Rice Pizza -- 8 Smart Points

I've used this basic recipe for years. While making it tonight, I weighed and measured all the ingredients to calculate the Weight Watcher Smart Points and used a lower point sausage.  The Italian sausage I generally use is way too high in points!

It's a great way to have a meal on the table in under 30 minutes and it's really good as leftovers.  You can use the oven or microwave, depending on how much time you have.

RICE PIZZA

Makes 4 servings 

7.5 Smart Points per serving

 

8 oz. can tomato sauce

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

salt to taste

4 slices Provolone cheese or 4 oz. grated Mozzarella cheese

2 Kirkwood Mild Italian Chicken Sausages --  found at Aldi's

1 cup Minute Rice

1 cup water

Prepare sausage according to package instructions. When done, cut in half lengthwise and then dice into small pieces.  While sausage is cooking, put tomato sauce, garlic powder, paprika, salt and Italian seasoning in a microwave safe bowl and heat on full power for 1 minute.  Set aside.

Boil the cup of water and add 1 cup of Minute Rice.  Let stand at least 5 minutes.

When rice is ready, spread it evenly in a one quart casserole.  Top with the tomato sauce mixture, cheese and sausage.  

Cook in microwave 5-6 minutes and let stand for about 5 minutes. This gives time for the sauce to soak into the rice.  Or it can be baked in a 350° oven for about 20 minutes, until cheese is bubbly. If you bake it in the oven, spray the baking dish with Pam.

Smart Points

4 slices or 4 ounces of cheese             12

1 cup dry Minute Rice                        10

2 Kirkwood sausages                            8

 

Another hot weather recipe

 One evening I wanted to make a pizza for dinner but didn't have enough time to make crust and let it rise so I put the pizza topping ingredients over a layer of rice instead.  My guys loved it.  To this day, if we're having pizza at home, this is generally the way it's prepared. 

For just Fred and myself, it gets prepared in the microwave so it's another good recipe to have when it's just too hot to cook.


Rice Pizza

1 pound pork sausage
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
8 oz. grated mozzarella cheese
4 cups cooked rice

Crumble sausage in skillet and cook until done.
Drain well on paper towels.

Spread cooked rice in a greased 13 x 9 dish.
Sprinkle parmesan cheese evenly over the
top of the rice.

In a small bowl, mix tomato sauce with a pinch
each of oregano, garlic powder, and paprika.
I usually do this in a coffee mug and heat it in
the microwave to develop the spice flavors
before putting it onto the rice.

Spread tomato sauce over the parmesan cheese.
Top with the cooked sausage and mozzarella
Cheese.

Bake in 350° oven until cheese melts OR
microwave on high 3-4 minutes.