Before I tell you about this amazing pizza – I have exciting news to share!!! Drum roll please…
I’m going to New York!! In five weeks!! With the Clinton family and OBAMA!
So remember back in March when I had the opportunity to attend the Clinton Global Initiative University conference at Arizona State? You can read about that incredible weekend here and about my Commitment to Action, The Social Kitchen here. Well, along with CGI U, the Clinton Foundation also hosts a conference for philanthropists and world changers to come together for an Annual Meeting in New York. I heard about an opportunity to volunteer at the event and after an extensive application process (to be a volunteer?!!!) – I sent in my application and waited patiently to hear if I would be selected.
And I was!! The night before leaving DC, I was sitting in my bed looking at my packed bags and reminiscing about my incredible summer. I went downstairs, heated up some leftover pasta, got a couple pieces of watermelon – and returned to my bed. With my plate in my lap I opened my email and saw an unread message saying I was chosen to volunteer! EEEEK!
So in five weeks I’ll be headed out to New York – to volunteer at a conference with some pretty phenomenal, world changing people. Along with President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton – President Barack Obama will be speaking along with Matt Damon, Jack Ma (Alibaba), Molly Barra, Muhammad Yunus, the Prime Minister of Denmark… and 44 other super cool people (no kidding 44 other super cool speakers!!). I know I’m obviously volunteering and won’t be attending the conference but the opporunity to be in the vicinity and to hear some of these people will be tremendous!! I cannot wait!
Now the funny part, as I told my mom later that night – is that the only things that were left unchecked on my DC bucket list – were 1) Seeing Obama and 2) Going to NY for a weekend. Ha! Well, would you look at that! The night before I leave DC BOTH of those doors open! Wow…
On another note, we had a fun family dinner tonight and made a bunch of homemade pizzas!
My mom bought this Sur La Table The Petite Pizzeria LD-902SLT for my stepdad last Christmas and this was the first time I had been around to try it! What a blast! It is SO easy – you make your pizza, use the wooden paddles to slide the dough onto the stone and then it cooks for five minutes and you’re done! We made several yummy pizzas tonight – sausage and jalapeño; pepperoni, black olive and mushroom; and my favorite, peach, prosciutto and pistachio. This pizza was fabulous – the sweet peaches melted into the mozzarella, the pistachios toasted while in the oven and became fragrant and flavorful and the prosciutto became crispy and balanced out the sweet peaches.
- 1 lb store-bought pizza dough, divided in two
- 4 tablespoons olive oil + more if needed
- 1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, shredded
- 2 peaches, sliced
- 6 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
- 2 oz shelled and coarsely chopped pistachios
- 1 cup arugula, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Preheat oven (or pizza maker) to 500 degrees and lightly dust work surface with flour.
- Take half the dough and roll it, or gently stretch it into a circle. Brush thoroughly with olive oil and top with mozzarella, peaches and prosciutto. Sprinkle pistachios on top. Bake for 5 minutes or until crust is golden.
- While baking, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, arugula, basil and salt and pepper in a small bowl. When pizza is finished cooking, remove from oven and top with arugula mixture. Drizzle with honey if desired.
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