BBQ Chicken Pizza with Pineapple

The weather here has been absolutely incredible. I went to the beach on Thursday. In March. This is by far the best staycation I've ever had! This pizza is also one of the best we've ever made at home. We've enjoyed this numerous times and I finally have a picture to share with you. We brought this to friends for dinner the other night. They seemed to enjoy it just as much as we do. There is also something about pineapple that makes me feel like I'm in the tropics. The ranch adds a wonderful creaminess to the BBQ sauce but not an overwhelming flavor change. This recipe is from Sing for your Supper.

You will need:
*pizza dough or a prepared crust (like Boboli)
*
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
*
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
*
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

*1/2 cup BBQ sauce, plus more for the crust
*
1/4 cup ranch salad dressing
*
fresh pineapple, cut into pieces
*cilantro, chopped for topping (optional)
-I tend to eyeball ingredients when making pizzas. This often results in more cheese, but that's how we like things around here!

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a bowl, combine the shredded chicken with the BBQ sauce. Set aside.

3. Spread a think layer of BBQ sauce on to the pizza dough. Top the BBQ sauce with the ranch dressing and swirl with the back of a spoon to combine. Spread the shredded chicken on top of the sauce. Next, sprinkle the cheeses and pineapple over the pizza.

4. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. If using cilantro, add to pizza right before serving. (I love cilantro, but we only buy it when it's being used in a few recipes during the week)

Guinness Donuts

It's almost St. Patrick's Day. That means corned beef, Baileys and Guinness treats are taking over the blog world. Here's a breakfast idea for the weekend to keep that theme going. These donuts came out a bit dry, so I might try adding some yogurt the next time I make them. I do really like the combination of cocoa and Guinness. If you're looking for a dessert to bring to a St. Patty's celebration, I highly recommend Guinness and Baileys cupcakes. This donut recipe was found on Bakers Royale.

You will need:
*2 1/2 cups flour
*1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
*2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
*3/4 teaspoon baking soda
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*2 eggs (1 egg white and 2 yolks)
*1 teaspoon vanilla
*3/4 cup sugar
*3 tablespoons butter
*3 ounces of dark chocolate
*1/3 cup milk
*1/2 cup Guinness or other dark stout beer

1. Lightly grease donut pan and preheat oven to 375.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine egg, egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar. Beat until well mixed and fluffy in texture. Add in milk and beer, beat to combine. Slowly add the dry mix until incorporated into the batter.

4. Melt butter and chocolate in a bowl of over simmering water or on a double broiler. Fold in in to the batter.

5. Fill the donut wells about 1/4 full with the batter. I find it works well to use a frosting bag for this. Bake for about 4-6 minutes.

If you'd like to add a glaze, check out the original recipe. I decided to keep these simple. These donuts are best eaten the day they are made.

Grapefruit Marinated Steak Fajitas

We are experiencing some amazing spring weather this week. It is excellent timing because I'm on spring break! I cannot wait to get our grill cleaned and ready for use again.

The night I made these enchiladas, I was craving summer grilled food. We rarely cook red meat at home anymore, so this dinner was a great weeknight change of pace. The original recipe, from Confections of a Foodie Bride, is setup to be prepared entirely on the grill. It was still a chilly, dark night when I made these, so we opted to cook them on the stove top. I also cut the oil in half. We were very happy with the results of this recipe!

You will need:
*1/4 cup fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
*1/4 cup fresh lime juice
*pinch of salt
*black pepper
*1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1-2 tablespoons more for cooking
*1 lb beef (My local butcher sells small stir fry strips. Look for flank or skirt steak.)
*1 large yellow onion, sliced
*2 large bell peppers, sliced into strips (I used one red and one green)
*8 corn tortillas

For toppings, we Chose:
*1 avocado, sliced
*Greek yogurt
*shredded cheese

1. In a large Ziplock bag, combine the grapefruit and lime juices, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Add the beef, seal the bag, and squeeze the marinade together and onto the meat. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

2. Once the marinated meat is ready, saute peppers and onions over medium heat in a small skillet.

3. In a separate skillet, cook the steak over medium high heat. Flip the steak pieces after about 5 minutes.

4. Serve your fajitas as desired.