Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

What a fantastic weekend it has been. This weekend was exactly what we needed to take our minds off things. My dad and his wife, Brenda, came to spend some time with us since we will not be back for Thanksgiving this year. Friday night we just hung out and caught up on family happenings. They were both pretty excited because Brenda finally convinced my dad finally to get iPhones. He did have a smart phone device pre-iPhone; however, never really utilized it beyond work e-mail and just another communication device. I think the iPhone will be more user friendly for him as he figures out Seri's powers. Brenda pretty well has hers figured out, so I'm sure between Seri and Brenda my dad will get a grasp on his new technology:)

Saturday we went to Lawrence for the KU versus Iowa State game. I've never seen so much red and gold in the Lawrence! It almost felt like we were back in Ames. We walked Massachusetts street and did a little sight seeing and shopping. Then, we headed over to the designated Cyclone tailgating lot and got the party started with our fellow Cyclone fans.

 

The Cyclones won and are now eligible for a bowl game this year. By the end of the game, Cyclone fans out numbered the sorry, sad Jayhawk fans:) The team gave many thanks by joining near the Cyclone seating waving, cheering, and celebrating the big win. Coach Paul Rhoads even stepped in front of the stands, turned his ball cap backwards, and threw a big kiss in the air. Truly and eventful night. I love my Cyclones!

Now on to the pizza we enjoyed Friday night. If you are looking for a use for leftover chicken or want a quick and easy kid friendly meal, this pizza will do the trick. The picture below is the crust I used for the Bear, my dad, and Brenda. My crust is not pictured; however, I did find a good gluten-free crust by Udi's and had my own personal pizza. I used a pre-made pizza crust and slathered on a thick and creamy layer of ranch as the sauce. Then, I topped it with leftover shredded rotisserie chicken I froze from earlier in the week, shredded cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and bacon. Super easy and super tasty.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

1 pre-made pizza crust

8 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1/2 cup light or fat-free sour cream

1 package gluten-free ranch dressing mix

1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

1 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese

1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped

4 pieces cooked and crumbled center cut bacon

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sour cream, and ranch dressing until smooth and combined. Spread the ranch over your pizza crust. Then top the ranch layer with the chicken and cheese. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt. Remove from the oven and then top the rest of the pizza with the tomatoes and bacon. You can sprinkle a little chopped flat leaf parsley for extra color if you choose. Slice and serve.