Sausage Pizza with Pizza Hut Copy-Cat Sauce and a Special Dessert

Sausage Pizza with Pizza Hut Copy-Cat Sauce and
a side salad

Tuesday night at our house has been Pizza Night for some time. I think it began with us being in Tupelo late on Tuesday afternoons for music lessons. We got in the habit of going by Little Caesar's and picking up one of their $5 one-topping pizzas. I think they're maybe $5.55 now. It's still a great deal, since it feeds our family of four! When we weren't in Tupelo on Tuesday afternoons, I'd just make one. Somewhere along the way, we all just started liking the ones at home better. So, that's what we do now. In the winter, we often have a couple of baked, frozen mozzarella stick each along with the pizza. In the summer, we sometimes add a side salad if we have lettuce that needs eating. Most of the time, we just have the pizza by itself!

We all really liked the pizza tonight! Larry said the sauce tasted more like Pizza Hut's marinara sauce than their pizza sauce to him. He and the kids both want to try it with pepperoni - just to be sure! I think they're just not wanting me to make the pizzas with the stuff on it they don't like as well as I do!!
Whether it tasted like Pizza Hut's sauce -or not, the sauce was good, and it costs about half of what I ususally pay for the generic jarred pizza sauce. So, it's a keeper!! I did use generic cheese. I used a pound of our pre-cook sausage from the freezer that I got on sale for $1.79. I used a coupon on the Pillsbury pizza crust, leaving it around $1.75. There's really no great savings in this pizza made at home verses the $5.55 pizza. However, I can control the calories - the sauce has no fat. Mine has more cheese and meat - which kind of defeats the fewer calories, I guess!! :) The main thing is, we like it better!!

Tonight was an extra special night in the dessert department!!! There was a knock at our door this afternoon, and when I opened the door - there stood Ms. Tonya with M.C.'s Birthday Chocolate Cobbler. Bless Tonya's heart, we all had to restrain ourselves from hugging her to death!!! M.C. was having a "bite" before Tonya was out of the drive!! Thank you, Tonya!! Love ya!!!

Tuesday - Sausage Pizza with Pizza Hut Copy-Cat Sauce

Sausage Pizza with Pizza Hut Copy-Cat Sauce

1 refrigerated pizza crust - I use Pillsbury (I always use a coupon!)
1 lb. browned, drained sausage
2 cups pizza cheese blend.

For Pizza Hut Copy-Cat Sauce, combine the following and allow to sit for one hour, if possible:

2 - 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasonings
1/2 tsp Garlic salt
1 teaspoon sugar*

*The sugar is optional. If you like a sweet sauce, add it. If you prefer a tangier sauce, omit it. It could vary according to the brand of tomato sauce you use, too.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Pat dough onto baking sheet. Spread with sauce. Top with sausage. Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top with cheese. Return to oven until crust is golden brown, 5 minutes or so.