Pizza Dough

Homemade pizza is just amazing. It's so much better than delivery, plus you can put your own toppings on it! My kids love this pizza, because one can have pepperoni, another one ham and pineapple, etc. Just don't put the cheese over the toppings, or you'll be hearing about it!

I've tried lots of different dough recipes, but this one has become my favorite. It's from one of my favorite food blogs: OurBestBites.com. This recipe can also be used to make breadsticks!

Pizza Dough

1 1/2 c. warm water
1 TB sugar
1 TB yeast
1/2 teas salt
3-4 1/2 cups flour

In a large bowl, combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly. Add salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 c. flour and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and your humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger.

Spray a glass or metal bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl.
Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Preheat your oven (and your pizza stone, if you want) to 425 degrees. While oven is heating, punch down dough and shape into a disc. Spray your work surface, rolling pin, and pizza stone with non-stick cooking spray. Place dough disc onto work surface. Roll and shape into a circle. Very gently transfer the dough onto your pizza stone and continue to shape up to the edges of the stone.

Using a fork, prick several holes in the crust. Drizzle crust with a little olive oil and brush all the way up to the edges. Sprinkle with garlic salt or homemade Garlic Seasoning.
Both oiling and garlic salting the crust help crisp it up, give it a great flavor, and keep it from getting soggy in the middle.

Then, have you ever made pizza and had it be doughy in the middle? Duh- bake it first! Bake crust in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven.

Spread your sauce on the cooked crust, and then add your toppings.

Return crust to oven and bake 10-12 more minutes or until cheese is melty and the crust is golden brown.

Topping ideas: Any typical toppings are wonderful, including pepperoni, ham, sausage, vegatables, etc. Try adding some uniqueness by using bbq sauce instead of pasta sauce, cooked chicken, green onion, and chopped tomatoes. Or, create an alfredo pizza with alfredo sauce, chicken, green onion, and tomatoes. Yum!

What are your favorite pizza toppings?