Semi-Instant Dinner: Monday Night Pizza

Mondays can be bad enough without hearing, “What’s for dinner?” But with a pizza crust mix you can have a fast and freshly baked pizza without breaking a sweat.

Here are a couple of pizza ideas using toppings such as tomatoes, spinach and prosciutto. Or get creative and use whatever’s in your refrigerator.

If you have kids, a simple salad with ranch dressing rounds out the meal. Or toss spring greens with vinaigrette. Ice cream is a must for dessert.

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Monday Night Pizzas

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Look for packages of pizza crust mix in the baking aisle.

2 (6 1/2-ounce) packages pizza crust mix

Flour, for rolling

2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, divided

1/2 cup thinly sliced basil

4 cups young spinach leaves, loosely packed

1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into thin strips

1 cup grated mozzarella

1 cup grated Parmesan

Freshly ground pepper

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease 2 jellyroll pans.

Prepare the crust mix according to package directions, combining both in one bowl. Divide the dough in half and roll out each half on a lightly floured surface to fit the pans. Place the dough on the pans, patting it down.

For the tomato pizza, cover one crust with the tomato slices, then scatter half of the garlic over the tomatoes. Top with the basil. Set aside.

For the prosciutto pizza, spread the spinach leaves over the second crust, then scatter the remaining garlic over the spinach. Top with the prosciutto.

Top each pizza with half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan. Grind pepper over each pizza.

Bake the pizzas until the cheese has melted and is bubbling and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve.

2 pizzas, 2 servings each. Tomato pizza, each serving: 562 calories; 1,211 mg sodium; 42 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 73 grams carbohydrates; 26 grams protein; 5.81 grams fiber.

Prosciutto pizza, each serving: 711 calories; 1,917 mg sodium; 81 mg cholesterol; 31 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 74 grams carbohydrates; 35 grams protein; 5.81 grams fiber.

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MENU

Monday Night Pizzas

Tossed Salad

Ice Cream

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STAPLES

Garlic

Ice cream

Salad dressing

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SHOPPING LIST

Basil

Mozzarella

Parmesan

2 packages pizza crust mix

Plum tomatoes

Prosciutto

Salad greens

Spinach

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COUNTDOWN

30 minutes before: Make pizza crust.

25 minutes before: Slice tomatoes, grate cheese, slice garlic, slice basil and prosciutto.

20 minutes before: Assemble pizzas.

5 minutes before: Toss salad.

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Plates, silverware and napkins from Williams-Sonoma stores.