96. Barbecue Pizza

From 2007 Southern Living Annual Recipes

Living in Birmingham, there are no shortage of amazing BBQ joints...but I'm partial to Full Moon for one solid reason: the chowchow they put on their sandwiches.

For those unfamiliar, chowchow is a Southern pickled relish made with green tomatoes, cabbage, peppers, etc. It's full of vinegar, crunch, and punch. I could eat it with a spoon.

So, when I saw this pizza recipe using chowchow as the sauce base, I was all in. Here's what chowchow looks like:

This had all of the components of a fabulous BBQ sandwich, with a pizza crust and cheese twist. Delicious!!!

1 (12-inch) prebaked pizza crust
1 cup chowchow
1/2 pound shredded or chopped barbecue pork
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup warm barbecue sauce

Spread crust evenly with chow-chow; top with pork and cheese.

Bake at 450° for 12 to 14 minutes or until cheese is melted. Drizzle evenly with warm barbecue sauce.

45. Greek Pizza

From 2007 Southern Living Annual Recipes

As much as I love pizza, it's surprising that I've never made it at home, especially since it's so easy, with store-bought crust (yes, I need to learn how to make my own next).

What really jumped out to me with this recipe was using hummus instead of tomato sauce. I used the roasted garlic variety, and it was a creamy, rich, unique base.

This recipe is incredibly versatile...and I made a few adjustments to fit my taste. I omitted the olives, bell pepper, and red onion....and used a handful of fresh baby spinach. The feta topping gave it a nice tangy burst of flavor. And, because none of the toppings needed to be cooked beforehand, this dish came together super-fast.

I used the thin-and-crispy variety of crust, and if you do the same, be sure to reduce the cooking time to 10 minutes to avoid over-browning.

1 (12-inch) prebaked pizza crust
1 cup deli hummus
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1/2 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)

Spread crust evenly with hummus. Arrange tomatoes and next three ingredients over pizza. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

Bake at 450 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. Drizzle with olive oil, if desired.