Sweet Potato Pizza Crust

I am a carb junkie. My addiction includes breads and desserts, so to curb my carb cravings and at least try to reduce the amount of flour I consume, I thought what better way than a sweet potato crust pizza. Did I mention that my husband and kids (me included) love pizza! My husband worked in the pizza business for ten years and although, he is not home to try this new experiment, I am hoping to save him a piece and give me his pizza man experienced opinion! I must give credit for the inspiration of this recipe to Tina at Carrots N' Cake. I did make some modifications to her original recipe, so see the comments below.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes (2-3 medium sized sweet potatoes)
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar because that is what I had on hand, but any kind would work)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp minced fresh garlic
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• dash of cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• Your choice of toppings

Directions:
The first step is to preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.  Next, I prepared sweet potatoes for mashing by peeling and cutting into small chunks and throwing into a sauce pan with water. Let the potatoes boil until soft. Now you're ready for mashing!

 

Drain the sweet potatoes, but reserve a cup of the starchy sweet potato flavored water for mashing.  I used a hand masher, but I suppose you could use a processor as well, just be careful not to over process. I added about a half cup of the water reserve while mashing to help make the potatoes softer. Next, I combined all the ingredients listed above, adding the mashed sweet potatoes last.

The original recipe called for almond flour. It's not a staple in my pantry, so I replaced with whole wheat pastry flour instead. I purchased a 25 lb bag from Azure Standard. That's a lot of flour....What was I thinking? I am not quite sure! Those who suffer from gluten allergies could substitute with another kind of flour.

The original recipe also called for garlic powder, although normally a pantry staple in my home, I was all out and did not feel like running to the store, so we used the fresh garlic we had on hand instead and grated with a grater.

 

 

The original recipe also called for a pizza pan. Alas, something we do not have in our kitchen. Isn't that amazing that we love pizza so much, but do not have a pizza stone or pan in our house?! So, instead, I covered a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray (olive oil). After making this crust, I found it did stick to the pan, so I may use aluminum foil next time. Using a spatula, I spread the dough into the baking pan until about a 1/2 inch thick, and baked for 25-30 minutes until center was firm and edges were lightly browned. 

 

Next, we removed the crust from the oven, added toppings, and baked for another 5-7 minutes until the cheese was completely melted. My kids loved the beef and barbeque pizza, but the asparagus, although still good, was not their favorite.

Homemade Mac and Cheese

I must admit that I did not make this recipe, my husband did...but it was so good that I had to add the recipe to my blog for the next time my family wanted Mac and Cheese. I have a hard time serving the boxed Mac and Cheese to my family with all its processed and impossible to understand ingredients (Who really knows what's in that mystery "cheese" powder unless you are chemist and can clearly read each ingredient after "dehydrated processed cheese food". And what is cheese food anyway?!) I must give my husband kudos for trying this recipe and telling me where he got the idea, from the back of an elbow macaroni box. Thanks dear husband for the great meal! Next time, I may double the recipe, because it was just enough to feed our whole family of five. The youngest son, who is only two, had three helpings! He loved it so!

Ingredients:
1 12 oz package elbow macaroni (whole wheat, rice, or other pasta of your choice)
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP flour (all-purpose or whole wheat)
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup italian seasoning breadcrumbs

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in milk. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat, until sauce thickens. Stir in salt and pepper. Add onion and cheese; stir until cheese melts. Stir cheese sauce into elbows. Spoon into a greased 2 quart baking dish. Top with bread crumbs. Bake 30 minutes.

Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta www.ronzonismarttaste.com