Pepperoni & Sausage Stromboli

  

Stromboli is not a food I grew up with. The first time I ever saw it was actually in high school, as leftovers in the refrigerator of one of my friends. “So it’s like pizza rolled up and then sliced into spirals??” “Yeah, basically.” “Oh my gosh, genius!” I was immediately sold. Fast-forward 12-13 years to a couple weeks ago when I saw something similar entitled ‘pizza roll-up’ in a Taste of Home cookbook. I was so excited to be reminded of this idea! I changed the contents of the ‘roll-up’ from beef, jarred peppers and basil to sausage, fresh bell peppers and pepperoni to suit my own tastes, but the general concept remained the same. This is a great recipe because it’s simple to put together and you can customize the filling based on your preferences. Your kids don’t like peppers? Leave them off half the Stromboli! You’re a vegetarian? Replace the meat with some roasted vegetables! The possibilities are endless. Experiment and leave me a comment! I’d love to know what combinations you try.

Pepperoni & Sausage Stromboli

Source: Inspired by Taste of Home

Ingredients:
½ lb hot Italian turkey or chicken sausage, removed from casing
¼ of a bell pepper, chopped (I used orange because that’s what my grocery store had the best selection of, but feel free to use any color you like)
1 can (13.8 oz) refrigerated pizza crust dough
1 (10 oz) package of frozen chopped spinach (defrosted and squeezed/patted dry)
17 slices turkey pepperoni, quartered
¾ c reduced fat 2% shredded mozzarella
1 t Italian seasoning
Cooking spray
1 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 (8 oz) can pizza sauce

Directions:
1.    Pre-heat the oven to 375. Lightly mist a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
2.    In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat, breaking it up with a spoon. Once browned, add the bell pepper and continue to heat until cooked.
3.    Unroll the pizza dough. Spread the spinach across the surface, followed by the sausage & pepper mixture. Sprinkle the pepperoni pieces across the top, followed by the shredded cheese. Starting with the short side, roll the dough, with the toppings inside, until you reach the other end. Tuck the ends of the roll under and pinch the seam to seal.
4.    Place the roll on the prepared baking sheet. Spray the top and sides with cooking spray and then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting. Cut into 12 slices and serve with pizza sauce.

Yields 6 (2 slices with sauce) servings. Weight Watchers Points Plus: 8 per serving