Ze-Ra's Birthday Pizza

Ze-Ra is 11?!?!?!

How did that happen?!  It's craziness!

With the help of our families, we were able to give her a "Very Taylor Swift" birthday this year.  She now has all of her CD's, a new cd/i-pod stereo, a t-shirt, a calendar, an ornament, and a bracelet.  After about the third or fourth present, I was a little concerned she might explode with excitement.  Luckily, she held it together and now all we hear is Taylor, all the time. ;)

So, maybe you've noticed, but I've been on an Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day kick - oh...you haven't....well how about here....and here....and oh..here too? yup. :)

Ze-Ra's birthday was the week of Thanksgiving and she requested pizza for her birthday dinner.  Surprise....I think she'd eat pizza at least once a day, but then again, if we could have this pizza everytime - I think I'd be happy to oblige ;)

We usually do a deep dish pizza, but wanted to do something a little different this time and decided to give the olive oil bread a try.

This pizza didn't last long! :)

Olive Oil Pizza Crust

What's In It:
3 1/4 c lukewarm water
1/4 c olive oil
1 T yeast
1 1/2 T salt
2 T sugar
7 1/2 c all purpose flour

What To Do With It:
Combine all ingredients by stirring together and allow to rise on the counter loosely covered for at least 2 hours.  Can be used right away or chilled before use.  Can be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks!

Ze-Ra's Birthday Pizza

What's In It:
2lb of Olive Oil Pizza Crust Dough

Favorite sauce and toppings

What To Do With It:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. 

Working on a well floured surface, begin spreading the dough out using your fingers - remember you are going to eventually want to fit the dough onto a cookie sheet.  

Continue stretching and working the dough (feel free to use a rolling pin) until you have a 13x18 rectangle that is about 1/4 - 1/2" thick.  

Generously grease a heavy rimmed baking sheet.  Place the dough into the pan, pressing the dough all the way to the edges.  

Dress that bad boy up with your favorite toppings, we chose 1/2 pineapple and ham (okay fine we didn't have ham, so I used honey turkey...it was awesome) and 1/2 pepperoni and onion.  

Bake for around 20-25 minutes or until cheese is browned as desired. 

*The only thing that I would maybe change about this pizza is that I would love the bottom of the crust to be even crispier.  The taste was spot on, the edges were perfect, but the middle was not as crisp as I like.  I'm going to try to see if the next time there is some way that I can heat up my stone cookie sheet and work it so that I can drop the dough in and top it at light speed to see if that would help crisp things up.

I'll do my bloggy duty and trudge through the trenches and make this one again....just for you....  :)