Easy, Healthy, Tasty Homemade Pizza (Did I mention it tastes good?)

Growing up in Western New York, I was subjected to the beauty of really good pizza. After leaving Buffalo, I came to the realization that pizza just wasn't the same anywhere else in the world. This recipe that I am sharing is not going to come anywhere near the taste of a Buffalo, NY pizza, but it is still really good, cheap and healthy (if you choose it to be). One of the best attributes of this pizza is how quick it can be constructed. I love that the dough does not need to rise (although there is yeast in it) and is also very easy to work with. Here is the recipe for the dough:

3 1/4 cups flour (you can use all-purpose, whole-wheat, or any other type to suit your fancy)
1 package of yeast (the small .25 ounce packets that you can find in any grocery store)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar (in case you didn't know, yeast eat sugar - so even if you are trying to save on calories, DO NOT omit the sugar)
2 tbsp good olive oil (if you have had your oil for awhile, make sure you smell it before you use it. If it smells like stale peanuts or just smells "off", it has gone rancid. In general, olive oil has a shelf life of anywhere between a couple of months to two years)
1 cup warm water (warm water is essential. Because yeast is a living organism, it needs warm water in order to "activate". Cold water will kill it)

That is all you need to make a decent pizza dough. First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Then you can start mixing! If you are lucky and have a stand-up mixer, then your job is very easy. Put on the Dough Hook attachment. Toss in all of the dry ingredients and give them a quick mix with a fork. Pour in all of the wet ingredients and start the mixer on a low speed. Keep going until everything is completely mixed and the dough resembles a smooth ball. Keep in mind that you may need to add more flour or oil in order to get the dough to a workable consistency. Weather wreaks havoc on dough!
If you do not have a stand-up mixer, buy one! but in the meantime, here is what you have to do. Get a large mixing bowl and toss in all of the dry ingredients. Then, take off your rings and bracelets (unless you want dough underneath your rings for all of eternity). Next, stir in all of the wet ingredients. Once the dough has come together, put some flour on your hands and start kneading it on a floured surface until it forms a smooth ball.

Once the dough is finished, spread it onto a well-oiled pizza pan (or cookie sheet if you don't have a pizza pan). Spread pizza sauce onto the dough. Here is a quick tip to save money: don't spend your hard-earned cash on expensive pizza sauce! You can easily make a great sauce at home for a fraction of the cost (unless you are a coupon hoarder and can get pizza sauce for cents on the dollar). All you need is a can of chopped or pureed tomatoes. Empty it into a bowl, whisk in some oregano, salt, basil, or any other spice, and voila! it will be as good as any off the rack pizza sauce! Next, put on whatever toppings you choose. Pop it in the oven for 20 minutes and there ya go (you remembered to preheat the oven, right?). Easy, tasty, and cheap pizza. Believe me, no homemade pizza can taste as good as if you were to order takeout, but this is a very good alternative. Try it out and let me know what you think!