Welcome!

Have you ever wanted to share your thoughts or feeling about a certain subject? My subject is food! I have found joy and passion in creating foods to share with my family and friends. This is my first step in providing a link to the outside world of why I enjoy having food in my life.

First- let's dwell on the subject of recipes. I love using the web to find new food recipes to create in my kitchen. (I intend on filling a book of recipes that I have created over the years.) Finding a recipe and adapting it to be your own is important. Each chef will create a recipe from either using items on hand or going to the store to purchase new ones. It is the transition of shifting the thoughts in one's head to end up written down. Many times the best recipes are ones that have been duplicated time after time but are rarely written. My choice is to try to write down these recipes for future generations.

My approach is to create recipes that are healthy and tasty. I love using fresh vegetables and fruits and ingredients. I think having fresh cookies or bread is an absolute delight. I would rather have someone cook something from home than purchasing it at the store. Although, it is good to have a well stocked pantry for times when you haven't a clue what to make.

For today's recipe let's start with something easy.

Homemade Pizza Dough

This is a one big bowl technique. I have found that using a big bowl to make my dough in eliminates additional clean-up.

First have a semi-warm kitchen. Doughs made with yeast like a warm and moist environment to thrive and make your bread dough double in size. I found that if I heat up the oven at 200 degrees for about 10-15 minutes that my dough will do better especially if the house is cold.

Grab a packet of active dry yeast and add to 1/3 cup of warm water (not boiling.) Add a little bit (about 1/4 teaspoon) of sugar for the yeast to munch on and let it sit for
5 minutes.

Grab a large bowl and fill it up with the hot water tap. Let it warm up while the yeast is in its 5 minute resting time. Pour out the water and add the yeast/water mixture into the bowl.

Next add a cup of flour, a cup of warm water, and about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well with a spoon.

Once it is well mixed you can at this point add any seasonings or flavoring to the dough. I have added a concentrated garlic paste and season salt. This adds a new dimension to the dough's flavoring.
Add about 3 more cups of flour- one at a time until the dough forms a ball around the spoon.
Use some flour to scrap the dough of the stirring utensil. Now it is time to use your two best tools a chef has-your hands. (One piece of advice: make sure your hands are clean and remove any jewelry on your fingers.)
Start kneading the dough in a 1/4 fold method and push. Then again fold and push within the bowl. Add flour as it sticks to the bowl or hand.
After about 10 minutes of kneading, pick up the dough and add a little olive oil to the bowl. Place the dough back into the bowl. Roll the dough within the bowl to cover it with oil and up the sides a little. This will prevent the dough sticking the bowl as it rises.
Cover the bowl with saran wrap.
Let the dough rise in a warm place near the oven. Check on the dough in a half and hour to see if the dough is rising.
It will take about 1 hour for the whole process.
Once the dough is done, remove the dough from the bowl. Separate it into two equal portions.
The choice at this time is to form the dough into a shape you want to it.

The dough should be cooked in an 425 degree oven. The time of cooking depends on the shape of the dough.

My default hoice is to use a circular pizza pan and pat the dough into a circular form. I do not like to use a rolling pin because it flattens the air out of the dough.

Other options:
Also a rectangular cookie sheet can be use to make a calzone (the pizza dough is folded back over one side and tucked.)
For making small pizza rounds for people- separate the dough into small balls and pat dough. This is great especially good for getting kids into the kitchen to help create what they would like to eat.
Garlic bites can be made by forming the dough into small circles and adding a little bit of fresh garlic topping and parmesan cheese.
The options depends on what you feel like eating and who you are serving.

Leftover pizza dough not used should be wrapped up and placed into the fridge. Then can last for about two days and be used to make a meal.

Experiment and see what you like to do. Each person can make a choice of what they want to eat.

Fresh pizza dough makes a memorable impression.