146 Pizza Fail

I'm at a bit of a loss. Today's post was supposed to be all about how to make homemade pizza crust and how cheap and easy it is. Well, my first attempt was disappointing. My pizza crust didn't rise at all.

I will be experimenting to see if I need to:

- use more yeast (used 2 1/2 teaspoons)?
- buy new yeast (I bought this in 1999)?
- bake on a thinner pan?
- bake on a pan with holes in it?

I did let the yeast dissolve in hot water 5 minutes before adding the dry ingredients, and I did let the dough rest 5 minutes after mixing it. We bought this yeast in 1999 as part of our Y2k preparations. Does yeast die after a few years? There is no expiration date on this quart-sized, industrial strength compressed yeast packet we had kept un-opened until yesterday.

Doesn't the pizza look good, though? It tasted OK, but we were expecting great.

I walked all over Wal-mart and Costco yesterday, and we walked the dogs down the street and back, about half a mile. I gained a pound on pizza and Easter candy. I will probably gain another pound today on donuts at church and more Easter candy. I will be back to 145 by Friday. Here is all that I ate yesterday:

Small bowl of Special K and organic soy milk
Half an apple and a tablespoon of chunky peanut butter
Full dinner plate of homemade pizza with sausage and sauteed onion and mushrooms
Leftover baked chicken, Brussels sprouts and broccoli
7 mini Hershey Special Dark chocolate bars with 10 large strawberries
Sliced small banana dipped in Hershey's Special Dark chocolate syrup