Homemade Pizzas

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Two kinds of pizza you can make at home!

Chicken Apricot Pizza
1 ball pizza dough (either purchased or homemade)
½ cup (approx) reduced-sugar apricot preserves
2 cooked chicken breasts, diced into cubes
1-2 cups dried apricots, chopped
4 oz Gorgonzola cheese
1-2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

If using refrigerated dough, let sit out at room temp for at least 20 min so it’s easier to work with. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onions with 1 tbsp olive oil plus a sprinkling of salt & sugar until they begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Stir every couple minutes. Set aside. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray (or rub with olive oil) and work dough out with your palms so that it fits the sheet (you can also roll out with a rolling pin, and if you have a pizza stone, you can use that in place of baking sheet). Poke a few holes in the dough with a fork, then bake for 2-3 min or until crust begins to form. Remove from oven & let cool a couple minutes. Spread the preserves like you would pizza sauce all over the crust. Distribute the remaining ingredients, including the caramelized onion slices, around the whole pizza, ending with the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. Let cool 5 min, the slice & serve.

Heirloom Tomato Pizza with Fresh Herb Pesto
1 ball pizza dough
½ cup pesto (store-bought or homemade)
¼ cup olive tapenade (optional)
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella
2 large heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Follow same dough instructions as above, including baking the dough for 2-3 minutes to form a crust. With a spatula, spread the pesto and olive tapenade (if using) evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the pesto, then arrange the basil leaves (chop if desired) and tomato slices around the pizza, finishing with the mozzarella and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and pizza is heated through. Let sit 5 min before slicing and serving.