Buffalo Sausage Pizza With A Ranch Drizzle

Lately, work has been a monster. And by monster, I mean a monster that is sitting next to me on the sofa, under my bed, or hiding in the subway. It’s ever-present, keeps me up, and makes me anxious!! We have just been so busy that I feel I am barely treading water. Add that to the stress of K&E’s wedding last week, and for the past few weeks, weeknight dinners have become chores.It’s ironic – I love to cook and bake because it relaxes me. But, when I’m hungry and John is waiting on me for dinner, there is nothing relaxing about a weeknight dinner. I can’t imagine if we were a larger family – I really don’t know how my parents always did it. So, when I sawMr. Food’s Search for the Ultimate Weeknight Meal, I knew I had the perfect thing! My Buffalo Sausage Pizza with a Ranch Drizzle satisfies the cravings of John’s favorite pizza – Buffalo Chicken Pizza!

As I have said a number of times, John and I are trying to get healthy and whenever possible I try to substitute, rather than omit. In this way, John feels like he is still eating his favorite foods, but they aren’t AS bad for him. I combined two of his favorites here – sausage, peppers, and onions; and buffalo chicken pizza. I’ve revamped it, substituting sausage for chicken sausage which is “buffalo style”. All the flavor, with less of the fat and calories!

I try to make a homemade pizza at least once a week. They are so easy because you can use a premade crust or myMom’s infamous recipe with no rise time! Regardless of your family size, likes, or dislikes, I don’t know anyone that would say no to this pizza…

Buffalo Sausage Pizza with a Ranch Drizzle
Serves: 4
2 chicken sausage links – “buffalo style”
1/2 cup green peppers, thinly sliced
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 premade pizza crust
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
2/3 cups mozzarella cheese
4 tablespoons low-fat ranch dressing

Slice the chicken sausage into coins. Spray a medium skillet with cooking spray and add chicken sausage. Cook about 10 minutes over medium heat, until cooked through and slightly browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Add peppers and onions to the skillet and cook over medium heat (about 5 minutes), until wilted. Meanwhile, combine tomato sauce, oregano, and garlic powder. Spread evenly over the crust. Evenly spread the sauteed vegetables over the crust. Top with cheeses, and then reserved chicken sausage coins. Bake the pizza for 12 minutes, until cheese is melted and tomato sauce is warmed through. Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle dressing over the pizza. Cut into 8 slices and serve immediately.

Easy, delicious, and way healthier than the buffalo pizza that John loves from the pizza parlor around the block AND the sausage, peppers, and onions that you can find on literally every NYC street corner! And, I’m going to be honest – I loved it, too. And if John slipped and told you we fought over the last slice, well, I couldn’t tell a lie!

Until the next time my oven is on…