Trying to come up with one meal that works for your entire family is hard enough. Now factor in a second or third family coming over for dinner and a play date. There’s only one solution…PIZZA NIGHT!! You can easily order in and get whatever toppings you’d like, but it’ll cost you! So I have an idea. We make the pizzas and get everyone involved for a fun-filled night of grazing on pizza as they come right out of the oven. Don’t be afraid, it's all about being organized and prepping ahead! I know it sounds like a lot of work, but I’ve been working on perfecting this process for some time now and I’m going to share it with you all so you can host a Pizza Night Like a Pro!

Let’s consider the following before we get started:

• Guest List: How many adults/kids?

• Any food allergies?

• Supplies: Parchment Paper (I love these sheets), Pizza Stone, Butcher Paper(optional), Rolling Pin

• Toppings/Specialty Pies

Now we’ll tackle this one thing at a time. 

• The Guest List. For the sake of keeping it simple, we’ll take 2 families of 4 for a total of 8 people - 4 adults, 4 kids. For this many people I say 4-6 pizzas, when making them at home, the size comes out between a small and a medium pizza.
  
  

• Food allergies? To keep it simple with this example, we’ll say no food allergies. 

  To make a sub for gluten-free crust, I recommend purchasing premade gluten-free crusts to be safe. For dairy subs, check out the specialty section in your grocery store for mozzarella substitutes (vegan).
  
  

• Supplies: These are my suggestions for easy cooking/clean up. If you have another preference for cooking your pizza, by all means, do what works best for you.

  - Parchment sheets - makes for easy dough transfer and easy clean up

  - Pizza Stone - Hold the temp of the oven and give you a nice crispy crust

  - Butcher Paper - Totally optional, but you can throw this down on the countertop for a clean surface to present all of your pizza on. It looks fun/authentic and makes for easy cleanup as well.

  - Rolling Pin - I’m sure this will bother a lot of people, but I find rolling out the dough the quickest and easiest way to get a nice, even crust and to actually make it round.
  
  

• Toppings/Specialty Pies: Now comes the time to choose your offering. I like to make 2 basic pies that everyone (especially kids) loves. Our go-to’s are plain cheese, bacon, and/or pepperoni. Now for the rest, I like to get a little more creative, here are some of my favorite combos.

  - Pesto, Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella

  - Chicken cutlet, broccoli, mozzarella, white sauce (Garlic + EVOO)

  - Carmelized onion, goat cheese, arugula, white sauce

  - Buffalo Chicken

  - Veggie (Peppers, onions, olives, mushroom)

  - Green Pizza (Pesto, Feta, Artichoke, Broccoli, mozzarella

  The options are endless…you can throw anything on a pizza and make it work, so HAVE FUN!! 

For this party we’re going to make the following 6 pizzas (Cheese, Bacon, Pepperoni, Buffalo Chicken, Carmelized Onion/Goat Cheese, and Pesto Pizza). You will need 3 lbs. of pizza dough (I cut each in half, I prefer a crispy, less doughy pizza). Here are the ingredients you’ll need for each pizza… 

Tips:

1. Prep your ingredients before your guests arrive. I love using these plastic “restaurant-style” plastic containers. They stack easily in the fridge and come in 3 different sizes. This is a huge time saver and can be done the day before. The only thing you should have to do while your guests are there, is assemble your pizzas.

2. Give your crusts a pre-cook, then stack until you’re ready to assemble. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your dough to desired thickness/shape, keep in mind the size of your pizza stone. Place on a sheet of parchment paper, and poke several holes in the dough with a sharp knife. Transfer the sheet to the pizza stone and bake for about 8-10 min. until the bottom starts to get some color. Remove from the oven and start stacking your crusts for easy assembly.

3. Give the oven and pizza stone some time to get nice and hot. I would let the oven warm up for at least 30 min at the highest temp (450℉ - 500℉).

4. To get the best-tasting crust, I brush the crust with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and garlic powder! It makes the crust taste just like garlic bread!! 😋 

5. Sauce shortcut: I like to use a simple can of tomato sauce (15oz.) and sprinkle in some salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and basil. Trust me, you don’t need much more than that.
   
   
   

   

   
   Cheese, Bacon and Pepperoni Pizza

   
   **I’m grouping these together because they will have the same base

   Pre-cooked crust - reference Tip #4

   Red Sauce

   Shredded  Mozzarella Cheese 

   Toppings (Bacon, Pepperoni, etc)

   Parmesan Cheese

   
   
   

   1. Red Sauce: Combine a 15 oz can of tomato sauce, ½ tsp. of each Garlic powder, Onion powder, Oregano, and Dried Basil. Salt & pepper to taste.

   2. Brush the crust edge with olive oil, and sprinkle with a little salt and garlic powder. Top the pre-baked pizza crust with the sauce and spread it out evenly. Next, top with the shredded mozzarella and topping of choice. 

   3. Top the pizza with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese is dark browned and bubbly. Enjoy!
      
      
      

      

      
      Buffalo Chicken

      
      Pre-cooked crust - reference Tip #4

      Mozzarella Cheese

      Buffalo Sauce (bottled OR make your own by adding 1 Tbsp melted butter to ½ cup Frank’s Red Hot)

      Chicken cutlet, cut into bite-size pieces

      Blue Cheese

      Scallions, garnish

      Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing

      
      
      

      1. Top the pre-baked pizza crust with the shredded Mozzarella cheese, making sure to leave an edge for the crust. Brush the crust edge with olive oil, and sprinkle with a little salt and garlic powder. Next, top with a drizzle of buffalo sauce and lastly the chicken cutlet.  Sprinkle the top with blue cheese crumble. 

      2. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese is dark browned and bubbly. Top with sliced scallions and a drizzle of ranch or blue cheese dressing. Enjoy!

Carmelized Onion & Goat Cheese

Pre-cooked crust - reference Tip #4
1 large white onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon olive oil
8oz package of shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
Dried Thyme
Salt to taste
Fresh Arugula
Balsamic Glaze (I love the glaze from Trader Joe’s)

1. Carmelized onion mixture: In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and add the sliced onions. Cook until dark browned and lightly crispy. If onions are sticking to the pan, add a drizzle of oil and adjust the heat to medium if needed. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, don’t over-stir. *Pro Tip: If you want to avoid your house smelling like opinions, cook the onions outside on the grill in an oven-safe pan.

2. Top the pre-baked pizza crust with the shredded Mozzarella cheese, making sure to leave an edge for the crust. Brush the crust edge with olive oil, and sprinkle with a little salt and garlic powder. Next, add the goat cheese, then lastly spread the cooked onions and a pinch of dried thyme over top. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese is dark browned and bubbly.

3. Garnish the pizza with a handful of arugula and a nice drizzle of balsamic glaze. Enjoy!

Pesto, Fresh Mozzarella & Roasted Red Peppers

Pre-cooked crust - reference Tip #4
Pesto (store-bought or I love this recipe from Skinnytaste)
Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
Roasted Red Peppers, sliced thin
Parmesan Cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
Balsamic Glaze - optional (I love the glaze from Trader Joe’s)

1. Brush the crust edge with olive oil, and sprinkle with a little salt and garlic powder. Top the pre-baked pizza crust with the pesto and spread it out evenly. Next, top with the sliced fresh mozzarella and sliced roasted red peppers. 

2. I like to top the pizza with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese is dark browned and bubbly.

3. Garnish the pizza with an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese or a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Enjoy!

   
   All the best,

   
   Lisa

   xoxo