Recipe: Pepperoni Pizza (freeze ahead, recipes for two or six 10-inch pizzas)

PEPPERONI PIZZAS

FOR 4 SERVINGS:
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon mustard
2 (10-inch) baked Pizza Crusts (recipe follows)
1 (6 ounce) package pepperoni slices
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

FOR 12 SERVINGS:
3 onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
3 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons mustard
6 baked Pizza Crusts (recipe follows)
3 packages (6 ounces each) pepperoni slices
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

In heavy skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until crisp-tender.

Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes to blend flavors. Cool sauce in refrigerator; then stir in mustard.

Spread cooled sauce over pizza crusts and top with pepperoni slices. Sprinkle cheeses over pepperoni.

Flash freeze pizzas, then when frozen solid, wrap, label, and freeze.

Or, to serve without freezing, simply bake pizza at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, until crust is crisp, pizza is hot, and cheese is melted and bubbly.

TO BAKE FROZEN PIZZAS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place frozen pizza on baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, until crust is crisp, pizza is hot, and cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

RESERVED INGREDIENTS:
An easy way to mark nonperishable ingredients as "reserved" is to place a sticker or colored dot on each. Or, if you have the luxury of extra storage space, think about creating an area for stored ingredients. Let your family know that all foods stored on that shelf or in that cupboard are off-limits.

PIZZA CRUSTS
(For 6 or 18 crusts)

"Make a bunch of these crusts and keep them in your freezer; then when you want pizza, pull out a crust, bake it as directed, top it with fun toppings, bake again, and eat!"

FOR 6 CRUSTS:
6 cups white flour, divided use
3 cups cornmeal
3 envelopes dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
9 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups warm water
3 cups whole wheat flour

FOR 18 CRUSTS:
18 cups white flour, divided use
9 cups cornmeal
9 envelopes dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons salt
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 2/3 cups olive oil
12 cups warm water
9 cups whole wheat flour

In large bowl, combine 1 cup white flour, cornmeal, dry yeast, sugar, salt, pepper, and olive oil; mix well. Add warm water and beat until a batter forms. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Add whole wheat flour and enough remaining white flour to form a firm dough.

Knead dough for 8 minutes on floured board. Place dough in greased mixing bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place for 1 hour.

Punch down dough and divide into 6 balls (or 18 balls if making larger recipe). Sprinkle work surface with flour and roll out each ball into 12-inch circle. Place dough on cookie sheets and flash freeze.

When dough is frozen solid, wrap well, label, and seal.

TO BAKE THE PIZZA CRUSTS:
Bake frozen rounds at 400 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes, until just beginning to brown. Top with pizza ingredients and bake according to pizza recipe.

FOOD PROCESSOR TIPS:
To mince garlic in a full-size food processor, peel the garlic cloves and trim the root end If garlic is older, split the clove lengthwise and remove the center shoot, which can be somewhat bitter when cooked Fit the metal blade in the work bowl. With the motor running, drop the garlic down the feed tube, 1 to 2 cloves at a time, until minced. Do not put all the garlic in at once, as it won't mince evenly.

Source: The Everything Meals For A Month Cookbook by Linda Larsen