There are two ways to get my kids excited about dinner.
First, put dinner on a stick. Chicken on a stick, shrimp kebabs…you get the idea. When my son was younger, he would only eat blueberries if I put toothpicks in them. Blueberries on a stick.
The second way is to have make-your-own dinner night. This works with the breadboard dinners each week, and it definitely works if pizza is involved!
The kids love choosing their toppings and then making the pizza themselves. I love the help making dinner, plus getting to make my own packed-full-of-veggies pizza (that no one else will eat).
Here’s what I used for our make-your-own pizza night. First, for the pizzas:
Tomato sauce – I used one 8-oz. can.
Refrigerated Pizza Crust – I used two tubes, which were on sale: three for $6. Or you can make your own, which is super-easy!
Mozzarella cheese, sliced or grated
Toppings: we used pepperoni, black olives, red onion, arugula, and broccoli – pick your favorites!
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
Roll out the dough on the baking sheet. Cut into individual pizzas, or keep it whole for a big, family-size pizza.
Spread the tomato sauce on the dough, then add the toppings. Top with cheese.
Bake for 9-12 minutes or until the cheese and crust are golden brown.
I added arugula salad on top of my veggie pizza; we have a local pizza place that serves its veggie pizza this way and I love it. Just toss arugula (or the greens of your choice) with balsamic vinegar and olive oil – just enough to coat. It gives the pizza a fresh taste and it’s one of my favorite fresh pizza toppers!
Now, one of my requirements for pizza night is that we also have a vegetable and/or a salad. So, I served the rest of the broccoli (that didn’t end up on my pizza) and this salad, which is very Mediterranean!
Note: I kind of eyeball the measurements of everything, so I’ve included approximate measurements here.
Lemony Chickpea Salad
1 can chickpeas
Juice of one lemon
Handful of (6-8) green olives, sliced
Handful of Italian parsley, chopped
½ tsp paprika
Few drizzles of balsamic vinegar
Generous drizzle of olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add to bowl. Add lemon juice, parsley, green olives, paprika, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Mix well. Taste, then season with salt and pepper to taste. You can top this salad with a few extra sprigs of parsley and some grated zest of the lemon you juiced.
This salad can be made a day ahead and even tastes better the second day!
No, Elvis – dogs don’t eat pizza! Clearly he didn’t get the memo.
A "recovering lawyer," I turned in my power suits for power tools and a life of DIY. I believe in merging old and new to make a house a home.
No,no,no. You can make your own pizza dough for less than $1.00. Even better than little yeast packets, 8 oz of yeast is $4 -5 at .Costco and Sam’s club.
I know, but the refrigerated dough is a great option for those who can’t cook or choose not to, or don’t have time to make the dough. Also good for kiddos who want pizza instantly! 😉
And I just checked the ingredients in Pillsburry pizz dough. There are more than 20, many of which I can’t even pronounce.
When it comes to pizza I definitely live outside the {pizza} box! One that I’ve been making quite often starts with a thin layer of olive oil on the dough skin. Then I add thinly sliced Bosch Pears, caramelized onions, candied pecans, chopped dates, brie cheese, arugula and cover it with a smoked cheddar cheese. My wife hates it when I say this about food, but this pie is SEXY! Really though, it tastes awesome!
It sounds amazing!! Yum! I may have to try that. Pears on pizza – sounds excellent!
looks delicious and easy for each person to customize their own – thanks
Exactly! A super-easy meal and everyone gets what they want! Score!!
I like pepperoni, green pepper and onion on my pizza.
cshell090869 at aol dot com
Yum! Thanks, Shelly!
The “house” favorite here is Italian sausage, Canadian bacon & onions. But I always add peppers (red or green) on *my* portion!
Yum! I love Canadian bacon on pizza, too (my one exception to not liking meat on pizza!). Thanks!
Since my homebound commute is an hour plus on a good day, am a “choose not to cook ” person whenever I can get away with it & this Pillsbury pizza recipe sounds like answered prayer . I am definitely going to try Jeffrey’s idea. Although I will have to add pepperoni somewhere in the process-husband’s favorite.
Pepperoni is the favorite of my husband and son, as well! Thanks!
PS I love Chick peas. Going to try that one, too!
It’s so yummy! The flavors are really bright and fresh.
I love to put spinach or kale on my veggie pizza. Green peppers and onions too. A few slices of tomatoes from the garden just make it yum
Oh yummy! A fresh tomato makes everything taste better. Actually, it just makes everything better, period. Thanks!
We love our family pizza night where everyone makes their own pizza. We try to be super creative but sadky cheese is still my kids fav.
M’s favorite is cheese, too. Purists. 🙂 Thanks!
I would get some bacon, green peppers and mushrooms!
Yummy! Bacon makes everything better!
We love mushrooms, spinach and are trying to transition to turkey pepperoni 🙂 Your pizza looks yummy!
Yum! Don’t tell the boys, but I subbed in turkey pepperoni! 😉
I would get spinach, mushroom and cheese.
Sounds great!! Thanks!
I would make homemade dough, then buy red sauce, olives, mushrooms, cheese for the pizza.
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
Yum! Sounds perfect!! Thanks!
My pizza would definitely include anchovy paste. I’d mix that with a little olive oil and lemon juice to give a light schmear on my crust. I’d top with capers and red onion for a yummy, smelly, original pizza that would take me back to my first anchovy pizza in Venice!
Oh my goodness – that sounds decadent!! I would love that – salty, spicy…yum!
We love spinach and mushrooms on our pizza.
Me, too! Thank you!!
Yum, pizza!!! The basil & oregano sauce is my favorite, besides homemade, of course. I like the classic pepperoni with tons of fresh mozzarella.
I love basil and oregano – such comforting flavors to me! Thanks, Sheila!!
Sauce and cheese. I like my pizza very simple.
Perfect! Thank you!!
I would buy the Pillsbury pizza crust, canadian bacon and pineapple for my pizza.
Yum! That is one of my favorite kinds of pizzas, but no one else in my family likes it. 🙁 We should go out for pizza!! Thank you!
Publix also sells pizza dough which you can roll yourself or they even have dough that has already been rolled out and it is very good.
Thanks, Felissa! I didn’t know they had their own pizza dough!
Oh we love having pizza night at home! We always make a couple pizzas….I love sausage, mushrooms, and black olives on mine! For the kids…Pepperoni!
Awesome! I love olives, too! Thank you!
I would buy sausage and feta cheese and spinach
Feta and spinach is one of my favorite combinations!! Thanks, Linda!
MMM…Love me some homemade pizza! I can’t wait to try your recipe soon. My famil;y will love it.
Thanks, Meegan!!
I would make my own dough and use tomato sauce and moz. cheese. I would top it with pepperoni, ham, mushrooms and gr pepper
Yum! Thanks, Sandra!!
I love green peppers, mushrooms, red onions and lean ground beef!
That sounds delish! I’m not sure I’ve ever had ground beef on pizza, but it must be good!
I would buy alfredo sauce, chicken, spinach and garlic 🙂
Yum! Thanks!
I would buy some pasta and pasta sauce
Awesome! Thanks, Elena!
I love meats so I would do ground beef, pepperoni, sausage and spinach.
My son would love that pizza! Thanks!
I love different cheeses on my pizza – mozarrella, blue and goat cheese and then pepperoni
I am a big fan of cheese, too! Yum! Thank you!!
Some must have ingredients on my homemade pizza, is kraft itallian shredded cheese mix, fresh basil, pepperoni, hunts sauce, and green peppers.
Fresh basil is so good! Thanks!
I love mushrooms on my pizza.
I also make my own dough, but I use Smitten Kitchen’s lazy pizza dough recipe. I just mix the ingredients in a bowl in the morning and cover it up. It sits on the kitchen counter all day. When I am ready to cook I just put it on the pizza stone. No kneading is involved.
Yum! I love Smitten Kitchen’s recipes. So good! Thank you!