30 Minute Skillet Pizza Pasta

This pizza pasta is made with six ingredients in one skillet and it's ready in less than 30 minutes! 

It's a perfect meal for any night of the week and one that the whole family will love!

Happy New Year! I know I'm a few days late, but better late than never right? I'm excited to share a new recipe with you today but really I am just thrilled to be back blogging again. As I'm sure you've noticed, I haven't been around much the last year or so. I had a lot going on with my job and my family and I felt it was best to take a break for a bit. I've missed being here so much, it feels amazing to be back! 

Red Chile Chicken Flatbread Pizzas

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

#KingOfFlavor #FieldToBottle #CollectiveBias

These rich and flavorful Red Chile Chicken Flatbread Pizzas come together quickly and 

are perfect for tailgating or as an easy weeknight meal!

Fall is finally in full swing here in Michigan. After a week or so of being in the 80's, the temps have dropped, leaves are changing, and we are in the thick of football season. My favorite thing! I've been spending the weekends watching games with my friends and family and making lots of delicious dishes so no one goes hungry. I like to focus on recipes that are easy to make and don't take a lot of time, and these Red Chile Chicken Flatbread Pizzas are no exception. Just a handful of ingredients is all you need to make these hearty and flavor packed pizzas.

One shortcut I've been touting for years is store bought rotisserie chicken. One chicken can go a long way and can be used in so many different recipes. When I bring one home I immediately pull the chicken off the bones and shred it up. I pack it up in a large plastic bag and it's ready to go whenever I need it. 

Heirloom Tomato Pesto Pizza

Fresh heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese are the stars of this beautiful Heirloom Tomato 

Pesto Pizza. It's a simple pizza, yet so delicious, and perfect for the summer!

The farmers market is brimming with fresh produce this time of year and one of my absolute favorite finds are heirloom tomatoes. Not only are they gorgeous in color, but they are juicy and super flavorful. There are so many ways to enjoy these beauties, but my typical go-to is to use them as a topping for pizza. You may remember that early last month I attended the Food & Culinary Professionals 2017 Culinary Workshop in Napa with the Dairy Industry of Michigan. We attended different educational sessions and also participated in hands on activities, one of which was making our own wood fired pizzas. Even though I don't have a wood fired oven in my backyard, I was so inspired by our trip that I had to try and recreate our pizza at home!

Baked Pepperoni Pizza Sliders

Easy, cheesy and over the top delicious, these Baked Pepperoni Pizza Sliders 

will be the hit of your next get together or party!

March is one of my favorite times of the year! If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I am a HUGE college basketball fan. If you're a fan too, then you know that March is tournament time! Time to fill out your brackets and see how far you can go before it gets busted. For me, it's typically the first weekend 😂 But I do it anyway just for fun and I love getting competitive with my boys. We have a group bracket that we all just finished filling out and everyone is already talking big about how they're going to be the champion. Fun times for sure.

Supreme French Bread Pizzas

Pizza has never been easier to make when you create Supreme French Bread Pizzas! 

Ready in 15 minutes and only one pan needed, it's a meal that you and the whole family will love!

Growing up my mom used to buy me frozen French bread pizzas as a treat. You know the ones I'm talking about, right? I've even bought them for my own kids from time to time. Please tell me I'm not alone! They make a quick and easy meal when you're short on time and they're delicious. Not too long ago though, I realized that making homemade French bread pizza is SO much better than buying ones from the store. They couldn't be easier to make, can be ready in just about 15 minutes, and bake on one sheet pan! It's the perfect weeknight meal for the family.

Mexican Pizza #SundaySupper

This Mexican Pizza brings the best of two worlds together by turning my favorite Mexican food into a pizza! 

Perfect for game day, or even an easy weeknight meal, both kids and adults alike will love this fun twist!

Although I love summer, I am really, really excited that Fall is almost here. I can't wait to pull out my jeans, sweaters and boots this time of year, plus I'm obsessed with Halloween, all things pumpkin, and football. Football is my absolute favorite sport! Whether I'm watching my son play high school ball, or watching my favorite teams on TV, during the Fall I can't seem to get enough of it.

One of of my favorite things about football season, aside from the game itself, is the food. It doesn't matter if I'm tailgating with friends or watching a game at home, I always cook up some fun football treats. I tend to grill a lot, or make nachos and wings, but I also love pizza. I mean, who doesn't love pizza? I decided to give a twist to my traditional pizza and go Mexican style, and it was a huge hit with both my family and friends!

BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizzas

These simple and tasty BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizzas come together in no time at all. 

Perfect for lunch, dinner, or even a snack, they're a treat the whole family will love! 

Let's celebrate, it's officially summer! No more school for the kids! We can stay up late and sleep in! {Well the kids can, not me} No more packing lunches every day! You know what though? Even though there aren't any more lunch boxes to be packed, lunch still needs to be made. What a bummer, huh? I was hoping to let that one slide, but the kids didn't really agree. Haha! 

I like to serve different things for lunch, not the same ole', same ole'. That can get pretty boring and eventually the kids get a little antsy for something new. These BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizzas are our new favorite. They are simple to make and super delicious, which makes them the perfect summertime meal.

Chicken Cranberry Walnut Pizza with Goat Cheese

Goat cheese and cranberry sauce pair perfectly with chicken and walnuts for an exciting change to our pizza routine! 

Easy and quick to make, it's a winner on pizza night!

No matter the time of year, I'm always in the mood for pizza. It's part of our weekly routine to get pizza delivery sometime during the weekend, whether it's Friday or Saturday night depends on our schedules. I really enjoy making homemade pizza too, so sometimes I'll do that instead. I enjoy changing the toppings up - it could be just cheese or pepperoni, other times I'll make BBQ Chicken or Chicken Alfredo. It's fun to put some twists on the traditional toppings.

Recently I decided to create a new pizza that symbolized Fall. Not the usual pumpkin, sweet potato, apple flavors that I've been working with a lot lately. I wanted something different. Going with cranberry was the best decision I made for this pizza! Delicious cranberry sauce is the base, topped with shredded chicken, walnuts, crumble of goat cheese and fresh rosemary. That pizza has Fall written all over it! 

Italian Pizza Burgers

Jazz up burger night with these loaded Italian Pizza Burgers! They're a big hit with both kids and adults alike!

I've been grilling up a storm this summer, and one of our family favorites are burgers. Both of my boys adore burgers, and since they got me a new grill for Mother's Day, they love them even more! I've learned to cook a burger to perfection, with beautiful grill marks on the outside, crispy edges and ooey gooey cheese, and the perfect tender pink center. After all these years, I finally did it!

I probably make burgers once a week now, so it's nice to changes things up a bit and not always eat them the same way. I came up with the idea to make Italian pizza burgers, and they have been a huge hit ever since we had them for the first time. A juicy burger patty topped with pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. What could be better? If you love your veggies, some grilled mushrooms or peppers would be a fantastic addition, too.

Heirloom Tomato & Basil Pizza

Gorgeous, fresh Heirloom tomatoes are the star of this simple but tasty summer pizza!

One of my favorite things about summer, other than the beautiful sun, gorgeous blue skies and warm temps of course, is the bountiful fresh fruits and veggies we get here in Michigan. I can hardly wait for this time of year since we get so much available to us that is grown locally. 

I'm first in line when our nearby farmers markets open up, and can't wait to get my hands on all the produce. I'm a sucker for a fresh, juicy, ripe tomatoes. From tossing them in a salad, to making a spicy salsa, to topping a pizza, the options are endless with tomatoes.

Butternut Squash & Bacon White Pizza

Forget ordering takeout, this delicious Fall pizza could be on your dinner table tonight!

Today I'm excited to be back over at Anyonita Nibbles with a new contributor post and recipe! And trust me friends, you are not going to want to miss this one. Butternut Squash and Bacon White Pizza. The squash is roasted and sweet, the bacon crispy and salty, the white sauce is totally out of this world. 

Apple, Fig, Feta and Arugula Pizza + Michigan Apples Tour

Sweet Honey Crisps are the star of this delicious and savory apple pizza!

A few weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to go on an apple tour with the Michigan Apple Committee. Myself and a group of bloggers met in Grand Rapids to learn everything we could about apples and had tons of fun along the way.

Our first stop was Sietsema Orchards in Ada. We talked with Andy, the owner, and he shared with us the history of his orchard and all the different varieties of apples that they grow. They have 150 varieties on 15 acres of land.

Cuban Pork Flatbread

Flavorful Cuban pork, ham, and plenty of cheese, piled high atop a fluffy flatbread makes 

the perfect meal or gameday snack!

Happy Monday! My post today is part of the multi-blogger #FabulousFlatbread Challenge, coordinated by my lovely friend Rachel of Rachel Cooks and sponsored by the United Dairy Industry of Michigan.

My awesome blogger friends are sharing some pretty amazing flatbread recipes, plus there are prizes! Head on over to Rachel Cooks to read all the details of the challenge, find out what prizes are up for grabs, and link up your fabulous flatbread recipe!

Pepperoni Pizza Pull Apart Loaf

Hot, cheesy and ready in 30 minutes, this pizza pull apart loaf is perfect as a snack or a light meal!

I'm really into fast and easy meals and snacks these days. With my youngest playing football, there is very little time between school, practice and homework! But of course there has to be time for food, and I'd much rather make something at home than have to go out.

This pizza pull apart loaf is now one of my favorites as it falls into the fast and easy category, plus it's really delicious. I swear it is! A few simple ingredients turn into a fun twist on pizza. It's a treat that the whole family is sure to love!

Pepperoni Pizza Pull Apart Loaf
Recipe written by The Chef Next Door
Print this recipe

Ingredients:
One package refrigerated pizza dough
5 oz. pepperoni minis
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup pizza sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the pepperoni, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. On a cutting board, roll out the pizza dough. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough vertically into eight sections, then horizontally into six sections, leaving you with 48 small dough pieces.

Arrange a third of the dough pieces in the prepared pan, then top them with a third of the cheese and pepperoni mixture. Repeat these layers two more times.

Bake the loaf, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown on top. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it to a serving plate. Serve the loaf warm with pizza sauce on the side.

Bon Appetit!

BBQ Chicken Pizza {Meat Month}

We are a pizza loving family for sure. I love making pizza at home for many reasons. 

I love the smell of the rising dough. 

I love that my kids can help with layering the toppings. 

I love that it's cheaper than store bought or delivery!

Just a couple of weeks ago I shared my recipe for Chicken Alfredo Pizza. Another one of our favorites is this BBQ Chicken Pizza. This time I followed the Pioneer Woman's recipe for basic pizza crust, however, I used bread flour instead of all purpose flour. Honestly I like the dough better with the bread flour. It makes the crust light and fluffy. But you can use whichever one you prefer or what you have on hand. I've used AP flour a zillion times and it still comes out amazing!

Chicken Alfredo Pizza {Meat Month}

September is Meat month for my Blogger Recipe Challenge group and I have a great line up of recipes to share. From pulled pork to stir fry to enchiladas, I've got something for everyone!

This chicken alfredo pizza is a favorite in my house, especially for my oldest son. He loves my homemade pizzas! It's super simple to throw together and makes a great weeknight meal paired with a nice salad.