We’re back to the “rig-a-m- roll” of the school year, and that means having a plan for the kitchen, especially on the weekends. In our home, the reality centers around children of all ages flying in and out of the house at any time, any hour, and so it always begs the question, “Am I ready to feed a crowd on a moment’s notice?”
Since I have been caught in that predicament more times than I care to admit, I’ve become quite equipped to provide for the masses with a few staple recipes that I keep loaded in my repertoire of Ten Minute Dinners.
One of those recipes that crown me “Mom for the Day” anytime I serve it for a teen guest is the “Make your Own Pizza Bar.”
Who doesn’t like pizza? No one that I have met, especially when guests can make their own personalized pan pizza with their choice of toppings, and I get the satisfaction of serving a fun, winning entrée for fraction of the price. Not only is it a budget saver, but it’s just plain fun.
Anytime we have guests, there is always a wide range of preferences, so creating a DIY pizza bar is a sure way to please the entire crowd. We are meat lovers in this house, so the pizzas I buy at the store never satisfy my carnivore guys. I’ve learned that by lining bowls filled with every kind of lunch meat and smoked sausage available, I’m sure to hit the mark for everyone.
The only true prep work comes from getting the dough ready, and chopping up the veggies and meat. If you are truly in a time crunch, grab the store bought pizza crusts, and divide them into mini pan pizza sizes. If you are a true pizza purist, my homemade pizza crust is simply delicious, and much easier than most would think, but definitely puts your overall prep time a tad more than ten minutes.
For the sauce, I offer both the traditional red pizza sauce and also white Alfredo sauce. By giving those varying choices, it’s been fun to see guest’s creative juices go to work. Many have tried their first white sauce pizza this way, and I’ve talked a few kids into attempting Ham and Pineapple pizza, which is typically a more adult variation.
Next comes piling on the cheese, and being a true Wisconsinite, I feel one can never have too much cheese. Shredded mozzarella and Monterey jack are my favorites for pizza, with a dash of parmesan on the side.
Now the fun can truly begin. Assembling your own pizza and creating your signature dish allows individuality to come out, and it’s always intriguing to see what occurs.
Are you more reserved with just pizza? Or do those dominating personalities pile it high?
Before the meal, chop an assortment of toppings and then line them up buffet style for the guests.
Topping ideas can include one or more of the following:
- Dice green and red peppers
- Sliced olives
- Sliced onions
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced mushrooms
- Fresh basil
- Pineapple tidbits
Some of our favorite meat options are:
- Variety of sausages
- Cheese filled sausages (yes, my cheese lover comes out)
- Grilled chicken breast
- Ham
- Deli Shaved Oven Roasted Turkey
- Pepperoni
- Canadian Bacon (in a variety of flavors)
- Cooked & drained Italian sausage
These are just a beginning of what you can offer for your pizza bar. Once a guest has assembled his/her pizzas, stick it into the oven for 15 minutes (or throw it in the grill for summer time fine) until crust is lightly golden and the cheese melts.
Enjoy, and let me know what your favorite flavor combination is for a DIY Pizza Bar.
I can’t wait to see all your meal time inspiration for this Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods.
Pizza looks great! Thanks for hosting!
I love DIY pizza bars, and what a great way to keep the kids happy too! I love lots of veggie toppings, sliced tomatoes, roast veggies, onions etc. Although I’m not from Wisconsin, I totally agree with you about the cheese!
This week I’ve shared a Cran-Orange Coconut Cake. Thank you for hosting!
We do pizza bar too. I often make homemade flat bread ahead of time and allow kids to make their own.
We do the same thing! We are a family of 4 with the two kids being 3 and 13. The oldest plays softball year round so this is easy for us. I use french bread that I find in the bakery clearance and go to the do-it-yourself salad bar at king soopers for the topping we don’t usually have on hand which normally cost me $5. Sauce, cheese and some meats are already on hand so it make it a cheap dinner for us. Our 3 year old loves to make his own pizza especially with broccoli!!!
What a fun idea! We’ve never created a pizza bar, but I think the kiddo would love it! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Sounds like a very fun idea!
Yes! This is a staple at my house, especially with one daughter who won’t eat cheese and likes a custom-made pizza (if she wasn’t my younger twin, I would swear she’s not mine…). We entertain multiple families on a regular basis, and this is always a big hit, easy to do ahead if I have time. When the kids were little, they loved shaping the dough, though it always ended up a little *gray* by the time they were done playing with it…
Your pizza bar sounds like a great idea! One of my favorite toppings is the ham with pineapple, but with BBQ sauce instead of tomato. Thanks for hosting!
When my kids were little we did a pizza bar as our Christmas Eve traditional meal…it was so much fun, everyone got to make their favorites and it was great interactive family time!
English Muffins (not super cheap), tortillas, and biscuits also work as your crust (I like thin crust tortilla ones myself). If you buy canned biscuits roll out thin as they puff up.
Friday Night is always pizza night at our house, this is a great idea, and a great way to clean up the leftover veggies and meats from the week.