Simplicity is key in 2013

tomato-pesto pizza

I cleaned out my spice cupboard the other day. The chore was one of my New Year Resolutions: Get organized.

Three days into 2013, I’ve had to adjust my resolutions already. One of my cooking goals this year was to try new foods. Then my husband and I took our kids sledding, and I ended up in the emergency room with a broken hand.

Nearly two weeks have passed since then and my right hand is still encased in a bulky cast – and will stay that way for at least another month, if not two. Clearly now is not the time to try new things in the kitchen. Instead, simplicity is the name of the game.

Being left-handed, I figured having only one hand in the kitchen wouldn’t be that bad.

I was wrong.

I had no idea how much I use my right hand to cook until I couldn’t. I’ve had to teach my daughter how to dice onions and tomatoes, and my son how to wash pots and pans.

Actually, that part is pretty awesome.

I spent the past few days pouring through cookbooks, looking for recipes with simple ingredients that I can make with one hand tied behind my back, so to speak. Don’t judge, but I even broke one of my late-night infomercial purchases – the GT Xpress 101 – from its residence in the cupboard above the refrigerator.

Stuffed chicken breasts in 15 minutes with only one machine to clean? Yes, please.

For those of you who didn’t call the 800-number, here’s a recipe for a quick and delicious pizza that can be made in a standard oven. The fresh pesto might even make your forget winter has just begun. Enjoy it and be safe!

Fresh Tomato-Pesto Pizza

For the pesto:

4 cups basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the pizza:

1 Italian cheese-flavored pizza crust (such as Boboli)
3 cups chopped seeded tomato (about 2 pounds)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

To prepare pesto, place 4 cups basil leaves and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor, and pulse 5 times or until coarsely chopped. With processor on, add broth, Parmesan, and oil through food chute; process until well-blended.

Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread pesto over crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border; top with the tomato, garlic slices, and provolone. Bake at 475° for 12 minutes or until the cheese melts. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup basil. Cut the pizza into 8 wedges.

Source: The Best of Cooking Light by the Editors of Cooking Light Magazine (Oxmoor House, Inc.; Jan. 1, 2005)