Pizza crust/ bread recipe...

...so since my Saturday night pizza post I have had several requests for my mom's bread recipe. My sister also gave me a recipe, I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I'll let you know how that turns out when I do.

I am the youngest of 9 kids, so the bread recipe that my mom made is big...I usually half it. So I'll post the full version and you can try it halved first and if you like it you can make the whole thing and stick half of it in the freezer for the next week, or make yummy dinner rolls and loaves of bread. Here it is for your experimenting pleasure.

drum roll please....

Big Bad Mamma Jamma recipe of a lotta dough:

You can opt for only white flour or half white half wheat--all wheat will make the dough too dense, so the half and half version is the way to go if you're a wheat lover.

6 cups warm water
2 T yeast
6 T honey
2/3 cup oil
2 T salt
12-14 cups flour

bake 350 for 50 minutes

take 1 cup of warm water (not hot so you don't kill the yeast) with the yeast and honey and set it aside - 5 minutes to activate the yeast.

Measure half the flour (I generally add 3 cups of white flour to my fresh ground wheat flour) into a large bowl with salt and add the other five cups of water and 2/3 cup oil and the honey. Add yeast mixture and mix thoroughly - at least 100 strokes then add flour until you have consistency of the bread dough you want (I personally work with a sticky bread dough - not too sticky - the bread dough can be handled with margarined/buttered hands). Knead 10 minutes. Let rise 60 minutes. Form into loaves and let rise for 25 minutes and place in preheated oven.

I use this same recipe for pizza crust, rich dinner rolls, and cinnamon rolls - I add 3 eggs (well beaten) plus 2 - 3 Tablespoons more honey. (for pizza dough you can let it rise like 65-70 min and then spread on pizza pans, no need to let rise for 25 more min. That's only if you make loaves or rolls.)

Also, make sure you knead/massage the dough with your fingers-do not pull or stretch- as you spread it on the pan. This way the dough won't tear. You can also use a rolling pin. Make sure you grease the pan so it doesn't stick. Cooking time varies depending upon what type of pan you use. (pizza stone takes longer cooking time, but still works well) Cook about 18-25 min- depending on how thick your crust is. You can tell it's done when the center is bubbling (the cheese and whatnot :) and the edge will brown a bit.

Rolls you also let rise the same as bread and bake only 25 - 35 minutes or until golden brown. I use this same recipe for white rolls - except it takes all the cups of flour and maybe another cup - but I still work with sticky dough.

***with the halved recipe use 2 eggs beaten instead of 1.5

Have fun with the toppings, add whatever you like. I made this over at my friends house the other night and we made a yummy bbq chicken pizza with cilantro and red onions.

Let me know if you have any questions and how it works out for you. Tell me your favorite concoctions, I love trying new stuff, so lay it on me!!