Dip-Up Pizza (aka Pizza Dip)

So have you ever noticed how appetizers are really the best part of the meal?  Sometimes you just want to have something to snack on (and really have no intention of getting to the "meal" part).  Well this dish will do the trick.  Just set it out on the coffee table with some dippers (bread sticks, crackers, pita chips, etc), turn on a movie, pour a couple of nice glasses of your favorite libation, and enjoy. 

As for the name, you will have to take that up with my three year old daughter.  I told her earlier that we were going to make a pizza dip.  For the rest of the afternoon, she kept asking when was I going to make that "dip-up pizza," and so the name sort of got stuck there.  God bless us, every one.

Click for Printable Recipe 

Ingredients:

Bottom layer -

• 8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
• 2/3 cup reduced fat ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Middle layer -

• about 2 cups of pizza or pasta sauce of choice
• about 1 cup of cooked, Italian sausage mixed with pasta sauce

Top layer - (customize this to your liking)

• 1 cup or so fresh mozzarella, diced into small cubes
• a handful of pepperoni (you could use turkey pepperoni), sauteed for 4 - 5 minutes until they start to slightly crisp up
• 1/2 cup of diced red and yellow bell peppers, sauteed until they soften
• fresh basil leaves
• black olives 

Dipper of choice -

• I picked up some three cheese garlic bread sticks from the bakery 

Step-by-step

Mix the "bottom layer" ingredients and spread into a casserole dish (about a 2 quart size).  

bottom layer ingredients

spread in a casserole dish

cook until slightly crisp

saute until soft

 Add the middle layer.  

spread pasta/pizza sauce over bottom layer

 

sprinkle with cooked Italian sausage

 Add the first three ingredients of the top layer.  LOL..... sorry, I know that sounds idiotic.  But it really is just a bunch of pizza ingredients layered together.  

Add small cubes of fresh mozzarella

add pepperoni

add cooked peppers

Bake for about 20 minutes in a 350 F oven, uncovered.  Garnish with fresh basil and olives if you'd like.  

add basil leaves

Dip to your heart's content. 

  

 

Written Directions: 

Mix the "bottom layer" ingredients and spread into a casserole dish (about a 2 quart size).  Add the middle layer.  Add the first three ingredients of the top layer.  LOL..... sorry, I know that sounds idiotic.  But it really is just a bunch of pizza ingredients layered together.  

Bake for about 20 minutes in a 350 F oven, uncovered.  Garnish with fresh basil and olives if you'd like.  Dip to your heart's content.

Looking for more great recipes from my blog?
Please visit my Recipe Index for tons of ideas you can cook with/for your family.  Here are just a few random recipes from my blog to get your curiosity going:

• Crab Rangoons 

• New Orleans BBQ Shrimp 

• Maple Bacon Green Beans with Slivered Almonds 

• Skinny Mexican Pizza 

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