Pizza and Popcorn for Mel

What I'm making tonight for dinner with my sister (both recipes are from Rachael Ray's Thity Minute Meals 2)

The Only Pizza You'll Ever Want

1 package pizza dough, brought to room temperature

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

1/3 lb. of broccoli (I'm using frozen)

1 tbsp. EVOO

3 cloves garlic, cracked

1/3 lb. chicken breast, cut for stir fry, or chicken tenders

salt and pepper

1 c. part-skim ricotta cheese

10 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

12 to 15 leaves basil, torn or stacked and thinly sliced

1. Preheat over to 500 degrees.
2. On a 12" non-stick pizza pan (I'm using stoneware), stretch out dough and form the pizza crust. Drizzle 2 tsp. olive oil onto crust and spread to edges with a pastry brush. Sprinkle crust with grated cheese.
3. In a small covered saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Separate broccoli tops into florets, discarding lower stalk. Salt water and add broccoli. Cook covered, 3-5 minutes. Drain broccoli, set on cutting board, and chop florets into small pieces.
4. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil, garlic and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Brown chicken until lightly golden, 5 minutes. Transfer chicken and garlic to cutting board, and chop into small pieces.
5. To assemble pizza, dot crust with chopped broccoli bits, garlic and chicken. Add spoonfuls of ricotta through and spread gently with back of soon. Add sliced sun-dried tomatoes, scattering them around the pizza to the edges. Complete assemlby with a thin layer of shredded mozzarella, about 1 c. Place pizza in oven on middle rack and lower heat to 450 degrees. Bake 10-12 minutes, until cheese is deeply golden and crust is brown and crisp at edges. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Top with lots of torn or shredded basil. Cut into 8 slices using pizza wheel, and serve.

Cheesy POPcorn

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 c. popping corn kernels

3 tbsp. melted butter

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil in deep pot over medium-high heat. Add corn. Cover pot and pop corn, shaking pan often. Remove from heat. Drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle cheese evenly over hot corn and serve.

The picture above was taken during Thanksgiving break last year, when the three of us (me, Bryan and Mel) were spending the day at Easton. Here, Mel's waiting for our order at California Pizza Kitchen, and wearing one of my old Cap shirts.