Tomato Pesto Pizza #50 and Baked Potato Pizza #51

My friends and I recently had a pizza recipe party.  These are the two pizzas I made.  By the way this was one of my favorite parties ever.  It is amazing all the "pizzas" you can make. 

Pioneer Woman's Tomato Pesto Pizza
The case:

Ingredients
1 whole Recipe Of Your Favorite Pizza Dough (homemade Or Store-bought Is Just Fine, Too)
1 jar Prepared Pesto (or look at my homemade recipe below- it's amazing!)
Kosher Salt To Taste
Fresh Mozzarella
Roma Tomatoes
Fresh Parmesan Cheese

Instructions
1.  Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  (Adjust for your pizza crust)
2.  Press the pizza dough into a sheet pan (you can also use a pizza stone or grill).   PREHEAT stone if using it!
3.  Smear the pesto over the pizza dough and sprinkle some kosher salt over it.
4.   Slice the mozzarella thin enough to cover the pizza thoroughly.
5.  Next, lay thin slices of Roma tomatoes over the mozzarella.
6.  Grate some fresh Parmesan cheese over the entire pizza.
7.  Bake the pizza according to the crust directions.

Pesto Recipe:

Ingredients:
· 3 cups fresh basil
· 1 cup pine nuts
· 2 cloves garlic
· ¼ cup grated Parmesan (I use more)
· 1 cup olive oil
· Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Put first four ingredients into food processor. Pulse until chopped.
2. While food processor is on, slowly pour in olive oil until desired consistency. Taste and add additional ingredients as desired.

3. Mix in salt and pepper to taste.

Baked Potato Pizza
The case:

INGREDIENTS
1 can (11 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated thin pizza crust
6 slices (1 oz each) provolone cheese
2 cups cubed unpeeled baked potato (about 1 large)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons ranch dressing and seasoning mix (from 1-oz milk recipe package)
8 strips crisply cooked bacon, chopped
1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium), if desired

Sour cream, if desired- Or I tried it with ranch dressing which was fabulous! 

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray or grease 15x10-inch or larger dark or nonstick cookie sheet. Unroll dough on cookie sheet; starting at center, press dough into 15x10-inch rectangle.
2. Arrange provolone cheese slices on dough. In medium bowl, mix potato, olive oil and ranch dressing mix. Spoon evenly over cheese. Sprinkle with bacon and Cheddar cheese.
3. Bake 13 to 16 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with onions. Serve with sour cream.


The rulings:
I have to admit both of these were extremely good.  I love, love, love homemade pesto, so I'm always trying to find new recipes to actually use with it. (Two of my favorites are left over shredded roast beef, toasted French bread, and Muenster cheese with pesto or just the baguettes with pesto and then Muenster cheese toasted- YUM)  Anyways, I've already made the pesto pizza three times.

Here is what I learned from making both.  I just used the Pillsbury refrigerated crusts.  The crusts worked better for me to bake them for about 7 minutes before.  Then, add the topics and bake more.  I baked the potato pizza (the 2nd time) longer and cut the potatoes smaller.  They tasted much more "done" that time.  Then, on the tomato basil pizza, I broiled it some at the end to brown the cheese.  I had never used fresh mozzarella, and I just can't tell you how delicious it is.  I will use to whenever possible from now on!