The Freezer Case: Freschetta Simply Inspired Rustic Pepperoni Pomodoro

Spicy here, checking in from a rough few weeks. I've got strep throat and the nibble's had back-to-back illnesses: first an upper respiratory infection, now an ear infection and two pink eyes. In 15 months, he's barely been sick at all (outside of minor colds), so I guess we're getting it all at once. When things get hectic around here (or I just can't make it to the grocery store), I'll occasionally use Genuardi's grocery delivery service, which is precisely how we ended up with the Freschetta Simply Inspired Rustic Pepperoni Pomodoro.

For the most part, the delivery service is great: you get the same sale prices available at the store and you can also get free delivery as long as you order five things from their list of hot items that week (which is quite a long and varied list, so it's pretty easy to do). However, there are two major drawbacks. First, items you have ordered may be out of stock, but you don't find that out until the groceries are delivered. Second, unless you have a few hours to spend reading the fine print online for each item ordered, you may end up with enough flank steak to feed the neighborhood or a pizza with mushrooms.

No, we don't like mushrooms at all, and definitely not on our pizza. I know that pomodoro sauce typically contains mushrooms, but I guess I figured they would be part of the sauce - not an individual topping. I was able to pry most of them off before cooking, so I suppose it isn't a huge deal, but that extra step does take away from the convenience of a frozen pie.

Mushrooms aside, the pie was decent. Slightly better than average, but probably not what I would call inspired. We enjoyed the large pepperoni slices, yet they weren't as flavorful as the uncured pepperoni from Newman's or Whole Foods' frozens. The red peppers were a nice touch, but not especially noticeable in a bite. The crust was tasty and thin, but a little too crunchy. The amount of sauce was a bit light, but if it had been any heavier, it would have overwhelmed the thin crust.

Overall, it wasn't especially filling or satisfying. But it wasn't a bad pizza either. It would probably make a nice lunch, but needs a bit more accompaniment than just a side salad for a dinner.

If you want to try the Freschetta Simply Inspired Rustic Pepperoni Pomodoro pizza for yourself, download a $1 off coupon at http://www.freschetta.com/pizza-coupons/default.aspx.