Homemade Pizza Dough

We love homemade pizzas and we are one step closer to having a completely organic, made-by-my-own-two-hands, all homemade pizza.  We have already canned our own pasta sauce from our garden last summer and I am currently learning how to make my own cheese, but tonight I wanted to share my easy pizza dough recipe. 

First in a large bowl, add one packet of dry yeast, one-half teaspoonful of brown sugar and one and a half cups of WARM water to a bowl.  This is "proofing" the yeast and it takes about 15 or till it looks foamy. 

Then add 1/2 teaspoonful of salt and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Mix well then stir in 2 & 1/2 cups of flour with a spoon.  Now take of your watch and any rings and bracelets.  SERIOUSLY this stuff is super sticky, don't  repeat my mistake!  Now get your hands all flour-y and begin kneading the dough by folding it into itself.  I keep mine in a large bowl and knead it in there but if you want to have fun and make a HUGE mess, do it on your countertop!  Add the flour to it by handfuls and keep adding until it no longer sticks to every bare patch of skin it touches...I hate that feeling. 

Finally when you have it in a nice pretty ball schmuey some olive oil over it, that's the not so technical term for it, and put it back in your bowl. 

Then cover with a damp cloth and let sit for one hour.  During this time it should double in size. 

Hey...it worked!

Now punch the dough back down into a tight ball.  Let it "rest" for a minute, then roll it out onto your pizza stone or pan.  I like to let it rise for another 15 minutes here then put all my toppins' on. 

Put it in the oven and bake at 425 for 15/20 minutes.