Hey, It's Pizza Night! (Or How to Clean Out the Fridge)

A few slices of prosciutto... a handful of aging mushrooms... some leftover grilled zucchini... last night's rotisserie chicken... cherry tomatoes... pesto... pasta sauce... feta...

What's calling to you from your fridge, begging to be eaten instead of wasted and thrown away?

If you think your kids won't get excited for pizza unless it's covered in grease and hails from a take-out box, think again. In our house, pizza night is nearly once a week and rarely planned. Instead, it's a quick solution for using up leftover veggies, meats, cheeses, and sauces. With a side of arugula tossed with parmesan and pepper, it's a perfect and delicious dinner. I usually have fresh pizza dough in the fridge or freezer -- Trader Joe's can't be beat -- just be sure to defrost it in the morning. If you don't have dough on hand, whole wheat pita bread and flour tortillas make even quicker pizzas when you're in a pinch.

The secret to such kid-friendly leftovers? 1) Melted cheese is always sure to please. (Mozzarella and fontina melt fabulously. 2) Your kids release their inner Iron Chef; your home is transformed into Kitchen Stadium. Have the kids help roll the dough for individual pies. Take out the topping options and let them get creative!

Be the super-mom tonight and serve pizza. Don't worry; your clean-out-the-fridge secret is safe with me.