Slow Cooker Puffy Pizza Casserole

It's no secret that we love our homemade pizza in this household, but I wanted to try something new. A Year of Slow Cooking is a great resource during the school year as it has all slow cooker recipes (and so much variety!!). She cooks all gluten free, so check out her site if that applies to your family also!

Norris really loved this--he wants me to make it again tomorrow. He said it was like "pizza and dumplings" I cooked the ground beef and made the tomato sauce the night before so that all I had to do on the night I wanted to make it was to pour it all in the crockpot and turn it on! It takes 4 hours on high, which is a strange amount if you work until 5 or so and don't have a chance to go home to turn it on. But for me, it was perfect and ready at around 7:30! (a little late, but it was Norris' late class night). I would cut back on the salt a bit next time, but wouldn't make any other changes!!

Seriously, casseroles and enchiladas make the worst pictures, and they taste great!

Slow Cooker Puffy Pizza Casserole

from A Year of Slow Cooking (I wrote in my changes; click the link to see original recipe)

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

homemade spaghetti mix packet (recipe below)

1/2 tsp oregano

15 oz tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

1 cup AP flour

1 cup milk

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 eggs

20 pepperoni slices

Spaghetti sauce mix:

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp dried minced onion

1 tbsp parsley flakes

1 tsp white sugar

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp Italian seasoning

Cook meat with onion and garlic, then drain fat. Stir in tomato sauce, oregano, water, and spaghetti sauce mix. Allow mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes. (at this point I put it in the fridge until the next day)

Spray 4 quart slow cooker and pour meat sauce in bottom.

Combine flour, eggs, milk, and cheese in separate bowl, then pour on top of meat sauce. Top with pepperonis and cover with lid. Cook on high for about 4 hours, until the top becomes light golden brown and the bread layer begins to pull away from the sides.