Freschetta - By the Slice

I usually have two main gripes about microwave pizza:

1. Where is the cheese? Honestly, you would think there was a shortage the way so many companies skimp on the cheese.
2. What's up with the crust? If the crust is thick it's too doughy and chewy; if it's thin it's like eating a cracker.

So when Freschetta asked me to try their new Freschetta by the Slice I will honestly say I wasn't too eager. I shouldn't have been so skeptical.

The first thing you notice about Freschetta by the Slice is that it is actually a slice, cut from a whole pizza. The second thing you notice is that the cooking- though it is in the microwave- requires a bit more than just putting it in the microwave and setting the time.

You begin by placing the cooking tray near the edge of the turntable and cook for 60 seconds. Then you move the cooking tray to the center of the turntable and cook for another 90 seconds. Now whether it's the cooking tray or the cooking times, I can't say, but the crust was almost perfect. It was crisp on the bottom and soft on the top. Very impressive for a microwave pizza

Now lets talk about the cheese...

There is a lot of it. And it didn't have that funny processed cheese texture that so many microwave pizzas have. Nice.

I had the Spinach & Mushroom and found the toppings to be plentiful and large enough that you could actually tell what they were.

I think Freschetta by the Slice is a terrific single serve pizza option; one that won't leave you wishing you had eaten leftovers.

Freschetta by the Slice is also available in BBQ Recipe Chicken, Vegetable Medley and Six Cheese Medley.

Want to Try Freschetta by the Slice?

Simply leave a comment telling me which flavor you think sounds best. I will draw one winner, randomly, on Friday April 29. The winner will receive a coupon for a complimentary Freschetta by the Slice pizza and a 3 piece Freschetta storage set (6 piece version shown below). The storage set is awesome- the lids lock down securely and can be used in the refrigerator/ freezer, microwave and dishwasher.

Disclosure: Freschetta provided a coupon for a complimentary Freschetta by the Slice as well as the 6 piece storage set. All thoughts and images are my own.

Freschetta - Almost Like Homemade

I'm a mom.
And a freelance writer.
And a taxi driver... a cook... a housekeeper... a laundress... a dance mom... a gymnastics mom... a volunteer with my church...

The list can go on and on (and many days it never seems to end). We all know that moms are busy. And being busy there are nights when the menu I have planned goes right out the window and I pull a pizza from the freezer.

Though I tend to be a frugal shopper, I have always subscribed to the notion that "you get what you pay for" and my pizza choices have reflected that; I usually purchased Freschetta or that other brand that's "not delivery".

While at the Blissdom conference I had a chance to meet with Freschetta, learn more about the company and ask some questions.

Made by a Name I Know

Growing up in the Midwest, Schwan's was synonymous with home food delivery. Every two weeks the big cream colored freezer truck would rumble down the gravel road and up to our farmhouse. I remember my mom buying ice cream in a 2 gallon metal container. Today my girls recognize the truck, too, as "Shawn from Schwan's" arrives at our home every other Wednesday.

Knowing that Freschetta was made by the Schwan's company gave me a little burst of Midwest pride; learning more about how they make the pizzas made me feel good about buying them.

Like You Would Make - If You Had The Time

Beginning with the crust- made without leaveners and allowed to rise- of sweet spring wheat, ripe tomatoes and natural cheeses, Freschetta strives to create a homemade pizza experience with the ease of a frozen pizza. Toppings are fresh and crisp- not soggy- and are plentiful.

I had the chance to try the Brick Oven Spinach and Mushroom pizza and am surprised to say I really liked it- which is HUGE because I am not a veggies-on-my-pizza kind of girl. (OK, that's putting it mildly- I am a meat-and-cheese-only kind of girl.)

My daughter loves Hawaiian Pizza. Pineapples are her favorite topping ever. I've never been impressed with the pineapples on frozen pizzas; they are either so tiny you barely notice them or are so soggy you wish you hadn't noticed them. Not so with the Freschetta Canadian Style Bacon and Pineapple. The chunks of pineapple are flash frozen so the cells don't break down and they are perfect after baking- almost like you cored and sliced the pineapple yourself.

Want to Try Freschetta?

The Freschetta folks gave me a few coupons for free pizza (any variety) to share with my readers. Just share your favorite Freschetta pizza in the comments! Be sure to leave an email so I can contact you. Eight (8) readers will receive a coupon. (contest ends February 18; I will draw winners 2/19/11)

Haven't tried Freschetta yet? My suggestions:
Naturally rising crust: Canadian Style Bacon & Pineapple
Brick oven crust: Spinach and Mushroom
California style crust: Mediterranean Garden Veggie (the sauce is divine!)
PizzAmore: Zesty Meat Medley
Flatbread: Roasted Garlic and Spinach (you can never have too much garlic!)

Another way to win: Enter the Fresch from the Silver Screen contest for a chance to win a Hollywood beauty bag and Freschetta pizza for a year!

Chef Mickey's Breakfast Pizza

When I was at Walt Disney World a few months ago I came home with cookbooks. I am finally getting the time to fix "fun food", as my girls call it. This easy breakfast pizza came from the cookbook Cooking with Mickey and the Disney Chefs . (affiliate link)

This cookbook is filled with recipes from Walt Disney World, Disneyland and the Disney Cruise Line, so there is a wide variety. One thing this cookbook lacks is photos of the food. This is both good and bad: I love to look at photos of food but there is no way my food ever looks so pretty. With no images to compare to I am free to think my food looks good!

This very basic breakfast pizza recipe can be "perked up" with meats, but we like it plain. The recipe calls for grated provolone, but I used sliced so I could include the iconic mouse silhouette.

1 12" pre-cooked pizza crust
2 large eggs
1/2 cup coarsely shredded/grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup coarsely shredded/grated Provolone cheese
1 cup coarsely shredded/grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste



Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pizza crust on baking sheet or pizza stone.

In a medium bowl blend the cheeses together.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs, heavy cream, salt and pepper. Mix well and add to cheese mixture. Immediately (to avoid clumping), pour mixture onto the pizza shell.

**I used provolone slices, so I placed them on top of the cheese/egg mixture.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese mixture is set and is beginning to brown.

Cut into pizza wedges and serve hot.

Terrific with fruit "on the side".

Upside Down Deep Dish Pizza

When I hosted Mom's Nite Out a couple months ago one of the sponsors, Unilever, sent me a box of goodies that included the Family Fun Book.

About a week ago I made a recipe from that book: the Upside-Down Deep Dish Pizza. It was really quick and easy to make; and inexpensive, averaging $3.44 per serving- less, actually, because the recipe says it is 4 servings but it easily fed my family plus our babysitter and left plenty of leftovers for two lunches the next day.

Another big plus: I put spinach in it and my girls didn't even bat an eye at the "green stuff".

* 1 lb. ground beef
* 1 jar (26 oz) Ragu® Old World Style® Sweet Tomato Basil Smooth Pasta Sauce (or the sauce of your choice)
* 1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli OR spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (optional)
* 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 8 oz.)
* 1 can (11 oz.) refrigerated pizza dough

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Brown ground beef in 12-inch nonstick skillet; drain and season, if desired, with salt and ground black pepper. Stir in Pasta Sauce and bring to a boil; turn into 2-quart baking dish.
2. Top with broccoli, then cheese. Place pizza dough over dish, sealing edges tightly.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until crust is golden. Let stand 10 minutes.

Homemade Cheeseburger Pizza (including Quick Pizza Dough)

Before the title scares you off I want to let you know that this is a very easy recipe! I was pleasantly surprised by just how easily this pizza came together. And how good it is! I may never order out again. Between this recipe and the calzones recipe from last year (try the quick pizza dough recipe below for these) I have your pizza needs covered.

If you've never used the dough hook that came with your mixer this is the perfect time to try it! And don't worry if you don't have a dough hook. I actually kneaded it by hand.

The recipe comes from Cuisine at Home magazine. It begins with a Quick Pizza Dough. It takes about 1 ½ hours. This recipe will make 4 - 7" pizzas (or two 12").

You Need:

1 c warm water (100-110º F)
1 pkg active dry yeast (2 ¼ t.)
1 t honey
2 ½ c all purpose flour
½ c bread flour
1 T kosher salt
2 T olive oil

Directions:

Combine water, yeast & honey in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, 5 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Whisk both flours and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl); add yeast mixture and oil. Mix on low speed using a dough hook until well blended, smooth & dough springs back when pressed, about 7-10 minutes. (Or mix thoroughly with your hands; dough won't spring back or look smooth but it will still work.) Transfer to an oiled bowl, place in cool oven with the pot of boiling water on the rack next to it. Allow dough to rise about an hour.

Divide dough into quarters, shape into balls and wrap in plastic. Use right away or chill up to 1 hour. (You may freeze it now. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.) For baking instructions see following recipe.

On to the Cheeseburger Pizza.

You Need:

Quick Pizza Dough (recipe above)
¾ lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
Salt & pepper to taste
½ c ketchup
¼ c prepared yellow mustard
2 c shredded lettuce
½ c red onion, thinly sliced (I omitted this)
½ c grape tomatoes, halved (I just sliced some regular tomato)
½ c dill pickle chips, chopped
½ c mayonnaise
¼ c dill picle juice
1 c Velveeta, shredded, divided (I used shredded pizza/Italian blend cheese)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500ºF with a baking stone on the lowest rack. (No baking stone? No worries! I used regular baking sheets in the center rack and set the oven at 425ºF.)

Keep dough covered until ready to use.

Brown ground beef in a skillet (coat skillet with cooking spray is using very lean beef or turkey) over medium-high heat. Saute until cooked through, season with salt & pepper; drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Whisk ketchup and mustard in a small bowl; set aside.

Combine lettuce, onion, tomatoes & pickles in a bowl; whisk mayonnaise and pickle juice together in a separate bowl.

Roll one dough ball on a lightly floured surface into a 7" circle; place on pizza peel or back of a baking sheet coated with cornmeal. Spread 3T ketchup mixture onto dough, leaving a ½" border.

Brush edge of crust with oil and sprinkle with 1 t. sesame seeds. Top sauce with 1/3 c beef and ¼ c cheese. Slide pizza from the peel onto the stone and bake until cheese melts 8-10 minutes (if using a baking sheet bake for 10-12 minutes); remove from ovens. Top pizza with ¼ salad mixture and drizzle with mayonnaise sauce.

Assemble & bake remaining pizzas the same way.

Note: Don't think you have to use all the dressing on top of the pizzas! Keep some for dipping the crust! Yummy!