I like pizza, but I sometimes find the crusts to be too hard or too thin, and I find the toppings to be filled with grease. What's the solution you may ask? Making it yourself - the way YOU want it!
Homemade Pizza
Dough: 1/4 cup milk
4 cups flour
7 tablespoons oil
1 and 1/8 cups warm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 package of dry yeast
Toppings: 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
1 lb of hamburger
1 can of sliced mushrooms(4 oz.)
24 ounces of shredded mozzarella
Bake on a 16 inch pizza pan.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Making the dough for the crust is the MOST important part to pizza. If the crust doesn't taste right, or is too hard, too soft, too thin, too thick, you don't get the full effect of delicious pizza.
Step One
To start out I put one packet of dry active yeast into a glass measuring cup that holds 2 cups. This is just the right size for the yeast to grow. In this cup you want to put in 1/2 cups of WARM water.
Hint: The water can't be too cold or the yeast won't grow. Yeast is a living organism, therefore if the water is too hot it will kill the yeast. It's important to make sure that the water is warm.
In the warm 1/2 cup of water you'll want to add in 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour. Let the yeast grow while you finish adding everything else into the mixer.
Hint: When dealing with yeast you need to "feed" it to make it grow(rise). I like to add both flour and sugar because it yields the best results. But one or the other works too.
In a mixer with a dough hook(I use my handy-dandy Kitchen Aid mixer) add in all the ingredients, 7 tablespoons of oil, 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cups of milk, 1/2 and 1/8 cups warm water(5/8ths of a cup is hard to find on a measuring cup unless it gives the ounces on the side!) 1 tsp salt, and then add in the yeast mixture. Mix until it is entirely mixed together, and then continue to mix the dough at medium-high speed as the kneading period for about 2-3 minutes. When the dough has been "kneaded" set it to the side to rise for about 5-15 minutes.
While your dough is rising you'll want to prep the toppings! Really you can choose whatever kind of topping you want, but my family members are big hamburger mushroom eaters! 
In a skillet I cook up the 1 pound of hamburger and the 4oz. can of sliced mushrooms(make sure to drain the can before adding) and add in whatever seasonings you feel like adding. I personally usually add salt, pepper,1tbsp. basil, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and some red pepper to taste for a little zing! Then I make sure to drain the grease from the meat to make the pizza less greasy in the end.Step Four
Dump the dough out onto a large 16 inch pizza pan, and evenly spread the dough so that it entirely covers the pan. Bake the crust in the oven that has been preheated to 425 degrees, for 6 minutes.
Step Five
After the dough has baked for 6 minutes take it out of the oven and add the 8 oz can of tomato sauce, and the hamburger mushroom(or topping of your choice) to the pizza! Return it to the oven for another 8 minutes.Step Six
After the crust, sauce and toppings have baked for 8 minutes take the pizza out again and this time add the 24 ounces of cheese! You can really do as much or as little cheese as you want. But for those that know me, understand that I have a motto - "The more cheese, the better!" Place the pizza with all the toppings back into the oven and this time only bake it until the cheese is entirely melted!
I hope you enjoy the recipe - It could just be the perfect food to eat while watching your favorite football team's bowl game this year!
xoxo, Kara Louise
