Tomato Basil Pizza

So, when I was 14 I wanted to be a chef. But here's the problem: I watched Emeril and thought that only self-respecting cooks would cook just like him. For a girl who lives in the West/South/whatever we're considered to be here in Oklahoma, I did not have access to saffron, octopus, chives, leeks, fresh scallops or shark. This did not deter me, however, from thinking that to be a good chef one must always 1) cook everything from scratch, or you weren't a chef 2) cook everything EXACTLY like it is in the recipe and 3) Be really, really picky.

I remember one of my first from-scratch meals I made for my family. I wanted to make pizza. The only part of the recipe I did not do was toss the crust in the air but I was tempted. I assumed that tossing it gave it, I don't know, an airy quality or something. I made the dough and sauce from scratch. The recipe seemed simple enough. It wasn't. Especially since the power went out and we had an electric stove. Not good. I also made Caesar salad from scratch that night (it tasted fishy and I never did use up that can of anchovies) with homemade croutons and dressing. Luckily my grandmother who lived next door had power. We used her oven and I found out the hard way that if the pan is very, very hot, rain splatters and gets very steamy. Ouch. (Note: I also have the knack of turning a 30-minute recipe into a 3-hour recipe.)

So! Here I am foraying into the world of making pizza again. This time I come to the kitchen with a little more experience, a little better judgment and the courage to try something new without panicking about the details. (If your husband is like mine, he loves the adventure, even if it doesn't turn out quite right - to him it's all research)

Here's my tomato basil pizza recipe:

1 can of refrigerate pizza dough. (yes, it's worth it)
3 roma tomatoes (delicious, firm and meaty - perfect for cooking)
4 oz. of fresh mozzarella
a bit of fresh basil (one of the two plants that didn't die a slow, agonizing death in my garden :)
a bit of marinara sauce (I just used pasta sauce I had on hand)
butter (real butter, people, none of that margarine crap)
garlic salt

Chop and whatnot. (that's the dough on the left. Scared the dickens out of me when it popped out of the can. I'm such a wuss)
Spread the dough (I had to spray my hand with a little cooking spray to avoid sticking to the dough.
Put on some sauce (to taste).
Top with mozzarella slices, then tomatoes.
Put in the oven.
Cook to dough specifications (on the can of dough)
Isn't she a beaut?

Isn't it delicious looking? Now here is the best part.
After it's done baking, take a stick of butter and shmear (come on spell check, stick with me here) it on the crust, then sprinkle garlic salt, not too lightly, not too heavily. So delicious.
Then take your chopped basil and put on top. (It's a light and subtle flavor and I loved it!)
Try it! Super easy and only cost around $5.00 to make. Amazing. Seriously fancy, but easy, pizza.