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Pizza is dinner magic at my house. Sometimes it's the only way I can get my teenagers to get off the phone/MySpace/PS2/TV and actually talk to a human. Every time I announce that I'm making pizza, both girls are there (after texting friends and boyfriends to come and share the pizza goodness), ready to help and talk. So, not only do we make some really good pizza, we wind up getting to talk about things they probably wouldn't bring up any other way. Keeping their hands busy lets down the "teen censor" that scans for parental threats and helps them open up.

Chicken Florentine pizza, one of our favorite recipes, is so simple, plus it can be modified to use up leftover chicken or turkey, and comes together superfast. It's a white pizza, which is intriguing enough in itself, but also one that is rich and delicious.

Be warned, this recipe isn't for the purist who likes to make crust from scratch. That's all well and good, but even with all my good intentions, I never seem to feel like all those steps when I come in the door from work. Our pizza recipe calls for the pre-made Boboli or similar brand crusts. I always buy two because we eat at least that much between the three of us. . I usually buy a rotisserie chicken from the store because it's really juicy, affordable, and I can use other parts of it to make chicken salad for lunch.

Next, get a jar of good Alfredo sauce, like Classico, that isn't too high in fat and calories, but still tastes really good. You'll want a block of Fontina cheese, (but you can use mozzarella in a pinch), and a package of frozen spinach. You'll need some crushed red pepper, lemon juice, and a garlic clove to finish up the ingredients.

For baking, use a pizza stone, there's really no substitute. Most are fairly inexpensive and come with a nice wooden pizza peel that makes moving the pizza a lot easier. You could spend a bunch of money buying one of those expensive pizza cutters, but I think a big chef's knife works just as well.

Recipe

1 Boboli pizza crust
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
4 ounces Alfredo sauce
1 cooked chicken breast, chopped
Juice of lemon
1 9-ounce pkg. frozen spinach, thawed, and all water squeezed out
tsp. salt
teaspoon black pepper
1 3-ounce block of Fontina cheese, grated
1 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional, but it makes it so much better)

Place pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rub garlic clove over pizza crust and discard. Spoon Alfredo sauce over crust.

Mix chopped chicken, spinach, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Spread mixture evenly on crust. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper and Fontina cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is nicely browned.

Makes one pizza (about six slices).

I promise you, you and your family will love this recipe and it will become a work/school night favorite at your house just like it is at ours. . I usually buy a rotisserie chicken from the store because it's really juicy, affordable, and I can use other parts of it to make chicken salad for lunch.

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