Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

Here's another quick, healthy sandwich favorite my whole family loves (I'm on a sandwich kick lately). These bold and yummy sandwiches are filled with fresh vegetables, kidney beans, and seasonings, and pack such a giant flavor that they don't miss the meat at all.

Most of the ingredients in this recipe are fresh staple ingredients many of us always have on hand, and if you cook your own beans from their dried state (and store in the freezer or can them), these sandwiches are incredibly economical, too.  Need I mention the obvious lack of high fructose corn syrup, fillers, and preservatives?

In this post, I list the Vegetarian Sloppy Joe recipe, but it's very easy to turn it into traditional ground beef Sloppy Joes because the sauce is the same.  All you need to do is add 1 lb ground beef to the pan with the vegetables through the garlic (you can eliminate the carrots if you'd like).  When the beef is browned and the vegetables are tender, add everything else (skip the beans), and follow the same instructions.

A few suggestions:  I like mine a little spicy.  If you don't, go ahead and skip the hot sauce.  If you don't have a good Worcestershire sauce, don't sweat it, just skip it; it adds a little extra depth, but not enough to skip making the Joes if you don't have any (and again, read the label - most are just junk, but there are a few decent ones available).  The tomatoes called for can be fresh chopped tomatoes, or purchased chopped tomatoes; just simmer the fresh tomatoes about another five minutes or until the mixture thickens.  And lastly, I love dill pickles on my Sloppy Joes.  If you've never tried it, now's your chance - Yum!

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes
Serves 8

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 1/2 c diced carrots
• 1/2 c chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 c diced celery
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 c diced tomatoes (and their juice)
• 2 Tbs good quality organic ketchup
• 1 tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (such as Annie's Naturals Organic Worcestershire Sauce)
• 1 Tbs white or cider vinegar
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4-5 drops hot pepper sauce (optional)
• 1 1/2 c cooked dark red kidney beans
• 8 whole grain burger buns
• shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• sliced dill pickles (optional)

Heat oil in 12" skillet over medium high heat.  Saute the onion, carrots, bell pepper, celery, and garlic clove for about 5-7 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in the tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, chili powder, salt, pepper and hot sauce.  Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the kidney beans.  Heat through.

Arrange the cheddar cheese and sliced pickles (if using) on the bottom half of the bun. Remove some of the bread from the inside of the top half of the bun. Spoon mixture into hollow. Slap it together, and enjoy.

Mushroom and Pepper Sandwiches

Our household has five computers; my laptop, my kids' laptop, my husband's Mac, a junky Windows Vista laptop that moves slower than molasses in January, and a clunky old desktop from about 1910 that hasn't been turned on in at least seven years.  I suppose if you count my fancy pants phone, which I don't really even know how to work, we technically have six computers. During the day, my kids use both their laptop and mine for school, so I really only have my computer in the evenings.  This past week, the screen on my laptop croaked and I had to bring it in to be repaired, which means my children were sharing one computer for school and I was out of luck.  Yes, I could have used the Mac, but not only do I not like it, I don't understand it beyond using the internet, and all of my stuff was on my computer, anyway.

I have learned some things about myself and life in general this past week.  First, I don't spend as much time on the internet as I thought; I spend most of my computer time using the off-line production programs on my computer.  Second, the world would be a much cleaner place without computers because I, for one, had an awful lot of time on my hands and my house is positively glowing. Third, I really, really like my computer. Fourth, I really, really enjoy writing this blog, and I have seriously missed doing it this past week! Fifth, just 15 years ago, most people didn't even own a computer, but now, just about everything we do requires one (or is, at the very least, easier to accomplish with one), which is kind of cracked if you think about it. And finally, we spent more money on computers over the past few years than my first three cars cost collectively, and that's kind of cracked, too.

Oh.  And that it is absolutely smart to back up all of your stuff all of the time so you have access to it in cases such as this one.

At least the computer repair guys did that for me right away, free of charge (they probably felt sorry for me for being so blatantly ignorant). And they might know what's wrong and how to fix my computer by Tuesday of next week.  Tuesday!  Apparently they've never seen a screen die the way that mine did (it still glows, but there is no picture).  So, if you've ever had that happen, please share your wisdom with me.

Anyway, I just wanted to explain why I have been MIA this past week.  My kids are gone today, so I have stolen their computer and plan to be as productive as I can today so I have new recipes to offer you next week.  I can't believe how much I missed writing this blog!

These Mushroom and Pepper Sandwiches are one of our favorite quick to prepare meals; easy, tasty, filling, healthy.  I much prefer to make them on the grill, but it's cold out there, baby, and they taste great made in the kitchen, too.  In the main picture, you'll see that I've wrapped them in homemade pitas, but they are most excellent with the vegetables and cheese piled between a sliced loaf of ciabatta as well.

Mushroom and Pepper Sandwiches
Serves 6

• 2 - 3 Tbs olive oil, divided
• 4 medium portobello mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced into rounds
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeds and stem removed and thinly sliced into long strips
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeds and stem removed and thinly sliced into long strips
• 1 large garlic clove, pressed
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano or dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
• 8 oz (2 cups) smoked provolone, shredded
• 6 warm pitas or 1 loaf ciabatta bread, horizontally sliced in half

Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in 12 inch skillet over medium high heat.  Place mushrooms in hot skillet, top side down; season gill side with salt and pepper.

Cook for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Flip the mushrooms (if pan is dry, add another 1 Tbs olive oil) and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender; about another 4-5 minutes.

Remove the mushrooms from pan and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 Tbs olive oil to the pan.  Toss the onions, peppers, and garlic into the pan.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring only occasionally so the vegetables get a nice sear (don't burn them).

Stir in the oregano or Italian seasoning, salt and a few grinds of black pepper.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender; about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms into 1/4 inch slices.

When the vegetables are tender, stir in the mushrooms and balsamic vinegar.  Remove from heat.

Divide the filling evenly between the warm pitas. Top each with shredded smoked provolone and fold the pita tightly.  If you are using a ciabatta loaf, pile all of the filling on the bottom half of the bread, top with all of the cheese, and place under a broiler until the cheese has melted. Top the filling with the other half of the bread and cut into 6 sandwiches.

Chocolate Cherry Power Bars

Finally!  I've finally been able to post at least one chocolate based recipe this month and now I can join all of the amazing bloggers who have contributed to the #chocolatelove blog hop!  February has been such a busy month for us that I wasn't able to co-host this month, but below my recipe, you'll find a list of all of the rockin' bloggers that did host February's #chocolatelove bloghop, as well as a list of the delectable recipes that have been shared so far.

For several years before my kids were born, I worked for a company well known in the natural health industry.  This recipe is one that has been a staple since those days.  My stained old recipe card, which is officially older than my teenage kids, is simply titled "Power Bars" and the original recipe goes like this:

• 1 c honey
• 1 c peanut butter
• 1/2 c carob powder
• 1 c sunflower meats
• 1 c shredded coconut
• 1 c almonds
• 1 c rolled oats
• 1 c raisins

And that's it.  There are no instructions because it's so silly easy; mix it together, then eat it.

Over the years, I've changed the recipe very little, but I'll let you in on a little secret - the measurements are all correct, so you can substitute any similar ingredients you like.  For instance, I like carob well enough, but I like cocoa just a little bit better.  I like raisins, but I like dried cherries or cranberries, too.  I like peanut butter, but I also really like almond butter.  I have substituted the almonds for walnuts or hazelnuts.  No honey?  Try brown rice syrup.  This recipe has lasted this long because I can change it depending on what I have on hand and what we all like at the moment.  Those kinds of recipes are called "keepers", folks.

These tasty, healthy little treats are similar to chewy granola bars, but do not need to be baked.  They are crazy easy to whip together and they taste amazing.

A few quick notes, though; when converting a recipe calling for carob powder to one that uses cocoa powder, generally use a little less cocoa powder because it has a stronger flavor.  In this recipe, I used the same amount because I like it like that - fudgy.  Also, be sure to refrigerate at least an hour (two is best) before eating these bars; the honey takes a while to do it's honey thing and if you eat them before it has had its time, the bars will taste very honey-like (not that that's a bad thing, really, but waiting allows all of the flavors to meld into some seriously yummy goodness).

Chocolate Cherry Power Bars

12-15 bars, depending on how you slice it

• 1 c raw honey
• 1 c natural peanut butter (preferably smooth, but crunchy works, too)
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• 1 c raw sunflower meats
• 1 c unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 c raw almonds, roughly chopped
• 1 c rolled oats (not instant)
• 1 c dried cherries

In a medium sauce pan, combine the honey, peanut butter and cocoa powder.  Heat over low heat until easy to mix.  Mix well.

In a large bowl, combine the sunflower meats, coconut, almonds, oats, and cherries.

Stir the chocolate peanut butter mixture into the oat and coconut mixture.  Mix well (you may want to forego the spoon and just use your hands).

Press the mixture into a 13x9 pan.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  With a sharp knife, cut into 12 or 15 bars.

Store in the refrigerator.

This recipe is also part of the Living Well Blog Hop #29 hosted at Common Sense Homestead 

and is a 

Common Sense Homestead Living Well Blog Hop #30

For more #chocolatelove and other fantastic recipes, check out these wonderful bloghop co-hosts! 


Please join in on the #chocolatelove fun by linking up any chocolate recipe from the month of February 2012!

A Little Bit of Everything ~ Roxana ~ @RoxanaGreenGirl

ASTIG Vegan ~ Richgail ~ @astigvegan

Badger Girl Learns to Cook ~ Kimberly ~ @BdgrGrl

Baker Street ~ Anuradha ~ @bakerstreet29

Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves ~ Becky Higgins

Baking Extravaganza ~ Samantha

BigFatBaker ~ Erin ~ @BigFatBaker

Bon a croquer ~ Valerie ~ @Valouth

CafeTerraBlog ~ Terra ~ @CafeTerraBlog

Cake Duchess ~ Lora ~ @cakeduchess

Cakeballs, Cookies and More ~ Sue

Cooking with Books ~ Marnely ~ @nella22

Creative Cooking Corner ~ Karriann ~ @KarriannGraf

Easily Good Eats ~ Three Cookies

Elephant Eats ~ Amy

Georgiecakes ~ Georgie ~ @georgiecakes

Hobby And More ~ Richa ~ @betit19

Java Cupcake ~ Betsy ~ @JavaCupcake

Kitchen Belleicious ~ Jessica

Mike’s Baking ~ Mike ~ @mikesbaking

Mis Pensamientos ~ Junia ~ @juniakk

No One Likes Crumbley Cookies ~ TR ~ @TRCrumbley

Oh Cake ~ Jessica ~ @jesshose

Rico sin Azucar ~ Helena ~ @ricosinazucar

Savoring Every Bite ~ Linda ~ @Spicegirlfla

Simply Reem ~ Reem ~ @simplyreem

Smart Food and Fit ~ Lisa ~ @LisaNutrition

Soni’s Food for Thought ~ Soni ~ @sonisfood

Sprint 2 the Table ~ Laura ~ @Sprint2theTable

Teaspoon of Spice ~ Deanna ~ @tspbasil

That Skinny Chick Can Bake ~ Liz ~ @Thatskinnychick

The Dusty Baker ~ Jacqueline ~ @dustybakergal

The More Than Occasional Baker ~ Ros ~ @bakingaddict

The Spicy RD ~ EA ~ @thespicyrd

The Wimpy Vegetarian ~ Susan ~ @wimpyvegetarian

Vegan Yack Attack! ~ Jackie ~ @veganyackattack

Vegetarian Mamma ~ Cindy ~ @VegetarianMamma

You Made That? ~ Suzanne ~ @YouMadeThatblog

Stawberry Almond Cheesecake Bites

For so many of us, a large portion of Valentine's Day includes the whole family.  Ever since my kids were small, we've made this fun and healthy treat to celebrate the national day of Love.

Kids love to help pulverize the graham crackers, and they do a fantastic job.  Simply place the crackers in a ziploc bag and give them a rolling pin; they seem to know exactly what to do.  Even though my kids are teenagers now, this is still a favorite job.

While they are having fun beating the blazes out of the graham crackers, you can get the cheesecake dip together.  In a matter of minutes, you have a "build your own" sort of strawberry cheesecake bunch of love going on.

Strawberry Almond Cheesecake Bites
Makes about 1 cup dip

• 1 quart fresh strawberries, hulls in tact, washed and patted dry
• 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/3 c plain yogurt
• 1 Tbs heavy whipping cream
• 2 tsp raw  honey
• 1/3 tsp pure almond extract
• 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs (preferably home made)
• 1/4 finely chopped almonds

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, yogurt, whipping cream, honey, and almond extract with a hand held mixer until smooth and creamy; about 2 minutes.

Place the cream cheese mixture into a bowl.

Combine graham cracker crumbs and almonds in another bowl.

Grab the strawberries by the hull, dip them into the cream cheese mixture, then roll in the graham cracker mixture, and enjoy.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ginger Veggie Stir Fry

I especially love to make this side dish on the grill during the summer because the cast iron grill griddle is well seasoned, all of the vegetables can fit on it at once, and any smoke can float away on the wind.  Naturally, stir fries are equally tasty during the winter months made in a wok or skillet on the stove top, too. The trick is to get the heat hot enough, but not too hot, and saute in batches small enough to fit the wok or skillet without crowding the vegetables and steaming them instead of charring them (and to open a window and turn on the fan - or is that just for me?). Since the whole thing goes fairly quickly (about two to three minutes per batch), it's really not that big of a deal because it all comes together in the pan again at the end to steam and finish cooking for another couple of minutes. In my 12 inch skillet (a wok is a gadget I haven't yet decided to purchase), this recipe was sauteed in three batches; if you are more patient than I, four might be ideal.

During the winter months I use thinly sliced carrots instead of the zucchini.  Even with the ginger and garlic, the flavors in this easy side dish are subtle enough to compliment all manner of main courses; pasta, burgers, chicken, steaks, etc.  It is also not a "saucy" stir fry - it is kept simple because it is intended to be an accompaniment to a main course.  In the picture above, Ginger Veggie Stir Fry was fantastic along with some spicy Asian noodles. However, by simply adding some cooked chickpeas during the steaming, or topping it with chopped peanuts, and serving the lot over cooked brown rice, this versatile side dish can easily be transformed into a great one bowl main course to serve four to five.

Ginger Veggie Stir Fry
serves 6 as side dish

• 1 lb broccoli florets
• 1 medium onion, cut into 12 wedges
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2 thick or 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks (seasonal)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like it
• few grinds of black pepper
• 2 Tbs sesame oil, divided
• 3 Tbs tamari (soy sauce)

In a large bowl, toss broccoli, onion, bell pepper, zucchini or carrot, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, ground black pepper, and 1 Tbs sesame oil.

Heat wok, or large skillet over medium-high heat (if using the grill, use high flame or hot coals). Determine how many batches you will saute, taking care not to crowd the vegetables, and divide the remaining sesame oil accordingly (example: if sauteing 3 batches, divide the remaining oil into thirds).  Saute veggies in sesame oil 2-3 minutes, or until nicely charred and vegetables are crisp tender.  Remove to a plate, and continue the process until all the vegetables are done.

Combine all vegetables back into the skillet or wok.  Stir in tamari and simmer uncovered*, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes.
*If you prefer very tender vegetables, you may cover the pan during this process.

Serve hot.

Very Veggie Baked Ziti

This baked ziti is my Dead-of-The-Winter version, when there isn't a fresh tomato worth anything to be found for hundreds of miles and I've used up all of my stored summer sauces.  I'm perfectly content with purchasing a good quality, organic marinara sauce under these circumstances, especially because most of those sauces (as well as salsas) are packaged in glass jars versus BPA laden metal cans.

What I don't understand is the hold up for diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, plain old tomato sauce, etc, to join the ranks and be sold in glass jars.  It quite infuriates me, to be honest.  If pasta sauces and salsas have always been sold in jars, why in the world can't the manufacturers just make the move on the most basic tomato products already?  Pomi sells their tomato products in a "tetra pack", which is BPA free.  Eden Organic is trying to work out the kinks in their packaging to provide a BPA free product.  And Bionaturae already sells tomatoes in jars (just not in my neck of the woods).  Apparently some other companies have jumped on the bandwagon to rid our food of BPA contamination, too.  Where I live, the nearest Whole Foods or Trader Joe's is nearly 150 miles away, and the choices beyond the canned tomatoes is limited to Pomi, so that is what I use when I need to supplement my tomato stash.  And I'm pretty happy with the product (although, the tomatoes do come from the other side of the world). I do have to wonder, though, when the news will come out that some ingredient in that packaging is certain to cause some kind of detrimental health ailment.  It's kind of crazy that we have to question so many things about the health and quality of a package of tomatoes, don't you think?  I swear, this summer, I'm putting in a garden of some fair size to supplement what's available at the farmer's markets. Yes, this is they year, folks.

The nice thing about this ziti (in which I used penne because I didn't have any ziti) is that by using a pre-made marinara, the simmer time is reduced by a couple hours.  It's easy enough to jazz up the flavors of the sauce (because, let's face it - store bought pasta sauces are seriously lacking in personality), and by adding some more diced tomatoes to the sauce, we have enough total sauce to make a delightfully moist, flavorful baked ziti.

Very Veggie Baked Ziti can also be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Very Veggie Baked Ziti
serves 8-10

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 3 large portobello mushrooms, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 green or red bell pepper, diced
• 1 24-26 oz jar meatless marinara
• 1 1/2 c (or 15 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1/4 c dry red wine, optional
• 1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp dried basil (or 1 Tbs fresh basil, chopped)
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano (or 1 1/2 Tbs fresh oregano, chopped), divided
• 15 oz whole milk ricotta
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella, shredded
• 3/4 c grated parmesan, divided
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lb dried ziti (or penne, or other tube shaped pasta)

In a dutch oven or large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Saute mushrooms, garlic, celery, onions, and bell pepper for about 8 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in the marinara, tomatoes, wine (if using), parsley, basil, and 1 tsp oregano (or 1 Tbs if using fresh).

Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer at least 20 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta until aldente.  Be careful not to overcook. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, 1/2 c parmesan, egg, salt and pepper.  Mix well.

In a 13x9 baking dish, spread 1 cup of sauce.  Top with 1/3 of the pasta (about 1 cup).

Top the pasta with 1 cup sauce.

Drop 1/3 of the cheese mixture by teaspoons full over the sauce.

Continue layering two more times; sauce, pasta, sauce, cheese, sauce, pasta, sauce, cheese.  Top with any remaining sauce.

Sprinkle with remaining parmesan and oregano.

Cover with foil*.  Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes.  Remove foil and continue to bake another 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

*If you want to make this dish ahead of time, cover and refrigerate after it is assembled.  Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Pizza 101 - The Toppings and Italian Sausage Pizza

Since "pizza" is just really a fancy name for a large, baked, open face sandwich, pretty much anything you like can get piled on top of the sauce; raw or roasted vegetables, an assortment of cooked meats, any good melting cheese, even fruit.  The trick is to not overwhelm the crust with toppings, and it is absolutely imperative to use the freshest ingredients possible (that means no commercial grated Parmesan from a can, no canned mushrooms or no frozen spinach if you can help it).  The difference between a pizza made from fresh ingredients versus canned ingredients is immense.

It's so easy to want to pile the toppings nice and thick, but that is a mistake that could leave the crust soggy.  Try to adhere to the "see through" rule for topping your pizzas; you should be able to see the layer below each new layer you put on top, and that even includes the cheese.  I'll show you the way I top my favorite Vegetable Pizza (olives only on half, please, because my daughter doesn't like them).  After you have preheated your oven and baking stone to 500F, and have rolled out your crust and smeared it with sauce:

Top the sauce layer with 1/4 - 1/2 cup shredded provolone and 4 oz torn fresh mozzarella cheese.

Top the cheese layer with about 4 oz thinly sliced portobello or cremini mushrooms, 1/2 sliced green and/or red bell pepper, sliced red onions, olives, and, if in season, one chopped fresh tomato (just the flesh of the tomato, though - don't put the juice on the pizza).

Top the vegetables evenly with freshly grated Parmesan and a few pinches of dried or freshly chopped oregano, basil, and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.

Bake the pizza at 500F on a preheated baking stone for about 10 minutes, or until the crust slides easily off the stone and it looks like this:

Cut it and eat it.

Now, that's one of my favorite pizzas.  I'm also fairly enamored with Spinach and Feta Thin Crust Pizza, and a whole host of others, to be honest.  But my husband and my son prefer a sausage pizza.  The problem with purchasing pre-made Italian sausage is that comes with a lot of MSG and nitrates and fillers I don't want to feed my family.  It's pretty easy to make your own Italian sausage with just a few staple herbs and spices.  The following recipe is for two pizzas - if you are only planning to make one, the uncooked Italian sausage mixture freezes quite well.

Italian Sausage Pizza
makes 2 (two) 12-14 inch pizzas

• 1lb fresh ground pork
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c onion, finely diced
• 2 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you want it
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 recipe pizza dough
• cornmeal for dusting
• 1 recipe pizza sauce
• 1 c shredded provolone cheese
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces
• 1/2 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
• several pinches each: fresh or dried basil, dried oregano, and/or crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Preheat oven with baking stone(s) to 500F. 

In a bowl, combine the pork, garlic, onion, parsley, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, and fennel seeds.  Mix well.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat.  Add pork mixture.  Brown the mixture for about 10 minutes, or until cooked, breaking up any large chunks.  Set aside.

Dust pizza peel(s) generously with cornmeal.  Roll out two crusts, each between 12-14 inches in diameter, depending upon how thick you'd like your crust (*if you are only making one pizza at a time, refrigerate the unused portion until ready to use).

Divide the pizza sauce between both crusts, smearing with the back of a spoon, to within a half inch from the edge.

For each pizza, sprinkle with 1/2c provolone cheese.

Top each pizza with half of the Italian sausage.

Sprinkle 4 oz. torn fresh mozzarella on each pizza.

Divide the freshly grated parmesan between both pizzas.

If desired, sprinkle each pizza with a few pinches of basil, oregano and/or crushed red pepper flakes.

Slide the pizzas onto the hot stones in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until the crust slides off the stone and the cheese has melted to your liking.  Remove with the pizza peel.

Now, if you are still with me after what I think might be the longest post I've ever written, please wish a Happy 1st Birthday to my favorite 'coon hound, Huckleberry Pi (the kids wanted to name him 3.14, so we compromised)!

Huck at 3 months

Huck on Christmas '11 morning

Isn't he great? ♥  One more year until he outgrows eating inedible things, like shoes and library books ($70 in fines so far.  Sigh.).  Good thing he's so sweet and very well loved.

Happy pizza making, everyone!  Have a great Super Bowl weekend!