Pizza! Of the homemade kind!

To order pizza or to throw a frozen one in the oven is a debate that occurs often in our culture. Both can be fine when we really don't want to do anything but are they better? Frozen offers the from freezer to table convenience in around 15 min and cost on average $5 - $10. Delivered pizza takes around 30 min to get (if not at peak times) and costs with tip $15- $20 per pizza. Like I said both are valid options but can we make our own pizza cheaper than the frozen and faster than delivery?

YUP! pizza making is not a difficult thing. If you have a KitchenAid mixer its a very easy thing. If you don't have one, oh well its still easy! The plus side of making your own is you control the toppings, the thickness/thinness of the crust, how much sauce or cheese you want! Awesome right?

I will list below a basic pizza crust recipe that works well for our home. If your like my father in-law you will pile the toppings high. other will sparsley top and smoother in cheese. the most important thing you will discover making your own pizza... Its fun! Get the kids involved have your guest top there own pizza go crazy with odd toppings.

Basic Pizza Crust:
makes enough for 2 large pizzas

Ingredients:
1 (1/2 oz) package of yeast
2 cups very warm (not hot) water
2 Tbs Oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
5 Cups Flour

Directions:
1.  Mix the yeast into the warm water until dissolved
2.  Stir in oil, salt, sugar, garlic powder
3.  Mix in flour, stir until it forms a dough ball
4.  Cover the bowl and let rise in a warm spot for
     15 min. If you don't have the time its fine just use the
     dough right away. it will still work
5.  Spread onto a sprayed cooking sheet etc.
6. Top with favorite toppings and cheese

Bake: I use 350 for pizzas with heavy toppings. 400-425 for ones with sparse topping. A sparsely topped pizza will take 10-15 min to bake and a heavy topped one could take 20 min or more. Watch for bubbling cheese in the center of the pizza this usually indicates its done.

What I really want to promote is getting everyone involved again with what they eat. Not just food cause we have to eat, but food because it can bring us together.

Pete

BACON BACON BACON- the honest truth.

Bacon, the one meat most Americans agree is delicious. What does the fad of the last few years have to do with anything?  Well its brought us bacon lollipops, candied bacon, bacon donuts, bacon muffins, bacon gum and on and on.  Thats all well and good, but what has happened to real bacon?

Real bacon: should be cured and smoked locally.  Sliced thick enough so you get about 11-12 slices per pound. Bacon is best cooked in the oven on a rack inserted into a pan. This method allows the bacon to properly crisp and makes saving the fat for other cooking easy. I save my bacon fat in the fridge for cooking things like eggs in.

For my money Hoffmans Meat Market in Detroit Lakes, MN makes the best bacon
around!  In fact I just baked some up today! Happy Pete! Hornbachers also makes great bacon you can even have them slice it as thick as you would like!

So, to all the "bacon fans" try cooking up and eating some real bacon,  you might just like it better than the fad bacon stuff!

Pete

Hi everybody! This is the first blog for this Pete!

I'm here and maybe your here to discuss food creating,  eating and critiquing.  I pay for my own meals, cook most anything and always have an opinion. If I dont like something you will know.

Let me know what restaurants you want reviewed,  what recipe's you need help with, and tell me what your best recipe is.

Did I mention everything is better with a beard!

Pete