Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Pizza

Happy New Year! I'm glad to say that the first pizza of 2014 is one I can brag about.

I've been rather down with the sickness since Christmas. Apparently spending the holidays among droves of children can lead one to contract an illness rather easily. So after plenty of bed rest, gallons of chicken noodle soup, and just enough Tylenol and Robitussin to give me a good night's sleep, I'm more or less back on my feet and doing things around the house (but not ready to do things around the gym just yet).

All this sickness has deprived me of my usual appetite for the past week or so, and now that it's coming back, I decided I wanted something good and hearty. Something that sticks to the ribs. Some sort of comfort food. Yes, pizza is all of those, usually; but I really wanted it to be rich this time. And that's when I thought of spinach artichoke dip. It ranks high among my guilty pleasures, even when I make a "healthier" version of it (because let's be honest, you can only be so healthy with a cream-cheese based meal).

And alas, I developed the Creamy Spinach and Artichoke pizza. Basically, it's topped with what you'd find in a spinach-artichoke dip, but it sits deliciously atop a round of fresh dough and pizza sauce, topped with shredded, melty mozzarella.

For this culinary delight, you will need:

• 1-2 cups pizza sauce
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 8-oz package of cream cheese
• 1-2 Tablespoons half and half
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
• 1-2 Tablespoons garlic powder
• 1-2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 6-oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, sliced

Of course I used the cream cheese with a wee bit less fat (so I can feel a wee bit less guilty about eating it). If you'd like to use heavy whipping cream in place of the half and half, that would work too. (Half and half was just a little cheaper at the grocery store for me this time around). It's a good idea to leave these ingredients on the counter for a little while so that they reach room temperature before you begin cooking. Stuff just turns out better (usually) if it's near the same temperature before you begin.

Now grab your fancy apron, and get started.

First things first: your oven and your pizza stone. Turn that machine to 500 degrees with the stone inside. Make it all nice and hot.

Next, heat a skillet over medium heat with a small bit of oil on it. Dice your onion, and toss the pieces into the skillet, stirring until slightly browned. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool slightly. 

Chop the spinach and set it aside. 

In the bowl of a mixer, place the cream cheese, half and half, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix it on up until it's well combined. Add more half and half, slowly, if you prefer a thinner consistency. 

Next, mix in the sautéed onion pieces, followed by the chopped spinach. It should just look like a big creamy, oniony mixture with spinach in it. Yum.

Mmm. Onions n stuff.

Next, slice up the artichoke hearts. The ones I buy are already chopped into pieces, but I prefer to make those a little thinner so they're easier to eat and I can spread more of them around the za.

Now given that your dough and sauce are ready, your pizza is ready to assemble.

Remove the pizza stone from the hot oven and place it on a stable, heat-proof work surface. Hot pads on the counter serve me just fine. Place the prepared dough on that and spread as much pizza sauce as you care for on top of your dough.

Next is the creamy, oniony, spinachy mixture. Using a teaspoon, scoop up spoonfuls of the stuff and drop them evenly around the pizza in little globs. It's okay if there are spots that you missed or if the globs aren't quite equal in size. That will all even out when it goes back in the oven. Once you've used all the creamy mixture, sprinkle shredded mozzarella all around on top of that. Finally, place the sliced artichoke hearts on top. If you'd like a little more mozzarella (or noticed that you missed a spot), now is the time for touch-ups with that cheese.

Now pop the whole thing back in the oven and set the timer for 10 minutes. You will be delighted at the results.

Delightful, no?

This za lends itself to many different flavors and options to "dress it up." You could add some red pepper flakes for some spice, parmesan cheese for more of a bite, or any other herbs and spices that you like. Cream cheese is rather plain and takes well to many sweet, savory, and spicy variations. I just kept it simple (partially because I didn't want to irritate my sore throat and sinuses any more, partially because I was lazy), but it was definitely the perfect meal with just enough of each flavor element to bring me out of the sickness and back into the pizza eating frame of mind.