Pizza Dough Delight!

I know you're all wondering where I was last week. Please wipe your tears while I give you the big news...Dining Out Was So Last Year is packing up its kitchen and moving to the East Coast!!

J and I had a little gathering to bid us adieu, farewell, bon voyage. I had to have one last make your own pizza party of course. My sister (guest post here) usually is the head chef at these pizza events. I was nervous at first but overall I think we handled it pretty well without her. Thanks to her pizza dough recipe everything turned out deliciously!

Keep in mind we have an amazing outdoor brick pizza oven that my dad so cleverly installed. It's such a great addition to any backyard. Definitely on my check list for my future home. This recipe can be used for pizza in your regular oven as well. Just make sure to buy yourself a pizza stone so your crust still has that stone baked taste.

--Buffalo Mozzarella, Cherry Tomatoes, Basil and Balsamic Reduction. (I know this is not pizza, but it was an appetizer/salad I served at the party. I thought it was too colorful not to share!)--

Eli's Pizza Dough Recipe:

Turn the oven (regular oven in kitchen) on the lowest setting so it warms up (like 120 degrees). Turn it off 5 minutes before you put the dough inside of it to rise.

Proofing the Yeast:

1 1/3 cup warm water (the warmer the better but not scalding-- like a little warmer than a bathtub)

mixed with 1/2 tblspn sugar

mixed with 1 1/2 tblspn honey

(stir all of those ingredients up) then sprinkle 1 packet of active yeast on top and let it sit there for about 30 seconds then stir it all together and let stand about 2 minutes until it foams a bit.

In the mean time-- mix the following dry ingredients together:

3 cups flour (all purpose is good but King Arthur flour is the best/yummiest)

2 tblspn dried oregano

2 tblspn dried basil

salt

pepper

1 tspn rosemary

1 tspn marjoram

1 tblspn garlic powder

1 tblspn onion powder

Once the yeast has proofed (the foamy bubbles appear), add it to the dry mixture and all in a kitchenaid with a dough hook or just use your hands...

Add 2 tblspns of olive oil and once its all mixed it should be sticvky but not unmanageable. If unmanageable add a little more flour.

Then line a bowl with olive oil (just a bit so that the dough doesnt stick to the sides)

Put the dough in a ball in the bowl, cover with a damp towel, and stick it in the oven to let rise.

Let rise for about 45 minutes, pull out and then knead it down to its original size, after that stick it back in the oven covered for another 45 min- 1 hr. take it out again and knead it. Let it sit at room temp. for 15-25 minutes uncovered and then roll out into a pizza!