Pizza

I recently found the beauty of having a pizza stone.  My crust would never bake evenly, it was difficult to work with, I just did not enjoy making homemade pizza.  Until I learned how to use a pizza stone.  The key here is to place your pizza stone in the oven as it is preheating, and you preheat it to the hottest temp it will go (usually somewhere between 450 and 500).  Leave it in there for at least 20 minutes.  Then remove stone and place your pizza on the hot stone and return to the oven.  Perfect crust every time!

Pizza

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water

1 package regular or fast-acting dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
Cooking spray to grease bowl
Pizza sauce of your choice
Toppings of your choice
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. With a wooden spoon, stir in half of the flour and all of the oil, salt and sugar. Stir in enough of the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough is easy to handle.

2. Sprinkle flour lightly on a countertop or large cutting board. Place dough on floured surface. Knead by folding dough toward you, then with the heels of your hands, pushing dough away from you with a short rocking motion. Move dough a quarter turn and repeat. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, sprinkling surface with more flour if dough starts to stick, until dough is smooth and springy. Spray a large bowl with the cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place 20 minutes.
3. Gently push your fist into the dough to deflate it. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 48 hours. (If dough should double in size during refrigeration, gently push fist into dough to deflate it.)
4. Roll dough out into a round that will fit your pizza stone.  Place dough on hot pizza stone, add your sauce and toppings.  Return pizza to oven and bake until cheese is melted and crust is golden.