Pizza Dip

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! I hope everyone had a great start to a new year!
Now, on to the 1st recipe!

Who doesn't love PIZZA!?!? Well, actually, I don't! Can you believe that? I found this dip, and honestly, it makes me want to eat pizza! This dip is SO EASY to make! I have no pictures for the process of making it because it is literally just put it all in a bowl and mix it up. I do have a few tips though. My husband isn't a big fan of hates mayonnaise. So, I fixed the original recipe to be a little lighter, which brings me to tip #1. Instead of ¾ cup mayo, I use ½ cup mayo and ¼ cup sour cream for a lighter taste. So, you know how when you get a pizza or make anything with pepperoni, there are always those infamous orange puddles of grease? I tried to make the situation a little better. It worked! Tip #2 - I sauté the pepperoni for just a few minutes to draw some of the grease out so it doesn’t puddle up on the dip. Okay, who is with me on the fact that more cheese is better! =) Tip #3 - I added extra mozzarella cheese on top after it was done baking, and then put it under the broiler just until the cheese melted and was bubbly. Tip #4 - If you can't find Italian rolls, do what I did. I just bought a crusty French baguette, and cut it into ¼ " to ½" slices. Oh, and with the olives, I didn't think about this until just now, but I'm sure you could replace those with another topping you like. For example, jalapenos, bell peppers, etc. I hope you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ¾ light mayonnaise

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 8 ounces sliced pepperoni, chopped
• 2 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
• 10 large, pitted black olives, chopped
• 4 crusty Italian rolls, cut into ½-inch pieces

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, tomatoes and olives. Spoon into 6-cup baking dish.
3. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly.
4. Allow to cool slightly. Serve with bread pieces for dipping.