Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Pizza with Cream Sauce

My friends and I are in the last term of our nursing program and just finished our last group clinical before our final practicum. To celebrate I decided to host a dinner at my house and made fresh pizza. My friends are somewhat picky eaters and it's hard for everyone to agree on one food type so I made two pizzas: one classic vegetarian pizza and one more upscale pizza with caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, and a creamy herb and garlic sauce. I was a little unsure whether the second pizza would go over well but my friends loved it and finished the entire thing.

I think my friends were most impressed by the fact that I made the dough from scratch and how light and airy the crust turned out. Interestingly enough, there was a lot of moisture in the air that day and as a result I had to add more flour than usual to make the dough. Apart from that, the pizza was extremely easy to make. The process of caramelizing the onions took some time but I made the most of it by vacuuming and mopping the entire first floor in anticipation of them coming over. Every few minutes I would return to the stove and stir the onions. I made sure to prepare the onions, mushrooms, and sauce ahead of time so that everything would have a chance to cool before assembling the pizza.

Because of my planning I was then able to assemble the pizza and stick it in the oven in under ten minutes and actually have it ready by the time my friends came. The rest of the evening was spent chatting, playing games, and enjoying each others' company. Overall it was a great night and I was so glad that everyone managed to come.

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Pizza with Cream Sauce
Note: The below ingredients are enough dough to make two pizzas but toppings for one.

• Pizza dough (recipe found here)
• 2 medium sized onions, thinly sliced
• 10-12 mushrooms, chopped (depending on size)
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 oz cream cheese
• ½ cup milk
• Mozzarella cheese, grated
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan and reduce the heat to medium low. Saute the onions, stirring every 2-3 minutes and allow them to slowly caramelize. They will be ready once they are a deep golden color, about 35-45 minutes. Once finished, put into a bowl and set aside to cool.
2. Using the same pan, turn the heat up to medium-high and add the chopped mushrooms. Add one teaspoon each of the dried oregano and thyme and mix to incorporate. Saute the mushrooms until they soften and turn brown, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a bowl and set aside to cool.
3. To make the sauce: In a small saucepan melt the tablespoon of butter then add the minced garlic. Lightly saute until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the cream cheese and milk. Add the remaining teaspoon of dried oregano and thyme and stir through. Continue to heat and stir until the cream cheese melts completely and the sauce becomes uniform. Set aside to cool.

 To Assemble:

1. If using a pizza stone, put it in the oven and allow it to preheat with the oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes before transferring the pizza to it.  
2. Punch down the dough and then separate into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth, round ball and allow it to sit on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes (this will make it easier to roll/stretch).
3. Proceed to roll/stretch out the dough until it is of the desired size then brush the edges with olive oil. 
4. Spread the cream sauce over the surface of the dough. Top generously with the onions and mushrooms and then sprinkle some of the freshly grated cheese.
5. Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake at 500 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling. If not using a pizza stone the baking time may be greater, around 18-20 minutes.