Soon after I got married, my mom (bless her) gave me a deep dish pie crust pan, and with it a pizza crust recipe on a cute giraffe card. I've made pizza many times since then, and a few weeks ago, Dillon and I accidentally made the best pizza I'd ever tasted. It's a quick last-minute dinner, and too good not to share.
Grammy's Easy Pizza Crust
2-3 cups all purpose flour (whole wheat doesn't work well)
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast (one package)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup very warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil
In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast, and salt. Add water and oil. Mix until smooth. Turn out onto clean counter and add enough flour to form a soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic (5-7 minutes). Return to bowl, cover, and let stand until doubled (about 10 minutes). Punch down and press or roll onto a pan. Bake at 425 for 12-16 minutes before topping.
Allison's Spinach Pizza
1/2 jar alfredo sauce
Mozzarella cheese (the amount depends on your preference - enough to cover the pizza)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 generous handfuls fresh spinach
Salt
1 generous handful fresh basil leaves
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/2 cup cooked ground sausage
Thinly sliced mushrooms
Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add spinach with a sprinkle of salt and cook just a few seconds, until wilted but not limp. Set aside. Spread a good layer of alfredo sauce over the crust, followed by 3/4 of the cheese. Top with spinach, whole basil leaves, plenty of garlic (a bit more than you think you will like), sausage, and mushrooms. Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese and bake at 425 until the cheese is nicely browned, about 10 minutes.
