Birthday Present

I received the last "big" kitchen appliance I was without for my birthday--a food processor!  A perfect 25th Birthday gift, in my opinion.  Thanks again, Uncle Mark!!

After getting over the initial intimidation factor when I opened the box and there were pieces I didn't recognize, I decided what I would make first with my new "toy"...

pizza dough

(Thanks to Bonnie for the recipe!)

I followed the receipe pretty closely, but I substituted bread flour for the wheat flour (It's not that I don't like wheat, but I can't eat it.)  I think it would probably be fine with only all-purpose flour as well.  I think this is a "use what you have" receipe!

After a little problem with the handle on the food processor bowl pointed away from me rather than towards me, I couldn't get over how easy it was to make pizza dough.  I think this is going to be my new favorite kitchen appliance.

I was plesantly surprised when my dough began to rise since I have been known to have a problem with killing yeast.  Thankfully, my dough rose nicely and I divided it and put in in the fridge to rest overnight.

When I got home last night, I set my ball of dough out to come to room temperature and then preheated my oven and pizza stone.  I tried rolling out my dough one of my silpats because I thought it would be easier to transfer to the oven, but I was mistaken.  I'm going to have to work on that.

It needed more sauce, so I put it on the side!  Also, I was sitting down and ready to eat before I remembered I needed to take a picture.  At 8PM, I didn't care about putting much effort in to the picture!

My pizza turned out very well for a first attempt.  I have since decided that I needed more sauce and cheese, but I was working from experience with homemade pizzas on tortillas where you definitely can have too much sauce.  I also think my storebought sauce needs more flavor.  I have some spices from Ricatoni's that I think I'm going to sprinkle on the pizza tonight since I really don't want to go to the grocery again tonight!

I'm making another pizza tonight after Body Pump, so we'll see if I can improve take #2.  I'll keep you posted!