Grilled pizza crust recipe

 (Photo credit: thebittenword.com)

GRILLED PIZZA CRUST 

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal for dusting

 Directions

In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar and water. Allow yeast to feed for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add oil to yeast mixture and gently combine before pouring into flour mixture. Mix dough thoroughly until smooth and elastic. Cover and set in a warm palce to rise for 1 1/2 hours. Generously flour counter and place dough on it. Cut into 8 equal portions.  Spray grill rack with non stick spray and dust bottom of crust with cornmeal Top as desired. Average cooking time will be 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Pepperoni pizza pasta bake recipe

English: Stuffed pasta shells with spinach and ricotta cheese. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pizza is always a popular dinner in my home, but there are times when the kids and I are simply sick of eating it. If you're looking to break out of the pizza rut, this pasta based recipe should do the trick. Plus the addition of zucchini is a sneaky way to add some extra veggies to your childrens' diets.

PEPPERONI PIZZA PASTA BAKE

• 2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 1/4 cups grated zucchini
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
• 1 egg, beaten
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups of your favorite red sauce
• 30 jumbo pasta shells, cooked following the directions
• 1 small package sliced pepperoni
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine ricotta, zucchini, basil, egg salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir to combine well. Spread 1 cup of the red sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Fill each shell with the cheese mixture then arrange on top of the sauce. Top with remaining sauce then add pepperoni. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and return to oven until cheese is golden

Cook's Notes

• If your children like helping you in the kitchen, allow them to add the pepperoni and mozzarella as you layer each in the baking dish.
• For a meatless meal, simply omit the pepperoni.You may wish to add additional veggies, such as peppers or mushrooms, for a more substantial meal.

Meatless Monday Veggie pizza recipe

Bell Peppers (Photo credit: joe beasley)

If you have a picky eater in your home who doesn't want to eat veggies, this recipe might do the trick! You can add or remove toppings as you like, cut back on the amount of cheese, etc-this is what works best in my home. To get your kids involved with making dinner, allow them to sprinkle the crust with the cheese and veggies.

VEGGIE PIZZA
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups low fat ranch dressing
• 1 unbaked pizza crust, or the home made pizza crust recipe of your choice
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pizza crust on a pizza pan or baking sheet, and spread dressing evenly over the top. Sprinkle with cheddar. Add carrots, pepper and mushrooms. Mix together spinach and mozzarella and top pizza. Bake 15-20 minutes. Vegetables should be tender, cheese melted and lightly browned along edges.