Robin’s Rescue: Make easy meal with pre-baked pizza crust

Question: I’m always tempted to buy those pre-baked Italian pizza crusts at the grocery store, but I don’t want to make a plain tomato-cheese pizza. We can order that from our favorite pizza place. Do you have other ideas?

Robin’s Rescue: Pre-baked pizza crusts are an excellent option for busy weeknights and they can be used to make innovative appetizers for weekend parties. Plus, you’re not relegated to “pizza,” as you can see with my recipe for flatbread with bacon and asparagus. To add flavor and creaminess, I added garlic-spiked ricotta cheese.

RELATED: Learn to eat healthy on the cheap

Nutritionist and cookbook author Robin Miller tackles your food and dining dilemmas. Find her at robinmillercooks.com and get inspired by watching her YouTube videos: Dinner Tonight, by Robin Miller Cooks.

Bacon and Asparagus Flatbread With Garlic Ricotta

Prep time: 10-15 minutes.

Cooking time: 15 minutes.

Servings: 6.

14-ounce pre-baked Italian pizza crust or 12-inch thin pre-made pizza crust

1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends trimmed and stalks cut into 2-inch pieces

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon garlic powder

6 slices center-cut bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the crust on a baking sheet. Set aside.

Immerse the asparagus in a pot of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. Combine the ricotta cheese and garlic powder and mix until blended. Spread the ricotta mixture all over the crust, to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Top with the asparagus. Bake for 10 minutes. Top with the bacon and cook for 5 more minutes, until the crust is crisp and the cheese is golden.

Per serving for regular crust: 284 calories, 9 g fat, 19 mg cholesterol, 38 g carbohydrates, 15 g protein, 3 g fiber, 360 mg sodium.

Per serving for thin crust: 244 calories, 8 g fat, 19 mg cholesterol, 29 g carbohydrates, 14 g protein, 3 g fiber, 450 mg sodium.

E-mail your questions to robinsrescue@azcentral.com and she’ll dish up delicious answers every Wednesday.