Ma What's For Dinner?

In the mood for something quick hearty and satisfying?  Put down that phone and save yourself the delivery charge…no, I’m not talking DiGiorno, I’m talking about a homemade delight that will have your kids (and you) jumping for joy.

Serves: 6-8                        Prep time: 10 minutes                        Cook time: 30 minutes

1 lb  ground beef

3/4 bulk italian sausage

1 c  mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

1 t  dried oregano

2 cloves  garlic, chopped

S&P

1 28 oz can  chopped tomatoes

1 8 0z can  tomato sauce

1 ½ c  shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tube  refrigerated pizza dough

1 8 oz container fresh mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet brown ground beef and sausage over medium high heat.  Once browned add in mushrooms, onions, and garlic.  Season with oregano and S&P and stir to combine.  Cook for 5 minutes or until veggie start to soften.  Stir in tomato sauce.   Bring to a boil, then turn down to a low simmer.  Cover and let cook for 10 minutes on low heat.

Pour meat mixture into a 13×9 baking dish.  Top with shredded cheese.  Open up pizza dough tube, unroll and top cheese with it.  Bake for 15-17 minutes.  Top with dollops of fresh mozzarella and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve with a side salad and your kids will stand on their heads for this one time and time again.

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In college I used to LOVE Pizzeria Uno’s mashed potato pizza. This is an ode to the days of old….

Serves:  Up to 8  Prep time:  20 minutes  Cook time:  25 minutes

1 store bought pizza crust

1 bag frozen Ore-Ida potatoes

1/2 cup milk

2 T butter

2 T parmesan cheese

S&P

1 pound bacon, chopped

1 onion, diced

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

chopped parsley, for garnish

chopped scallions, for garnish

sour cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Unroll your pizza dough and stretch it out over a large baking pan, or you can roll it out into a ball and make a round pizza if you like.  Poke a couple of holes into the dough with a fork and bake the uncovered dough for 10 minutes.  While your dough cooks place your potatoes in the microwave and cook on high for 10 minutes.  Pour potatoes into a bowl and add milk, butter, parmesan cheese, and season with S&P.  Mash well and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and brown your bacon until just crispy.  Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  In the bacon drippings saute onion, mushrooms and garlic until soft, about 7 minutes.

Remove crust from oven and spread out your potato mixture to cover leaving a one inch border for your crust.  Top potatoes with mushrooms onion and garlic mixture.  Then sprinkle on cheese to cover well.  Top with bacon.

Return pizza to oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Slice it up and top with sour cream and parsley or chopped scallions.  Serve as an appetizer or with a salad for a main meal.

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Serves: 8  Prep time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1  T olive oil, divided

S&P

4 slices bacon chopped

1/2 small onion chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 t dried thyme

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup ketchup

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 t dried mustard

1 T molasses

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 store bought pizza dough

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced thin

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 shallot sliced thin

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Drizzle your chicken with 1/2 T olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 20 minutes at 425.  Meanwhile get started on your BBQ sauce.

In a medium saucepan heat remaining 1/2 T of olive oil over medium heat.  Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp.  Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel.  Set aside.

Pour off all but 1 T of bacon fat.  Add in your onions and allow to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute or two.  Season with salt and pepper and thyme.  Deglaze the pan with the vinegar being sure to scrap up all the good browned bits on the bottom.

Next add in your ketchup, tomato sauce, mustard, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce.  Turn the sauce down and allow to simmer until your chicken is ready.

Once the chicken is done remove it from the oven and slice it thinly.  Lay out your pizza dough and stretch it to fit a baking sheet.  Spread a think layer of sauce leaving a one inch border around the dough.  Arrange your chicken neatly around the pizza dough.  Then arrange jalapeno (I only put this on half so you get a half spicy half wimpy pizza) and shallots evenly around the dough.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.  Top with plenty of cheese and bake at 425 for 17-19 minutes.  Top with cooked bacon and more cilantro if desired.  Enjoy!

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