Simple No Cook Pizza Sauce

1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp dry marjoram
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/4 tsp garlic salt

Combine and let sit on the countertop for at least 1 hour while the dough rises, if making homemade crust. I usually purchase a ready-made pizza crust.

For Each Pizza:
Preheat oven to 420-450F. Spoon 1/3 cup sauce on dough and spread to within 1" of edge. Distribute a few handfuls of shredded mozzarella cheese (I use a little cheddar, too) on sauce, then add whatever other toppings you want.

SKILLET PIZZA-WICH

Sliced American cheese
Canned tomato paste
Sliced bologna
Crushed oregano
Sliced bread

For each sandwich, place:

1 slice bread
1 slice American cheese
1 tbsp. tomato paste
Cover with bologna
Sprinkle with crushed oregano
Top with cheese
Add slice of bread

Lightly spread outside of sandwich with soft butter. Brown lightly on both sides in a skillet or griddle over low heat until cheese is melted and bread is lightly browned.

I also make a "pizza" using flour tortillas and crab meat from leftover crab legs.

Crab Pizza

Flour tortillas
Olive oil
Havarti cheese or any cheese you love
Crab meat

Lay tortillas on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Top lightly with Havarti and then crab meat. (Sometimes I put a little Old Bay or other spices in the bowl with the crabmeat and mix it in.) Sprinkle a little more cheese on top.

Bake at 350 until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are browned.

I make one for each of us and as you can see, there's no need for measuring.

Serves 2 to 4

You will need:

1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing the baking sheet.
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
1/2 small red onion, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a little olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of a baking sheet. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry dough to 10" x 15". Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet. Fold the edges of the dough over to make a crust. Use a fork to gently poke holes throughout all of the dough. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

While the dough is baking, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium- low heat. Once warm, stir in salt, crushed red pepper, basil and garlic. Cook just until the garlic is fragrant. About 30-45 seconds. Do not allow the garlic to brown.

Remove the dough from the oven. If it has puffed up a little gently puncture it with a fork. Brush the garlic olive oil over the dough. Spread 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese over the dough and then layer the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges of the crust are browned. Turn on the broiler for 2 minutes if you like your cheese extra bubbly.

Allow to cool several minutes, slice and serve.

Artichoke White Pizza

1 16-oz pizza crust
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 15-oz can artichoke hearts in water, drained and thinly sliced*
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Put the pizza shell onto a pizza pan or cookie sheet. Drizzle shell with oil and scatter minced garlic over shell to edges. Cover the pie with a layer of all three cheeses combined and work all the way to the edge of the shells. Top with artichoke hearts.

Cook 6 to 8 minutes, until cheeses have melted and begin to bubble. Remove from oven and garnish with parsley. Cut pie with pizza wheel or knife into bite-size squares and serve.

*I use 1 box of frozen artichokes.

Besides the usual Italian seasonings, we really like a sprinkling of fennel seeds.

Crust

3 cups white flour
2 1/2 tsp quick rise yeast
1 1/2 cups water/add less if not needed

Mix, Knead, let rise for 1.5 -3 hours.

8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 tsp. dried sweet basil
1/3 cup diced white onions
1 jar of cooked red bell peppers diced(or 1 fresh whole red bell pepper)
1 lb cooked sausage(Jimmy Dean is good)
3 oz sliced pepperoni
3/4 lb grated motzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450, set to bake. If using a convection oven place a cookie sheet on the rack above your pizza. Grease a 16" large pizza pan, sprinkle with yellow corn meal. Flour your hands, drop the dough in the center of the pan and begin to work it until it's evenly flat and covers the pan.

Then spoon tomato sauce onto dough evenly. Sprinkle basil evenly over sauce, then add onion, red pepper, sausage, pepperoni and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes then remove the cookie sheet and bake for another 3 minutes.

Tortilla Pizzas

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced green pepper
1/4 cup minced sweet red pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

4 7” flour tortillas

In a bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients; mix well. Place tortillas on greased baking sheets; spread with cheese mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Cut into wedges. Makes 8 servings.

Today, our pizza recipe is of Tex-Mex influence and is good for a change of pace.

Beef Fajita Pizza

1/2 pound stir-fry beef strips
1 pound frozen pepper stir-fry, thawed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1 12-inch thin Boboli pizza crust
1/2 cup Pace’s lime-garlic salsa
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
Sour cream, for serving
Refrigerated guacamole, for serving
Fresh cilantro, for garnish

INDOOR: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a bowl, combine beef strips, pepper stir-fry, oil and taco seasoning. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. When oil is hot, sauté beef and pepper strips for 5 minutes. Remove from pan; set aside. Remove pizza crusts from package and top with salsa and cheese. Top with beef and peppers and bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and begun to bubble. Serve hot garnished with sour cream, guacamole, and cilantro.

OUTDOOR: Set up grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking. In a bowl, combine beef strips, pepper stir-fry, oil and taco seasoning. Grill beef and pepper strips on hot oiled grill about 5 minutes total. Remove pizza crust from package and place on grill. Top with salsa, cheese, beef and pepper strips. Turn heat down to medium and cook pizza covered for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese has melted and starts to bubble. Serve hot garnished with sour cream, guacamole, and cilantro.

Alfredo Sauce for Pizza

2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant. Add the flour and cook until light blonde in color. Whisk in the cream, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and season lightly with salt and pepper, to taste.
Ladle the sauce to cover the bottom of the prepared pizza dough. Evenly top with the pizza toppings. Brush the edge of the crust with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake the pizza until crisp and golden, about 25 minutes. Slice and serve.

Smoked Gouda Spinach Pizza

1 pizza crust
1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small red onion chopped
2 T. butter
2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup Alfredo sauce
1/2 t dried thyme
1 6-oz pkg fresh baby spinach
1/2 lb Italian chicken sausage links cooked and sliced
2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese

In a large skillet, sauté the mushrooms and onion in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in Alfredo sauce and thyme. Spread over crust. Top with spinach, chicken sausage and cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes at 425 or until crust and cheese are lightly browned.

Greek Potato Pizza

I use my pizza sauce and mozzarella but the pizza is topped with roasted potatoes seasoned with garlic, oregano and lemon. ann_t@gardenweb

Boil some one inch cubed potatoes for three minutes.
Drain and add back to pan and shake over burner until potatoes are dry. (1 minute).
Heat some olive oil in a shallow roasting pan in a 400 - 450°F oven
And when hot add the potatoes.
Shake to coat in oil and add 5 or 6 whole peeled garlic cloves.
Return pan to the oven and roast until golder brown. Shake occasionally.
Season with oregano, a squeezed lemon and salt and pepper.

My Pizza Sauce

A basic outline. Season to suit your own taste.
1 28 oz can quality Italian Tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
fennel seed
oregano
Basil
2 to 3 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Puree tomatoes with the minced garlic. Grind the fennel seeds. Add the seeds and the oregano, basil, and the olive oil and mix together.

NOTE: I use a stick blender and blend all of these ingredients right in the can.