It's not Delivery?

Mom:  It's pizza night.

Kids:  Is the pizza man coming?

Mom:  Nope.  It's not delivery.  It's homemade.

Kids:  Okay.  Your pizza is pretty good.  Can we help make it?

This is pretty much how the conversation goes every time I make pizza.  It's the best meal to make at the end of a long week, when the fridge is full of bits and pieces of everything leftover from the week.  Anything makes a good pizza.  The following recipe will make two pizza crusts.  Sometimes I make two pizzas.  Sometimes I make one pizza and freeze the other half to defrost later.

Simple Red Pizza Sauce 

(make this before you start the dough, so it will be ready when you are ready to make the pizza)

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. olive oil (+ 2 additional Tbsp.)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 28 ounce can of tomatoes

salt

pepper

Heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook until translucent.  Add tomatoes and their juice.  Add salt and pepper and cook until the sauce is thickened and reduced by a third, about 15 minutes.  Re-season with salt and pepper.  Add remaining olive oil.  Pulse in a blender or food processor if you want a smoother sauce.

My Grandma P gave me her extra large Tupperware bowl that I use constantly.  It's perfect for making this pizza dough recipe.  Make sure to oil the bowl and the dough so that you can remove it easily after you've let it rise.

Pizza Dough (makes 2 pizza crusts)

3 cups all-purpose flour ( plus 2 cups)

2 packages of FLEISCHMANN'S Quick-Rise Instant Yeast

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups very warm water (130 degrees F)

4 Tbsp. olive oil

cornmeal

In large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, yeast and salt.  Stir in very warm water and olive oil into dry ingredients.  Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough.  Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.  Place in oiled bowl, roll it so that the outside of dough ball is lightly covered in oil, cover and let rest for 10 minutes (or up to an hour).


Lightly spray two baking sheets, sprinkle with cornmeal.  Divide and roll dough to fit pans.
Top pizzas as desired.  Bake at 425 degrees F for 15-25 minutes or until done.  Baking time depends on size thickness of crust and toppings so watch closely.

Sometimes I turn the second half of the dough into quick and easy cinnamon buns for a fun after school snack.  Just roll out the dough, add a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins, roll up, cut and bake until golden brown.

E-man likes to eat his cinnamon bun by unrolling the dough, carefully eating towards the centre, which is the "BEST PART".

Reegs likes the full-fist approach.  She is usually a sticky mess, picking out all of the raisins.

T-man likes to take all the 'BEST BITES' first, meaning, he'll eat all spots that have the most sugar/raisins, before eating the rest of the roll.