Greek Pizza

I'm putting off the inevitable as long as I possibly can. The start of the studying, the paper writing, and the lecture listening. The productivity that I detest. I'd much rather do nothing, have an empty weekend of bliss. But I signed up for this. Both of us did. We wanted to spend at least another 6 (cumulatively) years in school and sacrifice fun for success. On the hope of solid careers and future earnings. Because when you're in college for an entire decade, you're not making much money (or any) and sometimes you wonder why you bother. Why you were so eager to plunge yourself into six figure debt so that someday down the road you could add a professional prefix to your name. It'll be worth it, right? Tell me that all the stress and separation from friends, from family, from each other, will have been no big deal once its over.

Most of my friends are in the same situation. We find strength in going through this together. And then we each have our own creative outlets that let us transcend the madness once and a while. As you know, I cook (and consequently eat) and write about it. That's my escape. And I love it. I haven't always been fond of food, in fact I have a bitter-sweet history with the edible stuff, but now, now I love it.

Maybe I have you confused. Last week I was gushing about how happy I was in nursing school. I am. I'm still thrilled to have this opportunity, and I know that I'm doing the right thing. But that doesn't make it easy. And with so much hard work, sometimes a girl deserves to whine. As for Dustin in dental school, don't even get me started. I'll never ever complain again about how much it costs to get a filling. Those dentists paid their dues.

When I need a moment to myself in the kitchen, a meal to unwind, I make pizza. My culinary comfort. A perfect pizza crust presents endless possibilities. This is my latest concoction and it turned out awesome! Greek pizza- loaded with grilled chicken and Mediterranean veggies and finished off with pungent (in the best sense of the word) feta. This pizza can easily be made vegetarian and I've included some suggestions for additions toppings. I brushed the crust with olive oil and seasoned it with oregano (so it is essentially "sauce-less"). Sometime I'd like to try using hummus as the base for a different twist.

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pizza dough
1 boneless skinless chicken breast half (optional)
dried oregano, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
extra virgin olive oil

Toppings:
tomatoes, chopped
red onion, thinly sliced
kalamata olives, halved or quartered (or black olives)
marinated artichoke hearts, sliced
pepperoncini peppers, sliced

Other topping suggestions:
roasted red peppers
bell peppers
spinach
garlic

about 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
about 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. Meanwhile, preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Season chicken breast with salt, pepper, and oregano. Brush the chicken with olive oil or spray the grill pan with cooking spray and grill until the juices run clear. Let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing into bite-size pieces.

3. Preheat pizza stone in oven to 450 F.

4. Prepare crust according to recipe directions. Brush the crust with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano. Top with chicken, tomatoes, onion, olives, artichokes, and pepperoncinis (and any other toppings you are using). Sprinkle with mozzarella and feta cheeses.

5. Place on preheated pizza stone and bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let rest several minutes before slicing.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(My own invention!)