Our Homemade Pizza Recipe

Pizza Sauce (Double Batch) - Use 1/2 now and freeze 1/2 for use later
2 - 8oz. can Tomato Sauce
1 - 14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
2 tbsp Dried Basil
2 tsp Dried Oregano
2 tsp Sugar
4 Garlice Cloves, minced
1 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Pepper

Before you begin, puree the tomatoes (do not drain). In a small saucepan, combine tomato sauce, pureed tomatoes and the remaining ingredients. Simmer on the stovetop, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Pour 15 oz. into a freezer container and save for future use. Set aside the remaining 15 oz. for immediate use. See below for dough recipe...

Pizza Dough Recipe
3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 pkg Active Dry Yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp from jar)
1/4 tsp Garlic Salt
1 cup Warm Water (120 to 130 degrees
2 tbsp Olive Oil

What I do is while the sauce is cooking, I make the dough... In a large mixing bowl combine 1 1/4 cups flour, yeast and garlic salt. Add water and oil. Beat w/ electric mixer on low for 30 seconds, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Stir in the remaining flour. Knead the dough four about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic texture. Divide in half, cover and let rise for 10 min. (Just in time for the sauce to be ready)

Toppings
This is the fun part! You can let your kids pick the toppings, or moms you can bring back to life some leftovers from dinners earlier in the week...proteins, veggies, cheese...whatever you want!

Preheat oven to 425. Roll out one dough ball into either a rectangle or square depending on your pan of choice. We use a cookie sheet because we don't have pizza pans so we go for the rectangle shape. Place on greased pan, repeat for 2nd pan (makes 2 pizzas). Prick w/ fork all around dough so you don't end up w/ bubbles. Bake about 10 min. or until starting to get golden brown. Bring out of oven and spread sauce evenly on both pizzas, put your toppings on and bake again for about another 10-12 min. or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Our kids have come to love helping make our homemade pizza...it's our own recipe developed from tweeking what we liked and wanted to change from other recipes we've tried. My daughter is almost 2 and she stands on a chair in the kitchen and helps make the sauce before I put it on the stove...my boys (6 & 10) alternate who gets to help roll out dough and who helps put on toppings. It makes it that much more special and another way to spend time together.



Turkey Pepperoni



Leftover Beef Barbecue

 


So, from my kitchen to yours...I hope you try it out! Let me know how it goes!

Beef Barbecue (Crock Pot Recipe)

Beef Barbecue

1 Boneless Chuck Roast (3 lbs)
Dash salt & pepper
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/3 cup chopped green or sweet red pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp brown sugar
12 sandwich rolls, split

Sprinkle the roast w/ salt & pepper (to your taste), Brown the roast on all sides, place in crock pot set on LOW. In a bowl, combine the next 6 ingredients to make a thick sauce.....pour over the roast and & cover w/ the lid. Cook for 6-8 hrs or until meat is tender. Remove roast and thinly slice; return meat to crock pot and stir gently. Let cook another 20-30 min. If you see fat, skim from sauce. Serve beef w/ sauce on rolls. Yield: 12 servings.

Sausage Potato Soup

Sausage Potato Soup

1/2 lb fully cooked kielbasa or polish sausage, diced
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups frozen corn
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 celery rib, sliced
1/4 cup sliced carrot
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp minced fresh parsley

In a large saucepan, brown sausage; drain. Set sausage aside. In the same pan, combine potatoes, corn, broth, celery, carrot and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 min. or until veggies are tender. Add milk, cheese, parsley and sausage. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted and soup is heated through. Yield: 6 servings

Serve with a side salad, some fresh bread & butter or rolls and you have a complete meal! It's a hearty soup, loaded with veggies and budget friendly...so it's a win win!