The Almost Not Pizza Night - Plan B

Well, despite all the setbacks we suffered during the course of Monday, Pizza night was a success! It started yesterday morning already when I was trying to make the dough.

I can usually tell how the dough will turn out by the time that I have mixed the yeast mixture, oil and flour with the whisk attachment on my hand mixer when a shaggy dough should form. The shaggy dough formed but when I switched to the dough hooks and tried to get my shaggy neat and tidy into a ball it wouldn't work. Hence, a problem and I think it's the flour. I decided to replace the flour when I went to the store later but also decided that I would use my back-up allowance and swing by Publix for some ready made dough. I was in luck - it was already defrosted. Things were looking up. 

Larry and I arrived at Pizza Central early. So early, in fact, that no one else was there but we called Sara and let ourselves in. I had some extra energy since I didn't even make the dough so I decided I would oil the stones and roll out the dough for Sara so long. Boy, what a bad idea. Let's just suffice it to say that Larry took over and saved the day. 

Finally, Pizza Night was looking up. Sara was heating some Crab Etouffee in a pan for one of the pizzas while we waited on Todd to bring the barbecue sauce and pork for the other. We ate snacks in the meantime and just visited a while. 

Larry made some Peach Fuzz Cocktails with Vodka, real sliced peaches, frozen lemonade concentrate and ice which went down oh so nicely and also helped time pass more pleasantly.

Then Todd arrived. You guessed it, with only cheese. No barbecue sauce and not a shred of pork. Not to worry, we said and started raiding the fridge. I think the Peach Fuzz had a hand in my quick inspiration with Veggie Bacon Delight. Sara had used oil, garlic salt and shredded Parmesan cheese as the base. We tossed on some bacon bits and baby spinach. I sliced some fresh tomato very thinly, and shredded a cubanelle pepper which I also scattered on top and cheese to finish. 

The Crab Etouffee was also very simply done with just the sauce and some cheese so as not to overdo the flavors. 

Larry, Jr. took care of the grilling and did a marvelous job although sadly the Publix dough doesn't come out as crispy as my dough does. Not that the Publix dough is bad - on the contrary, it tastes really good. I just think I have spoiled us with my crispy crust. So, now at least I'm inspired to go back and solve that problem with my dough. 

As for the taste test: the Crab Etouffee was apparently as big a hit as all anticipated. What we didn't anticipate was the raging success of the Veggie Bacon Delight. In fact, not a slice of it remained behind! 

Next week, hopefully, we will be back with crispy crusts and the long awaited, much hyped barbecue pizza. See, Plan B was not so bad, it was phenomenal - again!