Pizza Night

disclaimer - this isn't my pizza, it just looks fantastic, like mine ;)

Who doesn't like pizza? I love it, and in fact in my first trimester, that was the only thing that consistently sounded delicious. I didn't eat it very often, but I did think about it. As a favor to a friend I am posting our favorite pizza night for you.

Who said bread makers were only for bread? Not my brother, Jeff. He introduced me to the most delicious and easy homemade pizzas I've ever had. Thanks Jeff!

The Dough:

1 cup warm water (I run the tap until it's hot, then measure)

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup olive oil

3 1/2 cups flour (I usually use at least 1 1/2 cups wheat)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons yeast (yes that's a lot, but I don't recommend using less-I've tried)

***recently I've been adding a tablespoon or two more water. check your dough after about 5 minutes of mixing to see if you need more or not***

When we want a pizza night I just dump all the ingedients into my bread maker, usually around lunch while Easton is still eating. Set the timer, and then when dinner time hits the dough's ready to go! Then all you do is divide the dough( I divide it into 3 - 2 pizzas and 1 for breadsticks), shape into whatever you need, add toppings. Bake, preferably on a baking stone, in hot oven, around 450 degrees for about 10 minutes. Voila, pizza dinner!

If you're feeling ambitious you can easily make your own sauce, like I do. I promise it's easy, tastes sooo much better than anything you can buy, and you'll have extra for dipping. I got his recipe from Rachael Ray. I don't know the official one, but this is how I do it:

The Sauce

1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1-2 cloves garlic, minced - according to taste

oregano to taste (I just dump some in, maybe start with 1-2 teaspoons)

1-2 tablespoons tomato paste, to preferred consistency

Combine and let simmer before you start with the dough. Sometimes I forget and it gets almost no simmering time, but I can't tell much difference in the end. As you can tell I don't measure any of this - and I measure everything! Just so what looks/tastes good. You can't mess it up.

I usually serve this with raw cut veggies. Easy!