Potato, Leek, and Bacon Pizza

You might have noticed the recent change- I went and purchased my own domain name! I figured that after putting two years of work into this blog it deserved an official place in the cyber world. (And I wanted to snag ahintofhoney.com before anyone else did.) I'm still publishing through blogger (very convenient for me), and anyone who visits my old link should be automatically redirected to the new. Please, let me know if you have any trouble finding me since the switch. It takes three full days for the new site to become fully operational, so by tomorrow things should be running smooth.

I'm also excited to tell you that I got a job! No. Better than a job- an internship (paid) and subsequent permanent position as an RN in the operating room! I'll spend the next six to nine months training to scrub and circulate on a variety of surgical cases in several different hospitals. For a little while it'll feel like being back in school, but more intense even. When I finished school I knew that this is where I wanted to end up, but didn't dream it would happen so quickly, if at all. I applied for a lot of jobs over the last few months and only got one interview. I guess that's all it takes though if it's the right one!

I start work on April 18th. So soon and yet so far. I've been in school most of my life and this will be my first full-time "real" job (the start of a career)! It'll be an adjustment. The cooking might slow down, but I promise I'll still find the time to whip up delectable recipes to share.

The potato on this pizza might be throwing you off. It sounds strange, but you'll be surprised how much you like it! Slice your potatoes paper thin (and make sure to use Yukon golds- their smooth buttery texture is important here) and they will fuse with the crust, smothered by a thick layer of cheese. On top of the mozzarella sits the crisp bacon, caramelized leeks, and tangy goat cheese. An awesome combination. Oh, and then there's some Parmesan. The more cheese the merrier.

Potato, Leek, and Bacon Pizza

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pizza dough
6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
extra virgin olive oil
3 leeks, thinly sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 small Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced paper thin
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced (or low-moisture mozzarella, grated)
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic (if using) and saute until tender and caramelized, 10-15 minutes (reduce heat if browning too quickly). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Brush prepared crust with a thin coat of olive oil. Top with a single layer of thinly sliced potato. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lay slices of mozzarella over the potatoes. Top with the bacons and caramelized leeks. Sprinkle with Parmesan and crumbled goat cheese.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Let cool several minutes before slicing.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from The Pioneer Woman via Tartelette)