Pizza Casserole

• 1½ pounds of ground meat
• 1 large jar spaghetti sauce or 2 small cans of pizza sauce
• ½ pound fresh mushrooms
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• Sliced Mozzarella Cheese (About 12 slices)
• 1 package Manicotti or Spiral noodles

Start water boiling for noodles. Cook noodles per package directions. In the mean time chop onions and mushrooms. In a sauté pan brown meat, onion and mushroom until done. Drain. Spray a large casserole dish with PAM. Layer with 1/3 the cheese, top cheese with 1/3 meat mixture and 1/2 noodles. Layer a second time and then a third ending with the Meat. Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Double Crust Pizza Pie

This double crust pizza is one of the family favorites. The recipe first made by my Mother in Law, I've refined it to suit our living style.  It's very filling and not terribly difficult to make.  Serving it up with a big garden salad makes it complete. The one thing I do know; it sure beats store bought pizza!

• 2 - 12 inch pizza crusts
• 2 cups pizza sauce or 1 - 15 oz can
• 1 ½ pound ground meat (lean Italian Seasoned turkey)
• 8 oz sliced Mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tablespoon Italian Season
• Variety of pizza toppings (mushrooms, onions, pepper, olives, pepperoni etc.)
• ¼ cup milk

Season meat, if necessary, with Italian season, salt and pepper to taste. Sauté optional vegetables, such as onion garlic and pepper, in small amount of olive oil about 3 minutes. Add meat. Cook until browned. Add pizza sauce to meat mixture. Spray 12 inch pizza pan. Shape first crust on pan allowing extra to hang over pan (about ½ inch) . Sprinkle crust with ½ of the Parmesan Cheese. Dump the meat mixture in center of crust spreading it leaving 1 inch around the edges. Top meat mixture with the remaining optional toppings, such as fresh mushrooms, pepperoni, black olives, etc). Add a layer of Mozzarella cheese (sliced or grated). Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan Cheese. Lay second crust over the top of all ingredients stretching to edges of meat. Fold the extra crust from bottom crust over the top of the top crust. Pinch and flute edges like pie crust to seal. Cut steam holes in the top of crust. Bake 15 minutes at 400° F . Brush top of crust with 1/4 cup milk and bake another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly (about 15 minutes) before cutting.

 Extra tips if desired:

• I usually make my own whole wheat crust using the bread machine but I've found Pillsbury Pizza crust works well if you want something quick and easy. It's rectangular in shape but simple enough to reshape into a circle just by moving stuff around a bit.
• I use ground turkey or Italian turkey sausage removed from their casings but pizza meat, ground beef or any combination work just as well. I always sauté the meat with the onion, garlic and peppers. The remaining toppings I leave raw and place those on top later.
• Make sure the pizza sauce isn't too runny. When mixed with the meat (or vegetables) it needs to be a ratio that makes it thick or the pizza ends up mushy and won't stay together when cut .
• I've made this complete vegetarian as well mixing the sauce with sautéd vegetables.
• If you haven't got sliced Mozzarella - grated cheese works okay as well, so does a mixture of cheese such as Provolone. Grated Romano or a combo of Romano and Parmesan work well to replace the Parmesan cheese as well.