Several years ago, I planted a tiny little lemon balm plant. Unbeknownst to me, at the time of the planting, lemon balm is of the mint family. If you’re a gardener, no doubt you just groaned and you know where this is going. Mint is extremely invasive! Ergo, the tiny little lemon balm plant, that I loving planted in an unconfined space, is also invasive 🙁
Ever since discovering its true nature, I’ve tried to no avail to get rid of the damn thing . At best, I’m able to keep it somewhat under control. (Except for those off shoot that have traveled out into the lawn!) Anyway… It’s obviously to me that I’m stuck with it until the apocalypse. 
I admit that it is a pretty plant and does serve a purpose. When blooming, it attracts bees and hummingbirds. But I feel it must have a higher calling in the culinary realm. After all, it is an herb. Other than plucking the leaves occasionally and adding them to a glass of iced water or tea, I was at loss for uses. Until recently, when I thought… when the world gives you an abundance of lemon balm, make lemon balm pesto! So I did. 
Now… What to do with the pesto? A Thai inspired chicken pizza came to mind. The pesto would be the sauce. Of course, for starters a batch of pizza dough is required (that recipe never fails me). On a roll to try new things, I decided to use my cast iron skillet to make the pizza. When it was smoking hot, I put the dough in. It worked like magic and was super fast, taking only about a minute until it was ready to flip over. 
Working quickly, I topped the pizza with the pesto, some fresh mozzerella and shredded chicken. Then I put the skillet under the broiler, for just a couple of minutes, to melt the cheese and finish baking the crust.
Once out from under the broiler, I added the finishing touches — some arugula, a mango, cucumber, jalapeno pico de gallo (leftover from the fish tacos the night before) and a drizzle of chili sauce.
Voila… Thai chicken pizza! 
Pesto chango…. thanks for visiting Palatable.Life.
Be inspired,
Diane