Butternut Squash Pizza

Adam and I are big fans of homemade pizza (who isn't?) and we claim to make a pretty mean one. We usually just focus on a crispy, slow-rise thin crust, and then pile it as high as possible with fresh veggies (along with some sausage, peperoni, and cheese for Adam). However, every once in awhile we focus in on some specific flavor combinations, and while different, they do not disappoint!

This one stemmed from my recent desire to make better use of my awesome cookbooks, instead of just reading through them like a good novel. We added the shrimp, mushrooms, and dressing of the arugula to make it a little more hearty, and it turned out delicious!

Butternut Squash Pizza
adapted from Williams-Sonoma New Healthy Kitchen

1 your favorite pizza dough recipe
1/2 medium butternut squash, chopped into 1/2" cubes
4 tsp olive oil
2 tsp thyme
3-4 oz soft goat cheese
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups baby arugula
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400. Toss chopped squash with a little oil, salt, pepper, and about 2/3 of the thyme. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, or until fork-tender and starting to brown. While this roasts, toss the shrimp with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and the rest of the thyme. Set aside.
Once the squash is finished, raise oven temperature to 500. Roll out your dough and place on a pizza stone or crisper that has been dusted with cornmeal. Drizzle dough with a little bit of oil and spread it across in a thin layer. Dot with pieces of squash and goat cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until crust is starting to brown, about 10 minutes, then pull out and scatter the shrimp on. Return to the oven until crust is crispy and shrimp are cooked through, about 6 more minutes.
Dress arugula with vinegar, salt, pepper, and a little drizzle of oil. Top pizza and enjoy!!