Pizza on an off night

jal/ranch, originally uploaded by Kim De.

We are out of town part of this week, so we are switching things up a bit. I was craving pizza tonight and I knew the best way to break it to Bo - jalapenos!

I have been looking for a reason to make a pizza with my homemade ranch dressing and spicy jalapenos seemed the perfect contrast for the coolness of the ranch. Oh, one last thing - I grilled it

I started off by pulling our new favorite pizza dough out of the freezer. After it thawed, it was easy to poke and punch it into a slightly round shape. Now this pizza ended up being a collaboration. My plan was to round out the veggies with tomatoes but when Bo suggested red peppers, it made so much sense to roast them to finish things off. A light sprinkling of mozzarella and provolone cheeses held everything together while helping the ranch keep things cool.

We both loved the mix of flavors on this pie and will be using this one again!

Jalapeno Ranch Pizza

Pizza dough pushed or rolled into an 8-inch circle
1/2-1/3 cup of your favorite Ranch Dressing (or to taste)
1/2 large red pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and julienned
8-10 pickled japapeno slices (or more to taste)
1/2-3/4 cup shredded italian cheeses ( any mix you choose: mozarella, provolone, parmesan)

Prepare or purchase the crust of your choice. Roll the dough into approximately 8 inches and put in the refrigerator on parchment paper or foil with cornmeal to firm up prior to grilling.

Roast the pepper then steam in a paper bag for 15-30 minutes. Rinse under water to remove the peel, then seed and julienne. Blot the pickled jalapeno slices in between paper towels.

Pre-heat the grill on high for at least 15 minutes. Spray with non-stick spray then slide the dough into the hot grates. (Tip: Use a peel coated with cornmeal, or on have on a cookie sheet then flip over on to the grate.) Grill 5-10 minutes or until the underside is light brown. Remove from the grill, flipping over so the grilled side is facing you.

Spoon the ranch dressing over the grilled side of the crust, spreading around. Sprinkle approximately 1/2 cup cheese over the dressing, then place the red peppers on top. Scatter the jalapenos between the pepper slices and finish off with the final 1/4 cup of cheese. Turn the grill down to low and place the pizza back on, long enough to finish the bottom and melt the cheese. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes prior to slicing.