Easy, pizza dough slicked with pesto and topped with spinach, asparagus, pine nuts and fresh mozzarella cheese. Tastes like spring.
Boy am I glad I popped a ball of this pizza dough in the freezer for later because I am feeling green and it was the perfect way to express myself. The fresh smells that greet my nose and colorful surprises of new growth all around me are intoxicating. We are in the prime of spring in Chicago.
This is the first cycle of this season I have enjoyed since we bought our house and have our own yard. We planted some daffodil bulbs when we moved in last fall and hoped that they would surprise us after the thaw. But, we had no idea what was in store in the rest of the yard. Enormous dark purple tulips came up alongside the yellow daffodils and light pink tulips were followed in the side yard by some shorter lavender friends.
I considered removing a cluster of large, unknown plants in one of the beds that had gotten a bit slimy under the winter snow. Luckily, I never found the time since they sent up a shoot of hot pink flowers that lasted for over a month. These still unnamed beauties reminded me that I have no idea what surprises await us in this still unfamiliar earth that surrounds our house.
Maintaining a yard is an enormous amount of work but I now understand the gardener’s reward. Spring feels better than ever and I have a feeling it will never be so exciting again. Our new, unknown yard holds a grab bag of unknown, colorful surprises. I feel a daily, childlike excitement as I watch for new friends peeking out of the ground, smell the fresh cut grass and pluck leaves from my baby spinach plants to make pizza.
Spring Green Pizza
Follow pizza crust directions here.
Pesto, store bought or follow this recipe.
1 cup baby spinach leaves
5 asparagus spears steamed but crisp, cut in 1 inch pieces
Pine nuts, toasted
1 large ball (about 3 inches) fresh mozzarella
After you pre-bake the pizza crust, spread with pesto. Top with spinach, asparagus and pine nuts. Slice ball of mozzarella cheese and top the pizza with rounds. Continue with baking instructions found with pizza dough recipe.
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