May 17 National Pizza Party Day #PizzaPartyDay

I don’t know about your home but in our home we seem to eat Pizza every day because it is what Charlie lives on because a lot of the recipes David and I make for dinner Charlie will not eat. If we go out to eat Charlie doesn’t want to go. David and I end up bringing a Cheese Pizza home for Charlie.

Celebrating May 17 National Pizza Party Day #PizzaPartyDay perfect for our family because we get to spend time with our family and have a slice or two of Pizza and usually watch a movie as a family for #FAmilyMovieNight and #noelectronics are allowed. Would you like to join us for Pizza and Movie Night? David will have a Beer he can share with you. Or I have Sweet Tea and Charlie said there is plenty of Soda’s to go with the Pizza.

Having a blast on National Pizza Party Day is no pie-in-the-sky idea. Pizza’s the very definition of a good time and your May 17 options are plentiful. You could whip up a Pizza at home or head out to your favorite Pizza Restaurant for food and fun on the third Friday in May. If your feeling adventurous you should pick out a new Pizza Restaurant to try.

If your Town is like mine there seems to be a restaurant serving Pizza on every single corner and our Towns are so close together there is even more restaurants we could visit and then for a Homeschool Field Trip we could explore those towns and while walking around look for a new place to have dessert at. Would you like to join us for dinner and our adventure?

Mainly thought of as an Italian dish, Pizza has seemingly existed forever. The ancient Greeks used to flavor their Flatbread with Oils, Herbs, and Cheese, while Persian soldiers used to bake their own Pizzas on the hot surfaces of their shields. Did you know traditional Pizza is also known as Neapolitan pizza, and Neapolitan originates as the name suggests from Naples, around the middle of the 16th Century. Italian immigrants later introduced Pizza to their new American compatriots, and eventually, Pizza became the savory crowd-pleaser we know it to be today.

NATIONAL PIZZA PARTY DAY ACTIVITIES

1. What better way to bond with your friends and meet new people than by inviting them to your place and feeding them Pizza? You can decorate your place with Pizza-themed decorations and put together Pizza-themed party games. Don’t forget you can even serve Desert Pizza, Garlic Bread and Cinnamon Rolls.
2. I have a question for you. Haven’t you ever wanted to make your own Pizza Crust? To knead the dough into a circle and toss it into the air, just like the pros do? You can either purchase ready-made Pizza Dough or you can mix your own Pizza Crust. Don’t stress if you don’t get the spin right the first time. All the best things in life “knead” practice.
3. “If you’ve ever wondered where to find the best Pizza in town, today is the perfect day to do find out. Gather up a group of friends or family or you could go solo. Then research where the best Pizza is and visit those restaurants, Carry a notebook to make notes so you know which ones to visit in the future and why. While your out in the town have a good time and eat Pizza.

WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL PIZZA PARTY DAY

1. There is something about the combination of standard flavors Sauce, Cheese, Spices and Herbs that is appealing to us. At the same time, the recipe is so basic that it allows for endless experimentation and innovation.
2. Whatever your stance on whether Pineapple should belong on Pizza or not, you have to give folks points for creativity.
3. Pizza is a finger-food by default, which has the effect of making any atmosphere feel more easy and comfortable. People tend to have the most fun when they feel comfortable around others, so Pizza can help create the perfect atmosphere for any party.
4. John Green once said that “for almost all of human history, Pizza was impossible.”
5. Pizza as we know it today requires ingredients from very disparate corners of the world.
6. Tomato Sauce wasn’t used on Pizza until trade routes were established between Europe and the Americas.
7. Modern Pizza requires creativity and collaboration between people of very different backgrounds and the result is delicious.

Recipe for Cheese Pizza

YIELDS: 6 – 8 serving(s) PREP TIME: 30 mins TOTAL TIME: 3 hours

Ingredients

• 1 1/4-oz. packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 c. warm water (90 to 100°)
• 4 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing
• 2 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 c. Homemade Pizza Sauce, divided
• 3 c. shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 c. cubed fresh mozzarella cheese, divided
• Fresh basil, to serve

Directions:

1. 1Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the warm water (90 to 100°) in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk to combine and then let sit until bubbles have formed on the top, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and salt, and mix with the dough hook on low speed until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bottoms and sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium-low until everything is well incorporated and the dough is sticky, 2 to 3 minutes more.
2. 2Drizzle the top of the dough and down the sides of the bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Use a rubber spatula to flip the dough to coat in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. 
3. 3About 1 hour before you’re ready to make pizza, place a pizza stone, steel, or an upside-down baking sheet on the upper third rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°.
4. 4On a lightly floured work surface, cut the dough in half and form into tight rounds. To form a nice round, flatten the dough onto the counter in a circle and fold all the edges into the center of the circle. Flip it over and gently pull the round against the counter to form a taut ball. Place the rounds on a lightly floured baking sheet with enough space for them to rise and expand. (If you’re not ready to make pizza, cover them with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the covered dough balls for up to 2 days. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding.) 
5. 5Place a 14-inch piece of heavy-duty foil on top of an upside-down half-sheet pan. Lightly brush the foil with oil and dust with flour. While working with one round of dough, cover the other with plastic wrap. 
6. 6On a well-floured surface, press 1 piece of dough into an 8-inch round with a 1-inch outer lip. Carefully lift the dough with your hands cupping the lip to keep from flattening it. Working quickly, rotate the edge of the dough through your hands in a clockwise motion, allowing gravity to stretch the dough into a round shape. Place the dough back on the flour and stretch it into a 12-inch circle. Transfer it to the prepared foil.
7. 7Sprinkle the surface of the pizza with 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan. Spread 1/2 cup Homemade Pizza Sauce over the parmesan, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle the pizza with 1 1/2 cups of low-moisture mozzarella and 1/2 cup of cubed fresh mozzarella.
8. 8Using the upside-down baking sheet as a pizza peel, transfer the pizza with the foil to the preheated baking stone. Bake until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer pizza from the foil to a cooling rack. Brush the crust with olive oil, sprinkle the surface with basil leaves, and serve hot. 
9. 9Repeat the process with the remaining dough, sauce, and cheese. Do not assemble the pizza until right before it goes into the oven.

Tip: Assembling the pizza on a greased and floured sheet of heavy-duty foil reduces the risk of sticking and makes the transfer to the oven much easier!

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates