Grilled Chicken, Peach, Blackberry, and Basil Pizza with Balsamic Glaze

Do you trust me?

This is an important question. So I’m going to go back in time here for a second. 

Given the fact that I’m not 80 years old and I have, in fact, been living with the Internet for many years, it’s kind of bizarre how I’m still so surprised by just how expansive this whole Internet thingamajigger really is. Any smart quips about it being called “the world wide web” for a reason are not appreciated here.

Its not like I don’t know how to use it. The remote for our DVR is still confusing, not going to lie, but the Internet I’ve pretty much figured out. I do love me some technology. I mean come on; who would still use an actual map after mapquest became an option? Who needs to bother remembering facts when you can just Google them? Who needs to know how to spell when you can just let your vaguely accurate, sometimes inappropriate, autocorrect do all the work? Who would rather have real friends when you could have Facebook friends… wait, what? Nevermind.

Anyway, I digress. The point is, I’m a fan of the Internet, for the most part. I am also a fan of food, for, you know, the whole part. Which is why I find it odd that I didn’t join the food blogging bandwagon sooner. And I don’t just mean writing my own; I mean reading, ogling, and drooling over other people’s food blogs too.

It wasn’t until last summer that I ever really even looked at a food blog. It was back when I was bluffing my way through that Internet marketing job that asked me to write about “How to Blog” before I’d ever really read one to begin with. Good times. But in the process, I stumbled upon food blog after food blog and discovered just what I was missing out on.

First of all, I don’t know about you, but I don’t know why they bother making cook books without pictures. Not nearly as enticing. Odds are, I will flip through the majority of non-pictured pages full of fantastic recipes with, at best, vague interest, then, when I pass the one picture in the middle of the book—most likely of something I don’t even like—I'll make that. Don’t judge, I’m sure some of you have done it too.  That’s why food blogs were the perfect thing for me. I found a few that I adored, and I’ve been following them ever since. 

This brings me back to the question at hand: Do you trust me?

I haven’t been blogging about food for long, at least, not as long as How Sweet It Is, who introduced me to this recipe. But you can rest assured that I have been eating food for a long time, possibly even my whole life, I might hazard to say. 

When I say something is good, TRUST ME, it is.

So please, dear god, make this pizza.

I trusted How Sweet It Is. Now it’s your turn to show a little faith in what you read on the Internet, and in me.

It will pay off, promise.

Grilled Chicken, Peach, Blackberry, and Basil Pizza with Balsamic Glaze

Serves 4-6

1 batch of pizza dough (You can make it yourself, or get premade dough from your local grocery store)

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon brown sugar

4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese

2 grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 ripe peach, thinly sliced

2/3 cups blackberries, coarsely chopped

10-15 basil leaves, chopped

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced

1 cup balsamic vinegar

Prepare dough as directed and while it’s rising, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and add butter and onions with a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, then stir in garlic and brown sugar and cook for 10 minutes more. Remove and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Shape dough as desired drizzle with the olive oil. Add the caramelized onions. Add on the grated cheese, then top with the chicken, peaches, and berries. Evenly place fresh mozzarella on top. Sprinkle with basil.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden.

While the pizza is in the oven, heat the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes as pizza bakes. It should reduce to about 1/3 of a cup. Set aside to cool, as it does this it will thicken further.

Drizzle the pizza with balsamic glaze. Top with additional basil, red pepper flakes, or any pecorino romano or parmesan cheese if desired, then serve.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

It's a good thing to know how to make your own dough. Plus, being able to make whole wheat dough gives you a healthier option, and one that has that has a richer, nuttier, more wholesome kind of flavor to it. 

For anyone intimidated by the idea of making their own pizza crust--it's okay, like pizza itself, pizza dough is simple too. 

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

makes one pizza

1 1/8 cups warm water

3 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour, divided

1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey, and olive oil. Mix together with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, this should take about 10 minutes. Add in 2 cups whole-wheat flour, ½ cup of all-purpose flour, and salt, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but it still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work the additional 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (you don’t need to use all if it is not needed) in to the dough, kneading it for a few minutes on a floured surface.

Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place. Leave it to rise for about  1½ hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on the floured surface. Using your hands or a rolling pin, shape it as you like. Place the towel back over the dough and let sit in a warm place for 10 minutes.

Add your desired toppings. Bake the pizza for 25-30 minutes, or until crust and cheese are both golden.

Cupcakes with Raspberry and Blackberry Frosting (Gluten Free)

I often hesitate before using the phrase "Gluten-Free." 

This is mostly because I hate the term "Gluten-Free." There, it's out there. 

   

Why do I hate that particular phrase, you ask?

Okay, well, you probably aren't asking that. I'm going to tell you anyway, though.

I grew up like a typical American kid. I ate my burgers on buns. I ate pasta, oh boy did I eat pasta. I ate Doritos and Cheetos and Fritos and all those other "itos." I'll admit I never ate sandwiches on Wonder bread, but that was mostly because I didn't grow up in 1960s family programing, alla Leave it to Beaver style, eating white bread and drinking grape soda and saying phrases like "Golly, Mother this sandwich sure is nifty!" I did, however, eat plenty of rye bread, sourdough bread, honey whole wheat bread, and potato bread--which is entirely misleading as its still made mostly of flour and not, you know, potatoes.

But unlike most American kids, when I was around 8 years old, my dad was diagnosed with Celiac disease.

Because we didn't really know how to work around gluten, our first course of action was for all of us just to avoid it entirely. We cooked with all gluten free ingredients. Even if it was something cooked for me, we would often make it with rice flour, rice pasta, corn tortillas.

When I say I hate the phrase "Gluten Free" it is because most people don't really understand how difficult it used to be to do before it became the "thing" that everyone now seems to know about. 

Gluten free penne pasta from the 90s? Like small bricks made of rice. 

I think the construction industry really missed a potential raw material for their building ventures when they overlooked how ridiculously hard gluten free pasta was back then. I kid you not. The only way it seemed acceptable and at all edible was when it was cooked in a casserole dish and smothered in sauce and cheese. And you know me, I love me some pasta, but BOY, this stuff was... um. 

Now, though, I am happy to say that aside from gluten free bagels (which I would still suggest as a well suited building material to anyone looking to build a small home), most gluten free food is surprisingly delicious.  

This brings me to the other reason why I hate the term "Gluten Free." I'll be the first to admit that I threw a bit of a tantrum when I was 8 and learned that most things we'd be eating would be gluten free from then on. To be fair, I don't think "handles change" and "incredibly reasonable" and "well adjusted" are terms at the top of the list when describing 8 year olds... but still. 

But, I am happy to say, I have changed my tune.

That's why it bothers me that others, even in this age of so many wonderful gluten free things, are so put off by the idea of gluten free products.

I'm sure the little "(Gluten Free)" in the title of this blog post might have turned people off before they even got this far along.

Yes, sometimes gluten free baked goods make me wonder if the 1990s phase of gluten free products never ended. They can be dry and dense, anyone who's gluten intolerant will stand by that statement. If not done carefully, the cake can be unbelievably rough and dry. I don't know about you, but when I feel like I could exfoliate my skin or sand my deck with my dessert, something is probably wrong. 

BUT, gluten free desserts can also be quite good.

So, I leave it up to you. If you are blessed (like me) and don't have dietary restrictions--I give you the original recipe to enjoy as you please. It's absolutely delicious. 

But, if you yourself have to avoid gluten or (also like me) have a loved one who you'd like to cook for without their difficult diet stopping you, well then, I include the gluten free version below as well, any changes made to the recipe will be in italics, because everything is more fun in italics. 

Cupcakes with Raspberry and Blackberry Frosting (Gluten Free)

12-16 cupcakes 

Cupcakes:

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs (add 1 extra egg white, if making gluten free)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1½ cups flour (substitute directly with all purpose gluten free flour--like Red Mill)

1 teaspoon baking powder

(Add ½ teaspoon baking soda, if making gluten free)

½ cup milk (1 cup milk, if making gluten free)

Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake tins with

Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs. Beat together until fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add half of dry ingredients into the butter mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in milk. Add remaining dry ingredients, mixing again until everything is combined.

Pour into cupcake tins, so that each is abut ½ to ¾ full. Take either one raspberry or one blackberry and place gently in the center of each cupcake. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, let them cool completely before frosting.

Raspberry/Blackberry and Frosting:

1 tablespoon butter

1½-2 cups fresh raspberries or blackberries, rinsed and dried

1 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon vanilla

1½-2 lbs powdered sugar

¼ cup milk

Heat butter until melted in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add berries. The berries should soften, their juices releasing. When the liquid begins to bubble, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes until liquid is slightly thickened and berries have lost their shape. Use strainer or cheesecloth to strain berries, reserving liquid in a small bowl, and discarding seeds left behind.

In a large mixing bowl, mix butter, vanilla, and sugar together—adding the sugar gradually. Use more or less sugar, depending on desired sweetness. Add milk gradually, mixing until combined. Add in the liquid from the berries, folding or mixing in until combined.