Stuffed French Bread Pizza

1 loaf French bread, 2 foot long

1 pound Italian sausage

1 T. olive oil

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups part skim ricotta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 c. pepperoni, chopped

2 c. shredded mozzarella

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Split bread lengthwise and dig out the center. (Save the bread crumbs to be ground and frozen or chopped and bake for croutons.) Cut in half across, making 4 shells for pizzas.

Brown and crumble sausage. Add red bell pepper, onion and garlic. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, add spinach. Remove mixture from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Combine sausage and veggies with ricotta, Parmesan, and pepperoni. Fill bread shells and top with mozzarella. Place on a cookie sheet and flash freeze.  Once frozen, transfer to Freezer bag. Bag cheese in a sandwich bag and oregano and pepper in a small bag.  Place Freezer bag with pizzas, bag with cheese, and bag with herbs into a second gallon sized freezer bag.  Label and freeze. 

To cook: Thaw partially. Place pizza on cookie sheet and bake until cheese melts and bubbles and bread is crisp, about 15 minutes. Top pizzas with oregano and hot pepper flakes.

NOTE: This recipe makes 4 - one foot long pizzas.  Each family will receive 3.