Low Budget Dinner: Sausage Mushroom Pizza

Instead of using pizza crust, why not try pita bread? This recipe is great topped with Italian sausage, green peppers and mushrooms, but feel free to use your own favorite toppings. These pizzas can also be grilled easily. Grill over medium heat 7 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned. Not only are these pizzas delicious, but they are economical and child-friendly. 

 

Mushroom Pita Pizzas

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

3/4 lb. spicy Italian sausage

1 cup marinara sauce

4 (6-inch) pita bread rounds

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup diced green bell pepper

11/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation 

1. Brown sausage in a medium pan over medium heat 5 minutes or until meat crumbles; drain, if needed

2. Spread each pita round with 1/4 cup marinara sauce. Top evenly with sausage, mushrooms, green pepper and cheese.

3. Bake at 350F 15 minutes or until pita is browned and cheese is melted.

Quick and Easy-Tomato Basil Pizza

It’s pizza night at my house, so I thought I would share this recipe. With only 240 calories and 9 grams of fat, you can’t go wrong. Feel free to add cooked chicken or shrimp on this pizza. And if you want a shortcut, purchase jarred pesto in the grocery store. I love using Mama Mary’s crust or Boboli, which work great on busy weeknights (which is always at my house with 3 kids, especially during baseball season).

 

Tomato-Basil Pizza

Prep: 15 minutes

cook: 12 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

FOR THE PESTO:

4  cups basil leaves

2  garlic cloves

1/4  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1  tablespoon grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1  tablespoon olive oil

FOR THE PIZZA:

1  (1-pound) pizza crust (such as Boboli or Mama Marys)

3  cups  chopped seeded tomato (about 2 pounds)

3  garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1  cup  (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4  cup  thinly sliced basil leaves

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 475°.

2. To prepare pesto, place 4 cups basil leaves and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor, and pulse 5 times or until coarsely chopped. With processor on, add broth, Parmesan, and oil through food chute; process until well-blended.

3. To prepare pizza, place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread pesto over crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border; top with the tomato, garlic slices, and mozzarella. Bake at 475° for 12 minutes or until the cheese melts. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup basil. Cut the pizza into 8 wedges.

Chicago Style Pizza for Obama’s Presidential Inauguration

If you’re celebrating the inauguration with friends, family or even throwing a party, serve up one of President-elect Obama’s favorite main dishes. Instead of preparing Chicago-style stuffed pizza, try this lighter (but still delicious option). The combination of turkey pepperoni, diced tomatoes, fresh Parmesan, mozzarella, and basil is wonderful. Feel free to add mushrooms, sausage, bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes or any of your favorite toppings. The pizza cooks quickly and takes only a few minutes to prepare, so it’s easy to make while you enjoy the party with your guests.

 

Easy Thin Crust Chicago-Style Pizza

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 14 minutes

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

Ingredients

2  (10-ounce) cans refrigerated pizza crust dough (I used pillsbury)

Cooking spray

3/4  cup  (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

11/2 cups turkey pepperoni, sliced

3  tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

11/3 cups marinara sauce or 1  (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained

1/2  cup  (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup (2 ounces) low-fat mozzarella cheese

1/8  teaspoon  black pepper or crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Unroll dough portions onto a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray, slightly overlapping the edges. Pinch edges together to seal. Pat the dough into a 15 x 12-inch rectangle. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border, and top with pepperoni, basil, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pepper. Bake at 450° for 2 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 425° (do not remove pizza from oven), and bake an additional 12 minutes or until cheese melts.