Pizza Dough

2 1/2-3 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons fast rising yeast (or fast rise, 1 envelope)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup very warm water (120 to 130 degrees)

2 tablespoons oil

1. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt; blend well.

2. Gradually add water and oil to mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened, then beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. By hand, add 1 1/2 to 2 cups flour until dough pulls away from sides of bowl (I did all of this in my Kitchenaid.)

3. On floured surface, knead in 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour until dough is smooth and elastic. Cover loosely with plastic and let rest in a warm place for about 15 minutes.

4. Press out dough onto (2) 12-inch pizza pans. Prick randomly with a fork. Let rest again in a warm place for 10-15 minutes.

5. Brush crusts lightly with oil then prebake them in a 450 degree oven for 5 minutes.

6. Top as desired, then bake again in 450 degree oven for 4-5 minutes, or until desired doneness.

This is the first time I have ever used this recipe and we really liked it. We normally just put random ingredients on top of our pizza (whatever we happen to have.) This particular time we did a BBQ chicken pizza (BBQ sauce, chicken, and bacon) and a chicken pesto pizza (pesto sauce, artichoke hearts, chicken, and bacon.) Both were delicious. If I had had tomatoes on hand I would have put them on the pesto pizza.