Cheesy Chewy Pizza Bread

If there's one thing Jake loves, it's pizza. That man eats pizza more than anyone I know. WAY more than anyone I know. He's been going to the same pizza place his whole life, because Maria's Carryout makes (in his words) the best cheese pizza. I've tried to get him to order pizza with different toppings - pepperoni, sausage, pineapple - anything. But nope, Jake insists on his perfect pizza, with a precise cheese to sauce to crust ratio. In his defense, Maria's really does have phenomenal pizza. I just don't want to it pizza nearly as frequently as Jake does.

So what to do? I know Jake loves pizza, but I don't want to spend cash on it every week. I can't keep eating that many greasy calories (although the ingredients in a slice of pizza do span quite a few food groups...) when I have to fit into a wedding dress in a few months. Because let's face it - who can only eat 1 piece of pizza? Not me.

I came across this recipe a couple years ago. It's sort of a mix between regular pizza and a deep dish pizza (although I've never been to Chicago and have not tasted authentic deep dish). Jake likes this pizza version enough, that sometimes it's a suitable alternative to his beloved cheese pizza from Maria's. I take that as a huge compliment. 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup beer (regular or non-alcoholic)
• 1/2 cup tomato pasta sauce
• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• toppings (if desired)
• chopped fresh basil (if desired)

How to:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Spray an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. 
• Stir in beer (I use a fork to mix) until flour is just moistened. 
• Spread dough into pan.
• Spread sauce on dough.
• Sprinkle with cheese and toppings.
• Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
• Top with basil.
• Cut and serve.

Substitutions:

• You can substitute the beer in this recipe with any fizzy beverage. I used orange soda once when I was in a pinch, and it still came out yummy! I wouldn't recommend a stout or other dark or heavy beer, unless you really want the flavor of the beer to come through in the flavor of the "crust."
• Although I haven't tried it, I imagine this recipe would be excellent with whole wheat flour in place of all-purpose flour.

Aside from this dish being a less greasy version of regular pizza, it's super fast and easy to make. It's usually one of those dishes I prepare after working a 10 hour day, when I come home practically dying of hunger (like today!). It's ready in no time and is always a satisfying dish! 

This recipe is found in Party Food: 100 Recipes for the Way You Really Cook (Betty Crocker)

Enjoy!