Mediteranean Flatbread Pizza

This is good warm OR at room temperature OR some of my kinds even prefer it cold! 

This is really easy to make if you use a premed crust, flatbread, naan, 

or pita bread as your base.  

Picture and recipe idea from HERE.

CRUST: (I like to use premade pita bread or Trader Joes Middle East Flatbread)

SAUCE: Spinach Pesto, Cilantro Pesto (see recipe below), or Basil Pesto

TOPPING Ideas:

black or calamata olives

feta cheese

mozzarella cheese

artichokes

arugula (add after baking)

spinach

cherry tomatoes

red onion

sun dried tomatoes

grilled chicken

-Top pita bread with sauce, then layer desired toppings.  

For the cilantro pesto blend the following:
1½ cups fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. pecans
2 tbsp. pine nuts
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

Steamed Artichokes

These are a fun thing to have once in awhile. My first experience with eating a whole artichoke was after having my second baby. My sister-in-law brought them with her meal, and I loved them! They actually don't have a ton of flavor, so you need a good dipping sauce. As you get closer and closer to the center of the artichoke, you can eat more and more of the leaf.

I think artichoke season is March-May so now is the time to buy them :-) To prepare, cut of a little bit of the top and most of the stem. Then Steam for 15-25 minutes. To test for doneness, poke skewer into stem. If it goes in easily, they are done. You can also pull out a leaf. If they pull out easily they are done.

Sauce for 2-3 artichokes:
1/4 c. mayo
1 tsp French's mustard
1/2-1 tsp dill (I like a lot!)

Artichoke Spinach Dip

Here's my favorite artichoke dip recipe. It has a much higher ratio or artichokes/spinach than your average recipe for this type of dip. This recipe is quite flexible so don't feel like you need EXACT measurements.

3/4 c. mayo

3/4 c. pecorino romano cheese, grated

4 oz green chilies (hot, med., or mild depending on spiciness preference)

1-2 c. artichoke hearts (if in a brine rinse with water if you want a less rich dip)

3 heaping cups or three large handfuls fresh spinach

3-6 shots Tabasco sauce

-Blend all ingredients in blender. (I like this dip smooth, but you could certainly make it chunky by just chopping your artichokes and 1/2 of the spinach). Pour into baking dish and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
-Serve with chips or cubed bread.