Philly Cheesesteak Pizza

Eclectic Americana week is almost over...
but doesn't a Philly Cheesesteak pizza sound awesome?! Pizza leftovers are always a plus, and make the next day's lunch easy and pleasant. This is another first for me--I've made a vegan philly cheesteak sandwich before, but this was my first time incorporating it into a pizza. I make my own vegan meats at home sometimes, and the sliced "steak" you see here was homemade. I got the recipe from M. W. Rassmusen's Veggie Works cookbook. I highly suggest this book for anyone who wants to learn how to make the basic vegan "meats" and sauces.
I normally make my own pizza crust (whole or white-wheat), but this evening--homework assignments pummeling my mind with dread--I decided that I'd use a store-bought crust for convenience.

Philly Cheesesteak Pizza:

1 Pilsbury Pizza Crust
1 small sweet onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned (Dane hates green peppers, but you are more than welcome to substitute to keep the product authentic)
vegan steak, sliced thin
cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 t. canola oil (expeller-pressed), divided
vegan soy cheese
1-2 T. Veganaise (optional)
splash of water
a pinch of raw sugar
onion and garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Saute onions with one teaspoon of oil on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add bell peppers and saute for an additional 3-4 minutes. When slightly softened, add a splash of water and a pinch of sugar. Stir, let most of the water simmer off. Set aside in a bowl.
In the same pan, add the remaining teaspoon of oil and brown the vegan steak slices--it should be browned and slightly crispy. Set aside.
Unroll the pizza dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Spread the Veganaise (if using) in a very thin layer over the entire crust, but leaving an inch for the edges. Sprinkle on a bit of onion and garlic powder, as much soy cheese as desired (I use very little), top with mushrooms, caramelized onion/pepper mixture, steak, and an extra light sprinkling of cheese on top. Spray the edges with cooking spray if you want a crisper, more flavorful crust. Plop in the oven and bake for approximately 12-15 minutes.