Meat Lovers

• Even picky eaters might be more amenable to trying new foods if it’s labeled pizza. Turn your favorite barbecued chicken into a pizza by layering barbecue sauce, diced chicken, smoked cheese and red onion. Grilled chicken is delicious when layered on a base of pesto or Alfredo sauce and topped with freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pair sliced leftover steak with sautéed red onion and fried eggs on a traditional marinara. Cover pizza dough with a creamed dill sauce and top with smoked salmon or grilled shrimp, or layer grilled shrimp on top of a cilantro pesto. Try marrying two of your children’s favorite meals by creating a cheeseburger pizza. Top spicy marinara with cooked hamburger crumbles, cheddar cheese, onion, sliced tomatoes and even dill pickles. Or skip the marinara and start with a garlic olive oil base.

Vegetarians

• If part of your family loves meat and the other part loves veggies, whip up a second pie that is topped with vegetarian-friendly ingredients. A traditional margherita pizza is made by layering sliced plum tomatoes, torn basil and mozzarella on either a traditional marinara or olive oil. Try spreading a layer of mashed spring peas mixed with a hint of salt and sugar and topping with fresh mint and shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Saute a mixture of your favorite vegetables, such as sliced red peppers, onions, broccoli florets, olives and zucchini in a heart healthy oil and add to a layers of marinara and fontina cheese -- or skip the cheese altogether. Delight your children with a ratatouille pizza while watching the movie by the same name. After sauteing diced eggplant and other favorite vegetables, such as zucchini, onion, bell pepper and minced garlic in olive oil, add the eggplant mixture to a layer of a zesty marinara and cheeses, including mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano and mild white cheddar.

A Little Twisted

• When the desire for the unusual trumps the usual, use your imagination. Roast duck on a bed of sweet and sour or hoisin sauce and topped with micro greens and crispy onions elevates your pizza to something elegant. When you have kids or a crowd, make taco pizzas by spreading a layer of refried black beans on the crust and topping with spicy shredded chicken or spiced beef or turkey crumbles, shredded cheese, lettuce and diced tomatoes. Dollops of sour cream complete the pie. A traditional sausage pizza becomes a gourmet treat by adding broccoli rabe and sauteed white onions and garlic. Go deli style by making a modified Reuben or Rachel by layering grated Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and corned beef. Drizzle with Thousand Island dressing.

Sweet Tooth

• Pizza toppings that satisfy the sweet tooth become a special dessert. To a layer of caramel sauce, add apples that have been mixed with sugar, cinnamon and other favorite spices such as mace or nutmeg. When baked, it becomes an open-face pie. A banana split pizza comes together with layers of hot fudge, caramel and sliced bananas. Toppings vary by taste, but might include chopped nuts, maraschino cherries or a whipped topping. For a healthier pizza dessert, consider adding chopped fresh fruit to a layer of Neufchatel cheese mixed with a hint of honey, vanilla extract or turbinado or white sugar.