BBQ Bacon Pizza

Ok - so I'm an idiot. I was so excited today to post my first recipe - thought about it all day long. Knew I was making pizza, but not sure what I was putting on said pizza. Looked through my fridge and cabinets, and came up with the recipe that follows. With that said, the crust is from my good friend Ina Garten. Well, I see us as good friends...she has no idea I exist. Maybe some day - a foodie can always dream, can't she. But I digress - back to the pizza. So I create the pizza, bake it off, call the family to the table, and Hubby takes a bite. His eyebrows rise and he smiles. He likes it? No, he tells me he LOVES it! This is from my painful-at-times, very honest husband. So I know he's not saying he loves it just because I made it. He has ZERO problem telling me when he doesn't love it or like it. It's a keeper. So...yes, here's the recipe, but no, there are no photos. Guess I could always show you the empty pizza stone.

The Dough
1 1/4 cups warm water (very warm - about 100 to 110 degrees F)
2 packages dry yeast
1 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cups AP flour (plus extra for kneading)
2 tsp. salt

Combine the water, yeast, honey and olive oil in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 3 cups flour, mix slightly, add the salt and mix. While the mixer is on slow, add the last 1 cup of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough on low for about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, turning several times to coat well with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place your pizza stone in the oven now to heat up along with your oven. If you skip this step, your pizza will still be yummy, but the crust won't be as crisp. And if that's OK with you, it's OK with me. Punch down the dough and cut in half. This recipe is enough for two 12-14 inch pizzas, depending on how thick you like your crust. I roll mine out pretty thin. We like our crust thin and crispy! Lightly flour your counter top or board. Form dough into a ball with your hands. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12-14 inch circle. Once the oven is ready, your stone will be ready. Carefully take it out of the oven and work quickly to assemble your pizza. Place the rolled out dough on stone. Assemble the pizza with the below list of toppings and in the following order:

The Toppings
3/4 cup BBQ sauce (use your favorite) - START HERE
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 purple onion, sliced thin and chopped
1/3 cup green olives, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 strips thick bacon, just cooked to crisp and chopped - END HERE

Bake for about 12-13 minutes, until crust is golden brown and crisp. The pizza is ready! Be ready for an explosion of flavors. Your mouth will be very happy! I am very happy! Just wish I had a photo or two for you.

Just Getting Started

Hey everyone! Welcome to "Cooking with Moni"! If you like to cook/bake, don't know how and want to learn, or if you just like food, this is the place for you. You are the Norm to my Cheers! Hang in there with me. I'm figuring this out as we go along. And I do mean "we" - I plan on taking all of you along for the ride! So get comfy, strap yourselves in, say a little prayer, and away we go!