We love making pizza in our family. Not only is it delicious, but most other people like it too, so it’s great for company or delivering it to new moms, sick people or even freezing it for later (Sans toppings. More about that later.)

I used to make pizza very sporadically. I wasn’t very good at working with dough or getting the timing right when cooking it which made me feel like a pizza-making dummy. Frustrated that I couldn’t make a pizza like my mom (who is a pizza expert in my book), I started making pizza every Friday night a few years ago. Then when I felt like I had mastered it somewhat (no burned, undercooked, or totally terrible pizzas), I started inviting guests over to share our pizza night every few weeks. It’s now my standby for guests, so I never have to guess what to have when company comes or figure out a special menu. Pizza is great for everyone, unless your dieting and who’d want to do that when they’re invited out to eat?

HOW TO MAKE IT:

Starting after lunch, I put all my ingredients for the dough in the bread maker. It takes an hour and forty minutes on my machine to knead the dough. I call this the lazy man’s way to make pizza. My husband thinks it’s brilliant. I’ll take his word for it.

As soon as the dough is done, I take it out immediately. In the past when I’ve left it in the bread maker long past the beep, it gets sticky. Sometimes it gets sticky anyway which may have to do with the heat and humidity outside. I’m not sure. All I know is dough is finicky, kind of like kids. If this is the case I just knead more flour into the dough and divide it into four balls, which will later become four pizzas.

Then using some flour on my counter top, I roll the dough out into a circle. This is probably the hardest part and takes a lot of practice. If the dough starts to stick at any point in time, I add more flour. If the dough gets too thin and starts to break, I either re-roll it or add a patch of dough where the hole is to repair it. If the dough is totally falling apart, I just start over. Sometimes that’s the best thing to do. Resist the urge to throw the dough against the wall, which is what you’ll feel like doing.

If you’re using a pizza stone (which I highly recommend), put corn meal over the surface to keep it from sticking. If you’re using plain old pizza pans, use shortening over the surface of the pan. It’s a waste to do all that work if your pizza is going to stick to the pan.

It’s fun to let your kids make a “baby pizza” too. This is my daughter’s version above. Just give them some dough to smash and let them make it into a small round. Have them add the toppings they like even if they do what my daughter did: put all the toppings on and then add the sauce, right on top of everything. It’s their own creation and they’ll be proud of it.

Sometimes I like to throw and twirl my dough in the air like a real pizza maker. But I do not recommend this. Problem number one: You’ll drop it. Problem number two: You’ll break the dough with your hands. Problem three: You’ll have to start over. I have experience with this. DON’T DO IT–EVEN WHEN YOU’RE FEELING ORNERY.

THE TOPPINGS: DON’T SKIMP ON THE CHEESE

Once I get the pizza rolled I move it to the pan and add all the necessary ingredients. I do make my own sauce, but store bought is fine too. It just depends on what you like.

One thing I’ve learned about cheese is essential. Put a full two cups on every pizza. I used to skimp on the cheese and then couldn’t figure out what was wrong with my pizza. Then one day I went to a local pizza joint that makes the best deep dish pizza. I saw someone in the back grating this enormous pile of mozzerella cheese. It was like a cheese mountain–it was so huge. And it suddenly occurred to me that I had been a cheese-whimp. I didn’t want to use a whole 2 cup bag of cheese on one pizza, but I decided to try it. The result was scrumptious, cheesy and wonderful. Forget about calories, fat content and your high cholesterol and just pour the whole bag on it. I’m guessing that all of the major pizza joints put on lots of cheese which makes the pizza extra good. Just think of how much calcium you’ll be getting! My advice: Don’t skimp on the cheese department. It does make a difference.

As far as the rest of the toppings go, it’s really up to you. If you get the dough, sauce and cheese right, you can’t really go wrong on the rest of it. Unless you like anchovies. There is something really wrong about anchovies on pizza.

Then bake for 16-20 minutes in a 400 degree oven, until the cheese starts to brown and the crust turns golden. (Check on it often!) You’ll get the hang of finding out the perfect time in your own oven. Then enjoy some hot delicious pizza compliments of your own hard work. Then give yourself a pat on the back. Or a good massage. Or a bubble bath. Because after all that, you’ll need it.

(P.S. I like to freeze my pizza dough for quicker prep on busier Fridays. I don’t think it’s quite as good as fresh and it doesn’t rise as much, but it’s still a quick alternative. Don’t add toppings until you’re read to bake. Adding toppings before freezing only make the pizza mushier in my opinion and harder to determine when the pizza is done. Use a stone to get a crispier crust too.)

You know what’s best of all? Pizza is easy to share with others and makes a perfect night with company. Just don’t forget to wipe the cheese off your chin when company comes over.