Football Party Mini Pizzas - St. Louis Style

St. Louis has a style and culinary culture all its own. Some of the things I grew up eating are hard to find elsewhere...probably because of pesky concerns over cholesterol counts and diameter of waist lines.

But those concerns aren't invited to "Show Me State" tailgate parties. At least not to the parties I attended back in the days when we were rooting for Jim Hart to get the St. Louis Football Cardinals into the playoffs. Arch city dwellers root for the Rams now...but "Gateway to The West" gals still show up on Sunday with trays of these delicious little squares of debauchery. And the best part is that you can make them ahead and freeze them.

My recipe is a variation on one given to me by a woman who grew up in the ultimate St. Louis Italian neighborhood: The Hill - which when it comes to food, translates to tasty!

Ingredients
1 lb. sweet or hot pork sausage
1 lb. Velveeta Cheese (no other cheese will do!)
1 tsp. oregano
1 Bottle of Frank's Hot Sauce
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Pack of cocktail rye mini breads

Brown the sausage and drain. While meat is still warm mix in the Worcestershire sauce and oregano. Set aside. Melt the cheese in a double boiler or in the microwave. Once cheese is soft and melted add sausage mixture and as much Frank's Hot Sauce as desired and stir. One cup of hot sauce will make the pizza's medium spicy. If you are serving them to kids or friends who don't like spicy food you should choose sweet pork sausage and go light on the Frank's Sauce. Spread the sausage and cheese mixture onto the rye breads squares. Either freeze the squares for later or bake them in in the oven at 350 degrees until they are hot and bubbly.

Serve to the delight of all. I've made these for parties in New York, New Jersey, and Florida and they made honorary St. Louisans out of all who tried them.