So Many Dishes

March Madness is serious fun in our family. Each year, Ken, our kids, and I fill out our brackets. Ken and I still tape ours to the desk and keep track of wins and losses. The texts were flying yesterday, as the first round of games got underway. Alice actually went 15 for 16, even though she described her method of choosing winners as “following the vibes.”

It’s unusual for us to eat dinner in front of the tv, especially on a weeknight. We always ate dinner in the dining room, as a family, even on nights when there were soccer or choir practices, lacrosse matches, or whatever other commitments we had. But, at this time of year, we make an exception.

In our family lexicon, dinner in the family room in front of the television is a “picnic supper,” no matter what the fare. Last night, Ken and I opted for an easy dinner, so that I didn’t have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

We decided on pizza. I’m not sure if we have ever ordered a pizza; for us, pizza means an array of ingredients atop a Boboli prebaked crust. It might be traditional pizza toppings, but it also can be items not normally associated with pizza. The last pizza before this was a cheeseburger pizza, using cheddar cheese and ground beef. One of my favorites is Greek pizza, where I spread hummus over the crust, then top with halved grape tomatoes, bell pepper slices, chopped red onion, Kalamata olives, and feta.

Last night’s pizza was more traditional. I sautéed sliced mushrooms and bell pepper strips. I used leftover marinara from Sunday’s chicken Parmesan, as well as the mozzarella that was left, then topped it with the sautéed veggies.

I always tend to overload my pizza, so it was dripping sauce and cheese by the time it came out of the oven. It was absolutely delicious. And cleanup was quick, so I was all ready to watch my Jayhawks, even though I didn’t expect them to win—and they didn’t. As to why Kansas is my team, well, that’s a story for another time.

Happy eating!