BLING YOUR THING: Epic CHEESE (Aka Chicago Pizza)

It's National Pizza Month! (I'm all for that.) Are you a pizza lover?

When I was 15, I worked in a pizza parlor, and it has forever defined one thing: the world is incomplete without pizza. While living in NYC, I fell in love with their pizza pies--thin crust, just the right amount of sauce, wicked-awesome toppings, cheese... (Need I say more?) BUT pizza pie meets its true definition in Chicago.

That's two whole inches DEEP of cheese. (Aka, heaven.) Mmm... 

Here's the problem: I'm a consumer, not a maker. (Giordanos is my local source of heaven.) So here's a snazy tutorial to walk you through how to make it at home! *gasp* (Except he used preshredded cheese. DON'T DO THAT. They put potato starch on that stuff to keep it from sticking, and it changes the consistency of the cheese.)

Now, the biggest difference between restaurant pizza and homemade is the oven. (I kid you not--remember I worked in a pizzeria.) Home ovens have a limit on the heat they can produce, for safety reasons. Commercial ovens have no such restrictions. (Think 900 degrees Fahrenheit and up!) They cook a traditional pizza in 3 to 5 minutes. See the problem? 

Life hack! There is a way to modify your oven. *gasp* It deals with jimmy rigging the lock on your oven so that you can put it on "clean" and still use it to cook. (This can be dangerous.) Another option is to put your oven on broil for about 45 minutes before baking. We've done this. Pizzas cook in about 4 to 6 minutes and the crust is epic--but you have to use a high heat cooking stone because pans will warp.

Are you a pizza lover? Chicago style? NYC style? What's the best pizza you've ever had?

Crystal Collier is a cheese-loving blogger & author who pens out funnies, deep thoughts, and book giveaways. She's the author of the Maiden of Time series, a 2012 winner of PitchWars, and a 2016 IWSG writing contest winner. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, four littles, and “friend” (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese.

The third book in her Maiden of Time series releases November 1, 2016. Find her and her books online.

Chicken CRUST Pizza

I had to double take at this recipe - I thought it was just for a yummy chicken topped pizza - NO! The chicken is the CRUST! Can't wait to try it! Thanks, SK! She'll take it from here...

So if you've followed me at all . . . you know I love pizza. 

Pizza is *almost* my spirit animal. 
(That spot goes to coffee, but that's a whole different post.)

The problem with pizza is, well, I'm allergic to carbs. As evidence by the swelling of my tummy and other parts of my body. Okay, okay, so it's called "gaining weight" but let's NOT get technical. I just merely try to brainwash myself into believing I'm severely allergic to carbs, is all. And yes, for the most part this "trick" works! :D

Anyway—as much as my lack of self control allows me—I tend to follow a low carb, high protein diet. And so . . . by the power invested in me by Google and Pinterest I've come up with an awesome Chicken Crust Recipe. I found it floating around and have tweaked it to my liking. And TRUST me when I say you have to try it! You just have to! It's EASY and DELICIOUS! Definitely perfect for those non-cheat days that you wanna 'pull one over' on yourself and pretend you're being bad. 

Ingredients:

• 1 Pound of Ground Chicken
• ¼ Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese
• ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning Blend (or just some Basil and Oregano)
• Sauce and toppings of your choice. (I used Green and Red Peppers, Onion, Spinach, Sausage, Sauce and more cheese than they said, because I LOVE CHEESE!)

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°.
2. Combine the ground chicken, cheeses and spices. Line your pizza pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Place the ground chicken mixture onto the pizza pan. Flatten between the two pieces of parchment paper. I used the rolling-pin to get it nice and even, but it's not necessary. Remove the parchment/plastic wrap once done.
4. Bake in the oven for 20 min or until the crust is golden. (I broiled a bit on both sides because I wanted some crunch).
5. Place your sauce, toppings and cheese on the chicken crust then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese and toppings are melted. 
6. PLEASE wait until it's cool down a bit before you bite into it! You've been warned!

And there you have it! This is what it looks like ;)

S. K. Anthony is a writer, a reader and a make-stuff-up-er who lives in New York with her husband and toddler twins. She is a wine connoisseur, which just really means she knows she loves it, and a caffeine addict. When she isn’t busy with her family, she finds herself being transported into the world of imagination. Well, either that or running away from spiders . . . she is convinced they are out to get her!