Family Pizza Pie

This was an easy recipe to make along with homemade potato wedges and a tossed salad for a family dinner. This pizza pie was cheesey and delicious.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef or 12 oz veggie crumbles
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 envelope Italian-style spaghetti sauce mix
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
3/4 cup water
2 tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 3/4 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, cook veggie crumbles and onion over medium heat until veggie crumble is done. Stir in the sauce mix, tomato paste and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 7-10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

2. Separate biscuits; press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate to form a crust. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; fill with meat mixture.
3. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese over top. Bake at 400° for 15-18 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Pizza Puffs

These pizza puffs were so easy to whip together and make the perfect appetizer. Although we only made pepperoni and cheese you could add your favorite pizza ingredients.

Ingredients: 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
4 oz. pepperoni, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup pizza sauce (homemade or store-bought)
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, finely diced.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and oregano; whisk in the milk and egg. 4. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes. 5. Stir the batter and divide between the mini-muffin cups. We used a small cookie scoop to evenly divide the batter. 6. Baked until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. 7. Serve with warmed pizza sauce which has the basil stirred in.

Stuffed Pizza Bites

We love pizza and there is nothing better for a snacking on while having a movie night at home. We decided to give making pizza bites a try. These are were so easy to make and so delicious that we followed the same method and made pizza pockets just a couple days later.

Ingredients: 1 roll refrigerated pizza dough
marinara/pizza sauce
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. olive oil or melted butter
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
pizza toppings of your choice (ham and pineapple, pepperoni, sausage, chopped green peppers or onions, etc.)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to temperature specified on pizza dough package.
2. Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly-floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it’s at least 12″ by 8″. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares. 3. Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. Don't place too much that you will not be able to roll the bites together. 4. When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place seam-side-down in a lightly sprayed pan. 5. Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil (or melted butter) and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning. Top with Parmesan cheese. 6. Place pan in the oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes or the dough is slightly golden. Doughs vary, so keep an eye on them and begin checking them after 10 minutes. 7. Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

These were so yummy. The seasonings on top really made them delicious. We enjoyed the pockets we made later even more because we could get extra toppings inside.

Bubble Up Pizza Casserole

During the winter we want more hearty homemade food and casseroles fill that desire. This casserole is simple to put together and when paired with a couple veggies makes a delicious meal. There's just something about the fall and winter months that make me want to have a warm meal at my kitchen table way more than in the summer.

Ingredients: 1 package veggie crumbles or 1 pound 96% lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
16 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
15 oz. refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (We use 2 of the 7.5 oz cans)
2 cups part skim milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

Optional: Veggie Toppings (mushrooms, peppers, olives, pepperoni) (Just be sure to cook or microwave your veggies first in order to remove the water)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In skillet, brown meat or veggie crumbles over medium heat with the onion. 2. Put sauce into a large bowl. Add quartered biscuits; stir gently until biscuits are covered with sauce. Add in spices. 3. Stir in veggie crumbles and any other cooked veggies you are adding to the biscuits and sauce. 4. Spoon mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes. 5. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake an additional 10 minutes or until biscuits are done. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Happy baking,
Sunny & Star