Hawaiian BBQ Pizza

It has been a quiet weekend in this Goldsmith household. It is exactly six days out until the big Hawaiian vacation. Needless to say, I wanted to lay low and enjoy some peace and quiet. It was a weekend of preparations, picking up last minute items (everyone needs that one extra summer dress), making lists (lots and lots of lists), and beginning the long task of packing for a seven day vacation. Seriously, no one can prep you for having to pack for the unknown. I'm trying my best to go with the flow and not worry about plans, excursions, picking the perfect restaurant, or having every detail planned. I like spreadsheets, even on my vacations. The more organized I am, the more choices I have once there, the more I can relax, right? What you don't do that too?! My family on the other hand, is not quite as keen on the idea of planning every aspect of a tropical vacation. They say, go with the flow. How bad can it be when you're in Maui? I am going to attempt to go with this approach instead of my standard spreadsheet method. But you better believe, I will have my Maui guidebook on hand, and at least a list of a few restaurants that have rave reviews from fellow foodie travelers. 

As I start this week, I have a funny feeling that my mind will already be on the beach. Since my mind is already there, I decided to cook up a semi-homemade pizza with some of my favorite ingredients and a Hawaiian flare. 

Hawaiian BBQ Pizza

2 mini pre-made pizza crusts (I used Bobli original)

3/4 cup pizza sauce

1.5 oz. grated pepper jack cheese

1.5 oz. grated mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup jalapeno slices (or to taste)

1/2 cup diced pineapple

1/2 cup diced cooked chicken 

2 Tbsp. BBQ sauce 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread sauce over each pizza crust and sprinkle with pepper jack cheese. Place jalapeno slices and pineapple over cheese. In a small bowl, coat chicken with BBQ sauce. Place coated chicken on each crust. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake pizza's on a pizza stone or directly on the oven rack for a crispy crust for 12 minutes (I like mine a little more well done so adjust time to your preference). 

I love the mix of spicy and sweet that this pizza delivers. It has something for everyone. I don't order the typical Hawaiian pizza when at restaurants because it includes ham or prosciutto, which I don't eat. Instead, I usually substitute with jalapenos. My second favorite pizza is the BBQ chicken pizza with cilantro and red onions. This is the love child of the two combined. 

If you have any recommendations for a fun time in Maui, leave a comment below. All ideas are welcome, I can be quite the adventurer when given free reign :) 

Summer Berry Crisp with a Twist

This week started out rough. I'm convinced the full moon has affected my normally sunny disposition and turned me into a raving mad lunatic. There is a lot of transition going on in my life right now, and when there is a time of change I struggle with staying calm, cool, and collected. But I have some wonderful friends who talked me down from the cliff and put a smile on my face. My sister gave me some great advice and suggested cooking therapy. Why didn't I think of that?! So with that, I rolled up my sleeves opened my refrigerator and checked out what I could come up with. Zucchini fritters were on the menu, as well as my summer berry crisp with a twist. The inspiration for the crisp came from this lovely recipe: Joy the Baker- Strawberry Raspberry Crisp. I had blackberries on hand and I wanted to add my own twist to the mix. And I'm glad I went slightly astray because the resulting confection was something I could groove with.

Summer Berry Crisp with a Twist
1 quart strawberries, rinsed, stemmed and quartered
2 pints blackberries, rinsed (I cut mine in half because they were huge!)
juice of half a lime
zest of one lime
3/4 cup rolled old fashioned oats
3 Tbsp. whole wheat all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
2 Tbsp. sliced almonds
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 8x8 pan mix the strawberries, blackberries, juice of lime, and lime zest. In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, spices, and butter. Combine until the butter turns into small pea sized shapes. Take a small handful of the crisp topping and mix with the fruit. Then top the fruit with the rest of the crisp mixture. Sprinkle almonds on top of crisp mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until fruit is bubbling and crisp topping is golden brown.

This has the taste of summer with a twist of lime! It makes me excited for my upcoming tropical vacation to Hawaii! It definitely helped to turn my mood around and put me back on track. Be on the look out for a Hawaiian inspired recipe and reader requested recipes. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you all are having a cool summer filled with rest and relaxation.