This recipe is a combination of inspiration. Back when I worked at the unversity’s main campus, the buffet would serve “Sweetza” every Thursday, which is pizza with some kind of a sweet cream cheese sauce, cinnamon apples, and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. It was absolutely delicious (I know for a fact that several other people would visit the buffet that day solely for this “apple pizza”). Recently, I read an article on Slashfood about the rise of dessert pizzas, pizzas made with chocolate, peanut butter, and other sweet goodies. It reminded me of the Sweetza, which really was a genius hybrid of regular pizza and these new dessert pizzas.

Enter Midnight Snacks. In the first section of the book 10:15 PM Past Your Bedtime Repast, the first recipe is for “Impromptu Pizza.” Basically, the recipe provides ideas for making a personal size pizza out of everyday food items such as flour tortillas, sliced tomatoes, and shredded cheese. After reading through some of the variations, I decided to try my hand at my own Apple-izza in the spirit of the Sweetza.

I started with a flat whole wheat tortilla and added a couple ounces of cream cheese mixed with a pinch of cinnamon and a splash of milk. Then I thinly sliced an apple and created a layer over the cream cheese, slightly overlapping the slices. Next, I seasoned with a small pinch of salt and cinnamon sugar. I then topped it all with a light sprinkle of cheese and baked until bubbly. Once out of the oven, I sprinkled with a bit more cinnamon sugar and cut into pieces. 

I served this for brunch, but it could also be a great dessert or appetizer to a meal. Be sure to cut the apple thinly so the slices cook and soften quickly in the oven. Cheddar cheese and apples are a classic combination, but mozzarella also works. I would recommend a firm, crisp apple like Braeburn or Fuji, or you could use a Granny Smith and substitute caramel for the shredded cheese and add some chopped nuts to make a delicious caramel apple pizza.

Jenn’s Apple-izza 
1 flour tortilla
3 oz cream cheese
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1-2 tsp milk
1 apple, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded cheese
cinnamon sugar 

Preheat oven to 400F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, cinnamon, and milk. Stir until smooth and spread over tortilla.

Arrange apple slices in a single layer, slightly overlapping the pieces. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and top with shredded cheese.

Bake 10-12 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and the edges of the tortilla are golden brown. Remove and sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar if desired.

Allow to cool 2-3 minutes and cut into pieces.

From Midnight Snacks chapter 1:15 AM Under the Covers, these snacks are perfect when  you want to “head to bed and call it a wrap.” The recipes in this chapter are designed for those occasions when it seems there is nothing to eat in the entire house, using a little creativity and scant supplies to produce a tasty treat.

These might be a little labor intensive if you are in a hurry first thing in the morning, but if you have the time these can also make a mighty good breakfast. “Here’s how to turn a lowly slice of soft sandwich bread into a lovely turnover.” My version is posted below, but the authors gave several suggestions for fillings, which are posted following the recipe.

Jenn’s Chocolate-Cream Cheese “Tossovers”
4 slices of bread, crusts removed
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 oz cream cheese, divided
4 tsp mini-chocolate chips, divided
cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out crust-free bread with a rolling pin (bread should be flattened to the thickness of a saltine cracker).

Brush the edges of the flattened bread with melted butter. In the center of each piece, spoon 1/2 oz of cream cheese and 1 tsp chocolate chips.

Fold the bread into a triangle and press the edges together. Crimp edges with a fork if necessary.

Arrange triangles on prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Other  filling suggestions:

A spoonful of preserves and a smear of cream cheese
A dollop of jelly and a layer of peanut butter
Pieces of a dark chocolate candy bar
Fresh berries, peach or plum slices, or chopped apples sprinkled with sugar
Small slice of cheddar cheese and applesauce
Caramel sauce, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans

Feel free to improvise, making your own personal creation.

Another dual project recipe for Smoothie-licious and Midnight Snacks, again from chapter 1:00 AM: Spa Night, this smoothie gives green tea a fruity new twist. Spa Night features “light, enlightening foods to bask in…If you don’t indulge yourself, who will? You deserve it.” I do not normally care for bananas in smoothies, but combined with kiwi the flavor is very refreshing. With a small kick of caffeine from green tea, this is a great early-morning revitalizer. Kiwi skins are actually edible, according to the authors the peel adds an earthy flavor to the smoothie and (of coarse) will change the color slightly. Recipe makes enough for two servings, but can be halved for one.

1 1/2 cups soy milk
4 green tea bags
4 kiwis, peeled or unpeeled, quartered
1 banana, peeled and broken into pieces
1 tbsp honey
3-4 ice cubes

In a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, bring soy milk just to the point of simmering (do not boil).

Steep the tea bags in the milk for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags and pour liquid into a blender.

Add fruit pieces, honey, and ice cubes. Blend until smooth.

Shown below, served in a chilled glass with mint:

The first recipe for Smoothie-licious is also part of my Midnight Snacks series as well. In chapter 1:00 AM: Spa Night, the authors wrote a section called “Lots of Lassis” that features a tradition lassi as well as several variations. Lassi is a tradition Middle Eastern and East Asian beverage with yogurt often mixed with fruit or spices. Some versions are savory, but most are sweet. Below is the general recipe followed by several mix-in variations. I tried the Honeydew and Ginger Lassi, shown above with a sprig of mint.

Lassi Recipe:
1 cup plain non-fat or low-fat yogurt
1 cup skim milk
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a blender and, in the author’s words, ”let ‘er rip.” Pour the lassi in a glass filled with ice.

Variations:

Lemon Lassi: add grated zest of 1 lemon (do not add lemon juice, it will curdle the yogurt)
Indian Spice Lassi: add a pinch of ground cardamom, ginger, cumin, and black pepper
Pistachio and Honey Lassi: blend in 1/2 cup of pistachio and an additional tbsp of honey
Honeydew and Ginger Lassi: Add 1 cup of honeydew cubes and a nickel-size piece of fresh ginger (make sure to peel ginger first) 
Mint of Persian Lassi: add 10 fresh mint leaves
Berry Lassi: add 1/2 cup strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, or blackberries
Mango Lassi: add 1/2 cup sliced, peeled mango (an Indian favorite)

These recipes all make 2 generous servings.

Another recipe from 2:30 AM: Late Night Rehab, this came from a set of recipes referred to as “Four Energizers.” These smoothie/shake recipes were created for late nights when “you have to burn the midnight oil and need food, glorious food, to supplement your energy.” The original recipe called for things that have never seen my kitchen: protein powder and flax-seed oil. According to the authors, flax-seed oil contains essential fatty acids that are great for focus and concentration, but I substituted some vanilla yogurt because, well, that’s what I had on hand.

And boy, does this concoction energize! The first time I made this was on a Friday night and I was up well past my bedtime, zooming with energy. This will definitely give you a pick-up on an early morning if you wake up grouchy and groggy like I do. Whether first thing in the morning or late at night, “hearing the wailing screech of the blender will also enliven things, as will neglecting to secure the blender lid tightly enough.”

Below is my version of this chocolaty-thick smoothie. If soy milk scares you, regular milk is fine…but don’t let soy milk scare you, the chocolate kind is especially good.

1 cup low-fat chocolate soy milk
1 cup frozen pitted dark, sweet cherries (do not thaw)
1/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2-3 ice cubes

Toss everything into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a to-go cup and slurp on your way to work. Delicious!

Or you can be fancy like me, and garnish with a dollop of yogurt, a frozen cherry or two, and a light dusting of cocoa powder. Yes, of course it tastes better that way.