Comfort Food: Pizza

Pizza isn't usually associated with the phrase "comfort food" but I think it should be! It is one of the few foods that just about everyone loves; it is good either hot or cold; and it's fairly portable.

Over the years, my family has eaten a large amount of pizza--most of it homemade. We've also eaten restaurant and store-bought pizza, but we all agree that homemade is best. I don't say that to brag, and I'm not being biased. My children's friends all rave about my pizza, and my husband is always disappointed when I buy pizza instead of making it. (Sometimes I just need a break from the Friday routine, though!)

I doubt I'll ever open a pizza parlor, so I'm going to share my recipe here.

Kelly's Pizza Sauce

1 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Basil
2 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Salt
several dashes Pepper
8 oz can Tomato Paste
15 oz can Tomato Sauce

Heat all ingredients over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Reduce heat to lowest setting and allow to cook for 5-10 more minutes. Remove from heat. Use two heaping tablespoons on each pizza (more or less as your taste prefers). Store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator.

You'll notice there is no garlic or onion in my pizza sauce. You are welcome to add it, but it will alter the taste. As much as I love garlic and onion, they do not seem to agree with my husband's stomach. Therefore, I leave them out of just about everything I cook. As I said earlier, people love my pizza and I think the sauce is a big part of that (and the fact that I leave out the garlic and onion).

Pizza sauce can be used on many things, such as English muffins or breaded cheese sticks, but it goes best on pizza crusts. With that in mind, the following is my crust recipe.

Kelly's Pizza Crust 

2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups room temp Water
4 1/4 cups Flour
2 tsp Yeast

Preheat oven to 425F.
Place all ingredients into bread machine in order recommended by manufacturer and set to "dough" setting. When machine beeps (end signal) allow to set for 10 - 15 more minutes to get a good rise. Turn out onto floured surface and cut into four equal sections. Working with one section at a time, roll out into thin circle. (If you like your crusts thicker, cut into three sections, or even two, and adjust baking time.) Place onto round pizza pan, and place a second round pan on top (to keep flat); place in oven on lower rack and bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove from oven. Top with sauce, cheese, and whatever other toppings you enjoy. Place pizza directly on upper rack (so you can put a fresh crust on the the pan on the lower rack) and bake for another 8-9 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

If you give these recipes a try, I hope you like them!