Pizza made simple and quick

Here is a great way to fix a quick and delicious pizza your family will love! 

Is there any family out there that doesn't like pizza? I think NOT! Take a great crust, add some yummy toppings and cheese...LOTS of cheese. What better food can there be? Only how do you make dough quick enough to fit in our busy lives? Well here is a solution!

Bread. Yes I said bread. Take a nice fresh loaf of French or Italian bread and make your own pizza. It is quick, tasty, and easy to boot!

We generally like the French bread. I know that may seem strange considering Americans consider pizza to be an Italian food, but my family likes the taste and texture of the French bread over the Italian. Caution...you need to buy the loaf whole, NOT cut. I don't want to waste time with individual little pizzas if the bread is already sliced. I don't have that much time.

So take a whole loaf of bread and slice it horizontally in half. You want to end up with two long pieces of bread. Then we have some fun. The boys gather round and we all help to layer on the toppings. The topping choices depend on what you have on hand. Some of the ones we find we like are pepperoni, cooked sausage (hot and spicy is our preference), mushrooms, ham, bacon, and even Prosciutto. Then we sometimes add some veggies like mushrooms, olives, onions, or peppers. Then comes our favorite...the cheese. We like to use an Italian blend of cheese. Pop it in the oven for a few minutes and you have a great fresh pizza! Serve with a tossed salad and you are done!

       

Pizza made simple 

1 loaf French or Italian bread (whole, not sliced) 
1 jar of your favorite pizza sauce 
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese 
*Your favorite toppings 

Topping choices we have used: sausage (hot and mild), pepperoni, olives, mushroom (canned or fresh), bacon, onions, peppers, Canadian bacon, prosciutto, ham, tomatoes, herbs, and artichoke hearts. We mix and match depending on what we have in the pantry/fridge. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Slice the bread in half horizontally and place on a cookie sheet crust sides down. Spread the pizza sauce (spaghetti sauce will do in a pinch) on the bread. You need to put on a thicker layer than you normally would a pizza dough; the bread soaks up the sauce very well. Add the toppings of your choice. (If using meats, be sure they are pre-cooked) Add the cheese. 

 Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.