The other night we had some friends over to have dinner and play cards.
It was a really cold night, so I made potato soup with some of our homegrown potatoes and pasture raised bacon. One of the girls texted me a couple days before and asked if she could bring something like rolls to go alongside the soup.
I eagerly said “Sure!”
And, then she added, “I am going to be coming straight from work. Are store bought rolls okay?”
I kind of frowned. But, not because of the store bought rolls. Because she had to ask if that was okay.
It was, of course, okay but I felt a little bummed that she had to ask. Do I really come off so… homemade obsessed? Or worse… fancy?
If so, let me clear the air.
Sure, I love homemade bread. But, not as much as I love my home filled with friends and enjoying a meal with people who make me happy.
The food I love is far from fancy. It’s simple and tasty. Approachable, not foreign. It has dirt on it. (Washed off prior to gracing our bellies, of course.)
The recipes I love are uncomplicated and not full of forty hands on steps. But rather, they are passed down or are often created in my own mind using what I have on hand.
Not to mention, I am by no means perfect when it comes to homemade. I am totally okay with that. And, full disclosure, there are handful of staples in out house at all time that are premade.
One of those staples is frozen pizza. I love having it in the house. It’s great for nights when it’s just me or just Adam at home and we need a meal for one. It’s good for when we are together, tired and just need to get dinner done. And it’s fun, because it can act as the base for a much more dressed up pizza.
With a plain frozen pizza and a few ingredients you can create a really great meal and even bring in some freshness despite the fact it comes from a box.
A light arugula salad is one of my favorite ways to add spice and green (the color and the flavor- there is such a thing) to anything from sandwiches to quiche, but on pizza it’s really great.
We recently acquired a high tunnel and I cannot wait to have fresh, homegrown greens year round, but until it’s all set up and seeds are going I have been taking advantage of Greenerside Gardens, a small organic veggie farm down the road.
Alan, the owner and friend, currently has tons of arugula growing so last week I bought a big tub of it to make this simple pizza knowing with the holidays, travel and baking marathons we would want to just want to take it easy in the kitchen.
Just a little salt and pepper with some lemon juice brightens up the spicy arugula and it all kind of melts into the warm plain cheese pizza.
I top everything with some torn proccuitto and shaved Parmesan for a little chew and saltiness.
Okay. Okay. As frozen pizza goes, it’s a little more elaborate.
… Dare I even say “fancy.”
But, but what’s wrong with that?
It’s still totally simple, uncomplicated and delicious, yet exciting and fun.
Pair it with good wine and a table full of loved ones and it’s everything I love about food.
- One Large Frozen Cheese Pizza
- A couple handfuls of arugula
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- The juice of half a lemon
- Shaved Parmesan
- Prosciutto
- Bake Pizza according to directions on box
- While baking toss olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper with arugula
- Remove pizza from oven when complete and top with arugula, parmesan and prosciutto. Enjoy right away.
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