Week #28 - New Hampshire - Corn Chowder Pizza

State:  New Hampshire

The state of New Hampshire is known for chowder soups.  I would imagine that comfort food in the winter is a must have and I do not use corn that often, because my wife is allergic to it.  I decided that this would be the challenge that I would use it and make her a traditional pizza.  The chowder turned out really good and reminds me of a Key West Chowder that Whole Foods sells.  I hope you like it and give it a try!  Let me know if you do!  

Ingredients Needed:

1 pizza crust

1/4 cup of Mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese

Chowder:

2 thick pieces of bacon

½ a small onion, finely chopped

½ red bell pepper, finely chopped

2-3 red potatoes cut into quarters

1 ½ cups corn kernels (I used frozen kernels defrosted)

1 cup chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup whole milk

Chowder:

In a medium sized pot, brown the bacon pieces to release all of the fat.   Next, use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon pieces.  Drain and save them for the pizza topping.  Sauté the onion and red pepper in the bacon fat.   Add in the potatoes and stir them around in the mixture, to ensure they get covered with the bacon fat.

Next, add the corn, broth, salt, and pepper. Please note that the bacon fat has a lot of salt, so be careful when adding it in.  Bring the chowder to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover.  Simmer until the potatoes are soft.  Puree 1/3 of the soup in a blender or food processor to make it more of a thicker consistency, but do not over puree it.  You want some of the vegetables to stay in the chowder.   Stir in the milk adjust the seasonings, returning to a boil.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Meat:
See section above on how to cook the bacon.  

Pizza:

Preheat oven at 450 degrees.  First, cook the crust until it turns a light brown or golden color, or for 7-10 minutes (See Above).  Next, take the chowder and add to the pizza.  Try to strain the chowder a little so the juice isn't flowing off of the sides of the pizza.  You don't want chowder boiling over onto your oven and smoking up your house.  I learned from experience in the past.  Make sure that chunks of potato and corn all over the slices.  Add the cheese and top with bacon pieces, or wait for the end if you over cooked the bacon.  Cook for 5 minutes or so, just enough to melt the cheese.  Pull from oven, set aside and allow to cool.  The chowder will be super hot, so don't burn yourself!  

Pairing:  Smutty Nose

New Hampshire has a good amount of breweries, but Smutty Nose is one of the most popular and you can buy it in Florida.  I went with the Oneofakind IPA, which was really tasty with the pizza.  You can also go with a porter to off balance the creamy taste.  A good wine would be something dry and oaky like a Chardonnay.  

Learning Moments:  

This challenge has me making more chowders than I ever have before and I really enjoy it.  I will save these recipes for those 4 cold nights in the winter.  :)   I learned that simplicity is sometimes the best thing.  I hope you try this one, because it was very tasty and I know you will enjoy it.  Cheers! 

Week #26: Nebraska - Nebraskan Runza Pizza

State:  Nebraska

For the state of Nebraska, I was originally going to use corn in the ingredients until I heard about the Runza.  A Runza is a like a Russian Hot Pocket.  Nebraska has a lot of immigrants from Russia and the Runza is a very popular dish here.  I decided to go the traditional route and instead of making a personalized Runza, I decided for the pizza challenge to do more of a Stromboli style pizza.  I really enjoyed it and I hope you do too!

Ingredients Needed:

1 cups warm water

1 packages quick or active dry yeast

1⁄4 cup sugar

1⁄2 and ¼ teaspoons salt

1 egg

1⁄8 cup butter, melted

3 1⁄4 cups flour

Filling:

1⁄2 lbs hamburger

1⁄4 cup onion, chopped

1.5 cups cabbage, shredded

1⁄4 cup water

½ and ¼ teaspoons salt

1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

Runza Dough:

First, mix water, yeast, sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved.  Then add the egg and melted butter.   Stir in flour and put in the freezer for 15 minutes or refrigerate for 4 hours, depending on how much time you have. 

Filling:

In a medium pan or skillet on medium heat, brown the ground meat.  Add the onion and cook until it becomes translucent.  Next, add the cabbage, seasonings and water, simmering for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside until mixture cools. 

 

Pizza:

Preheat oven to 450.  On a pizza stone, thin out the dough like you would when making a pizza.  Add a thin coat of olive oil to the crust.  Next on one half of the crust, add all of the mixture and then a layer of cheddar cheese on top.  Leave at least one inch from the bottom.  Next, gently fold over the dough till it gets to the end of the mixture.  Finally, fold over the last inch and mold across with a fork.  Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is slightly browned.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  The Runza pizza will be very hot, so you need to cool it down before you eat it.  You can also slice it in sections to cool faster.   

Pairing:

This is comfort food and a spicy or hoppy beer would go great with this.  I decided on an IPA and did not find a beer from Nebraska.  I hear that Nebraska Brewing Company is putting out some great beer, so I would try something from them. 

Learning Moments: 

I wish I would have stuffed the Runza with more of the mixture.  I felt that I had more dough than actual meat and veggies.  Also, I also used mozzarella cheese and would prefer a cheddar cheese with this, as it would have made it pop with flavor more.  Overall, this was very good and tasted really good.  It is definitely worth trying!!  Cheers!

Week #25: Montana - Finger Steak & Gravy Pizza

State:  Montana

When I think of Montana, I think of the open range and cattle.  After doing research, I found out that the state is known for a popular dish called Finger Steaks.  Basically, they are chicken tenders but made with cube steak, which is very similar to country fried steak.  Instead of having long strips, I cut into smaller bite size pieces for the pizza.  Montana and everyone else, I hope you enjoy!!

Ingredients Needed:

Meat:

1/2 pounds Tenderized Round Steak or Cube Steak, Cut Into 1-inch Strips

1 cup Flour

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Cayenne

3 whole Eggs

1 cup Milk

½ cup of Canola Oil or enough to fry in

1 tbsp of Butter for Frying

Gravy

1 cups Milk (additional)

4-5 tbsp of flour or flour mixture from above

¼ cup of cooked grease

Salt And Pepper, to taste

1 Pizza Crust

Gravy:

Remove all the grease from the pan, but save ¼ cup and add back into the pan.  Add 4-5 tablespoons of flour or use the mixture with the spices.  Whisk the flour into the grease to create a roux and cook on medium heat until it turns a golden brown color.  Whisking constantly, pour in the milk and allow gravy to cook until it thickens.  Whisk regularly to keep gravy smooth and add more milk if gravy becomes to thick.  Remove from heat and add salt/pepper to taste. 

Meat:

First, combine flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a dish.  Whisk together the milk and eggs in a separate dish.  Next, dredge the meat into the flour, dip quickly into the egg mixture and then dredge back into the flour.  Continue until all the meat is breaded.

Heat the canola oil with 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat.   Place the steak pieces into the pan, usually 4 or 5 at a time .  The goal is not to crowd the pan.  Turn the steak midway through to ensure there is a good sear on both sides.  When both sides are a golden brown color, remove the strips from the pan and place onto a paper towel-lined plate.   Continue process until all of the strips are cooked. Remove from heat and set aside.  

Pizza:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook crust until slightly brown or 5-7 minutes.  Next, add sauce onto crust and add a layer of mozzarella cheese.  Add finger steak pieces and then add additional sauce onto top of finger steaks.  Cook for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  

Pairing:  

When pairing a beer for this pizza, I attempted to find a Montana beer and had no such luck.  Montana has great brewing companies like Big Sky Brewing, Flathead Lake, and Bozeman.  A good amber or red ale would be great for this pizza.  For wine, go with a soft red like a Chianti or a Cabernet.  

Learning Moments:

I really enjoyed this pizza and it was very simple to make.  Next time I make it, I will use the cube steak as it is tougher to chew real steak on a pizza.  The finger steaks will be much easier to eat that way.  Overall, I enjoyed it and would make it again.  I hope you like it too!  

Week #24: Missouri - St. Louis Style Pizza

St Louis Style Pizza Cut in Squares

State:  Missouri

Missouri is home to barbecue, the St. Louis Cardinals & Rams, and supposedly, they have their own specialty pizza.  At first, I wasn't going to recreate their pizza until I looked at the different types of cheese they add to this.  I thought, with all that cheese, it has to be good.  I am glad I did, because it was really good.  This is the same style pizza that you would buy from Imo's in St. Louis.  Missouri, I hope I did you proud with this pizza!

Ingredients:

1 pizza crust

1 can of tomato sauce

1 tbsp of olive oil

1/4 cup of shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

1/4 cup of shredded smoked, picante, or regular provolone ( I did regular)

1/4 lb of sliced Swiss cheese (recipe calls for shredded)

1/2 lb of cooked pork sausage

1 tbsp of onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

dried Italian seasoning

1 tsp of garlic powder or minced garlic

Sauce:

For the sauce, mix the tomato sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and onion powder all together.  Heat for 5-10 minutes or until mixture is completely blended.  I like the seasonings to cook into the sauce.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Meat:

Cook ground pork until all pink is gone.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from heat and set aside.  

Pizza:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Apply thin layer of olive oil to the crust and then coat the base of the crust with the tomato sauce mixture.  Now we are ready for the toppings.  Add the slices of Swiss cheese on the base of the pizza.  You can do the shredded way if you want, but I decided to go with slices just to save additional money.  Next, add the sausage and spread all over the pizza.  Then, add your shredded provolone and then the cheddar.  After all the cheese has been added to the top of the pizza, apply pepper and Italian seasoning to your preference.  Place into the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes or until crust has browned and cheese is turned orange or so.  

Pairing:

When you think of Missouri, you think of Anheuser-Busch Beer Company. Unless you like craft beer!!!  In Kansas City, MO, Boulevard Brewing Company is making some really good beers and you can buy them in Florida which is great too!  I had the Calling IPA, which is an Indian Pale Ale around 8%.  I thought it wasn't bad and actually prefer their Farm House Ale more than the IPA.  For wine, go for something refreshing and a tad sweet, like a Pinot Grigio to balance out the acidity.  

Learning Moments:

Overall, I really enjoyed this pizza.  The power of cheese really does have power!!  The different tastes of cheese made this pizza killer!  I might have to try smoked Gouda next time.  A good learning moment that I had when making this pizza was that you have to be careful with salt.  If you add salt to the sauce and the meat, you may want to reduce it down a little than your normal taste.  The reason being is that cheese has a lot of sodium and you don't want your food to come out too salty.  Luckily for me, my pizza was not too salty.  Again, I really enjoyed this pizza and love what they are doing with it in St. Louis!  I hope you try it sometime.  Cheers! 

Week #23: Mississippi - Po Boy Catfish and Shrimp Pizza

Gluten & Corn Free Crust and Batter

State:  Mississippi

From what I researched about Mississippi, the state has Cajun roots just like Louisiana.  I didn't want to do a dish that was too close to what I did before, so I did a little more research on what dishes are popular.  From what I gathered, fried catfish Po Boy sandwich is a big food staple in this state.  So, I decided to take on the challenge of doing a fried catfish and shrimp Po Boy.  Experimenting with catfish is not my expertise, but I was very surprise at how good it turned out.  

Ingredients:

Fried Catfish & Shrimp:

 1/2 lb. of catfish or 1 fillet cut in half or 3 pieces depending on size.

 1/4 cup milk or half & half or light cream

 1 egg

 1/8 cup Rice flour for Gluten-Free recipe or all-purpose flour

 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper

 1/2 tsp of ground mustard

 1/2 tablespoon of Creole Seasoning (see below) or Cajun seasoning

 1-2 dashes of Tabasco pepper sauce

 1/8 cup canola oil for frying, or as needed

Creole Seasoning Mix:

1 tbsp. paprika

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. garlic powder

½ tbsp. black pepper

½ tbsp. cayenne pepper

½ tbsp. dried leaf oregano

½ tbsp. dried thyme

Sauce:

1 can of tomato sauce

2 tbsp. of Creole seasoning

1 tsp. of onion powder

1 tsp. of cumin

Salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup of cheddar cheese
1 pizza crust (Saved money on 1 pizza) - Gluten Free 

Sauce:

The sauce was very easy.  Open can of tomato sauce and add seasonings.  Heat until sauce is warm.  Turn off and set to the side.

Gluten-Free Shrimp Batter

Gluten-Free Catfish Batter

Meat:

First, soak the fish and shrimp separately in milk or cream for at least 30 minutes.  You can do this by placing the meat and milk in a Ziploc freezer bag.  You can add back into the fridge for 15 minutes or so.  Next, in a small bowl, whisk the egg and Tabasco sauce together until mixed thoroughly.  In another a medium bowl or pie pan, mix the flour and spices together.  Dip the fish pieces into the dry mixture, then into the egg, and then back into the dry mixture again.  I repeated the process one more time to get a double coat. Do the same process with the shrimp.  By doing this process to the meat, the batter will stay intact and will fry beautifully.  

Heat enough oil in the pan to cover the bottom and cook over medium heat.  Fry each piece of meat on its side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.  Sprinkle additional creole seasoning on the top to add additional flavor for the fish and shrimp.  Place cooked pieces of meat unto a plate with paper towels to absorb excess oil.  Once meat is cooled down, cut fish into small bite sized pieces and set aside.  

Pizza:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook crust for 5-7 minutes or until slightly browned.  Next, add a nice coat of sauce to the crust of the pizza.  Place pieces of fish and shrimp along the pizza crust.  Make sure that the meat ingredients are spread out evenly along the pizza.  Next, add a small layer of cheddar cheese across the top of the pizza.  Remember, the cheese is designed to enhance the flavor of the pizza, but not over power it.  If you put on too much cheese, you will lose the taste of the fish and shrimp.  

Place into oven for 5-7 minutes or just enough to melt the cheese down.  Pull out of oven and set aside.  Wait till pizza is cool before eating. 

Pairing:

So when making the pizza, I wasn't able to find a Mississippi beer.  I know a store that sells them, but I didn't have time to drive all the way across the town for 1 beer.  Yes, of course it is a great excuse to find one beer, but maybe next time.  When it comes to pairing a beer with a pizza, I would go with Lazy Magnolia's IPA or Timber Beast, which is a rye pale ale.  The pizza will give a spicy tomato or acidic edge, so a beer with a lot of hops will pair well.  If you are unable to find Lazy Magnolia, just try an IPA or Pale Ale.  For wine, I would go with a dry white wine like a chardonnay.  

Learning Moments:

After cooking the pizza, I got too excited about eating it, I forgot to take a photo of the whole pizza.  You figure after 23 weeks of making pizzas, I would have gotten this down to a science.  Either way, this challenge expanded my horizons in cooking. This was the first time I ever fried shrimp without Old Bay seasoning and the first time I ever cooked catfish before.  Being that I am from Maryland, it is almost sacrilegious to not use old bay on seafood.  This challenge has taken my cooking to newer depths and has challenged me to try new recipes in a shorter time frame.  I didn't know if I was going to like catfish, because I am not a big fish eater.  After cooking this dish, I may have to do it again soon!  I would highly recommend making this pizza, as it was very delicious!! 

Week #22: Minnesota - Tator Tot Hot Dish Pizza

State:  Minnesota

Before starting the pizza, I researched the state of Minnesota and found out that one dish dinners are the common meal.  Pronounced by locals as "hoddish", hot dish meals are great comfort food for cold winters and are very popular.  I can totally see myself eating this hot dish meal, so I decided on making this a pizza.  The ingredients were a little different than what I am used to, but it turned out pretty good.  I chose this hot dish recipe for the pizza, because I hear this one is popular.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lb of hot Italian turkey or some type of lean meat
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1/2 a bag of frozen peas and carrots
1/2 a bag of frozen corn
1/2 a cup of cream of mushroom soup (see below for recipe if doing scratch)
1 pound of cooked tator tots (see instructions for bag)
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Soup:
4 ounces fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons onions, chopped
1 tbsp of minced garlic
1 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons rice or tapioca flour - to make gluten free
1 small carton of organic chicken stock
1/2 cup of light cream or whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg

Sauce:

First, chop up the mushrooms into petite sized portions.  Melt butter in a large frying pan and add in the onions, garlic, and mushrooms.  Cook until onions are translucent and soft.  Next, stir in 2 tbsp. of flour and create a roux until slightly brown. 

Add in the chicken broth and heat until slightly thickened.  Add in 1 tbsp. of flour and stir until dissolved.  Then add in cream and heat to sauce becomes thicker.  Stir frequently.  Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Once sauce thickens, remove from the heat and set aside. 

Meat:

For the meat, I wanted something with some heat and wanted to stay lean, as this pizza is going to pack in some fatty calories.  In a medium pan, heat up 1 tsp of canola oil and add turkey to the pan.  Ensure to break up into small pieces and cook turkey until gray or until pink is gone from the meat. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Pizza:

Preheat oven to 400 or 450 degrees for a pizza crust from scratch.  Add a thin layer of olive oil to your pizza crust.  Put crust into the oven and allow to bake for 5-10 minutes or until slighly browned.  Do not overcook the crust.  The time will depend on what type of crust you are using.  Take pizza out of oven.

Next add the turkey and veggies to the base of the pizza.  Spread out thoroughly to ensure all areas are covered equally.  Next, add a layer of the sauce over top of the meat and veggies, covering the whole pizza.  Take cheddar cheese and spread over top of the pizza.  Finally, add the cooked tator tots along the pizza.  Cook for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted over the casserole.  Remove from oven, turn off oven, and allow to cool before eating.  Sauce can be VERY hot. 

Pairing:

Trying to find a beer from Minnesota can be a challenge living in Tampa, FL.  There are some great breweries in Minnesota from what I hear, but I am not familiar with them.  The type of beer I would serve with this pizza, is something that would be a dark rum or bourbon aged porter or imperial stout.  When I think of eating this pizza in MN, I think of Winter time and you need something to warm you up.  When it comes to a wine, a Merlot would be a good selection for the pizza. 

Learning Moments:

Doing this pizza, I wasn't really sure where it was going to go or if it would taste good.  I thought about making the casserole first and then placing it on top of the pizza, but decided not to.  The pizza turned out very good, but I would consider making a different casserole dish.  After I made the pizza, I realized that a green bean casserole and smoked ham pizza would be killer.  I may end up doing this state over again just for that combination.  It sounds really good.  Either way, this pizza turned out pretty good and was very tasty.  How can you go wrong with tator tots??  Enjoy!  

Week #21: Michigan - Detroit Style Squared Pizza

Michigan:  Detroit Style Square Pizza

When I think of the state of Michigan, I think of Detroit, Wolverines, Eminem, Chrysler & Dodge, and Motown music.  I never once thought of Little Caesar’s Pizza.  That’s right, the home town of Little Caesar’s Pizza is in Garden City, Michigan.  The founder Mike Ilitch played farm baseball for the Detroit Tigers founded the national franchise back in 1959 (Courtesy of Little Caesar’s website).   When I was in high school, we used to eat Little Caesar’s pizza like it was going out of style. 

Going into this challenge, I wanted to tackle the Little Caesar’s Detroit Style Squared-pizza.  Any time there is a pizza known for the city, I have to take up the challenge and I am glad I did.  The pizza was outstanding and I definitely would make this pizza again.  So for all my readers who come from Michigan, I hope I made your pizza with authenticity!! 

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)

1 package fast-acting yeast

1.5 cups all-purpose flour - plus more for dusting

1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of onion powder

Oil, for greasing bowl

Sauce:
1 large can of crushed tomatoes + 1/2 can of water
1 can of tomato paste
1/3 cup of chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup of dried Italian herb mix
1 tbsp of minced garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 cup of olive oil

1 cup of Wisconsin Brick Cheese or 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of white cheddar
1 cup of cooked Hot Italian turkey sausage
1/2 cup of sliced green onion

Crust: 

This is the first time I made squared pizza dough, but what I have learned is that it is the same recipe.  The only difference to making this pizza is how you form the crust.  When making the dough, pour 1/2 cup warm water and add the yeast.  Stir with a fork to dissolve. Let sit until foaming for 5 to 10 minutes. 

Add the remaining water. Add the flour, onion powder and salt all at once and mix together with your fingers.  I usually have a little extra water in case it doesn't get the right consistency. The dough should be very sticky. Add the oil and form into a ball.  Set aside and allow dough to rest for 15-20 minutes or so.  

Cooking the Crust:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Grease a square baking pan with canola oil.  Take the dough and form into a square to meet all the corners.  Ensure that the dough is evenly distributed in a square, because it will rise and you want to ensure it rises evenly.  Add a thin layer of olive oil onto the crust to enhance the flavors of the dough.  Cook for 10-12 minutes or until slightly brown.  All areas of the crust should be cooked and almost flakey.  Set aside.  Turn oven down to 400 degrees.

Sauce:

For the sauce, I made it the way that I would make a traditional sauce.  However, use your creativity and make it your own.  First, I added a can of the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes into a medium sauce pan.  Then, add the water and turn the stove on a medium temperature.  Cover and cook until sauce is all mixed well.  Add spices, oil, and basil.  Allow to cook for another 10 minutes or so and remove from heat. 

Meat:

The meat is completely optional and I would recommend doing your own thing.  I kept it simple, so I could focus more on the dough and taste of the pizza.  In a medium or large pan, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil and add in the ground hot turkey sausage.  You can change the type of sausage to pork, chicken, or even a mild sausage.  The hot Italian brought in some good flavor with the meat, so I would recommend it.  Cook until pink is gone from the meat and remove from the heat.  Set aside.

Pizza:

Time to put all the ingredients to work.  First, put a layer of the brick cheese or variations all over the pizza.  Then, add the sausage and spread out thoroughly onto the crust.  Remember, the pizza is going to be in square slices, so you want to make sure each square has balanced ingredients.  Next, add the green onions onto the pizza.  Place back into the oven for 5-7 minutes or just until the cheese is melted.  Remove from heat and add a line of sauce on each side. If sauce is cold, warm up sauce on the stove first.  Wait until pizza cools down and eat. 

Pairing:

A few months ago, I discovered Founders Brewing Company who makes amazing craft beer.  They have some great and robust flavors, which make all the beers, taste really good.  I decided to go with the Founder’s Porter to edge off the sauce of the pizza.  You can also pair the pizza with their All Day IPA, Centennial IPA, Dirty Scotch Ale, or Red Rye IPA if it is in season.  For a wine, go with a white wine to balance out the sauce.  I would recommend something like a Pinot Grigio to balance out the acidity of the sauce.  It’s up to you!  

Learning Moments:

There is always a learning moment when cooking and making pizza.  Luckily, the learning moment was not a bad one, but great one!  This pizza took me back to the old days of eating those $5 pizzas and when I ate the crust, I literally could taste the brand of Little Caesar’s Pizza.  I never had a tomato based pizza where the sauce was on top.  It was very good and was used more of a dipping sauce, which is what Little Caesar’s is known for.  I will definitely make this pizza again and I would highly recommend it to anyone to try making their own version.  Enjoy!!