Pizza Anyone?

Long time no write. I know. I know. I'm sorry, but kind of not. It has been a really up and down, sitting on the edge of our chair kind of year. In the past year we have really come to realize our home is California. I have expressed this before, but it has just become so much clearer. I moved the girls and I into base housing while Jason was deployed this past summer. I will NEVER move alone again, EVER! And I mean EVER! That $1000 I was quoted to have movers move us seemed outrageous at the time...but then I had to spend money on a hitch for the Uhaul, then ANOTHER lower hitch because my Tahoe is too high to pull a motorcycle trailer. Then I had to buy strap downs for the motorcycle. Not to mention all the gas back and forth. There were days that I made the 30 mile trek over 7 times back and forth! And I did this multiple days, ALONE. Oh wait...average in all the drive-thrus and delivery I spent money on. Just so you know, I will NEVER, NEVER think I am big enough, cool enough or independent enough to manage a move on my own, during the summer, while the girls are out of school (that takes up precious room in the car) AGAIN!

Been there, done that, never again. Now I can mark that off my bucket list, not that it ever was on my bucket list. 

So, where did that long spill lead us...to our house on base. It is OLD. It is small...but not as small as our rental. 

Granted our bedroom furniture won't all fit in our room...so guess what's sitting in our living room...our bedroom dresser...with our TV on it. I know it sounds weird, but it actually looks and fits really well. But it is pretty awkward when you forget to grab things out of it before you get in the shower. Hence the reason Jason got a robe for Christmas. Did I mention it sits flush with our front door and we keep it open pretty much all the time! It wasn't pretty! Anyways, so my point. I went from a barely there kitchen, a freezer that wouldn't open enough to fit any kind of box into it and counter space that was so sparse I had to bring Jason's desk into there to make an island to prepare on. Sometimes, if I was feeling lazy, I did pull a chair up to the desk sitting in the middle of the "not there" kitchen. 

BUT the kitchen in our base house is amazing. Granted, not amazing like our home in Cali. This one has PLENTY of storage and counter space and my freezer opens all the way! Jason even has his desk back! 

So, after all is said and done...I have REALLY started cooking again. And I mean it. My new years resolution was to only eat out once a month...that even includes drive-thrus. We made it with flying colors in January and ordered pizza on the 30th. The only reason I even order pizza is because I LOVE Pizza Hut's pan pizza. It just calls my name. What you don't know, we have started pizza Fridays and I always make homemade pizza...crust included. 

But I was getting bored with the regular crust recipe I have. It's pretty much foolproof...it's not a bad crust, it just gets a little boring having the same crust every week when you are constantly having a different pizza. Tonight...that changed. I found a recipe for Pizza Hut's pan pizza, I knew I had to make it. This morning I checked the recipe, like I do every morning to see how long dinner is going to take to prepare and discovered that this recipe needed the dough to rise for 8 to 24 hours...then another 2 hours once it was in the cast iron skillet. Yeah, it was already 10 when I checked this and had to scrap this recipe. I quickly did a search for pan pizza recipes and happened on this one. In one word. Amazing. 

Granted I had to scrap the dough twice before I got it right...that was all by my own mistake. I have gotten really good at bread making...so I never measure flour...I just watch it as it is kneading and then add more until it pulls off the sides. In my first two attempts, my stupid hands got the best of me and I poured too much flour in when it didn't need that much and had to start over. For someone who is used to making bread and watching how much flour goes in...it's very frustrating to make mistakes! 

My third batch turned out great and the rest is history. The dough rises in pie or cake pans and unlike the recipe, I didn't roll out the dough. I always feel like when I roll any kind of dough out, it toughens it...and especially with pizza dough, it needs to be light and not dense...so I just shaped with my hands. And personally, I find it easier and it doesn't make a mess. 

The dough rises in the pie or cake pans so you don't have to dirty a separate bowl to let the dough rise. Less dishes! It's the same amount of rising time, about an hour to an hour and a half and then from there, the recipe calls to top the dough and then bake. I don't like baking my pizza with the toppings before baking the crust a little to make it less able to absorb the wetness and oil from the toppings and cheese. So I baked my crust for about 5 minutes, took it out and then topped. Then baked with the toppings for another 8 to 10 minutes.

Any kind of dough seems daunting to make homemade, but it's really not. Another misconception, it's time consuming, again...it's not. It usually takes about 10 minutes from the time you proof your yeast to the time you transfer to let it rise. Then it sits for an hour and a half, then is transferred to whatever the pan or dish it's baking it, usually it rises again, alone, and then it's ready to be baked. So total, for fresh baked bread, any kind...it's takes minimal effort. 

Here's the recipe I used today for the Pan Crust, I adapted it a bit and I'll note the differences in parenthesis.

Pizza Hut Orignial Pan Pizza Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 1/3 cup warm water (105 degrees F)
1/4 cup non-fat dry milk (This is found by the evaporated milk)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 package dry yeast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for dough)
9 ounces vegetable oil (3 ounce per pan) (Only use about a tablespoon per pan, and then spread with a paper towel. You don't need 3 ounces per pan)

Put yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in a large (2 qt.) bowl. Add water and stir to mix well. Allow to sit for two minutes. Add oil and stir again. Add flour and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed. 

Turn out on to a flat surface and knead for about 10 minutes. (If you have a kitchen aid or mixer, use this, with the dough attachment.) Divide dough into three balls. In three 9" cake pans, put 3 Oz. of oil in each making sure it is spread evenly. Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to about a 9" circle. Place in cake pans. 

Spray the outer edge of dough with cooking spray. (Ignore this step, instead, just flip the dough so that both sides are covered with the oil that you already placed at the bottom of the pan.) Cover with a plate. (Or cover with a kitchen towel).  Place in warm area and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

My advice, other than what I have already mentioned, Preheat the over to 475. Then bake the crust for about 4 to 5 minutes before you put your toppings on. Then bake again for about 8 minutes or watch until you feel it's where you want it to be!