Homemade Pizza Crust

Pizza crust:  easy to buy, easier to make. 

Start by mixing one package of active dry yeast with ¾ cup warm water.  In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, and ¾ teaspoon salt.  Add yeast water to the dry mixture and mix with your hands or a fork until combined, forming a ball.  Cover all sides of the dough ball with 3 tablespoons olive oil.  Then, cover the bowl and place in a warm area; let rise until doubled.

After the dough has doubled, punch down and roll out into a pizza or refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.

My family divides the dough into three individual pizzas.  This recipe comfortably serves two adults.

My Keys to the Best Pizza Dough

1. Place your baking sheet or pizza stone in a 425 degree Fahrenheit preheated oven.
2. Roll out on a lightly floured surface, turning the dough over once.
3. Before topping your pizza, place it on a flat surface, such as a cutting board or flat plate, which has been sprinkled with cornmeal.
4. Top pizza to your liking.
5. Move pizza from the flat surface to the hot baking sheet or hot pizza stone (the cornmeal will help the pizza roll onto its cooking surface).
6. Bake until edges are browned and cheese is melted through, about 10 – 15 minutes.

If you don’t have cornmeal, you can roll out your dough and place it on the hot baking surface before toping.  Quickly top the pizza while on the hot baking surface being very careful not to burn yourself. 

The purpose of having the baking surface hot is to create a crispy crust outside and a soft, chewy crust inside.

WARNING:  Kids love creating their own pizza, but should not top their pizza if it is on a hot baking surface.

Easy Baked Ribs

Ribs are super fun to eat and make a great show-piece when serving to company.  Most people don’t like to make them, however, because they think they are too involved and take too long to make.  Many people think you have to have a smoker in order to make ribs as well or at least simulate a smoker. 

Follow my recipe and let me take the mystery out of ribs.  In less than three hours, with a hands-on time of about 20 minutes, you can have mouth-watering, fall-off-the-bone ribs.  My number one tip when making ribs is to use baby back ribs, they are a lot meatier and more tender than short ribs.  

Start by placing a rack of baby back ribs, meat side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet (easy clean-up).  Sprinkle ribs with a couple tablespoons of liquid smoke and season with your favorite seasoning.  You can use a seasoning blend, salt and pepper, or a spice rub. 

Bake ribs (uncovered) at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours.  By leaving the ribs uncovered, you allow the edges to caramelize which adds great flavor to the meat. 

After baking, allow the ribs to cool for about 10 - 20 minutes; then, cut the ribs.  I like to cut them into one rib portions.  Feel free to cut them into two or three rib portions or not at all.  To cut, hold the ribs on their side and, using a sharp knife, slice ribs in between the bones. 

To finish the ribs, you have three options.  One, you can cut and serve alongside your favorite sauce.  Two, you can cut and baste with your favorite sauce and bake in the oven (425 degrees Fahrenheit) for 7 – 15 minutes to allow the sauce to adhere to the ribs and the meat to caramelize more.  Or, three, you can cut the ribs and grill for 7 – 15 minutes basting with your favorite sauce.