Home-Made Alfredo Chicken & Spinach Pizza,  last day of July 2016!

We often have a home-made Pizza and a glass of wine on a Friday night – you know how it is?  TGIF! I do cook ‘properly’ all week and feel quite justified in a quick takeaway style meal by Friday.

When the children were younger they loved making their own pizzas – I wish I could show you a photo of the smiley faced pizza’s with salami eyes & mouths!

This Friday was a little different at our house as I had taken the day off work for a much needed break – my new job has been pretty exhausting since taking it on in May and I thought a mini break would recharge my batteries! I thought I would cook a nice meal in a relaxed fashion – glass of wine in hand as I pottered about the kitchen making some delicious dinner for two like the domestic goddess I am!  :)

I had, however, bought tickets for The Auckland Food Show – and this was my first venture to the show and I had no idea I would be out for the whole day…(and what a great day it was). I highly recommend this show for any foodies – cooking demos from well-known NZ chefs and the variety of food was amazing – from old favourites to new products getting ready to hit the supermarkets shelves and refrigerators. I took the ‘chief tester’ along with me, and thank goodness too – I did shop and came home laden with goodies (well the ‘chief tester’ did if you know what I mean?)….the specials were too good to resist!

Back home, with tired feet and a thirst for a cup of tea; any thoughts of that amazing dinner were well and truly gone. The cup of tea went down a treat and so did an early night!

Saturday came and I have to admit to feeling quite justified in resorting to that Friday night mentality of a quick and easy dinner. I had spent the day doing housework after all

I had this idea to make a different sauce for the pizza – my ‘chief tester’s’ tummy does not always love tomato-based meals so I thought I would try something a little less acidic.

Why not an Alfredo sauce? Creamy deliciousness on a pizza base?

Sauce Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 1/2 tbsp flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup tasty cheese – your choice, I used Parmesan

Melt the butter in a small pot, then add the garlic. Cook for a minute or so. Sprinkle the flour in, mixing well and letting the mixture cook slightly. Pour in the milk and mix vigorously with a whisk to ensure you get no lumps. Cook until mixture starts to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.

Take off the heat and add the cheese, stirring to melt the cheese.

Pour the sauce over the top of your pizza base.

Pizza Ingredients

• 1 handful of chopped baby spinach
• 1 cup cooked chicken breast
• 1 red onion, sautéed until soft
• Feta cheese, cubed
• Chopped parsley
• Salt & ground black pepper and Creme Fraíche to serve

I topped my pizza in the order above…baked for 12-15 minutes in a hot oven. And poured a glass of wine – dinner was served!

Declared a keeper by the ‘chief tester’ – I will definitely do this again – perhaps some mushrooms in the Alfredo sauce next time?

Happy TGIF xx