Favorite pizza, your way

Pizza is an American favorite and the focus of countless restaurants and delivery spots. It’s universally liked and available everywhere. But making your own is a worthwhile effort. It’s cheaper to make, you can control your ingredients and it’s a fun pursuit for your family.

I made homemade pizza earlier this month, using a quick prep crust mix, leftover spaghetti sauce (from the Quickie Spaghetti recipe posted yesterday) and some favorite toppings. It wasn't heavy lifting, but the results were delicious.

You’ll need:

One package pizza crust mix
1 ½ cups sauce (use leftover spaghetti sauce, canned pizza sauce or whatever you like)
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Favorite toppings: pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, etc.

Follow the package directions to make the crust. You must use warm water to get the yeast to properly activate and rise; too cool and nothing happens, too hot and the water kills the yeast. Once the crust is mixed, leave it in a warm place to rise; then knead the dough and spread it evenly on a pizza pan sprinkled with corn meal.

Bake the crust for five minutes at 425 degrees; remove from oven and spread sauce over the crust. This short baking helps set the crust before adding the sauce and makes for a crispier crust.

Next, apply the toppings you like. It’s great to have helpers add the toppings.

Add the shredded mozzarella cheese; I had a little helper who shredded ours…

Here was the finished product before it went into the oven (half cheese and half with pepperoni and olives)…

…and the finished pizza, all crusty and golden, before we dug in.

Bake the pizza for 10-12 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Let it cool about 5 minutes before cutting (to avoid wrestling the cheese!)

Despite the fact that there are pizza joints on every corner, consider making your own at home on occasion. It is a fun, easy cooking exercise that is much less costly than the takeout variety. And you can make your favorite version every time.