Quickie Pizza Crust (from scratch)

The kids want pizza, but I don't want to order out.

I don't have any pre-made dough in the fridge...and I don't feel like going to the store to buy a pre-made crust.

I really, really don't want to order delivery.

What's a mom to do??

Make a quickie crust. Mixing time (5 minutes) plus resting time (10 minutes) then bake time (10 more minutes). After that load and bake. Viola! Dinner is done!!

Better yet - get the kids to help and use the resting time and 1st bake time to prep the ingredients to top the ready crust...

Or, if your house is like our house...use that time to fight about what kind of pizza to make.

Yay!!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups AP flour

*cornmeal*

Directions:

1. Combine active rise yeast in warm water until completely dissolved.

2. Add olive oil to water and yeast mixture.

3. Begin mixing wet ingredients on low using an electric mixer with a dough hook. Gradually add sugar, salt, and flour.

4. Increase mixer speed to medium and continue to beat (mix) until a soft dough ball forms.

5. Cover dough ball and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prep baking stone or pan using non-stick spray and sprinkling with a light dusting of cornmeal.

7. After dough has rested, knead into a ball - then stretch to desired shape for baking. (I use a small dough roller to help stretch the dough to the desired shape and size.) Prick stretched dough with a fork.

8. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes.

9. After the crust has baked alone, remove from oven and top with desired toppings.

10. Bake for additional 10-12 minutes after toppings are loaded as desired. Allow additional baking time, if desired, for melting and browning of pizza toppings.

11. Enjoy!

Hint: When we want a thicker crust pizza, we use this recipe to make one large rectangle pizza. When we want a thinner, crispier crust I divide the dough ball on to two separate baking stones and stretch the dough further. If all else fails, tortillas make great pizza crust and in our case...Pizza Hut is about 4 blocks away! Although, my kids prefer my pizza over take-out these days...I kinda like that!!

This recipe is being shared at Everyday Mom's Meals this week for Church Supper #36 - go visit and tell her I said hello!  Check out what other great recipes are being shared this week while you are there :)

Pesto Chicken Pizzas

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• pizza crust (home made or store bought)
• 1 cup diced, cooked chicken
• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• 1 can (2 1/4 oz) slice ripe olives, drained
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. (Making the pesto.) In a blender: combine the cilantro, parsley, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, and garlic cloves. Cover and blend well. Once fully processed, add olive oil in a steady stream while continuing to blend.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
3. Place pizza crust on prepared baking sheet. Top pizza crust with about pesto, spreading with the back of a spoon.
4. Next, sprinkle with chicken, tomatoes, olives, and cheese.
5. Bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes - or until cheese is melted.

Hint: The original recipe called for flour tortillas as the crust - that is my favorite pizza crust! We had been traveling all day and I didn't realize we didn't have any tortillas. Apparently our oldest thinks flour tortillas make great late night snacks...Any whoo... In 15 minutes I prepared a home made crust (recipe to follow). Being flexible in the kitchen can be very rewarding! Another way to save time would be to substitute prepared pesto sauce - instead of making it from scratch. Enjoy!!

I'm sharing this recipe at A Little Nosh for the Tastetastic Thursday 4/19 party - go see what other great ideas are being shared!!

Basic Bread Dough

Ingredients:

6 1/2 cups all-purpose bread flour

1 1/2 TBS kosher salt

1 1/2 TBS active dry yeast

3 cups warm water

* combine dry ingredients in stand mixer bowl, using dough hook

* with hook speed on low, slowly begin to add water

* as water and dry ingredients begin to combine, increase the hook speed

* once water and dry ingredients are completely combined, continue mixing with dough hook until dough is in a soft ball and pulls away easily from the sides of the mixing bowl - you will be able to tell by the way the dough looks

* slow mixing speed to low, mixing about one minute before shutting off the mixer

* once you have stopped the mixer, remove the dough hook and cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel

* allow dough to rise in the covered mixing bowl for 2 hours in a warm, draft free space (if your kitchen or work space is cooler, use a heating pad under the bowl to help maintain a warm temperature)

* after the dough has risen for 2 hours, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 4 smaller dough balls

* each dough ball is ready for immediate use or can be put into a prepared plastic wrap (I use plastic bags without a zipper) to keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week

* to use refrigerated dough - allow dough to come to room temperature before shaping or baking

HINTS:

- for crusty bread products (pizza, dinner rolls, pretzels) always cook at 450 degrees F

- length of time cooked will depend on what you are cooking - cinnamon rolls may cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, while a bread sticks cook at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes

- feel free to experiment with new ways to use this dough! Our family uses it for pizza crust, cinnamon rolls, breakfast bread sticks, calzones, garlic bread....the list is always growing!!

- use a pizza cutter to divide the dough into smaller balls or shapes

- when dough is tacky (sticks to your fingers or surfaces) use cooking spray or AP flour to help make it more manageable

Chicken Broccoli Braid

**This is not my recipe, it originally came from a Pampered Chef cookbook**

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

1 cup broccoli, chopped

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped (optional)

1 garlic clove

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup mayo

2 tsp all purpose dill seasoning mix (pampered chef)

1/4 tsp salt

2 packages crescent rolls

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 Tbs slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Chop chicken and broccoli. Place in bowl. Chop pepper and add to bowl. Press garlic into bowl. Add cheese to mixture. Next add mayo, dill mix, and salt. Mix well. Unroll crescent rolls but do not separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of a 12x15 pan. Using dough roller seal perforations. On longest sides cut dough 1 1/2 strips apart for braiding. Put mixture from bowl into center of dough lengthwise and pull cut pieces of dough up over filling to cover in a "braided" fashion. Twist each strip one turn. Tuck ends under to seal. Coat outside of dough with brushed egg white. Sprinkle top with almonds. Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown.

**Mary's modifications: I used egg beaters egg whites instead of separated eggs, used a pizza crust/roll mix instead of crescent rolls, did not do the whole braid thing...instead more of a stromboli...it was a hit**

Spinach & Ham Stromboli

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated pizza crust (roll form)
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
3-4 slices provolone cheese
4-6 oz sliced deli ham
3/4-1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup sliced red onion
**Italian seasoning blend**

* Unroll pizza crust unto baking pan or stone

* Put baby spinach leaves down the center of the dough, lengthwise

* Top spinach leaves with provolone slices

* Top provolone with ham slices

* Top ham with shredded mozzarella

* Top mozzarella with red onion slices

* Lightly sprinkle with Italian seasoning blend

* Bring sides of pizza dough over the middle (fillings) and seal in the middle, by overlapping or squeezing dough together...if desired turn stuffed dough seam side down

* Sprinkle outer side of dough with additional Italian seasoning if desired

* Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 35-40 minutes

* Allow to rest about 5 minutes after removing from oven....slice and serve