Pizza Night

One of my menu staples is homemade pizza. It is inexpensive, delicious, and filling. Add a side salad and you have a yummy meal any day of the week. Pizza is also very easy for kids to help with -- Ella has taken a keen interest in helping Daddy make pizza!

Homemade Pizza
1 Cup lukewarm water
1 package dry yeast (or 2.25 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon sugar
2.5 -3 Cups flour (we use white or whole wheat or a combo)
2 Tablespoons oil (we use olive oil for taste)
1 teaspoon salt

Mix yeast, sugar, and water. Let sit for about 5 minutes; mixture should be bubbly after 5 minutes. When using yeast, err on the side of cooler water. It may take the yeast longer to activate, but if the water is too warm it will kill the yeast.

Add the rest of the ingredients and knead dough right in the bowl (or on the counter if you want). Add more flour if needed so the dough is not sticky. Leave dough in bowl anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours. The longer it sits, the more bread like the dough will be. We let ours rise for about 15 minutes as we prefer a less bread-like dough. Punch down dough after rising and spread on to your preferred pan. We use a jelly roll pan with a Silpat underneath. Add your favorite toppings, sauce, and cheese.

We bake our pizza at 500 degrees for 10-15 minutes. We use a high temp because we live in the desert and our low moisture affects our dough. You could lower the temp to 450 degrees if you are in a moist climate (pretty much anywhere but here!).