Bacon Asparagus Pizza

Recipe inspired by:
www.allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 5 thick slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 unbaked pizza crust
• 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup chopped fresh asparagus
• 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 (11 ounce) log fresh chevre (goat cheese)
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.Place bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for a few minutes to release most of the grease, but do not cook until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain.
3.Spread the pizza crust out on a pizza pan or large baking sheet. Top with mozzarella cheese, bacon pieces, asparagus, and tomatoes. Dot with goat cheese, then season with red pepper flakes and black pepper.
4.Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is golden brown underneath when you lift it up to take a peek. Let cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes & Tips:
I was looking for an unusual way to use of some of my leftover fresh asparagus when I stumbled upon this. VERY yummy, if you like "gourmet" pizzas, which I happen to love. I would suggest maybe flash steaming the asparagus if you don't like crisp veggies on your pizza. Also, I added some baby bella mushrooms, which really tasted great with this. I used pre-made pizza crust and pre-made pizza sauce, b/c tonight, I feel rather lazy. Also, I used a mixture of mozzarella cheese, goat cheese, and Gorgonzola, b/c I didn't have enough of any to cover the pizza. The result was pretty tasty.

Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 429 Total Fat: 25.2g Cholesterol: 75mg