Pizza! Pizza!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday!  I felt so blessed to have time to spend with family. One of my favorite things to do is to make fun memories for my kids and all of us adults, too.

On Christmas Eve we attended our church’s evening program.  We were reminded in such a sweet and simple way about the true meaning of Christmas and the ultimate gift of Christ coming as a baby.  It was a beautiful service, and it’s something we look forward to each year.

Once we were home we took our annual family Christmas photo, and then it was time for dinner.  We were only having my father over for dinner and because I make a fancy Christmas Day meal, I wanted dinner to be something simple and fun for Christmas Eve.  Earlier in the week I talked with my daughters about what we should have and homemade pizza was the favorite option.

It turned out to be a perfect and completely fun idea!  I made the pizza dough the day before and placed it in gallon ziplocs to rise overnight.  We purchased our favorite toppings including turkey pepperoni, sausages, olives, onions, pineapple, ham, and cheeses.  I went ahead and bought the packaged sauce, too – this needed to be easy!

We set out all of the toppings on the kitchen island and gave each person their own piece of parchment paper. I preheated my oven and pizza stones to 450 degrees, too.

Each person made their own creation – we had multiple round pizzas, a calzone made by my husband, and a butterfly pizza designed by my youngest daughter.  It ended up being so fun as we even had my dad (not known for his cooking) wash up his hands and form his own pizza.  I think he enjoyed it, too – he was smiling and was surprised how good it tasted when it came out of the oven.

I’m happy to say that I feel like I’ve mastered my pizza making on our pizza stones now.  The parchment paper makes it simple because the pizza doesn’t stick.  I bought a pizza peel at Costco a few months ago, and it’s really helpful when you’re putting the pizzas in and taking them out of the oven.

We enjoyed making pizzas so much that we did it again later in the week.  Homemade pizza is such a treat!  I’m sharing our recipe. We found that we enjoy adding a bit of italian seasoning for a little more flavorful dough.

Pizza Dough

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This is a wonderful and simple pizza dough. It has great flavor and texture!

Ingredients

• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup warm water (100 - 110 degrees to activate the yeast)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus extra as needed to brush on crust)

Optional

• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning mix

Note

This pizza dough makes 2 regular sized pizzas, or can be divided up to make several individual pizzas or calzones. It can be frozen in a ziploc for up to 2 months.  When ready to use it, allow it to thaw for 3-4 hours at room temperature.

Directions

Step 1

In a food processor, combine the flours, yeast, sugar, and salt. If you'd like a more flavorful crust, add the italian seasoning, too. Use the pulse setting to mix the ingredients.

Step 2

Turn the processor to the On position and add the water and olive oil in a steady stream. Turn the processor Off, but begin to use the pulse button to mix the dough until it forms a rough mass after approximately 12 - 15 seconds. If the dough doesn't form into a ball, use 1 - 2 teaspoons of warm water and pulse again until the dough forms a rough mass.

Step 3

Allow the dough to rest for 5 - 10 minutes. Turn the processor On again and mix for 25-30 seconds. The dough should be tacky, but not too sticky.

Step 4

Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, forming it into a ball. Turn it to grease the top. Set aside and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled - approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours. OR you can take the dough and put it into a ziploc bag to keep in the refrigerator for a few days until you are ready to use it.

Step 5

Once your dough has risen, punch it down and divide into two equal portions. Shape each piece into a smooth ball, using flour if the dough becomes too sticky. Set aside and cover dough for 10 minutes to allow it to rest before proceeding to shape your pizzas.

Step 6

If using pizza stones to bake your pizzas, preheat your oven and stoneware to 450 degrees. Use a large piece of parchment paper and dust it with flour or cornmeal. Spread your dough, and top with your favorite sauce, cheeses, and toppings. Brush the edges with extra olive oil. Place pizzas and parchment paper onto hot pizza stone and bake for 12-18 minutes until it reaches desired crispiness. If using a metal sheet to bake your pizzas, grease your sheet with extra oil and sprinkle with cornmeal. Spread your dough and top with favorite sauce, cheeses, and toppings. Brush edges of dough with extra olive oil. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-18 minutes until browned and dough is cooked through.

Enjoy! I’d love to hear your pizza stories – feel free to leave a comment below!

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