31 Amazing Recipes To Make In December

---

Ambitious Kitchen 31 Amazing Recipes to Make in December31 amazing, seasonal recipes to make in December! These are the best of the best in breakfasts & brunches, cozy soups, filling salads to bring to work, healthy dinners, and incredible desserts.  We’ve made it past Thanksgiving and I’m ready to keep on this delicious, festive recipe train. If you’re tired of stuffing & potatoes [...]
The post 31 Amazing Recipes to Make in December appeared first on Ambitious Kitchen.
A Sweet Pea Chef Grilled Pizza with Maple Onion Jam + An Awesome GIVEAWAY
This delicious and easy grilled pizza is on whole wheat pizza crust, topped with winter flavors, like a homemade maple onion jam, ricotta and mozzarella cheese, shaved Brussel sprouts and mushrooms. And it’s made on the Weber Spirit II grill which makes it perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.

Pssst: Make sure you read all the way to the end of this post because I’ve got some exciting news to share with you
Pizza is simply the best. I never in my entire life met a person who doesn’t like pizza. Seriously, never! My favorite pizza is… homemade pizza, made from scratch. I like making the dough and choosing the toppings because I get to try new flavor combinations and because I can make it healthy. That’s always a plus.
READ: I like control!
My new favorite way of making pizza at home is on the grill. Grilled pizza is delicious. You get more texture and flavor on the grill PLUS it’s so easy! I love the crispy, charred crust with a soft inside, and making pizza on the grill is super quick, too.
For this post, I partnered with The Home Depot to show you how to make grilled pizza from scratch, including how to make whole wheat pizza crust, how to choose grilled pizza toppings, and, of course how to grill pizza. Everything is super simple especially when you’ve got yourself a Weber grill that makes grilling easy and delicious.
Okay, so let’s talk for a quick sec on this grilled pizza recipe.  It has a crispy grilled pizza crust, topped with homemade maple onion jam, shaved Brussels sprouts, and some other goodies, including mushrooms, garlic, ricotta, and mozzarella.
How yummy does this sound?
Extra yummy, right?
Ok, are you ready for pizza night?

IS PIZZA HEALTHY? Everybody loves pizza, everybody wants to eat pizza but… is pizza healthy?
Well, you can eat pizza in 2 ways…
the unhealthy way – with crusts made with refined flours, covered in cheese and fatty meats OR the healthy way – with seasonal veggies and other grilled pizza toppings that are good for you and whole wheat pizza crust. Friends, rest assured, this grilled pizza recipe makes a healthy pizza. And a flavorful pizza. And a totes delicious pizza.

HOW TO MAKE WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA DOUGH When the pizza dough is whole wheat, you don’t have to worry as much about empty carbs anymore. Why?  Because you get fiber, nutrients, and complex carbs that are good for you in the crust.
Awesome, right?
And making whole wheat pizza dough is super easy. You just have to replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. That’s pretty much it. If you don’t know how to make whole wheat pizza dough, here are the steps for my grilled pizza dough recipe:
mix dry ingredients (whole wheat pastry flour, sea salt, and baking powder) in a large mixing bowl; mix water with olive oil in a separate bowl; add the water mixture over the flour mixture and stir to incorporate; mix until you form a dough; knead the dough for approximately 5 minutes; roll the dough and cook the dough. Some extra useful tips:
if the dough is too dry, add more water; if the dough is too sticky, add more flour. I use baking powder in this dough instead of yeast to make it rise as fast as possible on the grill.
ONION MAPLE JAM Most pizzas are made with some sort of tomato sauce. However, I decided to spice things up and try something different with this grilled pizza. So I made a delicious onion maple jam.  I think the onion and maple flavors go perfectly with this winter-themed pizza recipe, too.  So good!
This maple onion jam is a nice and flavorful spread for our grilled pizza and it’s easy to make. All you have to do is…
mix the ingredients (except the apple cider vinegar and maple syrup); cook it over medium heat for about 20 minutes; add apple cider vinegar and maple syrup; cool and blend until it’s spreadable but still a little chunky. HOW TO CHOOSE A GRILL When it comes to how to choose a grill, there are some things I really look for, including:
high-quality; durability; affordable price. I also like to meal prep on the grill so I have a few extra requirements, which are:
enough grilling space; consistent heating and heat retention to be sure my meat and veggies are evenly cooked. That’s why I love my Weber Spirit II grill so much. I don’t have to worry about inconsistent heating or enough grilling space. Plus the Weber grill makes the best-grilled pizza.

CHARCOAL VS GAS GRILLS If you don’t know what type of grill to choose, let’s discuss charcoal vs gas grill to see which option is better.
A while ago, scientists warned us that charcoal grilled meats and veggies contain many carcinogens and are infused with smoke which is not very good for us and our health. However, gas grills don’t have this problem since they are heated with propane which they don’t contain extra carcinogens and they make less smoke.
That being said, there are other benefits of gas grills you should be aware of:
gas is cheaper than charcoal; cleaning a gas grill is easier than cleaning a charcoal grill; And the Weber Spirit II gives you some extra benefits…
amazing heat distribution and retention which means you can cook on lower temperatures; uses less propane than other gas grills; comes with a warming rack that will keep your food warm until you finish cooking; extra space for your grilling tools. Plus gas grills heat up and stay at the temperature you want which makes grilling much easier than with a charcoal grill.
HOW TO COOK PIZZA ON THE GRILL After all this grilling talk, it’s time to discuss the most important step involved in the making of our grilled pizza – how to cook pizza on the grill!
start by heating up the grill to 350 degrees F; rub the grates of the grill with olive oil; transfer the whole wheat pizza crust to the grill and spread it out flat; grill for 2-4 minutes with the lid closed; remove the crust from the grill, flip it over, and add the grilled pizza toppings; return the pizza to the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes with the lid on. remove from the grate and enjoy. HEALTHY GRILLED PIZZA TOPPINGS Pizza is so well loved and yummy because you can make it taste exactly as you want. There are many grilled pizza toppings you can choose from and the possibilities for grilled pizza recipes are endless. Some are healthier than others.
For this grilled pizza, I chose:
maple onion jam spread; Brussels sprouts; mushrooms; garlic; ricotta; mozzarella. Oh, the goodness!
I love how all these flavors come together in this delicious and crispy grilled pizza. But there are other healthy pizza toppings you can try, including bell peppers, shredded chicken, red onions. Basically all the veggies you can think of, lean meats, and some fruits. Yeah, I believe fruits belong on pizza…sometimes.  Also, you can try mixing toppings with different sauces including tomato sauce or a clean barbecue sauce.
To avoid making a soggy pizza, make sure your grilled pizza toppings are prepped right, specifically:
Do not pile on the toppings. The more toppings, the more juices, which can lead to soggy pizza. Make sure the toppings are finely sliced to make sure they are all perfectly cooked once the pizza crust is ready. HOW TO REHEAT GRILLED PIZZA Nothing compares to the flavors and texture of grilled pizza. But you might struggle with the leftovers because you don’t know how to reheat pizza. I rarely (read: almost never) run into this problem because pizza leftovers are not really a thing in my house. However, if you do, here are some options for how to reheat pizza:
Microwave it – this is the most convenient method for reheating pizza and the fastest (30 seconds should do the trick) one too. Use a paper towel on the plate to absorb moisture and to prevent soggy pizza. Reheat pizza in the oven – to reheat grilled pizza in the oven start by heating the oven to 350 degrees F. Reheat the grilled pizza for approximately 5 minutes. Reheat pizza in a skillet – start by preheating the skillet on medium heat, add pizza, cover the skillet with a lid, and let the grilled pizza cook for approximately 5 minutes. Reheat pizza on the grill – preheat the Weber grill, place pizza on the grate, and grill for 5-6 minutes. WEBER SPIRIT II GIVEAWAY!! I have super exciting news to share! Do you want your very own Weber Spirit II Grill just like the one I used to make this recipe AND to make your own homemade grilled pizzas and all sorts of other great, healthy grilling recipes???  Enter for your chance to win your very own grill. I’m giving away one of these amazing grills as a special thank you for your support and for being so awesome.   The giveaway ends 12 AM CST on 12/9/18. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

3 MORE HEALTHY GRILLED RECIPES I love making grilled pizza. But I love grilling meats and veggies, too. So, with that being said, here are 3 other healthy grilled recipes I adore and want to share with you.
FALL MEAL PREP ON THE GRILL Make the best of the last days of Fall with this Fall Meal Prep on the Grill. You’ll get amazing Fall flavors from the veggies plus a delicious grilled chicken that’s super flavorful and juicy.

Healthy Fall grilling means amazing flavors but also a quick and simple way to prep dinner for an entire week. Get the recipe.
GRILLED HAWAIIAN TURKEY TERIYAKI BOWL Less than 10 minutes to make the turkey cutlets for this Grilled Hawaiian Turkey Teriyaki Bowl. Isn’t that amazing? It is. And you get lean protein and amazing flavors without too much hassle.

This Grilled Hawaiian Turkey Teriyaki Bowl is perfect for a weeknight dinner. And it’s quick and easy, healthy, and flavorful. Get the recipe.
GRILLED CHICKEN WINGS WITH YOGURT RANCH DIP These Grilled Chicken Wings With Yogurt Ranch Dip make the perfect appetizer and they are loved by everybody. Including myself and I have to admit I’m not the biggest fan of chicken wings. But these ones I love.

Grilled chicken wings are easy to make and if you use the savory spice rub and pair them with the yogurt ranch dip, you’ve got a winning recipe that is finger-licking good. Get the recipe.
Grilled Pizza with Maple Onion Jam
Grilled Pizza with Maple Onion Jam and Shaved Brussels Sprouts

This delicious and easy grilled pizza is on whole wheat pizza crust, topped with winter flavors, like a homemade maple onion jam, ricotta and mozzarella cheese, shaved Brussel sprouts and mushrooms.
For the Maple Onion Jam: 1 tbsp olive oil 2 pounds yellow onions, (thinly sliced) 2 tbsp coconut sugar 1 clove garlic, (minced) 1 1/4 tsp sea salt, (plus more to taste) 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp black pepper 1/4 cup water 2 tbsp pure maple syrup 2 tsp apple cider vinegar For the Whole Wheat Pizza Crust: 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp sea salt 1 cup water 1 tbsp olive oil For the Grilled Pizza: 1/3 cup Maple Onion Jam (see above recipe) 1 cup Brussels sprouts, (shaved or thinly sliced) 1/4 cup cremini mushrooms ((appox. 4-5 mushrooms)) 2 cloves garlic, (very thinly sliced) 1/4 cup whole milk ricotta 1/4 cup fresh mozzarella, (shredded) 2 tbsp walnuts, (chopped (for topping)) For the Maple Onion Jam: In a deep skillet or stock pot, combine olive oil, thinly sliced yellow onions, coconut sugar, minced garlic, sea salt, ground nutmeg, and black pepper, and toss everything together to combine.
Cook this over medium heat for about 20 minutes, during which time the onions will start to caramelize and turn golden brown. If you find the onions start to burn, you can reduce the heat a little and add in a little water to help it out. 
Once the onions are tender and caramelized, add in the apple cider vinegar, and pure maple syrup, and toss to incorporate.
Allow this to cool a little and then transfer it to a food processor or blender.
Pulse until the mixture is chunky, but spreadable, about 6-8 times. Then, set this aside.
For the Whole Wheat Pizza Crust: In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, and sea salt, and whisk together until thoroughly combined.
In a separate bowl, combine water and olive oil in and stir to combine.
Slowly add water mixture to the flour mixture, stirring to incorporate. Mix together until a dough forms.  The dough should be soft, but not sticky. You can add a little more water if it’s too dry, a tablespoon at a time. If it’s too sticky, just add a little more flour.
Once the dough has formed into a ball, knead the dough for 5 minutes.  Then, roll the dough out into a large circle using a rolling pin or by stretching it with your hands.  Do not make a raised rim for the crust since that will make it tricky to grill – keep the edges flat.
For the Grilled Pizza: Heat the Weber Spirit II Grill to about 350 degrees F. You’ll know the grill is ready when you can’t hold your hand over the heat for more than 2 seconds before it gets too hot. Make sure to rub the grates with some olive oil before we get started, too, so the pizza doesn’t stick. I use a clean rag and then dab it with a good amount of olive oil.
Transfer the crust to the grill and carefully spread it out using your fingers if necessary. Grill one side of the pizza crust for about 2-4 minutes with the lid closed. You’ll know the crust is ready to move once grill lines appear on the bottom and it moves easily on the grates. Plus, you’ll probably see bubbles start to appear in the crust.
Then using a cookie sheet or a pizza peel, carefully remove the pizza crust from the grill in order to add our toppings.
Keep the grill covered so it retains its heat for the next step, but turn it down a little as well. Flip over the crust and add our toppings to the grilled size of the pizza crust.
Carefully brush the outer edge of the crust with some olive oil, and then add your toppings. 
Add a layer of the maple onion jam, followed by thinly sliced cremini mushrooms, shaved brussels sprouts, very thinly sliced garlic cloves, a few dollops of ricotta cheese, and a light sprinkling of mozzarella cheese to finish it off. Be careful not to pile on the sauce and toppings to avoid making a soggy pizza. The more toppings on the pizza that cook and release juices, the more juices on the pizza.
Now, slide the prepped pizza back onto the grill. Close the lid and cook for 4-5 more minutes, or until the bottom begins to char and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the grate with a spatula or peel and then transfer onto a cutting board or other flat surface and let rest for a couple minutes before cutting into slices.
You can slice it using a large knife or a handy pizza cutter. Then, I like to garnish it with some chopped walnuts for a little texture.

This post contains affiliate links for products I use often an highly recommend.  This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.
The post Grilled Pizza with Maple Onion Jam + An Awesome GIVEAWAY! appeared first on A Sweet Pea Chef.

---