Problem Solving

I teach my students early to be "problem-solvers." Often this problem-solving begins with many blank stares ("What do you mean 'what should I do about it'?") and many suggestions from me ("You could try looking for the folder you can't find."). The other day, one of my boys shouted "That was problem-solving!!" across the room. They have arrived!

Now, a recipe in which I had to do some problem-solving:

Quattro Stagioni Pizza
(from Food Network Magazine)

Pizza dough (we bought this from the store)
Can of crushed tomatoes
Dried oregano
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Diced mozzarella
Basil
Olives
Artichoke hearts
Ham
Garlic Cloves (now we should have roasted these because they came out as raw garlic, but I problem-solved that by eating it anyway. Feel free to use your own problem-solving ideas here)

1. Stretch dough into pizza pan/baking sheet.
2. Top with crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, salt, pepper and olive oil
3. Cover 1/4 of the pizza with olives, 1/4 with artichoke hearts, 1/4 with ham, 1/4 with garlic cloves
4. Sprinkle with diced mozzarella, torn basil and salt
5. Bake until cheese melts, then drizzle with olive oil.