2002 Grand Prize

Leah Lyon
Ada, OK

This is a Creative Creations Recipe.

QUESO BLANCO PIZZA with SPINACH, CHILES and FRESH SALSA
Yields 8 slices
1 Mama Mary’s 12 inch Gourmet Pizza Crust
Olive oil to mist the crust
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
1/2 cup canned Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Queso Fresco, crumbled
1/4 pound Asadero Cheese or Chihuahua Cheese, cut into strips or cubes
3 large Poblano Chiles or Green Chiles, roasted and peeled*
1/2 pound Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1 cup Fresh Salsa**
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Line a vented pizza pan or large baking sheet with parchment baking paper that has been trimmed so edges will not hang over the pan or touch the oven wall. Place pizza crust on parchment-lined pan. Mist the crust and the rim with olive oil.
In a small non-stick skillet sauté onion and garlic in butter until softened, add salt. Squeeze excess liquid from spinach. Stir spinach into onion mixture, continue to sauté for approximately 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Set asid
e.
Slice the roasted peppers into thin strips, set aside.
Layer the ingredients for the pizza in the following order: 1/2 cup Queso Fresco, spinach mixture, fresh shredded Parmesan Cheese, Asadero Cheese strips or
cubes, roasted pepper strips ending with Mozzarellla Cheese.
Reduce over temperature to 425 F. Keeping pizza on the pan bake for 12 minutes. To crisp the crust, remove from the parchment-lined pan and place crust directly on the oven rack for 3 additional minutes.
Slice and serve with fresh salsa.
Queso Blanco
*Roasted Poblano or Green Chiles: Place washed fresh Chiles on baking sheet or broiler rack, broil all sides until skin is blistered and puffy. Remove and place in a covered container for at least 5 minutes, or until easy to handle. Peel skin, core and
seed peppers. Rinse well and set aside. Peppers can be roasted ahead of time, peeled and refrigerated.
**Fresh Salsa:
Place in food processor:
1/4th sweet onion, chopped
2-3 jalepaňos seeded and coarsely sliced
1 teaspoon salt (add more if desired according to taste)
Pulse until finely chopped.
Add: 2tablespoons fresh lime juice
Peel 1-2 large tomatoes, cut into 6ths
Place in processor, Pulse until chopped but still chunky.
Before serving drain as desired. (Depends on how juicy the tomatoes are.)

2002 Grand Prize

Diane Nemitz
Ludington, MI

This is a Creative Creations Recipe.

BANANAS FOSTER DESSERT PIZZA
Yields 8 slices
1 Mama Mary’s 12 inch Gourmet Pizza Crust
1 cup shortbread cookie crumbs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 ounces cream cheese
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 bananas, sliced
1 teaspoon rum flavoring
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rum, optional
1 tablespoon banana liqueur, optional
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Place pizza crust on vented pizza pan or baking stone. To bake pizza on baking stone follow directions of the manufacturer.
Place pizza crust on vented pan. Spread cream cheese to the edge of the crust. Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter, sprinkle over the cheese. Keeping pizza on the pan bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
In small heavy saucepan combine heavy cream, brown sugar and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and boil 4-5 minutes. Cool to room temperature, add rum flavoring and vanilla extract.
To serve, place pizza crust on serving plate. Spread ice cream over crust. Add bananas to brown sugar mixture and pour over ice cream.
If using, warm rum and banana liqueur and ignite with long match. Pour over bananas while flaming.
Slice and serve immediately.

2002 Semi-Finalist - First Quarter

Linda Tavernise
Greensboro, NC

This is a Creative Creations Recipe.

PIZZA 2002….NUTRITIOUS, FRESH, VEGETARIAN
Yields 16 slices
2 Mama Mary’s 12 inch Gourmet Pizza Crusts
Olive oil to mist the crusts
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cups marinara sauce, divided
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, slivered
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
Lite salt and coarse ground pepper to taste
1 large bell pepper, red or green, seeded and sliced into strips
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
12-16 fresh spinach leaves, washed, drained and coarsely cut
6 ounce can black olives, drained, sliced and divided
3 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and sliced
Shredded Romano, Parmesan or Asiago Cheese to sprinkle on top
1 1/2pounds Mozzarella Cheese (Polly-O), sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Line vented pizza pans or large baking sheets with parchment baking paper that has been trimmed so edges will not hang over the pan or touch the oven wall. Mist the crusts and the rims with olive oil, spread ¾ cup marinara sauce over each crust, set asid
e.
In a large non-stick skillet using approximately 1 teaspoon of olive oil sauté the onions until barely tender, stir in fresh herbs and salt and pepper to taste, set aside. In the same skillet adding oil as needed sauté bell pepper slices until “al dente”
, set aside. In the same skillet adding remaining oil as needed sauté mushrooms and garlic, drain.
Divide and layer the ingredients over the crusts in the following order: onion mixture, bell pepper strips, mushroom mixture, spinach leaves, a generous amount of one or a combination of the shredded cheeses, 1/2 of the sliced black olives, sliced tomato
es, remaining black olives, sliced Mozzarella Cheese, the remaining marinara sauce over the Mozzarella, ending with a generous amount of shredded cheese.
Reduce oven temperature to 425 F., bake pizzas one at a time. Keeping pizza on the pan bake for 12 minutes. To crisp the crust, remove from the parchment-lined pan and place crust directly on the oven rack for 3 additional minutes.
Bake the second pizza. Cool slightly, slice and serve.

2002 Semi-Finalist - First Quarter

LuAnn Womach
Neligh, NE

This is a Creative Creations Recipe.

ITALIAN HERO PIZZA
Yields 16 slices
2 Mama Mary’s Deep Dish Gourmet Pizza Crusts
Olive oil to mist the crusts
1 1/2cups Prego Chunky Garden Style Spaghetti Sauce
8 ounces Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1/2 pound Italian sausage, cooked and drained
1/2 pound Pepperoni, sliced
1/2 pound Cappicola ham, sliced (Italian spicy ham)
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup green pepper slices
1/2 cup red pepper slices
1/2 cup yellow pepper slices
1 cup black olives, sliced
1 cup onion, sliced thin
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
2 large tomatoes, peeled and sliced thin
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Line vented pizza pans or large baking sheets with parchment baking paper that has been trimmed so edges will not hang over the pan or touch the oven wall. Place pizza crusts on parchment-lined pans. Mist the crusts and the rim with olive oil.
Mix spaghetti sauce, Ricotta, and Parmesan Cheeses together, spread over the crusts. Divide and layer the cooked sausage, sliced Pepperoni and Cappicola ham over the sauce mixture. Divide and layer the remaining ingredients over the meats in the follow
ing order: mushrooms, pepper slices, black olives, Mozzarella Cheese, ending with tomato slices.
Reduce oven temperature to 425 F., bake pizzas one at a time. Keeping pizza on the pan bake for 12 minutes. To crisp the crust, remove from the parchment-lined pan and place crust directly on the oven rack for 3 additional minutes.
Bake second pizza. Cool slight, slice and serve.

2002 Semi-Finalist - First Quarter

Lynne G. Laino
Downingtown, PA

This is a Creative Creations Recipe.

BUFFALO CHICKEN PIZZA
Yields 8 slices
1 Mama Mary’s 12 inch Gourmet Pizza Crust
Olive oil to mist the crust
6-8 ounces ready-made breaded chicken
4 tablespoons butter
¾ cup hot sauce (Frank’s or Crystal’s)
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
¾ cup celery, sliced very thin
1/2 cup Blue Cheese dressing
Bake chicken strips according to package directions. Remove to cutting board, and cut into bite size pieces enough to fill to heaping a 2 cup measure. (Reserve any remaining chicken for another use.)
Preheat oven to 450F.
Line a vented pizza pan or large baking sheet with parchment baking paper that has been trimmed so edges will not hang over the pan or touch the oven wall. Place pizza crust on parchment-lined pan. Mist the crust and the rim with olive oil, set aside.
In a small saucepan heat butter and hot sauce until butter has melted, stir well to bend ingredients. Turn off the burner but leave the sauce mixture on the burner. Use approximately 1/4 cup of the sauce to spread over the crust, but not on the rim. Pl
ace bite-size chicken pieces into saucepan and stir until
chicken is evenly coated with the sauce. Spoon chicken and any remaining sauce onto the crust, top with Mozzarella Cheese.
Reduce oven temperature to 425 F. Keeping pizza on the pan bake for 12 minutes. To crisp the crust, remove from the parchment-lined pan and place crust directly on the oven rack for 3 additional minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with celery slices and drizzle with Blue Cheese dressing. Slice and serve.