Mmm... Pizza!

It's a Friday night, Jeopardy is on TV, and my husband is at work. So, what's a girl to do? I could go on a walk, but it's cold out. I could clean, but... I don't want to. I could start a new novel... but who's got the time to go to Barnes & Noble?

Now that I've eliminated all my other options, how about I cook? 

Actually, that's nearly always my go-to when I want to do something fun. It's a creative outlet for me. I can't draw, and can barely play an instrument, so this seemed like the best thing to try. Three to four nights of the week are spent in my itty-bitty kitchen, whipping up something new and fun. So... I figured I'd follow my heroes and try cooking up something delicious, then share the experience.

Pizza so good, you want to lick
 the plate after

 

So why not start my first blog with something simple - something delicious: Pizza. I'm talking a gooey, thin crust, I-can-eat-it-in-one-sitting pizza. 

I found the beginnings of this recipe on Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice, then tweaked it to make it my own. I like it because the recipe is super easy to follow, and chances are, you have all the ingredients you need in your fridge already. 

Enjoy!








Crust ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil 

Topping ingredients:

2/3 cup pizza sauce
1 and 1/2 cup shredded smoked provolone or mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
dried Italian or pizza seasoning

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F and lightly grease two 12" round pizza pans, or a couple of large baking sheets. I used one of each, because my kitchen is still being stocked.
• Mix the flour, oil, and water together for your dough. Use your hands to gather it together and form into a ball. Divide it in two and form each half into small balls then flatten into discs. Cover with saran wrap and allow them to rest for approximately 10 minutes to make them for easier rolling. I shredded my cheese while I had my dough sit in the fridge to firm up. 

 

•  Grease a piece of parchment or wax paper about 12" square and set one of your dough circles in the middle. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough very thin - 1/8 inch or less, if you can, then place the dough on the prepared pans.

Don't be upset if your pizza dough isn't perfectly round.
It tastes delicious, regardless of shape.

Oh so saucy!

• Top each pizza with 1/3 cup of your sauce, then sprinkle your cheeses onto the top. Season with your herbs/seasoning to your preference. I went lightly because I chose to add chopped garlic to each pizza, which adds a lot of bite and zest.
• Add your toppings of preference. My husband is picky, so he gets simple pepperoni and garlic on his pizza. I wanted something a little more flavorful, so I put heirloom tomato, garlic and basil on mine. 

• Bake the pizzas for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted with a few golden brown spots and the edges/bottom of the crust are golden brown. I like my pizza a little more crispy, so I tend to add a few minutes to that timer.

My favorite is when the cheese touches the pan.
It's up for grabs at that point.

• Remove the pizzas from the oven and let set 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, cut your servings and serve immediately with peppers and parmesan cheese. Or, if you're like me, gobble it right up, burning your fingers as you eat.

Luckily for me, my husband was at work during all of this, so he wasn't able to stop me from sneaking a bite or two of his pizza. Enjoy yours!