Pizza that's dead simple

Ooh, dead. How Halloweenie. (Halloweenie? Ha, there's an image.)

In truth, "dead simple" is usually all the trick-or-treat that Fred and I bother with. And that's in keeping with how I view at-home pizza: Making it should be nothin' special, an ordinary occurance, something that's suitable for any occasion.

I love this pizza more each time I make it. It is easy, quick, nutritious. Plus, the thin crust is tailormade for a snack or light meal. (It certainly suits Fred, who likes to go easy on bread products.)

Dead-simple pizza

1. Place wholegrain tortillas on baking sheets
2. Spread basil pesto over some, salsa over others 
3. Add toppings. Nice combos include:
   • pear + walnut + blue cheese
   • tomato + olive + artichoke + parmesan
   • onion + garlic + red pepper + anchovy + mozzerella
   • spinach + hot pepper + chicken + aged cheddar
4. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes
5. Place on cutting board and slice into quarters. Serve hot.

Fred prefers to heap on the toppings. ("Jam 'er, baby. Jam 'er." That's a direct quote.). I prefer my pizza more sparsely topped. Either is fine, but realize that the deeper the toppings, the greater the required oven time.

What do you like on your pizza?

Beyond hot chocolate: Going nuclear

Hot chocolate screams comfort. It's the perfect stay-inside, curl-up and re-lax beverage, especially now that the weather is turning colder.

Hot chocolate is more adaptable than some folks realize. There are scads of ways to dress it up. I sometimes like mine with with a kick — by that, I mean spicy.

Another plus: In this age of the microwave oven, hot chocolate is easier to make than ever.

Sarah's Nuclear Hot Chocolate

1. pour favorite milk (e.g. 2%) into microwaveable mug
2. nuke approx 2 minutes
3. stir in 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
4. stir in preferred sweetener (to taste; I use sugar in equal parts with cocoa)
5. add dash of cayenne pepper.

Voila, one mug of radioactive goodness.

When feeling indulgent, I'll top it with freshly whipped cream. (Commercial "dessert toppings" can't compete in flavor or texture. And frankly, I'm wary of what's put in them.)

And consider these options: 

• dash of chili powder (vs. cayenne)
• block of dark chocolate
• cinnamon stick
• pure vanilla extract
• shot of espresso (or Tbsps of strong coffee)
• topping of frothed milk.

Oh, if you're old-school, you can always dispense with the microwave and let fly with saucepan on stovetop.