“Ideas are like pizza dough, made to be tossed around.” – Anna Quindlen, author and pizza fan.
Well, at Just A Pinch we get to enjoy the best of both worlds: creative ideas ABOUT pizza! Whether intended to save time, conserve calories or just mix things up a bit, members creative pizza recipes have been flowing freely lately! I just couldn’t wait to bring you a few of my cravable favorites.
Dawne Gibbs of Bennington, VT is first up with a recipe she remembers her mother making. Part calzone, part Chicago-style pizza, this yummy dish boasts both a top AND bottom crust, with lots of gooey cheese in between.
“Every Sunday, when we had company, my mother would whip this pizza together within minutes,” says Dawne. “My sisters and I would sit and watch, sometimes not so patiently, for it to come out of the oven. She would make a slightly different version of it every time but it always started with spinach. Such wonderful memories and tasty recipes past down for all of us.”
Dawne’s recipe can easily be made vegetarian-friendly by adding a little extra spinach and tomato, but I have to say that we absolutely loved the zing of Italian sausage in this dish. Next time I may make two pies… one for me and another for everyone else!
Helping me keep my portion control in, well, control, is Lynda England of Cathlamet, WA. She’s aptly entitled her petite pizza invention the Cheesie Mini.
“These were a favorite of my teenagers,” explains Lynda. “And even as adults they ask me to make them during the holidays.”
These individual pizzas incorporate both ground beef and breakfast sausage to create a hearty anytime bite. Instead of a crust, Lynda piles her ingredients high atop slices of party bread, transforming these minis into portable pizza pies! I know a few teenagers of my own who’d happily load up on these as they head out the door. So easy!
Pizza rolls are another favorite of the kids in my life, so I was thrilled to come across an inventive recipe from Ann Arbor’s Katie Fairless. She serves-up a homemade (and healthier) take on the traditionally pre-packaged, frozen food.
“I love to create healthy alternatives to the most CRAVED foods!” exclaims Katie.
And we’re so glad she does! Her Skinny Pizza Rolls are so delicious that you’d never know they’re “light”. To make them, simply gather up all your usual pizza fixings and seal them up in wonton wrappers. Bake until perfectly golden and you’ve got a fun appetizer or after school snack that will be craved by kids of all ages.
Speaking of cravings, beware Christine Reardon’s recipe for Fun Pizza Dip … It’s addictive!
“I have probably made this recipe over 50 times,” says Christine, a Setaukey, NY native. “It is the perfect appetizer for a small gathering. It is always one of the first dishes to go! Very easy and also really great to eat mindlessly while watching TV.”
See? Addictive! Happily, this is one addiction that I’m wholeheartedly willing to embrace. Pair Christine’s dip with breadsticks or crackers for a super snackable dip with all the flavor and richness you expect from traditional pizza.
It’s hard to go wrong with pizza in any form, but these clever reinventions each add a little something special. In a perfect world, not only is food tasty and nutritious, but it’s also fun and plentiful. Kudos to each of you who are making the world that much more perfect every day… one meal at a time.