All Things Pizza

Best Pizza Dough Recipe

2010-07-26T16:49:00.000-04:00

I have experimented with homemade pizza dough and I think I have finally found one that pleases the whole family. It's very easy to make and I know that because if I can do it, it must be easy.

You will need:

2 cups of flour
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar

Optional:
cornmeal
garlic powder
1 tbsp olive oil

Dissolve 1 tsp sugar in 1 cup of warm water. Add the yeast and set aside until you see the yeast bloom. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and half the flour. Flour measurements are never exact as humidity and temperature will determine how much flour is absorbed by the liquid. Stir until the flour is mixed in and then add flour until the dough begins to come away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface for kneading. Add flour as you knead until dough is no longer sticky but not too dry - it should be tacky. Form a ball of dough and place in a bowl that you have coated in olive oil. Turn the dough over so both sides have a thin oil coating. Cover with a cloth and set aside for 30 minutes.

Use olive oil to coat your pizza pan. I like to sprinkle corn meal on the pan to give the crust an interesting texture and a little extra flavor. If you like, you can mix garlic powder and 1 Tbsp olive oil to brush over the top surface of the dough. This recipe will make approximately two 12 inch round pizzas or one large rectangular pizza (I use a cookie sheet). Bake the dough for ten minutes at 375 degrees, remove and add toppings. Return to oven to finish baking the dough and the toppings together.

5 Reasons to go out for Pizza

2009-02-24T10:34:00.002-05:00

Trying to decide where to take the family for dinner? Meeting friends and looking for the best place to eat that will suit all different tastes? My answer, as always, is Pizza! But in case you need convincing, here are my Five Top Reasons To Go Out For Pizza:

1. Everyone loves pizza. The whole family will enjoy it and your kids will be fed without fuss.

2. Pizzerias are kid-friendly and laid-back. You don't have to dress up and you don't have to muzzle the children.

2. Fancy restaurants are expensive. With the economy in bad shape, pizza is the perfect answer to a slim entertainment budget. Grab a couple of large pizzas and feed the whole family.

3. With a variety of toppings, you can customize pizzas to suit a number of people. Veggie pizza on whole wheat crust or deep dish meat extravaganza, there's something for everyone.

4. The price of cheese and other pizza ingredients has gone down since last year. Pizza is one dining alternative that isn't suffering from inflation.

5. You don't have to do the dishes after dinner.

Pizza Pan by Calphalon

2009-02-20T16:36:00.001-05:00

If you're looking for a good all-round pizza pan but you're not ready to go all out and buy a pizza stone, then this Pizza Pan from Calphalon may be just the right way to start out.

Whether you make your own crust, use pre-made crusts from the grocery store, this pizza pan by Calphalon is a good buy for all-round pizza baking. It features heavy duty construction of stainless steel and an even heat distribution system that will bake your crust to golden perfection.

It's relatively inexpensive and dishwasher safe, so even the teens can use it to bake their favorite frozen pizzas.

I found this item at Target online for $11.99. Calphalon also makes a 16" pizza pan that is not dishwasher safe but for me this pan is the perfect item for a busy household where pizza is baked often.

Pizza Stones

2009-01-24T11:18:00.001-05:00

If you are very serious about your homemade pizza, eventually you will look into buying a pizza stone. A pizza stone is a large, flat, unglazed stone that will help you make the tastiest home-baked pizza you ever ate.

Pizza stones must be cared for properly and used properly in order for them to give you years of service. The stone will "season" with use or you can rub a little oil on a clean stone now and then to help keep it seasoned and clean.

A pizza stone is porous, therefore it will absorb excess moisture from your pizza as it bakes, making the crust crispier. The stone also stays quite hot for some time after it is removed from the oven, which keeps the food warm.

A pizza stone must never be placed into a hot oven. Rather, place your pizza stone into a cold oven and then heat to the required temperature for what you are baking. Pizza stones are often used for other foods, like bread and cookies, they are very versatile.

Cleaning your pizza stone takes a little extra care. You must let it cool down and then you can use clean water or oil to clean off any remnants of food that may be encrusted. Never use soap. As mentioned previously, a pizza stone is highly porous, and will absorb the soap. You don't want soap-flavored pizzas in the future!

If you have a self-cleaning oven, some recommend leaving the pizza stone in the oven during the cleaning cycle. Then you have simply to brush away the ashes and it is clean without any effort.

Caution! Your pizza stone will be far too hot to handle with regular potholders, so its advisable to buy a set of wire brackets to hold it. You may be able to get a set of very heavy potholders, but most potholders won't withstand the heat of a pizza stone and you may get burned. Another option is to buy a wooden pizza paddle, which will slide under the stone and keep your hands far from it during removal.

Once you start using a pizza stone, you will never go back to ordinary pizza pans.

Seacoast Pizza Bowl, New Hampshire

2008-01-27T10:38:00.000-05:00

If you're near the NH seacoast today, January 27, 2008, stop in for the second annual Seacoast Pizza Bowl, sponsored by the Hampton, NH, rotary club.

For $7 admission adults (children attend free) you can sample pizza from all of the NH Seacoast's fine pizza restaurants and vote on your favorite pizza pie. The price of admission allows you to sample as much cheese and specialty pizza as you can eat. Categories for best crust, best sauce, best cheese and best specialty pizza will be voted upon.

The proceeds will benefit the Rotary Club of Hampton, NH, which donates $30,000 annually to worthy charities.

Domino's Expands in Turkey

2008-01-21T10:04:00.000-05:00

Domino's has announced plans to expand its presence in Turkey, opening up 33 new locations. What I found truly interesting is that in Turkey, the pizza delivery drivers often go on to open up their own Domino's franchise store.

Domino's Pizza Turkey General Manager Aslan Saranga said that pizza sales go up in rainy weather or when there's an important sports event on TV. Hmmm... sounds familiar. He also said that both the Italian style pizza and their local Turkish pizza are big sellers. For a recipe for homemade Turkish pizza go here.

Turkish Daily News

Domino's Driver Shoots Robber

2008-01-06T10:48:00.000-05:00

Almost every day I see news items about a pizza delivery driver who is robbed, assaulted and even killed. And yet, a Domino's delivery driver who shot an assailant who robbed him (the accomplice fled with the pizza, the soda and the money) would have faced disciplinary action if he hadn't resigned after the incident.

Domino's has a strict rule against their drivers carrying weapons. They think that telling the driver to be careful and not carry a lot of cash is going to help keep them safe. The number of robberies every week in the news is proof that their precautionary measures don't keep drivers safe.

Even if a driver empties his wallet of order payments and tips each time he returns to the shop, he is still going to have some money on him after just one trip. Obviously these guys who rob delivery drivers are willing to accept a small take. They are also willing to kill for it.

Although it may not make anyone feel safe to think that their delivery driver has a loaded weapon, it doesn't change the fact that in this case, that weapon saved the driver and stopped a criminal.

Of course, customers suspecting the driver is armed might make them think twice about stiffing him on the tip.

source

Australians Want Large Pizzas

2007-12-18T12:30:00.000-05:00

One pizza chain in Australia is making a lot of noise about the size of pizzas, after some independent sites found that some pizza chains were shrinking the sizes of large pizzas. Eagle Boys, an Australian pizza chain, has made their campaign for a proper large size pizza at www.fullsizepizza.com.

Apparently, Australians love their large pizzas as this youtube video has been gettings thousands of hits and support. Apparently, Domino's shruck their pizza size by 20% and didn't inform customers of the change.

Hey, people love their pizza, why wouldn't they want more rather than less?

Rain or Snow - The Pizza Driver Delivers

2007-12-13T09:45:00.001-05:00

We're expecting a lot of snow and bad weather tonight. It's the kind of night where people all rush off to the grocery store to clean out the shelves of bread and milk because they fear being snowbound, or they go straight home and order pizza. The fearless pizza delivery dude will always brave the storm.

I have a friend who is a pizza delivery driver part time. She hates winter because of people with steep front stairs that don't clear them of snow and ice but expect the pizza delivery person to climb them anyway, or those who have long, icy driveways. There are those who don't turn on a porch light or tell the driver to go to the more accessible side door to make it easier. The final insult is sometimes a very small tip or no tip at all.

So, if the weather is inclement where you are and you think how nice it would be to have someone just bring you a pizza, think also about the delivery person. This is their living, that's why they go out in weather that you won't venture forth in. That's why they climb those icy stairs and take a risk driving on slick roads. Think about how you would want to be treated if you were doing that for someone else.

Take a moment to turn on the front light. Answer the phone if it rings, it's possible that the delivery guy can't find your house and needs more directions. Don't order a pizza and then jump in the shower so that you aren't there to answer the door. Throw some ice melt out on the stairs and if you have a ground-level door, tell them to go to that door instead of climbing your stately, 13-step front stairs. Above all, think of what they are doing to bring your dinner and to make a living and always tip the driver. It's how you would want to be treated if you were the delivery person.

Win an XBox 360 from Domino's

2007-12-01T12:38:00.000-05:00

Domino's Pizza is giving away an XBox 360 consoles with a Project Gotham Racing 4 game to 120 lucky winners between now and December 12, 2007. To enter, order pizza online at
Domino's or enter to win without ordering at http://dominos.com/home.xbox.jsp. You can enter once per day. If you don't already have an account with Domino's online, you will be required to set one up.

Winners may also get a 48-hour XBox Live Gold Membership trial. You can win this however, even if you don't have an XBox , as I did. I will continue to try to win an Xbox360 to go with it.

Pizza Hut Gift Cards

2007-11-24T10:32:00.000-05:00

Following a survey that indicated that gift cards from restaurants are more highly desired gifts than from department stores, clothing stores or electronic stores, Pizza Hut is getting in on the Gift Card market with its own Pizza Hut Gift card.

As 95% of respondents said they thought gift cards were acceptable gifts, and 70% said they would like restaurant gift cards most of all, a Pizza Hut gift card might be just the thing for the pizza lover on your Christmas list.

Chicken Caesar Salad at Dominoes

2007-11-20T20:11:00.000-05:00

The kids and I wanted pizza tonight, so we called the trusty Dominoes store downtown and ordered two Brooklyn-style pizzas - one cheese and one pepperoni and sausage.

We all like the thin crust, fold-it-to-eat-it, Brooklynn style pizza. It's like the pizza my family used to get from the local Italian pizzeria downtown when I was a kid. I especially like the sausage - large, round, perfectly spicy.

But my husband didn't want pizza tonight, he's not as keen on it as we are and so to give his taste buds a break, I ordered him the chicken caesar salad. I wasn't sure what to expect from a salad at Dominoes, I half expected it to be made somehow out of pizza dough. But the salad was surprisingly good, he said it actually had more flavor than McDonald's salads because they used different greens and included red cabbage in the mix. They gave him two forks instead of a fork and knife but a knife wasn't needed. The salad greens and the chicken were all cut up into nice bite-size chunks. The salad was packaged well in its own plastic container, the salad dressing had a flavor something like ranch dressing but a bit spicier and they even included a package of croutons. All in all, it seemed a decent salad, although pricier than McDonald's for its salads with chicken.

So, if you have a family member who doesn't get as excited about pizza as you do, the salad is a nice alternative. And if they are still hungry after eating that, they can always grab a slice of the leftover pizza.

Texting for Pizza

2007-11-16T16:07:00.000-05:00

In the old days we used to call to order a pizza and then elect someone to go out to pick it up. Then came the glorious days of pizza delivery. We just made the call and magically the pizza was brought to us, no running out in the rain, cold or snow to get it. Then came ordering pizza online - what could be easier?

Well Papa John's is introducing a new service that is bound to make the day of some customers - texting for pizza. That's right, now ordering a pizza will be as simple as texting a message. Once a customer has set up an online account and chosen a favorite order, they can simply text it in and it will be delivered to their door. Imagine the convenience of texting in a pizza on your way home from a shopping trip or the movies? Supper ready and waiting when you arrive.

Pizza is a Hit in Siberia

2007-11-08T15:12:00.000-05:00

Pizza is fast becoming a favorite menu item all over the world, even in Siberia. This story in Reuters tells of Minnesota native, Eric Shogren who has built a chain of 30 pizzerias across Russia - and according to Eric, he's "out here selling Russians pizza left and right".

Shogren, who started his pizza business in 1996 serves up pizza, fries and salted cookies to his Russian patrons. He now has plans for starting his own 3200-head dairy to supply enough cheese to keep his operations going.

"We should have known that people here are the same as they are anywhere else. They just want good, normal stuff," Shogren said.

Easy Pizza Sauce Recipes

2007-11-05T21:20:00.000-05:00

If you've an urge to make your own pizza sauce, then the good news is that there are a lot of fairly simply sauce recipes out there. The easiest ones start with a foundation of tomato paste and add cheese and spices for flavor and aroma. For the more adventurous cook, there are also good recipes that are of medium difficulty and take slightly longer preparation times. But you can still make fresh and delicious sauce without spending hours at the stove.

This recipe for Easy Pizza Sauce requires no cooking at all, just mix ingredients and let stand so the flavors mix. It has all the ingredients of a traditionally flavored pizza sauce. This site has two other pizza sauce recipes that are quick and easy. What I liked most was that you can change the number of servings you need and automatically update the amounts on the ingredients. There's also a neat tool that converts from US measures to metric or vice versa.

There's a host of recipes at CDKitchen, ranging in preparation time from 30 minutes to about 2 hours and easiest to more difficult. If you want a wide range of options for seasoning and difficulty this is a good place to peruse the many choices.

They all look yummy but I tried only two, and one was the Easy Pizza Sauce with no cooking time involved. The flavor was very nice and the prep was temptingly easy, so I have to vote this one as my favorite.

Oreo Pizza from Dominoes Disappoints

2007-11-03T16:50:00.000-04:00

Dominoes has come up with some clever dessert ideas. Because they focus on pizza, the dessert items either have to be made of pizza dough with a few extra ingredients or a very simple idea that fits in a cardboard box. Some of their desserts have become family favorites around here but not the Oreo Pizza dessert. Even the Oreo-lover of the family, my daughter, turned her nose up at this one.

The Oreo Pizza comes on a dark and very dry crust which is nearly flavorless. It is covered in a very thin white topping which is somewhat like marshmallow. Then Oreo cookies are crumbled on top. We all tried a piece, and for the first time ever with a dessert, we had some left over that no one wanted.

The problem I think lies mainly in the white topping. I imagined it would taste like Oreo cookie filling which, as everyone knows, is the tastiest and most popular part of an Oreo cookie. I know people who lick off all the filling and leave the cookie parts. They should have at least used a sweet glaze or icing. The topping wasn't sweet at all. You could have used Elmer's school glue and achieved the same level of flavor.

I could have forgiven the bland crust if the topping had been better. The company should realize that the white cream filling of an Oreo is key to its success. Why else would they make "double stuff" Oreos with twice as much filling? They know we are addicted to the stuff.

I don't this dessert will be around long, at least I hope not. I think Nabisco is doing itself a disservice by lending the Oreo name to this bland and unappetizing concoction.

General Mills Recalls Frozen Pizza

2007-11-02T07:25:00.000-04:00

It's the largest frozen pizza recall of all time. In fact, it may be the only frozen pizza recall ever. General Mills is voluntarily recalling 5 million frozen pizzas sold under their Totinos and Jenos brand names because of possible E. coli contamination.

The problem may be with pepperoni on the pizzas which was added at a plant in Ohio. The pepperoni came from a separate supplier. There have been 21 cases of E. coli under investigation since July and 9 of the 21 infected people report eating either Totinos or Jenos pizza before they became ill.

General Mills said they initiated the recall as a precaution, no link has been established between their pizzas and the E. coli cases and inspections of their plants and products has not found any E. coli contamination.

General Mills asks that you throw away any frozen pizza involved in the recall but that you can get a replacement by clipping the bar code from the box and mailing it with their name and address to Totino's/Jeno's, P.O. Box 200 -- Pizza, Minneapolis, MN 55440-0200.

Here's a list of the products affected by the recall:

• Totino's Party Supreme, 42800-10700
• Totino's Three Meat, 42800-10800
• Totino's Pepperoni, 42800-11400
• Totino's Pepperoni, 42800-92114
• Totino's Classic Pepperoni, 42800-11402
• Totino's Pepperoni Trio, 42800-72157
• Totino's Party Combo, 42800-11600
• Totino's Combo, 42800-92116
• Jeno's Crisp 'n Tasty Supreme, 35300-00561
• Jeno's Crisp 'n Tasty Pepperoni, 35300-00572
• Jeno's Crisp 'n Tasty Combo, 35300-00576

Easy White Pizza

2007-10-31T10:42:00.000-04:00

White pizza, or pizza bianca, is one of my favorite varieties of pizza. Like other red pizzas, its construction and the cheeses used vary regionally. One of the tastiest, I think, uses ricotta as one of the cheeses, but not many do. Some white pizzas are adorned with broccoli florets or less commonly, spinach.

White pizza is actually very easy to make at home and a nice change from the tomato-laden variety. Start with any type of pizza dough - homemade, store-bought or even a prepared shell from the supermarket. Brush the shell with extra-virgin olive oil and dust with ground rosemary and oregano. Sprinkle generously with grated mozzarella. You can also employ other cheeses as well - romano and parmesan work nicely on a white pizza. Then top with dollops of riccotta about two inches apart.
Another method is to spread the riccotta and then cover it with the mozzarella and other cheeses, it's up to you. You can spice it up with diced onion and fresh garlic sprinkled on top. Fold your dough over and it makes a wonderful calzone.

If you simply can't do without your tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes are another option for a topping, but I prefer my white pizza to be rich in cheese and garlic. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.

Cookie Dough Pizza

2007-10-29T12:26:00.001-04:00

Here's an idea for dessert pizza that the kids will love and is so easy, they could do it themselves.

Start with any recipe sugar cookie dough. Packaged sugar cookie dough mixes up quickly with little fuss or for an even easier cooking project for the kids, start with pre-made dough that comes in a roll, like Pilsbury's. Press the dough into a pizza pan. If you're using the refrigerated log dough, cut it into circles first, set them out to fill the pan then press them together at the edges.

Bake the giant pizza cookie according to the dough recipe directions. Using another batch of dough, use cookie cutters of whatever shapes are right for the season, or use the log dough in a cookie shooter to make flowers and stars. You can add food coloring even to premade dough, just let it soften to room temperature, add your coloring and then shape it into a log again and refrigerate until firm. After baking, let the individual cookies cool.

Cover your large pizza cookie with a layer of vanilla ice cream. Take the decorative individual cookies and place on top of the ice cream layer for decoration. You can always add other toppings, too. Drizzle on some chocolate syrup, use chocolate chips, M&M's or sprinkles.

The kids will love it. It's easy to make and delicious to eat.

Family Pizza Night

2007-10-26T11:50:00.000-04:00

Ever notice that when people want to get together to celebrate, that pizza is often the menu choice for large groups? The reason is pizza's popularity, there is scarcely anyone who doesn't love some variety of pizza and plain cheese pizza is always a safe bet for a large get-together. The words "pizza" and "party" just seem to go together.

For example, my son's elementary school is holding a school pride "Pizza Party" for students who have been an example of their pride and policies of good effort and good conduct. Because he was chosen to participate, he gets to have pizza with his other chosen schoolmates and the prinicpal.

Pizza is as close to being the American national dish as hotdogs, hamburgers and apple pie. Why not set aside a special day each week that your family celebrates just being together? A Family Pizza Party will bring you all closer, give you quality time together and be a wonderful shared experience that could become a family tradition. Why not tonight? Make Friday, Family Pizza Party Night and enjoy the warmth that is family.

Crispy Melt Pizza New from Dominoes

2007-10-25T07:39:00.000-04:00

Dominoes has just introduced its latest tempting pizza creation, the Crispy Melt Pizza, asking the customer to decide: is it crispy or is it melty?

The pizza features two crispy, thin crusts with melted provolone and cheddar with all the pizza sauce and toppings sandwiched in between.

I can't wait till Pizza friday to try this one. I love crispy crust and all that cheese....yum. A medium, one-topping Crispy Melt Pizza sells for $9.99 from Dominoes.

Halloween Pizza Ideas

2007-10-23T00:37:00.000-04:00

Here's the easiest Halloween pizza idea you will ever come across. Having kids in for a Halloween party? Make pumpkin and ghost pizzas. It's perfect for the kids, you can let them make and decorate their own.

Start with already made pizza crusts from the supermarket or you can use large round pitas, get a jar of ready-made pizza sauce and all your toppings and let the kids get creative. Look for colorful items, like red and green peppers, that can be used to add detail to your pizza. Remember, after baking, a strip of ketchup can look like dripping blood.

For a more traditional pumpkin pizza, use a grated orange cheese or a combination of mozzarella and cheddar. Pepperoni can be used to form a mouth, sliced black olives can be arranged as eyes, broccoli for the stem or even hair if your pumpkin pizza-maker prefers a well-coifed pumpkin. Be creative, a roasted red pepper can be a stuck-out tongue.

If the kids want a ghost pizza, then start with french bread cut into half loaves and sliced length-wise. For ghosts, use plenty of the white mozzarella cheese and black olive slices for ghostly eyes. One pepperoni serves well as a gaping mouth that seems to say "Boo!".

Bake the pizzas on non-stick baking sheets in a 425° oven until cheese is melted.

Homemade Pepperoni

2007-10-22T09:29:00.001-04:00

Pepperoni is the most popular of all pizza toppings in the US. Pepperoni is a kind of dry, hard, salami made generally with pork and beef in the US but in Italy may contain goat, turkey or fish.

In Italian peperone is the name for a type of red bell pepper and if you wanted what we call pepperoni, you would ask for salame piccante.

If you are a pizza purist or just like to make your pizzas from scratch, you might want to try making your own pepperoni. Here are some recipes we found.

About.com Homecooking - caution, you have to be really serious about this endeavor as it takes 6 to 8 weeks of hanging to dry and cure your pepperoni

Recipe4All This appears to be a shortened version of the above

CD Kitchen - A good recipe if you like easy and quick. If I were going to try a first hand at this type of food preparation, this is the one I would go for.

The easiest way of course, is to buy a stick of pepperoni in your supermarket's deli or have it sliced up fresh for you right there. However you decide, pepperoni sizzling on a homebaked pizza is heavenly.

Poll Says Americans Love Pizza Best

2007-10-20T09:51:00.000-04:00

The results of a national survey commissioned by California Pizza Kitchen in honor of National Pizza Month are not surprising. Americans love their pizza. 94% of the population eats pizza and pizza was voted the number one comfort food. The average American eats pizza at least once a week. When asked which food one would NEVER give up, nearly 50% of all Americans surveyed (aged 25-34) said they could not live without pizza.

California Pizza Kitchen, the pioneers of California-style pizza consisting of innovative toppings and worldly ingredients, has been dishing out their famed Original BBQ Chicken Pizza and other pizza favorites since 1985.

Librarian Lures Teens With Pizza

2007-10-19T21:26:00.000-04:00

If you want to lure teenagers into the library for some sneaky introduction to literature, what's the best way to ensure a good turnout? Throw a pizza party of course.

That was the idea of Amy McCue, the librarian in Windsor, CT. She held a pizza taste test and invited children ages 11 to 18 to come to the library for free pizza and to judge the contest. There were pizzas from several local pizzerias and while the kids were busy munching and mulling over the ratings to give each pizza, McCue introduced them to books and reading.

She also invited those attending to read a book and write a review which she would include in a bound book. She promised to wear a funky costume of the kids' choosing to work if she got 100 submissions. The event was a success and several books were checked out of the library that evening.

Pizza and kids, they naturally go together.

Pizza Contest Winner is Dessert

2007-10-17T19:20:00.000-04:00

Stone Fire Pizza Company of Eagle, Wisconsin held a Create-a-Pizza contest. The imaginative pizza recipe that won was the creation of 10-year-old Josh Olsen.

Josh covered his crust with apples, chocolate, syrup, caramel, M&M's and sprinkles to create a dessert pizza.

Josh Olsen's winning dessert pizza

The winning pizza will actually be served at the restaurant.

The Lion and the Pizza Dude

2007-10-16T14:59:00.000-04:00

Detroit Lions wide receiver Roy Williams made headlines when he admitted in an interview earlier this month that he doesn't tip the pizza dude.

Apparently, Williams didn't know that you were supposed to tip the guy who hands you the pizza. But a little advice from a Pizza Hut delivery driver set him straight.

"It was the pizza guy. I’m not saying I don’t tip waitresses or anything else. I mean we’re talking about the pizza guy who hands me the pizza and I give him the money. The ironic thing Saturday night I’m heading to the hotel and I stop at a light I never have to stop at, and it was red. And guess who pulls up next to me? Pizza Hut man. I roll my window down, and I say, 'Pizza dude, how much am I supposed to tip you?' He said 'Three, four maybe five dollars.' And I said, 'Thank you.' So now I see it’s three, four maybe five dollars and I’m going to start tipping the pizza man."

Pizza Hut President Scott Bergen sent an open letter to Williams challenging him to make up for past tipping sins by delivering pizza on October 16, and that Pizza Hut would donate all his tips to World Food Program. Williams accepted the offer and will deliver pizza for Pizza Hut in Detroit.

Lahmacun - Turkish Pizza

2007-10-16T09:14:00.001-04:00

If you're an adventurous type and you want to try something different, how about a Turkish Pizza? Lahmacun, a traditional Turkish dish is often called Turkish Pizza and it does have similarities.

The lahmacun is a flat bread that is covered in minced meat (usually beef or lamb), and sprinkled with lemon. The dough is thin and formed into ovals. After cooking, the lahmacun is often rolled up and served with tomatoes or other vegetables.

I found a wealth of recipes on the net that vary in authenticity and difficulty. Some include instructions for making your own dough, others substitute pita bread for a quick and easy homemade turkish pizza. Here's a sampling of recipes, one is sure to make your mouth water.

Turkish Foods & Cooking - authentic recipe

Recipe Zaar - a spicy but easy recipe using turkish bread as a base

Food Network CA - a delicious recipe but you better be a skilled cook. The picture will convince you to try it, yummy.

Turkish-Cypriot Cuisine - the easiest recipe I saw, using pitas and ground beef. The directions are clear and simple.

Quick Pizza Dough

2007-10-15T17:03:00.000-04:00

Love to make your own pizza but you don't want to fuss too much with the dough? Here's a very easy recipe I found for a dough that is tasty and quick to make. The recipe produces enough dough for two pizzas, so you can freeze half for later. What could be better than that? How about homemade pizza that fills the house with that fresh-from-the-oven aroma? Heavenly.

Here are your ingredients, gather them up and head over to Taste.com for all the detailed instructions.

Ingredient List:
* 2 cups plain flour
* 8g sachet instant dry yeast
* 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
* 3/4 cup warm water
* 2 tablespoons olive oil

Authentic Neapolitan Pizza

2007-10-14T11:09:00.000-04:00

What we call pizza today, and is the type most commonly consumed in the US is based on a traditional authentic Neapolitan Pizza, the Pizza Margherita.

Pizza Margherita is made with tomato, sliced mozzarella, basil and extra virgin olive oil. There are specific rules about making the dough and the baking of the pizza in order for it to be considered a "true" traditional Neapolitan pizza (there are only two main variations of pizza considered to be authentic).

The dough must be made with Neapolitan wheat flour and baked for 60 to 90 seconds in a wood-fired brick oven at 485°C. The pizza must not exceed 35 cm in diameter or be more than a third of a cm thick at the center. The toppings must be locally produced.

The other authentic Neapolitan pizza is the Pizza Marinara. The toppings include tomato, oregano, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and usually basil (basil was not an original ingredient, however). There is no cheese on the Pizza Marinara, something that might make it much less popular as an everyday pizza choice in the US, but this pizza is made in many pizzerias in Naples and may be enjoyed by tourists looking to sample authentic, traditional pizza.

If you would like to try baking this traditional cheese-less pizza at home, there is an excellent recipe at e*rcps.com

Jack-O-Lantern Pizza

2007-10-12T23:39:00.001-04:00

If you're lucky enough to live near a Papa Murphy Take 'N Bake Pizza, you can bring home this Boo-tiful pizza to feed all your wee ghosts and ghoulies. It's sure to be a popular Halloween treat.

The Jack-O-Lantern Pizza is topped with freshly grated cheese and the face is constructed of pepperoni. The pizza bakes fresh in your home oven in 12 to 18 minutes. The Jack-O-Lantern will be available starting OCtober 24 through Halloween, but is sure to be a highly requested item so pre-ordering is recommended.

To find out if there is a Papa Murphy's near you, check their store locator.

Pizzeria Owner Makes Fake Dough

2007-10-11T08:31:00.000-04:00

A pizzeria owner in Dobbs Ferry, NY was making more than just pizza in the back room of the Brick Oven Pizza Shop. Police seized $6000 in counterfeit money as well as printing and cutting equipment. Owner Frank Donato is accused of making fake dough, in $50 denominations.

His pizza shop was so popular that even the police used to eat there. But Donato was supplementing the pizzeria's dough with some he made out of ordinary paper on a laser jet printer. His counterfeits weren't that convincing but police say he passed the phony money at small convenience stores where the cashiers were likely to be teenagers who wouldn't check the bills.

All Things Pizza - Pizza Fun Facts

2007-10-10T08:54:00.000-04:00

October is National Pizza month in the US, so designated in 1987. Pizza is one of America's most popular foods, with approximately 69,000 pizzerias in the US!

To celebrate Pizza Month, here are some other fun facts about pizza:

* Pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping in America

* Anchovies are the least popular pizza topping in America

* Americans eat about 100 acres of pizza every day

* Pizza ranks as the most popular food with kids ages 3 to 11

* 3 billion pizzas are sold annually, that's 46 slices each for every man, woman and child in the country.

* 62% of Americans prefer meat toppings on pizza while only 38% prefer the vegetarian variety

* Thin crust is the most popular with 61% of pizza lovers preferring thin crust. 14% vote for thick crust or deep dish as their favorite.

* The world's most extravagant pizza can be found at Nino's Bellisima in New York City. The 12 inch pizza, topped with caviar, lobster, creme fraiche and chives, sells for $1000.
That's $125 for each slice. The pizza must be ordered 24 hours in advance, as the caviar has to be ordered.

The History of Pizza

2007-10-10T00:41:00.000-04:00

Pizza most likely originated in Naples, Italy, and was originally a dish common among the poor who added tomato to their yeast-based flat bread. As it gained popularity, tourists sampled the local dish. Vendors sold their wares in the streets, carried in cylindrical drums with false bottoms packed with charcoal from the oven fires to keep the pizza hot. From these humble beginnings, the favorite dish of America was born.

Pizza was introduced to the United States by Italian immigrants who sold pizza in the same way as the original Naples' vendors on the streets of American cities where there were large Italian populations.

The Antica Pizzaria Port Alba in Naples is possibly the oldest pizzeria in the world.

The first pizzeria in America is believed to have been opened by Gennaro Lombardi in 1905 when he first began selling pizza from his grocery store.

Today there are more than 3 billion pizzas sold annually in the United States, making pizza one of America's favorite foods.