Garden Veggie Pizza
An Fourth of July tradition.
Today is a slight detour from my kids’ summer cooking adventures.
Last week was a holiday week, with the 4th of July on Saturday. My two younger kids (Q and A) attend summer camp, but we opt to keep them out of camp the week of the 4th. So the entire week was a lot of Hanging Around the House.
For many years, we have hosted a backyard croquet tournament on the actual 4th of July. But the week was blisteringly hot, and I was starting to get concerned about our event. Our air conditioning unit is old and struggles to keep up on the hottest days. If people were constantly going in and out of the house, there was little chance that indoors would provide a reprieve from the heat.
Then on Thursday, it started to rain. And it just didn’t stop. The backyard was like a swamp. Our outdoor plans quickly became indoor plans, and I consulted our cabinet of board games to see what would be best for four adults, five teenagers, and two 8-year-olds.
Even with our newly configured plans to spend the 4th inside, our menu stayed the same: burgers and cold veggie pizza.
Long before we started hosting our own croquet tournament, we used to attend one hosted by my aunt and uncle. They lived on the same road where I grew up, and the event had grown over the years. I don’t know the exact number, but I’m guessing about 20 years of croquet tournaments. They were a fixture of my summers as a child, and extended to my summers as an adult, bringing my own kids to play croquet.
The event spanned my aunt’s side of the family (my dad, his siblings, their children) and my uncle’s side. One of my uncle’s sisters always brought cold veggie pizza. I loved it. As a vegetarian, it was exactly what I needed since I passed on the “main food” at the tournament.
It’s super easy to make:
1 package of crescent rolls
1 8-oz package cream cheese
2/3 c mayo
2 tsp dill weed
shredded cheddar cheese
veggies
Line an ungreased jelly pan with unrolled crescent squares. Bake at 375 for 11-15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely.
Mix cream cheese, mayo, and dill weed until thoroughly combined. Spread over the crust.
Sprinkle veggies over the top. Ideas: green/black olives, green onion, tomato, green pepper, carrots, cucumber, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower.
For this iteration, I used broccoli, mushrooms, shredded carrots, green olives, and black olives. But it’s different every time I make it.
I even have this food chopper from Pampered Chef that I bought probably 20 years ago. It makes an appearance only a few times per year, but definitely needed when I make this veggie pizza.
I bought two packages of crescent rolls and made more a few days later. I had some with dinner, but accidentally left the pan out overnight instead of putting it in the fridge. I was devastated when I discovered my error the next morning.
But one of the perks of having a driving teenager is that they can run errands. I sent my 16-year-old to the grocery store to pick up another package of crescent rolls (along with more broccoli and mushrooms, because I’d run out).
As a result, I’m now on my third veggie pizza of the week and will be enjoying it for a few more days.
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