Simple but delicious pizza crust

1 1/2 cup of warm water (110* degrees F)
3 tsp of yeast, fast acting
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of brown sugar
2 tbsp of olive oil
3-4 cups of AP flour

Pour into a large bowl the above ingredients except the flour. (you can also proof the yeast with the water first to ensure potency and then add rest)

Stir with a Danish dough whisk (or wooden spoon) and add flour till it forms a ball in the bowl.  Once it forms into a ball, dump onto a floured surface.  Knead by pushing it down firmly across the surface and then fold in half and "push" the fold into the ball while pushing against the surface of your counter.   Rotate slightly and repeat the motion. Set the timer for 10 minutes to knead this fully.  The dough should start to lighten in color and become more and more pliant.  The surface should look smooth and not torn up.  It should be where you can poke it without breaking the surface and fill back in slowly. 

Place into an oiled bowl and lightly oil dough ball and cover with a moistened parchment paper or tea towel.  Let rise till doubled.  I use the bread proof option in my oven.  It usually rises in about 75 minutes for me. 

Punch down dough and divide into 2 balls on a floured surface.  Cover and let it rest 10 minutes or so while you assemble the rest of your ingredients.

For thin crust, roll out with a heavy roller (like a marble one) and place on to a pizza screen or stone to bake 5 minutes in a 400 plus degrees oven and then place your toppings on and finish baking to ensure a crispy dough.

For a regular "hand" tossed crust. Spread dough into a circle on your floured surface using your hands to stretch it out all around in rotation.  Place onto a screen/stone, place your toppings on and bake as desired in a 400 degree oven.  Usually 15 minutes.

For a pan pizza.  I roll out both dough balls till flat.  I dot one circle with pats of butter. (about half a stick with thin pats)  I place other circle on top and roll it out pressing it together.  I fold in half.  Roll till flat. Repeat.  Then fold over again and again.  With your hands, mold into a dough ball.  Then spread it out like in the hand-tossed fashion.  In your large pan pizza pan, add enough olive oil to cover the bottom and spread out your dough into it, stretching it up and over the sides.  Add your toppings and bake in a 400 degree oven for a good 45 minutes.

Holiday cookies

Peppermint crushed sugar crackle cookies

• 8 candy canes crushed (1/2 cup)
• ½ cups butter softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• ¼ teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoons baking soda
• 1-½ cup all purpose flour
• ½ cups powdered sugar
• 4 candy cane, crushed as above (1/4 cup)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment paper or use silicone baking mat and set aside.
2. Place candy canes into a plastic food storage bag and crush using a rolling pin. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla and egg. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir all dry ingredients together in a small bowl and then in pour into the mixer and slowly mix until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of the bowl and mix again briefly. Stir in crushed candy canes. Keep bag for next batch of candy canes.
4. Re-using bag from the the first batch of candy canes, add rest of candy canes.  Crush.  Pour powdered sugar into bag, mix well and shake out onto a large plate. Use a 1 inch cookie scooper and then roll smoothly into a ball and then roll in powdered sugar/candy cane mix. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.
5. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begins to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.