Pizza Dip

Recipe by My Baking Addiction http://www.mybakingaddiction.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Yield: 16 servings

Our good friends, Sandy and Jeremy, invited a bunch of us over for the New Year celebration.  This is what we brought to share.  It was gone in no time.  If you have kids/teens, they’re going to LOVE these.  At your next party, make the dip in advance and then pop it in the oven just before your guests arrive.  Serve this with toasted crostini.  Directions for these are at the end of this recipe.

8 ounces cream cheese, softened


1/4 teaspoon garlic powder


½ teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon dried parsley; ¼ teaspoon dried basil
 or 1 teaspoon pizza seasoning

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese


1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


1 cup pizza sauce
(I used Local Folks Pizza Sauce.)

1/4 cup minced green bell pepper


1/4 cup minced onion


2 ounces sliced pepperoni
(I chopped the pepperoni to make it easier to serve.)

2 tablespoons sliced black olives, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, garlic powder and dried herbs.

Spread cream cheese mixture into a 9-inch pie pan, and sprinkle ½ cup of mozzarella and ½ cup of Parmesan on the cream cheese mixture.

Top with the pizza sauce and sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the pizza sauce.

Top with bell pepper, onion, pepperoni and black olives.

Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and bubbly.

I served this with toasted crostini (sliced baguette).  Here’s how to make them:

You will need one baguette, some olive oil, a large clove of garlic, Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Cut the baguette into ¼ inch slices.  Place on a baking sheet.  Brush with olive oil.  Place under the broiler.  Watch carefully so they do not burn.  When the crostini is golden brown, remove from the oven.  Rub the toasted sides with the garlic clove.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Turn the crostini over.  Repeat the above steps.

Serve these along side the Pizza Dip.