Deep Dish Pizza Casserole - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 14

I just want to say I have been trying to stay true to the recipes and not make major substitutions, but using a whole pound of ground beef on this about killed me.  I like to use beef a little more sparingly than this recipe calls for, but I wanted to give it a go.  My husband and daughter really liked the meatiness of this dish, but I'll admit to wanting more cheese and less beef.

Overall, the idea was good.  I might make it again using homemade crust, less beef and more cheese of the shredded variety.  Removing some meat would also help with the point value. And using 8 ounces of 2% mozzarella would up the cheese factor without too much calorie damage.


Find the original recipe on page 13: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score: 6 (me),  10 (husband and daughter)
Ease of Preparation Score: 9


Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

Ingredients:

1 pound ground round (I used 91% lean ground beef)
1 15 ounce can chunky Italian-style tomato sauce (I used a 15 ounce jar of pizza sauce)
1 10 ounce can refrigerated pizza crust dough
6 1 ounce slices part skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Brown beef and drain.  Add tomato sauce and cook until heated through.  Spray a 13x9 baking dish with nonstick spray.  Unroll pizza dough and press into pan, bringing it partway up the sides.  Line bottom of crust with 3 slices of cheese.  Top with meat and tomato mixture.  Bake uncovered for 12 minutes.  Top with remaining cheese and bake 5 minutes.

Nutrition Information
Serves 6
1 serving =
393 calories
15 grams fat
32 grams carb
2 grams fiber
32 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 9
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 10
Weight Watchers Smart Points  - 11

Nutrition information is approximate and calculated at caloriecount.com.

I used more than 3 slices on top because my slices were less than one ounce.

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30 Days 30 Recipes

Easy Pizza Sauce

Image found here.

I didn't realize I hadn't posted this recipe to my blog.  It's so easy that you can make it in the microwave.  The original recipe is from my mom, but I've tweaked it to our family's taste.  You can easily adjust it to your family's taste.  Try adding basil instead of Italian seasoning, or add fresh garlic.  Try less sugar.  Try more water if you like a thinner sauce, less water for a thicker sauce.

Easy Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:

1 small can tomato paste
1 tomato paste can of water
1-1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir.  Cover and microwave 3-5 minutes.  Remove from microwave and stir.  Spread on pizza dough.  Make pizza as you normally would and enjoy!  This recipe makes enough for two pizzas with a little extra, depending on how thick you like your sauce.

This is an easy and frugal recipe that anyone can make.  Sometimes I like to double or triple it and freeze the extra for later.


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Perfect Pizza Crust

Hummus

Musings - Did Somebody Say Amway?

On Thursday I posted a recipe for the perfect pizza crust.  Today, well, let me tell you a not-so-perfect pizza story.  It brings me a laugh whenever I think about it and maybe it will do the same for you.

When I was in high school I starred in a well-known local production called Cooking With Jill.  Okay, okay, I may be overstating it a bit.

I suppose I should back up a tad.

My friend, Heather, was enrolled in a videography class and she needed a subject for one of her assignments.  I forget how she came up with the idea or if I volunteered.  The details escape me.  Regardless, she came to the conclusion that she would record me cooking.  I liked the idea.  It sounded like a lot of fun.  I would cook, she would record.  It would be called Cooking with Jill.

For the first episode we had to come up with an idea of what to cook.  We decided on pizza.  I was going to provide the kitchen, the dough and the sauce.  Heather was bringing the cheese and, because we had run out, the cooking spray for the pans.  This was long before I found out about the joy of pizza stones which, incidentally, require no spray.

Heather arrived at my house and we set up my table.  I got on my apron as Heather set up the video equipment.  We laid out all of the ingredients and readied ourselves for filming.  Heather got behind the

Perfect Pizza Crust

Image found here.

I have some recipes that I use all the time.  My family loves them and I hope you do, too.  I figured I'd start a series with these tried-and-true family recipes and provide links on the recipe tab so that they can be easily found at any time.  I hope you enjoy!

Perfect Pizza Crust

This naturally low fat recipe came from a 2009 Taste of Home Magazine.  The recipe is called, Perfect Pizza Crust, and Marie Hattrup from The Dalles, Oregon sent it in.  This crust is definitely a hit on pizza night.  The original recipe calls to mix the dough with a mixer and then knead by hand.  I just throw the ingredients into my bread machine and put it on the dough setting.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Place ingredients in your bread machine in the order in which the machine directions require.

Once the dough cycle is complete, remove the dough and break into two pieces.  Roll or stretch each piece onto a pan, or preferably, pizza stone.  Add sauce, cheese and toppings and bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.

In a short time you will have a delicious meal that will please the entire family.

If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comment section below.

Enjoy!

Image found here.