Pizza Bowls -- New Year's Eve on the Couch, Right Where We Belonged

Between-week. I did not drive. I read. I napped. I wrote little notes about the year.

Gayle had a quiet week. She ate small amounts. She slept long. She was happy.

New Year's Eve: East Coast midnight again, pizza, movie on Dave's laptop. Bedtime at ten.

2024. Justin and Tyler graduate this year. Amber will be a junior. Josie enters high school in the fall. Brenda turns 47. Dave turns 48. Gayle will turn 81 in November.

My 2024 intentions: 1. Revise book two thoroughly. 2. Keep Gayle stable and loved. 3. Watch Dave's back, be ready for surgery when it comes. 4. Celebrate Tyler and Justin's graduation. 5. Drive my truck with care. 6. Enjoy Josie's last year of middle school and first of high school. 7. Start scouting real diner locations on I-80. 8. Love my family.

We rang in 2024 the same way we’ve done it for years — East Coast midnight, a movie on Dave’s laptop, and pizza, quiet and unhurried, just the two of us while Gayle slept soundly down the hall. It wasn’t glamorous, and it didn’t need to be. These Pizza Bowls have become my answer to that same craving: all the warmth and familiarity of pizza night, scooped into a bowl and ready whenever the evening calls for something low-key and deeply satisfying. With a big year ahead — graduations, surgeries, a daughter starting high school — I’ll take every cozy, uncomplicated meal I can get.

Pizza Bowls

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• 1 cup pepperoni slices, halved
• 1 1/2 cups marinara or pizza sauce
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage. In a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, cook the ground Italian sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
2. Saute the vegetables. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the mushrooms and cook another 2 minutes.
3. Add the sauce and toppings. Pour the marinara sauce over the meat and vegetable mixture. Stir in the Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Arrange the pepperoni slices and black olives evenly over the top.
4. Add the cheese. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the skillet, then top with Parmesan. Add red pepper flakes to taste.
5. Broil until bubbly. Place the skillet under the broiler on high for 3–5 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden at the edges.
6. Serve. Scoop into bowls and garnish with fresh basil if desired. Serve as-is for a low-carb option, or alongside crusty bread or a simple green salad.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 | Protein: 31g | Fat: 34g | Carbs: 12g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 1020mg