Pizza with ingredients from the Carson City farmers market

I am sick and tired of being sick and tired: of COVID, the smoke, the political rhetoric, of cooking and more than cooking of planning what to cook.

I know I’m not the only one suffering from all these dilemmas. I want fall to get here with some cooler weather so maybe just maybe I might get excited (just a little) about cooking and baking again. The good news, yeast is on shelves again just like toilet paper!

I’m lucky that I have a good partner who understands if there is no dinner on the table and is willing to help with the cooking and make do with what’s in the fridge. If it were just me I could have cereal for dinner and pancakes.

This Saturday is the last Farmers Market so I hope everyone has a chance to come and thank the farmers and vendors for making the effort to show up in these difficult circumstances. Breana Coons, market manager did a great job of keeping the market up and running, especially in the beginning when the rules were changing weekly!

It’s also your chance to shop with the other vendors and maybe pick up a few Christmas gifts. There are jams, jellies, candy, olive oil, jewelry, honey, yard art and so many other items that can be tucked away till December.

We have been making pizzas on Sunday because I get a couple of doughs from work (Piazza) and they are delicious and easy. I start at the FM buying some items to go on my pizza. Mine is veggie and Ralph’s is meat lovers. We each have our own because he puts anchovies on his. He eats his leftovers cold for breakfast the next day.

Chefs at the market are always good for business, theirs and the farmers. Jamie from Sassafras and Dan from Piazza are there every week picking out the best fruits and veggies to use in their kitchens. They know the farmers, their produce, how it was raised and grown and trust them to deliver for their customers.

In the picture you see all the ingredients for my pizza. You can start with a homemade dough or store bought (Trader Joe’s). The key is to let it rest at room temperature and it’s easier to work with. You can even use a loaf of frozen bread dough, let it thaw but not rise.

I put a little corn meal on my pan and because our pizza pans are well used a little olive oil around the edges. Shape your dough with your hands and then roll out to fit your pan. I bake the pizza at 400 for about 20 minutes.

They key is to not put so much cheese on that it weighs down the pizza so when you pick it up to take a bite it slides off in your lap.

Pizzas are personal, so have fun and try making one just the way you like it.