Pizza Dip

ANOTHER FOOTBALL RECIPE. 

The most legit football recipe in all the land.  Jay came up with this one over the summer, and we actually made it at the beach, but I daresay that this time it was even better.  It's one of those super duper simple baked dips that you can make wayyyyy ahead and then just heat up when you'd like to eat it, which I love.  

It's all the things you like on pizza, plus cream cheese, baked until melty and gooey, then devoured with any kind of carby dipper you can get your hands on.  Do it.  

You need a brick of cream cheese, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, garlic powder, tomato sauce, and pepperoni.  I'm fully obsessed with canned tomato sauce, I think it can serve about a thousand purposes and I love having it around.  You could use crushed tomatoes if that's all you have, or any jarred marinara that is facing certain death in the back of your fridge would work well too!

I like to cook the pepperoni just a bit before adding it to the dip.  This helps it crisp up easier in the oven and takes some of the fat out of the pepperoni.  So, cut your pepperoni into little pieces and toss it in a skillet over medium heat.  

Cook the pepperoni just until it starts to soften, like you would bacon, for about 5 minutes.  

While the pepperoni is working, mash the mozzarella, the cream cheese, garlic powder, and half the parmesan in a bowl with a spoon.  

If the cream cheese is super cold microwave it for 30 to 60 seconds to soften it before you mix it with the other ingredients.  

Now, find a small baking dish - 8x8 or smaller is what we're after.   Spread the cream cheese mixture all over the bottom of the baking dish.  Top that with the tomato sauce - just a thin layer!

Then, sprinkle over the rest of the parmesan and the pepperoni bits.  

This is where you'd stop if you want to make this in advance, but trust me, you don't want to make this in advance.  You want to eat this NOW.  So, bake it at 375F for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the pepperoni is super crispy.  

I served this with pita wedges, but I've done garlic bread, crackers, all sorts of things.  The garlic bread is totally clutch, but really whatever you use will be fine - the dip is the total star of the show.  

Look how gooey!  

This dip is so easy to make but will be gone in five seconds, I PROMISE.  It just kind of goes with this time of year - football, movies, halloween, anything that involves being cozy and with friends and snuggly.  If gooey was a flavor this would taste gooey, and you'd love it.  Luckily, pizza IS a flavor, and this dip owns. the. pizza.