Tortilla Pizza

       Pizza is a very popular food and hard to mess up so even if your dining hall doesn't have the best food I think that pizza is still a safe bet. The only problem is if they have random flavors. I'm sorry but Mac & Cheese pizza is not something I want. Neither is cheeseburger pizza. Thanks to Beth Hensperger, author of Not Your Mother's Microwave Cookbook I learned of the very simple way to make "pizzas" even if you don't have a full kitchen. It is "pizza" and not pizza because it is pretty good and definitely satisfies a craving fro pizza but it is not the same as actual pizza. I do like these though. The only problem is that the tortillas don't really absorb the sauce so it can be a bit messy since the sauce can slide around. I think that adding more cheese on top can help minimize the problem though because once the cheese melts it should hold things in place better.  You could even roll it up as one whole piece or roll up the slices. It is a tortilla so it does make sense do do that and it can be easier to eat that way. These "pizzas" are in no way messier than some regular pizzas though. Another positive is that the cheese was not stretching off the "pizza" or falling off. Sometimes when I have regular pizza the cheese comes of as one piece and I am left with crust and sauce which is not too

fun.
       The recipe and directions Hensperger gives are on page 89 of her book and the title of the recipe is "Individual Veggie Tortilla Pizzas".  The ingredients she gives include vegetables but I did not follow the recipe. I just used her method. The directions she gives are to "

1. Place the tortilla on a paper towel or plate. Microcook on HIGH for 30 seconds to warm.
2. Using a small metal spatula, immediately spread pizza sauce on the warm tortilla. Drizzle with the olive oil. Arrange the tomato slices and artichokes on top, and dot with the goat cheese. Microcook for 25 to 35 seconds, until the cheese melts. Let stand for 60 seconds, then cut into 4 wedges. Serve immediately" (Hensperger 89).  

       My Ingredients:

• Tortillas
• Pizza Sauce
• Mozzarella

       I chose to make plain cheese pizza but you can get as creative as you'd like with toppings. I put my tortilla in the
microwave as directed above and then spread my sauce on it. Finally I put the cheese on. I made two pizzas and the second came out better than the first. For the first I only cut the cheese into slices thinking it would melt a lot and cover the whole tortilla. This did not happen. The second time I cut the cheese up into little pieces and this worked much better. Pieces of grated cheese on the larger side would be even better but I don't know how many college students have graters in their dorms or how many people that don't have ovens or stoves have them.       

First Attempt                                                                                                              Second Attempt

       If you do have an oven or stove though you can make pizza very easily. And when cooked in the oven it is definitely more similar to actual pizza. It can still be simple to cook it in the oven though. You can buy pre-made pizza dough or crust and then just put your toppings on. Boboli makes great
products for this and I've used them in the past. Once you put your sauce and toppings on the crust and you are satisfied with it you will bake it in an oven set to 450 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes.

         If you need more ideas for pizza toppings her are a few.

• Grilled Chicken (Tyson Grilled & Ready would be great for this)
• Black Olives
• Veggies: Broccoli, Peppers, Onions, Tomatoes, etc.
• Margarita Pizza: Basil Leaves & Mozzarella
• Hawaiian Pizza: Pineapple & Ham
• Meatball or Sausage
• Pepperoni
• Zucchini or Eggplant
• White Pizza (This does not have any tomato sauce. Here is a great recipe from Rachael Ray, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/white-pizza-recipe.html. If you do not have an oven though you can use the tortilla method, just warm up the tortilla by itself then put the toppings on and put it in the microwave again.)
• You can also use herbs and spices to add more flavor to your pizza such as Oregano or Thyme
• Using different  cheeses is another option.  Asiago, Provolone, Parmesan, or Romano are some options.