but you can just use 7 oz for a milder flavor. Once chorizo is cooked thoroughly add it to the chicken. Next add 1 can un-drained green chili's and 4 ounces of cream cheese to the bowl and heat-covered-in the microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute until cream cheese is softened. Stir contents completely and set aside.

Sauce:

In a small saucepan add 1 can green chilies, 2 cups chicken broth (or water with chicken bullion to make 2 cups), 2 TBSP chopped pickled jalapenos (if using), 1 tsp each of cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for 10 minutes on med-low until some of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender (or stand blender) and blend the contents until smooth or to the consistency you like. (I left mine a bit chunky) To this cooled down mixture add 2 TBSP sour cream and blend again.   

Assembly:

Cut tortillas into strips using a pizza cutter or knife.

In your baking dish (9X10 was used here) add   1/4 cup of the sauce to the bottom and spread out. 

Then cover with a layer of tortilla strips.

 

Add the chicken chorizo mixture evenly over the tortillas and sprinkle 2 tbsp of shredded cheese on the top. Add next next layer of tortillas and then pour 3/4 cup of the green chili sauce over the tortillas. Add next layer of meat, cheese, tortillas, sauce. Keep adding layers until you finish with tortillas on top. Pour remainder of green chili sauce over the top and cover with the remaining shredded cheese.

   

 

 

 

                                        Bake for 40 minutes in preheated oven. Allow to cool 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Pairs nicely with lettuce, sour cream, olives or whatever you wish.  If you are not on a low carb diet, Spanish rice or re-fried beans would also make great sides.