How to Host a Pizza Party!!!

Hi!  I’m Jessica Lowe, a blogger over on CuddleBugs and I’m just popping over for a guest blog post on TweenBeat!  I’ll be visiting you occasionally.

Recently our family has decided that in order to get rid of our hideous law school loans, we MUST start living on a budget.  Nationally syndicated personal finance host Dave Ramsey helped shape our budget of choice and if you didn’t know, he’s very strict.  We’ve come to realize that when you live on a budget, you tend to get way more creative with your free time/family time.   I can honestly say that I think it’s drawn us all closer together and I am loving it.  I never thought I’d say that about being on a budget, but I do, I LOVE it. 

One of our favorite cost-cutters that we seem to incorporate into each week’s planned menu, is individual homemade pizzas!!  My kids are seriously LOVING this.  I’ve never been one of those moms who are always calling the kids into the kitchen to help make this or that.  To be completely honest with you, I get seriously stressed when kids are cracking eggs in my cookies with shells falling in it or stirring flour with a mixer as it flies everywhere.  As much as they love it, I try to avoid having my kids help with cooking or baking.  How horrible is that?  I know, I know, I’m the meanest mom. 

With the individual pizzas my anxiety goes OUT the window and I am able to enjoy the time I spend with them.  Not only that, but they are super proud of themselves for creating something they can actually eat!  I usually go ahead and make the dough and then divide it into enough balls for each member of the family.  For the younger kids, I roll their dough flat, but the older kids enjoy doing this part as well.  To make things easier and less of a mess, I prepare separate bowls of all the toppings: sauce, cheese, pepperoni, sausage, peppers, onions, mushroom, etc.  Then, in assembly line fashion, the kids throw anything and everything they want on heir pizzas to individualize them.    My oldest got super fancy this last time and folded cheese into his crust.  Genius!!  They even love to watch them bake in the oven as their cheese sizzles. 

Here is the recipe I use for the dough from Pioneer Woman. Try it any night soon and let us know how your family likes it.

Recipe:

1 tsp of active dry yeast

1 1/2 C warm water

4 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1/3 C extra virgin olive oil and extra for drizzling

Combine the water and yeast.  Let sit.  Mix the olive oil, flour and salt together.  Stir the yeast mixture and add it to the flour mixture. Form a ball with dough and drizzle olive oil in a clean bowl.  Allow dough to sit in the olive oil and rise in a warm spot for 1-2 hours.  Divide dough as needed.  Shape dough and flatten with fingers.  Add toppings.  Bake at 500 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Makes two extra large pizzas or 5-6 individual size pizzas.