Both youngsters and adults like Italian dishes, and pizza is probably the most popular of all. If you’re craving pizza, but want to try something a little different, this recipe for Open-Faced Skillet Calzones might be just what you’re looking for.

It contains a lot of the same ingredients as your typical pizza, and the flavor is similar, but it can be prepared quickly if you don’t want to go to the trouble of making your own pizza or driving somewhere to pick up one.

This dish is great for lunch or dinner, or even summer snacks while students are home on summer vacation.

8 diagonally cut slices of French bread, 1/2-inch thick

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

3/4-pound beef sirloin or flank steak

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

1 small green bell pepper, sliced

1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with Italian-stye herbs, undrained

1 (4 1/2-ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained

Set oven control to broil. Place bread slices on ungreased cookie sheet. Spray bread with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.

Broil with tops of bread 4 to 6 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until light brown; set aside.

Cut beef into thin strips. (Beef is easier to cut, if partially frozen.) Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook beef, bell pepper and garlic in oil, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned.

Stir in tomatoes, pizza sauce, sugar and mushrooms. Cook 2 to 4 minutes or until hot.

Spoon hot beef mixture evenly over each toasted slice of bread. Sprinkle with a little more Parmesan cheese and evenly divide the shredded Italian cheese over the slices of bread and place back under broiler for a couple of minutes until cheese melts.

Place two toasted bread slices on each of four serving plates and serve hot.

Note: An equal amount of ground beef can be substituted for beef sirloin strips. Just brown and crumble ground beef and drain any fat before mixing with the rest of ingredients.

Brotherton offers website readers one stellar recipe a week in the “My Leader Yummy” feature. Looking for a recipe you can’t find? Email me at kbrotherton42@gmail.com and I’ll see if I have it.

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