Pizza Pals

I had a craving for pizza today, and as I happened to have some dough in the refrigerator, I enlisted the help of the girls to make my dream a reality (it’s okay to dream about pizza, right?). 

Although my original intention was to let the girls help me stretch out the dough and spread it on the pan, it became apparent after four over-eager hands started pulling and poking that I was in over my head.  I nixed the girls’ involvement with that step and attempted to roll it out myself.  I floured my rolling pin and got to work.  But try as I might, my dough remained a humpbacked puddle rather than a flat circle.  So I resigned myself to puddle-pizza and moved on.  I gave the girls the green light to assist at that point, and they were enthusiastic oilers. 

(Yes, that’s the same basting brush that the girls used to “paint” the exterior of the house, and no, I wasn’t 100% positive it had been cleaned since then.  Added flavor, maybe?).

They were also big helps with adding cheese…to their mouths, that is.

I had envisioned a “margherita-style” white pizza, but because I can never say no to salty meat, I agreed to add on a few slices of pepperoni at the girls’ request. 

That made Becky very happy.  She is also a fan of salty meat. 

After copious amounts of additional cheese, as well as some fresh basil (that counts as a vegetable, right?), I popped it in the oven and let the aroma of hot cheesy goodness fill the house.

I could simply show you a picture of the finished product and let you assume that the girls and I successfully created a masterpiece.  See – isn’t it pretty? 

But unfortunately, it only looked pretty.  Remember the “humpbacked puddle” I had going on?  Well, it turns out puddles don’t cook as well as pancakes.  So despite an additional 20-30 minutes in an extra-hot oven, my pizza remained stubbornly dough-y on the inside.  Good thing I’m always a fan of chewy bread.  And although it didn’t quite live up to my taste buds’ expectations, it was an enjoyable culinary adventure with the girls.  They didn’t even notice it wasn’t up to snuff.  They ate so much cheese and pepperoni that they were full by the time the pizza came out anyway!