Lenten Recipe #1 AND a Chocolate Recipe by Request

Meatless doesn't mean it has to be tasteless. There are a lot of great recipes out there that are fun and still friendly to the general tastes that some of us, and our kids, have.

I love artichokes. Not by themselves, but in stuff. My kids would NEVER eat artichokes plain, but they have eaten artichokes when mixed in with a recipe. It's a softer texture and doesn't feel too weird when you are eating it. Marinated ones are really good, especially if you have an Italian bent.

My point...well instead of serving up cheese pizza tomorrow on the 1st Friday of Lent, how about a homemade pizza with a little pizazz and color? And I'm happy to say that this one gets two thumbs up from me for not having ANY onions in it at all!

Artichoke Vegetable Pizza.

2 pkgs (13oz each) refrigerated pizza crust
1 T olive oil
1 jar (6oz) marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
1 t Italian seasoning
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 C pitte ripe olives, sliced
1 small zucchini or yellow squash
2 Roma tomatoes
2 T parsley
Toasted Pine Nuts - optional

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Unroll both packages of dough side by side over bottom of a bar pan or sheet pan, trimming excess dough even with long sides of pan. Brush oil over dough. Bake 16-18 minutes or until golden brown; remove from oven to cooling rack. Sprinkle cheese over hot pizza crust.

Drain artichoke marinade into large bowl. Add Italian seasoning and garlic and whisk. Coarsely chop artichokes and olives; add to batter bowl. Cut stem from squash; cut squash crosswise into quarters. Slice and then cut slices in half. Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds and dice. Add artichokes, olives, squash and tomatoes to batter bowl; mix well.

Spoon vegetables over pizza, draining off as much marinade as possible. Sprinkle with parsley and pine nuts, if desired. Cut pizza into squares with pizza cutter and serve.

Result: freakin' awesome.


I have a bonus dessert recipe today. One of my Facebook friends was talking about a fab chocolate cake she had had and that it was just the best ever. I posted that I'd sent her the best chocolate recipe ever: Double Chocolate Mocha Trifle.

Well, a bunch of her friends were talking about it, so I told them I'd post it on the blog so it would be archived and accessible for all time. :-)

Seriously...this is the most amazingly rich chocolate dessert. And oh-so-easy.

Double Chocolate Mocha Trifle

1 box (18oz) brownie mix plus ingredients to make brownies
2 boxes (3.4 oz each) instant white chocolate pudding mix
1 3/4 C milk
1/4 C warm water
4 t instant coffee granules
2 C thawed Cool Whip
3 Heath Bars, chopped

Prepare and bake brownies according to cake-like package directions. Cool completely. In bowl, whisk pudding and milk until it begins to thicken. It will be pretty thick. Dissolve coffee granules in warm water. Add to pudding mixture and mix well.

This gives it a mocha color; the coffee flavor is not overwhelming. I don't like coffee and I LOVE this recipe!

Fold Cool Whip into the pudding mixture. Chop Heath Bars.

Cut brownies into 1"x1" squares.

In a trifle bowl (or whatever bowl you have), place half the brownie squares into the bottom of the bowl. Top with half the pudding mixture, pressing lightly, and then 1/2 the chopped Heath Bars. Repeat layers one more time.

For best results, chill 30 minutes before serving. But you can eat it right away.

A-ma-zing.

Enjoy!