But what if I want pizza at 2 am?

D.C politicians are blaming crime on pizza parlors that stay open till 4:30 in the morning. According to Fox News, these politicians are actually trying to pass legislation to control these pizza hangouts. I am not a night person so I can't imagine ever being hungry at 2 a.m., but I know a lot of people who really do like to eat at those hours of the night. It seems the safer option would be to just keep some pizza dough frozen so that when you get the urge you can take it out and whip up a pizza however you like it.

I am personally a big fan of slicing up fresh tomatoes and tossing them in chopped garlic, a pinch of salt, oregano, and a little bit of olive oil. Throw this mixture and some fresh basil on the dough and cover with any cheese you like. Of course, fresh pizza is so much tastier with fresh ingredients. There is nothing like a sweet juicy tomato and fresh basil on a homemade crust.

Members of a community in Stratford Connecticut are fighting to create community gardens, so that a lot of people can enjoy these kinds of summer bounty. Of course no endeavor is seen without some form of problem. The Connecticut Post wrote that the town council is trying to take the gardens, that are already growing, away from the citizens of the town, who are hoping to donate some of their produce to food banks. It seems not everyone is as excited about going green and helping people out in these tough times.

Today is Memorial Day, so I hope that you are all enjoying a hamburger or hotdog, maybe some pasta salad or potato salad. If you are feeling creative and want to try something new, make that fresh pizza a grilled pizza. It is the easiest thing to do and it tastes amazing.

1 cup warm water(your body tempurature is normally around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, so if it feels slightly warm to you the water will be at the perfect tempurature. If the water feels hot, it is too warm and will kill the yeast)
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Mix the water, sugar, yeast, and salt. Watch for the yeast to bubble a little so that you know the little yeast people are still alive. After letting the yeast bloom a little, mix the olive oil in the water mixture(If you don't have olive oil, use another oil. Don't ever not make a recipe because you don't have one ingredient. Just look for an alternative.) Kneed in the flour. You may use more or less flour depending on the humidity and temperature. Bread is a very alive thing. Touch it, kneed it, and listen to it. If it's sticky and being mean, it's probably telling you that it needs a little bit more flour. Make sure it is still moldable and stretchable. Kneed the dough till it becomes smooth. Let the dough sit for an hour in a warm spot in the house.

Stretch the dough out. Make sure your other ingredients are all prepared and on hand. If you're using the fresh tomato mixture above, have it ready and in a bowl. Take all of your ingredients down to the grill. Make sure the grill is not too hot or the dough will burn before the cheese melts. Stretch the dough out onto the grill. Grill one side till it's crusty and looks baked. Flip the dough and place the tomato mixture on the dough and some fresh basil and cheese. Leave on the grill until the cheese is melted and the dough is firm and looks nice and brown. Take it off the grill, cut it up, and enjoy the pizza and the fact that you didn't have to heat up the house while making this tasty meal.

Happy Eating!!!

Emily