By State final Saturday November 18. Lincoln, Memorial Stadium. GISH vs. Omaha Burke. I drove Gayle. Dave drove the pickup with the other boys. Amber and Eli came separately. We had tickets in the upper deck under the overhang. I brought six blankets. Gayle wore Dave's biggest coat. It was 38 degrees and windy.
GISH lost 24-21. Justin had 129 yards and a touchdown. He played his heart out. He did not cry after. He hugged his teammates. Dave went down to the field after and hugged him. Justin hugged Dave back. That is the picture of my season. That is the picture of my son's senior year. He lost. He was hugged by his father. He held himself upright.
We went home. I made a late dinner. Justin ate three plates. He said, "Mom. We lost." I said, "You played great." He said, "I know." He went to bed.
Gayle survived the day. She was exhausted Sunday but otherwise fine.
Book two at 83,500.
Thanksgiving on Thursday. Amber is hosting. I am going. I am bringing the cake.
When we got home from Lincoln that night, I didn’t have the energy for anything complicated — but I had a family to feed, and Justin had a hollow look that I knew food would help. I made this sheet pan pizza because it’s fast, it’s warm, it fills people up, and nobody has to talk if they don’t want to. He ate three plates. That said enough.
Keto Sheet Pan Pizza with Sausage Crust
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3/4 cup low-sugar marinara or pizza sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup sliced black olives
- 1/3 cup sliced green bell pepper
- 1/4 cup sliced pepperoni
- Fresh basil or dried Italian seasoning, to finish
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed sheet pan (13×18 inch) with parchment paper and lightly grease.
- Make the sausage crust. In a large bowl, combine ground sausage, eggs, Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Mix well until fully combined.
- Press and par-bake. Press the sausage mixture evenly across the prepared sheet pan, all the way to the edges, about 1/4 inch thick. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set and beginning to brown. Carefully drain any excess fat using a paper towel or tipping the pan slightly.
- Add sauce and toppings. Spread marinara sauce evenly over the par-baked crust. Sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar over the sauce. Scatter olives, bell pepper, and pepperoni evenly across the top.
- Bake until bubbly. Return pan to oven and bake an additional 10—12 minutes, until cheese is melted, bubbling, and lightly golden at the edges.
- Rest and slice. Let the pizza rest 5 minutes before slicing into squares. Finish with fresh basil or a pinch of dried Italian seasoning.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 520 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 39g | Carbs: 6g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 980mg