When Jeff was in college one of the first meals he ever made on his own was the Chef Boyardee pizza kit. And yes, I made fun of him like crazy for it. He has perfected his fancy bachelor meal over the years, and although we don't use many canned/boxed foods around here, this is the one exception. Rarely am I gone during dinner, but if I am, I usually buy the box (well, now two boxes) and let him walk down memory lane. And yes I still make fun of him for his love of Chef Boyardee pizza. But not too much-after all, a break in the kitchen, is a break in the kitchen and I'll take what I can get for sure.
When I made my own little family cookbook last year and had to come up with a few more recipes for my family favorites collection, I experimented with all kinds of homemade pizza dough. I love a thin, crackery crust (I actually love ALL kinds of pizza crust, who am I kidding) and I found it in the following recipe. Jeff begged me to buy Chef Boyardee pizza sauce instead of my usual all natural organic variety. I used mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and it was a hit-I always add some fresh tomatoes to a small corner just for me. It's my "no Chef Boyardee pizza kit but really want Jeff to cook dinner" fall back recipe.
The crust is easy to whip up in minutes, and the kids can help through all the steps-although Jeff has very precise (super annoying) methods of mixing the dough, spreading the sauce, sprinkling the cheese and gets quite bossy about it. I should say-if the kids can stand to be next to bossy pizza cook, they will help. If not, they wait to hear, "Dinner is ready!"
This recipe makes two large pizzas (I use big cookie sheets) and that is usually enough-if I make a salad and some bread. If not, I would double it. Someone usually sneaks on some pepperoni, but I love to sneak on tomatoes, a sprinkle of feta if I have it, and some fresh basil chopped.
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 can Chef Boyardee pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
toppings if desired
Dissolve yeast and sugar in hot water, let rest for 8 minutes-it will foam up a little.
In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt.
Pour yeast mixture over the flour mixture and mix well until it forms a ball.
Pour one capful of oil over dough, cover and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Pour one capful of oil over dough, cover and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Divide into 2 portions.
(We use 2 9x12" cookie sheets for this recipe.)
(We use 2 9x12" cookie sheets for this recipe.)
Place dough on a lightly buttered pizza pan and stretch to edges.
Be patient...this is a thin crust, so you have to press little by little to stretch it. I use my fingertips and work the dough slowly till it covers the pan.
Top with Chef Boyardee sauce, and then Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 500 degrees for 8-12 minutes.
---
If you'd like to come up with your own family friendly recipe using a Chef Boyardee product, you can enter it in Chef Boyardee’s Make It Boyardeelicious Recipe Contest from December 29, 2011 through March 11, 2012 for your chance to win free groceries for a year as well as one of ten $500 weekly cash prizes. Then visit Chef Boyardee’s Facebook page from March 26, 2012 through April 8, 2012 to vote for your favorite recipes from the “Make It Boyardeelicious Recipe Contest.” Each day, one voter will be selected to win a $100 cash prize.Be sure to visit the Chef Boyardee Roundup page on BlogHer.com to check out other bloggers’ recipes!
15 comments:
I LOVE Jeff's expressions in those pictures. Maybe I should try this to help Dave step up from his signature pasta meal.
I always sneak tomatoes on my part of the pizza too:)
LOL...my family loves Chef Boyardee pizza too (my husband is the biggest fan). Must be a man thing!
LOL, my hubby grew up with the Chef Boyardee pizza kits too!! He was thrilled several months back when I brought one home from the store!
Too cute....love the pics. :-) We've never tried the Chef Boyardee pizza kit. Looks like a fun cooking gig for Daddy and son.
I think my husband lived on Chef Boyardee Pizza before we were married!
My husband too used to make the Chef Boyardee Pizza. And I totally made fun of him. But I never even thought about buying it so my husband could make dinner for the kids when I have something in the evening. Brilliant!! Then I wouldn't always be rushing trying to get dinner and clean up before I leave. And I have been searching for a good pizza crust, I like mine crunchy too. I am trying your recipe for pizza night this week!
Can't wait to have my hubby try your recipe for crust. He loves a crackery crust too, but we haven't figured out how to achieve it yet. Friday we're planning meatless pizza, so this could not have come at a better time--thank you!
I've always loved chef Boyardee! The sauce is the best!
Ok, your husband is cracking me up with his love and excitement for Chef Boyardee! Isn't it funny the things we love from childhood that we try to pass on to our kids. The one thing I loved and ate so much of as a kid was fluff. I bought it one time for my kids to try with peanut butter and they were not fans! Oh well!
We tried this tonight for dinner, and it was a hit! Thanks for making me look cool in the kitchen:)
What kind of knives set do you have? I'm looking for a good set.
My kids Love homemade pizza night! I have never bought the "chef's" before, I usually buy the frozen bread dough and let it rise on the counter. I never buy dinner kits either except one, try hamburger helper Asian - chicken helper fried rice. I have my husband stop and get egg rolls at the chinese restaurant on the way home from work for a knock off chinese dinner.
Why don't you divide the dough into 7 th's so everyone can have it there own way? Also, in the summer, try it on the grill! It's awesome!
Pizza night is a big hit at our house too. We like to used any leftover dough to make a "dessert" pizza with apple slices with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top. Yum!
Love the photos. Having a funny husband in the house is such a blessing, no?
growing up, i used to make chef boyardee pizzas all the time. didn't know it was still around. :)
I'll be using the crust recipe over the weekend. I've been craving thin crust pizza lately but my recipe is for a thicker crust. Change is good!
Post a Comment