Semi-Homemade Pizza

I'm sure that most of you are looking forward to Friday because you have the day off. For me Friday marks the end of my freedom (well at least until October). Because as of Friday, Astros Baseball is back in full swing. Don't get me wrong I LOVE baseball. And I love the Astros. It's just that being at every game kind of puts a damper on your personal life. Just ask The Hubs & my friends.

It also means that I have to get creative my with cooking & come up with things I can either leave for The Hubs to fix himself (while I eat ANOTHER hot dog) or find things that I can make very quickly when I get home (should I sneak out of the game a bit early).

Last year, I came up with several quick & easy menu ideas and made sure to keep the ingredients on hand. One of those items was Semi-Homemade Pizza.

Ingredients:

* Pre-made Pizza Crust
* Pizza Sauce
* Shredded Cheese - Pizza Blend
* Your Choice of Toppings

Directions:

1. Prepare your toppings.

2. Lightly brush your crust with olive oil.



3. Spread sauce evenly over crust.



4. Arrange toppings on top of the sauce.



5. Sprinkle with cheese.



6. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes (or according to directions on your crust package).



My Tid-Bits:

* For the crust, I use Mama Mary's because its what my HEB carries.



* I've tried several pizza sauces & like Pastorelli the best. Try a few different sauces until you find the one you like best.



* Steps 4 & 5 can be reversed. It's just a matter of preference: Do you like your toppings under or on top of the cheese?

* Toppings: Use whatever toppings you like best. When I made pizzas last night, I caramelized some onions, diced up some roasted red peppers (that were left over from the Orzo Pasta Salad I made last week), browned some Italian Sausage for The Hubs' pizza & sauteed some mushrooms. I also like to dice up some fresh basil to sprinkle over the top after they come out of the oven.

* Other topping ideas include: pepperoni, bell pepper, olives, tomatoes, zucchini, chicken, onion, shrimp, etc.

* If you're having people over, especially friends with kiddos, this is a great meal for a dinner party. You provide the crust/dough, sauce & cheese and have your guests each bring a topping or two (just make sure that multiple people aren't bringing the same things). Then everyone can make their own pizzas!

* If I prep the toppings before hand, I can have the pizzas assembled, cooked and on the table in 20 minutes. Great for busy nights!

* And lastly... LET'S GO ASTROS!!! Here's to a great season that will hopefully go well into October.