Chicago Inspired

I love Chicago!  I love everything about it, including the wonderful food!  My sister, her daughters, my daughter and me take a yearly trip to the windy city each summer.  It has become one of of our favorite traditions!  We hop on the Amtrak and arrive ready to find new places to shop and eat.  One of my favorite pizza places is Giordano's and what I like best is their famous stuffed pizza.  One must be patient, as it takes awhile to bake after you order, but it's worth the wait.  I was inspired by Giordano's to find a good recipe for deep dish pizza.  I've tried a few and this is the one I have voted as #1.  It is an adapted recipe from "The Casserole Queens."   

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pizza in a soup bowl

I remember when I had this soup for the first time...it was at a school carry-in. and I remember requesting the recipe from Ann Hall.  You've heard her name before mentioned in a previous post.  She has shared some amazing recipes in the past.  The first recipe that comes to mind when I think of Ann is her absolutely, wonderful Mounds Chocolate Cake!  I must get that recipe from her, as Ann no longer works at our school.  I know where to find her, though, when I need a good recipe.  This soup is what I call "pizza in a bowl."  You start with mushrooms and onions and end with chopped pepperoni.  Another key ingredient that tops a good pizza is Italian sausage and you'll find it in this soup recipe too!  My son and his wife recently made this soup for a United Way fundraiser (contest).  While this soup didn't win, it has won in the hearts of everyone who has eaten it in our family.  My grandson is actually sitting beside me as I write this post and he said..."I love this soup!"  What more can I say?

The recipe calls for fresh.

Sometimes I do fresh, but 

I prefer canned mushrooms.

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