Let's talk about Pizza Night. Pizza Night!: the one night a week that leaves me with no complaints. I do try to cook at least 5 times a week, more if I can, but often times, the meal I make usually makes one person (aged 8 or younger) whiny. And while I know I can't please everyone all the time, getting daily complaints can make this mama feel underappreciated. The truth is, most of the time, my kids are good eaters. They eats almost all vegetables, meats, basically most nutritious things, but if I throw in an onion here or there, I am bound to make someone unhappy. And, like, HOW do you cook without onions anyway? They are a staple in my kitchen.
Enter: Pizza Night. Yes, occasionally we order in, but I love making a homemade pizza too. Cooking from scratch is one of my many interests, so I do try to make things from scratch if I can, when I can. In this case, I make my own pizza dough & sauce, using cheese & pepperoni from the store. I have a go to sourdough recipe I use, a base I found on Pinterest that I've tweaked until I have gotten it right. And my sauce, well, I just whip it up! I don't really use a recipe, per se, but my formula is often the same and my sauces always come out great. I made a big batch of sauce earlier this week that can be used on pizza, pasta, or turned into soup. It was as easy as chopping up some vegetables down into course chunks & letting it simmer for about an hour. So delicious!
Easy Pizza Sauce
1 stick salted butter
3 pounds coarsely chopped tomatoes
2 medium sized onions, coarsely chopped
1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
6 cloves garlic
salt, about 1/2 Tbsp, more to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
a splash of vinegar (I used ACV this time but white vinegar or lemon juice will do too)
a handful of fresh herbs from the garden, or a tablespoon of dried (I used sage, oregano, & thyme)
Melt butter in large stock pot & toss in all ingredients. Simmer on medium low, covered, stirring occasionally. After vegetables are cooked down, about an hour, use immersion blender to liquify. Taste, and season more if desired (with salt, pepper, or sugar). Allow sauce to simmer & thicken over medium-low for another 20 minutes or so until it reduces.
This made about 6 cups of sauce, which I immediately divided into freezer bags after I applied to our pizza for the evening. I really is a simple process to make your own & you can control the flavors. It keeps great in the freezer or if you're into canning, you could easily can for your pantry too.
Now what pizza toppings should we use?
