Do It Yourself- Homemade Pizza Dough

Making homemade pizza dough is actually pretty easy. I was surprised how easy it was when I tried it for the first time. It's also pretty cheap as well. Pizza is a big favorite at our house and so I had to give it a try. I think you should try it to.

You. Can. Do. This.

Homemade Pizza Dough
1 tablespoon yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup very warm water
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 1/2 cups flour

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water until very foamy. Then mix in remaining ingredients in order listed. Transfer dough to an oiled glass or ceramic bowl, cover with a tea towel, and place in a warm, draft free area of your house for 20-30 minutes. Then give it a nice punch down, let it rest for just a few minutes, and spread on pizza pan or baking sheet. Continue as usual with your pizza making!

And it's as easy as that.

Here are some fun pizza topping ideas for those of you who just don't want the normal peperoni and cheese:

*Pesto, Cheese, Tomato and Chicken
*Strips of grilled flank steak, grilled onions and bell peppers and provolone cheese.
*Shredded, barbecued chicken, corn kernels, poblano chili's and Monterey or pepper Jack cheese.
*Ham, Bacon, Pineapple
*Ground Beef, Shredded Lettuce, Taco Sauce, Shredded Cheese, Tomatoes and Sour Cream
*Breakfast sausage, scrambled eggs and bacon

Or why not make a dessert pizza? Just spread the dough with butter and brown sugar and cinnamon.

What is your favorite pizza toppings?

(Crockpot)Italian Chicken Meatloaf.

I really love a good meatloaf. There's nothing that tastes more like childhood than a good piece of meatloaf smothered in ketchup. We eat plenty of meatloaf at my house. I wanted to share with you a little twist on meatloaf that I put together on a day I wanted meatloaf, but not normal meatloaf. Something different. And this my friends, is very different but at the same time gives you that texture you love. Let's change it from ground beef to ground chicken and make it Italian style. And there you go! Italian Meatloaf. AND this is a crock pot dish so it's super easy as well! This has become a family favorite at my house very quickly. Even my one year old son will eat it and my husband says it's one of his favorite meals. So, here ya go!

Italian Style Chicken Meatloaf
1 lb of ground chicken
1 15-oz can chopped tomatoes, drained
2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. fresh basil
1 tsp. fresh oregano
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1-1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
Garlic Salt and pepper to taste

Line crockpot with foil. Use a tsp of oil to grease the bottom of the crockpot.

In a large bowl, place the ground chicken, chopped tomatos, basil, oregano, thyme, panko bread crumbs, mozzarella cheese and eggs. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Blend carefully with your hands, turning mixture. Form meatloaf and place in the crockpot. (Optional)Drizzle Tomato Sauce over the loaf. Cook in crockpot for 8 hours, or until internal temperature is 160°. That's it! Now serve it up with your favorite veggies and you've got a delicious, easy to make dinner!