With my family's busy schedule, I'm tempted to send out for pizza nearly every night. But this recipe - which features the high points of pizza with more flavor and less expense - has never let me down. I was first served a more upscale version (homemade tomato sauce and freshly grated cheese) at a ladies' lunch hosted by my friend Jean. I pestered Jean for ages to give me the recipe. When she finally did, I streamlined it so I could toss it together on weeknights. My family high approved, and now Corn Bread Deep-dish Pizza finds its way to our table almost as often as take-out pizza.
 

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:
1 (8 1/2-ounce) box Jiffy brand corn-muffin mix
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Topping:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 (26-ounce) jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound sausage of your choice,

 

1.	Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Prepare the muffin mix using the egg and 1/2 cup of milk. (Note: this amount of milk is different from what's called for in the package directions.) Add the Parmesan, then spread the batter evenly across the bottom of the pan.
2.	Heat the oil in a large skillet, then sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the pasta sauce, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cook the sauce until it thickens, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3.	Arrange half of the cooked, room-temperature sausage on the cornmeal batter. Pour the sauce over the batter, spreading it evenly, then layer on the remaining sausage. Bake for 15 minutes, then top the mixture with Monterey Jack and bake until the cheese is bubbling, about 10 minutes. Cut into slices and serve. Makes 6 servings.
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