Spinach Artichoke Pizza

Photo by Katie Kay

This was so yummy!  Perfect treat for cheat night--and I have a LOT of cheat nights.  This was a creamy spinach artichoke dip on top of a pizza crust and eaten as a meal!  So much awesomeness in my mouth, I can't stand it.  Even the leftovers were yummy.  I ate it for 3 days in a row and it was great!  The pizza crust is never quite the same the next day, but who really eats crust anyway?  (Blasphemy, mom.  I know.)
I have to be totally honest with you, beloved reader.  You place your trust in my hands every time you whip up one of my recipes in your kitchen--which I LOVE hearing about, btw.  
Matt and Jenson did not like this.  
For Jenson, that doesn't mean anything.  He doesn't like apple pie.  Mashed potatoes.  French fries.  Meat.  Seafood.  Or pretty much anything tasty.  But Matt's problem with this was that he doesn't like anything creamy and white.  He hates mayo, sour cream, cream cheese, and more.  And he considers a pizza made with these white, creamy ingredients a crime against humanity.  
Okay, maybe I put those words into his mouth.  But when we eat dinner and he doesn't mention how delicious everything is, I know something's seriously wrong.  He never says it at the table though because he doesn't want to cloud the kids' judgement.
Speaking of the kids, Kaylen loved it.  :)
SOLD!
Spinach Artichoke Pizza
1 can of exploding pizza dough (you know, the one in the can?) 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup butter 4oz (or half block) cream cheese, very softened (microwave for 1 minute helps) 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 2 tsp garlic powder 2 handfuls mozzarella, shredded (or about 2 cups) 1 6oz bag fresh spinach leaves, rinsed 1 can artichoke hearts
Preheat oven according to pizza dough directions.  
In a saucepan, melt butter and slowly add cream.  Add cream cheese a small amount at a time and whisk until chunks are gone.  Add the parmesan cheese and the garlic powder, and stir until combined.  Turn heat to low and stir frequently until you're ready to add the spinach and put everything on the pizza, giving it at least 10 minutes to thicken.
My pizza dough said to pre-bake the pizza crust by itself for 8 minutes, so at this point I put it in the oven.
In a non-stick pan (I used my cast iron skillet and sprayed a light amount of cooking oil) turn heat on high and when hot, add rinsed spinach leaves.  Stir until wilted, then add to white sauce.
Spread creamy spinach mixture on your crust, then loosely chop your artichokes (by hand was fine) and sprinkle all over the pizza.  Top with mozzarella cheese, and bake for 15 minutes or until crust turns golden.
My crust was ready at 15 minutes, but my cheese needed more color, so I turned on the broiler and cooked it for about 2 minutes under the broiler to give it a gorgeous golden color.
Source:  The Two Bite Club