Family Pizza Night

Build it and they will come.

Nothing brings a family together like pizza and these pizzas have quickly become one our favorite family dinners. Pizza is awesome! Mainly because you don’t really have to make anything else to go with it. Pizza is literally a meal all by itself. And, everyone can make their own pizza exactly the way they like it, so everyone’s happy. That’s a win-win in my book.

Once you have the crust, the sauce, and the cheese down, the real fun (toppings) begins. And, Trader Joe’s makes it so easy to just skip right to the exciting part.

We use Trader Joe’s Pizza Crust, Tomato Basil Sauce and Whole Milk Mozzarella ball for the foundation. Easy and delicious. Then, we get a little crazy.

Everyone in our family has their own vision of what the perfect pizza looks like. To me, the perfect pizza has a crust that is not too thin and not too thick. Trader Joe’s Pizza Crust, found in packages of 2 crusts, in the bread aisle, are the perfect texture and full of flavor. I cook these pizzas directly on the oven rack which creates a crust that is nice and crispy on the outside, and perfectly doughy on the inside.

A few special ingredients really send this recipe to the next level. I use fresh pressed garlic, sea salt and oregano on top before putting it in the oven. Trust me. This takes any regular pizza and makes it a star.

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This recipe feeds about 4-5 people.

Ingredients:

2 Packages Trader Joe’s Pizza Crust

Tomato Basil Sauce

Whole Milk Mozzarella Ball (grated)

Sea Salt

Oregano

Fresh garlic (pressed)

1 Package Gourmet Uncured Pepperoni

Other ingredients/toppings we like to use and that can be found at Trader Joe’s: mushrooms, onion, sliced black olives, Italian sausage, bacon, jalapeños, pineapple, fresh basil and green bell peppers.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove one crust from packaging and spread sauce on the crust sparingly with a spoon. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Place whatever toppings you like on top of the cheese. I start with any meats and finish with veggies. Top off with minced garlic, dried oregano, and sea salt.

Place directly on the oven rack in the middle position for approximately 6 minutes. The more toppings you use, the longer you’ll want to leave it in, but no more than 8 minutes. Once you get to 6 minutes, keep a close eye on it. If cheese is bubbling or crust is burning, remove from the oven promptly.

Let your pizza cool for a minute or two before cutting into serving size pieces. I usually get about 6-7 slices per pizza. For my family of 5, I buy 2 packages of crusts, which makes 4 pizzas. One jar of sauce and one ball of mozzarella is plenty for 4 pizzas.

Have fun experimenting with different topping combinations. This is your opportunity to try something you’ve never had before. Build your own work of art and enjoy!!

Thank you and I hope you love this recipe. If you have any questions, email or DM me, or leave them in the comments of this post. Have a great week and I'll see you next Saturday with another amazing recipe.