Appetizing pizza: Go ahead, be crabby

We're always in search of easy appetizers during the impromptu summer entertaining season. When Alicia tasted an unusual "appetizer" pizza at one of her favorite Italian restaurants, she figured it would be easy to do at home.

This pizza is essentially topped with a jazzed-up version of an old Junior League cookbook standby - artichoke dip. (It's not the healthiest concoction, and that's probably why everyone seems to love it so!)

If you take the basic parmesan-and-mayo artichoke-dip formula, add lump crabmeat and kalamata olives and spread it on a pizza crust, what can only be described as heaven moves to a whole new level. (On second thought, a more appropriate analogy might borrow from Original Sin.)

And how do you elevate what's already sinful to hedonistic? Add a remoulade sauce. That level of gluttony is best left for viewing in private. Check out the recipe at our Web site at kitchenscoop.com.

• Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross are co-authors of "Desperation Dinners!" (Workman, 1997), "Desperation Entertaining!" (Workman, 2002) and "Cheap. Fast. Good!" (Workman, 2006). Write them at Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, or tellus@kitchenscoop.com. Or visit the Desperation Dinners Web site at kitchenscoop.com.