Easy Appetizers: Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto Recipes Hummus Dip and Mini Pizzas

 *Disclosure: I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

With the holidays coming and people staring to have small gatherings new recipes have been on my mind. I wanted to take my normal recipes and add some new flavor profiles. When I had the opportunity to try Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto I knew exactly which recipes I would add it to.

I have always been a fan of Pesto. The flavor is unique and delicious. The Barilla brand is one of my favorites with the rich creamy savory flavor. When you open a jar of it the aroma is amazing. I also like the brand because they are a family company that has been making products since 1877.

Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto is a flavor-packed, versatile, and convenient pantry staple that is a must have for Italian food fans. Imported from Parma, Italy, it’s made with fragrant Italian basil and freshly grated Italian cheese. To preserve the natural color of basil and the fresh aroma of Italian Cheese, Barilla minimizes the handling of ingredients and rapidly prepares their recipe in as little as three hours from the start of ingredient preparation to the tightening of the lid. With Creamy Genovese Pesto, a little goes a long way; one 6.2-ounce jar of pesto mixes well with 16 ounces of pasta. 

I decided to make two different recipes to show the diversity of the Creamy Genovese Pesto. I started with a simple stir in recipe to make Creamy Genovese Pesto Hummus Dip. I love hummus and adding the pesto elevated the flavor into a creamy, cheesy, basil infused flavor that is so delicious. I will continue to make for not just gatherings but a go to snack.

Creamy Genovese Pesto Hummus Dip

-Use your favorite brand of classic plain hummus 10 oz.

-Stir into the hummus 2 oz. of Creamy Genovese Pesto

-Add more Pesto as needed for desired flavor

-Served with baby carrots and sliced sweet peppers

-Add pita chips or other vegetables as needed

Pesto Mini Pizza was also another easy appetizer I decided to make. I purchased ready to cook individual pizza doughs, fresh tomatoes and finely shredded mozzarella. 

Creamy Genovese Pesto Mini Pizza

-Follow the directions for temperature and cook time for the premade dough. 

-Add a spoonful of Creamy Genovese Pesto to the center of the pizza dough and spread evenly.

-Top with finely shredded mozzarella cheese

-Add sliced tomatoes on top of the cheese (you can add olives, onions or meat if preferred)

-Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown dough and melted cheese 

My son was excited to try the pizza. He loved the flavor of the Pesto Pizza. The aroma of pesto filled the house as it cooked and wow it smelled amazing! My son told me it tasted like pizza you would find in a fancy New York restaurant. A very sweet comment coming from my biggest critic. 

These two recipes are easy peasy to make and are delicious. Definitely a good option to make for an appetizer for dinner or even an after school snack. My son has requested the Pesto Pizza to be made again soon. As a Mom that is a win for me!

Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto is available to purchase at Target (SuperTarget), Publix, Stop & Shop (Super Stop & Shop), Meijer, ShopRite, Hy-Vee, Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, and more. To find a store near you, visit momsmeet.link/barillalocate.

Little Caesars Soft Pretzel Crust Pizza & Cheese-N-Pretzel Dippers Review and Giveaway #PretzelCrustNation

For my family we enjoy pizza in the summer the most. We love not having to heat up the house on a hot day with the oven and just a drive to Little Caesars to pick up dinner. This particular trip to Little Caesars we planned to try the Soft Pretzel Crust Pizza and Cheese-N-Pretzel Dippers. I absolutely LOVE soft pretzels and was eager to try the pizza pretzel combo.

My son loved the Soft Pretzel Crust Pizza and wanted more of it after 3 pieces. It was a good pizza combo with the soft pretzel crust, I thought the pretzel cheese on it was a bit rich but my family loved it. I did eat like 4 slices of it, it was hard not to! The Cheese-N- Pretzel Dippers were delicious. I have always been a huge fan of Little Caesars bread sticks and now I will be adding the pretzel dippers to my must have side items at Little Caesars.

Little Caesars brings back Soft Pretzel Crust Pizza by popular demand and introduces CHEESE-N-PRETZEL DIPPERS. #PretzelCrustNation

Little Caesars new CHEESE-N-PRETZEL DIPPERS are 16 savory pieces of buttery, salty, toasted, soft pretzel bites served with a side of warm, creamy cheddar cheese dip, all for $3.49. 

The Soft Pretzel Crust Pepperoni Pizza is a large specialty pizza that starts with a flavorful, buttery, soft pretzel crust made fresh daily in store. It is topped with creamy cheddar cheese sauce, a blend of 100% real cheese, and pepperoni, and then finished with an irresistible four-cheese gourmet blend of Asiago, Fontina, Parmesan, and White Cheddar cheese for just $7.

Tired of the hassles of online ordering? Walk into Little Caesars and walk out with a large, Soft Pretzel Crust Pepperoni Pizza for just $7 plus tax! No need to call ahead, it’s HOT-N-READY every day between 4pm to 8pm or order anytime. And if you love the taste of pretzel, add an order of delicious CHEESE-N-PRETZEL DIPPERS for just $3.49 plus tax. Available for a limited time at participating locations.

Pizza + Video Games = Super Fun Summer Day

Little Caesars just started a Sweepstakes called Pretzel Crust Nation. This relates to Little Caesars bringing back the Soft Pretzel Crust Pizza and introducing the CHEESE-N-PRETZEL DIPPERS. There are great prizes such as a GoPro Camera and Little Caesars gift cards. #PretzelCrustNation

Hurry over to enter the sweepstakes and let me know if you win! I am also hosting a Little Caesars gift card and carry bag giveaway here on Frugal Family Tree.

GIVEAWAY

Little Caesars $20 Gift Card and Little Caesars carry bag.

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*Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts August 11, 2015 and ends on August 21, 2015 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

Spring Asparagus Pizza Recipe

One of the things I enjoy about spring is when all the delicious asparagus comes to the grocery stores and farmer's markets. When I was growing up, we rarely had asparagus on our table. I think it was because my Mom only knew of one way to serve it, and that was with hollandaise sauce, which she thought of as 'fancy'.

So I'm happy that I get to use asparagus when and how ever I want, and this pizza was a last minute meal that turned out to be something I will definitely make again soon.
 

I'm a big fan of homemade pizza and I use a pizza dough recipe that is super simple. Because it is so easy, that lets me put together a pizza in very little time, and usually with the ingredients I have on hand.

This is how this pizza came together yesterday, I had the asparagus, red onion, and mushrooms in the fridge already, and I have to say, it tasted pretty fabulous!!

Normally, I make my pizza round, but I made this one rectangular so that the asparagus could lay on it and look nice. It did made the dough thicker for this pizza, but that turned out to be part of what made it taste so good.

I used a white pizza sauce from a jar to make it super easy.

Recipe for Spring Asparagus Pizza

Ingredients:

1/3 pound fresh asparagus, washed and ends trimmed
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
3-4 large white mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup white pizza sauce
1-1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

For dough:

 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 package all purpose yeast
1 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
 In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, and oil. Stir until smooth. Let dough rest 5 minutes.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a large rectangle. Sprinkle with extra flour if the dough is sticky. Transfer crust onto a lightly greased pizza pan.
Spread a medium layer of pizza sauce on dough, then sprinkle on Italian seasoning.  Lay on red onion, mushrooms, and asparagus. Top with cheese.
Cook in the oven for 20-22 minutes.

Serves 5.

Little Caesars Bacon Wrapped Crust Deep!Deep! Dish Pizza Review and Giveaway

Its no secret I have a love for Pizza. Even so much my 5 year old seems to know since he was "interviewing" me and asked what my favorite food was, I hesitated and he said its pizza! When I asked my son what he wanted to do on my next day off he said he wanted to have a pizza picnic at the park. I thought that was an awesome idea and it is something we try to do every so often. Some people bring sandwiches and chips to a picnic we bring pizza and bread sticks. 

Since Little Caesars is HOT-N-READY and affordable it is our go to pizza place for pizza at the park. We wanted to try the new Bacon Wrapped Crust Deep!Deep! Dish Pizza. Pizza and Bacon are always a delicious combo but this is the first time I have ever eaten a bacon wrapped pizza. I must say it was delicious. Its a very filling pizza like the deep dish I have eaten before just better cause there is bacon on it!! 

Little Caesars proudly introduces their HOT-N-READY Bacon Wrapped Crust Deep!Deep! Dish Pizza, for just $12 bucks. That’s a large, 8 crunchy corner slices of Deep!Deep! Dish Pizza topped with pepperoni and bacon, then wrapped in over three and a half feet of crispy bacon. No calling ahead or waiting for your pizza, because it’s HOT-N-READY everyday between 4pm to 8pm only at Little Caesars, world’s fastest way to pizza. Available for a limited time at participating locations, $12 plus tax. 






We had a wonderful time with our pizza picnic at the park and even had leftovers. My son was wanting seconds as soon as we returned home. You can find the nearest Little Caesars Pizza to plan your own pizza picnic or other pizza adventure by using the store locator.

You can win a $20 Little Caesars Pizza gift card to have your own pizza adventure with the new Bacon Wrapped Crust Deep!Deep! Dish by entering the Rafflecopter giveaway below.

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*Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts March 23 2015 and ends on April 6, 2015 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent gift card to review the pizza for this post.

Italian Sausage and Kale Pizza

The thing about pizza is that it's pretty much perfect anytime of the year. During spring and summer, there's even more veggies to pick from to put on top of them.

I made this really delicious pizza with my super easy pizza dough. Along with Italian sausage, I used bell peppers, red onions, kale, and mozzarella cheese.

I just really love this easy to make pizza dough, and the recipe easily doubles to make two pizzas. You can also use half regular white flour, and half whole wheat flour to give it an extra healthy boost.

Recipe for Italian Sausage and Kale Pizza

Ingredients:

 For pizza Dough:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 package all purpose yeast
1 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 pound of Italian sausage
1/2 bunch kale, sliced thinly
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook sausage over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Cook through thoroughly.
 In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, and oil. Stir until smooth. Let dough rest 5 minutes.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Sprinkle with extra flour if the dough is sticky. Transfer crust onto a lightly greased pizza pan.
Spread a medium layer of pizza sauce on dough, and lay on kale, red onion, bell peppers, and sausage. Top with cheese.

Cook in the oven for 20-22 minutes.

Makes a large size pizza.

Enjoy Summer Family Fun With DIGIORNO® Pizza



I am a member of the Collective Bias® and Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and it's advertiser.







One of my family's favorite summertime activities is playing board games together. We spend hours out on the deck playing, and there is always some friendly competition going on among us.

We love playing Scrabble, and there are plenty of word challenges where we have to get out the dictionary to settle things. I love this, and it makes me grateful that we can spend this time together.

All the game playing calls for some great tasting food, of course. So this weekend I bought some DIGIORNO®  pizzas for us to enjoy. The weather was gorgeous, and we had a lot of fun.

I went to Walmart to pick up my pizzas, some drinks, and some snacks. I love the DIGIORNO® RISING CRUST® Pizza. My family loves them too, so I usually pick up a few.

Since I always enjoy trying new products from brands I like, I also bought the new DIGIORNO® Design A Pizza™ Kit, and the pizzeria! from DIGIORNO®.

It saves me so much time and money when I buy these oven ready pizzas, and with so many different kinds to choose from, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

My grandson made this masterpiece from the DIGIORNO® Design A Pizza™ Kit. The kit is a fun way to get creative, and there are severable kinds to choose from.

In the middle of our game, the pizzas were ready. Yum, hot and delicious, just the way we like them!

What kids don't like pizza, and my grandchildren certainly do. I like that when I buy DIGIORNO® Pizza, I always know it's going to be family pleasing.

This Tuscan Chicken flavored pizza was my personal favorite, and one I will have to go back to Walmart and stock up on. Really delicious and flavorful, and I love chicken on my pizzas.

Our summers here in the Seattle area are unpredictable, and we do get rain at times. That makes the time that we do spend outdoors even more special.

Family time is precious to me, and I don't want to spend a lot of time cooking when we manage to get everyone together. So, great tasting, oven ready DIGIORNO® Pizza is a favorite for us.
#CollectiveBias

Look for the DIGIORNO® Design A Pizza™ Kit, DIGIORNO® RISING CRUST® Pizza, and the pizzaeria! from DIGIORNO® at Walmart.

Summer is a great time to enjoy some good old-fashioned family fun, either by playing classic board games like my family does, or creating your own way to make some fun memories.

Pick up some great tasting pizzas and lots of #summergoodies for plenty of summertime fun.

Slam Dunk Dinner With DIGIORNO Stuffed Crust Pizza

Watching sports on TV has always been an activity that our whole family enjoys. With two sons, and two son-in-laws, you can bet there is some serious basketball games watching around here.

That calls for some serious eating too, and that's where DiGiorno Stuffed Crust Pizzas come in. We all love the great taste of DiGiorno, and the fact that we can pop as many as we need in the oven, and in 20 minutes or so, we have hot, delicious pizza without any fuss.

Since we lost our beloved basketball team here in Washington State, my family and I have been watching a lot more college games. And I have to say, I'm having a lot of fun following and cheering on our local Washington college team. Basketball is so fast paced, and exciting, that I don't want to miss a minute of it by being stuck in the kitchen.

I went to Walmart to pick up a couple of DiGiorno Stuffed Crust Pizzas because some of us were getting together to watch a game. The selection of different kinds of DiGiorno was amazing, and I always seem to pick the stuffed crust, because really, why wouldn't you??

All that super yummy cheese in the crust is irresistible to me. So I picked out a DiGiorno Stuffed Crust Buffalo-Style, and a Stuffed Crust Sausage, Peppers, and Onions pizza.
#CollectiveBias

Everyone in my family is a true pizza lover, and we love a good hearty pizza with several toppings, especially sausage.

The Stuffed Crust Sausage, Peppers and Onions was a big hit, and we sadly ran out pretty quickly. I didn't know how great this tasted, and you can bet we'll be stocking up on this.

So good!!

The Buffalo-Style Chicken pizza was fabulous tasting, too. Pizza with chicken is one of my personal favorites, and the sauce on this was tangy and flavorful.

Why spend time in the kitchen cooking, or spend all that money for delivery, when DiGiorno gives you delicious pizza so quickly, and at such a great price?

And it's so much easier to invite friends and family over to watch a game when you don't have to worry about what to serve to eat. We love being spontaneous, and it's so much fun to celebrate the season by having people over to watch the games with us.

My grandson Jayden is seven now, and he's become a big basketball fan. He loves watching it, and playing it with his friends at school.

While we were watching the game, he was showing me how good he is getting at dribbling the ball. All this while eating a piece of pizza, too!!

I like letting everyone choose the kind of pizza they want to put on their plate, so really all there is to do is just slice them. So easy, and good. My favorite way to entertain!!

Our team got beat, but we all still had a great time. Basketball season is a lot of fun, but really, for me, it's a chance to spend time with my family and good friends.

You can bet I'll be buying more of the DiGiorno Stuffed Crust Buffalo-Style Chicken, and Stuffed Crust Sausage, Peppers, and Onions pizzas on my next trip to Walmart.

These two kinds of pizzas are definitely my #NewFavorites, and I bet they'll be yours, too.

Little Caesars Pizza for Back to School and Giveaway #sponsored

Back to school is in full swing, the summer is fading giving way to colder nights, shorter days and of course there is football season. With the busy lives of families these days we all have our list of tasty quick and inexpensive dinner solutions. My family has Little Caesars on our grab and go list. Its tasty and so affordable, kids LOVE Pizza!

We know many families enjoy football games on tv and a great way to keep the kids entertained is by serving pizza during the game. My son can only be interested in a game for so long before he wants to watch cartoons but serve some pizza and bread sticks he is all about hanging out.