Friday Family Movie Night~~Home Made Pizza

I've shared with you before about our family movie night each week.  I wanted to continue that conversation by giving you the recipe's for our pizza's.  Family movie night has become an important tradition in our family.  I feel we need to get more families spending time together and connecting.  It is a simple thing, but we've found out that it is something our kids {and hubby and I} look forward to.  Yours will also!  So...here's how I make our pizza's.

Easy Pizza Sauce

 2 (6oz) cans tomato paste

2 garlic cloves

3Tb dried parsley flakes

4tsp dried onion flakes

1tsp dried oregano

1tsp dried basil

2 cups water

Combine all ingredients in 2 quart pan.  Cook over medium~high heat until mixture boils.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Cool a little and spread on pizza crust.

**How I actually do it!!!**

I use the above recipe {except using a fresh onion instead of onion flakes} and quadruple {or more!!} the recipe.  REASON~~because making this sauce makes a mess all over your stove and counters!!  TRUST ME!!  It will bubble during the boil and will even shoot sauce to the cabinets!  By making a big batch in my dutch oven, I only have to go through the agony of clean up every few months.  I freeze the rest in containers holding only what we need for each pizza night.  This way, I always have pizza sauce on hand for not only pizza night, but also pizza casserole, mini pizza's, or any other recipe I find using pizza sauce.  

Pizza Crust

4 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tb yeast

2 1/2 Tb oil

1 1/2 cup warm water 

When I began making this, I had a bread maker.  I would put all the ingredients into the bread machine and set it to dough cycle.  When it was finished, I just took it out, separated it into however many crusts we wanted, and began making them.   Now I have a stand mixer, and I put all the ingredients {except flour} into bowl, set mixer at knead setting and slowly add flour until dough is soft and elastic {usually about 3-5 minutes}.  I take dough out of bowl, seperate into number of crusts, and roll them out with my hands to make the crusts.  I do place crusts into the oven for a few minutes before adding the sauce, just to start the baking process.  We like our crusts crispier, and we've found this helps to reach that end.  Remember we do have a large family who loves thicker crusts, and this recipe makes enough to satisfy us.  If you have a smaller family or like thinner crusts, you might want to cut the recipe back a little~or par bake the crusts and stick them in the freezer for later use.   

Both of these recipe's are very simple to make, just add your favorite toppings, and you're on the right track for family movie night.  Your kids may even want to jump in and help you!  Now head over to the library and find a family friendly movie to enjoy together.  You'll have a great time together, I promise!

Blessings,