Homemade Pizza

If you've never made pizza before, I urge you to try! It's really not too hard, and the results are MUCH healthier and cheaper!

Pizza Crust
(recipe adapted from my Oster bread machine recipe book)

This recipe makes a 2-pound loaf. I use half the dough the day I make it, and freeze the rest to use later. It thaws really well!

1. In a bread machine, combine the following ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 3/8 cups of room temperature water (I know, it's a weird measurement. I just eyeball a little less than 1 1/2)
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2. Set your bread machine on the dough setting and walk away for 90 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

4. Divide dough in half. Put one half in a freezer bag and stash for later use.

5. On a pizza pan or cookie sheet, press out the remaining half of the dough into about a 10" pizza crust.

6. Bake the crust alone for about 8 minutes.

7. Add pizza sauce and toppings of your choice.

8. Bake for another 12-14 minutes.

Try your own balance of white/wheat flour. We love whole wheat around here, but Scott and I weren't thrilled with an all whole wheat crust. These days I usually use about 2 1/2 cups whole wheat and 1 1/2 cups white.

I would post how I make my own pizza sauce, but I'm not really sure. :) I open up a small can of tomato sauce and a small can of tomato paste, and dump all of the sauce and about half the paste in a bowl. I mix it up well, then I add some spices that came with my spice rack labeled "pizza seasonings". I am pretty sure it has oregano and basil in it, but who knows what else is in there. It tastes good, though! Oh, I also add about a teaspoon of evaporated cane juice or half a packet of Truvia (you can just use sugar).

My favorite pizza toppings, you ask? Red & green bell peppers, baby bella mushrooms, or pineapple. :)