Pizza Party

For a quick, easy, inexpensive menu, there's nothing like pizza to please everybody — from the pickiest palate to the most critical gourmet. All it takes is the right combinations.

Here are some great ideas for tossing a pizza party that goes way outside the (takeout) box.

1. Have plenty of crusts ready with enough pizza pans or grills fired up and ready to go.
2. Set up olive oil, tomato sauce, and pestos for pick-and-choose options.
3. Place toppings in assembly-line order with plenty of cheeses (mozzarella, goat cheese, feta, or pizza blend), olives, raw or grilled vegetables, and other tasty ingredients — like shrimp, BBQ beef, salmon, or chicken Caesar.

• Thin and crispy or homemade and thick? Pick one style or serve an assortment to please the crowd.
• Use a pizza stone for great results or have several outdoor grills ready to go.
• Purchase frozen, refrigerated, or prebaked crusts and follow directions. Or make a delicious homemade crust for the grill.
• Make large-size crusts or stack up single-serving crusts on a platter.

• When the crust is ready, brush on olive oil and a basic tomato-based pizza sauce or pesto.
• Serve a prepared pesto or try one of our recipe suggestions.