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Make Your Own Pizza – It’s easier than you think!

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Ever wished that making pizza was as easy as picking it up from your local pizza joint? Well, it takes a little more forethought but it really is much easier than you might have imagined. I’m excited to talk about one of my favorite family foods and tell you some of the tricks I’ve learned along the way while making lots of yummy pizzas for my family’s pizza night each week over the years.

First, let’s just talk about pizza for a minute. It’s an all-American nod to a classic (though not quite the same) Italian dish. And one of my favorite things about it is that there are a million ways to make it, so it’s a great way to make everyone happy. I love that you can go savory, and never run out of different ways to top it. And you can go sweet, and make a treat that will be a massive hit with everyone too.

To me, pizza night is one of the easiest, most fun nights of the week. But to make pizza night easy, you do need to plan ahead a little. I make up my dough in batches. I freeze portions of it so I can pop it out an hour or so before dinner and let it thaw on the counter. That saves me so much time since I don’t have to make the dough from scratch every time we want pizza. Plus the extra rise helps give the dough an even better texture!

I like to make my own sauce, but you don’t have to. And you can go as elaborate or as easy as you want on the toppings. One of my favorites is the chicken alfredo pizza on the blog. It’s delicious and easy, and it is a great option if you don’t like or want all tomato sauces on your pizzas, too.

 

Tricks and Tips for Making Your Own Pizza

Some of Our Favorite Pizzas

  1. Need a gluten-free option for pizza night? We love this fun BLT Pizza!
  2. This homemade alfredo sauce is SO easy to make and it’s delicious on this alfredo chicken pizza. This is a huge favorite of mine!
  3. These mini deep dish pizzas are a fun take on personal pizzas. Lots of cheese!
  4. Here’s another fun take on chicken pizza. Good way to get some spinach in. You’ll really like Chicken Florentine Pizza!
  5. Don’t have time for a crust? French bread makes a fun, crispy alternative in this French Bread Pizza.
  6. Here’s a tex-mex way to make some pizza. Try out Cornbread Pizza!
  7. Who else loves pesto? I love this  Pesto Tomato Pizza!
  8. Need a little heat? Try this Spicy Garlic Chicken Pizza!
  9. This is not a pizza. But it’s another fun way to enjoy those pizza-y, cheesy flavors we love in pizza. You’ll love this Sausage Mozzarella Calzones
  10. Does anyone lovee a deep dish Chicago style pizza? This pizza pot pie was SO good!

How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough

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Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe

 

We’ve been talking pizza here the last few weeks.  We talked about a few pizza game changers you can use to improve your homemade pizza.

And I shared our favorite homemade sauce recipe.  It’s easy and simple so that’s an added bonus.

Today I’ve got a pizza dough recipe for you to try.  This is not a quick dough to make, but it is worth the time.  I adapted this from the free Craftsy pizza making class.  Mostly, I simplified and clarified the recipe.  The original recipe calls for measuring everything on a scale.

While I’m sure using a kitchen scale will yield more consistent results, I’m resistant for a couple of reasons.  First, I don’t own a scale and I know many (probably most) of you don’t either.

And second,  I think there’s something to be said for learning to trust your own judgement when it comes to working with any type of dough.  There’s a satisfaction in making something enough that you begin to know when it needs more flour or when it could use some water.  When to leave the dough to rest a while and when to keep working it.

I’m still in the process of learning to really know my way around the pizza dough, but I am learning.

Before I share the recipe, let’s talk over a few tips.   [Read more…] about How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough

Easy Grilled Pizza

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GrillePizza5

Grilled pizza is one of my favorite summer meals. It’s easy, involves almost no planning and it’s super quick. The first time I tried this I was thinking, there’s no way this is going to work! But it works and it works really well.

The ingredients for grilled pizza are the same as you’d use for a traditional pizza:

GrilledPizza3

I like to prep everything inside and lay it out on a cutting board to take outside.  This seems to keep things contained a little better, and it’s easier than carrying a million things back and forth to the kitchen. It’s also a great idea to have everything prepped before you start – these cook quickly!

GrilledPizza4

In a nutshell, you plop your dough onto the preheated grill. When the bottom is firm and has grill lines (after about a minute on the grill), you flip it over.    [Read more…] about Easy Grilled Pizza

10 Graduation Party Menus Plus Desserts and Snacks!

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It’s that time of year when our graduates take the stage with caps and gowns and march off to get their diplomas and take on the world! Graduating is a great milestone and it’s something that should be celebrated.

But planning a graduation party menu can feel a bit overwhelming. Feeding a crowd can be a lot of work, and picking a menu that pleases everyone isn’t always easy. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! [Read more…] about 10 Graduation Party Menus Plus Desserts and Snacks!

15 min Gluten-free BLT Pizza

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Have you ever had one of those nights that you literally had 15 minutes to get dinner on the table? I seem to have them a lot. We get home – it’s dinner time and everyone is hungry! This little gem is one of my favorites. Now that I discovered it, my family asks for it once a week. I hope that it becomes a favorite in your home too.

You’ll need:

  • Gluten-free pizza crust
  • 2 cups of Mozzarella Cheese
  • Bacon bits (homemade or bought)
  • 1/4 cup of sliced green onions
  • 1 tomato chopped
  • 1 cup of shredded lettuce
  • 1/2 cup of ranch (I make mine like this)

What to do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375.
  2. Lay the pizza crust out on a pan.
  3. Cover with the cheese, bacon, and green onions.
  4. Bake for 5-7 minutes until all toppings are melted and lightly browned.
  5. Mix the tomato, lettuce, and ranch together in a bowl.
  6. Serve the pizza with the lettuce mixture on top of it.

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15 min Gluten Free BLT Pizza

Ingredients

  • Gluten-free pizza crust
  • 2 cups of Mozzarella Cheese
  • Bacon bits homemade or bought
  • 1/4 cup of sliced green onions
  • 1 to mato chopped
  • 1 cup of shredded lettuce
  • 1/2 cup of ranch

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375.
  • Lay the pizza crust out on a pan.
  • Cover with the cheese, bacon, and green onions.
  • Bake for 5-7 minutes until all toppings are melted and lightly browned.
  • Mix the tomato, lettuce, and ranch together in a bowl.
  • Serve the pizza with the lettuce mixture on top of it.

 

 

Rachael Walkup has been married to her best friend for 7 years. They have two kids – a 3 yr old boy and a 1 yr old  little girl. She loves to write, cook, spend time with family, and serve others. You can learn more about her by following along on twitter, her blog, or pinterest.