If I had to name one thing in this world that has the magical power of bringing people together, it’s of course, pizza. Well, it’s food, but who doesn’t love pizza? In almost every culture, food is used as a way to bring the ones we care about together. We enjoy chatting around the table with friends at Sunday brunches, passing the turkey and mashed potatoes to one another during Thanksgiving, and cracking crab legs while flinging the shells into the bucket on Christmas Eve. Oh, and it wouldn’t be a proper ending to the holidays without dessert, coffee, and a competitive card game. Or maybe you met the love of your life while sitting across from each other at a candlelit table with a glass of wine. So maybe it’s not the food that brings us together. Perhaps its the table. Maybe the table has the magical power of grounding us for some time, while the food brings us the most fantastic distraction.
I feel so fortunate and excited to be working with Dietz & Watson on the #ChooseTheTable campaign. This campaign has reminded me of the importance of enjoying meals or moments at the table. A couple of weeks ago, Kyle and I were invited to a dinner at Luca Modern Italian Kitchen. Dietz & Watson partnered up with Chef Luca, an extremely talented chef, to create an irresistible five-course meal. The Dietz and Watson products were incorporated perfectly into each dreamy bite. The exciting part of this campaign is that you can enter to win a private dinner for two at Chef Luca’s restaurant. If you live around or in Charlotte, I highly recommend entering this giveaway. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss out on. Take some time to enter the #ChooseTheTableCLT campaign here! I won’t even be upset if you decide to invite me if you win.
This campaign has inspired me to create more memories around the table, and so I am now taking the challenge to choose the table more often. I decided to start on Friday. And what is better than homemade pizza around the dinner table on a Friday night? Chef Luca brought us to the table with fancy fondue and specialty sausages wrapped inside of perfectly crafted crepes, and since I didn’t want to burn the house down, I stuck with what I know, pizza. Mealtime is easy to create, and again, it’s not always about the food. Even a half burnt (how mine always turns out) crafted grilled cheese sandwich with canned tomato soup can bring a family together. Mealtime doesn’t only have to be at dinner; it can be any time of the day, as long as you’re with the ones you love. I hope you join me and choose the table too! Upload your photos from the table and use hashtag #ChooseTheTable and don’t forget to tag me!
Dietz & Watson strive to make their products “good and good for you.”
When you’re eating the Dietz and Watson products, you can rest assured that they use the highest quality hand-trimmed, lean meat. They never use artificial colors, flavors, fillers, extenders, or MSG in their products. They ensure the humane treatment of animals and work hard to set the high bar for conservation and sustainability.
I most especially love that they give back to so many incredible causes. Dietz and Watson support local causes such as police, the brave servicemen and women through USO, the Hometown Heros program, firefighter organizations and the list goes on. If you’re interested in learning more about the causes and organiztions that they support, head over to their website.
Eating at the table isn’t the only part I love about mealtime. I love being in the kitchen and cooking with family, or having people surround the kitchen with a glass of wine. My family is the most important people in my life, and I love that the Dietz and Watson company also know the importance of family. They are a family-oriented company that has been growing together for the past 75 years. It’s truly incredible.
I want to share an easy pizza recipe with you that has been in my family since I was a little girl since my mom was a little girl, and who knows how long before that. It’s a recipe that you can’t knock it until you try it. I was a “knock it” for many years, but it only set me back from trying incredible dishes. Moral of the story: don’t be a “knock it.”
Now, I wish I could share my grandpa’s pizza crust recipe with you, but that’ll go to the grave with my family and me. Apparently, you’ll be cursed for sharing (not really but it sounds like a good excuse.) My grandpa is very german. His last name is “Riedel,” like the glass company. My grandpa loved to cook, and he loved bringing the family together. No one turned down my grandpa’s pizza, pies, or his flavored popcorn!
Being German, my grandpa ate a lot of sauerkraut as a kid, which inspired him to create homemade sauerkraut pizzas with hotdogs. If you’re wondering what sauerkraut is, it’s just pickled cabbage. I used to get so mad at my mom when she did sauerkraut night. It stunk up the whole house because she cooked it on the stove top. She finally started just making it on pizza like my grandpa because it doesn’t stink up the whole house that way. I think she only cooked up sauerkraut when she was mad at us.
A few years ago, I finally took the plunge and tried sauerkraut pizza. Goodness, had I been missing out all of these years! It was such a unique flavor! I was instantly hooked. I regretted not trying my grandpa’s sauerkraut pizza, but his pepperoni pizzas were just as good.
So, on Friday night, I made a grandpa-inspired sauerkraut pizza. I also made some pepperoni pizzas just in case Kyle didn’t like the sauerkraut one. You should always make a plain pepperoni or cheese pizza to play it safe.
To make Friday night pizza’s easy, quick, and fun to do, just buy a pre-made crust, your favorite sauce, and toppings. My sauerkraut pizza had Dietz & Watson beef franks, old-fashioned sauerkraut, swiss cheese, provolone, and sauce.
I know people are particular when it comes to pizza, and that is why making them together can be fun. I’m a sauce girl. If I could add an entire jar of sauce on one pizza, I would!
Tip* you should always cook the pizza dough in the oven at 400 degrees about five minutes before applying the toppings. This keeps the toppings from burning while the crust takes longer to cook.
I learned that using chunks of cheese slices helps the cheese stay chewy like a perfect New-York style pizza. Shredded cheese cooks faster, and it loses the chewy texture. If you’ve ever watched people make pizza in Italy, you see them use giant chunks of mozzarella.
Top the pre-cooked crust with sauerkraut, pieces of cheese, and sliced hot dogs. You don’t have to precook the sauerkraut, just drain it with a strainer, and it’ll be good to go!
The power of food around the table can bring so much joy to our lives. I love that my parents both took the time to have dinner nights when we were kids. They both worked full-time jobs, so that time spent with them a couple of nights a week allowed us to know what was going on in each other’s lives and it built stronger relationships. I still have dinner with my parents at the table once a week.
My favorite side to go with pizza is a salad. Dietz & Watson sell deli compliments that I instantly knew would make an incredible salad dressing after trying them at the #ChooseTheTable dinner. I loved this dressing so much that I made a giant bottle of it for the week. I even drizzled it over my roasted chicken.
You just add three tablespoons of olive oil together, one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and two tablespoons of their honey mustard. You can even add a little balsamic, too!
The pizza and salad took about 45-minutes to throw together. Now, that is making mealtime easy and delicious. I think you can convince anyone to join the table if you mention “pizza.”
And when you’re done choosing the table, head over to the couch to sit proudly with your food coma.
Questions for you!
- How often do you #ChooseTheTable?
- Is there a family recipe that you hold on to?
Don’t forget to enter the #ChooseTheTable giveaway for a chance to win your own private chef’s dinner in Charlotte for two! Link here!!
Thank you, Dietz & Watson, for sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own 🙂
nicole @ bento momentos says
Awesome personal background story and yummy pictures — now I’m craving a hot, doughy, cheesy pizza for lunch! 🙂
Taralynn McNitt says
It was DE LISH OUS!!!
XO
Linda @ the Fitty says
They say Stone baked pizzas are so much better than other bitch because it has a smoky flavor!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
Yep, I would totally join ANYTHING if it involved pizza. All the photos are drool-worthy! ❤
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Taralynn McNitt says
Thanks, Charmaine!!!
Carrie this fit chick says
These pizzas are delicious-looking!! I’ll take ANYTHING with cheese and a doughy texture like that 🙂
Taralynn McNitt says
Thanks, Carrie!!!!
Erin says
Are those your grandparents? WOW! No wonder you are a beautiful woman.
Taralynn McNitt says
Awww that is very sweet!! Yes, they’re a good looking pair!
Steph says
I am German but I have never thought of a sauerkraut pizza 😀
I think I have to try it 😀
Taralynn McNitt says
OH, YOU’RE MISSING OUT! You’ll love it!!
Christy says
Why did I never think of this?!!?!?! I absolutely LOVE sauerkraut…I’ll even eat it right out of the package/can, haha. (yeah, probiotics!)
I’m definitely going to try these this weekend!
Taralynn McNitt says
HAHAHA that is intense!!! But if you love sauerkraut, YES YES YES! MAKE THE PIZZA!!!
Krista says
I love the idea of sitting around a table with the ones you love; while I was one of 4 very busy kids (2-3+ activities/sports per season.. my parents loved us being ‘involved’) and we didn’t have much of an opportunity to sit down during the week, every weekend growing up was spent at my grandparents’ house sharing meals together and having Sunday dinner. Family dinners look a little different now, and we’re all eating different things (my fiance and I don’t eat animal products, one of my brothers does the keto diet, and my parents are on a little bit of a WL journey), but coming together to catch up on life and share a meal– even when everyone’s is a little bit different–, is so important to stay connected.
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Krista!
Yes, you are so right! it’s the coming together that is important. The food is great, but it’s the relationships built around the table!
Heather says
I’ve been looking for a brand of lunchmeat to purchase! This looks great.
Taralynn McNitt says
It really is!!
Kyla Woelfle says
Ok, this pizza sounds incredible! I have German roots, and think sauerkraut is delicious so this recipe would be fun to try out!!
Speaking of love of sauerkraut and my German roots, my family has passed down a recipe for runzas! They are meat/sauerkraut/spices stuffed into homemade dough. Absolutely delicious!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runza
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Kyla!
If you love sauerkraut, you’ll LOVE LOVE LOVE this pizza!!!!
OK, well, I’m going to have to make those now! My parents will LOVE it!
xo xo
Britt says
I hope I win! I live in Ashville, but I’ll drive all the way down if I win!
Taralynn McNitt says
GOOD LUCK! FINGERS CROSSED!
Michaela says
I’ve always been a knock it. haha!
Taralynn McNitt says
DON’T BE!!! haha
Dana says
I’ve been waiting for this post ever since you posted the video on Instagram last Friday! Thank you for including the honey mustard recipe! I am a honey mustard lover so I must try it out! Thanks for creating cool content Taralynn!
Taralynn McNitt says
Then you’ll LOVE LOVE LOVE that honey mustard!!! I made a giant batch for my mom because she was raving about it! xo & thank you for the kind words!
Taralynn
xo xo xo
Emily says
I’ve never heard of Dietz and Watson but I’ll now be looking out for them! Where do you get their products?
Taralynn McNitt says
Great! 🙂 They have a store locator! 🙂 Just type in your zip code and you’ll be able to find a store that carries their products!
Natalia says
So funny you mentioned the shredded cheese tip! My grandmother from Italy always told us that!
Taralynn McNitt says
Makes a huge difference!
Dez says
You just inspired me to make pizzas for my family tomorrow night. I love getting in our pajamas and watching a movie with pizza by the fire. Does that count as a table?
Taralynn McNitt says
Being together eating food no matter where you are makes it a table!:)
Heather @ Polyglot Jot says
I love this post! It’s sooo true <3 A dinner of pasta, bread, and salad is one that my family and I hold dear. There's something so comforting about a big old bowl of pasta with your loved ones!
Taralynn McNitt says
You’re right!!:) I think we had that once a month growing up!
Scarlet says
Your food always looks so good!
Taralynn McNitt says
Thank you!!:)
Sara says
What if you email me your Grandpa’s recipe? Curse still?
Taralynn McNitt says
HAHA! still!
I’ll post a recipe for my pizza crust sometime!
Susie @ Mile High Dreamers says
My parents INSISTED that we all eat dinner around the table EVERY night. Eating in front of the TV, in our rooms, or at the counter just wasn’t an option (it was a BIG deal when the Olympics were on and we got to eat while watching TV haha). I honestly am so grateful for this now, and plan to do the same when we have our own family. It really instilled the importance of family and gave us time to connect.
Now, Ben and I make a point to eat at our tiny little table together, and even though it’s only a few minutes, I really feel like it makes our relationship stronger. It’s so important!
Those pizzas look so delicious, and it really does make a difference to use high quality ingredients! Especially with something that only uses a few. I think Ben and I are going to have to whip up some homemade pizza this weekend now that I’m craving it!
Taralynn McNitt says
Good on them! I bet that was annoying as a kid, but you realize the importance as you get older! I hope to do that with my family as well. That time is so important!
That is awesome, it seems like you and Ben are so perfect together!
AND DEFINITELY! Ingredients make all the difference!
Kathy says
I love your photography! It’s very inviting. My granddaughter has told me to read your blog.
Kathy
Taralynn McNitt says
Awww that is so sweet!!:)
Leslie says
I’m having pizza this Friday too!
Taralynn McNitt says
Enjoy!!! & Happy Friday!
Anonymous says
Entered!
Taralynn McNitt says
awesome!
Lilly says
I’m a “knock it” person and always stick to cheese pizza. Maybe I’ll give this a try!
Taralynn McNitt says
You might like it :):)
Olli says
WOW! LOOKS FANTASTIC!
Taralynn McNitt says
haha thank you!
Jen says
A little late to the party but I love this post! Thank you for sharing! I’m excited to try some of D&W’s products and those pizzas look super delish 🙂
Taralynn McNitt says
You will love them!!:) & xo xo thanks for stopping by to read!
Jenna says
I definitely love trying new things! Can’t say you don’t like something if you have never tried it. That’s what my mom used to always tell us.
Our family recipe is Macaroni Salad, my grandma used to make it all the time and I’m the only one who knows how to perfect it. Love your blog!
Taralynn McNitt says
Yes, so right!!
MMM I love a good macaroni salad!
xo