Homemade Sausage Pizza

I must be on some kind of (unhealthy) sausage kick.  I made Sausage Breakfast Casserole last week and the following I decide for us to make pizza. Whoops. Although to my credit from the day I made the casserole to the pizza day, I went for four runs (taking advantage of the warm weather when we had it).

The goal for this recipe was to try to get close to the Quad City "style" sausage and I pretty much went in blindly, knowing that fennel is the dominate spice/taste. Although it was good, it feel short.  But there's really no competing when it comes to good ole Harris Pizza back home.  It's pretty simple and not much of a unique meal, but none the less I'll share.

Sausage Pizza

 

Ingredients:

• Pizza crust (used premade)
• 1/2 lb pork sausage
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2-1/2 tsp fennel seed (crushed)
• ~1.5 cups marinara sauce
• ~1.5 cups italian blend cheese 

(Note: the package for the sausage shown here is 1lb; we only used half of it)



Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (or temp indicated on pizza crust)
• In a medium skillet, cook sausage and garlic until no longer pink
• Rinse in strainer under hot water to drain excess grease
• Place back in skillet and mix in oregano and fennel
• Place pizza crust on pan and pour marinara on center of crust

• Using the back of a large spoon; in a circular motion outward, spread sauce on crust

• Sprinkle on sausage

• Sprinkle on cheese

(Oscar was anxiously waiting to pick up cheese that was dropped on the floor)

• Bake for ~20 minutes (until cheese is melted)

 (Note:  I do the majority of our cooking and baking while Ben does the grilling; but since Ben worked at a pizza place in college, I put his skills to work here.  Also note:  (no offense?) but I absolutely detest Ben's Bud Light sweatershirt, which he thinks is the coolest thing ever)