Homemade Pizza Bar Fixins

Jump to Recipe

"Mom! What are we doing for my birthday party?"

It was a simple enough question; at least, it would have been had it been any other year but 2020. Anyone who remembers April of 2020 knows that large raucous kid-filled birthday parties--whether at home or at a venue--were strictly an impossibility.

What was a mom to do?

A family birthday with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and giggling cousins was out. The excitement of busting open a pinata surrounded by school friends or even a simple trip to the zoo were off limits for many families.

I had always been the queen of birthday parties. One year it was a Disney Up party, complete with life-size (okay, kid-size) house and a hundred balloons. The next was a pirate-theme bash a la Disney's Peter Pan, complete with a tick-tocking alligator backdrop. There was Minecraft, Secret Agents, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, all with a guest list of at least 25-30.

It simply wasn't possible though so I did the next best thing. I dug deep and started writing a list of my son's favorite things. Balloons, surprises, slime, Escape Room games, and pizza.

Sounds perfectly chaotic, doesn't it?

And yet, it worked! Blowing up balloons and hiding each activity inside, I strung the balloons across our kitchen. Every time the kids popped a balloon, a new activity was unveiled.

The party participants? Mom, Dad, and brother! It was small, sure, but afterward, my son said, "Mom, that was my favorite birthday so far!"

It was unlimited attention from Mom and Dad culminating in a cooking challenge where we made our own pizzas and decorated our own cupcakes!

I remember being so worried as we raced through Lego Build Challenges, cheered through Hot Wheels car races down cardboard box raceways, made slime in the backyard, pelted each other with water balloons, popping balloons after each activity for our next heading.

I was so worried it simply wasn't enough... and yet it was.

Just being a family was enough actually. That was our first pizza bar, and, messy though it was, it was a blast! Not to mention, it tasted great!

Now, we have regular family game nights--mostly board games--where we cook together and enjoy just being together.

This homemade pizza bar is one of the simplest party setups I've ever done, and it can be scaled down for a family of four or scaled up for a houseful!

Let's make it!

Homemade Pizza Bar Fixins Recipe

Servings:

4 small personal pizzas, or 1 medium pizza, depending on how thin you spread the dough

Simply double, triple, etc. the recipe, depending on the number of people making pizza!

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough

1 cup warm water

1 Tbs sugar

1 Tbs active dry yeast

1 Tbs avocado oil

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup flour for kneading dough

1 tsp salt

Garlic Drizzle

4 large eggs, separated (you'll be using the yolks only)

2 Tbs parmesan cheese

2 Tbs avocado oil

2 tsp minced parsley

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground pepper

Pizza Sauce

2 Tbs avocado oil

1/3 cup onion, chopped fine

1 Tbs minced garlic or 3 cloves fresh garlic

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

3 Tbs tomato paste

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

Pizza Fixins

8 oz. sliced pepperoni (thin sliced)

3-4 cups shredded mozzarella

1 tub sliced mushrooms

1 bellpepper, sliced

1 sm. onion

1 can sliced olives

1 tube italian sausage, precooked

1 pckg canadian bacon, optional

1 can pineapples, diced

Add other ingredients as you please!

Directions:

Pizza Dough

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Set out parchment paper for each participant or for the number of pizzas being made.

3. Add warm water to a large mixing bowl.

4. Gently mix in the sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until it is frothy.

5. Add 1 Tbs avocado oil to the bowl and stir.

6. Add 2 cups flour and 1 tsp salt, and mix until the dough forms into a ball.

7. Dust your countertop with flour and move the dough to the work surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth.

8. Divide the dough among the participants and let them work the dough into a pizza crust, gently stretching without creating holes.

9. Prebake the pizza crusts on the lower rack of the oven for 5 minutes and remove to cool.

Pizza Dough Drizzle

If you are making calzones, double the drizzle recipe!

1. Add 4 egg yolks, 2 Tbs parmesan cheese, 2 Tbs avocado oil, 2 tsp minced parsley, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp ground pepper to a medium bowl.

2. Using a whisk, mix well and set aside.

Pizza Sauce

1. Heat 2 Tbs of avocado oil in a skillet and saute the diced onions for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add 1 Tbs minced garlic (or 3 cloves garlic) and the remaining spices. Stir into the onions briefly.

3. Add 3 Tbs tomato paste and stir to coat.

4. Add the crushed tomatoes and mix well.

5. Let simmer for about 5-10 minutes.

Build Your Pizza

1. Brush the Pizza Dough Drizzle on the crust of the pizzas. You can also brush the drizzle on the rest of the dough, if you like; we do!

2. Spread the pizza sauce to lightly cover the face of the pizza.

3. Sprinkle ample mozzarella over the sauce.

4. Next, add all the yummy toppings you want! Go bananas!

5. Bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted.

Build Your Calzone

1. Spread the pizza sauce to lightly cover the face of the dough.

2. Sprinkle ample mozzarella over the sauce.

3. Add all the yummy toppings you want over half the dough.

4. With the remaining dough, fold the calzone and press the edges to seal in the contents.

5. Brush the top of the calzone with the Pizza Dough Drizzle.

6. Bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted.