It's Not Delivery

This was going to be yesterdays post but I got into a fight with some poison ivy that was invading my back flower bed and the poison ivy won, big time. I'm covered in spots and all the itchiness that comes along with them from my forehead to my calves. I still itch and I still look like someone who would make small children scream in fear but life must go on.
I love making homemade pizza but it's taken a lot of failed attempts to get a good crust recipe. Every one I have ever tried was either too complicated, didn't taste quite right, or have the right texture. This is quick, easy, and as close to my husbands favorite local pizza joint as I think I'll ever get.
Start by putting one cup of warm water in a glass bowl. Add one packet (or 2 tsps) of yeast and one teaspoon of sugar and stir gently. Let this sit for around ten minutes until it looks nice and creamy on top. You should go from this....





To this....

Then add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, 2 1/2 cups of flour (I've done all white and half white half wheat and they both work fine) , one teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of dried basil, and one teaspoon of granulated garlic. Mix with a spoon until combined, mixing with your hands or kneading as necessary to combine all of the ingredients. Let the dough sit for at least five minutes before rolling it into the desired shape and size of crust. For me this makes enough for two crusts so I divide it in half. To roll it out put a small amount of corn meal on your counter then roll the dough out on top of the meal, making sure to move the crust around a bit as you roll to make sure it isn't getting stuck to the counter.
Move the crust to your pan and prebake in a 400 degree oven for around 10 minutes before you add your favorite sauce and toppings. I've tried making the pizza without pre baking the crust and I just can't get the crust done enough this way. The longer you pre bake the crunchier your final crust will be.
As you can see I'm not too picky about the final shape of the dough. As long as it fits on the pan it works for me! I usually do one pizza with pepperoni and extra cheese for the hubby and another with the good stuff for the kids and I! This weeks was loaded with onion and fresh peppers and basil from the garden.



Easy Pizza Crust
One cup warm water
One packet yeast (or 2 tsps)
One tsp sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
One tsp salt
One Tbsp dried basil
One tsp granulated garlic
One Tbsp olive oil